BLC Weekly, February 26
Hello Bethlehem,
Thank you for helping us welcome Bethlehem’s new members on Sunday morning. We’re glad you’re here!
Easter Flower order forms are now available! You can order online or pick up a form in the narthex. Please return forms by March 19th. Flowers will be available on Easter after worship on a first-come basis for all who contributed. If you’d like to get a photo with the Easter garden, please plan on doing so before the worship service. After flowers are paid for, any additional funds will go to supporting our music scholars.
This Week
Wednesday night supper this week is chicken and mashed potatoes, served at 5 pm in the lower level. Join us afterwards for Lenten worship with Pastor Sarah Deutsch of Epiphany Lutheran in Eagle Lake, in the sanctuary at 6:15pm.
Monthly Mission
Our February Monthly Mission is the ECHO Food Shelf. ECHO has been committed to addressing food insecurity in our community since 1981. Our February donations will be presented in March, which is Minnesota Food Share Month, doubling what you give! Our goal is to raise $3,500. This program depends on volunteers, and we encourage you to consider giving a gift of your time.
Adult Forum
“Helping Forgive Medical Debt for Pennies on the Dollar”
Can Bethlehem help address the serious issue of medical debt? More families declare bankruptcy from accumulated medical debt than any other reason. Americans owe billions of dollars in medical debt, and those with serious debt often don’t seek needed medical care. Bethlehem’s March Mission Partner is a faith-based organization in Minnesota called THEE Alliance Medical Debt.
Pastor Peter Geisendorfer-Lindgren, an advisor to THEE Alliance, will be the Adult Forum speaker on March 3. He will help us understand how to forgive medical debt for pennies on the dollar. Read more at theealliance.org THEE Alliance is the Minnesota affiliate of RIP Medical Debt, a national faith-based non-profit organization that buys medical debt from medical providers and debt collectors for pennies on the dollar. They forgive the debt—$10 billion since 2014— instead of pursuing collection. This includes over $49 million in medical debt forgiven for over 50,000 Minnesota families. Read more at ripmedicaldebt.org
Please come to the Adult Forum on at 10:45 AM on Sunday, March 3 in Grounds for Joy to hear Pastor Geisendorfer-Lindgren from the THEE Alliance explain the medical debt forgiveness effort of Minnesota faith communities. The Endowment Fund will provide additional support to enhance the generous contributions of the Bethlehem community designated for this March Mission Partner.
Look ahead
We are assembling a team to help plan our second annual Women’s Event! Whether you participated last year or are just passionate about spreading grace and joy, we invite you to join in the planning process. The event will take place in the fall. Contact Joy Dykema if interested: dykemajoy@gmail.com
Please join us for the ALS walk, Saturday April 27th in Spring Lake Park. Check in is 8:30 and the walk starts at 10:00. Let’s honor Pastor Don and in memory of Jon Nelson! Let’s hope for a sunny April day! The walk around the lake is very easy and comfortable. If you can’t join us.. and would like to donate, please go on line at ALS.org or stop in the office and pick up a form and mail-free envelope. Please contact Ginger Erlandson with any questions.
Have you been looking for a way to finally get on top of your money? This. Is. Your. Time. Text or call Danielle Johnson at 507-327-5921 for more information about joining our Financial Peace University class starting on Monday, March 18 at 7pm at Bethlehem. We’ll gather each Monday through May 13. Make today the day you decide to own your money—not the other way around. You've got this!
Join Team Bethlehem!
Bethlehem plans to repeat its 2023 Connections Shelter Kato Sleep Out victory with another major commitment this spring. Join us to support this essential community outreach fundraising initiative! Make a Difference! Pastor Jacie Richmond, Amy Haigh, Ben and Danielle Johnson will “sleep out” for Bethlehem in our parking lot on the evening of Friday, April 26. YOU can support them by contributing $$$ and products that support the Connections Shelter and produce another Team Bethlehem championship. Last year, 60 Bethlehem members and friends provided $6,050 to continue the ministry of Connections in our community. Can we meet and surpass these totals? YOU can help answer that challenge!
How Can I Be Involved?
You can contribute $$$ with Cash or Check (Payable to Connections Shelter Ministry). Put these in an envelope with your name and give to Bob Ihrig at Bethlehem for credit to our team. Or, you can donate online. Email Bob Ihrig at robert.ihrig1@gmail.com with your donation information to be credited to our team.
You can contribute individually wrapped snacks, coffee, powdered drink mix (lemonade, ice tea, Gatorade) toilet paper, and loose change. Bring these to the Sleep-Out at Bethlehem on Friday, April 26 at 5:00-6:00 pm. for credit to our team. See attachment for more Sleep-Out details! Thank you for your support!
SErVE
Bethlehem will be serving at Connections Shelter this week! There are just a few more slots in need of dishes and meal servers this week. Sign up online to provide part of a meal or to 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
“Very big thank you to Jim and Gail Christensen for taking me to church every Sunday this past year after Roger passed away in January of 2023. I appreciate them so much and they deserve a break! I am wondering if anyone would be willing to pick me up for church during the month of March. Please give me a call if you are interested in driving. (507) 388-6756 And if you see the Christensens, please say, “Thank you!”
-Dee Saman
This Week in our Prayers
Curt Halvorson Brenda Goetsch Marian Mallory
Pete Wachtel Nikolas Perez Les Biesterfeld
Anna Moses John Engles Jim Freyberg
Barb Girtz Mark Woelfel
Pastor Don Roberts, Bonnie, & his caregivers
The family & friends of Jerry Carpenter
Urland Lutheran in Cannon Falls First of Highland Lutheran in Lanesboro
North Prairie Lutheran in Lanesboro Lutheran School of Theology (IELCO) in Bogota
Iguguno Lutheran in Tanzania The True Vine Ministry in Colombia