BLC Weekly, June 2
Hello Bethlehem,
Congratulations, BLC scholars! Endowment Fund Scholarships were distributed during worship yesterday. 15 Bethlehem members were awarded scholarships this year. We wish you well on your academic journeys!
The Community Garden continues to grow! Stop by the Liberty Street side of the BLC campus to see what’s sprouting.
Announcements
All Boards Night is this evening. Incoming and outgoing board members, join us in Grounds for Joy tonight at 5:30pm as we plan for the year ahead and hear from special guest, Pastor Emily Carson from the Office of the Bishop.
Bethlehem has launched a new Summer Sack Lunch program. Community members can pick up a free sack lunch Sundays from 5-6 PM in the parking lot. We need your help! There is a donation bin in the narthex for bottled water, sandwich bags, lunch packs of chips, cookies and fruit cups, or you can financially support this new mission with online giving. Help us feed our neighbors throughout the summer.
Bibles & Brews meets 6PM at Weggy’s on Thursday, June 12th. Join Pastor Jacie for casual conversations on faith and culture.
Fantasy meets philanthropy! Support Connections Shelter at A Midsummer Soiree, 7-9PM on June 20th in the Gustavus Arboretum. Enjoy musical entertainment and gourmet treats in a fairytale atmosphere inspired by the mystical forests of Shakespeare’s play. Bethlehem is sponsoring the Entertainment. Tickets are now available. Tickets are sold individually, or grab your friends, family, coworkers or BLC friends and form a table!
Family faith formation
VBS is set for July 21-24. Register online today. Dinner will be served from 5-6PM and VBS programming will run from 6-7:30pm. Youth and adult volunteers are needed! Sign up online to volunteer. The VBS Giving Tree is in the narthex with items needed for VBS this summer. Please feel free to take a leaf and donate an item on the list. Stay tuned for updates: our Amazon Wishlist will be available this week. Thank you!
Thank you
Crossroads Campus Ministry offers its deepest appreciation and thanks to Bethlehem Lutheran Church and the volunteers who prepared, delivered, and served delicious hot meals to hungry college students through our Lunch-for-a-Buck program during the 2024-2025 school year. We extend a special thank you to faithful servants, Jan Blaisdell, Kathy Piehl, Sue Larsen, Susan Brown, Zoe Blaisdell, Alex Blaisdell, DeAnn Bennett, Gordy Larson, Gary Petersen, Dennis Sandersfeld, Jason Bruns, Jack Halvorson, Bob Ihrig, Roger Haug and Pastor Jay Dahlvang for taking time out of their busy schedules to ensure that no student left Crossroads hungry. Lunch-for-a-Buck proved to be very popular this year. Your congregation was responsible for serving on seven Tuesdays throughout the year. Your volunteers fed 294 individuals and collected $327.97 in donations that went right back into purchasing the salads, beverages and table supplies for subsequent lunches.
Crossroads Campus Ministry was privileged to host 30 lunches throughout the school year, and due to the generosity of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and other area congregations, a total of 1,183 people were fed and $1,172.92 in donations was collected to ensure that we can keep feeding students into the future. We look forward to continuing Lunch-for-a-Buck after Fall Term begins in August and hope that Bethlehem will partner with us again to feed Minnesota State-Mankato students. God bless you for your faithfulness and support of this important and impactful ministry. We couldn’t do it without you!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Jenna Couch, Campus Pastor
Teri Herder-Blahnik, Crossroads Office Manager
Monthly mission partner
Our June Monthly Mission is the Greater Mankato Diversity Council. The GMDC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to building a stronger, more connected community through education and engagement. They provide diversity education in K-12 schools, corporate and organizational training, and community events that foster understanding and respect. They promote meaningful conversations and lifelong learning. 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
Lois Wintersteen Dorothy Knedel Gatchang Duach Nikolas Perez
The family & friends of Jerry Johnson, Norm Knowles & Marilyn Price
Sudanese Dinka Community at Zumbro Lutheran in Rochester Trinity Lutheran in Blue Earth
Bear Creek Lutheran in Grand Meadow Holden Lutheran in Kenyon
Asivida Ministry in Colombia Projecting My Future Ministry in Colombia