Sermons and Special Music
from services during the pastorate of Ralph L. Wrightstone

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From Bethel UMC Services of
January 1, 2024 thru December 31, 2024

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Click on the symbol to begin playing an audio recording.

January 2024

07 - Epiphany Sunday - First Sunday after Epiphany
...... (02:39) - Text . Message Scripture - Mark 2:1-12
...... (13:34) - . Message: "The Guiding Star of Epiphany"
...... (00:47) - Closing Remarks
Click here to read the article about the catacomb paintings mentioned by pastor Ralph in his message

14 - Second Sunday after Epiphany (1st Sermon in a Series)
The pastor's mike went silent at about 17:57 of the message. From that point on the quality of the recording is affected though it should still be effectively audable. The online service provides another opportunity to hear the same message in a different recording at a different setting.
...... (00:59) - Scripture: Matthew 5:13- 16
...... (28:50) - Message "God Bless America Again - Part 1"
...... (01:10) - A Look Ahead
...... (00:25) - Closing Prayer

21 - Third Sunday after Epiphany (2nd sermon in a Series)
...... (02:24) - Introduction and Scripture: James 1:19-27
...... (22:29) - Message "God Bless America Again - Part 2"
...... (01:33) - A Prayer for You

28 - Fourth Sunday after Epiphany (3rd sermon in a Series)
...... (03:08) - Introduction and Scripture: Luke 1:46-55
...... (30:52) - Message "Blessings and Responsibility"

February 2024

04 - Fifth Sunday after Epiphany (4th Sermon in a Series)
...... (02:55) - Introduction
...... (00:56) - Scripture: Luke 1:46-55
...... (26:35) - Message "Blessings and Responsibility, part 2"
There is about 45 seconds of "hum" about 17 min into this for which an attempt was made to repair it
. ...... (01:22) - A Prayer For You

11 - Sixth Sunday after Epiphany (5th Sermon in a Series)
...... (04:22) - Scripture: Matthew 24:32-39
...... (19:31) - Message "The Love of Truth"
...... (01:31) - Closing Remarks

18 - First Sunday of Lent (6th and last Sermon in a Series)
...... (01:29) - Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40
...... (27:51) - Message "The Love of Truth, part 2"
...... (04:01) - Closing Remarks and a Prayer

25 - Second Sunday of Lent
...... (04:27) - Scripture: Genesis 16:1-16
...... (26:50) - Message "The Promises of God"
...... (01:15) - Closing Remarks...and a peek at the future

March 2024

03 - Third Sunday in Lent
...... (02:00) - Scripture: Mark 8:31-9:1
Although this scripture was designated for this service, and was included in the bulletin, it was not read during the church service. It does say much about what is asked of disciples. This recording of the reading comes from the online service.
...... (14:07) - Message "The Cost of Discipleship: Get Lost!"

10 - Fourth Sunday in Lent
...... (03:46) - Scripture: John 3:14-21
...... (17:55) - Message "The Serpent's Tongue"
...... (02:45) - Closing Remarks
...... (00:44) - Closing Prayer and invitation

17 - Fifth Sunday in Lent
...... (02:02) - Some "Comic" Relief (Family Circus)
...... (03:14) - Scripture: John 13:23-34
...... (19:49) - Message "The Great Reveal"
...... (01:25) - Closing with the reading of the Apostle's Creed

24 - Palm Sunday
...... (02:07) - Scripture: Mark 11:1-11
...... (12:35) - Message "Lay it All Down"
...... (01:43) - Closing Remarks

31 - Easter Sunday
...... (04:36) - "He's Alive" sung by Travis Oaks
...... (03:13) - Introduction and Scripture: Mark 16:1-8
...... (12:20) - Message "Rise Up with Power!"
...... (01:38) - Closing words..."He is Risen Indeed!"

April 2024

07 - Second Sunday of Easter
...... (03:13) - Scripture: John 20:19-31
...... (15:52) - Message on being..."Free to Forgive"

14 - Third Sunday of Easter
...... Bethel Lay Leader Tina Oaks leads the service today while pastor Ralph is away.
...... (02:38) - "Lord, I Need You" sung by Travis Oaks
...... (01:31) - Scripture: 1 John 3:16-24
...... (20:24) - Message: Our Constant God in Our Changing World"
...... (00:39) - Closing Prayer

21 - Fourth Sunday of Easter
...... (01:59) - Scripture: John 10:11-18
...... (10:18) - Message - "The Big Bad Wolf", Part 1
...... (04:07) - Scripture: Ezekiel 34:11-31
...... (12:14) - Message - Part 2
...... (01:12) - Closing Words

28 - Fifth Sunday of Easter
This Heritage Sunday sermon was not recorded at the pond but this sermon on the same topic comes from the online service that day.
...... (02:42) - Scripture: John 10:15:1-8
...... (18:00) - Message - "To Abide"

May 2024

05 - Sixth Sunday of Easter
...... (02:16) - Introduction and Scripture: John 15:9-17
...... (15:16) - Message - "Are You Ready for Graduation"
...... (02:06) - Closing Remarks

12 - Seventh Sunday of Easter
One of the tornados that tore through Tallahassee on Friday left Bethel with several trees down and no power. The service was held with 11 attending but was not recorded. These recordings on the same topic were prepared for the online service.
...... (02:03) - Scripture: John 24:44-53
...... (12:54) - Message - "All in God's Time"

19 - Eighth Sunday of Easter - Pentecost Sunday
Appropriately for Pentecost Sunday, the power had been restored for this service.
...... (02:34) - Scripture: John 16:25-33
...... (18:36) - Message - "Breaking Through"
...... (01:26) - Closing Words

26 - First Sunday after Pentecost - Trinity Sunday
...... God Bless the U.S.A. - a Memorial Sunday offering by Travis
...... (01:27) - Scripture: John 3:12-15,16
...... (17:47) - Message - "Where Is God?"
...... (01:19) - Closing Words

June 2024

02 - Second Sunday after Pentecost
...... (03:32) - Scripture: Mark 2:23-3:6
...... (22:44) - Message - "Battle With the Sabbath"

09 - Third Sunday after Pentecost
The church service this week was not recorded. This sermon, on the same topic, is from the online service.
...... (02:23) - Scripture: Mark 3:20-35
...... (14:43) - Message - "Then He Went Home"

16 - Fourth Sunday after Pentecost - Father's Day
...... (02:00) - Scripture: Mark 4:26-34
...... (16:32) - Message - "Do You Believe in Miracles?"

23 - Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
In the Message today, there is reference to the Youth Message which had a related theme
...... (03:23) - Youth Message - "Be Prepared"
...... (02:18) - Introduction to the scripture
...... (01:18) - Scripture: Mark 4:35-41
...... (15:12) - Message - "Dancing In the Wind"
...... (01:20) - Closing Words and Prayer
The Special Song today seems an appropriate follow-up for the message
...... (03:44) - Special Song - "It's My Desire", sung by Travis Oaks

30 - Sixth Sunday after Pentecost - Independence Celebration
...... (03:59) - Scripture: Mark 5:21-43
...... (19:59) - Message - "Faith on the Fringe"

July 2024

07 - Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:23) - Scripture: Mark 6:1-13
...... (01:03) - Commentary on the scripture - "2 is better than 1"
...... (19:01) - Message - "Just Shake it Off"

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For the three Sundays from Jul 14-Jul 28, there were no online services and the church services were not recorded. Pastor Ralph did make recordings of his sermon, as he normally does for the online service, and sent copies to those who receive notices about the weekly services. Those recordings were used for the next three entries of this page of sermons so that there will be no gaps in the ongoing series of sermons.

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14 - Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (00:37) - Introduction
...... (03:03) - Scripture: Mark 6:14-29
...... (18:43) - Message - "Are You Haunted by Your Past?"

21 - Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:08) - Scripture: John 16:5-16
...... (11:25) - Message - "Why Did Jesus Leave the Earth?"

28 - Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:32) - An Introductory Story
...... (02:22) - Scripture: John 6:1-15
...... (13:02) - Message - "Do We Have a Chance to Help?"

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August 2024

04 - Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:47) - Scripture: John 6:22-35
...... (10:40) - Message - "What Are You Hungering For?"

11 - Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (00:40) - Introduction to Message
...... (02:22) - Message Scripture: John 6:35,41-51
...... (18:21) - Message - "AA or AAA = A?"

18 - Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (01:14) - Introduction to the Message
...... (01:56) - Message Scripture: John 6:47-58
...... (15:27) - Message - "Living Bread"
...... (01:19) - Conclusion: Passing the Living Bread of Jesus

25 - Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (03:31) - Message Scripture: John 6:52-69
...... (18:16) - Message - "Breathe!"

September 2024

01 - Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:11) - Intro and Scripture: James 1:17-27
...... (01:19) - Commentary on the scripture, "A Call to True Religion"
...... (01:17) - Message Scripture and commentary: Mark 7:1-8
...... (10:41) - Message - "We Are Special"
...... Special Song: "The Family of God", sung by Judy Wrightstone and Travis Oaks

08 - Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:55) - Scripture: Mark 7:24-37
...... (19:41) - Message - "We Are Connected"
...... (00:23) - Closing words

15 - Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:19) - Scripture: Mark 8:31-38;9:1
...... (14:06) - Message - "Danger! Danger!"
...... - to see the video clip referenced at the 11:35 point of the sermon

22 - Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (1:59) - Scripture: Mark 9:30-37
...... (13:21) - Message - "A Private Teaching"

29 - Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (02:27) - Scripture: Mark 9:30-37
...... (16:22) - Message - "Do You Guard Your Space?"

October 2024

06 - Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost - World Communion Sunday
...... (03:43) - Scripture: Mark 10:1-12,13-16
...... (13:22) - Message - "God Loves the Children"
...... (03:53) - Service of Communion
...... (02:40) - Special Song - "A Place Called Mt. Calvary"

13 - Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost - Bethel Homecoming
...... (04:16) - Scripture: Mark 10:17-31,32-34
...... (15:21) - Message - "Thinking Outside of the Box"

20 - Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost
...... (03:02) - Scripture: Mark 10:35-45, and commentary about Ambition
...... (15:40) - Message - "Life in the Whirlwind"

27 - Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost
...... (01:57) - Scripture: Mark 10:46-52
...... (22:24) - Message - "Speak Boldly with Passion!"

November 2024

03 - Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Pastor Ralph and Judy were away this Sunday for the planned birth of a great-grandchild. Lay Leader Tina Crowder Oaks delivers the message today.
...... Album - "Joy" - this photo album page presents a mini-message by Travis Oaks that has a part in Tina's message today
...... (04:09) - Special Music: "Consider the Lilies", another of Travis' contributions to the service
...... (17:52) - Message - "Overflow", Scripture: John 7:37-38

10 - Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost - Veterans Sunday
...... (02:21) - Scripture: Mark 12:38-44
...... (17:46) - Message: "The God of Giving and Sacrifice"

17 - Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
...... (03:57) - Introduction and Scripture: Mark 13:1-13
...... (09:46) - Message: "Jesus is Always Right on Time....learning to 'Trust and Wait'"

24 - Christ the King/Reign of Christ Sunday
...... (01:49) - Introduction and Scripture: John 18:33-37
...... (13:58) - Message: "What is Truth?"

December 2024

01 - First Sunday of Advent
...... (02:23) - Introduction and Scripture: Luke 21:25-36
......There were some problems in the last few seconds of this recording
...... (09:08) - Message: "Pay Attention"

08 - Second Sunday of Advent
...... (01:31) - Introduction and Scripture: Luke 3:1-6
.......Reference is also made to an earlier reading from: Isaiah 40:1-5
...... (23:33) - Message: "The Move of God"

15 - Third Sunday of Advent
...... (02:43) - Introduction and Scripture: Luke 3:7-18
...... (17:09) - Message: "Bringing in the Sheaves"
...... (00:34) - Closing Prayer

22 - Fourth Sunday of Advent
...... (01:44) - Introduction and Scripture: Luke 1:46-55
...... (15:52) - Message: "What Happened to Mary?"

29 - Christmas Sunday
...... Part 1
...... (02:57) - Introduction and Scripture: Deut 6:4-9 and Deut 11:13-21
...... (04:38) - Message: A Home where God is Present
...... Part 2
...... (02:31) - Introduction and Scripture: Luke 2:41-51
...... (05:26) - Message: "A Homecoming"
...... (01:54) - Closing words: from St. Patrick and a prayer

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