Shining Light at NBBC

Zoe Willows

Hey everyone, welcome back to "What's Up NBBC!" It's Zoe here, and as always, I’m sitting next to the one and only Samuel Rivers. How’s it going, Samuel?

Samuel Rivers

Aw, Zoe, it’s going good, I tell ya—cold out there, but the energy at New Bethel always warms me up. We’ve got a full slate for February.

Zoe Willows

Oh totally. I mean, it feels like every week Pastor Dianna is dropping something for us to chew on. For February, the themes go from blessings—like, straight out of Matthew 5, the Beatitudes—to, my favorite, "Shine the Light!" You’ve got to love a sermon that literally tells you to light up the room. And then she jumps to Christ as the Morning Star, brings in second Peter, and then, like, BAM!—wrestling with guilt. That’s a ride.

Samuel Rivers

It’s a real lineup—a little bit encouragement, a little bit challenge, right? You know, those blessings passages, Matthew 5:1-12, they always bring me back to basics. Like, what does it really mean to be blessed? Is it comfort? Or maybe it’s sometimes just knowing you’re seen, right there in your struggles.

Zoe Willows

Yeah, and it’s funny, because I was at—actually, I was grabbing coffee before service a few weeks ago, because, confession, I basically can’t function without caffeine and, um, good conversation. Anyways, this woman at the coffee shop started talking to me about the “blessed are the peacemakers” line Pastor Dianna had just preached on. She’s not even from NBBC! We ended up chatting for, like, fifteen minutes about what counts as a real blessing. So, shoutout to early Sunday coffee, I guess.

Samuel Rivers

Isn’t it wild how sermons do that—kinda ripple out past church, sneak their way into everywhere? The second week, “Shine the Light!”—I love that one. Always makes me wonder, how are we, as a church, really shining? Is it through service, like showing up at one of the pantries, or just saying hey to someone who seems kinda out of place in the pews?

Zoe Willows

Oh, for sure. Sorry, I mean… like shine it in big ways or small. Sometimes “shine your light” sounds huge, but, I don’t know, it’s also just holding the door for someone or just being kinda open-hearted. That sermon title really lingered with me. Made me think if my own routines look, you know, a little brighter after Sunday.

Samuel Rivers

And Christ as Morning Star—that’s a poetic one. Feels big. Kinda a reminder that, even if we flicker, God’s got that steady light... Oh, and then that last Sunday… guilt. Oof. Rolling up your sleeves to wrestle with tough stuff. Sometimes church is about hope, but sometimes it’s about owning up and asking tough questions.

Samuel Rivers

Speaking of hope, you know one thing that helps me steady my heart? Community rhythms. Like, not just Sunday. I gotta mention—the church council meeting is happening this month, February 10th. If you’re new or just curious how things happen behind the scenes, that’s where the real magic—or chaos—happens. Depends on the snacks, to be honest.

Zoe Willows

Haha, I wouldn’t mind a behind-the-scenes documentary, honestly. More seriously, we’ve got Ash Wednesday on February 18th, too—always an important pause for me. Samuel, have you always done Ash Wednesday? I only started a couple of years ago but found it surprisingly grounding, you know?

Samuel Rivers

Oh, Zoe, I’ll tell you—I remember my first Ash Wednesday. I was about, what, nineteen? I didn’t really get it at first. Felt weird having ash on my forehead. But the quiet, the letting go, the... I dunno, that invitation to reflect—it always hits me. If you’ve never tried it at NBBC, I gotta say, it’s different when you’re among friends. There’s so much grace in that room.

Zoe Willows

Totally. And even outside the service, we’ve got God’s Bounty pantry every week. NBBC serves there the first Thursday of each month. If you’ve never volunteered, it can feel intimidating, but honestly, I volunteered once at a local food bank and it was life-changing. It’s wild how you go thinking you’re here to help, but you end up making, like, real connections with people who just need a smile and a box of food. Makes those “shine your light” lessons feel less abstract, you know?

Samuel Rivers

Absolutely. The pantry is where church steps out of the building. And then, okay—we gotta give a little love to the clubs too. Book club is every Wednesday at 11, Janie Bryant runs that—she has the absolute best book picks. Euchre Club, couple times a month, hosted by Janet Fiddler in the Judson Room. If you're not from the Midwest, euchre is like... well, imagine bridge, but everyone laughs more and is less competitive—well, mostly.

Zoe Willows

Yeah, and shoutout to Barb Fengya for leading Saturday morning yoga. And it’s free! All you need is a mat and maybe the resolve to actually get up on a Saturday morning, which—uh—I’m working on. But, seriously, it’s open to everybody, and no one judges you for needing, like, five child’s pose breaks. Groups like these, they just open the door to new friendships, which is sometimes exactly what you need.

Zoe Willows

All right, we gotta hit the special moments now—February birthdays! So, sending out huge happy birthday vibes to Cooper Winton-Stone, Ruth Ann Mills, Nora Juday, Jeff Fiddler, Isabelle Jones, and Jean McGee. If you know any of these folks, let them know you heard it here and give ‘em some extra love this month! Or, you know, send them a funny GIF or a sweet text.

Samuel Rivers

Happy birthday, y’all! It’s funny, but these little celebrations—they matter. Reminds me of my old congregation back home. There was this one year—I forget who, maybe Miss Gertie—someone’s birthday landed on a potluck Sunday, and the whole hall broke out singing. People who barely talked to each other before, suddenly laughing like old pals. It was one of those moments, you know? The little things bring a church family close.

Zoe Willows

Completely. And honestly, for a lot of us, it’s not Sunday worship that cements the friendships. It’s book club, or reaching for the same card at euchre, or, yes, even wobbling on a yoga mat together. That’s where connections form and, like, support grows. It’s what keeps folks coming back—even when the weather’s miserable or life’s throwing curveballs.

Samuel Rivers

That’s the beauty of New Bethel, I think—celebrating the big stuff and the small, not just as tradition, but because every person, every milestone, matters. Whether it’s a birthday or just someone showing up for the first time at God’s Bounty, it’s all worth cheering about.

Zoe Willows

Couldn’t agree more. All right, that’s it for today’s episode. Whether you’re a regular or just tuning in for the first time, we hope you feel more connected. We’ll be back soon with more stories, more shoutouts, and probably more of Samuel’s potluck memories—but honestly, who doesn’t love that?

Samuel Rivers

You gotta promise me next time you bring some of that indie music for our outro, Zoe. All right—take care, y’all, and keep shining your light, wherever you are!

Zoe Willows

See you soon, everybody. Bye Samuel!

Samuel Rivers

Bye Zoe, and bye to all our listeners. God bless!