Hi Bethel Members! 

Here is our November member update to keep all our members informed! 

Membership is so important because you help shape the future of our church family. It is so vital for you to be involved and informed so we can all move together, united, under the call of our heavenly creator. 

Here is a quick overview of what is happening here in our church family! 

Veteran’s Day 

Yesterday was Veteran’s Day and I hope everyone took a moment to reflect on the sacrifices that so many have made so that we can be free. Take time this week to thank and pray for our military members and their families. 

This Sunday we want to take a moment to thank our veterans. Please feel free if you are a veteran to wear your uniform as we take a moment to honor you. 

Events 

Fall Festival 

The Fall Festival this past Sunday was an awesome time of fellowship. It was great to see everyone gathering, talking, catching up, playing games, and just overall building relationships! 

Surviving The Holidays 

Saturday, Nov 20th | 11am 

This is a special edition of the ministry, Grief Share. Its focus is on the following: 

• How to deal with the many emotions you’ll face during the holidays 
• What to do about traditions and other coming changes 
• Helpful tips for surviving social events 
• How to discover hope for your future 

Thanksgiving Eve 

Wednesday, Nov 24th | 7pm – 8pm 

Our normal Wednesday Bible Study groups will be enjoying a night of 

Desserts and coffee! Sign up in the lobby! 

Christmas Decorating 

Saturday, Nov 27th | 4pm 

If you are interested in helping decorate the church for Christmas join us on November 27th! 

Entering the Christmas Spirit 

Sunday, December 5th | 6pm 

We are going to be kicking off the Christmas season with a night of narration and Christmas songs. Come and enjoy a night to help us focus on what this season is truly all about. 

All Church Christmas Party 

Sunday, December 12th | 6pm 

This is always a fun event led by the amazing Ben & Debbie Ellis! It will be a potluck dinner with the eventful white elephant game. More details will follow as we get closer. 

Visiting Missionary 

On Sunday, January 2nd, we will be kicking off the new year and hearing from one of our very own missionaries! David Wentling will be ministering during the 10 am service. I’m so excited to hear his heart and how God has been using him overseas. 

We also will be hearing from Mark Brink on Sunday, February 20th. I’m so excited to have our missionaries in the building and ministering to us while also igniting our hearts for the work God is doing around the world. 

Guest Speaker 

We tentatively have Evangelist Billy Burns coming in March. Pastor Billy is an evangelist who heavily focuses on the power of the Holy Spirit. We are very much excited for him coming! 

Ministry 

Worship Team 

The worship team has been doing an amazing job and continues to grow. We have some specials coming up that we are all excited about as people continue to step up and use their gifts for God. 

We have a lot of talented singers here at Bethel, and now we are looking for some musicians! If you have musical ability, please don’t hide it, come and be a part! For more information on how to get involved, contact Rohan (rohan@gobethelchurch.com) or Tim (tim@gobethelchurch.com). 

Rise Conference 

The youth and young adults are heading to the Rise Conference next week! It is our district’s conference for youth that involves amazing sessions where teenagers can connect with God. Thanks to your generosity, they were able to raise all the funds they needed! We are so excited to hear from them when they return. If you would like to learn more about what the rise conference is all about you can go here: https://youth.penflorida.org/rise/ 

Building Update 

Roof 

The roof project is complete! There shouldn’t be any leaks around the building anymore. This was a huge step toward now focusing on the inside of the building. 

Landscaping 

Our landscapers gave the church an amazing deal to clean up the property. They worked for days on end and brought it up to a high standard. Everything looks great! Be sure to compliment and thank Raul and his workers if you see them out on the property. 

The Future 

We have a lot of projects we are doing preliminary research on, like redoing the lighting in the Sanctuary. As we progress with plans, quotes, etc, I will update everyone. 

Database 

The church is moving to a new database and online giving solution. The company/software we are moving to is much more church focused and will help us increase the communication of the church even more. 

This will affect you in a few different ways. First, all online giving will need to be resetup. The staff will be available to anyone who needs help in creating a new login among other things. Second, we will be getting a church app! The app will make not only giving easier, but also ways to communicate with one another and with groups/teams. Sermons, podcasts, etc will also be in the app as well as group Bible studies, reading plans, and study tools. The company we are going with also offers a small scale “Christian” netflix that is included. 

It will overall be a great church focused move, but we will have some hiccups getting everything changed over. So please give us grace! 

Finances 

Praise God that giving has been more consistent! While we still aren’t hitting our weekly goal of $8000 per week, we also haven’t had an extremely low week in a while. 

Let us continue to personally evaluate where we are when it comes to our tithing habits and ask if we acting on what he has called us to do. 

We also need to continue to GO and make disciples. We have been blessed with a building that can hold up to 450 people just in the sanctuary. We need to use the resources God has given us! 

Incoming Members 

No one official this month, mainly because we have had to push back our membership class due to the special business meeting and holiday events. We are looking forward to welcoming those that are waiting for the class to become official members. 

Our next membership class is this Sunday, so if you know of someone who has been asking you can remind them! 

Birthdays 

Here are all our wonderful members celebrating a birthday this month!  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 

Here is an incredibly special joke just for you on this your birthday month. 

What is the meaning of a true friend? 

One who remembers your birthday but not your age! 

Be sure to say a prayer for each one and wish them a happy birthday! Are you having a birthday this month and don’t see your name? Well, be sure to tell us so we can update the database and celebrate with you! 

Sheenah Acosta 

Elias Cruz 

Enrique Cruz III 

Adrienne Curcio 

Ethel Fraser  

Roselin Gorllapati  

Beverly Klass  

Linda McDonald  

Serena Morgan  

Nick Navarro  

Renee Sawyer  

Eileen Sousa  

Bonnie Swain  

Peter Syros  

Patricia Tannone  

Richard Zakka 

A happy birthday to all of you! 

Reviews 

Want to help out the church in big way that only takes a couple minutes? Here are links to the churches google information page and the facebook page. 

If you have a google or facebook account leave a great review for the church. It really helps when people are searching for churches online when there is activity and reviews. 

Google: https://goo.gl/maps/rCvFJDSNzhiArdSb8  

1. Click “Reviews” 
2. “Write A Review” 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoBethelChurch/reviews 

1. Click Yes to recommend the Page or No to not recommend it. 
2. Write a Recommendation.  
3. Click next to Sharing to select your audience. 
4. Click Post. 

Closing 

There is a lot going on and I’m so thankful to have all of you be part. We are moving forward piece by piece and it has been encouraging with how many people have gotten involved. 

Let us continue to pray for wisdom and direction in all we do. Ultimately, we want to be in God’s will with every step we take so we can make an impact on our community. 

Have an incredibly happy Thanksgiving, enjoy all the wonderful food, and if you are traveling, be safe! 

We are a church family that strives together to live, love, give and go like Jesus! 

Pastor Anthony & Kristin 

Hi Bethel Members! 

Here is our October member update to keep all our members informed! 

Membership is so important because you help shape the future of our church family. It is so vital for you to be involved and informed so we can all move together, united, under the call of our heavenly creator. 

Here is a quick overview of what is happening here in our church family! 

Events 

AMA 

The AMA (Ask Me Anything) was a tremendous success and I look forward to having those more often. The goal will be to have them once a quarter. It was great to hear everyone’s heart. Communication is so integral to all we do. In fact, a lot of what is coming up is because of the comments, questions, and suggestions from a lot of you at the AMA. 

Fall Festival 

We are having a Fall Festival on Sunday, November 7th from 12pm – 4pm. There are going to be activities, games, and prizes for all ages. This is a WHOLE CHURCH event! When I say “all ages” I mean just that! Come and be a part of an exciting time of fun and fellowship. In fact, bring a friend or two... or seven! 

For some of the kids' activities, Kristin will be needing some prewrapped candy. If you would like to donate some, you can drop it off in the foyer starting this Sunday. 

We also will be having a clean-up day in the back parking lot soon. Once we have a date, anyone who would like to come help will be welcome. 

Visiting Missionary 

On Sunday, January 2nd, we will be kicking off the new year and hearing from one of our very own missionaries! David Wentling will be ministering during the 10 am service. I’m so excited to hear his heart and how God has been using him overseas. 

Special Business Meeting 

Coming up this Sunday, October 10th, is an important special business meeting. The meeting was called on by the board to vote on the following: 

#1 – Lead Pastor of Bethel 

The board has put forth my name, Anthony Biancardi, for the role of Lead Pastor of Bethel. For the past few months, Kristin and I have been leading from the interim position. We love the direction where we feel God is leading Bethel. One of family, fellowship, community, and spiritual growth. We need each other! We need to laugh together, pray together, cry together and everything in between to grow together! We are so excited how God is already sparking hearts of so many of you to jump into various ministries and create new ones! 

It is our heart to continue down this path and carry out all that God has for all of us here at Bethel. 

#2 – Continue the Building Project in its current state. 

If you aren’t aware, 5+ years ago the church entered a building project that currently plans to build an almost 1000 seat sanctuary and an adjoining building filled with classrooms for kids’ ministry. At this meeting, we will vote on whether this project fits our identity and vision moving forward. The vote is specifically whether we should continue to move forward. 

Once that decision is made, we can, through prayer and communication, decide how to precede to fulfill what God has planned for Bethel. 

For both, more information and details will be provided at the meeting. 

I know some have asked the question about absentee ballots. According to our current by-laws, absentee ballots can only be cast for elections. Which means, an absentee ballot can be cast for the election of the pastor, but not on the decision of the building project. The provision for absentee ballots is mainly for those members who are considered “shut ins” now due to health, and for those who can’t attend for legitimate reasons. If you fall into this category, please contact the office at 561-964-5100 or email me at anthony@gobethelchurch.com. The by-laws also instruct that any ballots need to be signed, sealed, and given to a board member. 

I am also attaching a copy of the by-laws to this update because I know many asked for a copy at the AMA. You can also download a copy, as well as the monthly financial report when you login at gobethelchurch.com. 

Ministry 

Worship Team 

How awesome was it seeing two new singers on the stage this past Sunday! I love how more and more people are stepping up and allowing God to use the talent He placed in them. Our two new singers are Zaniah Acosta and Isabella Raggiani. Be sure to encourage them and the entire worship team! 

We have a lot of talented singers here at Bethel, and now we are looking for some musicians! If you have musical ability, please don’t hide it, come and be a part! For more information on how to get involved, contact Rohan (rohan@gobethelchurch.com) or Tim (tim@gobethelchurch.com). 

Greif Share 

A new session Greif Share has begun led by the one and only Rita Fogel. This ministry has impacted so many lives and is a huge blessing to not just our church family but the community as a whole. If you are someone you know has experienced loss, I cannot recommend being a part of this ministry enough. Contact Rita (rita@gobethelchurch.com) for more details. 

American Sign Language Class 

Tom Phillips leads one of our most popular classes here at Bethel. This is a class that will directly lead to ministry in the future. Tom is a great teacher who has fun while teaching this amazing language. They meet in sessions, so be sure to contact Tom (561-889-4963) for more details. They currently meet Wednesdays at 7pm. 

Rise Conference 

The youth and young adults are planning to attend the Rise Conference next month. It is our district’s conference for youth that involves amazing sessions where teenagers can connect with God. Over the next few weeks, they will be conducting some fundraisers to make sure all the students who would like to go will be able to. If you see the students selling food, washing cars, or anything in between, be sure to support them! If you feel lead to help them directly contact Tim (tim@gobethelchurch.com). If you would like to learn more about what the rise conference is all about you can go here: https://youth.penflorida.org/rise/ 

Building Update 

Ductwork 

The outside ductworks are brand new! This project is complete, and our ac is now all staying inside the building where it is intended. 

Roof 

The roofing project which will renovate, repair, and renew the roof will be happening in the next few days (weather permitting). This is a big project which will open the doors to doing a lot more projects in the building. Making sure everything is sealed and no more water is coming in is a huge priority. This project will give us a 20 year warranty on our roof. 

The Future 

We have a lot of projects we are doing preliminary research on like redoing the lighting in the Sanctuary. As we progress with plans, quotes, etc, I will update everyone. 

We also have a new project management system for organizing all the projects we trying to accomplish in the church. We have one built around the physical building and all the smaller projects that need to be done. If you work in construction, remodeling, plumbing, electrical, etc and would like to be involved let me know, and we can add you to the software so you can see these projects and even volunteer for some. 

Finances 

I said last month how part of transparency and communication involves the church finances. So, each month I want to add a part in here about the previous month’s outlook. We have had a few good weeks and a few bad weeks this month when it comes to tithes and offerings. November/December tends to be a bigger months when it comes to costs with some annual contracts (an example would be our church database management software) and payments due. 

Consistency is the goal. If we want to do all the things we dreamed of and discussed at the AMA it is going to take a few things, most of which I mentioned last month in the update. 

We need to personally evaluate where we are when it comes to our tithing habits. Are we trusting God in our personal finances and acting on what he has called us to do. 

We also need to GO and make disciples. We have been blessed with a building that can hold up to 450 people just in the sanctuary. We need to use the resources God has given us!  

So, let’s pray for God to bless us, and to continue to move. I believe God has big things in store for our church family and if we as a core stay faithful to his calling and allow ourselves to be used, we will be a shining light in our community. 

You can go more in depth with the numbers in the attached financial report. Notice it is the August report that is attached. Usually the previous month’s report is available by the 15th of each month. I’m sending this email out earlier in the month, but you can also login at gobethelchurch.com and when the newest report is available it will be linked there. 

Incoming Members 

Danielle Biancardi, Isabella Veillard, Isabella Raggiani, & Serena Morgan have all become official members this past month! Be sure to welcome them! 

Birthdays 

Here are all our wonderful members celebrating a birthday this month!  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 

Here is an incredibly special joke just for you on this your birthday month. 

What kind of birthday cake do you get for a coffee lover? 

Choco-latte. 

Be sure to say a prayer for each one and with them a happy birthday! Are you having a birthday this month and don’t see your name? Well, be sure to tell us so we can update the database and celebrate with you! 

Ardella Barnard 

Kristin Biancardi 

JD Dorgilus 

Debbie Elliott 

Sandra George 

Krishna Gorllapati 

Tammie Richards 

Tamara Riley 

Wayne Sparks 

Isabella Veillard 

A happy birthday to all of you! 

Closing 

There is so much more I would like to add, but there is always the next update! I am so thankful to be a part of this church family and am ecstatic for how God is going to use us in this community. Already there are so many of you being activated and I can see the passion God has placed in your hearts through your words and actions. 

Let us continue to listen to God’s voice and move where He guides us. Big things are already happening, and even bigger ones are on the horizon. 

We are a church family that strives together to live, love, give and go like Jesus! 

Pastor Anthony & Kristin