Please pick up your giving envelopes if you requested them. Pick up on Sunday mornings or during church office hours (9a-4p, Tues-Thurs, call to be let in). Mailing the envelopes is quite expensive. If you can’t pick them up, let us help you arrange someone to get them for you. Call the church office or email Emily.
We are thrilled to welcome visitors and guests to our online experiences, as well as our in-person worship and events. The pandemic is ongoing and still a threat, but the work of the Lord is present at Bethlehem in so many ways.
Being a member isn’t a requirement to attend and participate in the life of Bethlehem, but becoming a member is important to many people. If you have been our guest just once or for years, you are invited to join in the membership of this church. Our first ever online membership classes start next month. To participate, please contact Pastor Jay.
Still researching? Please check out our Visitor Experience page or our Becoming a Member page.
February 15, 2021
This week on Ash Wednesday, we will start our series: And Who Is My Neighbor? . You can join us for worship in-person or online, and you can also choose how/if you receive ashes. We will offer Imposition of Ashes over the lunch hour on Ash Wednesday and after the evening service, both times in the parking lot at door 1. If you'd rather do them yourself, you can pick up ashes in the vestibule on Tuesday or Wednesday during office hours (9a-4p) or you can make your own. See full schedule on the blog.
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Looking ahead to EASTER worship, we ask for your help in planning. Please fill out this poll to give us an idea of how many people plan to attend Easter church in person, should that be an option. https://blcmankato.breezechms.com/form/EasterInterestSurvey
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If you ordered a meal or won an auction item, don't forget to pick them up Tuesday night from 5:30pm-7pm! Door 1 (parking lot with overhang) for meals; Door 10 (rear parking lot) for auction items.
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We have our next week at Connections soon! March 1-7. Read more about it and sign up on the blog.
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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 happy to spend another week serving at Connections Ministry and Shelter the first week of March. Please sign up as soon as you are able, so we can focus on serving our guests well.
The sign-up looks a little different for March, as Connections was able to separate the meal sign-ups into categories. Please sign up for multiple positions when you can, and indicate what you’re bringing in the comments. Click the picture or the link below to sign up.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0544aca922aafa7-connections
February 8, 2021
Our Lenten season starts next week on Ash Wednesday. You can join us for worship in-person or online, and you can also choose how/if you receive ashes. We will offer Imposition of Ashes over the lunch hour on Ash Wednesday and after the evening service, both times in the parking lot at door 1. If you'd rather do them yourself, you can pick up ashes in the vestibule on Tuesday or Wednesday during office hours (9a-4p) or you can make your own.
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Looking ahead to EASTER worship, we ask for your help in planning. Please fill out this poll to give us an idea of how many people plan to attend Easter church in person, should that be an option. https://blcmankato.breezechms.com/form/EasterInterestSurvey
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The Annual Fat Tuesday dinner has NOT been cancelled! Woo-hoo! Join the Facebook event to participate in the Silent Auction (no Facebook? Connect with someone to bid on your behalf.) which is NOW LIVE! Bidding ends on Feb. 14th at 5pm. You can pick up and pay for your items on Fat Tuesday.
Want to help raise money but can't participate? Use this link to donate: https://thrivent.cotribute.co/events/484768/detail
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We continue to promote and support our February Mission Partner: Partners for Housing.
Partners believes that the public interest is best served when all citizens have the opportunity to properly house themselves and their families in comfort and safety and, furthermore, that the cost of such housing should not be disproportionately deplete the already stretched finances of the poor and homeless. During a “normal” time, this is challenging for as many as 50% of our Blue Earth County neighbors spend 30% or more of their income on housing! This simple fact has earned Blue Earth County the designation of being a “Severe Cost-Burdened Area." Please consider a donation today.
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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
“The power of receiving the cross on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday is in the layering: there is a sign of sin and death traced and layered on top of the tracing in water and oil of the promise of life, rebirth, and liberation from sin and death. On Ash Wednesday, we feel the full weight of the ashy tracing. It does not negate or obliterate the liberating sign it is layered with, but it is a suitably tangible reminder of the reality of grief, loss, and death.” —Bishop Anne Edison-Albright
(You can read more reflections on Ash Wednesday during a pandemic on the ELCA website. )
At Bethlehem this year, we will impose ashes outdoors and fully masked only. You can stop by on your lunch hour that day, receive ashes AFTER worship in the evening, or pick up your own jar of ash to impose the ashes with your family at home. You can certainly make your own ashes as well.
Worship is at 6pm only (no noon worship as in previous years), and will be in the sanctuary and online.
Questions? Call the office at 388-2925 during office hours (9am-4pm, Tues-Thurs.)
Join us for our annual Fat Tuesday youth fundraiser with a pre-ordered dinner for pick up and online silent auction! (Pre-orders for dinners have closed.) Our auction is available NOW on Facebook and you'll be able to pick up and pay for your item on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 16th. Bidding ends at 5pm on February 14th. To bid, go to this page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/319603289410169/
Your support, in whatever way works for you, means the world. It will make our trip to the 2022 ELCA Youth Gathering possible.
February 1, 2021
Yes, February is here and that means it's time for Lent. We are excited to be meeting in person again starting this week (we'll still be online, too, if you don't want to come to the building) just in time for the Lenten season. We look forward to the important sermon series our pastors have planned for us.
Lenten Worship will be Wednesday nights at 6pm ONLY. No noon worship this year.
Looking ahead to EASTER worship, we ask for your help in planning. Please fill out this poll to give us an idea of how many people plan to attend Easter church in person, should that be an option. https://blcmankato.breezechms.com/form/EasterInterestSurvey
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The Annual Fat Tuesday dinner has NOT been cancelled! Woo-hoo! Join the Facebook event to participate in the Silent Auction (no Facebook? Connect with someone to bid on your behalf.) and PRE-ORDER your dinners for pick-up at this link: https://blcmankato.breezechms.com/form/FatTuesday2021
Want to help raise money but can't participate? Use this link to donate: https://thrivent.cotribute.co/events/484768/detail
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Adult forums are back! The first one is THIS WEDNESDAY, February 3rd at 6:30pm (NOT 6:45, as mistakenly announced in church), we'll have a speaker about grief. Read about it on our website: https://www.blcmankato.org/adult-education
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New month, new mission! Our February mission partner is Partners for Housing. Please read all the details on the blog.
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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
The Community and Global Missions Board invites you to support Partners for Housing, chosen to be our “monthly mission” for February here at Bethlehem. Partners for Housing believes it is essential that affordable housing and temporary shelter be available to those in need and, for over 35 years, the agency has responded by providing a variety of housing solutions for the most vulnerable members of our community. At any given time, there are more than 80 households residing underneath the umbrella of Partners for Housing. The continuum of care features:
Three emergency shelters which offer safe respite to single females and families with children.
Supportive Housing - Transitional Housing and Rapid Rehousing for Minnesota individuals and families most vulnerable to homelessness. These housing options provide case management for 12 to 24 months (depending on location and program funding available), helping clients overcome barriers to stability, as well as providing supplementary rent assistance for rent above 30% of the client’s income during this time.
Long-term Housing - In partnership with a local landlord, four rental units are designated for persons who are at-risk of homelessness. Partners provides consistent case management, as clients continue to maintain stability or to elevate their economic status.
Six apartment buildings and two single-family dwellings which offer permanent housing where the monthly rent is set at below-market rental rates. Residents who utilize housing voucher programs through the city or county are welcome.
Your financial support of Partners for Housing will help ensure the continuation of services despite the challenges presented by the nationwide pandemic. We sincerely thank you.
Lenten Worship starts on Ash Wednesday, February 17th, at 6pm, and runs for six Wednesday nights (Feb 17, 24, Mar 3, 10, 17, 24.). We will NOT be offering noon worship services this year, so please plan accordingly. These services will be live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube. If you plan on joining us in person, please make note of our COVID preparedness plans.
Lent leads to Easter, of course, and we need to plan that week carefully, so we don’t go over our maximum capacity in person. Please take this quick survey to help us out: https://blcmankato.breezechms.com/form/EasterInterestSurvey