BLC Weekly, April 3
Hello Bethlehem,
Holy Week is here! Thank you to all the youth, families, and volunteers who helped with our Palm Sunday service. We hope you will join us for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter! Our full Holy Week schedule is available here. Please note: Easter flower orders are due tomorrow, April 4th. If you would like to get photos with the Easter flower garden, please plan on doing so Sunday morning BEFORE the Easter service. Thank you!
Bethlehem Youth will put on a Flamingo Flocking Fundraiser to raise money for their Montana trip this summer! For $25 you can have a flock of 12 fabulous yard ornament flamingos visit a friend’s yard. For $10, you can buy anti-flamingo insurance, which will keep the birds from flying to your house. You can do it to celebrate a birthday or anniversary, or just because! The flamingo migration will begin soon, so fill out this form to sign up!
Kato Sleep-Out Update: We did it!! We reached the magic $3,500 team donation level to allow our Jeannie Phillips to end her planned Connections Kato Sleep-Out at midnight. Wow!! How amazing! Jeannie thanks you for your support! In just two weeks, 33 individuals & families stepped forward and generously contributed to Team Bethlehem and the Connections Ministry. Thank you!!
However, Mother Nature interceded with yet another winter storm last Friday and Saturday. As a result, Connections decided, for the safety of sleepers, to postpone the Sleep-Out to Friday, April 14. We have no doubt that Jeannie would have met the challenge if we had proceeded on Friday. Anyone who can hike the Appalachian Trail can handle a little snow.
Believe it or not, this postponement is all good news for our team. We have met our goal to release Jeannie early from the Sleep-Out but still have two more goals to accomplish. Read on!
•Win the Top Team Trophy for most Sleep-Out dollar donations. We can make history by winning the first-ever Sleep-Out trophy. Bragging rights are at stake. Go Team Bethlehem!
•Raise even more money to keep the Connections Ministry active and working in our community. The word is that every dollar is needed to offset rising costs resulting from more clients using shelter resources this year and to cover the costs of staff who are on the front-line making a real difference in the lives of many. Every dollar counts! Talk to your friends and encourage their donations! Bob Ihrig will happily accept such donations on behalf of Connections. The more $$ that we can deliver on April 14, the better. We will announce our final total that day. Stay tuned for more good news.
Here is how you can still give to the Kato Sleep-Out:
•CASH
•CHECKS (Payable to Connections Ministry)
(Put your cash or check in an envelope with your name and give to Bob Ihrig at church during the next two weeks. We want to add your name and donation to our team.)
•ONLINE https://www.connectionsshelter.org/kato-sleep-out-2023
(Designate Kato Sleep-Out with your donation. Email Bob Ihrig at
robert.ihrig1@gmail.com with your name & donation total so we can add it to our team record)
Thank you for your support!
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!
We want to thank you for your continued patience as we work to improve our livestream system. Live streams of our worship services are currently available on our Facebook page. You do not need a Facebook account to view them. Our worship service is also broadcast on 1420 AM and 102.7 FM each Sunday at 11:00am.
If you are interested in volunteering as a slideshow and/or livestream operator during worship, please contact our office or email blchurch@blcmankato.org.Thank you!
Bethlehem Evening-Weekend Janitor Opening
Part-time evening-weekend janitor position is open for application by BLC members. Visit our website to see accompanying job description & checklist of duties for details of position responsibilities, and to download an application.
Sunday morning responsibilities (1-2 times per month) = 3.5 hours
Special event responsibilities (events vary each month) = Hours vary
Hourly salary to be determined based on qualifications & experience.
Position to start August 1, 2023.
Questions should be directed to Bob Ihrig at (507) 388-1953.
Complete application and return to Bethlehem office Personnel mailbox or email robert.ihrig1@gmail.com for Bob Ihrig by Friday, April 28.
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.
A note from Crossroads Campus Ministry: We feel privileged to be able to offer Lunch-For-a-Buck every Tuesday of the regular school year, and we couldn't do it without congregations like yours.
The Lunch 4-a-Buck program continues to be something that students look forward to every week. We are especially thankful for the support of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and the volunteers who offer their time and culinary talents to provide a hot meal to hungry students and faculty. We look forward to seeing your Lunch 4-a-Buck volunteers this coming Tuesday, April 4 as we continue feeding the Lord's sheep.
Please read the following. I've included some new information:
If you already know what you are serving, please let me know ASAP so we can post the menu on our Facebook page and Instagram. The most recent meals served since you last visited us include bbq chicken sandwiches, broccoli cheese soup, hot beef & hot turkey sandwiches, egg salad sandwiches, roasted chicken quarters, and sweet potato hot dish.
The meal "officially" runs from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, but we are seeing more and more students arriving between 1:10 and 1:30, all of them looking for a hot meal. We know it is a big ask, but if you could have your volunteers stay until 1:15 or 1:30, it would make a lot of students happy.
Try to arrive by 10:30 to set up
Please try to carpool as parking is limited. We will provide parking passes to park on Dillon Avenue in front of the building. You may also park in spaces #1 and #2 in our parking lot if they are open.
It is really difficult to predict how many students will stop by for lunch as the numbers have not been consistent recently. I am suggesting that you plan on serving a minimum of 45-50 people. The last five weeks we served 44, 31, 30, 46, and 45 people.
Please avoid serving pork products. Students also enjoy having vegetarian options.
Let me know if you have any questions. Feel free to call or text my mobile phone at 507-829-3161. Thank you for participating in the Lunch 4-a-Buck program and for your continued support of Crossroads Campus Ministry.
Shalom,
Teri Herder-Blahnik
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.
Our April Monthly Mission is the Cruz Family. Sponsored by the newly formed WELCOME Team, a partnership of five area churches, this Nicaraguan family arrived in Minnesota in December and has since been working 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. You can support this family with a one-time gift, or stop by and fill out a form to commit to a monthly gift of $10, $25, or $50 for a period of one year. If you would like to support the family with a gift of time or other resources, contact Pastor Jacie. Thank you for your prayers and support of this monthly mission!
