BLC Weekly, March 25
Hello Bethlehem,
Welcome to Holy Week. Bethlehem will worship on Maundy Thursday at 6:15pm, Good Friday at noon and 6:15pm, and Easter Sunday at 9:30am. Services will also be available to view online on our Facebook page.
We hope you enjoyed our Palm Sunday worship service led by the BLC Youth and Children. In case you missed it, you can view the service on our Facebook or YouTube channel.
This Week
There will be no Wednesday night supper or worship this week. We will return next Wednesday with chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, vegetables and a roll, served at 5:00 pm in the lower level, followed by worship at 6:15 pm.
Cans Needed! Anna and Kaitlin are requesting aluminum cans for a project to celebrate Eid with our children, youth, and families on April 10th. Size doesn't matter, just no lid, and rinsed. We need about 50 total. Please drop them off in the main office by Monday, April 8th. Thank you!
We are kicking off our Flamingo Flocking Fundraiser. For $30 you can flock a friend or family member’s yard with flamingos. $10 gets you flamingo insurance to keep the flock off your yard. Proceeds from this fundraiser will help send our youth to the ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans this summer. Head to the form on our website to sign up!
Endowment Fund Scholarship applications are now open. Graduating high school seniors and undergraduate students are invited to apply online here by May 1st.
A closer look at the painting done by NightLIGHT youth using ashes from Ash Wednesday, and the Communion chalices created by our 4th graders for their Communion milestone.
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!
ALS WALK
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.
NEXTREX CHALLENGE
We want your plastic bags! Bethlehem has entered the NexTrex Recycling Challenge with a goal 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.
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 are assembling a team to help plan our second annual Women’s Event! Contact Joy Dykema if interested: dykemajoy@gmail.com
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.
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
Trinity Lutheran in Wanamingo Root Prairie Lutheran in Chatfield
Trinity Lutheran in Thompson Iambi Lutheran in Tanzania
Disaster Preparation & Response Ministry in Colombia
CELCO (Colegio de la Evangelica Luterana de Colombia) in Cocuy Easces