January 29- February 4,2012
Prayer Focus for the Week:
Pray to seek the Lord while He may be found. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
Wednesday, February 1st, 12:00 Noon & 6:00 P.M.: Bible Study will convene.
Wednesday, February 1st,, 6:00 P.M.: Education Enrichment Ministry will convene.
Wednesday, February 1st, 7:00 P.M.: The Ministerial Staff will meet.
SWTXC YPD
Saturday, February 4th, 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.: The SWTXC YPD will participate in a Day of Service at the San Antonio Food Bank. All youth are encouraged to attend.
TIME CAPSULE
Bethel members will have an opportunity to place items into a Time Capsule. We are seeking current information, photographs, reports, minutes or programs to be placed into the container for the Time Capsule. The deadline for submission of the items is Sunday, February 26, 2012. Please give your items to Bro. Robert Adkins or Bro. Leroy Pittman of the Sons of Allen. Thank you for your assistance.
LAY SUNDAY
The Bethel's Lay Organization will be celebrating the founding of The African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Centennial Celebration of the Connectional Lay Organization on Sunday, February 26, 2012 at the 8:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M. services. Please help us celebrate this Centennial Celebration by wearing attire depicting the dress of 100 years ago. More information will follow. Sis. Dierdre Fisher, President
FOUNDER'S DAY 2011
Thursday - Saturday, February 9th - 11th: 10th Episcopal District Founder's Day at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 14315 Midway Road, Addison (Dallas), TX, 75001. Cost per night $109.00. Reservation deadline is Tuesday, January 17, 2011. We will be turning in all the registrations at the same time under Bethel A.M.E. Church. Registration is $10 per person. Deadline to turn in the names to the Church is Monday, January 23rd.
Did you know that heart disease is the number one (#1) killer of women? Go Red For Women, a national movement led by the American Heart Association, is bringing awareness to heart disease in women. Friday, February 3, 2012 is National Go Red Day. Bethel's Kingdom Hearts, a community partner with AHA, will lead during the month of February to bring attention to this preventable disease. Our Go Red Day will be Sunday, February 26, 2012 preceded by a community event luncheon and fashion extravaganza on Saturday, Feb. 25th. Let's make it our mission to fight heart disease while wearing our RED proudly!!!!
WE NEED YOUR HELP
The Hospitality Committee is looking for new members. Please contact Sis. Doris Walker.
A DROP IN THE BUCKET is a new Home Mission Project that will provide change for our college students, gifts to our sick, shut-in, elderly and our military. These buckets will be available for your change each 2nd, 3rd and 4th Sunday morning during offering. Please drop your change in the bucket and watch us touch lives at Bethel A.M.E. Church.
The Baskets for Bishop Sarah F. Davis of the 16th Episcopal District will be available each 1st and 5th Sunday during offering.
A ministry under the umbrella of the A R Nelson Outreach
URGENT NEED FOR VAN DRIVERS!
There is an urgent need for van drivers on the third, fourth and fifth Sundays. Bro Harold McAfee, a dedicated and long time driver, has retired. Please consider the Transportation Ministry as you think about serving in our church. It is our desire to provide uninterrupted service to the members who depend on the van. Please call Bro. Sylvester Johnson.
BETHEL'S A.R. NELSON OUTREACH
Retired but not tired, home alone and semi bored, male or female, well Bethel's A.R. Nelson Christian Outreach is the place for you. Come; volunteer once or twice a week in service to your church and community. Our hours are 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM each Tuesday and Thursday. There are many jobs available on other days, don't feel left out we have a place for you just ask.
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE BULLETIN
Please Note the deadline to submit announcements is
Tuesday by 12:00 Noon.
Announcements need to be typed and can be put in the
Secretary's box in the workroom or faxed to the church
@ 210-227-5474 or send to the church e-mail address which is
bethelamecsatx@sbcglobal.net as a Microsoft Word Attachment.
All announcements received after the deadline will be placed in the
announcement folder to be read if approved by the Pastor.
2012
A NEW YEAR'S DAY PRAYER FOR
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
God of power, majesty, justice and truth, God our Savior, Jesus the Christ, God our comforter and guide, Holy Spirit. We thank you for blessing us in the year 2011 and for allowing us to see the first day of the year 2012. We thank you for preserving and inspiring our ancestors and for equipping us to serve you in the present age. We thank you for the opportunity on this New Year's Day to pray for the United States of America.
Lord, have mercy upon us. Forgive us for our times of silence in the face of political evil, forgive us for our sinful apathy and for the times that we have been pragmatic instead of prophetic, forgive us for the times that we've allowed self interest to prevent our speaking truth to power. Lord, have mercy upon us, and please bless America.
Bless America, where some politicians and elected officials care more about political victory and catering to the elite than about bettering the lives of those in poverty. Bless America, where old bigotry has found a new voice in those who seek to divide for political advantage and who attack our President not for his performance, but for the color of his skin.
Bless America, where governmental funds are spent not to adequately feed the hungry, educate our children, secure the lives of our seniors and provide health care but to build weapons of war and implement laws to suppress voters and persecute immigrants. Bless America, where some citizens cloak mean spirited and punitive politics in the fabric of religion.
Bless America, gracious Lord, and bless and use us as people of faith to stand up and speak out. Empower and guide us with your Holy Spirit so that we can speak out from our pulpits and our pews, in corridors of power and in voting booths, in our homes and our communities. Enable us to do your will as expressed through your servant Amos, so that justice and righteousness will flow freely through our words and our work. Lead us to give contemporary expression to your ancient advice to your people - to humble ourselves, pray, seek your face and turn from our wicked ways so that you can hear from heaven, forgive our sin and heal our land.
Let your light shine through us, so that America will see the road to unity and progress. Make us the salt that changes the flavor of political discourse and public policy. Empower us to fight the good fight and to stand for justice and righteousness, so that those who deal in political lies and ugly rhetoric will hear the authentic Word of the Jesus who said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
This is our prayer in the Name of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Authored by the Reverend Joseph A. Darby, Pastor
Morris Brown African Methodist Episcopal Church
Charleston, South Carolina
Seventh Episcopal District
