As we prepare for our Back-to-School Splash Bash, we are inviting the Bethany family to help fill school-supply bags for children and families in the neighborhood around our church.
Please consider donating:
Crayola Classic 10-count markers
Crayola colored pencils
Pre-Sharpened Ticonderoga pencils
Wide-ruled notebook paper
12–13 ounce boxes of cereal
Each donation will help us offer practical support, encouragement, and a warm welcome to families as a new school year begins. This is a simple but meaningful way to show our neighbors that Bethany cares and that God’s love is present in tangible ways.
We also need volunteers to help serve during the event. Volunteers can assist with welcoming families, distributing supplies, helping with food and activities, and simply being present to offer kindness and hospitality.
Headlines That Won’t Stress You Out
A Soccer Star’s Gift to His Community
As soccer fans around the world are glued to the World Cup, one of the sport's biggest stars is making headlines for something that happened far from the pitch. Erling Haaland recently made news not for scoring goals, but for preserving history.
The Norwegian soccer star and his father purchased the only surviving 1594 printed edition of a historic manuscript chronicling Norway’s kings, culture, and Christian heritage for about $134,000, the highest price ever paid for a book in Norway. Then they gave it away.
Rather than keeping the priceless volume in a private collection, Haaland donated it to the public library in his hometown of Bryne with one simple request: that it remain open and accessible so local people can read about the people, places, and faith that shaped their community.
“I want the book to always lie open,” Haaland said, “so that people can read about those who came from where I come from.”
It’s a beautiful reminder that while wealth can preserve treasures, generosity allows everyone to enjoy them. Whether it’s a rare book, a family story, or the good news of the gospel, some of life’s greatest gifts were never meant to be kept to ourselves; they’re meant to be shared.
Sometimes God’s rescue doesn’t look like rescue.
This week’s message from Jonah 2:1–10 reminds us that Jonah’s story isn’t just about a great fish, it’s about a greater grace. After running from God, Jonah finds himself in the darkest place imaginable. Yet before he ever prays, God has already acted. The fish wasn’t punishment alone; it was God’s surprising provision, preserving Jonah’s life and creating space for his heart to turn back to the Lord.
That’s a powerful picture of what we Methodists call prevenient grace, God’s grace at work before we even recognize our need or ask for His help. Long before Jonah cried out, God had already begun rescuing him.
This also points us to Jesus. Jonah spent three days in the belly of the fish because of his own disobedience. Jesus spent three days in the tomb because of ours, entering death so that we might receive forgiveness, mercy, and new life.
If you’re walking through a difficult season, remember: the place that feels like the end of your story may be the very place where God is doing His deepest work. Before God changes our circumstances, He often begins by changing our hearts.
Reflection Question:
Where might God be doing His deepest work in your life right now?
Last week, we discovered that God’s grace can meet us in the deepest places. This Sunday, we will witness what happens next.
After Jonah’s dramatic rescue, Scripture opens with one of the most hope-filled verses in the Bible: “The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time.”
Those six words remind us of a profound truth: failure is never the end of the story when God is involved.
Most of us know what it’s like to wish we could have a do-over. We replay conversations we’d like to take back, opportunities we missed, or seasons when we wandered farther from God than we ever intended. We wonder if we’ve missed our chance.
Jonah’s story tells us otherwise. The God who called Jonah the first time didn’t give up on him after his failure. Instead, God called him again. The same God continues to pursue us with grace, offering forgiveness, fresh starts, and new opportunities to follow where He leads.
As we gather for worship and celebrate Holy Communion, we’ll be reminded that Christ’s table is a place of mercy, where no one is beyond the reach of God’s redeeming love and every heart is invited to begin again.
Come and discover the hope of a God whose grace is always greater than our past, and whose mercies are new every morning.
Our worship this Sunday beautifully reflects God’s invitation to new life and new beginnings. We’ll open with “Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling,” a beloved hymn that reminds us Christ never stops inviting us to come home. We’ll conclude with “Grace Greater Than Our Sin,” joyfully proclaiming that God’s mercy is greater than every failure and His forgiveness is always sufficient.
As you prepare for worship, spend a few moments reflecting on where you may need a fresh start. Give thanks that our God is not only the God of first chances, but of second, third, and many more new beginnings.
We look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday!
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