October at New Bethel Baptist Church

Zoe Willows

Hey everyone, welcome back to What's Up NBBC! I'm Zoe, and I am here with Samuel as always. October is already shaping up to be a jam-packed month at New Bethel Baptist Church.

Samuel Rivers

Absolutely, Zoe, and I mean, I’ve gotta say, the fall vibes are real this year. I think it’s the coffee—or maybe it’s just Pastor Dianna, she always brings the warmth, you know?

Zoe Willows

You know it. So, every Sunday in October Pastor Dianna is diving into a different theme, and these are so on point. This week we start with “Are You Living by Faithfulness?” That’s from Habakkuk, for all the Bible nerds out there—c’mon, don’t leave me hanging—

Samuel Rivers

You know I’m right there with you! Then the next week, it’s “Living Differently,” which is actually outta Timothy.

Zoe Willows

Exactly! And then, third Sunday, it’s all about “Praying with Persistence”—I think that’s gonna hit home for a lot of us. There’s something about just sticking with it even when things are sorta, like, uncertain.

Samuel Rivers

Yeah, Zoe, and she wraps it up with “Keeping the Faith” from Joel. So, if you’re looking for guidance and a mix of faith topics, October is definitely your month. Oh—and before service, if you’re new and you haven’t heard, there’s “Coffee and Jesus” at 9:30 every Sunday. And I gotta say, the first time I went, I’ll never forget how Pastor Dianna just walked up, coffee in hand, and asked about my hometown like we’d been friends forever. Just felt like home in an instant.

Zoe Willows

That’s what I love about NBBC! And, speaking of coming together, Sunday October 5th is World Communion Day. So we’ll be joining churches all over, all around the globe. That feeling of unity is really powerful. Plus, there’s a fellowship lunch and, okay, a quarterly business meeting too—so you get your soul, your stomach, and your church mission all filled in one go!

Samuel Rivers

And right before all of that is the community breakfast on Saturday, October 4th. Honestly, if you haven’t been, you’re missing out on more than just the biscuits and gravy—though those are worth showing up early for. Zoe, if I remember right, you’re more of a pancakes person?

Zoe Willows

Yeah, but only if there’s, like, a gallon of maple syrup. But seriously, the thing about breakfast at NBBC is you can show up and not know a soul and somehow leave with three invitations to something by the time you take your last bite. It’s the most stress-free way for newcomers to dip their toes in.

Samuel Rivers

That energy just carries through everything we do. Next up is the outdoor worship service and Crop Walk out at Fort Harrison State Park on Sunday, October 12th. Worship in the woods, followed by food and a walk for hunger relief—it’s, ah, well, it’s kind of the best combination. If you wanna join NBBC’s Crop Walk team, just hop onto events.crophungerwalk.org and look for NBBC Wannamaker.

Zoe Willows

I love that every year! And then—okay, my personal favorite—Trunk or Treat, October 25th. If you wanna see creativity, this is the night. Like, we’re talking decorated cars, wild costumes, all the sugar you should probably not have. But Samuel, I have to confess—last year, I totally panicked and threw on a cat-ear headband and called it a costume. It was...not my finest hour for originality.

Samuel Rivers

You’re selling yourself short! There’s always at least one last-minute costume in the crowd. The best part is it’s just, you know, everyone’s out there for the kids and for the neighborhood. Lots of new faces, lots of laughs. Plus, it’s not too late for folks to start planning some extravagant trunk decorations—just saying!

Zoe Willows

Alright, before we wrap, let’s talk about the stuff that keeps the NBBC heartbeat strong week after week. First up: God’s Bounty. They take donations Wednesday evenings, but Thursday is the main day for serving the community. NBBC is on deck the first Thursday every month—and shout out to Paul Young for steering that ship, because honestly, he’s, like, everyone's go-to guy for “How do I help?”

Samuel Rivers

Couldn’t agree more. And you know, if you’re looking for some mental and spiritual enrichment, Book Club with Janie Bryant is on Wednesdays at 11 a.m., totally on Zoom so you can join in even if you’re in pajama mode. Euchre Club, that’s another favorite of mine—first and third Wednesdays at 1 p.m., meet in the Judson Room where, let me tell you, my first Euchre game at NBBC was...humbling. I hadn’t played in years, and Janet Fiddler, man, she doesn’t go easy on anybody.

Zoe Willows

I believe it! And don’t forget yoga, Saturday mornings at 9:30. It’s in the Judson Room too, super low key, totally free. No excuses—besides, I am the queen of “I can’t touch my toes”—so if I can do it, you can absolutely do it. Every one of these groups is designed to be welcoming to newcomers. You just show up and you’re instantly part of the ring of friends.

Samuel Rivers

Yeah, that’s what got me plugged in after I moved here. Those small groups—book club, games, yoga—they just make it way easier to move from being the “new person” to feeling like you really belong. That’s pretty much what makes New Bethel, well, New Bethel.

Zoe Willows

Totally. So, whether you’re ready for deep-dive sermons, a killer breakfast, or you just want to play a game of Euchre and laugh at my yoga attempts, there is something—probably a lot of somethings—for you at NBBC this October.

Samuel Rivers

That’s it for today, friends. Thanks for hanging with us and catching up on all things New Bethel. We’ll be back with more NBBC news before you know it. Take care, Zoe!

Zoe Willows

Bye Samuel, and bye everyone—see you at Coffee and Jesus, or at least at trunk or treat! Have a great October!