CHURCH NEWS

Bella Vista Lutheran Church

A special worship service for those unable to attend a regular worship service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 3. And, following the service, lunch will be served. If you or someone you know needs transportation to this or any other service, please contact the church office at 479-855-0272.

Every Wednesday during Lent, a worship service will begin at 6 p.m. Prior to the service, supper will be served, starting at 5:15 p.m.

The Men’s Bible Study group meets Mondays at 1 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. in the church library. Please enter the north entrance. The Quilter’s meet on March 11 starting at 8:30 a.m.

The Shepherd’s Food Pantry is open every Friday from 10 a.m. until noon. Along with donated food items, it also collects the “Best Choice” PVC labels, which gives it the ability to purchase many needed items. A container for your donation is in the church narthex.

Village Bible Church

Wednesday, March 4, the Oasis Food Pantry will be open from 10 a.m. to noon. This ministry is available to anyone in the area who needs help with groceries and would appreciate the compassion and encouragement of friendly volunteers. A potluck fellowship dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall and the community is always welcome. At 6:30 p.m., there will be singing, devotions and prayer in the worship center.

Sunday, March 8, Pastor Mark and Associate Pastor Al will continue their sermon series.

Highlands Church (United Methodist)

The next blood drive organized by HUMMERS (Highlands United Methodist Men) is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 18. Help make a difference in this community by giving blood. Free cholesterol screening is offered. Please eat well and drink plenty of fluids prior to the blood drive. A photo ID is required.

The next 10-week session of Flex ‘N Stretch starts Monday, March 23, at Highlands Church and meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:30 a.m. in the Peter Classroom. The mission is to challenge, encourage and promote better health through physical exercise. You can attend one lesson, all 30 lessons, or even somewhere in-between — whatever works for you. Flex ‘N Stretch is a wellness program of activities that focuses on responsible movement that is pain-free and possible for all participants, including seniors, and teaches how to do the exercises easily and safely. Benefits include increased range of motion, coordination, strength, balance and agility, all of which improve the quality of life and lead to longer independent living. Cost is $45 for 30 sessions or $30 for 15 Sessions. Contact the church office at 479-855-2277 for more information.

Bella Vista Community Church

Lenten Soup Suppers and Meditations are Wednesdays, through April 1. Chili or chicken chili is served on March 4 at 5:30 p.m. in McKay Hall. Please call the church office to sign up (cost: $3/person or $5/family). Meditations begin at 6:20 p.m. in the sanctuary. Kids are treated to a special Lent activity during the meditation.

BVCC’s Women’s Bible Study, an eight-week series titled Raised Together: Study of Colossians by Gloria Furman, begins on Thursday, March 12, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. or Tuesday, March 17, from 6-8 p.m. in room 8/9. Cost is $15. Please call the church office to sign up.

Unitarian Universalists

Sunday, March 8: “Trusting Conscience,” a discussion led by Suzanne Miltich.

Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista

The Bella Vista Police Department will present a church safety seminar at The Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista at 10 a.m.

Wednesday, March 11. Church members should sign up in the connector hallway. Please call the church office at 479-8552390 if you intend to participate so that appropriate seating is arranged. The seminar will meet in Classroom C or the fellowship hall, depending on sign-ups.

Are you looking for a new church family? Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista invites you to worship during this Lenten season at the traditional worship service each Sunday at 10 a.m. Christian education classes for all ages meet at 8:30 a.m. A nursery attendant is available. Stay for coffee fellowship after the service. New friends are always welcome.

Village Baptist Church

On Saturday, March 7, the Women’s Ministry of Village Baptist Church will sponsor an event called “Rain Down” from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Plaza. The event is called “Rain Down” because is it an invitation for the Holy Spirit to “rain down” on all those present. It says in Hosea 10:12, “…for it is time to seek the Lord, that He may come and rain righteousness upon you.” The event will include scripture readings, spoken testimonies, lunch, fun and fellowship. In order to have a count of those attending for lunch, please call the church office at 479-855-7775 to make a reservation. There is no charge for this event and all ladies of the community are welcome. Please bring a Bible, invite a friend and have a heart ready to be encouraged by the Holy Spirit. The Plaza is located at 1 Highlands Crossing in Bella Vista. For more information concerning the event, call the church office or visit the website at www.vbconline.net.

First United Methodist Church

Beginning on March 10, a nine-week Grief Support class will gather to share grief and seek healing at the First United Methodist Church Bella Vista on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Grief is the outpouring of emotion and pain due to loss in our lives. The loss may be as a result of a death, of divorce, of sudden change, or any other of a variety of causes. The journey through grief is different for each circumstance and individual, but in Grief Support, persons are able to support each other emotionally, spiritually and with ways to cope. The class will spend time understanding grief, the effects it has, and the mourning process that is a necessary journey that brings healing. The class provides insight, compassion, support and hope during this difficult time.

“Even though grief is a natural emotion, our culture does not deal well with it. Culturally, we are expected to ‘get over it and get back to normal!’ It is precisely for this reason that we need support to understand and live through the grieving process. In the years we have been offering these support sessions, we have had a number of folks from different walks of life participate and recommend this to their family and friends. We had one person whose husband passed away after a short and difficult battle with cancer. She attended and, at first, could only sit and cry and listen. She later grew to the point that she was bringing friends to the group so that they could experience the healing she had found. After several years, she is now living life once again with the additional blessing that she has now remarried,” said Rev. Brenda Wideman, leader of the Grief Support class.