Bethlehem Lutheran
Growing in Christ, Loving our Neighbors, Serving God's world.

the BLC blog

news & updates

BLC Weekly, January 15

Hello Bethlehem,

RIC Shirts for sale! Order by January 17th to have them in time to wear to RIC Sunday, January 28th! Enter your size on the sign up sheet in the narthex. Pay online or with cash/check in the office. 

Check out some photos of the LIGHT kiddos yesterday!

“We learned about Jesus's disciples and each chose one to wear as an extra name tag.  The disciples followed Jesus through an obstacle course in the hallway.  We made bracelets out of barrel swivels (fishing tackle) to remember that we are also Jesus's disciples.  Then, we went up to the RIC waterfall and added our own messages of hope, peace, and love.” -Kaitlin Carter, Children’s and Family Ministry Associate

Directories, Spring Catalogs and offering envelopes are all here and ready for pickup! Stop by the office this week, open 9:00am - 5:00pm Tuesday through Thursday, or stop in the narthex after worship to take yours home. 

Fat Tuesday tickets are now available! If you’d like to donate a basket for the silent auction, please bring it to the office by January 28th. Funds raised will help support out 8 youth attending the ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans this summer. The online portion of the silent auction will take place from February 4th-11th and we hope to see you in person for our Fat Tuesday dinner on February 13th! Get your Fat Tuesday tickets here. 

The second annual Kato Sleep Out with Connections Shelter will take place on April 26th in the Bethlehem parking lot! Join a team and raise funds for this important work in our community. The online sign up is now open. 

This Week

Bethlehem is serving at Connections this week, January 15-21. There are just a few items left in need of volunteers. You can sign up online to provide food or serve! 

We hope you will join in our RIC interactive art project in the entryway, now up through the month of January. We invite you to add your prayers and hopes for reconciliation and inclusion in our church and community to the provided strips of cloth. Tie them to the waterfall and watch the rainbow form! 

Dinner this Wednesday will be sub sandwiches with potato chips and cold pasta salad, served at 5pm. Join us afterwards for worship at 6:15pm and education at 7pm.

This month

We hope you will join us on Wednesday, January 24th for Dinner Church at 6:00pm in the dining room. Come to be fed in both body and spirit! 

Mark your calendar: 

January 26th BLC Men Hops & Hoops. Contact Pastor Jay for details. 

January 28th RIC Sunday, celebrating the 50th anniversary of ReconcilingWorks!

January 28th FLIGHT Winter Event

Meet & Eat: New groups are forming! We’ll pair up three couples/individuals to set up 3 get togethers, each hosted by a member of the group. Enjoy fellowship and food! Sign up by February 1 to be paired up. 

Monthly Mission

Our January Monthly Mission is Green Lake Bible Camp. Their mission is to invite all to experience the life-changing love of Jesus through vibrant settings in community and creation.  Our goal is $1000. You can give online or send a check made out to Bethlehem. Thank you!

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

Adult Forum

Yesterday at our Adult Forum we gathered to watch a documentary about Martin Luther King Jr speech at Mankato West High School in 1961. You can visit this link to learn more about this historic event in our local history. Click here to view the Documentary and Panel Discussion. 

Join us next Sunday to learn about “NicBluCares: Compassionate Communities,” as we hear from our own Mary Bliesmer and her colleague, Mary Ann Boe. NicBluCares is the national pilot of a successful worldwide movement called “Compassionate Communities.” The people of Nicollet and Blue Earth Counties in Minnesota are building a safety net of community support, strengthening our compassion and capacity to care for one another in times of crisis and loss. Learn more on their website or check out their YouTube video below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erz1EzKfMlY

We hope to see you after worship at 10:45am in Grounds for Joy. Coffee and donuts will be available before the forum. Invite your friends to learn about this important movement in our area.

The BLC Praise Band led us in worship on Sunday. They’ll be back again on February 18, March 24 and April 14.

This Week in our Prayers

Curt Halvorson Brenda Goetsch Marian Mallory

Pete Wachtel Nikolas Perez Les Biesterfeld

Pat Nelson Anna Moses

Pastor Don Roberts, Bonnie, & his caregivers

Cross of Christ Lutheran in Welch

First Lutheran in LeSueur

First Lutheran in Glenville

Mitume Ghata Lutheran in Tanzania

Muhintiri Lutheran in Tanzania

Kinambeu Lutheran in Tanzania

Lectionary Readings

January 14 & 17, John 1:43-51

January 21 & 24, Mark 1:14-20

January 28 & 31, Mark 1:21-28

Bethlehem LutheranComment
BLC Weekly, January 8

Hello Bethlehem,

Directories, Spring Catalogs and offering envelopes are all here and ready for pickup! Stop by the office this week, open 9:00am - 5:00pm Tuesday through Thursday, or stop in the narthex after worship to take yours home.

Check out some photos from last Wednesday’s “Peas on Earth: An Instant Christmas Program!”

This Week

Join us this Wednesday for pork roast, mashed potatoes, veggies and rolls at 5:00pm, followed by worship at 6:15pm. 

Fingers crossed! We are hoping there will be enough snow at Mount Kato to go Snow Tubing next Monday, January 15th. Email Anna Wencl at annawencl@blcmankato.org if you are interested in joining. Cost is $18 per person and we plan to meet between 1:00-1:15pm at Mount Kato. Anna will send an email to let you know whether the event is confirmed. 

We hope you will join in our RIC interactive art project in the entryway, now up through the month of January. We invite you to add your prayers and hopes for reconciliation and inclusion in our church and community to the provided strips of cloth. Tie them to the waterfall and watch the rainbow form! 

This month

Bethlehem is serving at Connections January 15-21. You can sign up online to serve! 

We hope you will join us on Wednesday, January 24th for something a little different. We invite you to Dinner Church at 6:00pm in the dining room. Come to be fed in both body and spirit! 

Meet & Eat: New groups are forming! We’ll pair up three couples/individuals to set up 3 get togethers, each hosted by a member of the group. Enjoy fellowship and food! Sign up by February 1 to be paired up. 

Fat Tuesday tickets will go on sale starting next Wednesday. We’ll be serving jambalaya and macaroni and cheese from 5:30-7:00pm on Tuesday, February 13th! 

Mark your calendar:

January 26th BLC Men Hops & Hoops. Contact Pastor Jay for details. 

January 28th RIC Sunday, celebrating the 50th anniversary of ReconcilingWorks!

January 28th FLIGHT Winter Event

Monthly Mission

Our January Monthly Mission is Green Lake Bible Camp. Their mission is to invite all to experience the life-changing love of Jesus through vibrant settings in community and creation.  Our goal is $1000. You can give online or send a check made out to Bethlehem. Thank you!

SErVE

Bethlehem is serving at Connections January 15-21. Sign up online to help provide a meal!

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

Adult Forum

On November 12, 1961, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stepped into a packed Mankato High School auditorium and announced that "the wind of change is blowing all over the world."

Come to the adult forum on Sunday, January 14 at 10:45 am in Grounds for Joy to learn "the rest of the story" about this historic day in our community. We will view a documentary of Dr. King's visit.

Join our own Sally Burdick, a 1961 witness, and West HS social studies teacher Matt Moore as they relate their involvement with and recognition of this event  Check out this background story from KARE 11:

On MLK Jr. Day, King's visit to Mankato in 1961 still resonateswww.kare11.com › article › news › community › lifting-voices › on-mlk-j...

This Week in our Prayers

Curt Halvorson Brenda Goetsch Marian Mallory

Pete Wachtel Nikolas Perez Les Biesterfeld

Pat Nelson Anna Moses

Pastor Don Roberts, Bonnie, & his caregivers

The family & friends of Betty Sanger

LeRoy Lutheran in LeRoy Trondhjem Lutheran in Hayward

Redeemer Lutheran in Good Thunder Kule Lutheran Parish in South Sudan

Mazoezi Tumuli Lutheran in Tanzania Gambella Lutheran Parish in South Sudan

Lectionary Readings

January 7 & 10, Mark 1:4-11

January 14 & 17, John 1:43-51

January 21 & 24, Mark 1:14-20

Bethlehem LutheranComment
BLC Weekly, January 2

Hello Bethlehem,

Directories are in! Cross off your name when you pick up at the Welcome Kiosk. Additional copies are available, so take home a copy today.

Spring Catalogs will be mailed out this week to everyone who receives the Bethlehem Star, and additional copies are available for pickup at the Welcome Kiosk. 

We wish you a happy New Year! Check out the BLC 2023 video looking back at the year at Bethlehem. 

This Week

Wednesday night suppers are back! Join us Wednesday at 5pm for hamburger and rice hotdish. 

After supper join us at 6:15pm for “Peas on Earth,” an Instant Christmas program!

After worship, NightLIGHT kiddos will have their Happy Birthday Jesus party in Grounds for Joy and 5th-8th graders will meet after worship for fun and games to kick off our Baptism unit! 9th graders are off this week.

This month

  • 15th Snow tubing

  • 24th Dinner Church

  • 26th BLC Men Hops & Hoops. Contact Pastor Jay for details. 

  • 28th RIC Sunday, celebrating the 50th anniversary of ReconcilingWorks!

  • 28th FLIGHT Winter Event

Meet & Eat: New groups are forming! We’ll pair up three couples/individuals to set up 3 get togethers, each hosted by a member of the group. Enjoy fellowship and food! Sign up by February 1 to be paired up. 

Monthly Mission

Our January Monthly Mission is Green Lake Bible Camp. Their mission is to invite all to experience the life-changing love of Jesus through vibrant settings in community and creation.  Our goal is $1000. You can give online or send a check made out to Bethlehem. Thank you!

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

Thank you

Good news to share: The  goal for the 12/21 blood drive was 27 units and 36 units were collected!  Carol Malone assisted Mary Bliesmer on this day when Bethlehem hosted its 14th drive. Sugar cookies made by Eunice Sassenberg were really appreciated by donors.

Council Corner

Here are the “highlights” of the Bethlehem Council meeting held on December 19. Official minutes with more details are posted at www.blcmankato.org and are also available in the church office notebook. Visit with Council members with questions and concerns! We welcome your conversation & feedback!  

  • Finances: The monthly deficit increased from -$31,786.86 on October 31 to -$47,370.50. Member giving was at 91% of monthly budgeted income. The goal is to erase this deficit in December for a positive end-of-year balance. Members are encouraged to fulfill their 2023 financial commitments to make this a reality. Thank you for your generous financial support! 

  • Stewardship: 171 pledges made for 2024. We have $13,046+ more in total dollars pledged. Reminder cards mailed to 154 members who have not yet communicated their financial commitments. We hope to receive more pledges. 

  • Financial Review Committee: Wendy Keenan approved as new 3-year member of committee to join Frank Larsen and Mark Larsen in annual review of BLC finances. 

  • Strategic Goal 5 Update: Embracing Diversity: “We will embrace diversity by demonstrating welcome and respect for different identities, listening to develop growing relationships with diverse communities, and working for the good of all in the community.” Positive progress on activities related to 5 specific objectives focusing on community celebration presence, Mankato Diversity Council, Reconciling in Christ, Reconciling Works support and diverse religious instruction were reviewed. 

  • Youth Activities: Successful fall youth activities held each month for high school youth with positive youth & parent feedback. First of “Brave Conversations” held on subject of mental health & suicide with excellent attendance for 5th-8th grade youth & parents. Plans being made for BLC youth attending ELCA national youth gathering in New Orleans. 8 BLC youth registered thus far. 

  • Community: New Mankato ministerial association met for 1st time on December 7. Weekly meetings for sermon text studies to be held at BLC starting January 9. 

  • WELCOME Update: Still waiting for news on Cruz family asylum petition. Meeting planned among 5 sponsoring churches to determine future needs of family and program direction. Concern about possible national asylum law changes by Congress and impact on refugees. BLC members encourage to connect with elected representatives. Contact Pr. Jacie for more information. 

  • Welcome & Inclusion: RIC Sunday scheduled for January 28 with worship service & adult forum. Congregational art project planned for January. Get your BLC T-shirts to wear on the 28th.  

  • Next Council Meeting: Tuesday, January 16.

This Week in our Prayers

Curt Halvorson Brenda Goetsch Marian Mallory

Pete Wachtel Nikolas Perez Les Biesterfeld

Pat Nelson Anna Moses

Pastor Don Roberts, Bonnie, & his caregivers

The family & friends of Betty Sanger

Bethel Lutheran in Northfield Hegre Lutheran in Kenyon

Marshall Lutheran in Adams Sayuni Kinyambuli Lutheran in Tanzania

Kijota Hull High School in Tanzania

Lectionary Readings

January 7 & 10, Mark 1:4-11

January 14 & 17, John 1:43-51

January 21 & 24, Mark 1:14-20

Bethlehem LutheranComment
BLC Weekly, December 18

Hello Bethlehem, 

We hope you enjoyed the Children’s Christmas Program, “The 12 Stars of Christmas!” We were also happy to hear from Pastor Kristin Engstrom as she shared with us about her work in Zambia. You can view yesterday’s full worship service on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Join us Christmas Eve for worship services at 9:30am, 4:00pm and 6:00pm. 

This is a last call to get your loved one’s names on the screen on Christmas Eve! Order your God’s Global Barnyard animals by December 19th to have your gift in honor or memory of a loved one celebrated during Christmas Eve worship. Click here to order online!

This Week

All are welcome to Cocoa & Caroling! Meet us at Bethlehem at 6:30pm this Wednesday, December 20th, for hot cocoa, or join us at Connections Shelter at 7:00pm for caroling! There will be no Wednesday night supper, worship or education this week. Regular Wednesday night activities will return on Wednesday, January 3rd. 

Bethlehem will host a blood drive on Thursday, December 21 from 1-6pm in Grounds for Joy. There are still slots available! Sign up online to give blood and save lives!

This month

Our December Monthly Mission is God’s Global Barnyard! This program of ELCA World Hunger helps purchase animals for people dealing with food scarcity and poverty. The goal is long-term sustainable solutions for hunger. This makes a particularly meaningful and memorable gift for friends and family at Christmas time! Cards, ornaments and coloring books are available in the narthex for those who give the gift of a barnyard animal. Order your animals here! 

In lieu of a January Star, you will receive a Spring 2024 Catalog. The Bethlehem Star will return in February!

SERVE

Thrivent Action Grants & Choice Dollars Are you a Thrivent member? Would you like to help Bethlehem financially? Check out the flyer that describes what you can do with Thrivent Action Grants and Choice Dollars. You can really make a difference for our church.

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

notes

  • Photographers welcome! Feel free to share your Children’s Christmas Program photos and take Christmas Eve photos, with the flash off please! You can tag us on Facebook and Instagram, or share photos with us directly at blchurch@blcmankato.org

  • Our offices will be closed on Christmas Day and December 26th. We hope you have a blessed and merry Christmas!

This Week in our Prayers

Curt Halvorson Brenda Goetsch Marian Mallory

Pete Wachtel Nikolas Perez Les Biesterfeld Pat Nelson

Pastor Don Roberts, Bonnie, & his caregivers

The family and friends of Betty Sanger

Vang Lutheran in Dennison Pilot Mound Lutheran in Chatfield

St. John Evangelical Lutheran in Waseca Trinity Lutheran in Ostrander

Dominiki Lutheran in Tanzania Kigaa Lutheran in Tanzania

Lectionary Readings

9:30am December 24, Luke 1:26-38

4:00pm & 6:00pm December 24, Luke 2:1-20

December 31, Luke 2:22-40

Bethlehem LutheranComment
BLC Weekly, December 11

Hello Bethlehem, 

It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas! We hope you enjoyed the Choir and Ensembles program yesterday, as well as the Christmas Hymn Sing after worship! Bethlehem also hosted Musicorum and the Minnesota Riverbend Brass Choir this weekend for their Christmas concerts. Join us next Sunday for the Children’s Christmas Program with the Praise Band! 

This Week

Ecumen Pathstone Christmas Bows are up in the narthex! Just find the little tree and tag a tag. Return gifts to the office by December 13th for pickup. Thank you!  

Join us for supper this Wednesday before 6:15pm worship! This week we are serving hamburger goulash at 5:00pm.

This month

Our December Monthly Mission is God’s Global Barnyard! This program of ELCA World Hunger helps purchase animals for people dealing with food scarcity and poverty. The goal is long-term sustainable solutions for hunger. This makes a particularly meaningful and memorable gift for friends and family at Christmas time! Cards, ornaments and coloring books are available in the narthex for those who give the gift of a barnyard animal. Order your animals here! 

All are welcome to Cocoa and Caroling on Wednesday, December 20th! Join us at Bethlehem at 6:30pm for hot chocolate or meet at Connections Shelter at 7:00pm for caroling.

Bethlehem will host a blood drive on December 21. There are still plenty of slots available! Sign up online to give blood and save lives!

Join us on Christmas Eve for worship services at 9:30am, 4:00pm and 6:00pm. 

SERVE

Thrivent Action Grants & Choice Dollars Are you a Thrivent member? Would you like to help Bethlehem financially? Check out the flyer that describes what you can do with Thrivent Action Grants and Choice Dollars. You can really make a difference for our church.

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

tHANK yOU

“AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL! A huge thank you to all that helped with all processes of making the lefse and packaging it , plus the bake sale! It was so much fun to hear all the chatter and laughter, it could be heard thru out the church!! And that wonderful smell too!! In about 2 1/2 hours we turned out and packaged 480 pieces of lefse. And sold it ALL! It’s so wonderful to see everyone come together , and great to see the tradition of keeping lefse making alive!! We will distribute the money we made to local charities. We thank you all!”

-Ginger Erlandson

“We can't believe that we're already at the end of Fall Term at MSU-Mankato! We feel blessed to have Bethlehem Lutheran Church and your volunteers as partners in our ministry to feed hungry students through our Lunch For-a-Buck program. We were pleased to welcome your volunteers on Tuesday, December 5, when Jan Blaisdell and DeAnn Bennett provided a hearty Finals Week lunch of chicken tetrazzini, spinach pasta, Italian bread, and homemade cake to 41 hungry lunch-goers. They also collected $58.17 in donations that will be used to purchase the lettuce, fixings, beverages, paper plates, dinnerware, and other supplies for lunches during Spring Term. Bethlehem served Lunch For-a-Buck on four separate Tuesdays during Fall Term, feeding a total of 217 people while collecting $300.12 in donations. In all, five area ELCA congregations combined to serve Lunch For-a-Buck on 15 Tuesdays during the term, feeding 828 people and collecting $820.84 in donations. This is a substantial increase over 2022, when 448 individuals were served lunch during Fall Term and $514.81 in donations was collected. 

We look forward to seeing you at your next Lunch For-a-Buck following winter break on February 6, 2024. God bless you for your generosity and for supporting the students and our ministry at Crossroads.”

      -Crossroads Campus Ministry

This Week in our Prayers

Curt Halvorson Brenda Goetsch Marian Mallory

Pete Wachtel Nikolas Perez

Pastor Don Roberts, Bonnie, & his caregivers

Faith Lutheran in Saint Charles Central Lutheran in Winona

Wanamingo Lutheran in Wanamingo Kiech Kuon Lutheran Parish in South Sudan

Torpuot Lutheran Parish in South Sudan Mading Lutheran Parish in South Sudan

Lectionary Readings

December 10 & 13, Mark 1:1-8

December 17, John 1:6-8; 19-28 

9:30am December 24, Luke 1:26-38

4:00pm & 6:00pm December 24 Luke 2:1-20

Bethlehem LutheranComment
BLC Weekly, December 4

Hello Bethlehem, 

Our December Monthly Mission is God’s Global Barnyard! This program of ELCA World Hunger helps purchase animals for people dealing with food scarcity and poverty. The goal is long-term sustainable solutions for hunger. You can watch last week’s Adult Forum on God’s Global Barnyard with Pastor Amanda White.

This makes a particularly meaningful and memorable gift for friends and family at Christmas time! Cards, ornaments and coloring books are available in the narthex for those who give the gift of a barnyard animal. Order your animals here! 

This Week

Join us for Wednesday night supper before 6:15pm worship. We will be serving turkey noodle casserole, salad and rolls at 5:00pm. 

Celebrate Christmas with Musicorum, this Saturday at 6:30pm in the sanctuary. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $5 for students. 

This Sunday, December 10, it’s time to celebrate a successful fall stewardship campaign and another Christmas holiday season! Join us in Grounds for Joy after morning worship. The Stewardship Board invites you to a thank-you reception with food and beverages provided. Our own talented Christine Schulz will lead us at the piano in singing familiar Christmas hymns as we enjoy our time together. What a perfect way to spend your Sunday morning!

On Sunday, December 10 at 7:00pm we will host the Minnesota Riverbend Brass Choir for their Advent and Christmas performance. 

Check it out: LIGHT kiddos made graham cracker nativity scenes!

This month

Join us for Christmas Eve worship services at 9:30am, 4:00pm and 6:00pm.

Bethlehem will host a blood drive on December 21. There are still plenty of openings to donate! Sign up online to give blood and save lives!

November 19 Council Minutes The official minutes of the BLC Council for its November 19 monthly meeting are available on the BLC website. This is a great opportunity to be informed about Council leadership, discussion and actions on behalf of the congregation.

Thrivent Action Grants & Choice Dollars Are you a Thrivent member? Would you like to help Bethlehem financially? Check out the flyer that describes what you can do with Thrivent Action Grants and Choice Dollars. You can really make a difference for our church.

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

Pastor Don Roberts, Bonnie, &  his caregivers

Concordia Lutheran of Pickerel Lake in Albert Lea East Chain Lutheran in Blue Earth

People of Hope in Rochester St. Paul Kyengege Lutheran in Tanzania

Palliative Care Program at Iambi Hospital in Tanzania

Lectionary Readings

December 3 & 6, Mark 13:24-37

December 10 & 13, Mark 1:1-8

December 17, John 1:6-8; 19-28 

Christmas Eve Readings

9:30am Luke 1:26-38

4:00pm & 6:00pm Luke 2:1-20

Bethlehem LutheranComment
BLC Weekly, November 27

Hello Bethlehem, 

We hope you enjoyed shopping yesterday at the Fair Trade Bazaar! Thank you to our volunteers who helped make it happen. 

Bethlehem is serving at Connections this week! There are just a couple slots left for December 2. Sign up online to help out! 

This Week

All are welcome to join us for Wednesday night supper. This week we are serving lasagna!

Instead of class for 5th-8th grade Torchlight & Confirmation youth, they will be invited to join this "brave conversation" with a parent or trusted adult.

This month

Join us for Christmas Eve worship services at 9:30am, 4:00pm and 6:00pm.

December 10 Happenings Time to celebrate a successful fall stewardship campaign and another Christmas holiday season on Sunday, December 10 in Grounds for Joy after morning worship. The Stewardship Board invites you to a thank-you reception with food and beverages provided. Our own talented Christine Schulz will lead us at the piano in singing familiar Christmas hymns as we enjoy our time together. What a perfect way to spend your Sunday morning!

Bethlehem will host a blood drive on December 21. Sign up online to give blood and save lives!

Thrivent Action Grants & Choice Dollars Are you a Thrivent member? Would you like to help Bethlehem financially? Check out the flyer that describes what you can do with Thrivent Action Grants and Choice Dollars. You can really make a difference for our church.

Adult Forum

December 3 Pastor Amanda White will highlight the background and activities of God's Global Barnyard and ELCA World Hunger at next Sunday's adult forum. This will be a great opportunity to learn about December's monthly mission and the important work of ELCA in meeting the challenge of global hunger. Join us for coffee and conversation with Pastor White at 10:30 am after worship in Grounds for Joy.

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

Monthly Mission Partner

Our November Monthly Mission is The Reach Youth Resource Center. Since The Reach formed in 2011, they have served over 5,300 unhoused or at-risk youth and provided over 30,800 meals! Located on the Liberty Street side of Bethlehem’s campus, The Reach is a valuable resource in providing resources, basic necessities, preparation for employment and independent living, as well as recreational activities. Please give online or mail a check to support this important mission in our community!

This Week in our Prayers

Curt Halvorson Brenda Goetsch Marian Mallory

Pete Wachtel Nikolas Perez

Pastor Don Roberts, Bonnie, & his caregivers

The family & friends of Carol Peterson

St. John Lutheran in Elkton Bethlehem Lutheran of Myrtle in Glenville

Dennison Lutheran in Dennison St. John’s Lutheran in Northfield

Kisimba Lutheran in Tanzania Msamaria Mwema Getwanasi Lutheran in Tanzania

Lectionary Readings

November 26 & 29, Matthew 25: 31-46

December 3 & 6, Mark 13:24-37

Bethlehem LutheranComment
BLC Weekly, November 20

Hello Bethlehem, 

Thank you to all of our incredible volunteers for keeping our lefse tradition alive! We had a lot of fun on Friday! If you haven’t yet had a chance to pick up your pre-ordered lefse you can stop by the office tomorrow to do so. 

Bethlehem will serve at Connections next week and there are just a few openings left on our schedule that we would love to get these filled before Thanksgiving! We still need a main dish and two sides for November 29 and December 2. Interested in serving? Sign up online to help out! 

From the Council

November 19 Semi-Annual Meeting The BLC congregation met on Sunday for its fall semi-annual meeting. Reports on the BLC strategic plan and Council/board/committee goals and activities for 2023-24 were presented. It reviewed and approved the proposed 2024 budget as presented by the council. These details and other news are included in the minutes of the meeting provided with this link. Thank you for your support of all that Bethlehem does through its ministry.

2023-24 BLC Goals & Activities The BLC Council and boards/committees have established the following goals and activities to guide their work during 2023-24. These include the new strategic plan goals and objectives. This is a great overview of the work planned for this year by the Bethlehem congregation. We will make a real difference for our members and the community. Read and learn!

LIGHT kiddos wrote down what they were thankful for in preparation for Thanksgiving!

This Week

There will be no worship, meal or education at Bethlehem this Wednesday. Have a happy Thanksgiving! 

The Fair Trade Holiday Bazaar will be this Sunday, November 26th after worship. There will be goods from Global Mamas, 10,000 Villages and New Ulm’s Own. Get a start on holiday shopping from some wonderful and ethical vendors!

Thank you

“The Cruz family continues to do very well! The family recently had an opportunity to go out to Wisconsin to visit some other family members who are in the United States. The WELCOME team also heard from the law office that asylum paperwork was officially filed at the beginning of October. At this point it is just a waiting game until we hear about what next steps are. We were also told that work permits can be applied for 150 days after the asylum application is received. This would be sometime in March 2024 at the earliest. If the family is granted asylum they will be eligible for residency/green cards 1 year after asylum is granted. So, in other words, it is a long process and we are very much still in the beginning stages. We continue pressing forward though.

The fiesta for the family was a huge success! Thank you to all who were able to attend! We have been hearing a lot of feedback about how it was nice to get all 5 churches together to celebrate. We had approximately 200 people from all 5 congregations attend the celebration. It was a fantastic evening to celebrate all the ways that God has been among us all in this process!”

-Pastor Jacie Richmond

Join us for Christmas Eve worship services at 9:30am, 4:00pm and 6:00pm.

Bethlehem will host a blood drive on December 21. Sign up online to give blood and save lives!

Thrivent Action Grants & Choice Dollars Are you a Thrivent member? Would you like to help Bethlehem financially? Check out the flyer that describes what you can do with Thrivent Action Grants and Choice Dollars. You can really make a difference for our church.

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

Monthly Mission Partner

Our November Monthly Mission is The Reach Youth Resource Center. Since The Reach formed in 2011, they have served over 5,300 unhoused or at-risk youth and provided over 30,800 meals! Located on the Liberty Street side of Bethlehem’s campus, The Reach is a valuable resource in providing resources, basic necessities, preparation for employment and independent living, as well as recreational activities. Please give online or mail a check to support this important mission in our community!

This Week in our Prayers

Curt Halvorson Brenda Goetsch Marian Mallory

Pete Wachtel Nikolas Perez Betty Sanger Joan Stoffel

Pastor Don Roberts, Bonnie, & his caregivers

The families & friends of Victoria Reedstrom, Ruth Reichwald & Carol Peterson

Our Savior’s Lutheran in Spring Valley Evanger Lutheran in Sargeant

Minneola Lutheran in Goodhue North Waseca Lutheran in Waseca

Urughu Lutheran in Tanzania Msingi Lutheran in Tanzania

Lectionary Readings

November 26 & 29, Matthew 25: 31-46

December 3 & 6, Mark 13:24-37

Bethlehem LutheranComment
BLC Weekly, November 13

Hello Bethlehem, 

Semi-Annual Meeting: Join us at the fall semi-annual meeting this coming Sunday. We will gather after worship at 10:45 in the lower-level dining room. We will discuss and vote on the 2024 budget. We will also review the 2023-24 planned goals and activities of the Council and boards/committees as well as hearing an update on our strategic plan. This information is all available on the BLC website. Please review this prior to the meeting so you are informed!

We need a quorum of 75 members in attendance to approve the budget. We want each and every BLC member present for our conversation and decisions. Coffee and donuts will be available. Thank you in advance for your time and interest!

2023-24 BLC Goals & Activities The BLC Council and boards/committees have established the following goals and activities to guide their work during 2023-24. These include the new strategic plan goals and objectives. This is a great overview of the work planned for this year by the Bethlehem congregation. We will make a real difference for our members and the community. Read and learn!

Photo from last Thursday’s Fiesta de la Familia with the Cruz family and the WELCOME team!

This Week

Pre-orders now open! Pre-orders close November 15 and we will be making lefse this Friday, November 17. Whether you’re an experienced roller, flipper and taste tester or you’ve never made lefse before, all are welcome to join in the fun! Lefse will be available for pickup this Friday, November 17 from noon until 1pm and at the bake sale after worship on Sunday, November 19. Unsold lefse will be available at the bake sale for anyone who missed the pre-order!

This Month

  • There will be no Family Faith Formation Education Thanksgiving week. We hope you have a happy Thanksgiving! 

  • The Fair Trade Holiday Bazaar is November 26th after worship. There will be goods from Global Mamas, 10,000 Villages and New Ulm’s Own. Get a start on holiday shopping from some wonderful and ethical vendors! 

Thank you

"We can't believe that we're already four weeks away from the end of Fall Term at MSU-Mankato! We feel blessed to have Bethlehem Lutheran Church and your volunteers as partners in our ministry to feed hungry students through our Lunch For-a-Buck program. We were pleased to welcome your volunteers on Tuesday, November 7, when Jan Blaisdell and Jeri Clement combined forces to provide a mouth-watering lunch of chicken & sour cream enchiladas, cheese & onion enchiladas, rice, bread, and homemade cake to 63 hungry lunch-goers. They also collected $47.01 in donations that will be used to purchase the lettuce, fixings, beverages, paper plates, dinnerware, and other supplies for future lunches. God bless you for your generosity and for supporting the students and our ministry at Crossroads.

      Crossroads Campus Ministry

Danielle Johnson with the cookie made at this weekend’s Young Adults cooking competition! Post high school young adults can contact Pastor Jacie to join the group.. They will gather again in December for an MSU Hockey Game!

Bethlehem will host a blood drive on December 21. Sign up online to give blood and save lives!

Thrivent Action Grants & Choice Dollars Are you a Thrivent member? Would you like to help Bethlehem financially? Check out the flyer that describes what you can do with Thrivent Action Grants and Choice Dollars. You can really make a difference for our church.

If you’d like to help provide support for victims of the war in the Holy Land you can contribute to Lutheran World Relief or to the ELCA Disaster Response. 

Bethlehem is scheduled to serve at Connections Tuesday 11/28- Sunday 12/3 and the weeks of 1/15 and 2/26. Sign up online to help out! 

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

Monthly Mission Partner

Our November Monthly Mission is The Reach Youth Resource Center. Since The Reach formed in 2011, they have served over 5,300 unhoused or at-risk youth and provided over 30,800 meals! Located on the Liberty Street side of Bethlehem’s campus, The Reach is a valuable resource in providing resources, basic necessities, preparation for employment and independent living, as well as recreational activities. Please give online or mail a check to support this important mission in our community!

This Week in our Prayers

Curt Halvorson Brenda Goetsch Marian Mallory

Pete Wachtel Carol Peterson Nikolas Perez

Betty Sanger Joan Stoffel Lisa Hagen

Pastor Don Roberts, Bonnie, & his caregivers

The family & friends of Ruth Reichwald

The family & friends of Vicki Reedstrom

Christ Lutheran in Byron St. Luke’s Lutheran in Goodhue

Grace Lutheran in Waseca St. Paul Lutheran in Conger

Pulguori Lutheran Parish in South Sudan Cannon River Lutheran in Welch Mungaa Lutheran in Tanzania

Lectionary Readings

November 12 & 15, Matthew 25:1-13

November 19, Matthew 25:14-30

November 26 & 29, Matthew 25: 31-46

Bethlehem LutheranComment