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Lenten Services
Bethany
conducts midweek evening worship services throughout Lent. A
Bethany Bash meal
is served each Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall, followed by a Lenten worship service at
6:30 p.m. in Spell Chapel.
A
nursery is
provided during each Lenten service.
Holy Week Worship
Bethany UMC
presents the Living Dramatization of Leonardo da Vinci's
"The Last Supper" on Holy
Thursday/Maundy Thursday. The presentation, a re-enactment
of the final meal that Jesus shared with his 12 Apostles
before his crucifixion, begins at 7:30 p.m. in the
Sanctuary. Communion is
served.
On Good Friday, Bethany observes
the "Service of Nails" at 7:30 p.m.
in Spell
Chapel. The service features a series of readings with time
for prayer, reflection and remembrance of the crucifixion of
our Lord.
Our Word and
Table service -- 6 p.m. on Saturday nights in the rear of
the Fellowship Hall -- offers an Easter Vigil on the evening
before Easter morning.
A
nursery is provided
during these services..
Easter Services
Having
recalled Christ’s suffering and sacrifice throughout Lent,
Bethany turns to a celebration of our Savior’s resurrection
on Easter morning. The celebration begins with an
Easter sunrise worship service at 7 a.m. in Azalea Park,
which borders our
church grounds.
Easter worship services are also held at 8
a.m. in Spell Chapel and at 8:45 and 11:15 a.m. in the Sanctuary.
When the Sanctuary fills,
an overflow worship area is opened in the rear of Fellowship Hall. Pastors and ushers
ensure a worshipful atmosphere.
A
nursery is
provided for the 8:45 and 11:15 a.m. services.
Camp
Meetings
Bethany periodically holds Camp Meetings, in
recognition of the United Methodist Church tradition that
dates back to 1800’s. In the earliest Camp Meetings, people
would travel from miles around to gather at a “camp” for
several days of preaching, worshipping and hymn singing.
Since there were no hotels, the worshippers set up tents.
While there is no actual “camping” involved in Bethany’s
modern day Camp Meetings, the worship services are less
formal and ceremonial. The congregation is asked to dress
casually for worship, as we recall our Camp Meeting
tradition.
Children’s Sabbath
In October, Bethany Church joins with
thousands of other congregations across the nation in the
annual National Observance of Children’s Sabbath. Worship
that day focuses on the needs of children and on how people
of faith can respond by working for justice, doing acts of
kindness and praying diligently.
Children’s Sabbath is an intergenerational
worship service focusing on the needs of children.
Sponsored by the Children’s Defense Fund,
this annual event recognizes the special place children have
in our society and our role as a faith community to nurture
them. Over 200 denominations and faith groups have endorsed
this observance. The United Methodist Church recognizes it
officially by placing it on the United Methodist Church
calendar.
Bethany UMC celebrates Children’s Sabbath
with the goal of inspiring church members to become more
involved in meeting the needs of children both through the
church and in the community. |
