BLC Weekly, March 4
Hello Bethlehem,
We want your plastic bags! With the help of Sarah Morgan and the Landscaping Committee, Bethlehem has entered the NexTrex Recycling Challenge. Bethlehem has 365 days to collect 1,000 lbs of plastic bags. Acceptable bags include grocery bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, dry cleaning bags, newspaper sleeves, ice bags, ziploc and cereal bags, case overwrap you’d find on cases of water bottles or toilet paper, salt bags, plastic wrap and produce bags. If Bethlehem reaches this goal, NexTrex will award us a bench for our Community Garden. A receptacle will be available in the library lounge near the TV. Thank you for your help with this unique recycling challenge!
This Week
Wednesday night supper this week is a ham or turkey sandwich with potato salad and chips, served at 5 pm in the lower level. Join us afterwards for Lenten worship with Pastor John Odegard of Grace Lutheran in Mankato, in the sanctuary at 6:15pm.
Monthly Mission
Bethlehem’s March Mission Partner is a faith-based organization in Minnesota called THEE Alliance 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. 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 have forgiven $10 billion since 2014, including over $49 million in medical debt forgiven for over 50,000 Minnesota families. Read more at ripmedicaldebt.org
You can give online or with a check. The Endowment Fund will provide additional support to enhance the generous contributions of the Bethlehem community designated for this March Mission Partner.
Adult Forum
March 9 Adult Forum: Traveling the Lutheran World with Becky Sullivan
Join our own Becky Sullivan as she shares her journey this past fall to meet with Lutheran pastors and members in South Africa, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan and other destinations. The forum will be held in Grounds for Joy at 10:45 am after morning worship. Enjoy coffee and conversation with Becky.
Thank you to the BLC Choir for sharing your beautiful voices on Sunday!
Look ahead
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.
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
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
Trinity Fellowship ELCA in Rushford Stordahl Lutheran in Zumbrota
Sudanese Nuer Community at Our Savior’s Lutheran in Owatonna Mukulu Lutheran in Tanzania
Preventative Mental Health Ministry in Colombia