BLC Weekly, September 11
Hello Bethlehem,
We had a fun and interesting start to God’s Work, Our Hands! The power was out for most of the service but the band still led us in worship. The lights came back during “Amazing Grace” and we were able to continue as planned with a wonderful brunch and service projects, including school kits and quilts in the lower level, outdoor games and activities for the kids, and a neighborhood clean up! More pictures of the fun are available on our Facebook along with photos from PrideFest.
We hope you will join us for part two this Wednesday, September 13. Wednesday Night Suppers will return this week. We will be having cheeseburgers at 5pm and you can check out the full menu on our website. After 6:15pm worship we will continue with service projects, including another neighborhood cleanup walk and redoing the Byron Street sign!
If you missed out on Sunday and won’t be here Wednesday, feel free to fill out the Time & Talent Form attached to this email or stop by the office to pick up a copy. Pick up a Fall Catalog while you’re in! There you will find our upcoming events as well as youth and children’s programming, small groups, music opportunities and more!
Bethlehem will host a Women’s Event on October 7th, organized by BLC women. We invite you to come and enjoy light refreshments and Fair Trade shopping, and learn about Bible Journaling and Neuro Art. We will hear from speakers Marcie Flygare, neuroplasticity coach and trauma sensitive yoga instructor in Mankato, Minnesota, and Deb Hadley, author of the Morning God Boost, Founder of the KT Humble Hearts Foundation, and the Bereavement Manager for Knute Nelson Hospice. Event will take place from 9am to 1pm, and tickets are available online. Register here to attend.
The Family Friendship Program at MSU was relaunched in the spring of 2023 and has played a significant role at MSU for many years. There are over 1700 international students from 98 countries who call MSU home.This program connects international students to volunteers in the community. Many of these students have never set foot in an American home while studying in the United States, and this program hopes to create space for cultural exchanges and connection. Kristin Odland, Retention Specialist at MSU, will speak about the Family Friendship Program at our Adult Forum on September 24.
Senior Fraud Awareness Seminar: Join South Point Financial Credit Union at 2pm on September 12 at Old Main Village for an informative seminar aimed at protecting older adults from common scams. Enjoy refreshments and treats and hear from the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Senior Financial Fraud Ombudsman, Martin Fleischhacker. Note: you do not have to be a senior to attend this useful seminar.
Registration forms for LIGHT & NightLIGHT, Torchlight and Confirmation are now available on our website! Click here for registration. Torchlight & Confirmation Orientation will take place next Wednesday, September 20th.
On Thursday, Sept. 21, the Welcome Team will host a fundraiser at Applebee’s in Mankato. Just tell your server you are dining as guests of the Welcome Team and a percentage of your check will help our mission of welcoming refugees to our community. Ordering online? Just use code DOINGOOD at checkout.
The Community and Global Mission Board has signed up to help with Sunday Suppers for the unhoused during the summer on September 24th, from 4-6 at Grace Lutheran Church. Simple meals of sandwiches, chips, water will be provided. We can use donations of water, Gatorade, individual packages of chips, bars, paper plates, paper bags for take home. Please, contact Dee Bennett 317-679-3277, deebennett@mac.com to coordinate a donation. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
You can help the families devastated by the earthquake in Morocco. Head to Lutheran World Relief to support those in urgent need.
You’re invited to the Connections Block Party and Shelter Shower on Thursday, Sept. 14. There will be music, food trucks, activities, shelter tours and more! You can help spruce up the shelter for the new season by purchasing items from their wish list.
In case you missed it, we had a pastor in the paper! Check out Pastor Jacie in the Free Press article about church leadership at Mankato Pride.
Fall term at MSU-Mankato is in full swing! We are blessed to have Bethlehem Lutheran Church and your volunteers as partners in our ministry to feed hungry MSU students through our Lunch For-a-Buck program. Faithful servants, Jan Blaisdell and Kathryn Sargent, served a delicious lunch of chicken alfredo pasta, spinach alfredo pasta, Italian bread, salad, and homemade cake to 43 hungry individuals during Lunch For-a-Buck on Tuesday, September 5. The students gobbled up every single bite of food that was provided! Jan and Kathryn also collected $51.94 in donations that will be used to purchase the salads, fixings, beverages, paper plates, dinnerware, and other supplies for future lunches. God bless you for your generosity and supporting the students and our ministry at Crossroads.
Home Care for Pr. Don: Bethlehem has been caring for and supporting Pastor Don and Bonnie Roberts since he was diagnosed with ALS in 1995, and now the Roberts need our help. Are you interested in helping with Pastor Don's home care? If you have experience as a caregiver, a good heart, and a willingness to learn, you are needed, as they are looking for more caregivers to round out their team. Let Pr. Don and Bonnie know if you can help! Connect with the Roberts by emailing dbroberts320@hotmail.com
Our September Monthly Mission is Iambi Secondary School Scholarships. The school is a boarding school for both girls and boys. School capacity is about 200 students. ISS has a total of 20 staff. Academically, Iambi Secondary School has been doing very well in various exams. In the Mkalama district, it is a leading school, and in the Singida region it is among the top ten schools in regional and national examination results. ISS has a conducive environment for students to learn with a reliable power supply, enough books, and enough teachers for all subjects. They also teach computer studies courses and religion. Gifts from Bethlehem have been transformative for ISS, and our past generosity enabled the school to install electricity, allowing the students and teachers to study and prepare lessons after the sun went down. Test scores soared, and enrollment boomed. Please give prayerfully and financially to our friends at Iambi Secondary School. Our goal is $7,000 You can mail a check or give online throughout the month of September.
This Week in our Prayers
Curt Halvorson Brenda Goetsch Marian Mallory
Pete Wachtel Carol Peterson Jim Norland
Sarah Nelson Nikolas Perez Shari Elbert
Pastor Don Roberts, Bonnie, and his caregivers
Garness Trinity Lutheran in Mabel Central Lutheran in Winona
Redeemer Lutheran in Good Thunder Neema Mpipiti Lutheran in Tanzania
Mwanga Lutheran in Tanzania Gach Jal Lutheran Parish in South Sudan