BLC Weekly, March 6
Hello Bethlehem,
Our 4th graders were in the kitchen on Sunday baking communion bread! 4th graders will celebrate communion together during Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday.
Join us on Lenten Wednesdays as we explore 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. We welcome area pastors as our guest preachers, and if you want to follow along, the book is available online. This Wednesday we will welcome Pastor John Odegard from Grace Lutheran church.
Thank you Pastor Collette Broady Grund for joining us on Sunday to talk about Connections Shelter at our adult forum. Sign up for Bethlehem’s upcoming shelter week, beginning March 20, here. We also invite you to register as an individual or a group for Connection’s Kato Sleep Out coming up on March 31st. Sleep out to help raise funds and awareness for area homelessness. Learn more and register here.
What challenges and changes exist in America's health care world today? How are they reshaping what we expect from the medical community? What can we expect in the future? What will it mean for you? Join Mary Bliesmer, Holly Nevills, Jeannie Phillips & Drew Hood as they share their experiences and insights into acute care, primary care, assisted living and long term care. Join us for coffee and the adult forum on Sunday, March 12 at 10:45 am in Grounds for Joy. Listen, ask your questions and learn with your fellow Bethlehem members. The full upcoming adult forum schedule is available on our website.
We’re inviting our high school youth to game night! Join Pastor Jacie for an evening of fun, games and popcorn! Grades 9-12 come hang out on Friday March 10th from 7-9pm in the Youth Room. RSVP to pastor Jacie, pastorjacie@blcmankato.org by March 8th.
Bethlehem will host a Life Line Screening down in the basement on Thursday, March 30, 2023 offering safe, painless, non-invasive preventive health screenings that are typically not a part of a routine physical. To be more proactive about your health for yourself, your family and your community, please register for these health screenings today. There is no time like the present to take action! Screenings offered: Carotid Artery Screening, Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening, Peripheral Arterial Disease Screening, and Atrial Fibrillation Screening.
Three ways to register:
• Call toll-free: 1-844-591-7160
• Online: https://llsa.social/HC
• Text: the word circle to 216-279-1607
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.
KNITTERS and CROCHETERS — PRAYER SHAWL MAKERS: These still winter months are a great time for quiet knitting and crocheting to replenish the supply of BLC prayer shawls. Bundles of soft, new yarn (not Homespun) with patterns/instructions for prayer shawls are available in the office. BE A PRAYER SHAWL MAKER. See Marcia Nagel or Kathy Croswell for more information. Knitting and crocheting lessons available.
The SE Minnesota Synod Assembly will be held on Saturday, May 6 at the Mayo Clinic Event Center in Mankato. See link for details: https://semnsynod.org/pages/synod-assembly
Bethlehem is entitled to 3 adult delegates & 1 youth/young adult delegate to represent us. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the work of the synod and to participate in church decisionmaking and worship service.If you are interested in being a delegate, contact Bob Ihrig at robert.ihrig1@gmail.com. The deadline to submit your name is March 20. The Council will act on all delegates at its March 21 meeting.
Bethlehem members interested in serving on the BLC Council or a board/committee during the next 3 years should contact Bob Ihrig at robert.ihrig1@gmail.com Identify your specific interest so we can match you up with the right group. We have open positions and welcome your service to Bethlehem!
Newborn Kits: Throughout February and March, Community & Global will be collecting new and gently used items to create newborn kits. 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. Contact Amy Haigh (507) 720-2148 with any questions.
WELCOME, a collaboration of Bethlehem, Grace, Messiah, Calvary and Christ the King churches, would like to share the following updates:
The renovations of the family's home are now complete! Final cleaning was finished on Saturday 3/4. The family will be moving in soon! Thank you to everyone who donated items for their new home!
All family members are now attending school/daycare. The adults are attending ESL classes and are enthusiastic to practice their English whenever they can.
Ways to help- if people want to continue to support the family a great way to do that is either through cash donations or with gift cards for places like Target (for example). Also, keeping the family in prayer is another good way to support as well. As always if people want to donate money with a check they should write the check to Bethlehem and put "WELCOME- Nicaragua" in the memo line.
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.
