Reflections on God's Work
Part 3
God is at work. In 2023, the Beacon feature articles will seek to capture a snapshot of the ways God is working in churches across our conference. We pray that these articles encourage your faith and spur you on to join God in the work he is doing in your local congregation.
~Kelsey Jurkovich, Publication & Literature Committee
Bethany Mennonite Church is a vibrant community with many young families, located in Hartville, Ohio. The church is blessed with young leaders rising up who bring fresh perspectives and excitement for the future. Additionally, we have an abundance of musical talent within the congregation, leading to a passion for worship through music.
Community is a key aspect of Bethany Mennonite Church. This is evident in the growth of our men’s and women’s ministries. These groups have expanded in recent years—a positive sign of community and fellowship within the church. Our Life Groups have added another dynamic to our community. We have also been intentional about collaborating with other local churches to create a sense of community and to focus on reaching the unchurched. The Collaboration Team has recognized the importance of working together to share the message of Jesus with those who have yet to hear it. By pooling resources and sharing ideas, our hope is to be able to create a greater impact locally.
John 17:20–23
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (NIV).
One way that the church has seen God moving is through its prayer and worship night. This event has gone from a small gathering of around 20 to a large gathering of over 100 people. The Holy Spirit is clearly at work in the hearts of the church members as they come together to seek God’s face and worship Him.
Hebrews 10:23–25
“Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching” (CSB).
Another way that God has been working in the church is through its Vacation Bible School (VBS). This has been an increasingly bright spot for the church, providing a unique opportunity to present the gospel to young people and their parents. Clearly, God is using this ministry to touch hearts and change lives, and the church is excited to see how He will continue to work in the future.
We averaged about 130–140 children each night of VBS, with an estimate that over half of these children were not attenders of Bethany. It was incredible to see these children ages 3–15 answer the call to protect life in a tangible way, by raising $2,338 that will go toward various organizations—far exceeding our goal of $1,200. They also brought in 200 rolls of paper towels, 154 packages of paper plates, and 158 packages of resealable bags to be used by the Pregnancy Center, as well as 174 empty egg cartons to be used by GentleBrook Farm. During the week, we were blessed to have more than half of the church’s adults volunteer (more than 100 volunteers).
To sum up, we are a community that is passionate about seeing God move in our midst. We are excited about the ways that He is working in our youth and children’s ministry, men’s and women’s ministries, our collaborations with other local churches, our prayer and worship nights, and our VBS program. We are committed to following God’s leading as we seek to share the love of Christ with those around us, and we are excited about the future of our church and our community.
