BLC Weekly, October 30
Hello Bethlehem,
The Semi-Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, November 19 after worship. Join us November 12 after worship for a Budget forum. Budgets will be available on the Welcome Kiosk next Sunday, November 5.
THIS month
Union Presbyterian Church, located at 730 South Third Street in St. Peter, will be hosting a festival of hymns and readings entitled O Vision Fair: Reflections on Grief Turned to Glory at 4 p.m. on Sunday, November 5. Christine Schulz will be leading the music portion of the festival. All are welcome to attend!
It’s a Fiesta de la Familia and YOU are invited! This celebration will recognize the Ariac and Andrea Cruz family on Thursday, November 9th 6 PM to 8PM at Christ the King Church located at 222 Pfau Street in Mankato. The WELCOME Committee invites you to a Nicaraguan-style supper: scrambled eggs wrapped in warm tortillas, Huevos Duros Y Tomate (eggs cooked in a wild tomato sauce) Chorizo, a simple but flavorful sausage, black beans and fresh fruits including bananas, papayas, mangoes and avocados. A short program will introduce attendees to the many adventures and accomplishments of the family since their arrival last December. Reservations required and limited! Use this form to sign up. Free will offering is gratefully accepted.
Pre-orders now open! We’re making lefse on Friday, November 17… but we can’t do it alone! More volunteers mean more lefse. Confirm with Ginger Erlandson ASAP if you are planning to help. (507)380-5268 rerlandson2@gmail.com Lefse will be available for pickup on Friday, November 17 from noon until 1pm and Sunday, November 19 after worship.
We had a wonderful Trunk-or-Treat and Halloween Youth Lock-In! Check out some of the photos on our Facebook.
Thrivent Action Grants & Choice Dollars Are you a Thrivent member? Would you like to help Bethlehem financially? Check out the flyer that describes what you can do with Thrivent Action Grants and Choice Dollars. You can really make a difference for our church.
If you’d like to help provide support for victims of the war in the Holy Land you can contribute to Lutheran World Relief or to the ELCA Disaster Response.
We invite anyone interested to sign the name or bring a photo of loved ones who have passed on at the All Saints altar, now up in the narthex.
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
Adult forum - Sunday, October 29
Rural Mental Health - Sunday, November 5
Dr. Megan Mahowald of the Blue Cross & Blue Shield Minnesota Center for Rural Behavioral Health at Minnesota State University-Mankato will present Sunday's adult forum. Her focus will be on the challenges of rural mental health and the work of the Center.
Join us at 10:30 am in Grounds for Joy for coffee and conversation. We look forward to seeing you. Check out the following links for background on this topic.
MSU Mankato rural mental health center expands to tackle access, shortage issues
Identifying bottlenecks and roadblocks in the rural mental health pipeline
Monthly Missions
Our October Monthly Mission is Connections Ministry. Connections is a low-barrier emergency shelter as well as outreach services. The shelter is seasonal and will open on October 2nd. There are 40 beds for unhoused men, women and children, and last year Connections served 115 shelter guests as well as 700 individuals in their outreach office. We can serve Connections through both monetary support and volunteering. The Connections vision statement says it all: “Walking with individuals and families experiencing homelessness by extending a radical welcome that provides dignity, shelter and community.” Our goal is $3,000.
Bethlehem is scheduled to serve at Connections Shelter Tuesday 11/28- Sunday 12/3 and the weeks of 1/15 and 2/26.
Our November Monthly Mission is The Reach Youth Resource Center. Since The Reach formed in 2011, they have served over 5,300 unhoused or at-risk youth and provided over 30,800 meals! Located on the Liberty Street side of Bethlehem’s campus, The Reach is a valuable resource in providing resources, basic necessities, preparation for employment and independent living, as well as recreational activities. Please give online or mail a check to support this important mission in our community!
This Week in our Prayers
Curt Halvorson Brenda Goetsch
Marian Mallory Pete Wachtel
Carol Peterson Nikolas Perez Betty Sanger
Pastor Don Roberts, Bonnie, & his caregivers
The families & friends of Jim Norland, Rich Bouquet and Steve Twardosk
Salem Lutheran in Albert Lea
First English Lutheran in Cannon Falls
Peace Lutheran in Eyota
Mazoezi Muungano Lutheran in Tanzania
Deng Hoth Lutheran Parish in South Sudan