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Our Vision:
"To Turn the lost into
the found
and the faithless into
the faithful"
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Welcome
to Bethel’s Website
News last updated 18th July 2008
Bethel Chapel
At present, the church that meets at Bethel numbers a total of around 300. That
number includes those who come Sunday by Sunday, to those we see only a couple
of times a year, and all else between ! The number includes our Pathfinders and
Icebreakers, and our Cornerstone ladies who usually only come on Wednesdays.
The number also includes the growing number of old people we have living in
residential care. Being part of the Church that meets at Bethel can never be
confined to those who simply attend this building, but is wide enough to
embrace those who know that the whole of their life is a walk with God, and who
look to Bethel as their spiritual home.
Bethel is “in the community, for the community” and bases its life upon the
free gift of forgiveness and salvation offered by God the Father through Jesus
His Son, being in our lives through the Holy Spirit.
Bethel is a community focal point for those who come
Sunday by Sunday, to those we see only a couple of times a year, and all else
in between! Bethel touches people from
the “cradle to the grave”, with Toddlers, Little Lambs Pre-School Centre, One
Way children’s club, Waterhole youth club, Feeling Good and Cornerstone senior
citizen’s luncheon club. The love of God
is pumped out from this church not only through the community activities, but
through the work of the individuals who make up the church.
The word Bethel
is taken from two Hebrew words - bęt ’el - meaning the House
of God. The word Church is taken from
the Greek word – kuriakon - which means belonging to the Lord. The word Chapel is taken from a Latin word –
cappella - meaning cloak, and provided a secret place where dissenters could worship
God. Chapels were break-away places,
breaking the mould, objecting to the status quo, wanting to make God readily
available to any and all who would find Him.
Our founders became dissenters and walked out of a Church they felt
misrepresented their God and they formed a chapel for worship. Being part of the Church that meets at Bethel
can never be confined to those who simply attend this building, but is wide
enough to embrace those who know that the whole of their life is a walk with
God, and who look to Bethel as their spiritual home. Bethel
is a place where people can feel safe belonging to the Lord and it’s a place
where they can come to find the Lord. Bethel comprises of safe
houses within a safe house. Those safe
houses are the outreach groups which operate week by week and in many and
varied ways try to bring the reality of the Kingdom of God
into peoples lives.
Here at Bethel we operate with a Pastor, a group of
Trustees (who by law are responsible for the day to day running of Bethel as a
registered charity), a management committee (who meet monthly to oversee the
regular running of Bethel) and a whole army of the people of God, who day by
day live out their lives as witness to the faith they have placed in the son of
God, Jesus Christ.
Together with everyone connected with Bethel,
we all make up the community known as the Church that meets at Bethel, each one of us looking to fulfil our
unique place in the Body of Christ, each one of us looking to Jesus for
salvation, and each one of us looking to each other for support, love, loyalty
and encouragement. This Church is made
up of human beings who fail, get it wrong, mess up big time, and are in need of
forgiveness. We don’t always give that
which others need from us at the right time and in the right place. But we stand on one assurance: Our faith is not dependent upon a human being
getting it right, but on the unfailing love of God shown to us through Jesus
Christ.
Outside the main doors to the church building, we have
printed "This church opens wide its doors, and in the name of Jesus, bids
you welcome". That's the truth - if you're looking for something more in
life - if you're looking for some rhyme and reason to why the world is as it is
- if you're looking for hope and a future - you're in the right place !
Welcome to Bethel
With Love
Pastor Jill
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Bethel is not responsible for
views and content of any external links made from this website
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Bethel Chapel Web Site: www.bethelchapel.net
Bethel Chapel is a registered
charity - No. 1001260
