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Friday, Sept. 4, 2026 Newsletter

For Sunday - Communion Sunday

10:00 a.m.: Summer Worship Service

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

A MESSAGE FROM REV. KAREN KINNEY: 
WHERE OUR POWER FLOWS FROM


Grace and peace to you,


This Sunday, we examine leadership through the lens of power. How do we redeem the concept of power when all around us we see power used to abuse, humiliate, harm and to pile injustice on top of injustice? Even in the church we see power used this way as witnessed by the docuseries, The Death of the Pastor’s Wife currently playing on Netflix. I wonder if this is why so many of us in church shy away from power – having it, using it, embracing it.

This is why it is so important to think about how we define the Trinity. Who is Jesus to us? Who is God to us? Who is the Holy Spirit to us? Do we define these three persons from a lens of love and use the power gifted to us through that lens?

Or do we define these three persons from a lens of judgment and use the power gifted to us through that lens? Do we see how that matters and why we need to get comfortable with the power we have been given to lift up and address matters of injustice, harm, abuse, hatred, etc. 


Martin Luther King, Jr, in his autobiography wrote this: “Power, properly understood, is the ability to achieve purpose. It is the strength required to bring about social, political, or economic changes. In this sense power is not only desirable but necessary in order to implement the demands of love and justice. One of the greatest problems of history is that the concepts of love and power are usually contrasted as polar opposites. Love is identified with a resignation of power and power with a denial of love.


"What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive and that love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.”


Power is the ability to achieve purpose. And what is our purpose? Our mission statement reads: To welcome an inclusive and joyful community of Christ’s followers into actively exploring how God’s gracious love gives meaning to our lives and faith, and inspires us to address the needs of our changing world. Through our learning, service, and grateful worship, God fills us with purpose, compassion, courage, and love. Maybe we should add that God fills us with power.


We often think we are too powerless against the abuses of empire – against the abuses we witness every day from our current national government. This Sunday, we will explore those who used what power they had to implement the demands of justice against Pharoah’s empire. We will look at how Peter defined who Jesus was and why it matters even today. 


Why are we so uncomfortable thinking about the power we actually do have to achieve our purpose? Come and see! Come and explore this Sunday. 


Blessings, 
Pastor Karen

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


 Summer Worship Bulletin (5 pages)

**UPDATE ON SUNDAY SCHEDULES**

We’ve made the decision to extend our Summer Worship schedule through Sunday, Sept. 13. Beginning on Sunday, Sept. 20 we will move to two services: Holy Ground at 9 a.m. in Fellowship Hall, and Traditional at 11:15 a.m. in the Sanctuary.

The Traditional service will be livestreamed on Facebook and our website.

Our adult ed class, Hearts N Minds, and intergenerational offering, Body N Soul, will begin on Sept. 20, meeting between the services.

NEW! SHARING THE BOUNTY

Anything left over will be donated to New Bethany, along with other produce harvested from the CommUNITY Garden located on our campus.

YOUR ENERGY, GOD’S CALL! NOMINATIONS DUE THIS SUNDAY

The FPCB Nominating Committee has begun its work to recommend a slate of Ruling Elders and Deacons that will be elected this fall. So our question to you is this: what within the church energizes you and where do you sense God is calling you to serve? Is it as a Deacon or Ruling Elder? Is it on a committee such as the Nominating Committee itself? Is it in an area no one has thought of? 


These are the roles to be filled:

Elders generally serve a three year term and the Session meets monthly; Elders generally serve on one or more committees, which also usually meet on a monthly basis.

DEACONS are the caregivers of the church. They minister to the individual members through home communion and visits, hospital and prayer ministries, and providing support to those in difficult situations. Deacons serve a three year term and typically meet monthly.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE MEMBERS are charged with identifying candidates for Elders, Deacons, and the Nominating Committee itself. This committee usually meets three or four times each year; the term of service is one year, and a member may serve no more than two consecutive terms.

As you pray about this, you are invited to speak with any member of the Nominating Committee about where you see yourself serving, to self-nominate for one of the elected positions. You can also nominate another candidate; the Nominating Committee will assure that they are interested and qualified to run. You can send any questions to info@fpc-bethlehem.org and they will be forwarded to the committee co-chairs.

The deadline to provide nominations is this Sunday, Sept. 6. Forms are available in the Narthex, or you can use the online form.

The members of the nominating committee are: Allison Masters and Aileen Williams (co-chairs), and members Belle Marks, Pam Phillippe, Froy Thompson, Rebecca Gorton, and Sharon Smith. You can also talk to the representative from the Deacons: Evelyn Kuserk.

PARTICIPATE IN OUR WEEKLY SERVICES

Would you like to play a more active role in our worship services? We are looking for volunteers to serve as lectors.

Questions? Contact us at info@fpc-bethlehem.org or 610-867-5865.

INTERESTED IN DONATING FLOWERS FOR SUNDAY WORSHIP?

WORLD COMMUNION OFFERING: SUPPORTING JUSTICE

The World Communion Offering begins on Sunday and ends on Sunday, Oct. 4 - World Communion Sunday. This is a new way for Presbyterians to “love kindness” expressed in action, involving mercy, faithfulness and steadfast commitment.

NEXT CHAPTER TEAMS SHARE UPDATES

In case you missed our most recent updates from the Next Chapter teams:

Preschool Next Chapter Update

• With that information, we can continue to negotiate potential lease terms and fine-tune the financial modeling to ensure the sustainability of this move.
  
• We’re excited to have several new teachers join the Preschool staff as we begin the school year, and we look forward to welcoming students and families next week for the first day of school!

Church Next Chapter Update:

• We are reviewing revisions to the lease with Christ Church and hope to have that ready for Session approval on Sept. 21. Then the lease will be sent back to the Christ UCC Consistory for their approval. With both approvals, we can get it signed and our nesting relationship there will be official!

• At present, we expect our worship times (9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.) to remain unchanged at the start of 2027 when we move to Christ Church.

• We are working on plans to host folks from Christ UCC here in November for a relationship-building fellowship event, and for us to go visit with them there in December, as well. (We’ll offer tours and some orientation to the spaces at Christ Church then, too.)

FOOD DONATIONS: SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORS

They can use: shelf-stable milk; jelly; coffee/tea/powdered drink mixes; juice; canned kidney / black / baked beans; canned corn / peas / mixed veggies; tuna; pasta; mac-n-cheese; cooking oil; personal care items; and toilet paper/paper towels.

LOOKING AHEAD: HI NEIGHBORS KICKS OFF ON SEPT. 14

Our popular speakers series, Hi Neighbors, will be back with a new nine-week series on Monday, Sept. 14. The presentations are free and open to the public, and feature an interesting array of topics such as history, local culture, music, and current events. 

CELEBRATING PRIDE!

Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, the event organizer, is looking for your feedback: bit.ly/lvpridesurvey 🏳️‍🌈

FOR SUNDAY’S IN-PERSON WORSHIP:

Child care will be available from 9:45 - 11:15 a.m. this Sunday; they will meet in room 216.

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 - COMMUNION SUNDAY

• 9:45– 11:15 a.m. – Child care available in room 216
• 10:00 a.m. – Summer worship service, Sanctuary (in person and livestreamed on website and Facebook page)
• 11:00 a.m. – Lemonade on the Lawn (west lawn) and post-service discussion opportunity (Narthex)

 
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: 


The church building (including the Preschool) will be closed on Monday, Sept. 7 in observance of Labor Day; we will reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 8. 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.