But, it’s more than just a business meeting. Kelli Templeton (our Pursuing Jesus Deeper chairperson this year) will make sure of that!  It’s a time to remember what God has done this past year and to celebrate His goodness to Bethel and its people.  See you there!

Recently, Mary resigned to take on a full-time position locally as a receptionist/customer-service professional, as she’s now an empty-nester, and it has been her dream to be a light in the secular work force using the giftedness God has given her, full-time. We know she’ll excel as she has proved that in her faithful service here at Bethel.

However, she’s not leaving Bethel! In fact, she’ll run point in June’s Snapshot class and still assist in newcomer assimilation as a volunteer. That just shows her heart, doesn’t it?

Mary doesn’t want any fanfare, but when you see her at a service, would you pray for her transition and for Godspeed, thanking her for all she has done for so many people. Many owe, in a large part, their formal entrance to the church to her warmth/friendliness, blazing the way for them to feel at home.

1. Lost sensitivity/compassion (coolness towards God) 

2. Life is mostly about pleasure to the body (sexual/food/appetites)

3. Can’t say NO to the body/impulsivity

4. Impure thoughts, motives, actions, and words

5. Constantly greedy 

Count my blessings: will remember one of our members, a new believer who joined the group and admitted he was struggling, but several weeks later shared how the fellowship, prayers, confession, and support from the group encouraged him, strengthened him and reaffirmed him. This in turn encouraged me and strengthened my faith! Talk about iron sharpening iron!!
We plan to finish with a barbecue and discuss where we go from here, commit to staying in contact to maintain the bond of unity, share prayer requests and praises.
–Dave/Mary Cole
We will finish our study and then have another get together for a bar-b-Q. I always finish with everyone reflecting on what they feel God worked in their lives this year and what they feel is being laid upon their hearts for the future. We will also meet a few times over the summer for bar-b-Q’s and catching up.
–Eric Nilson

We decided to keep meeting during the summer, with game nights, bbq’s, etc. once a month.
–Bryan/Carol Dunfee

We are planning on staying connected through the summer via activities like visiting parks with the kids and going camping.
-Brad Johnson

We will be having an end of the year picnic the first week in June to bring closure to the year.
–Wade Koglin

We are studying Revelations and nobody wants to stop for the summer, so we will keep meeting and having 1.5 hours of fellowship
–Jane and Joe Kassuba

We plan to “end” our LARGE small group class by having a fellowship potluck wherein we will share communion and will ask people to share one or two of the most important things God communicated to them through the class, and how they plan to apply them to their lives. We believe that the time of reflection on the class, to identify the one or two personal highlights and action items, will be of good “terminal” value to their having participated in the class.
–Jane and Jim Hansen

Our small group is focusing the remainder of the year on being transparent with one another. A challenge that I hope we take on this summer is connecting ourselves with the people around us. A big part of making connections is living transparent instead of under a mask of who weʼd like people to see us as. The easiest way to make connections is to simply ask ourselves, do we stop to talk to a neighbor working out in their yard? Do we know our neighbors’ names? Can we break out of our comfort zone to hold a neighborhood barbecue at our home on the 4th of July? Itʼs amazing how many opportunities open up just when we unplug out of our busy lives to do the work Christ called us to do by loving, listening and praying for our neighbors. Have an awesome summer!

–Eric/Chris Stephan

We are going to end with a BBQ to thank/serve everyone for being so gracious to us during our first year as small group leaders.

We will also be sharing how the Cross and the Gospel has changed our lives this year and we’ll answer this question of ourselves:
My love for Jesus has ______________ this year?
a) grown hotter
b) grown colder
c) stayed the same

–Scott/Erica Wagoner

Quick tips for increasing the value of the Bible in your small group:

• Begin your time in Scripture with a prayer that reminds you of what you’re reading (e.g. “Lord, this is Your Word, and we are Your people. Open our ears to hear what You want to say to us right now.”)
• Stand as you read.
• Make a bookmark for your Bible with a verse that reminds you whose Word it is (e.g. Ps. 119:160; Is. 40:8; 2 Tim. 3:16).
• After you read a passage–and before you start to study it, teach it, or respond to it–say quietly, “These are the very words of God.”

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To encourage personal application, ask group members to come up with a lesson learned, an action to take, and a person to tell.

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How to turn conversations with unbelievers to spiritual matters:

• Do you ever think about spiritual things?
• Where would you say you are in your spiritual journey?
• Have you ever made the discovery of knowing Jesus Christ in a personal way?
• If you could be sure there is a God, would you want to know Him?
• How do you think someone becomes a Christian?
• Can I share the thing that has been most important to me as a mom/dad/boss/etc.?
• Most people in America say they believe in God. What does believing in God mean to you?
• How would you describe your view of God? of Jesus?
• What do you think happens when you die?

1. When you ask the first question, you should answer it first. When you’re done, simply ask, “How about somebody else?”
2. Don’t rush responses, but learn to enjoy silence. Wait patiently with roaming eye contact. You might count to 7 or say, “I can wait longer than you!”
3. As soon as someone says anything, affirm their response, whether it is a great answer or a one-word response. Make it safe for people to share their thoughts.
4. Ask for volunteers to read the Bible passage or a paragraph from a book. But don’t put anyone on the spot unless you know they don’t mind reading.
5. Pass the baton to another member to host the group next time. This will scare his or her socks off but grow his or her faith as a result.

 Remember, God’s dream for each of your group members really is that over time each will grow to shepherd other people. The start they often need is simply reading in the group; then down the road they might facilitate a circle of three or four people for prayer. Eventually, Lord willing, some of them will go on to leading a group or mentoring a new believer.

1.      How long have you been leading a small group, and what was the determining factor in taking the plunge of leadership?

S/D: Since Sept 07, because we both had gained so much help from Joseph Christopher’s “Covenant Marriage” class a couple of years ago, that we felt we might be in a position to encourage couples in their marriages.

G/W: We’ve been leading the current group officially on 2/28/08.  Brenda and Winnie were talking about how a number of the parents of middle schoolers attending grow groups were not in small groups themselves, including ours.  So we wanted to test the waters and see if others would like to form a group with us during the same time as the M.S. grow groups.

E/L: I have been leading a small group for 3 years. Before that I was an assistant for 3 or 4.

B/R: We have been small group leaders for the past 7 years.  We were
part of a large group that needed to multiply and did not have assistant leaders in place so we saw a big need and went after it.

2.      What has been one of the most rewarding things about leading thus far?

S/D: The passion that everyone has in doing their lessons each week, building on conversations, willingness to trust in us as leaders, their wanting to make their marriages better instead of just giving up.

G/W: Seeing the neat people God is drawing together for spiritual growth and friendship.

E/L: Seeing individuals and families grow in Christ. It has been so fulfilling to see people’s relationships with Christ in their infancy grow through childhood and beyond. It is just like watching your own children grow.

Blaine: One of the most rewarding things about leading is
witnessing the spiritual growth in the group members.  Rachal: It is
rewarding to see all the strong relationships our family has made at
Bethel as a result of being involved in the small group ministry.

3.      What has been one of the hardest challenges about leading thus far?

S/D: Spiritual attack has been a difficult thing to come up against.

Winnie - keeping in touch with group members during the week on personal level.

E/L: The realization that a critical part of demonstrating Christ’s love, is to also provide Christ like discipline and rebuke, which unfortunately may not be received well by the Believer.

Blaine: My biggest challenge definitely is managing my expectations
regarding both my leadership and capabilities of others at any given time.
A good rule of thumb that unfortunately I forget at times is you are
never as good or bad as you think you are.  Rachal: My biggest
challenge is managing the group size and childcare logistics.  We want
to be inviting and accomodating and yet preserve group intimacy and or course keep our sanity.

4.      What’s the basic flow for how you lead a small group meeting?

S/D: We open at 6:30-6:45 with fellowship, we sometimes have a mixer (not always), we get right into the lesson of our book which takes us to 8:15ish then we pray. (every couple of weeks or so we break into men & women to have more concentrated time together) we try every 6-8 weeks to have a date night, but some homework assignments include dates as well.

G/W: Light refreshment and  social time
Ice breaker
Just started sharing testimony
Kids go off for a short teaching time while
Parents have opening prayer (adoration and silent confession) and                 Discuss sermon questions
Closing Prayer (thanksgiving and supllication)

E/L: Creating and maintaining an environment of openness and acceptance, all the while staying focused on Christ’s teachings through prayer, study, sharing of testimonies and fellowship. We look for opportunities to reach out and help each other and those around our groups by way of extended family and friends, as well as other outreach opportunities.

B/R: An average evening consists of an icebreaker, worship,
announcements, study, prayer/sharing, followed by fellowship

5.      What’s working as to connecting with your members?

S/D: Finding out what their needs are and meeting with some one-on-one. Being interested in their lives outside of group.

G/W: Working together on ShareFest.  Discussions have been good.

E/L: My group desires fellowship for connection (one on one, group and other outreach activities where we can connect with each other and others simultaneously.)

B/R: We have found informal social events to be the best time to connect
with group members.  There has also been deeper connections made when
we split into men and women groups for our study or prayer time.

6.      Just for fun, if you were a vehicle, which one would you be and why?

S/D: No idea.

Gilbert would be his Acura Integra hatchback, versatile and faithful.  Winnie would be a Toyota sedan-small, family-sized, reliable and hardworking but not high-powered (though quite a bit of enthusiasm and commitment).  If pets take on the looks of their owners after a long period, maybe people take on the characteristics of their vehicles (or only keep ones like themselves for long periods).

E: SUV, can be used for anything; may not be the best choice for some things, but will get the job done regardless of the terrain.

Blaine: I would have to choose a pickup because I like to carry
heavy loads and blaze my own trails and of course I have a big appetite for fuel.
Rachal: Definitely a mini-van because I’m practical, versatile, and
kid-friendly.  Coincidently, these are the two vehicles we own.

All this starts at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday night, May 18, in the fellowship hall, and it’s for all women’s, men’s, Growth & Healing, and GROW group leaders, and their assitants! The whole gang will be there!  We need to know if you are coming with an RSVP to debbie.gatherer@bethel-church.org (and if you need childcare to krisheena.mason@bethel-church.org) by May 13 (oh, go ahead and let us know now– teehee).

I heard there’s a Donnie and Connie sighting too (if you were there at the LCE back in September, this is the wacky redneck couple)!

1. How long have you been working at Bethel, and what are the main roles you do around the property?

MH: I started doing custodial November of 2000! Main roles….if i see/find messes, clean ‘em! Bathrooms, main foyer, offices, hosp room, back stage, well….all over the church actually! Just keep things orderly, supplies filled and things picked up, keep the windows clean as possible!

MS: I have been working for about 4 years, I don’t remember exactly.

MaH:  I have been at Bethel for over 5 years now. I started when Bethel opened the new fellowship hall wing. I am responsible for keeping the fellowship hall area clean, which includes the espresso cafe, kitchen, the breezeway, the outdoor patio, the bathrooms, in the fellowship hall, office and the upstairs one, and all the fellowship breakout rooms.

2. What’s the best thing about working at the church, and why?

MH: There are many great things about working at Bethel…one would be the really cool people I get to see on a daily basis; another is the opportunity to serve the Lord and His kids–and the flexible hours are pretty cool too!

MS: The people I am with, because everyone here is great, staff and others.

MaH:  The best job is cleaning the toilets, not really. The best thing about working at the church is there is great satisfaction in knowing that when people come to Bethel that it is a place where we take pride in by keeping the church clean. I know God is watching and when I get to heaven I want God to say well done faithful servant by keeping my house clean. One of the other things I like about working at the church is all the people  I work with.

3. What’s God been doing in your life lately? How’s He been speaking to you?

MH: To simply trust Him in all things and in all ways. Not to fear when He asks me to do something that I wouldn’t normally do on my own.

MS: Lately God has been working to make me more humble and leading me to reach out to people that don’t have anyone around them that will influence them in the right way.

MaH: God is showing me that I need to rely on Him and not myself and to keep sharing my faith so that I can be that vessel that can reach out to those who don’t know the Lord. The Lord keeps telling me that He loves me just the way I am.

4. What’s your favorite way to personally slow down and relax?

MH: Oh, that is easy, I LOVE to make cards of all kinds and scrapbook too. Being with my family and friends is very special to me too!

MS: Finishing all my homework

MaH: I slow down by laying back and reading and I love my Sunday afternoon naps.

5. What’s your favorite thing to do with your family/spouse?

MH: My family really enjoys playing games together! Ever since my kids were little we would play games! Now that my kids are married, the tradition continues! That is a blessing!

MS: Eat, play games

MaH: Family vacations at Twin Lakes are the best. I also enjoy hitting golf balls, swimming and floating down the Yakima with my husband.

6. How can we be praying for you?

MH: That I would continue to grow closer and closer to Jesus…..I am a high school cluster leader for a group of wonderful high school girls…pray that I lead them well! I also serve in the Kid’s Express Preschool as an assistant teacher, pray that I would daily love the kids in my class as the Lord would have me love them!

MS: Pray that I can be an example to others in that Christ is working in me, and that God will give me opportunities to reach others and knowledge of how.

MaH: Please pray that as a wife of a non believer, that by my actions Jim will come to know the Lord and that God will give me the boldness I need in sharing my faith.