Guest Speaker: Chad Varga

Don’t miss this week’s Sunday night service as Chad Varga joins us to speak. Chad grew up in a broken home in the Detroit, Michigan area. He watched his mother violently abuse alcohol and drugs, and basketball soon became his escape from the troubled lifestyle that surrounded him. At the peak of his basketball career he began to feel that there was more to life than just shooting a jump shot or dunking a ball. He made the ultimate decision to give up what he had worked his whole life for. God blessed his decision, drive, and determination, and he founded and is currently president of InspireNow, an organization committed to providing public schools with outstanding character education assembly programs and resources that will inspire, motivate, and equip students to embrace strength of character as a lifestyle. Chad has received national recognition and has been named one of the six up-and-coming leaders in America. Service begins at 6pm, so be there to hear this inspiration and motivating speaker.

Kids’ Outreach: Ned & Joan

Ned and Joan Way, a phenomenal couple with terrific abilities to present the gospel message in a variety of entertaining ways, will be here for a very special weekend of services on April 30 – May 2. Ned and Joan were here last Summer in Super Church and we are excited to be able to have them here again, this time for a weekend. Make plans to have your elementary age children here for every service and bring their friends. This is one of those times you just don’t want to miss. Check the posters in the hallways or see them on line at www.NoWay.org

The Great Easter Egg Hunt

Saturday, April 3 (the day before Easter) at 10am, we have scheduled our annual Easter Egg Hunt, with an opportunity to minister to hundreds of children. Please be praying for this event and for the TNT Puppet Team as they prepare their message.  Also, volunteers and prizes are very much needed and will be very much appreciated. There are Easter Crosses on the white lattice in the main foyer with suggestions for prizes that you may wish to consider purchasing and donating.

The Launch 2010: Youth Conference

Southern New England’s District Youth Convention is coming to the Mass Mutual Center this April 23-24. The cost is only $55 (see information about how you can combine this event with Reach(413) during the same week to save money!) and you will be challenged by a packed weekend including speakers Chad Varga and Chet Caudill. With worship by Worth Dying For and our very own Jordan Flower. Sign up in the bookstore today. For more info go to theLaunchNE.com

Revo: Extreme “Lost” Edition

This coming Wednesday, March 31 at 7pm, we will presenting our drama/video presentation called “Lost”. This night is going to be packed with passionate worship, moving dramas, iPod giveaways and more. Get all of your friends to come out for this incredible night!

Beautiful Injustice

We are often outraged when we hear stories of injustice. Like Isaiah the prophet we are inclined to shout out against people who use their power to take advantage of others. But are you really that just? Can you actually say that you have never caused someone else pain for your own benefit? Come find out what God has to say about injustice and why there was one case when He was “pleased” with it. “Isaiah 53:10, “The LORD was PLEASED to crush Him, putting Him to grief…” (Is. 53:10)

A video presentation of the contemporary service.

Two Showings in the Main Auditorium:

• Saturday, April 3, 6:00 p.m.
• Sunday, April 4, 6:00 p.m.

Reach (413)

This spring vacation, April 19-24, we will be doing a home missions trip to the Pioneer Valley for all Jr. and Sr. High students. We will be working with Springfield Rescue Mission, Lion’s Den, Habitat for Humanity, and the Springfield Homeless Ministry as well as doing street ministry with adults and children. This is a crucial opportunity for students to exercise the Biblical mandate of social justice and giving to others when everything we hear from society is to take for ourselves.

The cost for the week is only $130 and this includes registration for “The Launch,” Southern New England’s District Youth Convention. Pick up your application at the hospitality counter and sign up in the bookstore.

Worship Auditions

Bethany’s expanding Worship Teams on Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday are looking for additional musicians to join in this ministry. Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Vocalists (Worship Teams), Brass, Woodwinds, and Strings are some of the areas needed. If you desire to be part of any of Bethany’s Worship Teams, please sign up at the Hospitality Counter. Auditions will be scheduled after the Easter holidays.

Invite Campaign

The vast majority of people who visit Bethany for the first time were invited by a friend or family member. For the next few weeks we want to encourage everyone to invite somebody to a worship service at Bethany. We have several special events now through mid-April that you could invite a person too:

• Children’s Giant Easter Egg Hunt – Saturday, April 3rd at 10:00am.
• Revolution (Youth) Extreme: “LOST” Edition – Wednesday, March 31st at 7:00pm.
• Golgotha Presentation: The Easter Song – Palm Sunday Weekend
• The Living Lord’s Supper – Good Friday evening, April 2nd at 7:00pm
• Easter Sunday Services on April 3rd at 6pm (Contemporary) and on the 4th at 9am and 10:45am

We will be wrapping up our INVITE Campaign on Sunday evening April 11th with a very special service at 6:00pm. Take this opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. It all adds up when you INVITE and reach out, God can change a heart.

True Fast: A Week of Serving

“Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke…” Is. 58:6

If you are like most people, fasting can seem a daunting proposition. No one likes to go without food, and why should we anyway? Many claim that fasting “gets God’s attention” as if He stopped caring because you were eating. Really, fasting is more for our benefit than for God’s. It reminds us that we should be relying on God all the time. But if you abstain from eating thinking that God will be obligated to answer your prayer, you are in for a big surprise. Fasting is about having a right heart before God and if you don’t have a right heart, it doesn’t matter how long you go without pizza, it won’t make a bit of difference.

TrueFast is about making sure that your heart is right before God. It is about making sure that your heart is True. TrueFast does not mean that abstaining from food is a “FalseFast,” it simply means that abstaining from food while treating others with contempt is a “FalseFast” and gives false hope for answers to prayer. We want to make certain that our hearts are in the right place. If we want God to work through us and help us, we have to make sure that our hearts are aligned with His, that they are True.

Join us March 29, 30, and April 1 as we make sure our hearts are True by foregoing some of our normal evening activities to help those in need.

“…then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth; and your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.”

(For more information, e-mail Pastor Stephen Thee at sthee@bethany-ag.org or come to our Saturday evening Contemporary Service and find out for yourself.)

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