Bits from Beth

April 8, 2026

 

Dear Friends:

We experienced a wonderful Holy Week from Palm Sunday to Easter! Thank you for the many volunteers who stepped up and helped this a special experience for our church. Our Thursday night depended on the work of Rev. Greg Nettles, Cynthia Outlaw, Ellen Horseman, Larry Horseman, and Erin McAllister. Easter Sunday helpers included Cynthia and our wonderful choir, Anita Stafford (our picture taker), Amanda Reynolds, Jill Daugherty, Larry Horseman, Erin McAllister, and our head ushers, Mike Murphree and Paul Hardwick.

 

Starting in May, we are looking for a team to open our doors on Sunday morning before 8:30am. We will be setting up a schedule for this so your new pastor does not have to get to the church early to unlock everything. If you are interested in serving or interested in organizing this, please call Erin in the church office.

 

When will we find out who is coming to be your next pastor? Very soon. We expect a phone call from the District superintendent within the next few weeks. The parsonage committee will bring a proposal to our Leadership Team to update the parsonage kitchen. That project hopes to get started in early May after I remove most of my belongings from the parsonage. As soon as we know and are allow to announce our new pastor, we will invite them to come for a visit to meet our leadership, see his/her new home, and hopefully, be able to have a reception where you will get a chance to make a first introduction.

 

As the departing pastor, I ask for one more favor – please make certain we are financially in the black before July 1st. Through the end of March, we are over $20,000 in the red. I know prices are up and that is causing a strain on many families but if you can help, if would be appreciated. We want your new pastor to be successful and we can all do our part to make certain that happens. 

 

Services for Sara Yarbrough will be this Saturday. A visitation will be held at Proctors Funeral home on Friday evening, April 10th, from 6:30pm until 8:30pm. Burial will be Saturday morning at 9:30am at Bethesda Cemetery on Mount Holly Road. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday at 11:00am followed by a reception in the Great Hall. Even though Patsy is recuperating at home from a fall, she is trying to coordinate the reception. If you can help, please give her a call.

 

This coming Sunday we will be returning to the Sermon on the Mount with chapter Seven which starts with this familiar verse, Judge not that you be not judged.” I found it interesting that it does not appear in the Common Lectionary which means many preachers never touch it and yet, it is a crucial question for Christians who wish to serve. “How do we serve our neighbor without making judgments?” We will explore this issue in Sunday’s sermon. We hope to see you there.

 

We will have another “Giveaway” at Sue’s Table on May 11th & 18th. If you are doing spring Cleaning and need to get rid of a few things, bring them down to the church. Since we will be having a potluck lunch for Mother’s Day, we ask that you do not bring items until Sunday, after the lunch. We put items out for two Monday evenings then box up what is not taken and delivery to Ruby Snider.

 

Finally, we will include a brief devotional in this newsletter each week since I have had to stop writing out a Sunday School summary. Hope you have a blessed week.

 

Grace and peace,

Beth