BLC Weekly, September 3
Hello Bethlehem,
Another program year is about to begin! You’re invited to God’s Work, Our Hands this Sunday, September 8 and Wednesday, September 11. Reunite with your church family with worship, food, service and congregational art projects.
Join us after worship on Sunday for brunch. We will be serving up breakfast burritos, scrambled eggs, muffins, fruit kabobs, mini cinnamon rolls and mini pancakes. On Wednesday night we will be serving sloppy joe sandwiches, chips and cold pasta salad with DQ Dilly bars for dessert!
All this great food will fuel you up for art and service projects, including school kit assembly, baptism blanket assembly and neighborhood clean ups! Garbage bags and gloves will be provided for anyone interested in helping to clean up the neighborhood.
This is also a great time to bring in Blessings Box donations as we restock for a new season! The new and improved Blessings Box is on the way and we are praying for a great season of sharing with our community. Suggested donation items include toothpaste, bar soap, deodorant, hand wipes, pads, pop-top canned goods, noodles, dry cereal, peanut butter, oatmeal packets, sports drink mixes, and snack packs.
Come and join us in faith, fellowship and fun as we kick off a new fall season here at Bethlehem!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Connections Shelter invites you to attend their Block Party on Sept. 12 as they kick off a new season with a goal of now serving the community all year round!
Join BLC at South Central Minnesota Pride! Pastor Jacie will be participating in the SCMN Pride Community Worship Service at First Presbyterian, beginning at 9:30am this Saturday, September 7. Then, join BLC’s Welcome & Inclusion Board in marching at the Pride Parade on Riverfront from 11:15 am until noon. All are welcome to come and celebrate our diverse community, Bethlehem’s commitment to being an RIC Congregation, and the spirit of welcome and inclusion here at Bethlehem! Contact Pastor Jacie with any questions.
The BLC Men’s Group kicks off their first event of the season with Grilling & Monday Night Football on Monday, September 9th. Contact Pastor Jay Dahlvang with any questions.
NEW! Bibles and Brews is a new group gathering for casual conversations on faith and culture. Join Pastor Jacie at Pub 500 on Thursday, September 12th beginning at 6:00pm for their first gathering!
Small Groups are getting ready for the season. Sign up today. You can join BLC Men, the Women’s Circles, Meet & Eat, Bible studies, and more! Learn more and register on our website.
Family faith formation
2024 ELCA Youth Gathering Reunion!
Family Faith Formation programming registration is now open and there’s something for everyone! Ages 3 years to 4th grade are invited to join LIGHT or NightLIGHT, grades 5th-6th are welcomed to TorchLIGHT and we have confirmation classes for 7th-9th graders. High school students are invited to attend monthly fellowship events. Join FFF Director, Anna Wencl and Children’s & Family Ministry Associate, Kaitlin Carter, for another great year!
ANNOuncements
Holy Grounds Needs You
Holy Grounds is an ecumenical, community-based breakfast program located in downtown Mankato at Centenary Methodist Church. We serve approximately 100 meals six days each week (Monday through Saturday), between 9:00 and 10:00 AM. Our guests are among the most vulnerable in our community - folks that lack housing, folks without enough funds to make it to the end of the month, folks struggling with addiction, and folks who feel alone and isolated. It was started 15 years ago by a gentleman who wanted to meet the church’s downtown neighbors. However, without enough volunteers it would all grind to a halt. If you have 90 minutes available, once a week (8:45 - 10:15 AM), please consider giving it a try. You can sign-up by going to the Holy Grounds home page (https://www.mankatocentenary.org/holy-grounds), and clicking on the volunteer link. Come and join our small, but mighty group of dedicated servants.
The Greater Mankato Diversity Council is hosting a Voter Registration Event on Saturday, September 21st, from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm at the 127 S 2nd St Shared Spaces location. “Our goal is to make voter registration accessible to all eligible community members and ensure they are empowered to participate in the upcoming elections.” Contact GMDC if you are interested in volunteering at this event!
The 2nd Annual Women’s Event is scheduled for November 9th. We want your group to join in the fun at a tour of tables! This year’s theme is Warm your Heart with Plaid! Be creative and advertise your group.
Bring a plaid tablecloth
Decorate the table with a centerpiece celebrating your group
Plates/napkins are provided but optional to bring if your group has something in mind!
Interested? Contact Joy Dykema, dykemajoy@gmail.com
Thank You Kellen Schaefer!
Thank you to Kellen Schaefer who has faithfully served Bethlehem for the past 5 years as one of our weekend janitors. He is responsible for opening the doors, turning on the lights, cleaning the building and creating a welcoming environment for our members and guests on Sunday mornings and for special events. He has been a valuable member of our dedicated staff. We are grateful for his service!
Monthly Mission
Bethlehem’s September Monthly Mission partner is Iambi Secondary School Scholarships. This church-managed boarding school serves 200 students in the Mkalama district, Singida region in Tanzania. Academically, 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. You can give online or drop off a check written out to Bethlehem with the memo line: Monthly Mission, . Thank you for giving generously.
This Week in our Prayers
Curt Halvorson Marian Mallory Pete Wachtel
Les Biesterfeld Anna Moses Jim Freyberg
Barb Girtz Mark Woelfe Tracy Carter
Amy Grams Haugesag Jane Sletta Nick Frederick
Fran Jurs Royce & Vonnie Elker Danielle Johnson
Rita Gibbs Bob Erlandson Larry Frowick
Don Grotta Steve Richmond
Family and Friends of:
Fran Jurs
Kathy Auel
Angeline Twardoski
Bear Lake Concordia Lutheran, Albert Lea United Lutheran in Walters
Spring Garden Lutheran in Cannon Falls Kinyangiri Lutheran in Tanzania
Venezuelan Ministry in Colombia