BEDFORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
NEWSLETTER
September 2019
e-mail: [email protected] telephone: (540) 586-5284
fax: (540) 586-5284
Bedford Awakening September 8-11, 7pm, at the Bedford Farmer’s Market
The biggest event of Bedford Presbyterian’s 175th anniversary celebration and also the one we are hoping will be a spiritual gift for the entire Bedford community is the upcoming “Bedford Awakening.” Everyone is invited to join together with us at the Farmer’s Market, Sunday through Wednesday, September 8-11, at 7:00 pm each evening (rain location at Community Center.) No admission will be charged, but we will collect a free-will offering for Bedford’s First Responders on Wednesday night in honor of those who rushed into harm’s way on September 11, 2001 in New York City and Washington, D.C.
Every evening will be opened and closed by a different area pastor leading us in prayer. The program will also include worship and praise music led by Bill Rutledge. He will be accompanied by a multi-church praise team. There should be plenty of seating for everyone, but feel free to bring your own lawn chair as well.
Our speaker is Rev. Rick Astle (RickAstle.Com). Rick’s passion is spiritual renewal. Each evening will focus on a different aspect of what it means to be awakened to a richer and more meaningful way of life through the transformational presence and power of God. Sunday night will focus on what it means to experience a “Prayer Awakening;” Monday night a “Moral Awakening;” Tuesday night a “Spiritual Awakening;” and Wednesday night a “National Awakening.”
There will also be two seminars, free and open to the public, at Bedford Presbyterian Church, on Monday, September 8, and Tuesday, September 9. Both will last from 10 am until 12 noon. Monday’s theme will be for anyone interested in learning more about “How You Can Pray Like Jesus.” Tuesday’s seminar will be pointed toward pastors and church staff: “How to Have Powerful Church Prayer Meetings.”
Please join us in praying for this time of spiritual renewal and in making plans to attend; also be sure to invite friends and family. Let us join together in asking the Lord to move in a mighty way among His people throughout Bedford County.
Below is a partial listing of Churches joining together in participation with the Bedford Awakening: Bedford Ministerial Association, Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church, Resurrection Catholic Church(Moneta), Villamont Presbyterian Church, Cool Spring Presbyterian Church, Bedford Presbyterian Church, Peaks Presbyterian Church, Washington Street Baptist Church, Lovely Zion Baptist Church, Liberty Cowboy Church, Liberty Baptist Church, Bedford Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Bedford Church of God, Prayer Outreach Assembly, Epworth United Methodist Church, Hickory Grove United Methodist Church, Wilson’s United Methodist Church, Word of Life Evangelical Church and Bedford Lutheran Church.
Rev. Bill Rutledge
Rev. Rick Astle
All THE STORIES OF THE BIBLE
Beginning with Genesis: From Adam to Abraham.
September 15th Sunday’s sermon at Bedford Presbyterian will start us out on a jour-ney from the front of our Bible all the way to the back. Beginning with God’s declara-tion “let there be light…,” we will reexamine all of the Bible’s stories in the order that they are told, not only for what happened but also for the lessons that we should draw from them. That is the reason these stories were included in our scriptures to begin with.
Hebrew parents taught their children lessons about God’s ways and wisdom in a story format; they sat around the evening fire learning a bit of national history along with helping them figure out the needed wisdom so as not to repeat their ancestor’s follies. Let us do the same.
Of course we will be looking into these stories from a much more mature viewpoint – more than what you learned in Sunday School. The nice thing is that our youth will be learning the same stories – at their age-appropriate level – in Children’s Church, so you can discuss these stories with them over the dinner table.
With appropriate breaks for the holidays, we will spend most of this winter in the Book of Genesis going from Adam to Abraham. While we will never learn (this side of glory) whether or not Adam had a navel, we will learn why Genesis includes three versions of the creation story. I am very excited about beginning this Biblical journey with you and I hope you are as well! Below is a tentative schedule of topics taking us up to Thanksgiv-ing.
September 15: Genesis 1:1 In the Beginning God!
Something More on Tuesdays: Where was God Before the Beginning?
September 22 Genesis 1:1-31 Something from Nothing in 7 days!
Something More on Tuesdays: Theories of Creation Versus Theories of Evolution
September 29 Genesis 2:1-3 The First Sabbath
Something More on Tuesdays: How to restore a 21st century Sabbath.
October 6 175th Homecoming & Communion
Previous Pastors will lead worship. Richard Boyce will bring a special message
October 13 Genesis 2:4-15 Garden Life … As it Was Always Meant To Be
Something More on Tuesdays: Appropriately radical Christian environmentalism
October 20 (John on study leave, Rev. WALTER MANN in pulpit)
NO MID-WEEK
October 27 (John on vacation: Rev. ROBERT McRAE in pulpit)
NO MID-WEEK
November 3 All Saints Day & Communion (Daylight savings time ends)
175th Finale Message: Where Do We Go From Here?
Something More on Tuesdays: Looking at BPC’s future Goals
November 10 Genesis 2:7-17 The First Job, The First Contract
Something More on Tuesdays: A STEWARD’S mentality of our bodies, lives, and work
November 17 Genesis 2:8-25 Adam, Meet Eve, You Were Made For Each Other
Something More on Tuesdays: Biblical versus cultural views on marriage & family
November 24 Harvest Home- Thanksgiving theme
NO MID-WEEK
September 2019
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 10 am Service
Communion
Prayer Time
2 Labor Day-
office closed
Quilters,6 pm
3 4 Joyful Noise,
6:15 pm
Choir, 7 pm
5 Purl Jam,
7 pm
6 Office
closed
7
8 10 am Service
5 ¢ a meal
Prayer Time
REVIVAL, 7 pm
9
Shepherds’
Table
Quilters,6 pm
REVIVAL
7pm
10
REVIVAL
7pm
11
Joyful Noise,
6:15 pm
REVIVAL
7pm
12 Purl Jam,
7 pm
13 Office
closed
14 Quilters
15
10 am Service
Prayer Time
Session
16 Quilters, 6 pm
17 Something
More,
4:30 pm.
18 Joyful Noise,
6:15 pm
Choir, 7 pm
19 Purl Jam,
7 pm
20 Office
closed
21 MOPS
22
10 am Service
Prayer Time
23
Quilters, 6 pm
24
Something
More,
4:30 pm
25 Joyful Noise,
6:15 pm
Choir, 7 pm
26 Purl Jam,
7 pm
27 Office
Closed
28
29
10 am Service
Prayer Time
30 Quilters, 6 pm
112 Center Street
Monday- Scouts 6:30 pm , Tuesday- Narcotics Anonymous , 12 pm, Wednesday- Narcotics Anonymous , 8 pm
Sundays: Narcotics Anonymous 6 pm
Abbott: Joyce
Barefoot: Shawn (nephew)
Barnes: Jane (friend)
Troy- (friend)
Shannon Sledd- (niece)
Benton: Taffy Mays (friend)
Patti Burr- Wilson- (former member)
Blair: James Thorne
Katy Neal
Chryssikos: Dorothy Keener
Phillip-(son)
Linda Arendt (neighbor)
Citty: Raymond
Clark: David
Cram: Winslow’s-(friends of Sally’s)
Janice Campbell (friend)
Becky Johnson (friend)
DeWitt: Shirley Magann- (friend of family)
Gerald
Diddams: Betty Lou- (sister-in-law)
Rich- (son)
Dills: Kathy
Ashley Schley
Eagler: Janet
Fedele: Albert Gardill (Jana’s father)
Foster: Thomasine Davis -(aunt)
Ron Case- (brother-in-law)
Sue- (sister)
Goodman: Barry Owen-(friend)
Tracey- (daughter)
Randall Sales
Harris: Judy
Heinrich: Steven - (grandson)
Hopkins: Dorinda
Kuhn- Kibbey: Nancy Milton-(friend)
Rachel Rutledge- (granddaughter) Dot Grandson
Mauser: Joyce Reese- (friend)
Steven-(son’s boss)
McManis: Charlotte
Meyers: Donnie Chrisman (godson’s brother)
Phil- (Scott’s brother-in-law)
Morris: All first responders and police officers and
forensic scientists
Aaron Reifsnyder- (daughters friend)
Ann Howard (friend)
Richwine; Margo (daughter-in-law's mother)
Rutledge: Margo
Family of Ron Smith
Salley: John Solon-(Betty’s brother)
Claire (Betty’s niece)
Saunders: Colin Bridges- (grandson- 12yr old)
Scott- (son-in-law)
Ronnie
Saunders: Gloria & family
Scheurer: Stephanie Hale- (friend of Sandy’s)
Schubert: Gerda & Ed
Stetson: Dave’s Boss’ wife
Stevens: Jackie Landis
Greg Fulton- (friend)
Billy Gray- (friend)
Toney: Karen Hyde- (friend)
Mike Gillespie- (friend)
Judy Miller (cousin’s wife)
Weeks: Mary Lohmeyer-(friend)
Wilkerson: Ricky Wilkerson-(Dan’s cousin)
Prayers for those affected by floods and wildfires
Prayers for mass shootings victims
Persecuted Christians
“This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us
our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ (Matthew 6:9-13)
September Birthdays
Bill Yodis 2
Polly Turner 3
James Harris 12
Sandy Scheurer 12
Deanna Rutledge 16
Dick Kibbey 17
Christine Riley 18
Harold Neal 19
Barbara Saunders 20
Dick Diddams 21
Sydney Dills 24
Ron Morris 24
Morgann Dills 25
Jay Barnes 29
September Anniversaries
Jay & Eunice Barnes 11
Gerald & Tammy DeWitt 19 In the Military
Nick Stetson- Navy
Stateside
Ben Daniel- Army
Deployed- Iraq
Matthew McManis- Marine
Quantico
Joy Byrne- Army
Deployed- Afghanistan
Land of the Free,
Because of the Brave
Bedford County Nursing Home
Betty Abbott- Room 114
Elks Home – 931 Ashland Ave.
Anna Latimer, Room B-208
Frankie Latimer, Room H-205
Frank & Tinkie Avery, Apt E-202
Quarry Hill
Anne Tiedeman
30 Community Dr., #312
Camden, ME 04843
Bentley Commons
Pat Clarke
Bentley Commons,
1604 Graves Mill Rd. Room 210
Lynchburg, VA 24502
In Tennessee
Polly Turner
C/O Steve Turner
12 Riverside Dr.
Oak Ridge, TN 37830
Something More is taking a break for the
month of August. We will resume September 17th (Tuesdays 4:30-6p.) – after the revival –
and beginning with the book of Genesis. Together we will dive into “All the Stories in the Bible, ”
S e pt e m b e r 2 019 N ews l et t e r
175th Anniversary Merchandise Market
The Bedford Presbyterian commemorative plates have arrived. Based on a modern portrait of the church by Lori Stetson, you can admire them in the church office.
Because these plates came without a gold rim, they are selling for $25.00. We are also taking orders until Homecoming in October for a gold rimmed version at $35.00. They should arrive in November. If you wish to order a gold rimmed version of the plate, please fill out a form in the office. As soon as we get enough orders, we will go ahead and process it, so you might get your plates earlier.
We still have 175th t-shirts and coffee mugs to sell. These items are available in the office now:
T-Shirts (Short Sleeve)
2- medium @ $10 each
2- large @ $10 each
3- XL @ $10 each
3- XXL @ $12 each
Mugs @ $8 each
Plates @ $25 each
August Clerk’s Corner Did you see it? John Salley had a big article on Spiritual Awakening published in the Bulletin. Thanks for your help: John Smith and John Salley closed two top shutters on the eastern side of the sanctuary. Get them while they’re hot! Commemorative plates and other 175th remembrances are still on sale in the
office. Membership is now 129. This includes the transfer of Harvey and Weebie Clarke on July 21 and the death
of Dick Fowler on July 18. Enjoy the introit during worship service. Use it as a time to prepare our hearts and minds for worship in the
worship leader script. Survey results show several people expressing interest in an adult Sunday School class held before church
services. Look for details coming soon! A good problem to have: the youth will continue to meet at the church, but if transportation can’t be worked
out with the schools, additional car poolers will be needed to handle the large group. The BPC parking lot sign was installed by John Blair and John Salley. Did you notice? John Blair filled some sanctuary holes as well as a hole in the driveway. Act of God? The alarm system was disabled by lightning and has been replaced, with the addition of a
surge protector provided at no cost. Paying for comfort: both sanctuary heat pumps stopped working and both were replaced at the same time
by Witt Mechanical. The Fellowship Committee has been busy! Receptions were held after the organ recital on July 14 as well
as on closing night of the historical drama on August 4. Organ recital attendance was 143. Attendance at the Historical Drama was 97 on Saturday night and 83 for Sunday night. Bill Mitchell will de-
velop a DVD of the performance. Listen up! The fall revival will be advertised on Journey, Spirit-FM and the Oldies radio stations. Cottage prayer meetings will be held at three locations to support the revival. Ministers and choirs from the community will be asked to participate in the fall revival. Look for them: 50 copies of the new pictorial directory are currently in production.