by Brenda Orso

Bethlehem

United Methodist Church

PO Box 57

4 Westtown Road

Thornton, PA 19373

P: 610-459-3482

F: 610-459-0811

www.bethmeth.com

2014: The Year of Prayer

THE YEAR OF PRAYER 1

THE CIRCLE MAKER 2

On The Spot 2

CALENDAR 3

SPOTLIGHT ON MISSIONS 4

Don’t Just stand there 4

ASK GOD FIRST 5

WHERE’S WOOFI 6

Inside this issue:

The Bethlehem StarThe Bethlehem Star February/March 2014

P rayer is a weapon given to us by

God. It is not optional, nor is it a

last resort. It is overlooked,

undervalued, and even taken for

granted. There are books, guides, blogs

and sermons on how to pray. There are

many methods of prayer, such as

meditation, group prayer, journaling,

and more. It can be overwhelming and

confusing. Am I praying enough? Am I

doing it the right way? Am I being

sincere enough? Is God really

listening?

2014 is the year to set aside all your

fears and doubts about prayer, to

approach our Lord with faith and

confidence, and learn how to harness

the power (yes, the POWER) of prayer.

All year long, BUMC will be teaching,

training, and guiding you on prayer.

There will be special opportunities

during select worship services to share

your own personal stories of how God

has answered your prayers, in big ways

and small. There will be a special two

day seminar in March on experiencing

the presence of God. We will be

reading a book called “The Circle

Maker” as a church body. You will be

exposed to new methods, such as

soaking prayer, and have an

opportunity to sample music from

this genre. The newsletters will

include book reviews on prayer, and if

you’ve read a good book on prayer

and would like to share a review in

our newsletter, please let me know!

Ask God First By Pastor Kevin Giannotti

T here’s a story a dear friend told me about a God moment that happened

between his wife, Cindy, and their young daughter, Ariel. Ariel was in need

of some new tennis shoes and told her mother about it. Most parents would nod

their heads, grab the keys, and head to the nearest store to buy the new shoes. Cindy

would have, too; though not right away. She told Ariel, as she always did, “You can

Continued on page 5

2

A s an additional way to celebrate 2014 as the Year of Prayer, we will share a

four-week journey centered around the book The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.

Each of the four Sundays from March 16 through April 6 will kick off a three-dimensional

exploration of this series:

The church as a whole begins the week in worship, during which the message—

delivered by a different pastor each week—will focus us upon that week’s theme from

The Circle Maker

Folks will then gather into small groups at various times throughout the week to have

interactive conversation around that week’s theme

Each individual will have opportunity to read the book personally, focusing upon the

chapters identified for that week

This inspiring journey will begin the day after the March 14-15 “Experiencing the Presence

of God” seminar, a wonderful one-two punch designed to get us all really grounded in a

life of prayer!

The Circle Maker by Pastor Tim Kriebel

On The Spot: What’s the hardest thing about prayer,

for you?

Janice Butterworth:

“Accountability. I'd like to

have a more systematic

approach to prayer, such as

a prayer journal.”

Laura Barrouk:

“Allowing God to reveal

His will instead of

inserting my will into my

prayers.”

William Scott:

“Maintaining the discipline

of timing, both making the

time for prayer, but also at

times having to put limits

on the time for prayer due

to other responsibilities.”

Experiencing The Presence of God, March 14-15 at BUMC

This free seminar is being presented by Curt Cohn, a friend of both Pastor Tim and

Pastor Jon Swenson. Curt has been leading the Experiencing the Presence of God

weekend for many years and has a tremendous amount of experience in leading

people to new levels of connectedness with God. If you are looking to go deeper in

your relationship with the Lord and are interested in learning how to better discern

His voice and leading in your life, then you will surely want to attend the event.

Experiencing the

Presence of God

March 14-15

If you are interested in

a more intimate

relationship with the

Lord, a more dynamic

quiet time or would

like to actually hear the

voice of the Lord in

your life, then this

event is for you!

Some of the topics that

will be covered are:

The benefits of

intimacy with the Lord

Hearing the Lord and

seeing in the Spirit

Learning how to

dialogue with God and

hearing His voice

Learning the dynamic

R.E.A.D.S method of

Bible study as well as

several other areas

Further details will be

forthcoming but for

now make sure to mark

your calendars for

March 14-15 for an

event you will most

likely never forget.

3

Friday, February 14—Friday Fun Night

Sign up for a Valentine treat for you and your children. Friday

Fun Night begins at 5:30 and ends at 8:30 PM. Registration is

required so we can plan accordingly for dinner. This event is

planned for children ages 4 years thru 5th grade. Please send

an email to Beverly@bethmeth with the names and ages of

your children. Spots are filling quickly so sign-up today!

Mondays, Feb 3 thru April 28: GriefShare

It may be hard for you to feel optimistic about the future

right now. If you’ve lost a spouse, child, family member

or friend, you’ve probably found there are not many

people who understand the deep hurt you feel.

This can be a confusing time when you feel isolated and

have many questions about things you’ve never faced

before.

GriefShare groups meet weekly to help you face these

challenges and move toward rebuilding your life. Each

GriefShare session has three distinct elements

Video Seminar

Support Group Discussion

Workbook Based Personal Study and Reflection

When to join a GriefShare group - You are welcome to

begin attending the GriefShare group at any session.

Each is “self-contained,” so you do not have to attend in

sequence. You will find encouragement and help

whenever you begin. You will be able to continue with

GriefShare through the next 13-week cycle and view any

of the videos you have not seen.

February 22 & March 1, 8:00am-12:30pm

Our new member class is being offered, February 22 and

March 1. If you’ve been thinking about membership, or you

just want to learn more about United Methodism and Bethle-

hem Church, then this class is for you. Refreshments, fun, and

childcare available. Contact the office to sign up.

Clip n’ Keep Calendar

Sunday, February 2

Communion at all Services

Monday, February 3: 7:00 PM

GriefShare Begins

Thursday, February 6: 7:00 PM

MSC Meeting

Thursday, February 13: 6:30 PM

Kenya Informational Meeting

Friday, February 14: 5:30 to 8:30 PM

Friday Fun Night

Saturday, February 15

Good Works Team: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Friday, February 21 thru Sunday, February 23

Pursue Christian Teen Conference

Saturday, February 22

New Member Class 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM

Saturday, March 1

8:00 AM to 12:30 PM

New Member Class, Part II and Class 201

Sunday, March 2

Communion at all Services

Wednesday, March 5: 7:30 PM

Ash Wednesday Communion Service

Thursday, March 6: 7:00 PM

MSC Meeting

Friday and Saturday, March 14 & 15:

Experiencing the Presence of God Seminar

Saturday, March 14

9:00 AM to 4:00 PM - Good Works

Every Sunday except holidays

Prayer meeting in Sanctuary

Soaking Prayer, 5:30-6:00pm

Intercessory Prayer, 6:00-7:00pm

Check out our Google Calendar at

www.bethmeth.com.

Spotlight on Missions: Wycliff by Rob Robinson

O ur Missions Spotlight, for

this edition, shines upon

Tom and Margie Rafetto. Tom and

Margie work for Wycliffe Bible

Translators. This organization is

named for John Wycliffe who was

the first to translate the Bible into

English. For this, and for his

opposition to the Catholic

priesthood and the Pope, Wycliffe

was declared to be a heretic. Several years after his death, his body was exhumed,

burned, and his ashes were scattered into the River Swift. Wycliffe died in 1384. His

work was a precursor of the Reformation.

Wycliffe Bible Translators has the goal of translating the Bible into each and every of the

more than 6,900 languages spoken on Earth. At the present time there are more than 1900

of these languages, representing 180 million people, with no translation. Tom and Margie

live in Pennsylvania and Tom does his work throughout Asia. He emails me on a regular

basis, usually from an airport as he is leaving on a

trip or is ready to return.

Bethlehem has supported Wycliffe and the

Rafetto's for many years. Your Missions

Committee strongly believes in their goal of

reaching all of the people on Earth with a

translation of the Bible that they can read. Wycliffe

also uses audio players for those who cannot read.

The audio players are solar-powered. Information

about gifting an audio player or any of Wycliffe's

any other tools can be found at

www.wycliffe.org/giftcatalog .

4

Don’t Just Stand There by Brenda Orso

I n Bethlehem’s library, we have a book called “Don’t Just Stand There, Pray

Something!” by Ronald Dunn. It’s well-written and covers many topics, such as fast-

ing, what it means to be an intercessor, how God answers prayer, and what is means

when the Church prays. Prayer sometimes suffers from a poor image. It’s not fun enough,

not dangerous enough. Sometimes, it’s treated as something you do only when you can

Books in this Issue

More Books on

Prayer

Continued on page 6

bought them.”

The friend

brought the

shoes over that

night.

Cindy could have been a good mother and

simply driven to the store to buy new

shoes. But those shoes would have soon

wore out and been thrown in the trash.

The experience of God that was caught

that night, however—that experience

would last far longer than any pair of

shoes ever could. God showed Himself to

a little girl through an answered prayer for

new shoes. How can we give God room to

show Himself to our children today?

5

What Are You Chasing By Lori Imparato

always ask me for anything. But I want

you to ask God for it first.” Ariel stated

that she had already asked God before she

approached her mother. Cindy said alright

and planned to take Ariel shoe-shopping

sometime in the near future. Ariel,

though, would receive far more than just

a new pair of shoes.

Cindy received a call from a friend that

night. This friend stated that while she

was cleaning out her closet, she found a

pair of shoes on the shelf. They weren’t

even her size and she wasn’t sure why she

had bought them. The friend asked if

anyone in Cindy’s family needed a new

pair of shoes. Cindy didn’t even ask what

size they were but said, “I know why you

Ask God First Continued from page 1

The women's spring bible study will be "Chase" by Jennie Allen and will begin the first

week of March. It is an eight week interactive study that looks at David, a man after God's

own heart. Even when David got things terribly wrong, he always turned and chased after

God. This study will explore the events that defined his life and penned the Psalms. We

will learn from David's example how to face fears, resolve doubts, check beliefs of who

God is, and what God expects from us.

It highlights seven events in Davids' life to help you move beyond the appearance of

godliness and open your deepest self to God's love. The main question is....What are you

chasing? We are all chasing after something, something that we think will make us happy -

comfort, career, family, material possessions, someone's approval. We look to things of this

earth to fill the void that only God can fill, but nothing really satisfies, except God Himself.

God is invisible and yet He is the only thing we can chase that won't leave us feeling more

empty. So whether you are running from God or working your tail off to please Him,

David’s journey will challenge your view of God and where you ought to be. The lessons in

this study are simple, yet deep, rich and inspiring. It is very interactive, offering Bible

study, stories, personal reflection and learning from and sharing with others. Please join us

Mondays starting March 3rd, 7-9 pm or Wednesdays starting March 5th ( child care

Wednesdays only) 9:15 -11:30 am. Look for sign up sheets and please sign up to reserve a

book!

The Bethlehem Star is published 6 times/year by Bethlehem United Methodist Church, 4 Westtown Road, Thornton PA 19373, (610) 459-3482,

www.bethmeth.com, Editor: Brenda Orso, brendaorso@verizon.net. Deadline for copy: the 7th day of the month prior to publication. Editor reserves the right to

edit for content and space. Unsolicited material is welcome!

6

Where’s Woofi? By Harriet Widlund

Don’t Just Stand There Continued from page 4

I n December, you may have seen Woofi sitting on the pulpit announcing (via the Pastor) where you could com-

bine evangelism and Christmas gift buying in one masterful move. Three of our members donated Woofies to our

Bank. This activity, combined with some separate sales before and after, have netted us 50 Gospel puppies for our

outreach bank. At Woofi's Table we also made available the 'Keep Christ in Christmas' magnet and earned a little

more to purchase Woofi. Two little girls prayed to receive the Lord as their savior after inquiring about the wordless

Gospel Flipper Flapper and the wordless bracelets that sat on the table next to Woofi. Their grandmother was very

pleased, and each girl received a ‘spiritual’ birthday card in the mail.

December 21 we were invited back to Christ's Home for Children in Lancaster. This time the children ages 6 to 14,

and a mix of boys and girls, but Woofi was up to it. We talked about how the story of Woofi was like a parable but

what he was sharing was true and so important to their lives here and when life ends on earth. We also mentioned

that although dogs do have a reputation for being loyal and faithful, no pet or person is equal to our Lord. We

showed them a picture of two soldiers with big smiles at Walter Reed Hospital receiving a Woofi. The boys came

forward to see the picture. As usual we shared what Woofi tells everyone he meets, "God loves you and wants you to

be in His family." Janice Gruehn had the privilege of praying with a 14-year-old to accept Jesus as her savior. We

sent her a 'spiritual' birthday card as encouragement and something to authenticate and remind her of this great day in

her life. At the end of the story, if the child can recite the meanings of the colors on Woofi's collar using the wordless

flipper flapper, they can keep one, as well as a wordless bracelet.

In January, the news reports could speak of nothing but the cold. But Woofi hardly noticed as God's heart is always

warm towards mankind. After Christmas God sent one of our banked Woofis with warm messages of love to Bolivia,

South America. Woody Widlund leaked news about Woofi to the Mens’ Monday Morning Bible Study. One of the

men bought two puppies and two books for his grandchildren. He approached me because his daughter was leaving

for a mission trip to Bolivia. Not only did we give her a book and Woofi from our bank, we printed out a Spanish

Translation for her to take with a Spanish language tag for Woofi. I know this ministry sounds like it has one foot in

childhood, one foot in the adult world of evangelism and one hand in the business world. A child's prayer may be a

small beginning but a huge investment in their eternal lives. Do not discount Woofi as 'a small thing' because it is in

the hands of the Lord.

do nothing else: a last resort. But that is not true. Prayer is a gift God has given us to unlock His power, mercy, and

glory so He can pour it out over the earth. There is a spiritual battle which can only be fought through prayer. There

are things God will do only through our asking Him. He wants us to ask, He waits for us to ask, and He is ready to

answer. If we wait until we understand why we have to pray, or how we are suppose to pray, then we will never pray.

So don’t wait, and don’t just stand there, pray something!