Easter at Bethany

 

It was a full house at Bethany today for Easter. Going to church always feels good so it was especially exciting to get in there today. Besides the holiday and celebrating Christ, it also happens to be my third year anniversary attending there. There's something special about these sermons here. In a serious and religious atmosphere, Pastor George always has a way to insert humor with his honest approach from his own personal experiences. They're very relatable and show how even pastors can experience struggles demonstrating how no one is perfect. 

Haiku Poem:

Deepened feeling of

reverence Pastor George

while at Bethany.

Today, the theme was reconciliation. The focus was a bridge they built to represent Jesus bridging the gap between us and God. 

There was a special ceremony for inviting new Christians, those who want to resolidify their relationship with God, and those who want to improve their existing relationships in our lives. They played special music for people to walk across the bridge to God. They gave a round of applause for each person walking. It was genuinely nice.

More rows of chairs were added while there were still more people just outside of this room in the lobby. It was a beautiful sight to look around and notice so much more diversity in our space. Not one corner looked the same at any angle, which is fantastic. A true reflection of our community that seems to be safe enough for all types of people to walk on in. This sends such a positive message.

Bethany has repeatedly called me back and not by phone, if you catch my drift. But the people have been kind as well. Pastors George, Josh, and Stu mix themselves in the crowd having casual conversations with the entire congregation after each service. They have prayer circles available for those who want a little extra spiritual reassurance. Occasionally, we do baptisms and communions during services. And their children's school area is always hoppin' during service and their afternoon/evening school sessions all the way to high school.

The area I love the most is their library. There are so many shelves of books by many authors. Surprisingly, I even found some political books and some by nonprofits highlighting their experiences abroad. This is not your stereotypical, you can't do this or that kind of church. They keep evolving over time to be an everyone kind of church. You hear real-life opinions spanning so many subjects. Sometimes you may even forget that you're inside of the church. You're encouraged to laugh, let loose, and be comfortable. And even though Bethany is a good environment to be in, Pastor George still reminds us that we come to church for ourselves and God and not the people. It is a personal spiritual choice. So, if there's ever an unpleasant experience due to a particular person, it can be different during the next go-around. And we'll always feel spiritually recharged and fulfilled because it is a collection of our strengthened relationships with "The Big Man". The music played by the band is wonderful too.

All are welcome on Saturday evenings at 6:00pm or Sunday mornings starting at 9am.

We're also online too!

https://www.bethanysite.com/

Happy Easter everyone!

Written and images by Andrelyn Izquierdo.

Don’t forget! No matter what, you can always shine on.

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