The Bethany Beacon

These bags will be given to children and families during our Back-to-School Splash Bash, helping students begin the new school year with the supplies they need and reminding our neighbors that Bethany cares.

And the blessing doesn’t have to stop at 70 bags! Any school supplies we receive beyond what is needed for the bags will first be offered to teachers in our congregation to use with their students. Additional supplies will then be shared with Kraft Elementary, allowing your generosity to reach even more children in our community.

Headlines That Won’t Stress You Out

Sometimes the best news isn’t about someone winning, it’s about someone refusing to leave another person behind.

Brothers Pedro and Miguel Martins of Portugal crossed an Ironman finish line together. Pedro lives with cerebral palsy, and completing the race required extraordinary teamwork: Miguel towed Pedro during the 3.8-kilometer swim, rode with him on an adapted tandem bike for 180 kilometers, and pushed him in a racing wheelchair through a full marathon. But their goal was bigger than a finish line. Together, the brothers created Iron Brothers, raising awareness and support for people with cerebral palsy and helping provide resources to families who need them.

There is something wonderfully theological about that picture. Scripture reminds us to “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). Pedro and Miguel remind us that this isn’t merely a nice sentiment, it is a way of life. Sometimes love looks like carrying another person for part of the journey. Sometimes it means adapting the course so everyone has a place in the race. And sometimes we discover that when we carry one another, we cross finish lines together that none of us could reach alone.

In a world filled with headlines about everything dividing us, here’s one worth holding onto: Love still carries. Hope still perseveres. And grace has a remarkable way of getting us across the finish line together.

What if some of our anxiety comes from carrying responsibilities God never actually gave us?

In this sermon from Matthew 6:25–34, “The Problem with Performance and Perfectionism,” we look at Jesus’ invitation to move from performance to God’s provision, from perfectionism to faithfulness, and from control to trust. With a little help from The Andy Griffith Show and Aunt Bee’s infamous “kerosene cucumbers,” we’ll consider what it means to do what belongs to us today, and leave what belongs to God with God.

Remember this:

Peace doesn’t come from finally getting everything right. Peace comes from trusting the One who holds us when everything isn’t right.

This Sunday, our Mayberry series takes us to an episode called “A Plaque for Mayberry.”

It’s a funny story about plaques, prestige, and recognition… but beneath the laughter is a question that reaches much deeper:

What makes someone a “winner” in the Kingdom of God?

Our world has plenty of ways to keep score. We celebrate accomplishments, recognition, success, status, and being noticed. Sometimes, without realizing it, we can bring that same scorekeeping into our spiritual lives. We begin comparing ourselves with others and quietly assuming that surely we’ve done enough to deserve God’s approval.

But Jesus tells a very different story.

In Luke 18:9–14, Jesus introduces us to two men who go to the Temple to pray. One is confident in his own goodness and accomplishments. The other can barely lift his eyes toward heaven. His prayer is simply, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

This Sunday’s message, “When Losers Become Winners,” reminds us that the Kingdom of God is built on grace, not achievement. Romans 3 tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, and yet we are justified freely by His grace.

The Gospel turns our usual ideas about winning and losing upside down. The people who think they deserve recognition can miss the point entirely, while those humble enough to admit their need discover the astonishing generosity of God.

The good news is that none of us has to earn the plaque. Grace is God giving us what we could never achieve for ourselves.

Our worship will begin with “All Creatures of Our God and King,” a joyful invitation for all creation to lift its voice in praise to the One from whom every good gift comes.

We will conclude with “I Stand Amazed in the Presence,” reminding us that when we truly understand grace, there is only one appropriate response: amazement at the love and mercy of Jesus.

Take a few moments this week to reflect on this question:

Where am I still trying to earn what God wants to give me by grace?

Maybe it’s approval. Maybe it’s forgiveness. Maybe it’s the feeling that you are finally “good enough.”

Bring that with you Sunday.

Because the Gospel isn’t ultimately about good people becoming better people. It is about people who know they need mercy discovering that God’s grace is already reaching toward them.

In the Kingdom of God, the scoreboard looks very different.

We look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday!

Have you been worshiping with us and wondering if Bethany Methodist Church might be the place God is calling you to call home?

We’d love to walk alongside you as you explore church membership. If you’re interested in learning more, simply click the link below and complete our brief interest form. Filling out the form is not a commitment to join—it’s simply the first step in a conversation.

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