BLC Weekly, September 8
Hello Bethlehem,
Thanks for joining us at God’s Work, Our Hands yesterday! The fun continues this Wednesday, September 10. This year’s theme is Share, Receive, Be Blessed. Supper will be served at 5:00PM, worship will begin in the sanctuary at 6:15PM, projects and stations will begin at 7:00PM and we will wrap up with music and dessert at 7:45PM. Additional God’s Work, Our Hands details are available in the Facebook Event. Come and enjoy a chance to reconnect with your church family!
This is a great time to bring in your extra garden produce for the Farm Stand or nonperishable items to help restock the Blessings Box pantry! This will also be your time to complete a Time & Talent form, so begin to think about where you feel called to share your passions and gifts.
It’s not too soon to start signing up! Head to the BLC website to check out our Small Groups, take a look at the Wednesday Night Supper Menu and Adult Forum schedule, and register for youth programming.
Let us reunite for a new season to share, receive, and be blessed!
This week
BLC Men’s Vikings Football Watch Party is today, Monday, September 8th. Contact Pastor Jay to join BLC Men!
Book of Faith- Genesis begins Sept. 10. Join this 8-session study exploring the book of Genesis from a historical, literary, Lutheran, and devotional perspective, 10:30AM Wednesdays. Sign up here.
Join us for Wednesday night suppers, served at 5:00 PM in the lower level. All are welcome and the meal is FREE. The fall menu is now available online.
September Menu:
Sept. 10 Hamburger/cheeseburger with cold pasta salad and chips
Sept. 17 Ham, macaroni and cheese, salad and roll
Sept. 24 Chicken, mashed potatoes, salad and roll
Bibles & Brews meets Thursday, September 11th at Weggy’s beginning at 6:00PM. Join Pastor Jacie for meaningful conversations on faith and culture.
Adults Forums resume this week! Join us Sundays at 10:45AM in Grounds for Joy for coffee and speakers selected by your Adult Education Board. We kick off the season with Jerry Gale, founder of Christians Against Christian Nationalism, Minnesota, to discuss, “Understanding and Responding to Christian Nationalism.” The Adult Forum schedule is available on our website.
Family faith Formation
LIGHT & NightLIGHT are starting up again! Join us Sunday Sept. 14th or Wednesday the 17th for the first classes of the year.
Our Confirmation Orientation and Blessing will be held on Sept. 17th.
Announcements
The 53rd Annual Traditional Mahkato Wacipi honoring the 38 Dakota is September 19-21 at Dakota Wokisuye Makoce (Land of Memories Park). A BLC group will leave the church at 6PM on Sept. 19 to attend the first evening of the weekend together. Grand Entry begins at 7PM and the cost is $7 to enter for the weekend. Please RSVP by Sept. 12.
The Good Counsel Learning Center (GCLC) is a program that promotes literacy. THE GCLC does that by providing tutors who help students, mostly in grades K-12, to learn to read. They also provide tutoring services for people new to the U.S., or who are learning to speak and read English, regardless of age. Many, if not most, of their students cannot afford the cost of the tutoring services. GCLC tutors are people with an education background who have the skills necessary to teach people to read. The GCLC pays tutors at a rate consistent with each tutor's level of educational attainment. Some members of BLC already work as tutors for the GCLC but more tutors are needed. The GCLC, a not for profit organization, needs funding so that it can provide tuition assistance and so that it can continue to perform its' mission so, donations are welcome. People can also contact the GCLC to request services, and/or to make referrals for people who need services. People can contact the GCLC through their website at www.gclearningcenter.org, or can call on them at 507-389-4229.
New Meet & Eat groups are forming! We match 3 couples/individuals to each host and share a meal with their group throughout the season. Let us know if you’d like to host your meal here at Bethlehem. Sign up here.
Thank you!
Thanks for joining Bethlehem’s Welcome & Inclusion Board at SEMN PrideFest over the weekend!
Thank you for assisting in loading 2,400 school kits last Tuesday to be taken to Lutheran World Relief in the Twin Cities.
Thank you Christine!
This month marks 35 years of dedicated service at the Bethlehem organ and piano as well as in our office for Christine Schulz. Wow!! How blessed we have been with her many talents over these years! She has the longest tenure of service among our pastoral and lay staff in the 150+-year history of Bethlehem. What an impressive accomplishment!
Christine has shared her outstanding musical skills at our worship services in guiding our singing, accompanying our choirs, guest musicians and contemporary band and performing at many special church events and celebrations. Every occasion has been a marvelous concert of expertise, experience, inspiration and dedication at the keyboards.
Christine has also made her impact in our office every day as the creative editor of our STAR monthly newsletter; scheduling worship readers, greeters, ushers and so many other volunteers; maintaining our membership directory; facilitating mailings to our members; creating worship bulletins; assisting our pastors and lay staff with special requests and so much more. She has been the dedicated anchor in the office.
Thank your for all you do for Bethlehem! We would not be the dynamic church we are today without your many contributions and faithful service.
A note from Your congregational Services coordinator
Hello Bethlehem,
I have begun my studies at Wartburg Theological Seminary, a four year program in pursuit of becoming an ELCA pastor. As Pastor Jay Dahlvang said on Sunday, no one becomes a pastor in a vacuum. Discernment was a journey that I would not have taken without the faith, support and inspiration of this precious congregation. Thank you.
It’s an exciting time, and a busy time. I am attending class live zia Zoom throughout the week. While I may take a bit longer to respond, I will still be here, and I will still be your Congregational Services Coordinator. The office will remain open 9-5 on Tuesdays, however, to accommodate my class schedule, my Tuesday office hours have changed to 9-1 & 2:40-5pm.
Thank you for your understanding and thank you for walking with me. Blessings to all.
-Molly Nelson, CSC
Monthly mission partner
Bethlehem’s September Monthly Mission partner is Iambi Secondary School Scholarships. This church-managed boarding school serves 200 students in the Mkalama district, Singida region in Tanzania. Academically, it is among the top ten schools in regional and national examination results. ISS has a conducive environment for students to learn with a reliable power supply, enough books, and enough teachers for all subjects. They also teach computer studies courses and religion. Gifts from Bethlehem have been transformative for ISS, and our past generosity enabled the school to install electricity, allowing the students and teachers to study and prepare lessons after the sun went down. Test scores soared, and enrollment boomed. Please give prayerfully and financially to our friends at Iambi Secondary School. 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 Lisa Hagen
Sandy Birkholz Kurt Burdick Mary Clark Nikolas Perez
St. Matthew Lutheran in Harmony Moland Lutheran in Kenyon
Epiphany Lutheran in Eagle Lake Kinakumi Lutheran in Tanzania
Ikhanoda Lutheran in Tanzania Iglesia San Lucas Lutheran in Colombia