AI, Abraham, and Strawberries at New Bethel
This episode explores New Bethel Baptist’s packed June lineup, from sermons on Genesis, Romans, and AI in the workforce to community favorites like Coffee and Jesus, the Strawberry Festival, and midweek book club and yoga. It also highlights the church’s hands-on outreach through God's Bounty Food Pantry and other ways faith shows up in everyday life.
Chapter 1
Coffee, Jesus, and Pastor Dianna's June Sermons
Zoe Willows
Welcome to the show everybody! I'm Zoe Willows, here with Samuel Rivers. And Samuel, I need to start with something that completely caught me off guard. There is a church in Indianapolis, New Bethel Baptist, where the pastor is doing a sermon on AI and the workforce. Artificial intelligence from a pulpit on Southeastern Avenue!
Samuel Rivers
I love that so much. Honestly, Pastor Dianna is hitting the ground running this June. It all starts every Sunday with "Coffee and Jesus" at 9:30 a.m., and then the main service at 10:30. But that AI sermon on June 14th? She is pairing Matthew chapter 9 and 10 with the future of our jobs. That is incredibly bold.
Zoe Willows
Right? Matthew 9:35 to 10:8, where Jesus is sending out the disciples because the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. And now we have algorithmic workers entering the mix! It is such a fascinating modern parallel. But she is kicking the month off on June 7th with something a bit more foundational -- Genesis 12:1-9, titled "Are you ready to take the next step?"
Samuel Rivers
Genesis 12 is the call of Abraham, Zoe. It is the ultimate "pack your bags, we are going somewhere you do not know yet" moment. It is about radical trust. And speaking of stepping out, the church actually has a Community Breakfast the day before that, on Saturday, June 6th, from 8 to 11 a.m. So you can literally get fed physically on Saturday, then spiritually on Sunday.
Zoe Willows
Oh, I am always down for a breakfast community vibe. And the Sunday momentum keeps going into the afternoon because they have "The War Room" Bible study happening every Sunday at 3 p.m. through June 14th. But looking further into the sermon calendar, June 21st shifts gears to Romans 6:1b-11, with the theme "Death and rebirth."
Samuel Rivers
That Romans passage is heavy. It is all about being united with Christ in death so we can walk in newness of life. It is the core of Christian theology. But then, look at the following week. The final sermon of June is actually not on Sunday. They are shifting the service to Saturday, June 27th, at 6 p.m.
Zoe Willows
Wait, a Saturday night service at 6 p.m.? Why the schedule shake-up?
Samuel Rivers
Well, they are preaching Genesis 22:1-14 -- "The Lord will provide" -- which is the story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah. But the big reason for the Saturday shift is likely because Sunday, June 28th, is their massive Strawberry Festival! That runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. You cannot easily host a massive community festival right when Sunday service is letting out.
Zoe Willows
Ah, fresh strawberries and ice cream on a Sunday afternoon. That makes complete sense. Sign me up for the Saturday night worship if it means strawberry shortcake the next morning!
Chapter 2
Midweek Connection and Serving at God's Bounty
Samuel Rivers
It is not just about the weekends though, Zoe. New Bethel has a ton of things happening right in the middle of the week to keep people connected. Like, if you are looking for a mid-week intellectual outlet, Janie Bryant leads their Zoom Book Club on Wednesdays at 11 a.m.
Zoe Willows
Zoom Book Club is perfect for people who want to discuss big ideas without leaving their living rooms. But if you want something in person, they also have Euchre Club in the Judson Room, which is on the lower level. That meets at 1 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. Janet Fiddler is the contact for that one.
Samuel Rivers
Euchre is serious business in Indiana! If card games are not your speed, they also have a totally free yoga class on Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m. in that same Judson Room. Barb Fengya runs it, and you just need comfortable clothes and a yoga mat.
Zoe Willows
Free yoga in a church basement is such a cool way to open the doors to the neighborhood. But the real heartbeat of their community outreach seems to be the God's Bounty Food Pantry. This is a major operation.
Samuel Rivers
It really is. God's Bounty serves the community every Thursday starting at 1 p.m. all the way until 7 p.m. And they accept donations on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. New Bethel actually steps up to serve on the front lines there on the first Thursday of every month, coordinated by Paul Young.
Zoe Willows
Paul Young is organizing a massive effort. Serving for six hours on a Thursday is a serious commitment. It shows they are not just talking about faith on Sundays; they are physically packing boxes and feeding their neighbors on Thursdays.
Samuel Rivers
And that is exactly what makes a church a community, right? It is the mix of the deep, difficult theological conversations -- like how we handle the rise of AI -- alongside the very simple, tangible acts of handing someone a bag of groceries or sharing a plate of strawberries.
Zoe Willows
Absolutely. If you want to dive deeper into all of this, the new issue of "The Journey" newsletter comes out on May 31st with all the details, including the Church Council meeting details for Tuesday, June 9th at 6 p.m.
Samuel Rivers
Well, whether you are there for the theological heavy lifting, the Euchre, or just the coffee, New Bethel is clearly a place trying to live out its faith in the real world. Thanks for listening, everyone! I'm Samuel Rivers.
Zoe Willows
And I'm Zoe Willows. We will catch you next time!