BLC Weekly, May 12
Hello Bethlehem,
We had a wonderful time at the Year-End Picnic last Wednesday. Wednesday evening programming will return in the fall. Thank YOU for making this another great program year of faith and fellowship. We are switching over to the summer worship schedule and looking forward to camp, Service & Sun, VBS, and all the other fun activities that come with this season. Keep an eye out for more details in our Summer Catalog, heading to your mailbox soon.
This week
Tomorrow: It’s time for Church Cleaning Part Two! Join us Tuesday, May 13, at 9:00 a.m. Volunteers are needed to help wipe down the pews and hymnals. Please bring a pail and cloth; the Murphy cleaner will be provided. Thank you!
Come and Celebrate with Rae! Rae Allen will turn 100 on May 13, and you are invited to celebrate with her. The Bethlehem Care Ministry is hosting a 100th party for Rae at 2 p.m. that day at Pathstone. All are welcome!
Final Adult Forum - North Mankato & Mankato News Join us on Sunday for this spring's final adult forum. We will hear the latest news about issues, decisions and actions in Mankato and North Mankato from city administrators Susan Arntz and Kevin McCann. Share your questions and concerns with them and other members of the Bethlehem congregation. We look forward to seeing you on Sunday! All are welcome! Coffee and donuts served! It just doesn't get better than this!
This Sunday we will celebrate our graduating seniors during worship.
Family faith formation
The Flamingo Flocking Fundraiser is underway! Sign up to flock the yards of friends, family or foes with these flamboyant birds. $30 sends the flock, $10 gets your flamingo insurance to make your yard unflockable! Proceeds help send BLC youth to the Boundary Waters this summer. Happy flocking!
VBS is set for July 21-24. Dinner will be served 5-6 pm; VBS programming is from 6-7:30 pm. Youth and adult volunteers needed! Contact Kaitlin or Anna to get involved.
Announcements
Synod Assembly Volunteers Needed!
12 non-voting members are needed to assist as the Ballot tellers for our election. These tellers must attend the assembly throughout the election and are free to leave once voting is finished. Volunteers will be trained and fed. If interested please let the office know so we can pass your information along to the Synod. Thank you for serving our ELCA Synod!
Join the BLC Landscaping Crew! Help keep Bethlehem beautiful. Your next volunteer opportunity is coming up on May 17th at 9:00 AM. Join Sarah Morgan and the rest of the Landscaping Committee in a clean up and adding fresh mulch to the grounds.
Connections Shelter Fundraiser Update
The 2025 Connections Shelter was cancelled due to a lack of community team support. This was disappointing news to Team Bethlehem since we had already raised almost $2,500 for this major fundraiser.
However, there is still good news for Connections Shelter. They are planning a new fundraiser - A Midsummer Soiree - on June 20 at the Arboratem at Gustavus Adolphus College. See attached flyer for details. We have arranged with Connections to serve as the Entertainment Sponsor by providing $3,000. See attached sponsor flyer. We will be recognized with the musician group scheduled for the evening. What great PR for Bethlehem and our partnership with Connections!
We only need $557.48 to reach our $3,000 goal. Cash or check donations can be given to Bob Ihrig. Make checks payable to Connections Shelter. Contact Bob with questions about this new opportunity to support Connections!
Thank you
The end of Spring Term is here. We have always been thrilled to welcome students, friends, and volunteers to Crossroads, and we feel tremendously 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 6th, faithful servants Jan Blaisdell, Kathy Piehl, and Sue Larsen prepared and served a delicious Finals Week lunch of beef and meatless lasagna, Italian bread, organic spring mix salad, and cookies to 38 hungry lunch-goers. They also collected $21.25 in donations that will be used to purchase the salad supplies, beverages, dinnerware, and other items for subsequent lunches in the fall.
Over the 2024-2025 school year, Lunch For-a-Buck was served on 30 Tuesdays by 54 unique volunteers from eight different congregations. They fed a total of 1,183 individuals and raised $1,172.92 in donations. Bethlehem's 16 volunteers prepared and/or served lunch on seven of those Tuesdays to 294 people while raising $325.97 in donations! God bless you for your generosity and for supporting the students and our ministry at Crossroads. Please know that we could not do what we do without your faithful support. We look forward to seeing you in the fall as we continue our work of feeding the bodies and souls of all who enter through our doors.
Have a blessed summer,
Crossroads Lutheran Campus Ministry
Monthly mission partner
Our May monthly mission partner is House of Hope. For over 50 years they have provided services for those struggling with substance abuse disorders. They contract with the Blue Earth County Drug Court and have added mental health services to their programming so as to better serve clients with co-occurring disorders. Thank you for supporting this important mission in our community. 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 Gail Ihrig Pat Nelson
Norm Knowles Lois Wintersteen
Dale Lutheran in Kenyon Deer Creek Valley Lutheran in Glenville
Fountain Lutheran in Fountain Mazoezi Singa Lutheran in Tanzania
Ntwike Lutheran in Tanzania Seniors Programming Soacha in Colombia