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what's inside Message from the Pastor...........1 June Birthdays.................................2 Scholarships Announcement...2 Graduates..........................................3 Graduate photos............................4 Merry Hearts...................................5 Music Notes & Look Ahead......6 VBS 2026 Flyer...............................7 Presbyterian Women..................8 Stephen Ministry...........................9 Mission & Evangelism............10&11 Faith Church........................................12
Bethesda Presbyterian Church | Aberdeen, NC |June 2026
Dear members and friends of Bethesda Presbyterian Church, I pray you and your families are well. It's summer time and no doubt many of you have vacation plans on the horizon. Summer isn't exactly a liturgical season in the life of the Church. In fact, judging by attendance during these months, sometimes it feels like the opposite! But as we move into summer, many of us will spend more time outside, enjoying time in creation. That said, it's a good time to remember, wherever you find yourself, the meaning of this wonderful world around us. John Calvin called it a “theatre of God's glory.” In other words, it's a place where we can intuit and proclaim the praise and character of God. So, whether you find yourself enjoying the shade of a tree, sitting by a lake or the ocean, or rising early to beat the heat of the summer sun, remember what the angels sing, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” Blessings, Rev. David Priddy
a Message from the Pastor
bethesda
Celebrations & Concerns
1 Michelle Martin Mia Smithson 2 Avery Adams 4 Elias Ough 8 John McInnis 11 Sandy McLaughlin 14 Liz Wilson 15 Harper Jessup 18 Christian Crumpton Teresa Numbers 19 David McNeill 21 Jimmy Donathan 25 Peggy Jones 28 Julie Formanski Kara Patton 29 Cynthia Leach Lori DeSpain 30 Evelyn LaPoint
June Birthdays
Congratulations to the 2026-2027 Scholarship Recipients Thank you to the Scholarship Committee for their discernment. They distributed $17,800 in scholarship funds to the following applicants: Maddie Gorba, Trinity Andersen, Justin Andersen, Natalie Patton, Sally Noyes, Tucker Martin, and Nate Ardinger all received the McKeithen Scholarship. Maddie Gorba received the Burlingame Scholarship Trinity Andersen received the Mona Kahl Scholarship Congratuations to all the recipeints and God's blessings on the coming school year. Please remember to submit your financial aid office information and student ID to the church office as soon as possible.
High School and Early College Graduates Addison Painter is graduating from Pinecrest High School. Addie is attending Sandhills Community college in the Fall, studying Early Childhood Education. She then plans to attend a university to receive her Bachelor’s degree. Maddie Gorba is graduating from Pinecrest High School. She will attend East Carolina University in the Fall to study Criminal Justice with a minor in Criminal Law and Legal Process. She intends to join the East Carolina Marching Pirates, campus faith programs, and to study abroad at ECU Tuscany. Trinity Andersen is graduating from SandHoke Early College High School. She is also graduating from Sandhills Early College with my Associate of Science. She plans to attend Appalachian State University in the fall where she will major in Park Recreation and hopes to get a job as a park ranger. College and University Graduates Cullen Martin graduated with honors and election to Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society from Randolph Macon College with a BS in Biology and a minor in Asian Studies. He plans to accept a position in either medical sales or healthcare manufacturing in NC or VA. Charlie Hill graduated from NC State with a BS in Civil Engineering. He has accepted a position with HW Lochner Engineering in Raleigh starting in June. Rebecca Hill graduated from Appalachian State with a BS in Political Science with a concentration in Public Administration. She currently has an intership with the town of Troy. Mason Roth - graduated with highest distinction and honors from UNC Chapel Hill with BA in Political Science. She plans to take a year to decide which graduate school to attend. Connor Morgan - graduated from the University of NC at Charlotte with a BS in Biology and plans to go on to study to be a Physicians Assistant. Christian Blue graduated from Appalachian State University with a BS in Geological and Environmental Sciences. Theo Ardinger graduated from the University of San Francisco with a BA in Design and Minor in UX. He plans to stay in San Francisco and work in his field. Brandon Wilson graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Poultry Science from NC State. He will be working for Perdue Farms Brian Wright graduated with a Masters Degree in Homeland Security from Colorado Tech.
Congratulations Graduates
Graduate Photos
Stephen Ministry
Clockwise from top left: Trinity Andersen, Addie Painter, Maddie Gorba, Theo Ardinger, Christian Blue, Charlie Hill, Mason Roth, Rebecca Hill. Brandon Wilson is in the center.
Merry Hearts
THAT'S A WRAP.... on another year at Merry Hearts Preschool at Bethesda Presbyterian Church. Thank you to our wonderful teachers and families for making it such a sucessful year. Their graduation theme was "Dancin' in the Streets." You can watch the video of the Graduation/Promotion Ceremony here:
The choir is taking a well deserved rest for the summer. I hope that you will take time to seek out a member and let them know how much you appreciate their work. I have truly enjoyed working with them and watching them embrace the different genres of music that we have sung. Pentecost Sunday's anthem was an excellent example of their ability to switch "gears" in one song The calypso rhythm was maintained by the piano but the voices changed from the smooth, legato melody to the syncopated rhythm of the calypso and then back again. That is a challenge for any choir and they did a beautiful job. Many thanks to all who helped make this liturgical year a blessing through music. Earlene
Music Notes
June 7 - Youth/Graduation Sunday June 14 - Bethesda Presbyterian Women Birthday Lunch/Offering June 22 - Red Cross Blood Drive in Fellowship Hall 10 am-2:30 pm July 6-10 - Vacation Bible School There will be no Sunday morning breakfast or children's Sunday School during the summer months. The Parlor Class is also on hiatus. Nursery will be availble for the worship service only.
The Sign-Up for food for VBS can be found clicking this link. The Amazon wish-list for supplies can be found here.
Presbyterian Women
The women of the church will host a luncheon of quiche, salad, and fruit (pb&j sandwhiches will also be available) for the annual Birthday Offering after church on June 14th. The offering supports missions of the Presbyterian Women. We will also hold a bake sale at the same time to fund our local efforts. Please consider making a baked item, and having lunch with us for a time of fellowship and giving.
As we enter the the Time after Pentecost, or Ordinary Time, the church focuses on spiritual growth, applying the teachings of Christ to everyday life, and the mission of the Church. For the Stephen Ministry, these are some of our bedrocks. As we provide caring support, both our care givers (Stephen Ministers) and our care receivers (those hurting) experience spiritual growth.The Bible teaches that spiritual growth is not a solo journey. Believers are called to support, encourage, and serve one another. Ephesians 2:8-10: For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift —not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do. Ephesians 4:15-16: Discusses how the whole body grows and builds itself up in love when every member works together. Hebrews 10:24-25: Urges believers to meet together to spur one another on toward love and good deeds Providing support to our care receivers is applying the teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ teachings emphasize that providing for the needy and hurting is a fundamental expression of faith and love. He commanded followers to share resources, give generously without seeking recognition, and view care for the vulnerable as direct service to Him, ultimately linking eternal life with compassion for the needy and hurting. 1 Timothy 6:18: Commands them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. Mathew 25:34-40: Frames caring for "the least of these" (the hungry, thirsty, and hurting) as a direct service to God Himself. Luke 10:30-37: In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus demonstrates that true neighborliness means actively caring for the physical and financial needs of hurting strangers. Over 2,000 verses urge the church and believers to defend the vulnerable, provide for the needy, and practice active compassion. As you reflect on these Scriptures, consider how God might be calling you to respond to those in need, especially our hurting Christian family members. As a final note, the standard liturgical color for vestments and altar cloths during this season is green, symbolizing growth, hope, and new life in Christ -Our Goal for our care receivers.
Mission/Evangelism
Thank you to everyone who came to our Mission/Evangelism Luncheon on Pentecost Sunday. For those who couldn't make it, we talked about our service and support to missions locally and abroad.
Ways you can help: Be an evangelist by sharing the Gospel with those in your life. Invite someone to church. Pray for our local missions and service workers. Pray for our global missionaries and those teaching and sharing the Gospel in the world. Volunteer to serve at local organizations. Give to the mission fund at Bethesda to support local and worldwide benevolences.
Faith Church
As we indicated in last month's newsletter, the Friends of Faith entered into an agreement with Preservation NC to place a preservation easement on the property, building, and architectual elements of the historic Faith Church. The Deed has since been filed. This property will now be protected in perpetuity. Along with the easement, we received a grant through Preservation NC from the 1772 Foundation which helped us complete the necessary work on the foundation. In other big news, Friends of Faith, Inc. was selected by the Marion Stedman Covington Foundation to recieve a grant that will help us put a new roof on the building. Both of these grants were answered prayers and will allow us to complete two of the biggest cost items of restoration. There is still much work to do at the church including exterior painting, pew refinishing, celiling repair and painting, and floor restoration. If you'd like to make a tax-deductible donation to support the continued efforts to restore this historic church, please make checks payable to Friends of Faith and send to Bethesda's church office, or you can place your check to Bethesda Church in the offering basket with the designation in the memo line for Old Faith Church. Online donations may also be made, contact me for details. Blessings and peace, Julie
1002 N. Sandhills Blvd. Aberdeen, NC 28315 https://bethesdapres.church Facebook.com/bethesdapres BPC28315@gmail.com Sunday Schedule 10:00 Adult Sunday School 11:00 Worship Service See our calendar on our website for days and times of youth events.