by Linda Cutshall

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common... and it was distributed to each as any had need. - Acts 4:32-34

Wouldn’t it be great if the church took those scriptures seriously? Well, in fact, we do. For many years at Bethany, people have been attempting to help each other out when needs come up. Furniture, clothes, yardwork, transportation and housing...have been shared.

Currently there are many ways Bethany provides assistance. Our Wednesday Night Dinners are a great way for people to receive a quality hot meal in an honoring and hospitable environment. We have a [Deacon’s] freezer full of ready-to-thaw dinners, often used with illness or the birth of a child. In addition we have meal-makers ready to prepare meals for their neighbors.

And in a truly dire situation, we have two accounts used to assist with utility payments, or crisis bills—usually one-time gifts to help with specific situations. Our Acts 4:32 fund is for Bethany members needing financial assistance and our Deacon’s Fund assists people in our community who Bethany members refer to us.

Both accounts are separate from our operating budget, funded by special donations from people in our congregation who want to assist others in financial difficulty.

If you would like to speak with someone about receiving help with a specific emergency request, please contact Linda Cutshall (regarding the Deacon’s fund) or a pastoral staff member (regarding Acts 4:32).