This February, we're talking about all the things you're not supposed to discuss in church. (Or so we've heard.) Difficult emotions like anger, doubt, and disappointment are often taboo in faith communities. We may fear that experiencing them means we're doing something wrong. But the Bible (and the Church) are full of faithful people who get mad, and sad, and wonder what it's all about. Come explore how the emotions that make us uncomfortable can be tools for growing into the people God made us to be.
Join us this month, as we say the quiet part out loud (as the kids used to say). This February Sunday mornings at 10:30 am in the sanctuary or online.
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Small Groups in February
Starting Feb. 5th and Feb. 17th
If you're looking for a chance to connect this February, we've got 2 great opportunities:
1) Our Digging Up Your Roots small group will meet Thursday’s in February starting Feb. 5th:
Ever wondered where that great grandfather you've heard about came from, or how your mother's aunt came to America? Genealogy research can be fun and enlightening and, yes, sometimes frustrating. This small group will delve into what you can and cannot do with resources that are readily available online, and what you can do with the information you find. If you've been digging up those old family stories for a while, come and share your experiences, And if you've never even dipped your toe into the genealogy waters, come and we'll take you through the basics. You might get hooked! Sign up here if interested.
2) Our Pathways to Creativity small group will meet weekly starting Feb. 17th:
If you were able to hear Pastor Rebecca’s Christmas reflection, then you know that God is the ultimate creator. And if we’re all created in God’s image, we were all born to be creators. Unfortunately, as we grow older, many of us stop being creators, convincing ourselves that creativity is the realm for other people, and certainly not for me. Join us over 6 weeks as we go through Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. We’ll explore why you may have stopped being creative and through weekly discussions and exercises, I hope to re-ignite your creative self. We’ll do this primarily through process-oriented art, emphasizing materials exploration (all materials included) and mark-making (no technical skills needed!) Join for one, any, or all sessions! Sign up here.
Shrove Sunday Pancake Breakfast
February 18th
Does anybody actually calls the Sunday before Ash Wednesday “Shrove Sunday”? We’re not sure! But here at Bethany, we celebrate this obscure church holiday each year with a Pancake Breakfast (where we eat waffles, not pancakes).
Join us Sunday February 15th after service for our annual Lenten breakfast celebration! We’ll have coffee, waffles, and syrup but we need you to bring everything else. Sign up if you're able to help with cooking, decorations or clean-up.
Join The Outer Belt Pilgrimage
February 21st
Join us for the next leg of our Outer Belt Pilgrimage! We’ll be walking together on Saturday Feb. 21st
If you can’t make it this time, consider joining us for our next journey on March 14th!
For more info, reach out Vince at vince@bethanychicago.com and/or go to outerbelt.org
