May 31, 2026
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Sunday Worship
O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing
Welcome & Announcements
It Was Finished Upon that Cross
How Great is the Greatness of God
Bethany Family Prayer
Baptism: 2nd Service
The Lord is Good
Sermon: Gospel Illustration
Jesus Thank You
Benediction
Weekly Schedule
View our calendar HERE for the weekly schedule.
Highlights
Share Your Home to Share Your Hope
This summer, we’re issuing a simple challenge: Share Your Home to Share Your Hope. So here’s the challenge—host a gathering this summer and share your hope with someone. To make it easy, we’re pointing you to a free resource called Victory Beyond the Cup, a ready-to-use kit that turns one World Cup match into a real outreach opportunity.To begin Bethany is hosting a church-wide watch party in July—details coming soon. Grab your free kit and get training to host at bethanycentral.org/host.
Starting Point Class: Learn about Bethany
Sunday, June 14th, 9:00 am
Starting Point is a single-session class that meets in the Gathering Room. It’s designed to help you learn who we are, what we believe, and how you can find your place in our church family. You’ll also discover what to expect on Sunday mornings, how to navigate the building, and explore the ministries and classes we have available. To RSVP go to bethanycentral.org/start.
VBS Registration & Volunteers
June 22-26 | 9:00am - 12:00pm
VBS is four weeks away! Now is the time to start registering your children for VBS. You can use your myBethany or visit the website. We also need many of you to volunteer to jump in and help us make VBS a reality this year. Visit bethanycentral.org/vbs to register your kids or to volunteer. We also want to encourage you to be inviting friends and neighbors.
Announcements
Upcoming Membership Vote
We are excited to be voting new members into Bethany in two weeks. Watch next week’s bulletin for details on whom you can be encouraging and welcoming into our church family.
Moooove Up Day
Sunday, May 31st
We’re excited to move all of our kids—3’s, Pre-K, and Elementary—up to their next class on the same day!
In the past, Elementary moved up in the fall, but this year everyone promotes together. Be sure to check the banners above each classroom for your child’s new class.
Men's Summer Bible Study: Sermon on the Mount
June 17 – August 5, 6:15–7:45 PM
This summer, the men of Bethany are walking through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) — the greatest sermon ever preached, where Jesus shows what it looks like to follow him as King in his new kingdom. Come ready to be challenged, sharpened, and strengthened alongside other men pursuing Christ together.
The Table
The Table is simply an opportunity for the women of Bethany to build community with other women. It’s a time to chat, laugh and maybe make one or two new friends. This isn’t a big-crowd sort of event. Instead, The Table consists of many individual small group gatherings, hosted by various women in the church. These gatherings occur at different days and times to accommodate as many schedules as possible.
There’s no agenda when you attend a Table gathering, just a desire to create a space for women to connect and relax in a casual, laid-back environment. Each event is unique, since the hostesses of each Table plan their own gatherings.
Youth Group Summer Fest
Wednesday, June 10, 6:00 pm
SummerFest is a special youth group event for 4 Wednesdays each summer. The theme this year is Summer of Courage. It’s a time of fellowship, fun, and teaching from guest speakers. It runs from 6-8:30pm on the dates of June 10th at Cottonwood, June 24th at the Plattner’s, July 8th at Bethany, and July 15th. Go to bethanycentral.org/summerfest for more details and locations of each meeting place.
Adult Co-ed Soccer
Tuesdays | 6:00PM
Soccer meets outside on the Bethany soccer fields from May-September and inside the Bethany gym from October-April. If you have any questions, contact Mandy Hobbs: aswright@mail.bradley.edu.
Discussion Questions
Icebreaker: Are you more of a checklist person or a go-with-the-flow person? How do you respond to the other type of person (ie, when a flow person interacts with a checklist person and vice versa)?
Discussion 1: Paul uses the story of Hagar and Sarah to represent two different ways of relating to God — slavery and freedom. What do these two women symbolize in Paul’s argument, and why do you think he uses a family story instead of a theological explanation alone?
Application 1: In what ways can legalism feel like freedom at first but slowly turn into slavery? Where do you see signs of that in your own spiritual life, such as guilt, fear of failure, or pressure to perform?
Discussion 2: In verse 29, Paul notes that just as the son born according to the flesh (Ishmael) persecuted the son born according to the Spirit (Isaac), the same tension still existed in Paul’s day. Why do you think legalism so often opposes grace? How does this tension still show up in churches or Christian culture today?
Application 2: How do you typically respond when grace feels unfair — either toward yourself or toward others? What would it look like to rest more fully in God’s promise instead of comparing, competing, or measuring spiritual success?
Discussion 3: Paul concludes by saying, “We are not children of the slave but of the free woman.” What does it mean to live as a child of promise rather than a child of obligation? How does this passage reshape how we understand obedience, holiness, and freedom?
Application 3: Paul says we are children of the free woman. What is one specific item (a self-imposed rule, a lingering feeling of guilt, or a past mistake) that represents the “slave woman” in your life? What is a tangible action you can take this week to “cast out” that piece of slavery and truly live into the freedom you have as an heir?
