Life At Bethel
Life at Bethel is like being part of a big family with Jesus connecting us all. Please know you are oh so welcome to share life with us. Here’s a snapshot of what life at Bethel looks like… but it’s so much more than just what’s listed on this page.
What Bethel has to offer…
Sunday School
On Sunday mornings during the school year from 9:00-10:00 am, Bethel’s Sunday School Team invests in your child so that they know and love and follow the God who loves and redeems them!
To get started…Come any Sunday morning to the West Basement between 8:45-9:00 am. Enter through the glass BELC door on the west side of the building & head downstairs. Bethel’s Sunday School Team will welcome you and get you started.
Bethel’s Sunday School has ongoing open enrollment, so we mean it when we say, come any time! We’d love to have your kids join us! Parents are welcome to stay for any or all of Sunday School, or just drop off and then be back to pick up at 10:00 am. All the Sunday School team needs is the information on the registration form so we can take good care of your child(ren) – you can either fill one out when you bring your child(ren) or print it out and bring it with you. Please plan to pick up at 10:00 am!
If you are planning on having your child(ren) attend Sunday School for the first time, please fill out a registration form so we are well-prepared to take great care of your child(ren). The links are provided below.
Preschoolers to kids in 4th grade Join Kingdom Quest in the West Basement for creative openings, puppet shows, small family groups, Bible time, and application activities to grow as Christ followers!
Junior Bible Study Young people in 5th-7th grade, come for “JBS” in the East Upstairs room. Using monthly themes, we’ll focus on real people from the bible who walked with Jesus through ups and downs in life! Engage in games, activities and service projects to make walking with Jesus real in your own life.
Bethel Youth Group “BYG” Teens in 8th grade – high school, come for “BYG” in the Youth Room. With themes like finding your place in the family of God, when things get tough, wrestling with mistakes and bad choices, when God doesn’t make sense and more, we’ll spend time in the bible, and engage in activities, games, videos, service projects and events.
Service Opportunities connected with Sunday School include a monthly food pantry collection for PADS (to help people dealing with homelessness) and making greeting cards at Christmas, Valentines Day and Easter to send to senior citizens!
Feature Bible Story Sundays A few times a year, the Sunday School team invites a guest to teach the bible story and engages the children in a special project!
Bethel Youth
Weekly Confirmation
Young people in grades 6-8 meet together with Pastor and the Confirmation Team on Wednesdays during the school year from 4-5:30pm. Our Head to Heart (H2H) material combines current life with Biblical truth to not only engage our young people’s minds about the Christian faith, but also help their hearts know the love of Jesus Christ for each one of them.
Confirmation Retreat
Bethel’s Jr. High Youth participate in a weekend confirmation retreat at Walcamp Outdoor Ministries in Kingston, IL each year.
www.walcamp.org
Mission trips
Bethel’s high school & college youth serve at Camp Restore Detroit. https://camprestore.org/detroit/
National Youth Gathering
Bethel’s high school youth participate in the National Youth Gathering every three years. https://lcmsgathering.com//
Acolytes
Bethel’s youth, grades 7-12, serve as acolytes for Sunday worship and a few other special worship times. For questions, please call church office.
Discipleship Huddles
Jesus’ words “go make disciples” and Jesus’ way of sharing life with people motivate us to be intentional to disciple people to follow Jesus more closely. Small discipling huddles meet regularly at Bethel!
Bible Studies
Sunday Morning Bible Study
Held during the school year from 9:00-10:00 am, join other adults to explore and learn God’s story and what it means for you today. Nursery care is available for little ones too young for Sunday School so that parents/grandparents can be in Bible Study.
Wednesday Mornings
Gather with women from BELC, the community, and Bethel during the school year beginning at 9 am for a space to explore who Jesus is and what following Jesus means for you and daily life.
Saturday Morning Home Bible Study
Meet with other believers every other Saturday for in-depth bible study.
MOB (Men of Bethel)
Gather with other men for friendship, coffee, and bible study every other Saturday at 7 am in the West Basement at Bethel.
*Contact church office for information
Prayer
Bethel’s prayer ministry seeks to engage the Bethel family in personally praying to the Lord for other people and for our church, community, nation, and the world.
If you would like us to pray for you, simply email your prayer request to Bethel Westmont Prayer Ministry and an email with your prayer need will be sent to those in the Bethel family participating in the prayer ministry. Those receiving the requests pray for your needs in their personal prayer life.
To receive and pray for the prayer needs of others, simply contact Bethel Westmont Prayer Ministry with your email address and you will receive prayer requests.
Serving at Bethel
Sunday School Team People from Bethel work in teams so that the next generation who comes to Sunday School can experience the life-changing love of Jesus! Our teams teach bible stories, help the children learn bible verses, put on puppet shows, pray with the children, host application and relational times, help out with mission and service projects, and serve as guides for groups of children.
Bethel’s Festival Choir and Chamber Orchestra Young people and adults meet together in the weeks leading up to Christmas and Easter to rehearse as a choir and instrumentalists. It is fun and engaging and blesses these special worship times with music and beauty. If you would like to sing or play (or have played) an instrument, you are warmly welcome to be a part of Bethel’s Festival Choir and Chamber Orchestra!
Worship Team
Musicians and singers lead worship during Sunday morning worship.
*Contact church office for information on rehearsals and to get plugged in to one of these music opportunities at Bethel.
Altar Guild
Bethel’s Altar Guild takes care of our sanctuary’s altar each week for worship! This act of hospitality includes setting up the altar for worship, attending to candles and flowers, and setting up the Lord’s Supper when there is communion.
A team of two people, male or female, work together for a scheduled month or two a year to care for Bethel’s altar in the sanctuary.
*Contact church office for information or to help on Altar Guild
Facilities
People at Bethel take care of the place like it is our home! From painting and gardening to plumbing and electric, it’s a joy to take care of God’s house.
*Contact church office for information or to help with our facilities
Bethel’s AV Team
Bethel’s AV Team facilitates all the technology and live-stream needs during Sunday worship. If you have a passion for technology and would love to serve the people of God during worship in this way, contact the church office for more information.
Scripture Readers
Read small portions of the bible when we gather together for worship. If you would love to serve the people of God during worship in this way, contact the church office for more information.
Greeters and Ushers
Individuals and families welcome and greet people as they arrive for worship, hand out worship bulletins, and assist during worship with offering collection and the Lord’s Supper. If you enjoy making people feel welcome, contact the church office for more information.
Acolytes
Bethel’s youth, grades 7-12, serve as acolytes for Sunday worship and a few other special worship times. For questions, please call church office.