Weekly Email, Sept. 13

September 13, 2021

Thanks to the 20 people who showed up to represent Bethlehem at the Mankato Pride Parade on Saturday! 
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NEW OFFICE HOURS: With fall programming up and running, we will keep the office open until 5pm Tuesday-Thursday, and remained closed on Monday and Friday. Please call to make an appointment outside these hours. 

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On behalf of the congregation the Endowment Board is thankful for the opportunity to determine how to share the Fund's earnings with many worthwhile causes and missions. We invite the congregation to share this opportunity by submitting ideas and by supporting Bethlehem's Endowment Fund. 'Request for Funds' forms are available online and also on the counter outside the office.

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RALLY DAY 2021: Rally Sunday was amazing! (Check out the photos here.) We hope you're planning on Wednesday fun, too. Festivities will be outside with Creation Story themed activities, a service project all can participate in for "God's Work, Our Hands," and the bounce house. We can't wait to see you! Plan to join us in the Dining Room before worship for our community meal (donations accepted). Dinner at 5pm, Worship at 6:15pm.

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Have you filled out your form yet? It's time to fill out a NEW Time & Talent Survey at blcmankato.org/forms. No matter how many years you've been volunteering, please fill out a form. New worship times means new schedules. Thanks!

With this request, we are reminded of the great quotation the Community & Global Missions Board sent in from Living Lutheran this month: "Every person supports a cause. It may not be our cause, but that's OK. See what's going on in your church and in your community and get involved with something that touches your heart. Think about it, pray about it and then just do it. Live beyond yourself."
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The Adult Education Board will resume forums on September 19 at a new time! This week's forum is "We're RIC (Reconciling in Christ): NOW WHAT!?!?!" The Welcome & Inclusion Board invite you to join us for ways YOU can participate regularly in being an open and affirming church. It starts with knowing exactly what that means! See you in the Heritage Room at 10:30! Bring your coffee up!

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Please remember our current mask policy: As we enter the busyness of fall, a reminder that in accordance with current CDC COVID-19 guidelines, Bethlehem requires masks for all public gatherings inside the building, including worship and Wednesday night events, during times of substantial or high levels of community transmission.  Private gatherings of small groups, where all participants are fully vaccinated, may continue to remove their masks. 

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Join Pastor Jay and the Welcome and Inclusion Board as we support the education sub-committee of South Central Pride. On Thursday, September 23, starting at 6:00 PM, they will be hosting a public viewing of the new documentary film, “Pray Away,” at the Centenary United Methodist Church in downtown Mankato. This documentary deals with the harmful practice of so-called ‘conversion therapy,’ and its impact on the LGBTQIA+ community. The film also examines the culpability of Christian churches and the significant role certain denominations and churches played in supporting this harmful practice.

After viewing the movie, there will be a panel discussion that will give folks a chance to publicly share their own stories related to this topic. Many members of the LGBTQIA+ community have harrowing stories to tell of the traumas they endured in the name Christianity and this destructive practice. By involving you and other local churches, we hope to have an audience of Christian allies present to bear witness to the harm this practice has caused, offer support or just listen, and/or apologize for the past actions of the Christian church. Perhaps there can even be moments of reconciliation.
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Are you a member of our Facebook group? We post needs, news, and other fun things there, and you're encouraged to share as well. Check it out: https://www.facebook.com/groups/blcfam

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Our new website and church management system, Breeze, offers so many exciting ways we can streamline our communication with you. Using Breeze to send you weekly updates is one of the ways we can keep our email list consistent and accurate (it also saves time and money!). 

Additionally, our new website features a "News & Updates" blog, which you can follow right from the home page (blcmankato.org). By including all the details there, you can easily reference it at any time. 

News & Updates: https://www.blcmankato.org/news-updates

The website also integrates the Events Calendar from Breeze. You can view the calendar and event descriptions on the website, but you can also check into worship and register for events by using your own Breeze account (don't have one yet? Contact Emily in the office). 

Church Calendar: https://www.blcmankato.org/calendar

"Bethlehem is an inviting community that is growing in Christ, loving our neighbors, and serving God's world."

blcmankato.org (507) 388-2925
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
720 S. 2nd St. Mankato MN 56001
A Reconciling in Christ Congregation