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 wish a blessed birthday to Joanne van Gyssel today and to Gerry Doornenbal tomorrow. May God be near you both on your birthdays and every day!

Jake & Agnes Prins have started a new chapter in their lives and moved to Royal Oak Village. Their new address is #304 4501 College Avenue, Lacombe, T4L 2M8. Their phone number remains the same.

We pray for Harry and Hilda Van Stryland and family as they deal with Harry’s initial diagnosis of cancer. It is always a worrying time as tests are done to determine the details of this difficult disease. We bring our worries to the Lord in the confidence and hope of his gracious provision of strength and healing.

We offer our prayers for John & Dana van Gyssel as John had a sudden heart attack this past Tuesday. He was taken to Edmonton and is responding well to treatments.

Do remember those who are unable to worship regularly with us: please keep Jenny Bajema, 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. 

*Please take note and special care! 

There has been a major shift in the order and placement of the church mailboxes. Your mailbox has moved! Please make sure that you are removing your paperwork from your new box. Thank you from the secretaries.

Guess Who’s Coming for Coffee? (with a twist!) 

For the month of April, Guess Who’s Coming for Coffee will be done a little differently. This time there will be no sign-up sheet but you are encouraged to call up someone in the congregation who has never been to your place and invite them to come to your home on Sunday, April 17^th for coffee! If you’re not comfortable hosting coffee at your home, be bold and phone someone and invite yourself to their place!

April 13^th Executive Meeting highlights:

• Pastor Mike opens with devotions and prayer.
• Council will be discussing moving the morning service to a 10:00 a.m. start time. This will enable our church members who live in the Lacombe Seniors’ Lodge to be on time for lunch. Feedback is welcome to council members.
• Nomination process discussed – congregation members are asked to prayerfully consider the Lord’s calling.
• Highlights from the GALT meeting:
• Bethel will be using Shaw as our phone/Internet provider in the near future.
• The new copier is working and is bringing down the cost of copies.
• The air conditioning system is being monitored for comfort and efficiency.
• Three powerful testimonies of faith were heard from Erica Van Stryland, Luke Patterson and Leah Ebens. Following a time of questioning, a motion was passed to accept these people as  full professing members of Bethel CRC. The profession of faith service will be held on May 15^th.
• Pulpit supply: April 24^th - Rick Abma, May 22^nd - August Luymes, May 29^th - Ron Devries, June 5^th - Jonathan Nicolai deKoning.
• Fruitful visit from a member of the congregation.
• Church Renewal Lab information day happening in Ponoka on May 14^th. Ask Pastor Mike for information.
• Next Executive meeting will be held on May 11, 2016.

Bethel Newsletter: 

Another month flies by. The next newsletter will be in your mailboxes on the first Sunday of May – May 1^st. We will be focusing on Spring and Mother’s day. If you have a contribution you would like included, please have it in to Harriet Luymes, Meaghan Noort or Anita Geldof no later than April 27^th so we have time to put things together in order. Thank you!

BETHEL YOUTH

Young Peoples Bible study 

will be held tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the Scholings.

Tuesday Nite Youth 

will meet on Tuesday, April 19^th at 7:30 p.m. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Set aside the night of April 22^nd for the annual Lacombe Christian School Auction. 

Come out for an evening of family fun for all in support of LCS. Supper is served at 5:00 p.m. with auction beginning at 6:30 p.m. Hall of Games for the kids runs from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. Any questions or donations, call Karri Folkerts at 403-782-0313.

The Dutch Canadian Choir of Calgary 

brings an afternoon of music on Saturday, April 23^rd at 2:30 p.m. at St. Andrew’s United Church. A portion of the proceeds goes to Food and Nutrition security in Guatemala to help rural Mayan families. The Dutch Canadian Choir began in 1972 with the purpose of promoting Dutch culture through music. They have played at the Calgary Stampede and for Queen Elizabeth II as well as touring the Netherlands. Tickets are $15 and available at St Andrew’s during office hours. Phone 403-782-3148 or from Roberta at 403-307-3811 or 403-782-0443. For more information see the bulletin board in our church foyer.

Grandparents' & Senior Supporters' Day 

In thankfulness for your contributions to the children of Lacombe Christian School, we invite our Grandparents & Senior Supporters to our annual luncheon on Monday, April 25^th, 2016. Seating begins at 11:30 a.m. with lunch being served at 11:45 a.m. No RSVP required.

Craft Night: Friday April 29^th at 7:30 p.m. 

at Sonrise CRC in Ponoka. Come on out for a fun evening of crafting with friends. We will be making a Rustic Mason Jar Planter Box, staining the box (optional) painting the jars, and decorating them. These Planter Boxes will make a great decoration in your home and Mothers’ Day is just around the corner so it would make a nice gift as well! We have 80 spots available so sign up quick. Deadline for signup is April 24^th. Contact Corine Weever at 403- 352-8111 or email c.weever@live.ca. All proceeds from this evening will go to the YC groups from Sonrise and Bethel.

It is our pleasure to invite you to the Wolf Creek Gideons Banquet will be held on Friday, April 29^th at 6:30 p.m. at the Kozy Korner, 5024-53 St., Lacombe. The speaker is Casey Bjorndal and there will be local singers as well. Join us to hear how you can share the gospel with people all over the world who are looking for hope. Tickets: Eleanor Merkus at 403-782-1490 or Henry Eisses at 403-782-2345.

PERSECUTED CHURCH

Laos 

As one of the few remaining communist nations, Laos is a volatile area for Christians. Officially, the government permits the practice of four religions, including Christianity. In reality, however, Christians are harassed, evicted from their homes and forcibly relocated, denied education opportunities, arrested and forced to deny their faith. Churches are watched carefully by the government. A 16 year old girl, who recently converted to Christianity, went home to visit her family while on holiday during a high school break. After sharing her newfound Christian faith with them, she was immediately rejected and disowned for becoming a believer. Pray for strength and courage for Christians as they continue to face pressure and imprisonment for their faith. Pray for the government of Laos -- that those in power will continue to improve policies and activities, recognizing the need for freedom for all their citizens. Pray for new believers like this girl who want to share the joy of their new faith. May she be strengthened in her resolve to follow Christ all the days of her life, trusting Him to also work in the lives of her loved ones during this difficult time of estrangement.