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Friday, April 3, 2026 Newsletter

For Sunday - Easter Sunday 


9:00 a.m.: Holy Ground Contemporary Worship Service

       (in person in Fellowship Hall)


11:15 a.m.: Traditional Worship Service

       (in person in the Sanctuary, and livestreamed on Facebook and website)

A MESSAGE FROM REV. KAREN KINNEY: FEARING THE JOY


Grace and peace to you,


Heads up Good Friday people! Easter Sunday is coming! Resurrection joy is on its way!

But first… we would be remiss if we didn’t remember the actions of Good Friday and the days in between when his followers saw him killed on a cross. I have often wondered what that must have felt like – witnessing his suffering, the way he forgave those who were putting him to death and those who called for Barabbas to be released – not Jesus. Witness to his last breath, witness to him being laid in a tomb. I can’t imagine the grief, the fear, the feeling of helplessness.

This is what we will explore this Sunday – three times Jesus tells folks he will be raised – given new life, and yet when we come to the story of the empty tomb in Matthew, we see fear arise again. What will the angel say to the women (the first evangelists!) who come to the tomb to care for Jesus’ body? And what will those words mean to us? What will their encounter with Jesus mean to us? How can fear and great joy co-exist? So many questions, so much to explore on such a joyous day!


Come and see, come and explore, come and be together in community.

Blessings,
Pastor Karen

TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT on 8.5" x 11" paper:

Traditional Worship Service (4 pages)

FOR THIS SUNDAY


HOLY SATURDAY COMPLINE SERVICE: We will offer a Holy Saturday Compline Service, a contemplative time of music and word. It will be held at 8 p.m. in the Sanctuary and livestreamed on Facebook and our website.


HOSPITALITY HOUR: Join us for good connection between our two Sunday services – 10:15-11 a.m. in Fellowship Hall.

EASTER FLOWERS: Thank you to those who donated our beautiful Easter flowers! Please take them home after the worship service you attend.

SHARING YOUR HOPES AND VISION: MISSION STUDY


This week we begin the first of many sessions for you to share your hopes / dreams / visions for near-term and far-term mission and ministry here at FPC-Bethlehem.

We will also hold sessions immediately following the 11:15 a.m. service on Sunday, April 19 – if you plan to attend then, please email info@fpc-bethlehem.org to indicate your participation.

Each session is expected to last 45 to 60 minutes and will have a facilitator to guide discussion and a recorder to take notes. There are five questions the facilitator will ask you to consider – they are listed below.


The last question is where we will ask you to write down your hope/dream/vision on a “letter” provided to you. We will then display these in the North Link so that you can see what others are hoping and visioning too!


Questions that the facilitator will ask:


1.   What do we need to let go?

2.  What do we need to hold onto?

3.  Where is God leading this congregation?

4.  Imagine a person who will join this church three years from now. What might they be looking for that we aren't currently providing?

5.  What dream/vision do you have for mission when we are in a right-sized church? 

There are only two guidelines for the sessions:

1. The sessions are no-judgement zones – a safe place for you to express what you are dreaming and hoping.

2. The responses while they will be shared are confidential – the notetakers will not place names by responses.

Save the Date: Please save Sunday, May 17 for an all-congregation meeting where we will worship at 10 a.m., share a potluck lunch at 11 a.m. and spend several hours working to build a consensus vision of mission and ministry for FPC-Bethlehem.

NEXT CHAPTER UPDATES


As we prepare to transition to new space, we have convened two "Next Chapter" teams: one for the Preschool, and one for the church.


Preschool Director Lisa Todd and elder JoAnne Turcotte are chairing the Preschool team, and they report:

• We continue to explore other options, and we want to thank everyone who has been helping us with ideas and places to investigate. 

• Next week Presbyterian Senior Living (PSL, owner of Kirkland Village) meets with their council so we will hopefully have some more information.
  

And the church's Next Chapter team shares this update:


• We are continuing to identify church space possibilities in conversation with denominational partners including United Church of Christ, Lutheran (ELCA), Moravian, Episcopalian, and Methodist.
  
• On Monday, staff met to share updates and talk through sequencing of department-specific projects related to relocation.
  
• The Next Chapter team will convene for its first site visits in the coming weeks.

LENTEN STUDIES: DEVOTIONAL AND DAILY STUDY

Beginning with Ash Wednesday and continuing through the Second Sunday of Easter, we invite you to engage with this weekly devotional that follows the scriptures.

HEARTS N MINDS: CONTINUING THE DISCUSSION

BODY N SOUL: ALL ARE WELCOME!

The Body N Soul Intergenerational Faith Formation class will not meet this Sunday.

Based on scripture and brought to life through movement and crafts, Body N Soul offers opportunities for seekers of all ages to grow their faith and build intergenerational community. 


Body N Soul meets each Sunday at 10:10 a.m. in Room 216. Everyone is welcome--no reservations or advanced preparation required. 

GARDENING TO GIVE

HI NEIGHBORS: TAKING A WEEK OFF
Back on Monday, April 13

Those attending this past Monday’s Hi Neighbors speakers program heard the inspiring story of Christian Frederick Martin, who established his guitar-building business, C.F. Martin & Company in 1833. 

The Hi Neighbors presentations are free and open to the public, and feature an interesting array of topics such as history, local culture, music, and current events. The programs begin at 9:30 a.m. with a social time in Fellowship Hall, followed by the hour-long presentation at 10 a.m. A lively question-and-answer period is included. 

FOOD DONATIONS: SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORS

April’s donations are earmarked for Bethlehem’s Northeast Middle School. To support their students and their families, many BASD schools have a food pantry that collects non-perishable food items as well as personal care products for all ages.


Collection carts are located in the North Link and at the south entrance. Let’s fill those carts! 

CLOSINGS FOR EASTER HOLIDAY: Preschool will be closed Thursday, April 2 through Monday, April 6. The building and offices will be closed on Monday, April 6; all will reopen on Tuesday, April 7.

FOR SUNDAY’S IN-PERSON WORSHIP:

Child care will be available from 8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. this Sunday morning; please ask an usher for directions.

Your children are a joy in our worship services, and should the need arise, “kid bags” are available for their use while they are visiting. They are in the Narthex.

We offer nametags for folks to wear – these are for everyone! You can pick up as you enter the worship space; please clearly PRINT your first name.

THIS SUNDAY - PALM SUNDAY

• 9 a.m. – Holy Ground worship service, Fellowship Hall
• 10 a.m. – Hearts N Minds adult ed class, Parlor
• 10:10 a.m. – Body N Soul intergenerational class, Room 216
• 10:15 a.m. – Hospitality Time, Fellowship Hall
• 11:15 a.m. – Traditional worship service, Sanctuary (in person and livestreamed)

 
WEDNESDAYS: 7 p.m. - Overcomer’s Outreach Christian 12 Step Recovery Group weekly meeting, via Zoom.com (meeting #: 868 2214 2960; passcode: OO-Beth)



CHURCH OFFICE AND BUILDING INFO: 

CLOSINGS FOR EASTER HOLIDAY: Preschool will be closed Thursday, April 2 through Monday, April 6. The building and offices will be closed on Monday, April 6; all will reopen on Tuesday, April 7.


Regular office hours are Monday - Thursday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Many of the office staff are working remotely for some of the time, so please make an appointment if you need to see someone specific. The answering service (610-778-7003) can take your urgent pastoral concerns, 24 hours a day. 

IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Look for updates on our website (fpc-bethlehem.org), Facebook page, and WFMZ (channel 69 and wfmz.com). We will also put the info on our church phone message, 610-867-5865.

CARE CONCERNS AND HOSPITAL VISITS: If you are hospitalized, please tell the hospital our church code is 724. Also, please call the church office at 610-867-5865 to let us know as the hospitals do not always collect this information.  After hours, for emergency pastoral concerns, call 610-674-0005.

PRAYER REQUESTS: Send to prayer@fpc-bethlehem.org or call 610-867-5865 and leave a message.