BLC Weekly, March 27
Hello Bethlehem,
Join us this Wednesday as we wrap up our Lenten worship series exploring the five spiritual practices rooted in Jesus' own walk with his Father. Based on Adam Hamilton's book, The Walk, each week we will explore how we walk with Christ, grow in our love for God, and faithfully serve our neighbor. This Wednesday we will serve a cheeseburger dinner followed by 6:15pm worship. This week Pastor Jacie will preach on Share: Going Fishing, Reflecting Light.
Then, we hope you will join us next week for Holy Week! The worship schedule is available online.
More of The Appalachian Trail
Thank you, Jeannie Phillips, for sharing with us at our adult forum on Sunday! Jeannie will continue her Appalachian Trail journey on Sunday, April 30 at the adult forum starting at 10:45 am after morning worship. She will share more pictures and stories of her 2022 experience. Pick up your morning coffee and take a seat in Grounds for Joy! Come and enjoy! It is quite a saga!
The annual application for Endowment Fund Scholarships is now open! Current college undergraduates and high school seniors can apply online or pick up an application in the office. Scholarship applications are due May 1.
Save the date! The ALS Walk is coming up on April 29 at Spring Lake Park. Check in begins at 8:30am, walk starts at 10am.
Bethlehem Boards & Committees
Bethlehem members interested in serving on a board/committee during the next 3 years should contact Bob Ihrig at: robert.ihrig1@gmail.com 507-388-1953
We have vacancies on the following boards & committees:
Community & Global Mission
Facilities
Finance
Music & Worship
Stewardship
Youth
We welcome your service to Bethlehem!
ECHO Food Shelf is Bethlehem's March Monthly Mission. The need for services for local families continues to rise and ECHO expands and provides their services to meet the growing needs of our community. Please consider supporting this important program via a monetary donation. Our March monetary goal is $3000. We thank Bethlehem members for your continued commitment to our community and to ECHO Food Shelf.
Last week we introduced the Cruz family to our congregation as we,additionally, provided an opportunity for our members to support Ariac, Andrea and their two sons in their journey to American citizenship by committing to a monthly gift of $10, $25 or $50 for a period of one year. It’s such an easy way to help this refugee family working hard to learn the English language, earn their GED’s, adapt to Minnesota climate and culture, seek and obtain viable employment and settle into a community where snow is abundant, the summers are beastly and the people can’t be nicer!
This month we are giving you yet another option for supporting the Cruz family. Our Community and Global Missions Board has named them the “Monthly Mission” for April. If you prefer a one-time gift over a monthly gift for a period of a year, we hope you will choose to support the Monthly Mission. Regardless, please pray for this family and the WELCOME volunteers who work tirelessly on their behalf. Thank you.
Last call! Community & Global will be collecting new and gently used items to create newborn kits though the end of March. Each Kit includes 1 Regular 52" bath towel, 1 washcloth (not microfiber), 1 bath-size-bar white ivory soap (in original packaging), 1 newborn cotton t-shirt or onesie (sizes 0-3 months), 1 newborn stocking hat, 2 cloth diapers, and 2 diaper pins. You can drop off donations in the collection bin in the narthex. Contact Amy Haigh (507) 720-2148 with any questions. Thank you!
Thrivent Action Grants & Choice Dollars
Are you currently a Thrivent member? Do you own one or more Thrivent financial products? If so, you may be eligible to financially benefit Bethlehem with a Thrivent Action Plan or with Thrivent Choice Dollars.
This is your opportunity to serve Bethlehem with a financial gift at no cost to you. Please give these options your serious consideration! Thank you. Contact Bob Ihrig with your questions: 507-388-1953 or robert.ihrig1@gmail.com
Kato Sleep Out: The Bethlehem Tuesday morning Bible Study group has enthusiastically accepted the challenge from the Connections Ministry Overnight Shelter to sponsor a fundraising team in the Kato Sleep Out on Friday, March 31. Check out the details on the Connections website: www.connectionsshelter.org/kato-sleep-out-2023
Jeannie Phillips has offered, on behalf of our team, to sleep out that evening to raise awareness of homelessness in our community and to raise financial pledges to support the vital work of Connections. Thank you Jeannie for your commitment to Bethlehem and Connections!
Our goal is to raise $3,500 from our team and other members of Bethlehem. We welcome your contributions and support of this vital community project. Help us to make a difference! If you are interested in financially supporting Bethlehem's team for Kato Sleep Out, contact team coordinator Bob Ihrig at: robert.ihrig1@gmail.com 507-388-1953
You have 3 donation options for helping us meet our $3,500 goal:
•Cash
•Check (Make payable to Connections Shelter)
•Online (See option on site. Be sure to designate Sleep Out)
Cash and checks (in envelope) should be given directly to Bob Ihrig. You can do this at church on Wednesday evening. Make sure you identify your name on the envelope so we can properly credit you on our team record. I will present all of these on the evening of March 31 with our team record & donations.
Please let Bob Ihrig know via email of any Sleep Out online donation you made. We need your name, email address and donation amount to count for our team donation record.
Donation Update: We have raised $2,470 donations as of Sunday toward our Sleep-Out goal of $3,500. Wow! Thank you! Everyone at Bethlehem can help Jeannie Phillips end her March 31 sleep-out early by adding to this total. Help Bethlehem be the #1 team for Sleep-Out donations. We only need $1,030 more! Let's make it happen for Jeannie and Connections Shelter! Feel free to share this with your friends! We welcome all Connections supporters & donations!
