BLC Weekly, July 14
Hello Bethlehem,
Summer is in full swing! BLC’s Bible’s & Brews enjoyed an evening at the MoonDogs last week.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Connections Shelter will hold a Community Listening Session in Grounds for Joy Wednesday, July 16, from 6:30-8:00 PM to discuss rezoning the property on 119 State Street for use as their daytime drop-in center and offices. Questions can be directed to jenn@connectionsshelder.org
Bethlehem will be hosting another Blood Drive on August 19. The Red Cross is offering an August Community Health initiative: during the month of August, the Red Cross will include A1C testing, commonly used to screen for prediabetes and diabetes, on successful donations. No fasting is needed! Head to the Red Cross website to reserve your donation time slot.
Bethlehem’s Welcome & Inclusion Board invites you to participate in the 2025 Pride Parade at 11:15 am on Saturday, September 6, 2025. We also need volunteers to staff a table in Riverfront Park from 1:00-4:00 pm that day as well. A sign-up sheet is available at the Welcome Center.
Family faith Formation
VBS 2025 is next week! We’re looking forward to a great week of fun, faith, and fellowship! VBS is geared towards kids 3-years-old thru 6th grade. Whether you're a member of Bethlehem, Centenary, a member of the Mankato-area community, we'd love to have you join us July 21-24. Register online ASAP. Dinner will be served from 5-6PM and VBS programming will run from 6-7:30pm. We can’t wait to see you!
ANNOUCEMENTS
Bethlehem T-Shirt orders are open once again! For 10$ you can have your own shirt with Bethlehem's logo on the front and a rainbow heart on the back. A sign-up sheet is available at the Welcome Center. -Welcome & Inclusion Board
Bethlehem is seeking another Weekend/Evening Janitor to join our team. Read more about the job description and apply online.
SUMMER ORGAN RECITALS The Sioux Trails Chapter of the American Guild of Organists presents its annual Summer Noontime Organ Recitals at 12:10 pm on Tuesdays in Hutchinson and Mankato. Upcoming performances at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 222 Pfau St., Mankato, include Mark DeGarmeaux (7/15), and John Baumann (7/22). The series then moves to Bethlehem for performances by Kraig Windschitl (7/29), Elisabeth Urtel (8/5) and Christine Schulz (8/12). Each recital is free. Visit www.agosiouxtrails.org for more information.
Summer Sack Lunches: Community members can pick up a free sack lunch Sundays from 5-6 PM in the parking lot. We’ve already had a great deal of success with this program, serving meals until supplies run out. We are deeply grateful for your support. Thank you for continuing to fill the donation bin in the narthex, collecting bottled water, sandwich bags, lunch packs of chips, cookies and fruit cups. You can also financially support this new mission with online giving. Thank you for helping us to feed our neighborhood this summer!
Stewardship Board Wants You
The Bethlehem Stewardship Board has a member vacancy which we would like to fill with an interested and dedicated BLC member. We seek someone who would like to participate in the following activities:
•Monthly thank-you notes to BLC members and others for their services to the church
•Planning and facilitating the 2025 fall stewardship campaign
•Promoting future legacy giving by BLC members
•Reading & learning about promoting stewardship & generosity for the congregation
•Getting to know and working with fellow BLC members
Contact Bob Ihrig at 507-388-1953 or robert.ihrig1@gmail.com with questions or if interested in joining this dynamic and active Bethlehem group. YOU can make a difference for Bethlehem!
Monthly mission partner
Our July Monthly Mission partner is Lutheran World Relief. For 80 years LWR has been working to improve the lives of the poor, provide disaster relief and recovery, and create jobs and agricultural economies, with special interest in production and fair marketing of cocoa and coffee around the world. Their mission is to “end poverty, injustice, and human suffering in the world, until your love reaches every neighbor.” Bethlehem’s long relationship with LWR includes the production of school kits and quilts.
Right now, Lutheran World Relief is deploying resources to assist with recovery efforts after devastating flooding in Texas.
Our giving goal is $7,000. Thank you for supporting this important work. 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 Pat Nelson Susan Brown
Lisa Hagen Ron Orchard
First English Lutheran in Cannon Falls Elstad Lutheran in Peterson
Jackson Lake Lutheran in Amboy Ihanja Lutheran in Tanzania
Mission of San Juan in Bucaramanga, Colombia Shelui Lutheran in Tanzania