BLC Weekly, February 24
Hello Bethlehem,
Fat Tuesday is just around the corner!
You may have seen all the lovely silent auction baskets we had on display before and after worship on Sunday. If you would like to bid on an item in the Fat Tuesday Silent Auction, click through the photos in the Facebook photo album in the discussion tab of our Facebook event. Comment on an individual picture with your bid. (Note: some items will only be available for bidding during the dinner.) Bidding is open now through next Sunday, March 2nd at 7 pm. If you're nervous about bidding online and would like a staff member to do it on your behalf, just send Anna an email (annawencl@blcmankato.org).
Also, for those who would prefer not to pay for their Fat Tuesday tickets online, we will sell them after worship next Sunday, March 2nd.
And thank you again to all the generous boards, committees, and congregation members who put some much heart and love into the baskets and/or donations. We appreciate you and your generosity!
This week
Wednesday Night Supper: This week we are serving up a taco buffet with rice and beans. Join us at 5:00pm in the lower level. Wednesday night worship begins at 6:15pm in the chapel. All are welcome.
Adult Forum THEE Alliance for Forgiving Medical Debt works to forgive medical debt for Minnesotan families. Since 2020, they have forgiven $108 million dollars for financial hardship families. Join THEE Staff for an adult forum this Sunday, March 2 at 10:45 AM in Grounds for Joy to learn more about their work and how to get involved.
Family faith formation
Brave Conversations continue this Wednesday. The 5th-8th grade youth and trusted adults will tackle the topic, “How Do We Have Healthy Relationships?” Conversation will be held from 7-8 PM following worship.
Families with kiddos ages 3-years to 6th grade are invited to Ice Skating at All Seasons Arena on Sunday, March 2nd from 2:00 - 3:30pm.
Announcements
Synod Assembly Delegates The SE MN Synod will hold its annual assembly on Friday-Saturday, May 30-31 at the Mayo Event Center in Mankato. Bethlehem is entitled to 2 adult lay delegates and 1 young adult delegate along with our pastors. If you are interested in serving as a delegate, contact Bob Ihrig by Friday, March 14. The Council will approve BLC delegates at its March 18 meeting.
Due to a recent change on Facebook, new livestream videos will only be available for 30 days. Therefore, we are going to begin uploading worship services to YouTube. You can still view livestreams on Facebook, but if you’d like to revisit a worship video after 30 days, please visit our YouTube channel. Thank you!
The WELCOME Team invites you to Our Grateful Gathering: A Fiesta of Joy, Thursday, April 3rd at Christ the King in Mankato. Join WELCOME for a silent auction, music, programming, and south of the border dinner, with all proceeds supporting the family’s application for asylum status. Auction baskets and items can be dropped off in the BLC office. The event is free; free will offering is gratefully accepted. Space is limited. Call Christ the King at (507) 345-5056 by March 14th to RSVP. Thank you for supporting our mission of welcome!
Ash Wednesday is March 5th. Join us for worship services at noon and 6:15pm.
Our friends at VITA Tax preparation are back in the building and donating their time to help anyone in need of tax preparation assistance. If you know someone who could benefit from their services, their number is (507) 386-5570.
Breakfast with the Bishop: The SE MN Lutheran Men in Mission Board is sponsoring Breakfast with the Bishop on Saturday, April 26th at 9:00 AM at Cabela’s Owatonna. Everyone, and especially young men, are invited to attend this special event. Asst. to the Bishop, Matt Larson will be sharing a Devotion. John Sundquist, Executive Director of Lutheran Men in Mission (LMM), will be the Keynote Speaker. Cost: $15/person (under 20 yrs. Old $10) Send reservations and check by Friday, April 18 to:
Russell Tesch 906 4th Ave SE Waseca, MN 56093
thank you
Thank you to Nick and Linda Frederick for building and providing our beautiful baptism chests! Each child baptized at Bethlehem takes home a handmade chest filled with gifts from our congregation to help begin their journey in faith. Thank you, Fredericks!
Monthly mission partner
Our February monthly mission is ECHO Food Shelf. Serving our area since 1981, ECHO provides regular food orders, a summer feeding program, home deliveries, and much more. There is minimal paperwork to obtain food and no one is turned away. ECHO serves over 600 families a week. Join us in supporting this vital service and mission in our area. Volunteers are always needed and welcomed at ECHO. Visit their website to volunteer. Our goal is $3,500.You can give online or drop off a check written out to Bethlehem with the monthly mission in the memo line.
Double your giving! When we give ECHO our donation in March, our dollars will be doubled by matching funds. Donate to this monthly mission and your dollars will go twice as far!
This Week in our Prayers
Curt Halvorson Marian Mallory Pete Wachtel
Anna Moses Barb Girtz Paul Haugesag
Amy Grams Haugesag Al Rossow Gail Ihrig
Charlene Zimmerman Joan Stoffel
Good Shepherd Lutheran in Plainview First English Lutheran in Faribault
Grace Lutheran in Fairmont Nuru Itaja Lutheran in Tanzania
Yiiw Lutheran Parish in South Sudan Mazoezi Muungano Lutheran in Tanzania