Recognizing Years of Service

Recognition Sunday Thoughts

Ed and Pam Francis, Don and Teri Hall, Carter and Brandi Herling

Sunday, May 7, 2017

It was a wonderful privilege and joy this past Sunday as a church family to honor three couples that have faithfully served throughout our entire ministry. In honor of their years of faithful service, the church gave the couple monetary gifts, a thankyou card shower, and individualized gifts of appreciation. Below is a brief overview of each couple which Pastor Jason read Sunday morning.

“Historically, on these occasions we have read extended biographies for those we are honoring.  I would love to do that today, but because we are honoring three of you . . . and really six of you . . . and with our limited time on a Sunday morning, we would not be able to even begin to explain the scope of what you do.  However, because I am certain we have visitors in our service this morning and even regular attenders and members who may not know who these folks are, I will attempt to give a brief overview of each couples ministry. I will go in alphabetical order.

Ed and Pam Francis - Ed Francis is the administrator of Beth Eden Baptist School and Pam Francis is the first grade teacher in the school.  Today, we are honoring them for 10 years of service – in principal years that is more like 50 years.  In many ways, I think school administrator is the hardest job in our ministry.  Ed oversees a team of almost 30 staff members who serve over 200 students (five days a week, for 9 months out of the year).  Our students range in age from three through nineteen.  Every week Ed functions like a master juggler – simultaneously managing an existing educational and extra-curricular structure, developing plans for the future, and managing exceptions. Ed brings an unusual mix of abilities to the school ministry: He is very gifted in administration, a visionary, combined with a pastor’s heart.  And where would Ed be without Pam?   In addition to being an excellent first grade teacher, Pam helps with a myriad of other programs and initiatives in the school. Pam may be the most detail oriented person I have ever known. Pam has also overseen our Vacation Bible School in the church for the past few years.

Don and Teri Hall – Don serves our church as an assistant pastor focusing primarily on church music and missions, and Teri teaches history in our Christian school.  Today, we are honoring Pastor Don and Teri for 20 years of service.  That means they have committed most of their adult lives to advancing the ministries of our church.  Pastor Don is a quintessential renaissance man. Most of you know him primarily as the one who leads the choir and congregational singing on Sundays. That really is only a fraction of how he serves our ministry.  I am aware of Don’s preaching, teaching (in the church, camp, and school), counseling, coaching (basketball and soccer), helping with rock climbing and rappelling at Camp Eden, helping with the property projects (including repairs), occasionally fixing church vehicles, leading mission trips, performing weddings and funerals, making hospital visits helping church members (often in a very quiet and understated way) . . . and this list could go on all morning. A few years ago, Pastor Efaw asked Don to begin working with our Missions Committee.  For years now, God has been growing in Pastor Don a burden for the local church and world missions – and our church and our missionaries have been the beneficiaries of that burden. And then there’s Teri . . . Teri’s list of ministries would be about as long as Don’s.  In addition to her teaching ministry in the school (which followed a number of years serving in the school office), Teri has faithfully served alongside Don as an accompanist for church and school music.  Whatever ministry Teri undertakes, she works thoughtfully and tirelessly in a spirit of excellence as unto the Lord.

Carter and Brandi Herling – Carter’s primary role for Camp Eden is facilities director and Brandi’s primary role is kitchen director.  I say primary roles . . . because they have done everything you can imagine (and many things you would never imagine) at Camp Eden. That’s how camp works . . . everybody does everything . . . and Carter and Brandi embody that camp work ethic.  Today, we are also recognizing them for 20 years of service.   Carter may be the biggest hearted Christian servant I have ever worked with – I mean that.  Carter maintains 13 buildings on 160 acres at 8’800 ft.  If Ed is a juggler and Don is a renaissance man then Carter is a magician.  He has been able to maintain and advance the facilities and ministries at Camp Eden with limited tools, limited materials and limited funds.  One of the goals of the camp is to be a good neighbor to the folks in Coal Creek Canyon.  Most of the folks on Camp Eden Road have been blessed in some way by Carter’s practical, timely, neighborly assistance.  Carter always accomplishes his ministry with a one-of-a-kind great sense of humor. If you don’t have great food at camp, you don’t have camp!  Brandi provides GREAT food at camp. I have learned from Brandi how to own my responsibilities and to endeavor to serve others and my teammates with excellence. In a lot of ways, for most of the folks that visit Camp Eden, Carter and Brandi (and their children, Kara, Corey and Emma) are Camp Eden.

I have only scratched the surface of the scope, quality and personality of the ministries of these six staff members.

As we honor them today, I am reminded of three things all three couples have in common . . .

1.    Each couple ministers as a team.  In addition to their ministry responsibilities, they have family responsibilities which they juggle together.  The complement each other – they are stronger together.

2.    Each couple has contributed so much to the personality of our church ministries.  They all bring a spirit of excellence with joy to their areas of ministry.

3.    Each couple has ministered with real and exemplary servant’s hearts.

I think it is also noteworthy that we are honoring couples who are leaders in all three of our ministries - the church, the school and the camp.  There is no way we could sustain that scope of ministries we have as a church without such a great team of leaders – both paid and volunteer.”

Rocky Mountain Youth Conference

The Thursday through Saturday before Easter, the youth attended the Rocky Mountain Baptist Youth Conference. This year's conference took place at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park. The teens participated in fun activities like bowling, rollerskating, basketball, dodgeball, mini-golf, hiking, and disk golf. However, the point of the conference was the strong Biblical teaching. Beth Eden's own Pastor Jason Pilchard and Evangelist Mark Herbster preached to the teens four times. The teen also attended two workshops focused on the Christian life. Through the Word, several teens took another step in their spiritual development and continued on the progressive path towards Christ likeness. The next Rocky Mountain Youth Conference will take place in 2019.

Edenaires and Sandhill Cranes

The Edenaires traveled to Kearney, Nebraska area on March 30-April 1,2017.   The cranes come to rest and refuel for about a month as they prepare for the arduous journey to breeding grounds in Canada, Alaska and Siberia.  The shallow braided channels of Nebraska's Platte River in Kearney area provide safe nighttime roost sites and waste grain in nearby crop fields provide food to build up fat reserves needed for migration. The Edenaires were able to observe the birds along the River and also in the fields. It is estimated that about 600,000 cranes take part in this migration. The Edenaires also toured the Archway, Rowe Sanctuary, Nebraska Firefighters Museum and Fort Kearney State Historical Park  in the same area.  As is the Edenaire custom for trips, there was time for eating and  fellowship. The Bible verse memorized during the trip was Luke 12:7"Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows."

Easter Sunday

Youth Fundraising Dinner

On Wednesday night the youth hosted a fundraising spaghetti dinner. We would like to thank the over 120 people who attended and invested in our young people. Your generosity will help the young people go to the Youth Conference, Summer Camp, and other activities.

We would also like to compliment our young people on their superb service. They demonstrated a sacrificial servant's heart. We are proud of who you are!

Spring Classes

2017 Men's Retreat

Join us January 27-28 at Camp Eden with speaker, Pastor David Brock, for a time to invest in your family, work, and church. Enjoy good food and great fellowship in a relaxed atmosphere with other men. Cost is $60 for those who stay at camp, $50 for those who commute.

Serve-a-thon

Over the past month the various classes in Beth Eden Baptist School partnered with ministries around the city engaging in community service. Ministries like The JeffCo Action Center and the Arvada Food Bank provided our students with hands on experience in community involvement while presenting to the students the definite needs of those around us. We are thankful for the work these ministries continue to provide for our communities. 

Teens Engaged in Active Ministry

On Wednesday Night, September 28, the teen group served at the Denver Rescue Mission - The Crossing. Over the course of two hours, the teenagers cleaned a children's play area and sorted books for the children's library. This event serves as a part of the T.E.A.M. (Teens Engaged in Active Ministry) program which is a core of the Beth Eden Youth Ministry. Through this event, our teenagers continued to learn the joys of serving others.

Free AIG Conference

On Sunday, September 25, Beth Eden hosted Brian Catalucci with Answers in Genesis. Over three sessions, Brian challenged us with the truths of Creation, the importance of Genesis, and the primacy and reality of truth. For more information about Answers in Genesis and creationism visit answersingenesis.org

For more information about Answers in Genesis events in your area visit answersoutreach.org

Women's Bible Fellowship

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The Women's Bible Fellowship of Beth Eden Baptist Church exists:

• to provide a caring environment where ladies from our church and community can fellowship together and find or build lasting friendships centered around Christ.
• to spend time sharing praises and testimonies of God's goodness in our lives, to bear one another's burdens by sharing prayer requests and praying together for them.
• to study God's Word together and grow in Christlikeness.

So that we will invest in the lives of our sisters-in-Christ for eternity.

• Who? Open to all women
• Where? The Matteson Room
• When? Two timed available
  • The 2nd Monday morning of the moth from 9:30 AM-12:00 PM (childcare provided for a small donation) Led by Elona Rathbun. First Meeting is September 12
  • The 3rd Thursday evening of the month 7:00-9:00 PM (no childcare provided) Led by Lorrie Timberlake. First meeting is September 15.
• Why? Enjoy the fellowship and food as we share praises and prayer requests, pray together and study God's Word. We will be using a Bible study book called Understanding Your Blessings in Christ: Study in Ephesians, by Elizabeth George.

Contact us for more information

Contact Us

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Help Spread God's Word

Missions Conference closed with the exciting presentation of a Bible translation project which Beth Eden Baptist Church will be a part of. A few weeks ago, the congregation voted to partner with Bibles International in order to adopt and help fund the Rathawi project (India). Please pray with us for Bibles International and the translation team as they take on this task. 

Missions committee, Pastor Jason Pilchard, and Pastor Don Hall present a check to Gary Walton, the director of Bibles International at the closing dinner of our Missions Conference.

Beth Eden Serves

July 18 - 21, our church body spent a week of special focus on ministry to our community. This year, we focused on service to Alternatives Pregnancy Center and the Denver Rescue Mission.

For many years, Beth Eden has partnered with Alternatives Pregnancy Center in the battle against abortion. Our ladies accomplished several projects on behalf of the Center to help them better serve the young ladies of our community. We look forward to a continuing partnership with this ministry. For more information on how you can be a part of this, please contact the church office.

This year, we began a partnership with the Denver Rescue Mission. Two groups served at The Crossing campus of the Denver Rescue Mission. We are excited to continue this partnership as we seek to serve the members of our community. We plan on sending more groups throughout the year to serve with the Mission. For more information on how you can be a part of this partnership, please contact Pastor Dave Locke through the church office.

Car Show

Car Show ~ BBQ Dinner ~ Carnival Games

On Wednesday, June 8th, Beth Eden hosted its 4th annual Car Show and Community Carnival. The event proved to be an enjoyable night for all who attended. Over 80 cars across four categories were present for the community to examine. From an Army Jeep to Roadsters to Shelby Cobras all who attended where able to vote for their favorite cars. At the end of the night, first and second place were awarded to the top two cars in each category as chosen by the community. The top two cars in each category were also awarded as chosen in the special "Pastor's Choice" award decided upon by the pastoral staff.

Meanwhile, the children enjoyed a night of fun in the community carnival. Children and adults of all ages participated in the nine carnival games available. However, the longest line of the night at the carnival could be found at the animal balloons booth. A talented volunteer from the Beth Eden congregation excited the children with a variety of balloon animals for their enjoyment. 

The night was topped off with a fantastic BBQ presented by the staff of Camp Eden. Attendees were able to sit in the gym and enjoy a good burger and fellowship with others while taking a moment to relax. We look forward to many more years of giving back to the community through our annual car show, carnival, and BBQ.

Serving the Community

This week gift bags were delivered to St. Joseph's Hospital consisting of items collected by the Beth Eden Baptist Church body. The gift bags will be delivered to families of patients in order to provide them with necessities while their loved ones stay in the hospital. 

Sunday Mornings at Beth Eden

On Sunday mornings we are working through the book of 1 Peter in our sermons.