BLC Weekly, February 9
Hello Bethlehem,
RSVP for February 15 Mortgage Celebration All BLC members are invited to attend the February 15 Mortgage Celebration. This is our opportunity to celebrate the payoff of our mortgage and to envision a future filled with new promise. We thank you for your generous financial support in helping us achieve our payoff goal 13 years early. Kudos to all of you!
To ensure that we have enough food prepared (lasagna, salad, garlic bread) for the luncheon, we ask you to RSVP by Wednesday, February 11.
Connect with Amy Haigh via phone or text (507) 995-6141 or email haigh29@yahoo.com We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, February 15 for morning worship, the burning of the mortgage outside and the special luncheon and program in our dining room. It will be a great day to celebrate at Bethlehem!
This Week
High school students are invited to attend the Youth Bible Study with Pastor Jacie and Anna this Wednesday, February 11 from 2-3:00pm at the Fillin Station! Rides from East and West high schools are available, just let Anna know at (507) 213-9276
Wednesday Night Suppers: served at 5:00pm in the lower level dining hall. Upcoming meals:
February 11 — Spaghetti, garlic toast & salad
February 18 — Grilled chicken with a bun, potato salad & pickles
February 25 — Taco buffet with rice & beans
March 4 — Chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, vegetable & roll
Bibles & Brews meets this Thursday, 6-8pm at Weggy’s. Join Pastor Jacie and your BLC friends for casual conversations on faith and culture.
Adult Forums: Join us Sundays at 10:45am in Grounds for Joy for coffee, donuts and conversation.
Family Faith formation
Youth will be selling Fat Tuesday Tickets on Sunday after worship, but walk-ins will be accepted next Tuesday! The online portion of the Silent Auction is now live on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/share/1LGjqjG7Jj/) and will be open until this Sunday at 7 pm.
Announcements
Bethlehem, we are headed to the Boundary Waters with the Wilderness Canoe Base once again this summer! This time, we’re opening the trip up to youth AND adults to join. Registration is now open with a $150 deposit due by March 11th. Please contact Anna with any questions. Here is the link to sign up: https://blcmankato.breezechms.com/form/BWCA2026
NEW! For adults and families who might want a BWCA experience while staying cabins, we're going to try offering a separate Intergen Camp on the same dates. I haven't confirmed those details yet, but we'll have more info soon. Stay tuned! Contact Anna or Pr. Jacie with any questions.
Office Volunteers needed. Hours: Tuesdays 9-10:30am and 1-3:15pm. Sign up to cover the office while Molly Nelson, your Congregational Services Coordinator, attends seminary classes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nxd0zC1srJ9wmMnMgpeWnrHulk3XGNilC67bmT8xi3w/edit?usp=sharing
CAREGIVER SUPPORT More and more members of our community are stepping into caregiving roles. Without support, caregiving can be difficult and isolating. VINE Faith in Action offers four Caregiver Support Groups that are open to anyone caring for a loved one. Groups are limited to 10 participants, so pre-registration is required. There is no charge; donations are appreciated. Please feel welcome to attend one of the following monthly groups:
1st Tuesday, 10:00-11:00 am
2nd Wednesday, 1:00-2:30 pm
3rd Wednesday, 5:15-6:30 pm
3rd Thursday, 3:00-4:00 pm
If you prefer to meet one-on-one rather than in a group, VINE also offers Caregiver Consultation. Call or email VINE for consultation and to pre-register for one of the groups, (507) 387-1666, joycek@vinevolunteers.org.
NEW! We are collecting COPAL donations in the narthex! COPAL invites you to join the Shared Table program to feed immigrant families in the Mankato area. Find out more by visiting their website.
Give the gift of time! Whether it is over the holidays or into the new year, Connections Shelter warmly welcomes the volunteer time that you, your family, or small group are able to provide for the guests at Connections. To sign up to be a Meal Server, please follow this link. Please follow the link to sign up for providing dessert or any other meal option.
Thank you
Happy New Year!! Spring Term began on January 12th, and students arrived hungry! 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, February 3rd, faithful servants Jan Blaisdell, Karen Sandersfeld, and Sue Larsen prepared and served a luncheon that was an absolute hit with all who dined with us. Thirty lunch-goers feasted on Frito pie, spinach alfredo, buttered Italian bread, organic spring mix salad, and homemade bars and brownies. Jan's Frito pie received rave reviews from the students, and Karen's Norwegian bars were the stuff that dreams are made of! The ladies also collected $26.90 in donations that will be used to purchase the salad supplies, beverages, dinnerware, and other items for lunches during the school year.
If your congregation is interested in monthly food collections for the Campus Cupboard food shelf, some items we are always in need of include ramen, rice, and spaghetti/pasta. Feminine hygiene products are desperately needed as well.
God bless you for your generosity and for supporting the students and our ministry at Crossroads. We look forward to seeing you again on Tuesday, March 3rd. We couldn't do what we do without you!!
Gratefully,
Crossroads Lutheran Campus Ministry
Minneapolis Synod - Welcome fund
As we’ve seen over the last weeks, the targeting of our immigrant neighbors is only increasing. Our faith and our church’s social teachings call us to respond, to stand with and support our neighbors, and to step boldly into this moment.
The Synod’s Immigration Task Force has developed a Welcome Fund to provide direct financial support to immigrant communities in our Synod. With generous contributions from St. Paul’s Home (a sister organization of San Pablo-St. Paul’s), and matching dollars from the Synod’s Resurrection Fund, we are thrilled to get started with $75,000. We know that the support needed in this moment is significant, and you and your congregation are invited to contribute to this fund. You can send checks to the Minneapolis Area Synod and include Welcome Fund in the designation or donate online.
The Welcome Fund will support mutual aid for immigrant and refugee communities, advocacy efforts related to immigration and immigrant rights, and training opportunities for Minneapolis Area Synod members and congregations working with immigrant communities. Congregations and Synod Authorized Worshipping Communities in the Minneapolis Area Synod can request funding for:
Mutual aid: addressing basic needs for community members like rent, groceries, child-care, transportation, legal fees, and support for immigrants and those navigating the immigration system.
Advocacy efforts related to local immigration policy: hosting town halls with elected leaders, letter writing campaigns, or community meetings.
Training and education: legal observer training, know your rights training, education about immigration policy, etc.
Questions about the Welcome Fund can be directed to the Immigration Task Force co-chairs – Pastor Hierald Osorto and Pastor Rhonda Hlavinka, Assistant to the Bishop for Faith and Neighboring, Nicholas Tangen, or the Synod Treasurer Ross Eichelberger.
Monthly Mission Partner
Our February Monthly Mission Partner is ECHO Food Shelf. Born out of a church basement in 1981, ECHO has addressed hunger and food insecurity in our community for decades. In 2025, ECHO distributed 2.5 million pounds of food and tallied over 35,000 family visits. As needs continue to rise, so must our support. February contributions will be amplified with a proportional match during MN FoodShare’s March Campaign. Join us in our goal of raising $5,000 for this vital resource. You can give online or via check made out to Bethlehem with the monthly mission in the memo line.
This Week in our Prayers
Curt Halvorson
Marian Mallory
Paul Haugesag
Amy Grams Haugesag
Nikolas Perez
Gerry Morris
Barb Girtz
Lori Ruthenbeck
Sue Bruhn
Gatchang Duach
Tom Sanger
Hayward Lutheran in Hayward
Faith Lutheran in Wabasha
Marshall Lutheran in Adams
Mazoezi Tumuli Lutheran in Tanzania
Asivida Ministry in Colombia
Choma Lutheran in Tanzania