BLC Weekly, August 5
Hello Bethlehem,
Welcome back BLC Green Lake Campers! Pastor Jacie, FFF Director Anna Wencl and the BLC Youth have returned from the Shores of St. Andrew. We’re happy to hear it was a fun and memorable week!
Congratulations Elizabeth Ruiz
Our Financial Secretary, Elizabeth Ruiz, will celebrate 25 years of faithful service to Bethlehem this week. Elizabeth began her employment with us on August 8, 1999.
We are grateful for her many years of financial expertise in serving us through 3 capital campaigns, 25 years of annual fund pledge campaigns and budget preparation as well as essential bookkeeping associated with monthly income and expenses. Her dedication to excellence in her work and to financial integrity have provided a solid foundation for our church in advancing our ministry and mission. We appreciate her positive spirit, warm smile and great sense of humor! What a blessing Elizabeth has been to Bethlehem! Thank you for all you do!
Family faith formation
BLC Youth are invited to join us at ValleyFair on August 21. Registration is now open!
Let the games begin! All families with kiddos ages 3 years - 6th grade are invited to the BLC Olympics.
ANNOuncements
Our next Red Cross Blood Drive will be held on August 20 from 12-6pm in Grounds for Joy. Sign up online and save lives!
Summer Organ Recitals continue at Bethlehem! Recitals will take place Tuesdays at 12:10pm in the sanctuary, July 16 through August 13. Upcoming recitals:
August 6 - Kraig Windschitl
August 13 - Christine Schulz
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.
Monthly Mission
Bethlehem’s August Monthly Mission partner is Crossroads Campus Ministry. Led by Pastor Jenna Couch, Crossroads is “Welcoming of all people of good will, no exceptions.” Campus Cupboard provides food support to students in need and Lunch-for-a-Buck provides an affordable weekly meal during the school year. Our goal is $1,000. You can give online or drop off a check written out to Bethlehem with the memo line: Monthly Mission, Crossroads Campus Ministry. Thank you for giving generously.
Our July goal was to raise $1,300 for Partners for Housing. Together, we surpassed our goal and raised $1,404! In addition, Endowment will be doubling that total. Great work, Bethlehem!
Monthly Mission Match! BLC Endowment is currently matching your monthly mission contributions $1 for $1 for the rest of the summer! Designate a special gift to Bethlehem for any or all of these projects and the Endowment Fund will double it!
This Week in our Prayers
Curt Halvorson Marian Mallory Pete Wachtel
Les Biesterfeld Anna Moses Jim Freyberg
Barb Girtz Mark Woelfel Tracy Carter
Amy Grams Haugesag Jane Sletta Nick Frederick
Red Oak Grove Lutheran in Austin Hayward Lutheran in Hayward
Mabel First Lutheran in Mabel Solo Por Fe Lutheran in Colombia
Emanuel Cathedral Lutheran in Tanzania Casa La Paz in Medellin, Colombia