January 3, 2021

HAPPY NEW YEAR, Bethlehem!

We're so happy and grateful to be in this new year with you. Our boards and committees are starting back this week after a well-deserved break, our children and youth will begin meeting again (online) this week, and our mission and ministry to all God's people never stops. We are praying for you in this new year, for whatever it may bring. If you need more connection than is currently being offered right now, please reach out and see if we can help. Did you know you can send a confidential Prayer Request Form right to our pastors? Check it out here.

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We need radio broadcast sponsors ASAP (this week!). Please find out how to sponsor a broadcast on the blog.

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The Evangelism Board has a new name! Read all about it on the blog.

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Did you catch the video announcing the year's new mission partners during Sunday's worship? If you missed it, check it out here: https://youtu.be/hCq1GYRNQu0

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VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED THIS WEEK AT CONNECTIONS! It's not "our week" at the shelter, but they are still in need. Link to sign up to serve at Connections Shelter click here.

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Our new website and church management system, Breeze, offers so many exciting ways we can streamline our communication with you. Using Breeze to send you weekly updates is one of the ways we can keep our email list consistent and accurate (it also saves time and money!).

Additionally, our new website features a "News & Updates" blog, which you can follow right from the home page (blcmankato.org). By including all the details there, you can easily reference it at any time.

News & Updates: https://www.blcmankato.org/news-updates

The website also integrates the Events Calendar from Breeze. You can view the calendar and event descriptions on the website, but you can also check into worship and register for events by using your own Breeze account (don't have one yet? Contact Emily in the office).

Church Calendar: https://www.blcmankato.org/calendar

"Bethlehem is an inviting community that is growing in Christ, loving our neighbors, and serving God's world."

blcmankato.org (507) 388-2925
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
720 S. 2nd St. Mankato MN 56001
A Reconciling in Christ Congregation

We are truly fortunate indeed in this difficult time to be one of the few churches in town that already had a secure radio broadcast schedule and ministry. That ministry is more important than ever and we need your help.

©skitterphoto

Paying for the air time has been a generous way to support the church for many years. Traditionally, when a new year begins, the new sign-up sheet is placed outside the office and remains there until all slots are filled. Absent of your presence in the building, the sheet is not being filled. But we still need $100/week to buy radio time! Here are three ways you can sponsor a radio broadcast:

1. Use this new online form. You have the option to pay via credit card or send a check.

2. Call the office during open hours (or leave a message). You can talk to Christine, Emily, or Elizabeth, and they will take your information. Current office hours are Tues.-Thurs, 9am-4pm. (507) 388-2925.

3. Just mail a check. Send a check to the church for $100 with the memo line “radio broadcast” and a note listing who you are honoring/memorializing and a list of dates you’d be okay with (for specific dates, you really should call to make sure they’re available).

Thank you so much. Our radio listeners are an important part of our church.

In November, the Evangelism Board voted to change its name to the Welcome & Inclusion Board. After an approval from council in December, they’ll be meeting for the first time under their new name on January 12th (they have also changed their meeting time in the new year; it’s now the second Tuesday at 6:30pm).

The change comes after the successful passage of the Reconciling in Christ vote on November 15th, 2020. Welcoming visitors and new members has always been the responsibility of this board, so it falls under their umbrella of jobs to make sure our welcome is warm and open for all. The entire church is responsible for upholding the Welcome Statement passed at the semi-annual meeting, but the Welcome & Inclusion board will lead the way.

“It’s much more representative of what we actually do as a group, even before the vote,” the group agreed. The board also hopes the clearer name will encourage more people to be involved. The board does have one open position. Please contact board chair, Kathryn Freyberg-Wills, or nominating chair, Bob Ihrig, if you’re interested in joining.

December 28, 2020

VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED THIS WEEK AT CONNECTIONS! Link to sign up to serve at Connections Shelter Dec. 28-Jan. 3, click here.

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Happy New Year!

Like many of you, we are looking forward to a new year. Though we know all of our trials won't be removed with a flip of the calendar, we are still hopeful for what the new year will bring. Mostly, we hope we will all be together again soon.

In the meantime, we hope you will continue to be Holy Families of Bethlehem, as Pr. Collette talked about in her Christmas Eve sermon, serving others in God's name in whatever ways you can. We are particularly in need of a few more serving spots at Connections this week, and you can put our next three serving weeks on your calendar, too: Jan 18-24, Mar 1-7, and April 12-18.

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Have you watched Christine's piano music album on YouTube? For those that haven't, Christine has worked with Emily to re-release her 1996 album of piano favorites for you as a special Christmas gift. Read more on the blog. Please enjoy and thank Christine when you see her! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gKaAEfm4Pg

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Our new website and church management system, Breeze, offers so many exciting ways we can streamline our communication with you. Using Breeze to send you weekly updates is one of the ways we can keep our email list consistent and accurate (it also saves time and money!).

Additionally, our new website features a "News & Updates" blog, which you can follow right from the home page (blcmankato.org). By including all the details there, you can easily reference it at any time.

News & Updates: https://www.blcmankato.org/news-updates

The website also integrates the Events Calendar from Breeze. You can view the calendar and event descriptions on the website, but you can also check into worship and register for events by using your own Breeze account (don't have one yet? Contact Emily in the office).

Church Calendar: https://www.blcmankato.org/calendar

"Bethlehem is an inviting community that is growing in Christ, loving our neighbors, and serving God's world."

blcmankato.org (507) 388-2925
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
720 S. 2nd St. Mankato MN 56001
A Reconciling in Christ Congregation

VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED NEXT WEEK AT CONNECTIONS! Link to sign up to serve at Connections Shelter Dec. 28-Jan. 3, click here.

Deadline for ELCA Good Gifts donations is Dec. 23 by noon. Link to give, click here. Read more details about both on the News & Updates blog.

LAST CALL FOR PICTURES! Please send family Christmas photos, from this year or past years, to include in the Christmas worship service. Limit 3 per family. Photos accepted until noon on Dec. 23. Send to Emily at blchurch@blcmankato.org.
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Merry Christmas, Bethlehem! We have a full week of worship for you and a special gift.

Pastor Jay's sermon yesterday brought many of us to tears as we reflected on all the ways our church has always been there for us. He also reminded us we are still here for each other. This is never more true than at Christmas time. We hope you will find a way to be together with us this week, whether online or in the parking lot on Christmas Eve. If you join us in the parking lot, bundle up and only bring a chair if you think you'll be uncomfortable standing for 15-20 minutes.

If you subscribe to our YouTube Channel, you've already received notice of the latest video we posted. For those that don't, Christine has worked with Emily to re-release her 1996 album of piano favorites for you as a special Christmas gift. Read more on the blog. Please enjoy and thank Christine when you see her! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gKaAEfm4Pg

SCHEDULE:
---Tuesday, Dec. 22nd and Wednesday Dec. 23rd: 9am-4pm. Pick up shirts in the church entryway. ONLY IF YOU ORDERED. There are no extras. Also available for pick-up at Christmas Eve Candlelight worship.
---Wednesday, Dec. 23rd: 6pm Advent Evening Prayer Service on Facebook & YouTube
---Thursday, Dec. 24th: 3pm Worship on KTOE Radio; 4pm Worship on Facebook & YouTube; 6pm Candlelight Worship IN THE PARKING LOT
---Friday, Dec. 25th: No services, Merry Christmas! Watch other services a second time!
---Sunday, Dec. 27th: 9:45am A Service of Lessons and Carols, featuring many members of BLC on Facebook & YouTube

Details for all events and more by clicking through to the News & Updates blog.

Feeling extra giving this year? Sign up to give blood on Monday, December 28th. Grounds for Joy, 1-6pm. There are only 5 spots left!
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Our new website and church management system, Breeze, offers so many exciting ways we can streamline our communication with you. Using Breeze to send you weekly updates is one of the ways we can keep our email list consistent and accurate (it also saves time and money!).

Additionally, our new website features a "News & Updates" blog, which you can follow right from the home page (blcmankato.org). By including all the details there, you can easily reference it at any time.

News & Updates: https://www.blcmankato.org/news-updates

The website also integrates the Events Calendar from Breeze. You can view the calendar and event descriptions on the website, but you can also check into worship and register for events by using your own Breeze account (don't have one yet? Contact Emily in the office).

Church Calendar: https://www.blcmankato.org/calendar

In 1996, our organist/pianist/accompanist, Christine Schulz, recorded an original piano album to sell to raise money for a new grand piano. It was a huge success, selling over 500 copies that year at the Nordic Bazaar.

To our delight, she and Emily, our Congregational Services Coordinator, have worked together to re-release this album on YouTube for your easy enjoyment.

Christine said, “I’d just really love to make it available for Christmas this year, since it’s been such a hard year. It would be my gift to the congregation.”

Nearly an hour long and featuring 18 original arrangements of your favorites, you can listen to the music in the background, or watch and enjoy the photo compilation that joins the YouTube Video. You’ll find an artist biography accompanying the final track.

Here’s the YouTube link.

Merry Christmas from Christine!

Our volunteers had a very positive first week at the shelter Dec. 14-20. The new space is so beautiful and of course well-run by Prs. Collette and Erica and co-managed by our own Amy Haigh.

We hope to fill our next week up (Dec. 28-Jan.3) before Christmas, so our organizers can take a little break. Please take time right now to hop over to the sign-up page and commit some time or a meal. Connections is always in need of monetary support as well, which you can do from their website (connectionsshelter.org) or mail a check to Connections Ministry, 220 E. Hickory St. Mankato.

Sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0544aca922aafa7-connections

Donate directly to shelter: https://www.connectionsshelter.org

An online hymn-sing? What’s next? BLC musicians have come together to host a beautiful night of togetherness and music, LIVE on Zoom! The link to join is on the church calendar (or right here!). Nothing pre-recorded, nothing fancy, just hanging out together on zoom enjoying each other’s company and talents. If you want to feel like you’re in the Heritage Room from years past, go ahead and sit around a circular table and hang 50 coffee cups on your walls.

The fun will start at 6:30pm sharp, shortly after Pr. Jay’s 6pm Advent Evening Prayer service.

We will not be provided a program for this, so if you really want to follow along, we’ve set aside the next two days for you to pick up hymnals for the church vestibule if you desire.

Tuesday, Dec. 15, 9am-4pm

Wednesday Dec. 16, 9am-4pm

If you pick up a hymnal, please call and let us know (388-2925). Do not return them until we ask you to return them.

We’re excited to offer “The Greatest Story Ever (Re)Told” written and directed by your own Anna Wencl. The kids all recorded videos separately, making it an experience like we’ve never done. RSVP on the Facebook event, so you can easily invite your family and friends.

We can’t wait to celebrate Jesus’ birth with you! Whether you listen to the radio, join us online, or weather the cold in the parking lot, this Christmas will be unlike any other.

Don’t forget to send photos for inclusion in the online video by Dec. 22nd!