Bethany Community Church desires "to be a caring community growing in Christ, loving others, and serving a hurting world." In our desire to fulfill our mission statement Bethany has developed a number of caring and supportive ministries for those in need within and outside of our church community. If you are struggling with life issues, loneliness, or isolation we want you to know that God cares and has provided us with caring individuals trained to come alongside you in your struggles. Our hope is that through one of the following ministries you will experience the compassion, love, and acceptance of God and His people.
The G.R.A.C.E. (Giving Regularly As Christ Enables) Ministry is a ministry well served by the congregation of Bethany Community Church. Under the volunteer coordination of Maggie Vida, church attendees regularly fill our food pantry with donations of canned goods and non-perishable items which are then offered to those in need, within our congregation and beyond, to supplement their monthly food bill. When our pantry is full the excess collected is given to Community Care of St. Catharines to benefit the larger Niagara community. Bethany has a team of volunteers who sort and organize the food for the pantry and who deliver bags of food to those in need without transportation. If you require help with groceries for your family please contact Bob Baddeley, Director of Pastoral Care, at 905-937-5300 (x 208) or bob@bethanycc.ca for more information.
For more details on Bethany's Pastoral Care Ministry click here or contact Bob Baddeley, Director of Pastoral Care, at 905-937-5300 (x 208) or bob@bethanycc.ca for more information.
- Good Sense 101 & 201: Offered several times per year, Good $ense 101 and 201 are classes for anyone interested in learning more about net-worth calculation, dealing with debt, staying on track financially, saving, investing, budgeting, preparing for retirement, giving and lots more! Each session is two classes in length, lasting approximately an 1 hour and 15 minutes each class. All are welcome to attend these informative and helpful classes. For more information and/or to sign up for an upcoming class, please contact Lewis Nickerson at 905-937-4504. After you’ve completed the Good Sense course, there is a further option presented at the class to meet with a financial counsellor here at Bethany.
- Will & Estate Planning classes and counselling are offered at Bethany through the Mennonite Foundation of Canada. If you are over 18 and do not have Will & Power of Attorney documents completed or are looking to update them, this class will help you with how to do that. Contact Clark Hannah, Executive Director of Administration at 905-937-5300 (x 213) or clark@bethanycc.ca for more details.
For more details on Bethany's Stewardship Ministry click here or contact Clark Hannah, Executive Director of Administration at 905-937-5300 (x 213) or clark@bethanycc.ca for more details.
All of us are hurting, sick, or broken in some way and need God and meaningful conversation with God to get through difficult times. Have you had a conversation with God today about what’s going on in your life? Talk with Him as you would a friend, express your emotions to Him and take time to listen for His response. Although God doesn’t often speak to us audibly, look for His answers in scripture and books you read, wise people He brings into your life, through thoughts He places in your mind and the longings of your heart. Don’t face life’s challenges alone, give them to God in prayer - He is big enough to handle the struggles of your life.
There are times when we just need others to pray FOR or WITH us. No prayer request is too small or too big. We invite you to consider one or more of the options below:
- The prayer room is available (out the door to the right of the auditorium stage) after each weekend service and there are people who will pray with you if you wish.
- To send a prayer request for yourself or someone else contact Patty at patty@bethanycc.ca or 905-937-5300 (x 203). All requests are handled in a professional, confidential, and compassionate manner and are sent out via email to a small list of individuals who are committed to praying for others.
- Get together with a group of friends, or if you’re in a small group or accountability group, ask your group to pray with or for you during the prayer time.
- If you would like to pray with one of our pastors or staff members, contact the church office at 905-937-5300 and we would be happy to set up a time to meet with you.
For more details on Bethany's Prayer Ministry click here or contact Mike Hotson, Director of Group Life and Welcoming Ministries, at 905-937-5300 (x 208) or mike@bethanycc.ca for more information.
A 13-week, video-based support group offered on Mondays, 7-9 pm (September to December & January to April). It is designed to come alongside those who are separated, going through the process of divorce or have been divorced for some time. The evening involves a video component, as well as working through a workbook. The leaders share from their own experiences and lead a discussion around the struggles, feelings and common experiences surrounding the divorce process. DivorceCare has been instrumental in helping many individuals move through this difficult time in a healthy way. For more info, click here.
A 13-week, video-based support group offered on Fridays, 7-9 pm (September to December & January to April). It is designed to be come alongside those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. The evening involves a video component and discussion as you work through a workbook. The strength of this program is that our leaders have experienced loss and lead from their passion to help others as they grieve. Following each session, participants often join in with the Celebrate Recovery Café Time at 9 pm (see below for details). For more info, click here.
For adults struggling with hurts, habits and hang-ups
Celebrate Recovery (CR) runs on Fridays, 7-10 pm (year round, excluding holiday weekends). The purpose of this support & recovery program is to provide a safe environment for people to share about their hurts, habits and hang-ups using a biblically-based, 12-step support program. Based on the Beatitudes from the book of Matthew, CR is structured to offer confidentiality and anonymity, and offers belonging and support in the midst of real life struggles. There is no cost to participants. For more info, click here.
One-on-one care for those in the midst of stressful life change
Every single person at one time or another will experience loss. Life is difficult and situations occur when we least expect them, catching us unprepared for the changes we are required to make. There may be a loss of job and resulting financial difficulty; a family member becomes seriously ill or passes away; a relationship dissolves; a new baby adds joy and stress to the family; an anticipated retirement leaves you feeling lost and purposeless. Each of these situations and other life changes can throw stable, capable people into a whirlwind of emotion and feelings they don’t know how to deal with and day-to-day life becomes overwhelming. God never intended us to go through these experiences alone. In many cases all that is needed is a listening ear and encouragement to walk through the process of life change without feeling alone. Family members and friends can be very helpful but may become weary over time or you may feel you are burdening your loved ones with your problems. This is where a Stephen Ministry can make all the difference. Stephen Ministers are trained to listen, encourage, provide support through God’s word and prayer and are committed to meeting privately and confidentially with you on a weekly basis for as long as they are needed. Don’t struggle on alone. If a compassionate, accepting, listening ear is what you need, contact Kendra Broadley, Stephen Ministry Coordinator at broadley@vaxxine.com or 905-937-2024 learn more about Stephen Ministry and the support that is available.
For more information on Bethany's Pastoral Care Ministry click here or contact Bob Baddeley, at 905-937-5300 (x 208) or bob@bethanycc.ca.
