Welcome
Welcome to Bethel Congregational Church, UCC
We are an Open and Affirming UCC Congregation!
Rev. Dr. Sylvia Lee Mann, Pastor
Online Services available on Bethel's Facebook Page, Pastor Sylvia's Facebook Page, YouTube, or Twitch
This Sunday, May 29, 2022
Seventh Sunday of Easter - "Ascension Sunday"
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE LATEST IN-PERSON SERVICE BULLETIN (available Saturdays)
Come Celebrate with us - All are welcome!
We are offering Live, IN-PERSON Worship at 10am, which is also streamed ONLY to our Facebook Page (That page is public - so you can watch without having to join Facebook); and our Early Online Pre-Recorded service will also be streaming for you on all of our social media pages at 8:30am!
THIS WEEK
- Congregational songs
- Special Music
- Kids Video
- Scripture readings
- Special message from Pastor Sylvia
Online Worship is also available every Sunday - HERE is the "Early" Online Video Service (also streams at 8:30am on all our social media pages) for the 6th Sunday of Easter - this is a replay of a wonderful "6th Sunday of Easter" Service from 2021 (note - all readings, prayers and responses are captioned - there's no bulletin to download)
Our latest interactive bulletin for in-person worship is here for you - or you will be able to download you own PDF below... Bulletins for Sunday generally are available by Saturday evening...
Download our latest Live In-Person Worship PDF Bulletin Bundle (Includes kids' bulletin and coloring pages) HERE SATURDAY (CLICK)
All readings for this Sunday:
Acts 16:16–34
Psalm 97
Revelation 22:12–14, 16–17, 20–21
John 17:20–26
or
Acts 1:1–11
Psalm 47 or Psalm 93
Ephesians 1:15–23
Luke 24:44–53
Focus Questions:
1. What is unity? How do we experience it?
2. What presents a barrier to unity?
3. How do you understand unity among the Trinity?
4. How can that sense of unity inform your understanding of Jesus’ prayer for our unity?
5. What is the impact of knowing one another and God on unity with one another and with God?
We provide pre-recorded video worship experiences for our online viewers, because we have returned to Live, In-Person Worship at Bethel - and quality internet service is not available at our location! These recorded services also stream on all our social media pages at 8:30am every Sunday!
Please consider joining us in person on Sundays at 10am at Bethel Congregational Church UCC in Ontario California.
SPECIAL EVENT COMING TO BETHEL - PENTECOST SUNDAY JUNE 5 at 4pm
Beethoven Symphony #9 with the Southland Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
CLICK to Get Tickets by Visiting the Southland Symphony Website Tickets Page
Food for Thought
“When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with their flocks, the work of Christmas begins: to find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoner,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among the people, to make music in the heart.”
CLICK the ICON below for your favorite social media spot below to visit us on Sunday at 10am for worship - we stream our prerecorded service video on all of these platforms!
By the way - our FB Page is public - so you do NOT have to have a FB account to view it! If for any reason you prefer not to use Facebook, try YouTube, CLICK HERE OR - try Twitch - We are now also streaming on TWITCH! Check it out here:https://www.twitch.tv/bethelontario
We also offer channels/apps on Amazon Fire TV and Roku. 
These channels do NOT broadcast live feeds, but they will have all of our services and activities available on demand.
Note: Amazon Fire TV is only viewable on compatible devices (Amazon fire stick or cube, Fire TV)
Our Channel name for either one is "Bethel UCC Worship Services"
(Have you been visiting and thinking about joining? Today is a good day for that! - just send a message to Pastor Sylvia!)
See us Live on FaceBook: We "Go LIVE" every Sunday at 10am on our Facebook Page @BethelOntario (Bethel Congregational UCC).
Bethel Fellowship time! - We join together in fellowship - safely, each Sunday at Bethel following the worship service. We share news, and enjoy being together again.
Here are some tips for ways to fully participate in our online worship! (click this pic to get a pdf of these to save)
~ How to Worship with us ONLINE ~ 
1. GATHER:
If you’re at home with your spouse, family or significant other(s) begin by gathering around a table, or in your family/living room. If it’s just you maybe you could just join us with your computer, tablet or phone and a friend to “join” you for worship by doing the same.
2. FOCUS:
Once you’re in place light a candle to symbolize the presence of the Holy Spirit. This is a good way to signal that you are entering into sacred time, and the place where you were chatting and laughing just a moment ago has become a sacred place.
3. PARTICIPATE:
Follow along with the online service- use the pdf order of service
(Available on our website, www.BethelUCCOntario.org )
4. READ:
Read the scriptures along with us. (They are in the online order of service, or use your own Bible)
5. SING:
Sing along with us (the words are there for you on screen and in the “bulletin”!)
6. LISTEN:
Listen to the service, say the prayers with us, take notes on the sermon!
7. CLOSE:
After the Benediction, Blow out the candle.
8. FOLLOW UP
With sharing with your family: comment, feel free to send in questions. And pray together! (Send in prayer requests and we will pray for you and yours)
9. JOIN IN
Our other online activities: Bible Study, and Prayer Group! (Check the website for the latest info)
10. STAY IN TOUCH
My email address is drmann@betheluccontario.org
What are we doing about Covid-19 NOW?
Bethel Congregational UCC has returned to In-Person Worship (beginning Sunday February 20). Always check the website for the latest info - sometimes thing change quickly..
Welcome Home! Our online services are also available on FB live, YouTube Live, and Twitch and even Twitter on Sunday mornings.
Our Sunday worship services at Bethel Congregational Church UCC begin at 10am.
We encourage you to join us in person when we offer in-person worship, or if you are either unwell, or do not live in the local area, remain at home, and join in worship online. Don't hesitate to reach out by phone, text, FB message, or any other way that works for you. Support each other. Pray for one another.
Here is the link to our FB page, where you can find the recorded stream. https://www.facebook.com/BethelOntario/
OR Click HERE FOR YOUTUBE or HERE FOR TWITCH
Please know, that as much as I want to see all of you in the pews every week - this is still an unprecedented time. When we cannot be together in-person, we are blessed to have the ability to stay in fellowship with each other, even if we are not all in the same building at the same time. We are the church. The building is not the church. It is time to hold each other up - and we can do that, even if via virtual and remote methods.
Blessings,
Pastor Sylvia
If you are looking for a church where you are welcome, and where you can make a difference - please join us!
In the face of division and fear, let us resolve to truly "Be the Church"..
Please - Plan to join us to have a great Sunday morning, and - Feel free to bring your family and friends as we continue celebrate the triumph of Love...and contemplate our response
"Bethel Congregational UCC is church that does God’s work in the world, nurtures spiritual growth, and helps to build a loving community.”
The Reverend Dr. Sylvia Lee Mann is Bethel's Pastor and Minister of Music. She is the Moderator for the Eastern Association and serves on the Committee on Ministry, and the Nominating committee for the Eastern Association of the Southern California-Nevada Conference of the UCC, She also provides coaching to clergy and laity, She is the Music Director & Conductor of the Southland Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, is a member of the music faculty of Chaffey College, and serves on the faculty of St. Teresa's Open Catholic Seminary. In addition to her work as our Pastor, she is widely known as musician, artist and inspirational speaker. To learn more about Dr. Mann, visit her personal site, http://sylvialeemann.com
Welcome! Bethel United Church of Christ is a church that does God’s work in the world, nurtures spiritual growth, and helps to build a loving community.No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here. Bethel UCC Ontario is an Open and Affirming congregation.
To Lift you up - above is our music player with a little music from our Jan 12, 2020 service - this is "Down to the River to Pray", with Deanna Morrison on vocals, Sandy Gunn on guitar, and Pastor Sylvia on viola.
VITAL INFO
Sunday Service 10am. Everyone is welcome.
Worship with us in-person or online.
Address: 536 N Euclid Ave. Ontario, CA 91762
Office Phone: (909) 984-9111
Pastor's message line: (909) 457-7893
Pastor and Minister of Music: Dr. Sylvia Lee Mann Email Dr. Mann
Membership Inquiry Class (Bethel/UCC 101) : Available upon request. Contact Pastor Sylvia to arrange an appointment
Office and Parking lot are in the rear of the building - enter off of F Street.
DONATE HERE
Please support Bethel in our ministries. Send an offering or donation here.
NEW - We invite you to CLICK TO FILL OUT YOUR PLEDGE FORM! (Help us plan...)
You can now use Zelle to send you offering directly from your bank! Our associated email for Zelle is info@betheluccontario.org (If you use Zelle, we do not have to pay a fee. If you useTithe.ly or PayPal, we do pay a small fee - but it still works!)
You can use Tithe.ly by clicking the GIVE via Tithe.ly button here: (There is an option to cover the small processing fee, and if you are a first time user, you will be prompted to set up your account and PIN (free).
If PayPal is better for you (especially if you need to use a card) - just click the donate button. below.
Furry Friends Pet Food Bank - Pepsi Refresh Grant Winner
To donate to Bethel's Furry Friends, go to our Donation Page and scroll down to Furry Friends (Click)
OPEN AND AFFIRMING
We are an "Open and Affirming" congregation of the United Church of Christ.
Our Open and Affirming Statement is :
"We declare ourselves to be open and affirming. With God's grace, we seek to be a congregation that includes all persons, embracing differences of sexual orientation, gender, marital status, age, mental and physical ability, as well as racial, ethnic, or social-economic background. We welcome all to share in the life and leadership, ministry, and fellowship, worship, sacraments, responsibilities and blessings of participation in our congregation."
