Bethel Hill United Methodist Church

09/06/2026

09/03/2026

Thoughts for Thursday, from Pastor Sue:

For all the students who have just gone back to school or who are going soon. (From Mikey’s Funnies)
23RD PSALM FOR THE STUDENT
The Lord is my real instructor and I shall not want.
He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me.
He gently reminds me to pray before I speak and to do all things without murmuring and complaining.
He reminds me that He is my Salvation and not my school.
He restores my sanity every day and guides my decisions that I might honor Him in everything I do.

Even though I face absurd amounts of homework, quizzes, tests, unrealistic deadlines, shortages of funds, gossiping students, discriminating teachers, and a sleep-deprived body that doesn't cooperate every morning, I will not stop--for He is with me!

His presence, His peace, and His power will see me through.
He raises me up, even when they fail to give me good grades.
He claims me as His own, even when the class threatens to flunk me.

His faithfulness and love are better than any A+.
His eternal reward beats every degree there is.
When it's all said and done, I'll be working for Him a whole lot longer than I'll be in school (even when it doesn't feel like it) and for that, I bless His Name!

Prayer: God, keep watch over our students, teachers, aides, and administrators, as they begin a new school year. Amen.

08/27/2026

Thoughts for Thursday, from Pastor Sue:
A little humor to end out your summer. From 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐲’𝐬 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬:

It may be time to diet & exercise if...
- you try to do a few pushups and discover that certain body parts refuse to leave the floor.
- your children look through your wedding album and want to know who Daddy's first wife was.
- you get winded just saying the words "ten-kilometer run."
- you come to the conclusion that, if God really wanted you to touch your toes each morning, He would have put them somewhere around your knees.
- you analyze your body honestly and decide what you should develop first is your sense of humor.
- you step on a talking scale and it says, "Come back when you're alone."

Prayer: Thank you for the ability to not take ourselves too seriously. Thank you that even with all our flaws, you see us as your beloved child. Amen.

08/21/2026

Thoughts for Thursday, from Pastor Sue:

Consider this quote from “The Joyful Noiseletter”
There is no perfect life, no perfect job, no perfect childhood, no perfect marriage, and
No perfect set of people who will always do what we expect them to do.
What we have is a perfect God who is able to lead us through this imperfect life
With unfailing strength, incomparable wisdom and infinite love.

Prayer: Thank you, God, that you ARE perfect, perfect for me and perfect for all. Thank you for loving me through my imperfections. Amen.

08/13/2026

Thoughts for Thursday, from Pastor Sue:
A quote as seen in “The Joyful Noiseletter” by John McKenzie

If the church were to lose
Its papacy, its hierarchy, its clergy,
Its vast collection of buildings, its stores of learning amazed over the centuries,
Even the text of its sacred books, and had to face the world
With nothing but the living presence of the Risen Jesus,
And his living memory and its mission to proclaim the Good News
To all nations and people,
It would be no less a church than was the church of Peter and Paul.
Perhaps it might be more of a church than it is now.

Prayer: God, give us the courage and faith of Peter and Paul. Give us words of wisdom that we might share the good news of Jesus and perform acts of kindness and mercy. Amen.

08/06/2026

Thoughts for Thursday, from Pastor Sue:
Even several days after our VBS ended, one song kept running through my head. Consider these lyrics from the song “You Know Me” (© 2025 Group Publishing, a division of David C. Cook) by Chris Sligh, based on Psalm 139:

𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄’𝙢 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜.
𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙚, 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙮 𝙪𝙥𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙨, 𝙢𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙨, 𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙨, 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙤𝙪𝙗𝙩𝙨.
𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡.

Since it is an earworm (a disgusting image, in my opinion) and keeps playing in my mind, I wonder if God is trying to remind me of these important facts: He knows all about me and loves me anyway! What an amazing thought for the beginning of August!

Prayer: God – thank you that you know me even better than I know myself! And you love me still is so wonderful! Amen.