BLC Weekly, March 18
Hello Bethlehem,
The youth have been preparing for Palm Sunday! Holy Week will begin with Palm Sunday led by LIGHT, NightLIGHT and TorchLIGHT youth this Sunday. We will begin worship by gathering in the narthex. The 4th graders will also be having their communion milestone during worship. Check out some of their rehearsal photos:
Easter Flower forms are due tomorrow, March 19th! Order online or pick up a form in the narthex. Flowers will be available on Easter after worship on a first-come basis for all who contributed. If you’d like to get a photo with the Easter garden, please plan on doing so before the worship service. After flowers are paid for, any additional funds will go to supporting our music scholars.
Holy Week Schedule
This Week
March 24 - Palm Sunday Worship at 9:30
March 28 - Maundy Thursday Worship at 6:15
March 29 - Good Friday Worship at noon & 6:15
March 31 - Easter Sunday Worship at 9:30
Wednesday night supper this week is a grilled chicken on a bun with potato salad and baked beans, served at 5 pm in the lower level. Join us afterwards for Lenten worship at 6:15pm. There will be no Wednesday night supper served next week. We hope you will join us for Holy Week worship services.
Our Adult Forum on Sunday, March 24 will be “Master Gardening and How Not to Kill Your Tree” with Shane Bugeja, Extension Educator and Master Gardener Coordinator.
This MONth
Director of Music & Worship, Charlie Leftridge, leading choir rehearsal in the chapel.
Pastor Don’s 75th birthday is coming up on March 20th! We are celebrating with a shower of cards. You can send your card directly to Pastor Don’s address, available on Breeze, or drop off/mail to the church office and we will get it sent out!
Join Connections for a Cookie & Coffee Farewell Open House on Thursday, March 21 from 3-5pm at First Presbyterian Church. Drop by and say farewell and good luck to Pastor Erica.
We invite Bethlehem families to join our Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 23, at 10:00. If you’d like to donate candy for this event, candy can be dropped off in the church office by Sunday, March 17th. Thank you!
Monthly Mission
Bethlehem’s March Mission Partner is a faith-based organization in Minnesota called THEE Alliance Medical Debt. More families declare bankruptcy from accumulated medical debt than any other reason. Americans owe billions of dollars in medical debt, and those with serious debt often don’t seek needed medical care. THEE Alliance is the Minnesota affiliate of RIP Medical Debt, a national faith-based non-profit organization that buys medical debt from medical providers and debt collectors for pennies on the dollar. They have forgiven $10 billion since 2014, including over $49 million in medical debt forgiven for over 50,000 Minnesota families. Read more at ripmedicaldebt.org
You can give online or with a check. The Endowment Fund will provide additional support to enhance the generous contributions of the Bethlehem community designated for this March Mission Partner.
KATO SLEEP OUT
Join Team Bethlehem!
Bethlehem plans to repeat its 2023 Connections Shelter Kato Sleep Out victory with another major commitment this spring. Join us to support this essential community outreach fundraising initiative! Make a Difference! Pastor Jacie Richmond, Amy Haigh, Ben and Danielle Johnson will “sleep out” for Bethlehem in our parking lot on the evening of Friday, April 26. YOU can support them by contributing $$$ and products that support the Connections Shelter and produce another Team Bethlehem championship. Last year, 60 Bethlehem members and friends provided $6,050 to continue the ministry of Connections in our community. Can we meet and surpass these totals? YOU can help answer that challenge!
How Can I Be Involved?
You can contribute $$$ with Cash or Check (Payable to Connections Shelter Ministry). Put these in an envelope with your name and give to Bob Ihrig at Bethlehem for credit to our team. Or, you can donate online. Email Bob Ihrig at robert.ihrig1@gmail.com with your donation information to be credited to our team.
You can contribute individually wrapped snacks, coffee, powdered drink mix (lemonade, ice tea, Gatorade) toilet paper, and loose change. Bring these to the Sleep-Out at Bethlehem on Friday, April 26 at 5:00-6:00 pm. for credit to our team. See attachment for more Sleep-Out details! Thank you for your support!
Look ahead
Blue Earth Taxi is now available for members in need of transportation to and from Sunday worship. Members can call 507-388-2227 on Saturday to arrange their pickup for Sunday. The ride will be billed to Bethlehem.
We want your plastic bags! With the help of Sarah Morgan and the Landscaping Committee, Bethlehem has entered the NexTrex Recycling Challenge. Bethlehem has 365 days to collect 1,000 lbs of plastic bags. Acceptable bags include grocery bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, dry cleaning bags, newspaper sleeves, ice bags, ziploc and cereal bags, case overwrap you’d find on cases of water bottles or toilet paper, salt bags, plastic wrap and produce bags. If Bethlehem reaches this goal, NexTrex will award us a bench for our Community Garden. A receptacle will be available in the library lounge near the TV. Thank you for your help with this unique recycling challenge!
We are assembling a team to help plan our second annual Women’s Event! Whether you participated last year or are just passionate about spreading grace and joy, we invite you to join in the planning process. The event will take place in the fall. Contact Joy Dykema if interested: dykemajoy@gmail.com
Please join us for the ALS walk, Saturday April 27th in Spring Lake Park. Check in is 8:30 and the walk starts at 10:00. Let’s honor Pastor Don and in memory of Jon Nelson! Let’s hope for a sunny April day! The walk around the lake is very easy and comfortable. If you can’t join us.. and would like to donate, please go on line at ALS.org or stop in the office and pick up a form and mail-free envelope. Please contact Ginger Erlandson with any questions.
SErVE
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
This Week in our Prayers
Curt Halvorson Brenda Goetsch Marian Mallory
Pete Wachtel Nikolas Perez Les Biesterfeld
Anna Moses John Engles Jim Freyberg
Barb Girtz Mark Woelfel Shirley Ruby
Pastor Don Roberts, Bonnie, & his caregivers
Community Lutheran in Geneva Salem Lutheran in Albert Lea
Christ Lutheran in Preston Whalan Lutheran in Lanesboro
Mwanga Lutheran in Tanzania Kier Wan Lutheran Parish in South Sudan
Iambi Hospital in Tanzania