At a particularly busy time in their work together, Jesus tells the disciples, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest awhile." That's where we got our theme for Lent at Bethany this year, "Come Away with Me." Jesus invites the disciples to retreat, an important spiritual practice, getting away for some quiet and solitude. We hope that's what church can be for you in this next season, and we're going to offer some additional opportunities to do just that.
But retreat is hard. The demands of our lives make the idea of getting away or resting unlikely at best. And in this moment, when there is so much urgent work to be done, we may not even be sure we should retreat, that we're allowed to. And yet, Jesus, in the midst of urgent work, is always wandering off by himself to pray, or taking a nap on a boat in the middle of a storm.
What does it mean to retreat, to withdraw, to absent ourselves even and especially when there is so much to do? Come away with us for the next 40 days, and spend some time in away from the urgency of your life. Rest, reflect, and be renewed this Lent.
Join us 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.
Kid’s Sunday School Returns
March 1st
Sunday school resumes for Bethany kids on March 1st! During worship, kids 4 & up are invited to go to Sunday school after we pass the peace. Our teachers are professional educators and parents, creating an inclusive experiential learning environment. On non-Sunday School weeks, there’s (often) Children’s Time and a kids’ bulletin — plus regular nursery care every week.
Our remaining Sunday School sessions for this school year will be:
Unit 5 with Kezia and Tristan (March 1st, 8th and 15th)
Unit 6 with Erin and Charlie (April 12th and 19th)
Unit 7 with Jen and Rachelle (May 3rd, May 10th and our year-end celebration on May 17th)
Join The Outer Belt Pilgrimage
February 21st (cancelled)
We unfortunately must cancel our Outer Belt Pilgrimage trip for February 21st. Please plan to join us for our next journey on March 21st!
For more info, reach out Vince at vince@bethanychicago.com and/or go to outerbelt.org
