Ecclesiastes 4:9
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.”
Church Partnerships
As a United Methodist Church, we are linked to an interconnected network of organizations that join together in mission and ministry, allowing us to accomplish far more than any one local church or person could alone. That means we partner with other United Methodist Churches often.
Forward Together volunteers at the monthly food distribution at Elizabeth Street United Methodist Church. We box and distribute food for over 100 families.
Vital Conversations collaborates with Epworth United Methodist Church and their Social Justice Team by sharing materials and attending each other’s events.
Bethany has been partnering with Urban Ministries of Durham for 15+ years. This started as a mission project for the youth group and has transformed into a long-term project for our church. UMD serves 3 meals a day, 365 days a year, and provides other valuable resources for those experiencing homelessness. Bethany prepares and serves a few of those many meals each year.
In February of 2024, we had the opportunity to partner with Changed Paths Durham who cook weekly meals to distribute to those experiencing homelessness. Changed Paths currently uses our kitchen most Sundays to cook 100+ meals for the Durham community.
We are currently in the negotiation process with the Midtown Housing Coalition for selling and leasing land behind the church in order to build affordable housing for people living with disabilities. We had a Spring Fling at the church parking lot in 2024 to help raise money and awareness for the project.
Forward Together Reconciling Partnerships
Forward Together Reconciling Sunday School Class began in 2018 as a group to celebrate LGBTQ members of Bethany United Methodist Church by participating in the annual Durham Pride Parade. In 2023 it was decided by the group to transition into a Sunday School Class that would meet weekly and support the removal of LGBTQ discriminatory language in the book of Discipline, which would be considered at the 2024 General Conference. The class has since doubled in size and continues to offer a safe space for LGBTQ Christians and allies. We invite you to join us in our faith journey toward discipleship in Christ with mutual respect, understanding and love. Here are some of the ways that we partner with others:
The Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) is an organization seeking the inclusion of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in both the policy and practices of the United Methodist Church. Forward Together is a reconciling group that is a part of the over 1,100 affiliated congregations and groups in this network!
Forward Together is a member of Durham Queer Methodists participating with other United Methodist congregations throughout the Greater Triangle area who advocate for the full inclusion and welcome of queer people and their families within their United Methodist Church communities.
Forward Together works with Rainbow Collective for Change by hosting Rainbow Story hours for young children, as well as workshops for teachers and parents/grandparents to help build safe, inclusive and equitable spaces for LGBTQ+ families.
Forward Together supports L’Arche North Carolina through hosting meals with craft projects and sharing fellowship with the inclusive L’Arche community.
Forward Together sponsors supply drives for Families Moving Forward as well as cooks meals for the families they serve.
Forward Together also raises money for The Trevor Project, which is an organization that provides services for LGBTQ+ teens who are contemplating suicide.
Lizzie Grey Chandler Class Partnerships
The Lizzie Grey Chandler Sunday School Class is a traditional, adult Sunday school class which was started in 1947 as the Heritage Class This was taught by Ms. Chandler after agreeing to teach temporarily, but then turned into teaching for many, many years. It was later renamed in 1965 in her honor. The class continues as a very mission oriented class. Here are some of the ways that we partner with others:
The main fundraiser for the Lizzie Grey Chandler Class is working at the clothing concession stand at the Duke Football games. All funds raised from these events go to various ministries and missions of the church. As the class has aged, New Creation United Methodist Church and the wider Bethany church family have supported this opportunity.
The Lizzie Grey Chandler Class partners with Families Moving Forward (a temporary housing for homeless families) by preparing and feeding families dinner several times a year. After dinner we sometimes have the opportunity to take care of the parent’s children while they meet. We have also assisted Families Moving Forward with special workdays around their facility.
The Lizzie Grey Chandler Class partners with the Ronald McDonald House of Durham by making donations to their Christmas Wish List and/or their Christmas Wish List in July. These Wish Lists include a collection of items needed at the house in order to serve families staying during hospitalizations of seriously ill children. We occasionally furnish meals for the families living there temporarily.