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 Bill
Noordhof blessings on his birthday as he celebrates tomorrow. May God be with you in the coming year!
Do remember
those who are unable to worship regularly with us: please keep Jenny Bajema, Klaas Boskers, Rena
DeRuiter, Lea Dykstra and Ernie Stebner in your prayers.
Pray for our
missionaries around the world.
Bethel News
ATTENTION
PARENTS OF ALL CHILDREN AND YOUTH:
The Children’s Christmas Worship Service is coming together
and it is going to be a wonderful time of Praise and Worship as we anticipate
Christ’s birth. The service will take place during the morning service on
December 10th. We have
carefully planned and considered parts for ALL our Children and youth. The Christmas Story will be presented once
again as a play. There will be a
rehearsal next Sunday, December 3rd after the morning service to hand out parts
and go through the play. Each part is
very small and we do not require costumes (Those who have larger parts and
costumes should have been contacted already). If you are unable to be part of this service please contact Donna by
text at 403-506-9993 (I will not have cell service until Saturday and will
reply at that time). Please bring a flashlight
labeled with your name on December 3rd. Thank you!
Please mark your calendars for the Bethel Congregational Meeting
to be held this Wednesday, November 29th
at 7:30 p.m. We will be looking at
and voting on the proposed Bethel budget for 2018 as well as other items.
Living Members
will meet tonight at
7:00 p.m. at Peter & Gerry Prins’. Please study lesson 7 in the
Discover Ephesians book.
Prayer Meeting:
There will be a prayer
meeting at the home of Margaret Roolker on Tuesday morning, November 28th
at 10:00 a.m. This is for the work and ministries in our congregation, and
especially for the ongoing need for the Holy Spirit to make us aware of God's
agenda for us all. If you feel led to pray not only with but also for the
congregation, please feel free to join us.
Sinterklaas Bazaar:
The Bethel Mission Team is planning a
trip to Mexico to build a house in the spring. Our team consists of youth leaders from Woodynook, Wolf Creek and
Bethel. In order to help raise money for
our trip, the mission team is hosting the Sinterklaas
Bazaar this coming Saturday, December 2ndhere at Bethel from
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Come enjoy a
delicious Dutch luncheon, play some traditional Dutch games and meet
Sinterklaas and the Mission Team. Donations for quality clean toys would be
greatly appreciated as well and can be dropped off at Bethel or the Bouwman
house before the event. Contact Jackie
Bouwman at 403-357-8043 for more details.
December Newsletter:
The newsletter team is preparing to print the
last newsletter for 2017. We look forward to hearing from the
congregation. Send us a note as to how your year has been in your
particular ministry or Bible study. Tell us about your plans for
2018. Send us a poem, or a recipe, or a devotion that touched
your heart. Send us your drawings and your artwork. We strive to
make the newsletter something that is interesting for all, but also something
that tells us about our Bethel family, helping us to get to know one another
better. We include some denominational news and community announcements
as they become available to us. Growing as a family and as a group of
disciples of Christ Jesus is our goal for the newsletter and our prayer for
each member of Bethel. Thanks for your support and your contributions
through another year. Please talk to Harriet Luymes or Anita Geldof about
items you would like to see included in the newsletter.
Lost
& Found:
The box at the bottom of the stairs at the front of the
church is overflowing with a vast assortment of coats & hoodies - many of
which seem to show up after Tuesday Nite Youth - Tupperware and toys. Please take a moment to check for any items
which might belong to YOU. Leftovers
will be given to the Building Blocks Thrift store this week!
Community
Christmas Dinner 2017:
Bethel is once again hosting the Community Christmas Dinner on Christmas
Day. Are you willing to hang up posters all around town? Please let
Pete or Cora Hoekstra know. This task would need to be completed by
December 1st.
BETHEL
YOUTH
Tuesday Nite Youth
meets this Tuesday, November 29th at 7:30 p.m. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. See you there!
DENOMINATIONAL
NEWS
CRCNA Position Opening
Resonate
Global Mission, the mission agency of the CRCNA, has part-time openings for
Local Mission Leaders for the Western Canada, specifically (but not limited to)
in the Greater Vancouver, Edmonton, and Winnipeg areas. The positions will be
located in a city in the Western region of Canada (Thunder Bay west). The work
of the Local Mission Leader will be to develop contextual strategies that
catalyze the development of mission-shaped congregations, missional leaders,
and holistic mission networks and connect global and local partners for mission
in their local context and/or ministry focus area. Visit www.crcna.org/jobs for
a detailed description or to apply, attaching a current cover letter and
resume, by Tuesday, November 28th.
To remain open until candidates are located in Greater Vancouver and Edmonton.
The denominational Ecumenical and Interfaith
Relations Committee (EIRC)
has a vacancy to be filled by a person from
Western Canada. The Committee is appointed by Synod of the CRC to engage and
participate in the life of the global church, particularly interacting with
churches and ecumenical organizations that share the heritage of the Reformed
understanding of the Christian faith. Members of Classis Alberta North who wish to be nominated for serving on
this Committee or nominate someone else should send the nomination to Henk Van
Andel, Classis Nominations Coordinator, at henkva@telus.net before December 15,
2017. Nominees are to have some
ecumenical experience and interest, and nominations should be accompanied by a
brief biography demonstrating this experience and interest.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Central Alberta Christian High School’s Fall
Drive/Capital Campaign
is underway. This
year’s goal is $600,000. If you have not
received a donation form you may contact the school’s business office (403-782-3-4535)
and request the form to be mailed, faxed or emailed to you. During the evening,
you may also contact Phil Tenbrinke (403-782-7951) or Wendy Barnes
(403-885-5187). Your donations may be
mailed to C.A.C.H.S., 22 Eagle Road, Lacombe, AB, T4L 1G7. Attention: Wendy Barnes or they may be handed
in a sealed envelope to the canvasser who called you.
PERSECUTED
CHURCH
India
Officials and
police in Tamil Nadu state have ordered ten churches to discontinue services.
Hindu militants have compelled state officials and police to issue orders
mandating the churches to stop conducting worship services unless permission is
obtained from a government collector's office, a process that could take
several years. Twenty more churches are under threat with similar bans. In
their efforts to challenge such complaints, nearly 500 Christians submitted a
memorandum demanding protection and appealing for churches to re-open. Despite
this urgent call for justice, the police superintendent has refused any support
or action, stating that nothing can be done. Pray that any plans to hinder
ministry among the people of these communities will be thwarted. In the
meantime, may these believers be reminded that their prayers and worshipful
praise are not confined to a building. Pray
that the hearts of those in positions of governing authority will be turned
toward the Lord, so that the truth of the Gospel message can succeed in
transforming many more lives in this country.