King’s Light

August 2020

Dearly beloved,

Can you believe another month has gone by and a new month is beginning? Where is the time going? Time is flying by. It has been five months since we have been quarantined. Due to the pandemic we have not able to have in person worship. This situation is wearing on most people. We are all just about ready to break out because we have “Cabin Fever.” Am I expressing my own feeling? You wonder, how much longer, Lord. After I finished my whining spell, I began to take another look at my situation. When I changed my focus and thoughts, I realized how blessed I am and have been. I have a home to be quarantined in, some people do not. I have my health and have not been deemed positive with COVID-19, some people cannot say that. I have food in my home that I can be creative in making new dishes and recipes, some people do not. There is an African American song, sung at many African American churches, entitle, “I won’t complain.” Here are some of the words; I've had some good days. I've had some hills to climb. I've had some weary days. And some sleepless nights. But when I look around, And I think things over, All of my good days, Out-weigh my bad days, I won't complain. The chorus goes on to say; The Lord Has been so good to me, He's been good to me, More than this old world or you could ever be He's been so good, To me. He dried all of my tears away. Turned my midnights into day. So I'll just say thank you Lord. I won’t complain. After that song was ringing in my soul all I could say was, “Okay, Lord, I won’t complain.” I know that it is rough and even sometimes boring but continue to be safe and follow the CDC directives. My prayer for you is; The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26

Pastor Judy

Tentative re-opening plan

Our revised plan is to reopen the church for onsite worship at 9AM

beginning Sunday, August 9th with limited seating.

However, if you have a compromised health condition, are in a high-risk

group, or are simply not feeling well, we ask that you stay home.

Sunday Morning schedule beginning August 9, 2020

9AM Worship in Sanctuary with limited seating*

10AM FaithLink online via ZOOM – back to 10AM until further notice

Noon Live Worship online with Pastor Judy via ZOOM – same time

Worship Prerecorded weekly and available on YouTube or Facebook

anytime

*Pre-registration is required for on-site worship, so we can maintain CDC

recommendations. Call Patty in the Church Office at 412-835-0700 or email

FBUMC@Verizon.net between 10AM-3PM weekdays to reserve your spot for the

following Sunday. Weekly deadline is Friday at 2PM.

FaithLink and the Noon Worship Service will both continue live online via ZOOM until

further notice.

The pre-recorded Online Worship Services and Children’s Messages will continue

until further notice.

The Upper Room is available online temporarily to individuals

and churches while COVID-19 is front and center in our world.

Please go https://www.upperroom.org/covid-19 for a list of all

their resources. They will have daily prayers, daily videos, a

prayer wall, and much more.

There is a Drop Box on the porch of the Church Office for

contact-less exchange. Let us know if you need something.

You can pick up the July/August Upper Room, a church

directory, a book from our library or a copy of the King’s Light.

Call the church office at 412-835-0700 or email Patty Wilmott

at officemanager@firstbethelumc.org and she’ll get you what

you need!

Join Pastor Judy for a LIVE worship service

at Noon on Sundays using Zoom – same time as always!

https://zoom.us/j/8234301946 or call +1 312 626 6799 and Meeting ID: 823 430 1946 for audio only

View a pre-recorded worship experience online

with Pastor Judy’s sermon and wonderful music

performed by First Bethel folks at a time that works

best for you! Updated weekly by Robin C.

Available on our Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/FirstBethelUMC/

or YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_5nz-hWzPv9bnAfeOxGSEw

Back to 10AM until further notice Join Mike S. on Sundays for FaithLink. Contact Mike or Gloria if you would like the weekly FaithLink handout via-email. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86564520521

Meeting ID: 865 6452 0521

One tap mobile +19292056099,,86564520521#

Our own Miss Janice provides weekly Children’s

Messages on our church Facebook page so have an

adult show you the video.

The Children’s Message is now included in the online

worship service too!

Our Food Drive for SHIM was a huge success! Our doors may be

closed temporarily, but that doesn’t stop us.

We donated 500 pounds of food and over $650 for our

neighbors in need.

Thank you

Calling all Youth for ASP 2021

by Gloria Stephan

First Bethel is registered for ASP 2021. Our trip will be either

June 20-26 or June 13-19 (second choice).

All trips leave early on Sunday and return on Saturday afternoon.

Youth age 14-18 (or 13 having completed 8th grade) are invited to join us for a week of

“building relationships with construction on the side” in Central Appalachia next summer.

We also need a few Adult Group Leaders. Construction experience is welcome but NOT

necessary. See https://www.ASPHome.org for more information about ASP.

If you are interested, please contact Gloria at GStephan57@gmail.com or call the

Church Office.

Back to School—in Zimbabwe!

Maybe you have noticed the stores are

starting to stock “back to school” items -

- I think I may have seen some in the

Target ad on July 5th! While it really is

still summer, it is time to think about

getting ready for back to school—

hopefully in the classroom.

That means it’s time for The Nyadire

Connection (TNC) to look for Sponsors

for the “Home of Hope Outreach

(HOHO.) The HOHO Sponsors pay the

school fees for orphans.

The local Social Welfare Dept. says there are about 500 orphans in the Nyadire area,

roughly ¼ of the children. Some of them live with extended family, others live on their

own, sometimes parenting their younger siblings. Schools are generally of good quality

and the literacy rate is about 90%. But school is NOT free, hence the need for Sponsors.

The Sponsorship fee of $100 covers tuition for one year, uniforms and a backpack full of

school supplies. Letters between sponsors & students can be carried by Mission Teams

and/or “snail mail.”

We at First Bethel have supported TNC and the HOHO program for many years. If you

have ever bought a Rotary Chicken Dinner Ticket from Phil Himmler, you’ve helped TNC!

The HOHO is one of the many ways that the TNC supports the Nyadire community.

If you’ d like more info, please check out the TNC website http://www.nyadire.org/ There

is a link to the latest newsletter with an update on the current situation.

So please consider making a HUGE difference in the life of an Orphan in Nyadire! For

more info and a registration form, please contact Stephanie Alstadt at 412-831-1937.

Virtual Lecture group viewing event

Tuesday, September 15th at 7PM

Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures will present a virtual lecture event

with Robin DiAngelo on Thursday,

September 10.

Robin DiAngelo is the author of the

New York Times best-selling book

“White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for

White People to Talk About Racism”.

First Bethel plans to host a group

viewing event on Tuesday,

September 15th at 7PM via ZOOM or

at the church depending on the social

distancing situation.

Purchase a ticket directly and join us on September 15th or watch

from the comfort and safety of your own home.

Ticketholders will be emailed a link to view the lecture at their convenience between

September 10th and September 17th.

We will be watching it together as a church on Tuesday, September 15th at 7PM.

Order here: BUY TICKETS or https://pittsburghlectures.org/lectures/robin-diangelo/

Tickets are $10 but free tickets are available if cost is a barrier. Just let us know and

send us your email address by August 31st at FBUMC@verizon.net

From the TRUSTEES Due to the pandemic and in an effort to conserve funds the trustees have kept a low profile so far this year. We have put all of the major projects on hold. We have kept up with the basic maintenance issues around our properties. We have done our best to acquire disinfectant products to keep our buildings clean. We did have a spring cleanup day to clean windows and do the mulching around the building. Unfortunately, only two people showed up for that. The good news is the mulching did get done. Thank you Linda Graney for going above and beyond to do that. The one big project we completed was the paving of our upper parking lot. If you haven't had a chance to see it yet take a drive to the church and drive through it. Facchiano did a fantastic job of paving. We owe them a HUGE thank you. They did far and beyond what we originally agreed on, and the extra work came from their generosity and wasn't asked for by us. Lastly, if you have any painting plans in your future you can go to Sherwin Williams Bethel Park store, tell them you are a member of First Bethel United Methodist and you need paint for your personal use. They will extend a 32% discount to you. Happy Painting! Stay Healthy ... wear your mask ... wash your hands ... keep 6 feet of distance

Pray for an end to all of this!

Carol Austin

Grayson Bowser

Deb Dennick-Ream

Greg Doman

Frankie DeThomas

Joan Dutcher

Shannon Evans

Heather Finale

Tyler Grashoff

Jaime Gray

Judy Hamilton

Linda Jack

Linda Kennedy

Jeff Krause

Howard Loper

Lisa McDermot

Grace Passios

Julia Pauline

Connie Rush

Amy Scott

Dorrie Walter

Betsy Yetiskul

Shelby Zakrzewski

David Zahniser

Eric Zito

Happy Birthday!

Let the church office know if you have additions or corrections.

Kings School Kids needs new

or gently used washable

blankets for naptime in the

Pre-School rooms.

Blankets should be at least

4ft long (bigger than baby

size or receiving blankets).

Drop them off at the KSK

office and think Sweet

Dreams!

Thank you for your faithful financial support of our First Bethel ministries during the

current social distancing situation.

Tithes and Offering checks can be mailed to

the church at 5901 Library Road, Bethel

Park PA 15102 or you can use our new

Vanco eGiving service.

To get started with eGiving, go to our church

website at https://www.firstbethelumc.org

and click the Donate button. Set up your

personal profile using your Offering

Envelope Number and easily and securely

enter your donation.

It can be a one time or a recurring donation. Checking and Savings account donations

need to occur on banking days.

Please consider a contribution to offset the processing fees necessary for the

convenience of online giving. It’s roughly the cost of a stamp!

2020 Special Offerings for Ministries

Church Council highlights a special ministry area each month for extra mile giving.

These important ministry areas are provided here for your consideration.

Simply indicate your gift in the Other area of your offering envelope or online giving

form.

August Daily Bread

September Nyadire Connection

October Pastors Aid

November Trustees

December Youth Group

LIBRARY NEWS

We recently had another request for a Kristin Hannah

novel. Since this bestselling author is so popular with First

Bethel readers, here’s a list of her books in our Library:

THE GREAT ALONE – A powerful family drama about a

struggle for survival in Alaska’s untamed wilderness.

THE NIGHTINGALE – This World War II story celebrates

the bravery of two French sisters, and others, after the

Nazi invasion of their country.

THE THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE – A woman who

always wanted a child helps a young girl who needs a mother’s love.

FIREFLY LANE – Tully was abandoned by her mother; Kate has a loving family. The

two girls pledge a lifelong friendship. Will it last?

FLY AWAY – This sequel to Firefly Lane is a “heartbreaking novel about love

motherhood, loss and new beginnings.”

NIGHT ROAD – A tragic teenage mistake changes everything for a prosperous family

and a heroin-addict’s disadvantaged daughter.

WINTER GARDEN – A deathbed promise puts two daughters on a journey to learn the

harrowing story of their mother’s life.

A reminder: If the Library is closed during this difficult time, let us know what book you

would like to read, and we will make arrangements to get it to you.

-- YOUR LIBRARY STAFF –

We’ll be working with our Internet Service

Provider Verizon to provide reliable wireless

network connectivity in the church Sanctuary

and Founders Hall in the near future.

This will eventually give us the ability to

enhance our on-site and online Worship

experiences and it will provide Internet

connections for presentations, and church

groups.

Book Club will continue to meet via ZOOM until

further notice. Meetings are the third Friday of each

month at 7:30PM. Contact Gloria S. or the Church

Office if you are not receiving the Book Club emails.

New folks are always welcome, and we are open to suggestions for what to read next.

Friday, August 21 at 7:30PM Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

“In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis. Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race,” a falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of black women and men—bodies exploited through slavery and segregation, and, today, threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden?

Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’s attempt to answer these questions in a letter to his adolescent son. Coates shares with his son—and readers—the story of his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences, from Howard University to Civil War battlefields, from the South Side of Chicago to Paris, from his childhood home to the living rooms of mothers whose children’s lives were taken as American plunder. Beautifully woven from personal narrative, reimagined history, and fresh, emotionally charged reportage, Between the World and Me clearly illuminates the past, bracingly confronts our present, and offers a transcendent vision for a way forward.” Amazon.com

September 17th The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

“From the author of Me Before You, set in Depression-era America, a

breathtaking story of five extraordinary women and their remarkable

journey through the mountains of Kentucky and beyond.

Amazon.com

Here’s the ZOOM meeting information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89582084675

Meeting ID: 895 8208 4675 One tap mobile +13126266799,,89582084675# US (Chicago)

5901 Library Road

Bethel Park, PA 15102

Church Office: 412-835-0700

King School Kids Office: 412-835-6141

https://www.firstbethelumc.org

FBUMC@Verizon.net

We Are Here to Serve!

Lead Pastor, Pastor Judy Winston Thomas

Home: 412-833-1986 Mobile: 412-609-8003

PastorJudy@FirstBethelumc.org

Office Manager, Patty Willmott

OfficeManager@FirstBethelumc.org

Music Director, Sam Campbell

Organist, Phil Himmler

Director of Maintenance, Jim Howells

Custodian, Jim Hudak

Kings Light Editors, Gloria Stephan & Patty Willmott

Director of KSK and Children’s Fellowship, Lynda Pore

KSK Office Administrator, Charlene Phillips

KSK10@Verizon.net

https://www.facebook.com/FirstBethelUMC/

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/25-1102686

NEW DEADLINE

The deadline for the September issue of the King’s Light is Noon on August 20, 2020. Please have your article in on time to avoid the disappointment of not having it appear in the next edition.