2/19/10

MALAYSIA TRIP!

On February 13, sixteen folks from the Bethel family are heading to Malaysia to help care for the kids
of missionaries while their parents receive valuable training and encouragement.

We thought it would be fun to share with you the “bios” of our Malaysia team so you can pray for
them while they’re gone! These folks are making a huge sacrifice and we are so grateful for their service.

If you see one of these folks between now and Feb. 13, tell them thank you!

RACHAEL PUTMAN
Rachael has been a registered nurse for the last four and a half years. She has been on several mission trips including trips to Mexico and Peru.  She spent several summers as a camp counselor working with junior high girls, but is excited for the chance to work with elementary age kids.  Rachael loves to travel and is looking forward to her first flight over the Pacific Ocean.

LONNA STEWART
Lonna is originally from southern California and has lived in Tyler, TX just over a year. She is a Spanish teacher at a private high school in Tyler. Lonna has a three year old son name Jamin. She has had the opportunity to work at a translator on several mission trips to Mexico and Costa Rica. Lonna is excited about working with the preschool children while we are in Malaysia.

KAREN OLSEN
Karen has been at Bethel for about 20 years and on the mission board for about 10 years.  She was born inGermany and has moved around a lot because her Dad was in the Army. Karen enjoys several trades includingaccounting and teaching 6th grade math for 9 years.  She likes to walk, ride horses, sew, play with her dog,Marcey, spend time with her children.Karen is excited about playing with the kids and helping with some of the administrative tasks.  She is married to Lloyd and has two grown boys.

AMBER MORRIS
Amber is 23 years old and the oldest of four girls. She has her associates degree in Graphic Design & Photography. Amber currently works as a receptionist at a dermatology office and loves art, music, movies and laughing. Amber hopes to continue in the mission field or serving wherever God calls her. She loves macaroni and cheese, the beach, roses, jet skiing, painting, paintball, the Dallas Mavericks, and interesting questions!

CHAD AND CARRIE LARSH
When he’s not working for Pine Cove Christian Camps as a software developer and A/V engineer, Chad loves using his gifts serve others. In the 3 and half years he’s been at Bethel, Chad has volunteered to run sound on Sunday mornings and for several other church events. He has a huge heart for people, especially for teaching young men how to grown up to be great men of God. Chad
loves playing Frisbee and being outdoors, and he looks forward to spending quality time with the junior high guys. He has a special desire to work with this age group because he accepted Jesus as his Savior in junior high. Chad is Carrie’s husband, and they have 2 sons- Jack and Luke.

God has grown Carrie’s heart for missions over the past five years in amazing ways! While her primary mission field right now is with her two toddlers, Carrie is very excited to serve the Lord overseas. She has previously been to Guatemala where she worked with orphans and would love to go back someday. Carrie has a huge desire to speak truth into the lives of junior high girls because that is not something she had when she was their age. She longs for them to know they are treasured and loved by God.

MARTY PUTMAN
Marty is a wife and a mother. She also volunteers teaching English as a Second Language classes and teaches adult education computer classes at a local junior college. Marty volunteers in the children’s ministry at Bethel, which she has called her church home when in Tyler since 1985.  Missions have played a large part in Marty’s life as she has been on short-term trips since Jr. High. Marty lived with her husband and daughter in Sierra Leone, West Africa, for three years working in a medical clinic. She also likes playing games, singing, reading and laughing.

TRACEY GAYNIER
Tracey is the receptionist and assistant librarian at a private school where she has been for four years. She has been
teaching Sunday school for elementary-aged children for several years now. She loves the high energy and
expressiveness of this age group. Tracey is wife to Don. They have three adult children.

DON GAYNIER
Don enjoys tasting chocolate and candy all day as Category Manager at Brookshire’s, a regional supermarket chain. His work involves managing a portfolio of categories and items (including candy) to satisfy customers and generate profitable sales. Don and wife Tracey and have been a part of Bethel since 1984 and rejoice at how people are growing in love for the Savior and in obeying Him. He has been blessed to go on short term trips to Reynosa and Acune Mexico with our youth team, but has never been out of North America. Don has always had a special love and affinity for Jr. High students.

JEREMY VANCE
Jeremy has been attending Bethel for four years now. He has had the opportunity to go on many mission trips including Morelos, Mexico. Jeremy enjoys working with high school students. He currently leads a Bible Study Fellowship class for students and enjoys getting to know the kids and talking about topics relevant to their lives. Jeremy says he’s looking forward to spending time with the students in Malaysia and serving them.

KAREN HEATON
Karen is a long time Bethel member and veteran youth and children’s ministry worker – currently specializing in babies and toddlers! She is looking forward to traveling to the far reaches of the earth to serve. When she is not ministering to the children of the church, Karen is home ministering to her own three grown sons, two daughters-in-law and two grandsons ages 2 and 3 months. Karen is looking forward to working with the younger children while in Malaysia.

JIM SMITHIES
Jim is our pastor of WORLDReach Bethel Missions.  He has served as a pastor in New Orleans and Tyler working with evangelism and discipleship, adult assimilation and mobilization, men’s and women’s ministries, and all phases of Christian Education.  Jim was an engineer with Exxon Chemical until heading to seminary where he also earned his masters in Christian Counseling.  Jim is married to Cheryl and has two sons, Matt (22) and Drew (20).  He loves pudding and cliff-diving!

GERI ANN SPELBRING
Geri works as the Nursery & Child Care Coordinator at Bethel and is also an RN at Pine Cove Christian Camp during the summer. She has been attending Bethel for seven years now and is excited about working with the younger children on this trip. She has tons of experience with this age group and is an incredible organizer along. Geri is also well-versed in the curriculum we’ll be using in Malaysia!

CYNDY JOHNSON
Cyndy, who is also known as “SiSi” to her Grandchildren.  She works with her husband of thirty-four years in his office of Certified Public Accounting.  She has been at Bethel since the very beginning. This will be Cyndy’s first overseas mission trip, and she is looking forward to serving in this capacity.  Cyndy will be working with the infants and toddlers. She has three grandchildren under the age of 4 and loves spending time with them. Cyndy is definitely serving from her gifts!

LEE RIDENOUR
Lee loves missions and loves kids. He is an internist here in Tyler and has practiced medicine for over 25 years. He has taken his family to rural Mexico a dozen times to do medical missions. He is Bethel’s missions chairman. Lee taught youth when his kids (now grown) were involved and for the past three years, he has taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. Lee says the most fun thing he has ever done was to take his family around the world in 2005, when they went to see one of his sons who was doing work with Wycliffe in south Asia.

DONNA RIDENOUR
Donna is one of Bethel’s “three amigos”, a group of 3 wonderful ladies who lead Children’s Ministry at our church.  Everyone loves Donna, one of those rare individuals who can light up a room of kids when she enters. She loves little ones and will be taking care of toddlers and infants on the Malaysia trip. Donna and her husband Lee have four adult children.

It’s Friday and that means that the Bethel Blog is gonna’ try to make you smile!

Hope you have a GREAT day!

You might have heard that Bethel is need of greeters.

You know, those folks who stand at the doors in those snazzy green shirts and welcome people to
church?

Now, we realize that you might often pass those greeters and wonder about them.

How did they get this job?
What’s the training like?
Would Bethel ever give me one of those snazzy green shirts?

We understand your interest. Those greeters are a mysterious lot. But as with any high-powered, prominent position within the church, there are often many misconceptions. And now that you’re all hearing that we need more greeters, we thought it might help out if we cleared up some of the things folks tend to misunderstand when it comes to the Greeting Ministry.

COMMON ‘GREETER MISCONCEPTIONS’

1. Bethel Greeters rarely have to taze anyone.

2. Bethel Greeters are not allowed to wear their snazzy green t-shirts in public. Strictly business when it comes to greeting, y’all.

3. Bethel Greeters are do not run faster or process rational thought faster than normal human beings. They’re regular folks, just like you. Except nicer.

4. Bethel Greeters do not live in fear of Jim Smithies, head of our Greeter Ministries. He’s actually quite nice…if he’s had all his medication.

5. Bethel Greeters are not faking it. They actually are wishing you a good morning.

6. Bethel Greeters don’t know everything going on at the church. But they know a lot.

7. Bethel Greeters do, in fact, scout congregants for possible recruiting. There’s actually a big book in the welcome center cabinet called Greeter Dream Team. Your name might actually be in there. Ask them.

8. Bethel Greeters do dash to the foyer and eat donut holes while you’re in church. Just being honest.

9. Bethel Greeters are not instructed to smile as big as they do. They’re actually that happy to see you.

10. Bethel Greeters have lots more snazzy green shirts. They’d love to see you in one very soon!

Hopefully, we cleared up some confusion here. After reading that list, some of you may be thinking, “Hey, that greeting thing seems very glamorous.” Guess what? It is. Find a greeter this Sunday and find out how you can join the elite team of welcoming faces.

You know you’d look awesome in green.

Anonymous Pray-ER

Today, we’ve got an assignment for you.

It’s a simple request. It’s not hard to do. But it makes a huge difference.

Today, we’re asking you to pick some one to pray for.

“But I already pray for people,” you say.

This request is a bit different. We want you to pray for somebody you don’t know.

“Huh?” you say.

Here’s how.

Yesterday at church, we’re guessing that you saw somebody you didn’t know. Maybe you passed a new face in the foyer or somebody sat at the end of your aisle that you didn’t recognize. In fact, we’re betting you saw multiple people you don’t know. But our confidence is this: God knows who they are. He orchestrated their attendance at Bethel and He placed them in your path for a reason. And we’re thinking one of those reasons just might be prayer.

We’re asking you take an extra five minutes to pray for that new person – just a few minutes to thank God for this person and to pray in agreement with God’s work in his or her life.

Maybe you’ve never prayed for somebody you don’t know. But it might actually be much cooler than you think.

Take a few minutes today and pray. We know it makes a difference.

FRIDAY FUN!

It’s Friday and you know what time it is! It’s time for some Friday Fun!
Hopefully, you’re stopping by here every Friday for a little pick-me-up!
Enjoy!

PROPS!

This week, we’re showing our appreciation for Karen Olsen! Here’s what our Financial Secretary, Betsey Bradberry had to
say about Karen:

I would like to thank Karen Olsen for all that she does for Bethel Bible Church. She’s is my  back up bookkeeper when I’m   out of the office. We work great together and I love her commitment Bethel, especially to the Mission’s Committee.

It is true sign of her dedication to and love for the Lord. Words can’t express the  gratitude I have for her as a friend and sister in Christ.

Karen is constantly at the church coordinating, volunteering, and filling-in when folks are out of the office. Karen always has such a great attitude and she is a hard worker!

Thank you, Karen, for all you do!

Live blogging Bethel Staff Meeting…

• Meeting kicks off w/ chocolate cake. WIN.
• Ross talks “covenant” and rocks it. (Genesis 6:17-18 / Jeremiah 33:17-22)
• Donna Ridenour ends our devotional time with “that’s why monks chant.”
• Took prayer requests and prayed for lots of Bethel folks and ministries in need.
• Got budget updates. Half the staff followed along perfectly. The other half stared off into the distance with a glazed, perplexed look.
• Got an update on security issues at the church. Fritz armed us all with tazers. Watch out, peeps.
• 2:45pm…everybody getting antsy.
• Ross makes sure we all know that the Mac Tablet is being unveiled tomorrow.

Top 10 Reasons To Park In The New Parking Lot

As you may know…we’re almost ready to utilize our brand new parking area next to the Children’s Ministry building. Not only does make more room for Bethel guests, it allows our parents and kids quicker access to Take 1 and R2R on Sundays! If the weather holds up, you’ll be able to start using the parking lot very soon!

But there are other benefits to the parking lot, too. These are lesser known perks, but still important in our opinion.

1. Between 9 and 9:30am, dinosaurs roam the lot and you can probably pet them.
2. You can gloat to all your friends who park in the “old parking lot.” Comment on their parking choice and grin at them just to rub it in.
3. Before sermons, Ross will be teaching a tae kwan do class in the new parking lot.
4. Wild game of limbo every Sunday after 2nd service. Available to “new parking lot” people only.
5. Valet parking.
6. The new parking lot will be made of chocolate.
7. It never rains on the new parking lot.
8. It’s cool. “Far away” is the new “close.”
9. It’s so secluded you can dance in the middle of the lot and no one will ever know.
10. All of the forest scenes from Avatar were filmed behind our new parking lot.

FRIDAY FUN

For this week’s Friday fun, we offer the wisdom of Tripp Crosby and Tyler Stanton. Tripp and Tyler are sketch writers and resident “funny video” guys at their church. This video was part 1 of a series called “That Will Leave A Mark.”
ENJOY!