Palm/Passion Sunday
April 13, 2025

Pastor: Ralph Wrightstone Bulletin Insert Photos. Music Director: Travis Oaks
Today is Palm Sunday, the sixth and last Sunday in Lent when Jesus and his disciples are welcomed into Jerusalem by an excited crowd to begin a 7-day period we call Holy Week. There are traditions about each day in this week as they progress to Jesus' crucifixion on "Good Friday", and beyond, leading to Resurrection Sunday, Easter Sunday, next week. The graphics at the top of this page provide access to information about many of these traditions. If you place your cursor on top of one of the graphics you will be shown a short description of its information...clicking on a graphic will open a page of information with links to additional topics. (Use your browser's "back arrow" to return to this page.)

Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are perhaps the most significant among these days. In the past, Bethel has had an evening meal on Maundy Thursday hiliting the traditions of the Seder Meal that Jesus and His disciples shared (this year that observance will be part of the Bible Study Wednesday at 5:30 pm.)...and Trinity UMC in downtown Tallahassee has a continuing tradition of hosting, along with the NW District of FLUMC, a Good Friday service at Noon on Friday (which is also streamed live this year from their web site).

The UMC Discipleship Ministries also has provided service formats for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday in their Lenten series. These services are included in the materials on the online service Resource Page, accessed thru graphic links at the top of the resource page.

Taken together, we hope that these will help you understand and prepare for the Good News that comes from Resurrection Sunday which will be celebrated this year at Bethel with a Sunrise Service (gathering at 6:45 for the 7:06 sunrise) and worship service at 11:00 followed by a covered dish dinner in the fellowship hall.
Click on the "Bethel United Methodist Church" script above
for links to some Resource materials for today's service.
For those unable to attend the 11:00 AM Sunday services at the church, a new service will be available here online before 10:00 am each Sunday morning, using the same format as the on-site service. So you may "gather" here for an "Early Service" at 10:00 or the traditional service at 11:00...actually it will be available here at any time all week. We hope that you will find it a refreshing place to come into God's house.
NOTE: Each part of this online service consists of an audio file and, for most, a Link to a pdf file of "projection slides". Click on the symbol to play the audio file under a separate browser tab or in a new window. Then select the "Bethel 04/13/25 Service" browser tab or return to this window to open the Link to the "slides". It is best to stop the playing of one Audio segment and close its tab or window before starting another.

We hope that you will fully participate in the service provided here, taking the time to raise your voice or read along with the hymns and responses, and listening to the recorded messages and songs that have been prepared for you. Realize that, though not meeting face-to-face, you are virtually gathering with many others for this time of worship, celebration and spiritual refreshment.

Thank you for coming. Our prayer will be that we will soon all gather again for worship in Bethel's Sanctuary, but until then we'll be here for you on Sunday morning.
Please let us know of any problems you have with or suggestions about this site by sending an email to "bumctlh@gmail.com". If you have any announcements or prayer concerns you would like included next week you may contact Pastor Ralph Wrightstone directly at: 850-591-9785