1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

The Grapevine
“I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me
and I in you, then you will produce much fruit. Without
me, you can’t do anything.” John 15:6 (CEB)
CHESTER BETHEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
FEBRUARY 2015
Wisdom From a Watermelon by William Jennings Bryan
Important Dates
I was passing through Columbus,
Ohio, some years ago and stopped to
eat in the depot restaurant. My
attention was called to a slice of
watermelon, and I ordered it and ate it.
I was so pleased with the melon that I
asked the waiter to dry some of the
seeds that I might take them home and
plant them in my garden. That night, a
thought came into my mind - I would
use the watermelon as an illustration.
So, the next morning, when I reached
Chicago, I had enough seeds weighed
to find out that it would take about
5,000 watermelon seeds to weigh a
pound, and I estimated that the
watermelon weighed about forty
pounds. Then I applied mathematics to
the watermelon.
Feb 17 - Shrove
Tuesday/Pancake Supper
Feb 18 - Ash Wednesday
Service with Communion
Feb 22 - Cadia Rehab
Worship 2:30 PM
Feb 23 - Family Promise
5PM @ Good Shepherd
Lutheran
Feb 25 - Ecumenical Service
@ Sts. Peter & Paul Ukranian
Orthodox Church
Homebound
Have a question about
health care options for
home bound seniors?
Need assistance figuring
out how to take care of an
aging friend or family
member?
Contact Leizel Parks for
assistance.
She is the Director of
Community Relations for
Caring Angels Home
Health Agency.
Leizel can help you find the
answers you seek. She can
be reached via phone/text at
(267) 475-1930 or via email
at [email protected].
A few weeks before, someone, I know
not who, had planted a little seed in the
ground. Under the influence of
sunshine and shower, that little
watermelon seed had taken off its coat
and gone to work. It had gathered from
somewhere 200,000 times its own
weight and forced that enormous
weight through a tiny stem and built a
watermelon. On the outside it had put
a covering of green, within that rind of
white, and within that a core of red.
Then it had scattered through the red,
little seeds, each one capable of doing
the same work over again.
What architect drew the plan? Where did
that little watermelon seed get its
tremendous strength? Where did it find
its flavoring extract and its coloring
matter? How did it build a watermelon?
Until you can explain a watermelon, do
not be too sure that you can set limits to
the power of the Almighty, or tell just
what He will do or how He will do it.
The most learned men in the world
cannot explain a watermelon, but the
most ignorant man in the world can eat a
watermelon and enjoy it. God has given
us the things that we need, and He has
given us the knowledge necessary to use
those things. And the truth that He has
revealed to us is infinitely more
important for our welfare than it would
be to understand the mysteries that He
has seen fit to conceal from us.
So it is with Christianity. If you ask me
whether or not I can understand
everything in the Bible, I answer no. I
understand some things that I did not
understand ten years ago; and if I live ten
years longer, I hope some things will
then be clear that are now obscure.
But there is something more important
than understanding everything in the
Bible. If we will only try to live up to
the things that we do understand, we will
not have time to worry about the things
that we do not understand.
Notes of Thanks
Just in case you missed
the thank you notes
posted in the Narthex.
We received a number of
thank you notes for our
Thanksgiving baskets,
gifts for the church and
preschool staffs at
Christmas time,
donations made to the
Sunday Breakfast
Mission and Family
Promise of Northern
New Castle County.
Thank you to our very
generous congregation
for their many donations.
Volunteers Needed
We are looking for 4 volunteers to assist Norma Saulsbury with the preparation of the
altar each week including Communion and other occasions. This task is too
demanding for one person. Those interested would receive training and would
perform on a set schedule.
Please give this important ministry your prayerful consideration. Please contact Pastor
Mary or Norma Saulsbury if you can help.
Member Update:
We received an update from Nell Harris. Nell is still living at Sunrise of Rockville,
and enjoying the activities. She plays bingo and helps to bake treats. One of her
favorite activities is watching television and movies. And she likes to read
magazines and her mail. Nell is always up for a treat. Nell celebrated her 93rd
birthday this summer.
Chester Bethel Preschool & Childcare
Birthdays &
Anniversaries
Pat Zimmerman
Bruce Fay
Aliera Parks
Dana Cooke
Elmer Saulsbury
Mary Browne
Nathan Midgett
Bill Murray
John O’Neal
Dottie Renshaw
Keith Saulsbury
Jason Wright
Feb 2
Feb 7
Feb 7
Feb 9
Feb 9
Feb 13
Feb 13
Feb 19
Feb 22
Feb 24
Feb 24
Feb 25
Anniversaries
Donna & Donald McCormick
Feb 13
Ray & Leizel Parks
Feb 14
One of the more popular themes for January in the Preschool is SNOW! The
children and teachers all love the activities and crafts that go along with snow.
They paint with colored ice cubes, cut snowflakes, and participate in science
experiments such as seeing if frozen objects float! We have loved the
weather changes as well! Snow usually means limited time outside at school,
but the children love to tell us what they build and what they do in the snow
with their families!
We are beginning our 2015-2016 Preschool Registration and this upcoming
year we will be adding 2½ year olds to our school! We have several current
families interested in the new program and we are sure it will be full in no
time!
Contact Vicki Antignani at the preschool for
registration forms and/or information
(302) 475-0377.
From the Desk of the Financial Secretary
As 2014 ended and 2015 started, we have a few updates:
* The 2014 giving statements are ready. Any that were not picked up by the second Sunday in
January have been mailed to your home. If you have any questions or comments, please call me after
5 PM on weekdays or on the weekend at (610) 459-2505.
* The 2015 envelopes took two months from when they were ordered to finally arrive - thank you
for your patience. This year's envelopes were mailed to you if you did not pick them up in the
Narthex.
Thank you everyone for your generous giving and have a blessed day.
Denise Midgett
Unhealthy Triangles
by Rev. Constance Hastings, MSCC,NCC
Daybreak Counseling Services, Inc.
Everyone likely has found herself or himself in the situation. A friend, spouse, co-worker, or church
member is having issues or conflicts with another person. Rather than addressing the problem with that
person, he or she will express their negative feelings to another person who in some way relates to the
offending person as well. Initially, it may seem to be a viable way of relieving tension, and the third person
may feel affirmed in the trust that has been placed in him or her by this confidence. Often, the third person is
asked not to discuss the situation the other person. However, the third person also is at the least being caught
in the middle and often put in the position of taking sides. The results are more strained relationships and no
resolution to the real problem. Even more problematic, this can become a negative learned coping skill for any
children within the dynamic and thus perpetuated for generations.
This lack of assertive communication and honesty in relationships is called triangulation. Within all
forms of dynamics, family, work, friends, congregations, etc., it is destructive because it destroys trust among
the group. It also allows the situation to remain in dysfunction and deny or hide whatever the underlying issues are in the dynamic. Still, “You can’t heal a wound by saying it’s not there!” (Jeremiah 6:14, TLB)
Jesus said, “So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you
suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go
and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” (Matthew 5:23-24, TLT, italics
added)
Avoid triangulation by learning and practicing assertive communication. It can help set boundaries
with the offending person such that at least in this relationship conflicts are addressed. If this is a skill you
have yet to accomplish, a suggested reading is the classic, Boundaries by John Townsend and Henry Cloud. If
the issues are very deep and prolonged, professional counseling would be in order. When approached by another to participate in triangulation, encourage the person to learn how to address the problem but do not become a player in the situation.
Finally, often in times of conflict, The Serenity Prayer is the best offering to God. “God, grant me the
serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know
the difference.”
Mission Update
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We are asking the congregation to bring canned soup to the church for
Super Bowl Sunday. The soup will be donated to Claymont Community
Center. Baskets will be available in the lobby for the donations.
The Mission Teach has chosen Sojourners Place for our Lent - Easter
project. Sojourners Place offers homeless men and women a place to put their lives back together. We
are asking for your support by supplying personal care items for their use. Items needed: Combs,
deodorant, (male & female), tooth brushes and toothpaste, shampoo, bar soap, emery boards, lip balm
and packets of tissue.
Are you interested in visiting shut-ins from our church? If so, please talk to a member of our team or
come to our next meeting on February 1st.
The Thrift Shop will continue to make Easter Baskets for preschool children attending CCC. We use
baskets, ribbons, stuffed animals, children's books, and other items available from the Thrift Shop.
Individuals are volunteering to make crosses for the baskets. We are requesting candy donations and
anyone willing to help fill and wrap baskets.
We wish to thank everyone for the great support you have given Missions over the past year.
We would like to have suggestions from you concerning future projects for our church Missions.
Current members:
Nancy Storer (302-475-1731), Lillian Williams (302-762-1839), Alma Schmuck,
Donna McCormick, Polly Brown, Donna McCormick, Milli Burke, Phyllis King (302-475-6236),
Dorene Jones, JoAnn Koskol, Dora Greer or Pastor Mary.
Youth Update
On January 9th, 5 youth from Chester Bethel
and 4 youth from Mt. Lebanon arrived at the
Pen-Del Youth Rally in Ocean City, MD.
The theme for this year's event was
"Masterpiece" - "For we are God's
masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ
Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned
for us long ago." Ephesians 2:10. Even though they had all been
to previous rallies, this one proved to be quite different. It was
the first time that they had all gone as part of their combined
youth group, the "Bible Thumpers". The band, Starfield, were
the worship leaders for the weekend. Michael Jr. gave us the
opportunity to laugh. Dr. Brenda Salter-McNeil challenged us
to find the "missing" puzzle pieces in our lives. Brock Grill
amazed us with his stunts and illusions. On Saturday night,
Brock Gill called us to surrender our lives to Jesus. Some of our
youth answered the call, while others renewed their commitment
to making Jesus the center of their lives. It was a powerful
weekend, one that all of us continue to feel and strive to share.
The youth will be leading special services to share their experience with you on February 1 at Mt. Lebanon and on February 8
at Chester Bethel.
Chester Bethel & Mt. Lebanon Youth
Nikki, Pastor Mary & Michelle at the
2015 Youth Rally
Thank you for your continued support and love for our youth.
Preparing for the Polar Bear Plunge
Donation :
We've got a loveseat to donate to the Youth Group for their new room, but none of our cars are big
enough to get it to the church. If anyone has a pickup or a larger vehicle and they help us out, we'd
appreciate it. David and Nathan can do the lifting to get it into the vehicle and will follow you over to
the church and unload it. We live only three miles from the church. Thank you, The Midgetts
Pastor Mary’s Message
Lent is the season in the liturgical year for penitence, reflection, and renewal. The early church created
Lent as a season for the church to accompany people entering the final stretch of their preparation for
baptism at Easter or rites of reconciliation and restoration during Holy Week. The season of Lent was set
as 40 days to reflect the 40 days Jesus was in the wilderness preparing for his earthly ministry following
his baptism. It begins on Ash Wednesday (February 18 this year), excludes Sundays which are always
considered ‘little Easters,’ and ends on the eve of Easter (April 4).
In the middle ages, the monastic practices of personal penitence and self-denial became more influential,
and the tradition of ‘giving up’ something for Lent developed. The practice of introspective reflection
and renewal remain important, but in more recent times there has been a greater emphasis on the original
purpose for Lent of preparing people for a life of discipleship and ministry. So, instead of just ‘giving
up’ something for Lent, we are encouraged to take on a practice or a discipline that will deepen our faith.
So, if you decide to give up something on which you spend money, redirect that money to a mission
project; if you decide to give up something on which you spend time, fill that time with prayer,
devotional study, or helping with a mission project.
Below are some opportunities to nurture your Lenten journey in the community of Chester Bethel…
Chester Bethel United
Methodist Church
Pastor: Mary H. Browne
2619 Foulk Road
Wilmington, DE 19810
Tel: 302.475.3549
Fax: 302.529.7873
E-mail: [email protected]
Or [email protected]
‘For God so loved the world that he
gave his only Son, so that everyone
who believes in him may not perish
but may have eternal life.
John 3:16 (NRSV)
We’re on the web!
Chesterbethel.org
Ash Wednesday Service – February 18, 7:00; at Chester Bethel
Ecumenical Lenten Service & Supper – February 25, March 4, 11, & 18
February 25 at Sts. Peter & Paul Ukranian Orthodox Church
Lenten Short Term Study – Renegade Gospel by Mike Slaughter
Thursdays, beginning February 19, 7:00 p.m.
Sundays, beginning February 22, 9:15 a.m.
Tuesdays, beginning February 24, 10:00 a.m.
Lenten Mission Giving Project – personal care items for residents of Sojourners’ Place
(see Mission Update on page 3)
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of our newsletter please email: [email protected]