Barbecued Chicken Dinner Raises Over $3,600!

Merritt Watson tends to the chickens.


Photo by Tommy Banks

The barbecued chicken dinner Sept. 22 netted over $3,600 that will benefit Bethany’s rebuilding fund.

Organized by Bethany’s fundraising committee, the event had a great turnout of volunteers, all of whom had a good time working for a new church building.

The fundraising committee and the Bethany church family wish to thank the following people, businesses and organizations for their help, without which the church could not have been so successful: Merrit Watson for serving as our chief chicken cook; all the men who helped cook chickens and/or provided cookers; Eastern Propane for donating the gas for the cookers; Belangia's for ordering the chickens and rolls and giving us a good deal; all the women of Bethany who provided cakes and tea; Roland humphrey for donating the coleslaw; the Arapahoe Volunteer Fire Department for allowing us to use their facilities; Armstrong's Grocery in New Bern for donating some paper goods; everyone who helped prepare and serve; all who helped clean up; members of the fundraising committee for planning and organizing; and everyone in the community who supported the event.

Stewardship Committee Meets: Makes Decision

The church's stewardship committee met briefly after Sunday School on September 23. The members of the committee made one important decision, to not only meet Sunday, September 30, but to come away from that meeting with the defined plan for a stewardship campaign. The committee will attempt to emphasize that while the church has a capital campaign coming for building a new church, the church must continue to practice stewardship for the operational, evangelistic, educational, and outreach missions of the congregation. These activities are ongoing while funds are being raised to build a new sanctuary, education building, and fellowship hall to replace what was destroyed by fire.

Stewardship Committee Making Plans for Committment Sunday

The Stewardship Committee, Ben Casey, Johnny Cahoon, Jenny Kennel Adams, and Rex Horne, have talked informally about plans for a Commitment Sunday to conclude this year's campaign to establish the level of giving that will sustain the church for the coming fiscal year. While Homecoming Sunday is Giving Sunday for the rebuilding of the sanctuary, Ben Casey noted, "We must not forget that we have to keep thriving as a church as we strive to build a new sanctuary and education building. We face challenges, great challenges, on two major fronts, maintaining church operations and building a new building. As Gary has said so many times in sermons, we are doing all of this because we are God's children, we love God and God loves us. This is a generation in the life of Bethany Christian Church that I know is ready to step up to the plate and hit home runs. This generation in the life of Bethany will be remembered for its commitment to God and to its commitment to the sustained bright future of this church."

Members of the Stewardship Committee will meet briefly after Sunday School, September 23, just prior to the Arapahoe FWB Church Homecoming.

Bethany Celebrates Miss Anna's 99th Birthday

Following the benediction, Sunday, September 16, Reverend Gary Edge stopped by Miss Anna Bissette's wheel chair as he departed the pulpit and rolled her ahead of him into the dining hall of Camp Caroline. The congregation followed for a "mini" surprise birthday party for Miss Anna. That's right - Miss Anna was four years old when the Bethany sanctuary that burned on June 25 was constructed. For all of us struggling to make it to church every Sunday in our hurried lives, let it be noted that Miss Anna is there every Sunday.

Still Time for Operation Christmas Child

There is still time to fill a shoe box for Operation Christmas Child! For more information, please call Barbara James, 249-0051.

First Christian Rocky Mount Youth Visit Bethany

Youth of First Christian Church, Rocky Mount, present choir robes to Bethany. (Photo by Emily Harper)



First Christian and Bethany youth enjoy cookout. (Photo by Tommy Banks)



They all had a good time swimming. (Photo by Tommy Banks)

Youth of First Christian Church, Rocky Mount, after a long drive, arrived at Bethany's worship service Sunday, Sept. 9, with gifts for Bethany.

After being welcomed by Bethany's youth, they gave choir robes to the choir, a CD player and CD's with Christian music to Bethany's youth, and presented Bethany with a check for $2,500.00 to be used to purchase a new computer.

Afterward, despite the drizzly weather, they had fun swimming in Camp Caroline's pool and dining at a cookout with Bethany's youth.

Everyone at Bethany is grateful to our fellow Christians at First Christian, Rocky Mount, and glad their youth could visit and enjoy the cookout and swimming.

Stewardship Committee will Meet Sunday

Ben Casey, stewardship committee chair, requests that committee members join him for a meeting immediately following the worship service Sunday, Sept. 16.

50 Cool Off with Homemade Ice Cream

The dessert table was a hit, too.


Anna Bissette, 99, and Diana Harper, 10 months, enjoy the ice cream social

Photos by Emily Harper

Humidity and cloudy weather didn't dampen the spirits of the 50 folks who cooled off with delicious homemade ice cream and enjoyed delicious desserts at the social hosted by Bethany's activity committee under the pavilion August 26. They ate around eight different flavors and celebrated the birthday anniversary of two Bethany members, Garland Cahoon and Emily Harper. Mrs. Anna Bissette, 99, had been looking forward to the event, and, like everyone else who attended, she wasn't disappointed. The hard work of the activities committee in hosting such a successful event is appreciated!

Fundraising Committee Notes Upcoming Events

Sep. 22 Barbecue Chicken Dinner, 11:00 am, Arapahoe Volunteer Fire Dept. 35 pound cakes needed, cut into 16 slices, wrapped and bagged; 40 gal. sweet tea needed; cookers and cooks and volunteers needed.

Oct. 6 Bethany Music Benefit, 5:00 pm, Pavilion. First annual Arapahoe Music Festival planned by Sara & Simon Spalding; variety of musical performers; hot dog plates, $5.00 per plate; Love offering donations; cupcakes needed for desserts; bring your own lawn chairs or blankets; invite everyone!

Oct. 13-14 MumFest, 9:30 am to 6:30 pm Saturday, 10:30 am to 5:00 pm Sunday, New Bern. Bethany will host a booth and raffle a gift basket; handcrafted items or other donations needed prior to Oct. 11; volunteers needed to staff the booth both days, 2 to 3 per 2-hour shift; 80,000 are expected to attend.

Oct. 21 Giving Sunday, Homecoming. Special envelopes will be available for giving to Bethany's rebuilding fund.

Oct. 21 Bethany Bricks on hand for Homecoming. $50.00 per brick with engraved brass plaque attached. Purchase a momento from the burned church building.