Welcome to Bethel Evangelical Church, Spon End, Coventry

We have a God whose power is so vast that we can't even imagine the extent of what He can do….
We can be confident that absolutely nothing is beyond His ability to do.
Eph 3:20

We give you all a warm welcome. Tea and coffee are served before and after our services.

10.30 am Morning Service Railway Club
Our Pastor Keith Foster will continue our series from Joshua with Chapter 3, entitled ‘God in the Midst’.

Our morning service is followed by a Church Lunch in Bethel Hall. All are welcome.

The Prayer Team are available after the services if you would like someone to pray with you

The morning service at 10.30am will be in the Railway Club, when Joshua Kindness will continue our series in the book of Joshua with Chapter 4, entitled ‘Leading our Families’

In the evening at 6.30pm in Bethel Hall, Andy Hall will lead and speak on ‘Family Life

A number of years ago, I was in the Sinai desert with a group of guys ‘on a mission’, we had a task to do. However, the part of the desert we were in was very dangerous, it was mined from previous battles and the current conflict. To help us reach our destination, we needed a local guide, as we had ‘never been that way before’ – it was too dangerous and foolish to ‘guess’.

In Joshua chapter 3, Joshua and the people are ‘moving out’, this was it, all the promises of the new land, all the waiting was over – yet they too, would desperately need a guide. In verses 2 to 4 of that chapter, the instruction comes,

‘When you see the Ark of the Covenant, of the Lord your God,
and the Priests...carrying it, you are to move out...and follow it.
Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before’.

The Ark was the very presence of God to the people, unless He went ahead of them into this new territory, unless they went at His pace, things could go very wrong.

As God’s people today; and moreover as His local expression here at Bethel, God is moving His people. Lives are being changed, we are all being challenged to find our Kingdom ‘sweet spot’ of service; and walk obediently in it. The launch of our new building fund today is symbolic of that, a visible reminder that as His people, He wants us to move on in Him, to possess all that He has for us, to enter that ‘rest’, that place of Christ-sufficiency, of sold-out Kingdom service.

To do this, we are going to have to follow our Guide, look to Him, keep fixed on Him, go at His pace; with our banner being “If God is for us, who can be against us?’

Midweek – this Tuesday (7th) 7.45pm - Bethel Church
Continuing our DISCIPLESHIP studies: How Mature are You?

This Tuesday (7th Feb), we will be continuing our studies and discussions around discipleship – asking:

Following a quick review of where we have got to – we will be looking at various maturity ‘traits’ and asking ‘Where am I in relation to that?’; and more importantly, ‘So what are my spiritual development needs as a result?’

QRBC are kindly allowing us to use their facilities today to hold our baptism service.

Please uphold our two candidates, Tony Hall & Louise Hewitt as they take this step of obedience to Christ’s command.

Is the Lord challenging you to do the same?
Please see any of the Leadership team.

Praise for the official launch of our Building Redevelopment Fund – and the positive planning feedback;
Praise for the baptisms today – uplift Tony & Louise and their families;
Pray for Kerry Williams as she prepares to go to Mongolia with the Christian Veterinary Mission;
Pray for Ellen Bailey as she prepares to leave for Canada for 11 months as part of her study placement;
Pray for Rachel Foster who has her US Embassy interview this week, pending an 11 month Church placement in Virginia from next Sept;
Praise that Joe Wood has a job;
Pray that we will all look to Him, our Guide, as He leads us forward

REMINDERS

Items for Bethel News should be forwarded to Barbara Parnell, Andy Hall or John Grundy. Group leaders are asked to consult the church’s Online Diary, accessed at www.bethelcoventry.org.uk before planning church activities or events.

Enquiries about booking the church premises should be made through John Grundy.

Julian Owen manages our ‘Bethel Members and Friends’ list with contact details of those who attend Bethel regularly. An electronic copy of the list is available at any time, and printed copies are made available periodically. Contact Julian for more information. Please use the form available on the table by the entrance when amendments / additions need to be made.

Any requests for projects or tasks for Darren, our Church Worker, should be passed directly to the Core Leader team as the first point of contact, at least 1 month in advance.

Church keyholder procedures:
OPENING THE PREMISES - Please ensure that the Fire Exit door from the Hall and the side gate to the car park are both unlocked at all times when the premises are in use.
LEAVING THE PREMISES – Please ensure that ALL exit doors from the premises are locked (including the door from the entrance foyer to the ‘garden’ area) and that the ALARM is set
The ALARM for the Rockfords building should be set at all times when no one is in the building.

SEEKERS COURSE COMING UP

We’re planning to run another Seekers Course in March. It’s run for people who are interested in God but have some questions, and is a relaxed opportunity to ask and answer a few important questions about Jesus and his relevance to our lives. Each session involves eating together (obviously!) and then a short talk/video followed by the chat. It runs for 5 weeks and we’re planning to start one on 5th March.

If you are interested in joining us or know someone who would like to join us please have a word with Matt or Lou.

THE BIG COMMUNITY MEET’ MONDAY 27 FEBRUARY

Matt Wood writes:

“It’s amazing the number of things that we’re doing that impact on the local community; Food Bank (obviously) but how about Toddlers, Just for Dads, Outlook, Money Management, Seekers, Spark in the Park, Party in the Park…I’ve probably forgotten something…...

…..Maybe you’re not currently involved but would like to be. Either way wouldn’t it be great to get us all in a room together for an hour or so (with cake obviously) just to share what we’re up to and kick around some ideas. Please come and join ‘The Big Community Meet’ on Monday 27th February”

For 5-11’s, ONE BiG DAY is going to be a huge amount of fun! We hope you will be able to join the group which will be going from Bethel, and bring your friends too!
Leaflets are available today.

Kerry is off to Mongolia on 17th Feb, for 3 weeks, on a short term mission trip with VetNET – part of Christian Veterinary Mission (CVM).

She writes: ‘The clinic have asked me to take some equipment out for them, and I would love to be able to give it to them as a gift, instead of them having to pay for it. If you would like to give towards the cost of this equipment, which will help VetNET in Mongolia continue their work, please either speak to me, or put your gift in the offering in an envelope marked ‘Mongolia’. If you want to know more, please talk to me!’

It is our GIFT DAY today, and we bring our pledges to Bethel Redevelopment Fund. Pledge forms will be received during the morning service as part of our worship.

The ‘Building for the Future’ booklet gives details of our vision for Redevelopment of our site in Spon End, inviting all to ‘Join the adventure’ as we make our personal commitment to give financially to turn our plans into reality.

We are launching our major Fund Raising today, but pledges and gifts may be made at any time. Please see the Pledge Forms available by the entrance today.

For more information on any aspect of our Building Redevelopment Project, please see John Grundy. Copies of all plans and documents are in the folder available in the entrance area today, or they can be viewed at the Planning Portal at www.coventry.gov.uk reference FUL/2011/1984

Following recent discussions and growing interest, we would like to start developing our Life / House Group oportunities. To facilitate this we would like to meet on the following dates to discuss the current and future issues, support etc.

Life groups leaders / hosts meeting Wednesday 22nd Feb…8;15pm Church Hall….Meeting to discuss vision, lessons learnt, new groups, Recruitment process, prayer for the future. This meeting is primarily for existing and potential leaders / hosts but all are welcome.

Life groups resources meeting Tuesday 20th March…Meeting in the Church Hall,,,,, to discuss availability and shared resources….all welcome.