OUR CHURCH FAMILY

Please remember our church family in your daily prayers, at mealtimes and during your personal devotions. Continue to remember those young and old with ongoing physical, spiritual, and emotional struggles.

We offer our condolences to Gerrit and Dorothy Meindersma and Pearl Meindersma with the unexpected death of Gerrit’s brother Ernest in southern B.C. He was 89. May God bring comfort through the hope of the Savior in this time of sadness.

Do remember those who are unable to worship regularly with us: please keep Jenny Bajema, Albert & Tilly Biel, Klaas Boskers, Gerry Doornenbal, Lea Dykstra, Lillian Mercier, Ernie Stebner and Grace Vander Veen in your prayers.

Pray for our missionaries around the world.

Bethel News

Thanks

To all the children’s ministry leaders for the great preparation in the service last Sunday morning. The kids did so well presenting the message of Christmas. Also to the Fellowship Ministry Leadership team for organizing the potluck lunch. It was great that so many folks stayed.

From the secretaries: 

For this coming week, the deadline for bulletin information for the December 27^th bulletin will be 9:00 a.m., Thursday, December 24^th. For the January 3^rd bulletin the deadline will be 9:00 a.m., Thursday, December 31^st. Thank you!

A BIG THANK YOU 

to all who contributed to the Sinterklaas Bazaar. Thank you for making this event a huge success. Approximately $2,600.00 was raised for the Mexico Mission Trip.

A pair of hearing aid batteries have been found, if they are yours please contact Cindy or Dana to retrieve them.

The Fellowship Ministry Leadership Team 

would like to invite the congregation to share some of their Christmas baking with each other after the Candlelight Service and the Christmas Day Service. Please bring your contributions to the kitchen and we will look after serving it. Thank you!

Dear Congregation: On behalf of the General Administration Leadership team 

I have been asked to give you an update on our financial situation. We have slowly fallen behind in our budget giving by approximately $3000 per month. We have been able to meet our Classical, Kings University and Ministers’ pension fund obligations and one third of our Denominational ministry shares. Another $30,000 is needed to fulfill this part of our budget. All together we can give as the Lord has blessed us and share with fulfilling the denominational needs. One more note – December 28^th will be the last day to donate to the church budget. Please prayerfully consider these requests. From the Church treasurer, August Luymes

The Cadets are once again fundraising by collecting Bottles & Batteries in January. Please save them for us as we will collect them on January 9^th when we have our fundraising drive.

BETHEL YOUTH

Young Peoples: There will be a Christmas social next Sunday, December 27^th.

Check out the Youth bulletin board about upcoming Campus Visit Opportunities at the King’s University in 2016.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Check out the foyer bulletin board for news from The King’s University. There are King’s View Friday coming up and a notice about the next Winter Interdisciplinary Studies Conference – Change is in the Air: From Climate Change to Climate Justice to be held on January 20^th and 21^st.

PERSECUTED CHURCH

Turkey 

About 20 evangelical churches in Turkey have received threatening messages from the Turkish branch of ISIS. The messages, which have been sent via Facebook, text and email, often include upsetting videos and pictures. The militants responsible for sending these messages state that they are tired of waiting for Christians to return to Islam, adding cruel comments such as, "Quranic commandments... urge us to slay the apostate like you." While the church leaders have reported the threats to authorities, we ask that you join us in praying for the protection of these churches and for God's guidance to be granted to their leaders. As these Christians seek God's wisdom and direction in response to forms of persecution they've endured, may they sense His Holy Spirit's promptings -- always endeavoring to speak the truth in love. Ask the Lord to protect them as they continue boldly gathering together for times of worship and fellowship, while also reaching out to the non-believing members of their communities. Please pray for an increase of religious freedom in Turkey, and the empowerment of Christians to embrace that freedom for the furtherance of the Gospel and God's glory.