Bellvale News

Announcements

• Women’s Bible Study meets first Monday of each month at 7 PM.  

• 200th Anniversary Planning Committee, next meeting, TBD at 7 PM.

Sunday Worship Service
9:15 AM

2009 Dates to Remember  

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Bellvale United Methodist Church’s 200th Anniversary

Bellvale will be celebrating its 200th Anniversary in September of this year.  The committee is planning a celebration weekend on Saturday September 12 and Sunday September 13.  The event will include a catered dinner “under the stars” on Saturday night and a special worship service and a circus-themed family picnic on Sunday. Pastor Lizz has received word that we will have the privilege and pleasure of having Bishop Jeremiah Parks participate in our celebration on Sunday.

The first record of a Methodist class meeting in Bellvale was in 1809.  The preaching was done in the homes of William Wisner and Ananias Wilson.  By 1832 the services had moved to the School House and in 1841 the upper part of the school was furnished for the meeting.  The “upper room” was used by the Baptists, Reformed Dutch and Methodists jointly.  In 1852, the Methodists decided to build their own church that was dedicated in 1854.  If you would like to read more history and see pictures of our rich history go to our website: www.gbgm-umc.org/bellvale. 

Women’s Bible Study

After a two year hiatus, the popular women’s bible study group will again be meeting on the first Monday night each month, beginning February 2 at 7:00 p.m.  The group will meet at the Bellvale United Methodist Church.  All women are welcomed to attend.  This group gathers once a month to discuss a selected biblically based book. It is a time of sharing, study and fellowship.   The books will be available prior to February 2nd. Anyone who is interested can contact Kim Paras or Mary Louise Larson for more information or to obtain a study guide.   

Games

Pastoral Ponderings

Scripture Readings

“Words from Kim’s Notebook”

By Kim Paras

After months of house-hunting, my husband and I bought our first home. It is a ranch house out on Pulaski Highway, a couple of miles east of Pine Island’s only traffic light. As most of you are familiar with that area, you probably can picture where we live – for miles on either side of us are onion fields. The soil is as black as night, and when there is a strong wind, our light-colored house gets a fine dusting of the dirt.  We know that it’s harvest time when we begin to smell onions in the air. The aroma is inescapable. But we knew all this when we bought the property. After all, the banners on the nearby lampposts say “Black Dirt Region.”

Outsiders might read that description and wonder why anyone would want to live here. But my husband and I love it. “Do you ever notice the sky?” Rich once asked me. We travel to work in separate cars, but each of our commutes takes us east in the morning and west in the evening. God gives us a treat coming and going. In the early mornings, the sun rising above the onion fields is an awesome sight.

How blessed I feel to live in such a beautiful place. Some days, it looks like God has playfully grasped the clouds between His fingers and stretched them apart like cotton candy. The sight in the evening is just as beautiful, if not more so. Driving west on Route 17 and then, later, on Pumpkin Swamp Road, I have been repeatedly awestruck by the evening colors created by the setting sun – oranges and pinks and golds. Scientists may disagree with me, but I know that only God could have created something so brilliant and breathtaking.

In the hustle and bustle of life, it is easy for me to get too wrapped up in little problems and daily goings-on. When I do that, I fail to see the big picture – the Lord above! But, then God grabs my attention by doing something amazing like putting one of His incredible sunrises or sunsets right in front of me. It is as if He is saying, “Kim! Hello! Are you paying attention?”

I leave you with Luke 12: 32, 34 – “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”