Notes from Pastor Bruce (Adult Ministries and Stuff...)-September 2011
By Pastor Bruce Nelson | August 30, 2011
s m a l l g r o u p s
All Bethel adults are encouraged to enjoy the fun, fellowship, caring, and growth that happens as we get together in small groups. For 5-10 weeks (depending on the group) this fall beginning the end of September we will meet in small groups. Discussion will be related to the Sunday morning message and it’s application to our daily lives. We will also consider ways in which we can serve, have a good time together, and grow in our faith.
Expect coffee and cookies, slippers, smiles, laughter, sometimes tears, and the easy, comfortable feeling that you’re home – you belong here, want to be here. Here people really know and care for you and you genuinely care for those you’re getting to know …
We’d like to have many of you offer to host/lead a group. As in the past, expect this to be easy and enjoyable. We’re not looking for Bible scholars, just those willing to serve by opening their home or office, sharing some refreshments, and leading a discussion using prepared questions relating to the Sunday message and/or a DVD guide. Please let me know as soon as possible if you’d like to host a group.
We are inviting all adults at Bethel to sign up and find themselves feeling at home in a small group. Sign up for a group on Sundays at the small group table or go on the church website and sign up or call the church office.
Adult Education for the Fall Season
· Women’s Bible Study in Genesis...Check these titles! “Wrestling with God” and Keeping Your Focus When Your Dreams are Shattered” Wrestling with God is a 4 week Bible study that will be offered on Tuesday evenings beginning September 13th at Bethel from 7:00-9:00 p.m. This study will look at the lives of Isaac, Jacob and Esau from Genesis 24-36. God renews the covenant promise to Abraham through the patriarchs Isaac and Jacob. Their lives become an integral part of the scarlet thread of redemption that God weaves through all of Scripture and the source of confidence and comfort for us. The truths we learn about God, the lessons we learn for our lives from these men and their relationship to God can guide our steps of faith and help us to see God’s purposes in our disappointments.
Keeping Your Focus When Your Dreams are Shattered is a 4 week study on the life of Joseph which will follow beginning October 11. Have you ever been falsely accused? Or maybe you have suffered unjustly for something you had no control over. Joseph had to deal with a life of ups and downs, and his God taught him how to handle them all.
If you are interested in either or both courses, please contact Cindy Hoines at 507-345-8069 for more information. Workbooks are available at a cost of $9.00 per course.
· Men’s Fraternity...16 men got a taste of Men’s Fraternity over the 24 weeks of the program and 12 or 13 of them were there almost every week. Some have expressed a strong desire to invite other’s to get in on this vital teaching about Biblical manhood. We will begin the series once again on Wed., Sept. 14, at 6 a.m. The Tuesday evening group will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. GUYS, please let your friends know about this, better yet, bring them along. If you are planning on attending, please let me or the church office know so we can order guides for the class.
· Bethel Institute...Are you interested in going deeper in your faith and your understanding of the Bible? Pastor Dave is exploring offering a streamlined version of Bethel Institute on Sunday nights from 6:00-7:00 PM beginning possibly September 18th. The class will cover Church history, basic theology, New Testament overview, Old Testament overview, and personal spiritual development. If you are interested in being a part of this class please contact the church office.
· Discovery Class...Thursday, October 6, 6:30-9:00 p.m. This class is the place to learn more about Bethel Baptist - what we believe, where we have come from, where we are headed, and how one can become a member of Bethel. I f you have questions about this or would like to attend, please contact me or Christian Kohs.
· Small Groups...Biblical truth and it’s application to life are part of our small groups. However, a small group is not a “class” but more of experiencing life together. Groups are about enjoying relationship as we learn and grow together.
· DivorceCare and NAMI are support groups that are both relational and educational. Do you know someone who is hurting due to marital separation and/or divorce? It is very likely that they would be greatly blessed by some sound Biblical teaching and some caring support and encouragement from others who have also suffered loss. Please let them know. They can check our web-site and/or give Pastor Bruce a call if they want more information about DivorceCare. We will begin meeting September 20th through December 13th. We will meet each Tuesday evening from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. To register contact the church office or go to our website www.bethelmankato.com. The National Alliance on Mental Illness-Mankato offers the Connection Support Group every Thursday at 6:30-8:00 p.m. This is for anyone who lives with a mental illness. There is also a support group for family members. It meets the 2nd & 4th Thursdays of the month at 6:30 p.m. There is no need to register or call ahead. Just come. Both groups meet here at Bethel. Men & Women Stuff
Bethel Men
Men’s Retreat at Trout Lake ? Sept. 16-18. This is a great time of fun and fellowship in an incredible outdoor setting. All kinds of man activities, learning opportunities, great food, and time to worship and connect with the Great Creator. You can get more information and register on the Bethel website. We will work on coordinating rides.
Bethel Women
“Faith, Hope, Love” Fall Refreshment Women’s Retreat September 23-25 at Trout Lake. Please call the church office if you are interested and/or if you’d like to coordinate a group.
Also, someone with our Minnesota Iowa Baptist Conference has a special connection and idea for those who may wish to attend the Women of Faith Conference in St. Paul on October 21, 22. Again, please call the office if you’d like more information and/or to do some coordinating.
What's Been Happening? ... End of Summer Highlights!
· Baptism… On Sunday, August 14th at the Biehn’s home on Lake Washington there were 10 people A BIG THANK YOU to Darryl & Connie Biehn in opening their beautiful home to this celebration!
baptized by immersion. Dani Burroughs, Lael & Trey Fling, Zach & Ally Kroehler, Jennifer Neufeld, Jon Nickel, Kirsten & Megan Peters, and Madelyn Tollefson. There was quite the crowd to welcome these 10 into the Body of Christ. Afterwards there was a time of fellowship as we enjoyed an ice cream social.
Global Leadership Summit
About 40 people from Bethel and our community joined tens of thousands around the country on Aug. 11-12 for the Global Leadership Summit. I was delighted to see when a business leader from our community whom I had invited said, “I’ll be back next year … I think I’ll invite my wife and some others from our organization to come with me.”
Now, I think I’ll spend several months and in some ways the rest of my life digesting and applying the things that I heard at the Summit. For instance, Dr. Henry Cloud’s teaching about how we basically deal with three different types of people: wise people, foolish people, and bad people. Understanding who we are dealing with and relating to them appropriately is crucial for a good leader.
I shed tears when Mama Maggie Gobran, gifted educator who loves and serves the garbage dump dwellers in Cairo, bowed and kissed the floor at Willow Creek asking for God’s blessing on the ministry and people there. She bowed low there for a long time …
The mayor of Newark, Cory Booker, and Michelle Rhee of StudentsFirst.org, spoke with great passion about what God has called them to. Other speakers were powerful too … I wish you could have been there. Maybe we’ll get a chance to share some of the teaching in the days to come. For now, let me encourage you to make Aug. 9-10, 2012, a really high priority on your schedule. Like I promised my friend whose coming back, “you won’t be disappointed!”
What an amazing conference! I think I say that every year, but this year's speakers were especially timely and encouraging. I wish our entire congregation could have experienced it. In fact, when we get the DVD in a couple months you can! -Jennifer Reeves
Thank you to everyone who worked to make this conference happen: Alice Jensen, Faith Milton, Leia Milton, Alanna Reeves, Quinn Reeves, Heather Milton, Bruce Nelson, Mike Jensen, Rich Neufeld, Jerry Oman, Luke Milton, Margaret Dawson, Zach Kroehler, Julie Soper, Ann Winch, Glenn Winch, Tim Cherney, Jenn Reeves, and the Youth Worship Band (Summit Sunday).
Thank you to all of our volunteers' families; we recognize and appreciate your sacrifice as well.
To Everyone: It's not too soon to be thinking about The Global Leadership Summit 2012.
Put August 9-10th, 2012, on your calendar now and begin setting aside $5-$10 a month to invest in yourself. You won't regret it.!
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