Worship Announcements

• The Bethany Christmas Card Postal Service is now open in the fellowship hall. Skip the stamps and leave your cards for your Bethany family members and if you choose, a small donation that will go to our next Friend of Barnabas Mission Team. This card exchange area will stay in place until Sunday, January 6th.
• Please plan to attend our Bethany Family Christmas program on December 14th during our regular service time. “Christmas Present” will include a shortened version of the Christmas Carol with ole’ Scrooge himself, as well as special music, the retelling of the Christmas story and more. Plan to arrive a few minutes early as our Praise and Worship band will perform some favorite Christmas tunes! Following the program, stay for a wonderful finger food brunch as we celebrate together. Food sign ups for the brunch can be found in the Welcome Center. What a great opportunity to invite a friend or neighbor, share the joy of the season and allow them to experience the gift of Jesus’ love for them!

Dates to Know

• Blood Drive, Friday, December 5th from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm – Fellowship Hall
• Celebration of Life Service for Mike Stump at 2:00 pm
• Salvation Army Bell Ringing, December 6th from 10 am to 6 pm – Heritage Market, Harrisonburg
• Christmas Sweater Sunday – ugly or not, December 7th
• Advent Book Study, Monday, December 8th at 10:00 am and 6:30 pm – Sunday School Classroom
• Choir Practice, Wednesday, December 10th at 6:30 pm – Sanctuary
• Pastor Blaine will be having Coffee Hours at Valley Pike Thursday, December 11th from 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm. So come and grab a cup of coffee, tea, or even some ice cream!

• The Blood Drive is this Friday from 9 am through 2 pm. Walk-ins are welcome, come and be the beacon of hope that brings joy and life to those in need this Christmas season.
• The “Pew-ew” challenge is a get to know your neighbors sitting on your pew at church. Get together with your pew partners and purchase a sleeve or box of diapers. Please put these on the table in the front hall. For every sleeve or box donated, a pew will get a bow, and we want all 33 pews to have a bow. These diapers will be donated to our Food Pantry neighbors that need them. According to our diaper buying guru, Carrie Ashton, Walmart (Parent’s Choice diapers) has the best price for most diapers. Most used sizes are 5, 6, and 7. The ribbons are placed on the pews in a random fashion because we don’t know which group of people have donated. So, to remedy this mystery keep the donations coming! There are only 3 sleeves/boxes needed to have a ribbon on every pew!
• “Happy Birthday, Jesus” project with the Gideons. In the front hall, there is a small Christmas tree on the table. If you are making a donation, please place the money in the box. Take a purple ornament and write your name on it and hang it on the tree. Every $5 donated buys 3 small testaments to be handed out by the Gideons. Please make your donations to help this worthwhile group today.
• The Weyers Cave Community is having its annual Christmas Parade on December 14th and the suggestion came out that Bethany could put together a float for the parade. We have plenty of stuff to use for a manger backdrop or a frame of a gingerbread house. If you are interested in heading this up please let Laura Lucas know in the office.
• Lend a hand, For several weeks we have been praying for Luther Law who tends to our cemeteries. Luther recently had a couple of strokes and is now back home. Some of his neighbors have fixed his trailer so he is safe and more comfortable. One of his neighbors has set up a fundraising site to accept donations to help with his financial situation. If you are led to help Luther go to https://giveahand.com/fundraiser/for-luther-with-love-helping-him-heal-at-home or scan the QR code at the Welcome Center to make a donation. If you would prefer to write a check out to BUMC or give cash, mark them for Luther Law and we will make sure it gets to the proper place.
• Reimbursements, If you have receipts and need to be reimbursed for purchases made in 2025 that provided items needed for our Ministry Programs please complete a Check Request form (located outside the church office door). These forms need to have the proper signatures and receipts attached. Return all forms to the office by December 15th.

Prayer Requests:

Community Announcements:

• Pancake Breakfast, Saturday, December 6th starting at 8:00 am. This breakfast is being hosted by the LPN Class of 2027. Our own Garrett Roller is a member of this class. Entry and eating are free, but donations are always appreciated. Donations will go to the graduation of the LPN Class. This event is being held at Sherando Community Church, 2022 Howardsville Turnpike, Stuarts Draft.
• WRE – Family Movie Night, Saturday, December 6th at 6:00 pm at Augusta Stone Church, Fort Defiance. Check the bulletin board outside the Sanctuary for more information.
• The Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir will present Starlight & Firelight on Saturday, December 13th at 7:00 pm and Sunday, December 14th at 4:00 pm. in EMU’s Lehman Auditorium. Enjoy the angelic voices of children and youth, ages 7–18, joined by 12 guest instrumentalists in a festive program of seasonal favorites presented within an historical and culturally-rich context. For details or tickets, visit svcc.org.
• “The Wonder of Christmas” concert performed by Chordially Yours of the Shenandoah Valley. Check the bulletin board outside the Sanctuary for more information.
• First Church and Nickels & Dimes invite you to attend “The Power of Prayer,” a Christmas play. This humorous and inspiring play, written and performed by local amateur talent, depicts the journey of five college basketball teammates as they navigate life’s challenges. We are also collecting a goodwill offering to support a local family this Christmas. Admission and parking are complimentary. Check the bulletin board outside the Sanctuary for more information.