We are so happy to welcome Pastor Kristin Engstrom as our interim pastor during Pastor Jay’s sabbatical. Pastor Kristin most recently served as the Country Coordinator for the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program in Senegal, West Africa from 2016 until March 2021. A graduate of Mankato West High School, she studied at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. After being ordained by the ELCA in 2009, Pastor Kristin served two different parishes in northern New Jersey for six years, and then accepted the call to coordinate the YAGM program in Senegal. When COVID precautions put the YAGM program on pause, Pastor Kristin returned to Mankato and is currently seeking where God will call her to serve next. She is honored to serve as interim pastor at Bethlehem while Pastor Jay is on sabbatical until August 1.
Another amazing year of LIGHT is coming to an end this month. We are so grateful to Miss Anna who had to get so creative, to the Children’s Board, for supporting her and helping her, and to all the families who kept showing up, either online or in person. We look forward to what fall will bring! The remaining Sundays are below.
Our kids are preparing their banner for the parade on the 16th!
MAY 9TH (MOTHER'S DAY): NO LIGHT, so we can celebrate all those who mother us!
MAY 16TH: Come celebrate our last Sunday of Family LIGHT of the year at BLC! We will end our year with a parade and some delicious treats.
JOIN US FOR VBS! Amazing (G)Race: Season 2 is coming June 21st-24th. You can participate at home on your own time or in-person as a family. Register by June 9th by visiting blcmankato.org/vbs2021
On Sunday, May 2nd, we rejoiced with six young adults as they affirmed their baptism. Congratulations to Alexa Bolstad, Alayna Bruns, Evan MacLean, Emily Swenson, Adam Timm, and Devon Wolff.
Open Door Health Center is best known as a one-stop clinic that offers medical services, mental health services and dental care to patients of all walks of life, insured or non-insured, regardless of their ability to pay. While these services are probably best known to our community-at-large, Open Door also offers free School-Based Dental Care within 50 Minnesota counties! Elementary students, whose parents have completed the initial registration form, can receive a full exam, fluoride treatments and dental sealants where needed to prevent decay, all without cost! Additional services, such as fillings, may be completed within the main Open Door Health Center facility. The Global and Community Missions Board invites your support of Open Door and the health services they provide to our community’s most vulnerable. You can donate HERE, or send a check to the office with the memo line “May Mission.”
April 26, 2021
Go with our blessing! We sent Pastor Jay into sabbatical a week before his actual leave date, due to Confirmation next week. You can view the entire photo series and more details on the blog.
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It's time to register for VBS! Find out more: blcmankato.org/vbs2021
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The Spring Adult Forums have been scheduled. Please check out the website for details.
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The pastors will also once again participate in "Ask the Pastors" with our Confirmation kids. This event will be held on Facebook Live in our private Friends and Family Group, on Wednesday, April 28th at 6:30pm. Pop in before the forum to learn about your pastors! (Not a member of the group? Click here to request to join.)
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Did you get the email with the COVID preparedness plan updates? In case you missed it, read it here.
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Our partners in our Reconciling in Christ ministry, ReconcilingWorks, have made their monthly newsletters available online. You can read it here and know we will share it with you monthly.
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DUE THIS WEEK! High School Seniors and current college undergrad students, the Endowment Fund Scholarship Application is now available! blcmankato.org/scholarship
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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
Pr. Jay’s sending ceremony was Sunday, April 25 (because May 2nd is Confirmation Day), and his sabbatical will start May 3rd. He returns on August 1st Please remember he won’t be returning calls or emails during this time. We ask you respect his time of rest and renewal, but feel free to say hi if you see him around town.
M-Th, June 21st-24th | Families with kids in PK - 6th grade
WE HAD SO MUCH FUN LAST YEAR, THAT WE’RE COMING BACK FOR ROUND TWO! JOIN US FOR ANOTHER ADVENTURE THAT WILL TAKE OUR KIDS AND FAMILIES ALL AROUND TOWN AS WE TAKE ON NEW CHALLENGES, GROW OUR FAITH, AND HAVE TONS OF FUN.
REGISTRATION IS OPEN THRU JUNE 9TH! Registration and more details at blcmankato.org/vbs2021
CONTACT ANNA WITH ANY QUESTIONS.
April 22, 2021
Dear Bethlehem:
We are heartened by the growing number of those who have been vaccinated and are happy to see many more of you back in worship. Because you have been so faithful in wearing your masks and keeping social distance, we have not had any known COVID-19 cases originating at Bethlehem. We are so thankful for your partnership in making our worship and congregational life safe during this challenging year.
As more return to church, please keep in mind the safety and health of others by staying your distance in the pews. If you are here by yourself, and there is no one in front or behind you, please slide down into the middle to give others a seat. If you are fully vaccinated and your friends are too, we welcome you to sit with them for worship as that opens up another place.
Finally, remember that Bethlehem is the welcome place, and we always want to show hospitality to others. Specifically, we request that you not ask someone to move or scoot down the pew if they are already seated in a green spot. If you have trouble finding an open spot, please ask an usher or staff member to help you.
The council met on Tuesday and amended our COVID-19 Preparedness Plan to adapt to the changing situation. The plan will continue to be on the agenda in the coming months as we hope and anticipate that with increased vaccinations the threat posed by the virus will be diminished. You can find the updated COVID-19 Preparedness Plan here: blcmankato.org/worship-plans
Be well and live in Christ’s peace, Pr. Jay and Pr. Collette
"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
April 19, 2021
We hope you'll join us in person or online for our daily prayer services this week. More details can be found on the website or on the Facebook event.
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Pastor Jay's sabbatical starts soon! Learn the details on the blog.
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The April Monthly Mission is Global Health Ministries. You can read all the details on the blog. ---------------------------------------------------
The April Adult Forums have been scheduled. Please check out the website for details.
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High School Seniors and current college undergrad students, the Endowment Fund Scholarship Application is now available! blcmankato.org/scholarship
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Two service opportunities for you! Click to learn more: Pedal Past Poverty and Meals on Wheels.
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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
More details at the Facebook Event: https://fb.me/e/JbVY0mHf
Bethlehem’s Racial Justice Ministry Team, in partnership with other congregations and community members, has organized daily prayer services at 12pm and 5pm while we wait for the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial. If you can’t join in person, all events will be livestreamed on Facebook at facebook.com/bethlehem.mankato.