Hello Bethlehem,
Thank you for joining us last week for our Year-End Picnic at the park! We are officially in our summer schedule. Wednesday night activities will resume in the fall. Keep an eye out for our Summer Catalog coming soon with all the events and programming to look forward to this summer.
This week
Adult Forum: Our final forum of the season is this Sunday! Join us after worship as we learn about Mankato/ North Mankato ACT on Alzheimers with Team Leader, Sandi Lubrant. Gather at 10:45am in Grounds for Joy for coffee, donuts, fellowship and learning!
Summer Sack Lunches: Meals are distributed from 5-6pm Sundays in the parking lot. Limit 1 per-person, must pick up in-person. We are collecting donations in the narthex and financial donations are accepted online. Thank you for supporting this ministry!
family Faith formation
Registration is now open for Service & Sun!
Save the date: our School’s Out Celebration is Friday, May 22nd! More details are available in the Facebook event.
VBS Registration is now open! Learn more and sign up on the Facebook event.
announcements
June 1 is All Boards Night! Outgoing and incoming board members are invited to join us 5:30-7:30pm for Jake’s Pizza and conversation. We will celebrate your hard work and discern where the Spirit is leading Bethlehem.
Tuesday afternoon office volunteers are needed for the summer! Contact Molly Nelson, mnelson@blcmankato.org if you are interested in helping out in the church office.
Shelter Church: As Connections Shelter has grown and adapted, so has Shelter Church. It has become its own independently-run organization and is now recognized as a Synodically Authorized Outreach Ministry of the Southeastern MN Synod of the ELCA, and Pastor Sarah Krolak has been called to serve here. Shelter Church is “a Table Ministry,” with each gathering including a free meal and a low-barrier worship service. Shelter Church is welcoming to those experiencing homelessness, addiction, poverty, disability, mental illness, and more. This summer they are returning to weekly gatherings! For the months of June, July, and August, we are looking for additional partners to prepare and serve meals. If you are interested email shelterchurchmankato@gmail.com
COPAL extends thanks to the members of Bethlehem for providing food and support during this time of need. At this time they are shifting from pantry donations to a focus on financial support. To learn more and donate online, visit their website.
thank you
Even though Spring Semester ends this week, students eagerly joined us today for our final Lunch For-a-Buck of the 2025-2026 school year! We are thankful and blessed to have Bethlehem Lutheran Church and your volunteers as partners in our ministry to feed students through our Lunch For-a-Buck program. On Tuesday, May 5th, faithful servants Jan Blaisdell, Karen Sandersfeld, Jane Petersen, and Sue Larsen prepared and served a Cinco de Mayo inspired luncheon of chicken enchiladas, cheese & onion enchiladas, rice and beans, Fritos corn chips, organic spring mix salad, and cookies to 35 hungry lunch goers. They also collected $45.50 in donations that will be used to purchase the salad supplies, beverages, dinnerware, and other items for future lunches.
May God bless you for your generosity and for supporting the students and our ministry at Crossroads. We look forward to seeing you again during the 2026-2027 school year as we continue to feed the Lord's sheep. We truly couldn't do what we do without you!!
Gratefully,
Crossroads Lutheran Campus Ministry
Thank you to the Fair Trade Committee at Bethlehem for putting on a beautiful Mother’s Day sale yesterday!
Monthly Mission Partner
Our May Monthly Mission Partner is Connections Shelter. Bethlehem helped found this shelter where neighbors experiencing homelessness can rest, rebuild, and begin moving towards stability. This year they are launching a campaign to provide overnight shelter year round. And if you donate to Connections in May, your dollars will go 4x as far! Bethlehem’s Endowment Board is doubling donations this month, and all contributions will be doubled again by Connections matching grants. There couldn’t be a better time to give! You can give online, donate via Venmo @BLCMankato, or via check made out to Bethlehem with the monthly mission in the memo line.
Bethlehem members are also invited to continue serving this important ministry through volunteering and/or providing meals. Please follow the link to sign up!
This Week in our Prayers
Curt Halvorson
Marian Mallory
Paul Haugesag
Amy Grams Haugesag
Nikolas Perez
Susan Brown
Roger Pipes
Loren Roberts
Pat Nelson
Jan Boyum
The family & friends of Rae Allan
East Chain Lutheran in Blue Earth
Christ Lutheran in Preston
First Lutheran in Blooming Prairie
Trinity Lutheran in West Concord
Iambi Lutheran Church & Dispensary in Tanzania
Mruma Lutheran in Tanzania
CELCO (Colegio de la Evangelica Luterana de Colombia) in Sogamoso
