Bethany United Methodist Church

United Methodist Church serving Clio, Michigan

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Missed worship recently? Recaps here!

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Hello! Where has October gone? It’s been a really busy month in the life of the church with the re-launch of our Roller Skating program and Wednesday Night Live activities. We are excited to be welcoming so many children and families back into our church. For me (Elizabeth, your webmaster) personally this month has been very full and I’ve found limited time to keep up with church communications. I know some of you count on this as a place to connect with worship you’ve missed, so here in this one post, you’ll find a recap since my last weekly post. I’ll try to get back on track as we start our Stewardship campaign on 10/23/2022.

Sunday 9/25/2022 – The Rich Man & Lazarus

Sunday 10/2/2022 – World Communion Sunday

Sunday 10/9/2022 – Jesus Heals 10 Men with Leprosy

Sunday 10/16/2022 – Jerry Mowl Preaches for Laity Sunday

You can use this link to find links to previous worship series at Clio Bethany.

Happy Retirement Pastor Cathi! 6.12.2022

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On Sunday June 12th, we gathered for our last sermon from Pastor Cathi and her last as she transitions into retirement. It was a day filled with laughter, confetti and yes, a few tears. If you want to catch up on worship – you can watch the entire worship service here.

After worship, we headed out to the Garden of Life where Pastor Cathi dedicated the Peace Pole she is leaving with us as a reminder of her time in ministry among us. It will surely remind us always of her heart for the grieving. You can witness her dedication of the peace pole below.

Then, we moved into the Fellowship Hall where we released confetti cannons! Here’s 2 videos from 2 different angle of the confetti cannon launch.

In the Fellowship Hall, we enjoyed a wonderful potluck dinner. We continued putting our wishes up on the Dandelion Wish Wall.

As we finished our meal and enjoyed the delicious cake prepared for us by Barb Nickerson, Karen Nichols shared a light-hearted “roast” and “dessert” of Pastor Cathi. We didn’t get it on video, but member Bryan Boyse was able to capture the audio. Listen below as Karen shares so many wonderful memories of our time together with humor and laughs.

Audio from Karen Nichols’ roast of Pastor Cathi on 6-12-2022

We shared a piece of writing about confetti during worship and wanted to share it here as well.

Spiritual Confetti

I love throwing things up in the air.

At weddings or on New Year’s Eve everybody wants
something in their hands to throw.

It’s a way of lavishing our love on people.
Confetti is a tangible expression of intangible emotions.

Taking the time to gather little pieces of love, grace, strength and hope
is worth it when you shower your friendship with them.

Spiritual confetti is the ultimate encouragement.
Encouragement is to a friendship what confetti is to a party.
It’s light, refreshing and fun and you always end up finding little pieces of it stuck on you later.

We’ve spent a lot of time reminiscing about Pastor Cathi’s love of dandelions in the last several weeks. If you’d like to listen to her 3 part series about Dandelions during our Stewardship campaign in 2018, you can find listen to them online. This was before we were doing livestream video, so it is only audio files! Click the image below to go to a page with links to each sermon in the 3 part series.

Click the Image to go to the sermon series page

All of our best wishes carry with Pastor Cathi into her retirement! Friends are friends forever when the Lord is Lord of them!

View below a gallery of images of Pastor Cathi’s retirement celebration. Photos courtesy of Dave Bower who does an excellent job documenting the life of our church!

  • Cross during the Retirement celebration on 6/12/2022
  • Pastor Cathi blesses the offering
  • Larry Heller shares a powerful story “Unknown Friends” during worship
  • Marc Middleton serves as lay reader
  • Pastor Cathi during her final sermon
  • Pastor Cathi prepares Holy Communion
  • Pastor Cathi, Marc, Jasmine and Laura Gray serve Communion
  • The congregation receives communion
  • The congregation receives communion
  • The congregation receives communion
  • The congregation receives communion
  • Congregation waiting for communion as seen from the balcony
  • Communion stewards including Jasmine
  • Elizabeth Whiting (SPRC) and Diane Weaver (Lay Leader) share the Farewell liturgy
  • And – it isn’t a celebration for Pastor Cathi without confetti!
  • More confetti!
  • We gather in the Garden of Life for the dedication of the peace pole
  • The peace pole has the words “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in 4 languages. English, Hebrew, Greek and Flemish. Flemish is the native language of Pastor Cathi’s mother.
  • Pastor Cathi dedicates the peace pole as Nola and Lloyd Massey look on.
  • The confetti cannon send off!
  • Lots of confetti!
  • The MOST confetti!
  • Confetti aftermath
  • Pastor Cathi checks out Barb Nickerson’s cakes!
  • She declares that they are good!
  • Cake created by Barb Nickerson.
  • It’s a big party so we get a 2nd cake!! Also by Barb Nickerson and this one features dandelions.
  • Melodye Surgeon VanOudheusden, a pastor and good friend of Pastor Cathi’s who attended seminary with her offers the blessing for our meal.
  • And we eat!
  • and eat some more!
  • Dandelion Wish Wall
  • Dandelion Wish Wall created by Bill Thornton, Karen Nichols and Elizabeth Whiting
  • Elianna with her friend Pastor Cathi at the Dandelion Wish Wall.
  • The Bethany Youth gifted Pastor Cathi a custom red wings jersey. #29 for her years in ministry!
  • Pastor Cathi and her brother Hank.

Here’s more images from Pastor Cathi’s time among us!

Blessing of the Pets
At outdoor worship with Jerry Mowl

Bethany United Methodist Church – THANK YOU!

I am seldom at a loss for words, as you surely know, but June 12 brought me close!

Your thoughtfulness and creativity made the celebration of my retirement a day / a season I will never forget. My own Red Wings jersey, a light toss of confetti, dandelion jelly at coffee time, a field of bright yellow in the pews, a sprinkle of confetti, and whimsical dandelion wishes, clearly showed that you have taken the time to know my heart. Oh, and confetti. Did I mention the confetti? I have NEVER been so gleefully ambushed and showered by confetti!!! Not one, not even two, but THREE surprise attacks of confetti streamers, shiny stars, and pieces of the rainbow!! I was so tangled in the streamers that I couldn’t walk up or down the aisle — I was brushing confetti out of my hair and clothes for the rest of the day — while grinning ear to ear! But, my favorite memory is the mischievous smile on each and every face as you covered me in love.

Yes, love. After all the confetti and delicious food and surprise visits from family and friends who traveled to join us; after all the cards and gifts and blessings and wishes; after all the tearful hugs and “I will miss you’s” and “I’m not going to say goodbyes”; my only words are: You made me feel loved. And I am deeply grateful. I am thankful for our years in ministry together, for your kindness and trust, and for our shared growth in knowing and loving and serving God. And we will continue to grow in new places and in new ways. I have already told Pastor Kayla that she will be greatly blessed by you, and I confidently place you in her care as I wait to see what God will show me in this new segment of my life.

Shalom, Cathi

“I want to be like the dandelions, because they never stop growing”

Lenten Preaching Series

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Each week we will take a look at a different lesson item (dust, bread, etc) based off the book, Lent in Plain Sight by Jill J. Duffield. This book is set up as a daily devotional, and Pastor Cathi and Marc will be choosing an item to lead Sunday School and Church Service. Here’s the schedule:

3/2 Ash Wednesday: Dust – Watch Replay Online

3/6 First Sunday of Lent: Bread

3/13 Second Sunday of Lent: Cross

3/20 Third Sunday of Lent: Coins

3/27 Fourth Sunday of Lent: Shoes

4/3 Fifth Sunday of Lent: Oil

4/10 Palm Sunday: Coats

4/14 Holy Thursday: Towels

4/15 Good Friday: Thorns

4/17 Easter Sunday: Stones

Connect with us for worship online here on our worship page, on Vimeo, YouTube or Facebook.

Lenten Family Sunday School is available on Sundays through Easter from 9:00am to 10:00am

For the Lenten Season, we are offering an all-age Sunday School class from 9am to 10am starting Sunday, March 6th and continuing every Sunday until April 10th. Following alongside our Lenten Series, we will offer a small devotional, snack and craft that goes along with our worship service. We will meet in Classrooms 3 and 4 (next to Marc’s office) for a fun time of learning what Lent means and with objects we interact with every day. We are encouraging everyone who plans on attending to wear a mask. If you have any questions, please contact Marc Middleton

Lenten Sunday School Dates: March 6, 13, 20, 27, April 3 and 10

Digital Bulletin – 5/16/2021 – Courageous Conversations 3

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COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS – 3

Ms. Gerri Conti, Guest Preacher

May 16, 2021

ANNOUNCEMENTS & COUNTDOWN

WELCOME & CANDLE LIGHTING

VIDEO                       “Welcome”                                         Skit Guys

SPECIAL MUSIC                        “God of Love and God of Power”                                         UM Choir

  A MESSAGE FROM MARC

VIDEO                                                   “Bless”

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

  FIRST READING OF SCRIPTURE                                Acts 15: 1 – 11

VIDEO                                       “The One Who Died For All”                                 Skit Guys

  SECOND READING OF SCRIPTURE                Acts 15: 12 – 21

SERMON                                 “The Dynamics of Division”                                                  Ms. Gerri Conti

RESPONSIVE READING                       “Help Us Accept Each Other”                              #560, UMH

THE BLESSING OF THE OFFERING

CLOSING MUSIC                                   “Amazing Grace”  with Happy Bells

BENEDICTION

Click on any of the images below to view the announcement images full size

Good Friday – A Service of Shadows and Lament – 4/2/2021

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Join us this evening for a Good Friday service of Shadows and Lament. We gather for worship at 7pm here on Facebook.

Posted by Bethany United Methodist Church on Friday, April 2, 2021

GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE 2021

Sermon Series: Last Words from the Cross, VII

“It is finished”

A SERVICE OF SHADOWS AND LAMENT

Serving today: Richard Gray as Lay Reader and Laura Gray as Acolyte

PRELUDE                  

WELCOME & CANDLE LIGHTING (at home)

CALL TO WORSHIP

FIRST READING                              John 8: 2 – 11

VIDEO                                   “The Woman Caught in Adultery”          

SECOND READING                       John 19: 28 – 30                     

MEDITATION                                  “It Is Finished”        

HYMN    “The Old Rugged Cross”    Rachel Deshone – Song Leader and Mavis Miller Accompanist                                 

CHRIST’S LAMENT

THE SHADOWS

Jesus Is Condemned to Die                                                                                                 Luke 23: 13 – 25

Simon Carries Jesus’ Cross                                                                                                 Luke 23: 26 – 28

Jesus Is Crucified                                                                                                                 Luke 23: 32 – 34

CHRIST’S LAMENT

THE SHADOWS

Jesus Is Mocked                                                                                                                    Luke 23: 35 – 38

Jesus Forgives the Repentant Criminal                                                                            Luke 23: 39 – 43

The Death of Jesus                                                                                                               Luke 23: 44 – 46

CHORAL ANTHEM                       “Stricken, Smitten and Afflicted”                                      Agape Choir

Directed by Rachel Deshone and Accompanied by Ross Doolittle

CHRIST’S LAMENT

THE SHADOWS

The Witnesses                                                                                                                      Luke 23: 47 – 49

The Burial of Jesus                                                                                                               Luke 23: 50 – 53

The Women at the Tomb                                                                                                    Luke 23: 54 – 56

SPECIAL MUSIC                                          “Drei Equali”                        Beethoven, for Four Trombones           

BENEDICTION

Rewatch previous video worship with one of the following links:

Visit our Facebook Page Videos Tab to view all of our recent videos

Epiphany 2023 & Sundays After – Pastor Kayla begins the new year with Star Words and we follow the lectionary through the Sundays after Epiphany.

Advent 2022 – From Generations to Generations – In this series we are considering the stories from the Bible, our faith and our lives to show us how God weaves a story in and through us to transform the world

Stewardship 2022 – Pastor Kayla is spending 5 weeks on stewardship preaching beginning October 23rd.

Lay Speakers Includes the 2022 Graduation Sunday & Celebration of Men & Fathers sermons from Marc Middleton and the July 3rd sermon from Elizabeth Whiting. Also includes two Fall 2022 sermons from Jerry Mowl.

View all past online worship experience choices

Missions

Mission Projects – 2023

Everyone can participate!

  • Ongoing – LOVE Pantry – Accepting cash donations and non-perishable food donations
  • Knitting with Jesus – Meets on Thursdays @ 1pm
  • Aluminum & Steel Tabs and Bottle Caps – Den & Karen Nichols collect these in support of Ronald McDonald House, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The monies earned from this collection go to providing a place for families to stay at Ronald McDonald house while their children are being treated there.
  • Ongoing – Collect items for Operation Christmas Child.  Toys, hygiene products, crayons, hats, gloves, etc. must be able to fit in shoe box, no liquids, and no weapon or war like toys. Bring them to church office or youth ministry!

If you have a need or can fulfill a need in our community, please connect with our church office.

Regular Worship Activities

Prayer Requests

Are you in need of prayer? Do you want a member of our congregation or pastoral team to contact you, a family member or a friend? Please feel free to reach out to us with your prayer requests, or to share your joys or the ways that God is working in your life.

Prayer Request Form
Prayer Requests
Join Bethany United Methodist Church in Clio, Michigan on the mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors

Keep in Touch!

Bethany United Methodist Church
353 Vienna Street
P.O. Box 327
Clio, Michigan 48420
Phone: 810-686-5151
Email Us!

Fall/Winter Office Hours:

Mon – Thurs 9am – 4pm Closed Fridays

Staff at lunch from 12pm to 1pm. 

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Meet Pastor Kayla

Pastor Kayla RoosaAre you looking forward to meeting Pastor Kayla? She's hosting Tea on Tuesdays at 10 and there are many opportunities to meet her. If you'd like to schedule a one-on-one, just call the church office to set up a time. Pastor Kayla is looking forward to getting to know the people of Clio and Otisville