BLC Weekly, November 24
Hello Bethlehem,
We hope to see you for 6:15pm Thanksgiving Eve Worship with stories of Thanksgiving this Wednesday. Pie will be served in Grounds for Joy after worship. Reminder: there will be no Wednesday Night Supper served on Wednesday and the office will be closed on Thursday. Have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving!
Join us next Sunday, November 30, for the Fair Trade Bazaar before and after worship. Shop vendors including Global Mamas Ten Thousand Villages, New Ulm's Own and BLC's coffee, tea, olive oil, chocolate and soups. This is a great opportunity to stock up on ethically sourced holiday gifts!
Family faith formation
Save the date! The Youth Christmas Party is scheduled for December 19th and the Christmas Program will be Sunday, December 21st.
Announcements
Fall Semi-Annual Meeting The Bethlehem congregation had a successful semi-annual meeting on Sunday morning. Thank you for attending & participating in the decisionmaking. The following major decisions were made:
Jason Bruns was approved as our Vice-President.
The 2024 BLC Internal Financial Review was approved.
The LSS bathroom renovation proposal was approved.
The 2026 BLC budget was approved as well.
Check this link for the formal minutes of the meeting.
Do your Thanksgiving guests rave about your green bean casserole? Have you ever considered preparing this tasty side dish for guests at Connections Shelter? To share the gift of a home cooked (or catered) main dish, side, or dessert any time during the holiday season, please follow the link to sign up for the date that works for you. Please use this link to sign up.
As always, it was a joy to gather for our annual Lefse making day. Check out the photos on Facebook.
Bethlehem is hosting a Blood Drive on December 18 from 12-6pm. Schedule your donation appointment online.
Workplace Violence and Active Shooter Preparedness Training: Bethlehem members who did not attend the training session at Bethlehem and wish to get this safety training are invited to attend Mankato Public Safety’s presentation coming up on December 8. The training will provide a foundational overview of threat recognition, response options, and emergency planning considerations and will serve as the starting point for additional trainings and resources available in the house of worship safety program ahead.
Date: Monday, December 8
Location: Mayo Clinic Event Center – Banquet Room
Session Options:
• 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
• 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Both sessions cover the same content.
Newborn Baby Kits for Global Health Ministries
First, thanks to Marilyn Larson and Amy Haigh for delivering the last group of kits to the Global Health Ministries warehouse in Minneapolis. GHM then sends the kits to partners in Liberia, Madagascar, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. The gift of a newborn kit provides basic items to help a mother care for her child and celebrate a new life.
Bethlehem members assembled 23 newborn baby kits on November 15th. We will meet again on Saturday, January 17, 2026 to assemble more kits. Everyone is invited to join us in this project and donations for the kits are welcome! Here is a list of what each newborn baby kit needs.
1 bath towel, lightweight, approximately 50”x26”
1 washcloth- No microfiber
1 bath size bar of Ivory soap
1 cotton t-shirt or onesie, size 0-3 months or newborn
1 newborn stocking hat- a newborn’s head is approximately 14” in circumference
1 receiving blanket- flannel or soft cotton- Not knit or crocheted, between 30”x30” and 48”x48” in size
2 cloth prefolded diapers with absorbent center panel, minimum size 12”x16”
2 diaper pins
Note: we are using Thrivent Action Team dollars to order the diapers, and we have plenty of diaper pins on hand, so focus on the other items on the list. Questions? Contact Kristen Simon-Frank 507-383-1952
Monthly mission partner
Bethlehem’s Endowment Board is doubling November monthly mission donations!
Our November Monthly Mission Partner is the LSS Youth Resource Center (formerly The REACH). Located on our campus and operating for 14 years, this vital organization serves youth ages 16-24 who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. They have served 5,600 youth, provided 38,000 meals, and distributed 76,000 health, hygiene and clothing items. The center provides basic necessities, housing and employment assistance, teaches independent living skills, provides recreational activities, support and education. They provide access to legal advocacy and community sex trafficking prevention education. This month is matching donations, so your contribution will go twice as far to make a difference to area youth. You can give online or drop off a check written out to Bethlehem with the monthly mission in the memo line.
This Week in our Prayers
Curt Halvorson Marian Mallory Pete Wachtel
Anna Moses Barb Girtz Paul Haugesag
Amy Grams Haugesag Nikolas Perez Tyler Ratcliff Garrett Paul
Our Savior’s Lutheran in Kiester Faith Lutheran in Delavan
Sudanese Anyuak Community at Our Savior’s Lutheran in Austin Pulroaa Lutheran Parish in South Sudan
Mazoezi Songambele Lutheran in Tanzania Kisonga Lutheran in Tanzania