G.R.A.C.E. Ministry (food assistance):

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.

Financial Planning Classes & Counselling

• 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.

Prayer Ministry

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.

DivorceCare

DivorceCare meets on Monday nights. It is a 13-week, video-based support group that is designed to walk alongside those who are separated, in the midst of a divorce or have been divorced for some time. The evening is led with a video component as well as a workbook. The leaders also 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 in a healthy way through this difficult time. For more information contact Phil Kaethler, Director of Support & Recovery Ministries at 905-937-5300 (x210) or phil@bethanycc.ca.

For more information on Bethany's Support & Recovery Ministry click here or contact Phil Kaethler, Director of Support & Recovery Ministries, at 905-937-5300 (x 210) or phil@bethanycc.ca.

GriefShare

GriefShare meets on Friday nights, 7-9 pm. It is a 13-week, video-based program designed to be a support for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. The evening is divided into watching a video and interacting as you respond to questions from 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. Often our participants from GriefShare will join in the café time with the Celebrate Recovery group at 9 pm. For more information contact Phil Kaethler, Director of Support & Recovery Ministries at 905-937-5300 (x 210) or phil@bethanycc.ca.

For more details on Bethany's Support & Recovery Ministry click here or contact Phil Kaethler, Director of Support & Recovery Ministries, at 905-937-5300 (x 210) or phil@bethanycc.ca.

Celebrate Recovery

For adults struggling with hurts, habits and hang-ups

Celebrate Recovery (C.R.) runs Friday nights. The purpose of this support & recovery program is to provide a safe environment for people to share their hurts, habits and hang-ups using a biblically-based, 12-step, support program. It is based on the beatitudes in the Bible and is structured to offer confidentiality and anonymity. C.R. offers belonging and support in the midst of real life struggles. There is no cost to participants. Each Friday evening includes:

• A large group worship time (7-8 pm) when we rotate between participants sharing their story and teaching about the twelve steps and eight principles.
• Small groups (8-9 pm) when we break into gender and issue-specific groups. There is a focus question from the large group time and each individual has the option to share or pass during the small group time. The purpose of the small group is to provide a time to share without being interrupted and find support with others that share a common struggle. There are no visitors in these groups. • If you are coming to C.R. for the first time – we have a specific group for you. It is called Newcomers and it will give an overview of the program, expectations of small group and provide the foundation of the program. You are welcome to attend Newcomers with a visitor.
• A coffee house (9-10 pm). This is a time when we gather together and share. Often there are desserts as well as coffee and tea. This is an important time to interact with others from C.R., check out the resources available to you, connect with leaders and find accountability partners and sponsors.
• In addition – C.R. offers Step Studies. In a step study group the individuals work together through the 12 steps in depth. The groups become closed when book one is finished and these groups will meet weekly for about a year. We offer both male and female groups and they often meet on Monday nights at Bethany.

For more details on Bethany's Support & Recovery Ministry click here or contact Phil Kaethler, Director of Support & Recovery Ministries, at 905-937-5300 (x 210) or phil@bethanycc.ca.

Life Hurts God Heals

For students struggling with life's hurts, habits and hang-ups.

Bethany’s Youth, Young Adult and Support & Recovery Ministries are excited to announce that we will be starting Life Hurts God Heals (LHGH) – an eight-step recovery program that provides life-long tools for our students (Gr. 9 to College/University age) who are struggling with hurts, habits or hang-ups. It will be held on Monday nights for 13 weeks, starting in mid-September 2009. Each evening involves a lesson, discussion in small groups and a Café time. Look for more details to come this summer.  

To learn more about the program, click here or contact Martin Nieuwets (Director of Youth & Young Adults Ministries) at 905-937-5300 (x 219) or martin@bethanycc.ca OR Phil Kaethler (Director of Support & Recovery Ministries) at 905-937-5300 (x 210)  or phil@bethanycc.ca. 

Stephen Ministry

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, Director of Pastoral Care at 905-937-5300 (x 216) or kendra@bethanycc.ca to 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.