August 12, 2025 – New Sunday Evening Worship Service, Evensong
Experimental. Newly-composed sacred music alongside traditional Lutheran hymnody; contemplative spiritual practices; poetry and art used to illuminate scripture.
Embodied. Opportunities for active participation, like candle lighting and prayer stations.
Experiential. Cozy, contemplative atmosphere; a deep, restorative breath before the work week; seasonal liturgies allow music and words to sink in deeply.
These three words sum up the vision for our NEW worship service, Evensong, which will be held in-person on Sundays at 5:00 pm at the Minneapolis campus beginning August 17.
Curated and led by Spirit Garage’s Andy Pokel in collaboration, with Bethlehem pastors and volunteer musicians, this in-person worship service will use a consistent liturgy, led primarily by guitar and piano, in which only a few elements will change.
From August to November—the last portion of “ordinary time” in the church calendar—Evensong will feature music and liturgies from the Prairie Liturgies, a gorgeous collection of worship services by Carol Meier (composer) and Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson (liturgist).
August 5, 2025 – Pray Without Ceasing
As people who follow Jesus, we pray. Alone and together, we pray. And, in times of great change, we pray. And so, in this time of significant and rapid change, we will take the bishop up on her invitation to gather in prayer for the world each week. Gather to Pray Without Ceasing before worship on Sunday mornings (MTKA Narthex 9:00 am & MPLS Chapel 10:15 am) for a brief litany of prayers for the world. We’ll gather around a global map and have tea lights available. We’ll continue this tradition each week, trusting that where two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name, our Savior is with us. Learn more here.
July 29, 2025 – Seniors Together School Supply Drive
Bethlehem’s Seniors Together ministry will be collecting school supplies to help kids from financially struggling families start the school year strong.
Minneapolis will be collecting school supplies for Stonebridge World School, a Pre K–Grade 6 public charter school, tuition free and open to all students located at 4530 Lyndale Ave. S.
Minnetonka will be collecting school supplies for Resource West, a non-profit community agency that serves families and individuals living in the West Metro community.
Volunteers and collection tables will be available at both campuses before and after services on Sundays, Aug 3 and 10.
Donations can be dropped off during the week and throughout the month of August. Look for the School Supplies Collection box at both campuses.
Click here for a list of needed supplies.
July 22, 2025 – Annual Budget Meeting
Come, gather as a community rooted in faith and guided by grace to discern how God is calling us forward (MPLS & Livestream) Saturday, July 26, 10:00 am.
Our staff and lay leaders have been prayerfully imagining our future in light of our renewed vision, mission and values. Together, we’ll share exciting plans for the coming year, review and approve our 2025–2026 fiscal year budget, and celebrate the many ways God is moving in and through Bethlehem.
July 15, 2025 – Worship at the Lake Harriet Bandshell this Sunday
BETHLEHEM WORSHIP
10:00 am – Lake Harriet Bandshell
Join us for our yearly trek to the Lake Harriet Bandshell to worship as one church in one place together outside with bluegrass ensemble, Monroe Crossing.
Bring some chairs and blankets. Feel free to do some shuffle clog dancing! Stay after worship for light refreshments and fellowship.
This will be our only worship service this Sunday. This service will not be livestreamed or recorded. Please check the Bethlehem website in case of inclement weather.
July 8, 2025 – Celebrate Emerson Village’s Grand Opening
Bethlehem’s most recent Capital Campaign prayerfully and financially invested in making this project a reality. Together with the whole Beacon collaborative on Monday, July 21, 3:30–5:30 pm, let’s celebrate the Grand Opening with the village that made it possible and the residents that call this place home. Featured speakers include: Jacob Frey, Mayor of the City of Minneapolis; Irene Fernando, Hennepin County Commissioner; Jeremiah Ellison, Minneapolis City Council Member; Chris LaTondresse, Beacon President & CEO.
July 1, 2025 – Wander with Us In the Footsteps of the Apostle Paul
On July 1st, a group of 31 people from Bethlehem embark on an adventure to Greece and Turkiye to wander in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, reading the letters he wrote to early Christian churches while learning about the ancient context we might overlook as Americans in 2025.
Keep an eye on Bethlehem’s Facebook and Instagram for glimpses of this adventure. We’ll remember our baptism at the Gangites River in Philippi where Lydia was baptized, share the Lord’s Supper in Corinth, and consider the ways an ancient goddess in Ephesus helped the locals embrace Mary, the Mother of God, as their own. We’ll also visit the island of Patmos where John had a revelation and sing hymns inspired by that text.
Wherever you are, you can follow along by downloading the group’s daily devotional booklet (available here) and by praying for this group on the move—that we would return home on July 12 alive, together and transformed by the journey.
June 24, 2025 – SPECIAL OFFERING: Celebrating 35 Years with Habitat for Humanity
In celebration of 35 years of partnership with Habitat for Humanity, we’re inviting you to join us in raising $7,500—an amount that will be matched with a generous $7,500 gift already committed by the Bethlehem Foundation.
Together, we can deliver a $15,000 gift to Habitat that supports both a home sponsorship and their capital campaign goals: advancing racial equity in housing, expanding access to homeownership, and deepening community engagement.
Join us in honoring this milestone and help build a more just and welcoming future—one home at a time. You can drop a check at church or give online via Realm; choose Habitat for Humanity from the Fund drop-down menu.
Give Now
June 10, 2025 – Minnesota Sacred Sites Tour
Be part of healing Minnesota by visiting Dakota sacred sites and learning stories of the Dakota people, stories that make invisible pain visible.
Churches and faith communities can promote healing by embracing history and listening to Native stories. Through this tour on Saturday, July 12 from 9:00 am–3:30 pm, we will get a glimpse of how much greater and more creative God is than we may have previously understood.
We will start and finish the day at Spirit Garage, so folks can carpool to the different sites we will visit. Please bring a lunch with you and a chair that you can carry if you need to sit at times during the tour.
Open to up to 50 people who are involved with the Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities community, high school age and above. Thanks to a grant from the Bethlehem Foundation, the cost for this event is only $20.
Read more and register here.
June 3, 2025 – Be a Prayer Partner for a Summer Service Trip Youth!
This summer, 44 youth and adults from Bethlehem are heading to Madison, Wisc. and Nashville, Tenn. on service-learning trips in partnership with Serve Boldly. These trips will give students a powerful opportunity to serve, grow and experience God’s presence in new ways—and you can be a part of their journey.
We’re looking for Prayer Partners to support each participant. As a prayer partner, you’ll be matched with a student or leader before the trip. You’ll get an itinerary, prayer guide and everything you need to write one short daily prayer for your partner. During the trip, these prayers are delivered at breakfast and become a daily highlight—offering encouragement, joy and a tangible reminder that they are surrounded in love and support.
Being a prayer partner is simple, meaningful and deeply appreciated by everyone involved. It’s a great way to build a new connection and support our young people in faith.
We need 10 more prayer partners. Let’s show our youth that they are covered in prayer every step of the way.
To sign up or learn more, email Melissa Ramshead, Director of Youth and Family Ministry (612-312-3381).
May 27, 2025 – What Can You Do with a Hammer and a Heart?
This summer, we need more than 100 volunteers to make our Habitat for Humanity build weeks a success—and we can’t do it without you.
For nearly 35 years, Bethlehem has partnered faithfully with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity to help make affordable housing a reality. What began as a few volunteer days has grown into a legacy of hope, with 13,000+ hours served, and 28 families house—all thanks to the leadership and dedication of our Habitat community.
Now, it’s your turn. Whether you’re swinging a hammer, packing lunches, or cheering us on, every role matters. Volunteers from Minneapolis, Minnetonka, and Spirit Garage are already stepping up—but we need many more hands and hearts to continue this work.
Be part of something bigger than a building project. Be part of building a future. Sign up today and help us make this summer’s build weeks the best yet.
Steve Tjeltveit
Outreach Team Chair
May 20, 2025 – Pastor Holly Sabbatical Send-off
Join me this Sunday, May 25 at 10:30 am at Spirit Garage for worship and a potluck as we celebrate and send off Pastor Holly on her sabbatical journey! It will be a time of gratitude, blessing and community as we surround her with love and support.
Whether you’re a regular at Spirit Garage or just want to show your care for Holly, everyone is welcome. I hope to see you there!
This event will take place at Spirit Garage: Meraki Building, 100 W. 46th St., Minneapolis. Sign up here to help and to let us know what you will bring!
Pastor Chris Enstad
May 13, 2025 – Reconciling In Christ Update
One of Bethlehem’s values is radical hospitality. In an effort to live into this shared value, we’ve started exploring what it means to become a Reconciling In Christ (RIC) congregation. We don’t have to create a unique process or figure this out all by ourselves. Reconciling Works: Lutherans for Full Participation have been supporting congregations through the RIC process for more than 40 years. Together we’ll explore the importance of a safe, welcoming and inclusive culture for all people, including the LGBTQIA2S+ community and those the church has historically harmed or excluded.
The RIC Core Team wants to hear from you. Your thoughts, cares and concerns are key ingredients to this process. If you are contacted by a member of this team, please consider making time for one of these conversations. They are usually face-to-face and last about 45 minutes. If you are not contacted but would like to participate in this step of the process, please contact a member of the team or email [email protected] to schedule one.
We look forward to connecting with you and welcome your prayers for wisdom and guidance.
Team Members: Regina Johnson, co-chair; Tricia Hall, co-chair; Heidi Peterson, staff liaison; Diane Waarvik, staff liaison; Becca Totzke, Neil Kristianson, Gail Conroy and Tom Gerhard; Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson; pastoral support
May 6, 2025 – Join Our Voices Together
From Mark Paisar, Director of Music
Every Sunday morning when we gather together for worship, we join our voices together as one to give thanks and praise to God. In doing so, we are calling upon the words that we hear from Ephesians 5:19–20: “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
When we sing together and experience the beauty of music together, we open our hearts and minds to experience the beauty and love of God. Such moments of beauty are filled with holy and transformative potential that calls us forward in our journey to live more fully as beloved children of God.
Throughout this program year, we truly have been blessed to experience the joy and beauty of music, and we can certainly give thanks to all of the incredible musicians in all of the ensembles here at Bethlehem who make that music possible.
I hope you will join us for the Choir and Handbell Finale concert, featuring our children and youth ensembles, on Wednesday, May 14 at 6:30 pm in the sanctuary at the Minneapolis campus.
We will take a moment that evening to highlight the musicianship and leadership of our children and youth ensembles here at Bethlehem. We will give thanks for the beautiful music that they have offered up in worship this year, and we will recognize their musical leadership that they share with this congregation.
Please join us as we give thanks for the KinderChoir, Cherub Choir, Choristers, Youth Choir, and Youth Handbell Ensemble. All are invited to join us for this evening of music and root beer floats!
April 29, 2025 – The End Is the Beginning: Introduction to Revelation
“Revelation is a book full of promises. It is a book about hope but not hope that’s saccharine or sweet. Rather it is a book about enduring, persistent, and gritty hope. And I think it’s exactly the kind of hope we need for times like this.” —Matthew Fleming
This past Sunday, we began a 6-week sermon series on Revelation. Many of us approach this last book of the Bible with wide-eyed wonder because it is strange and confusing. Its images are sometimes terrifying, and other times comforting. You might be surprised to know that words from Revelation grace dozens of beloved hymns, along with our communion liturgy.
We have invited Pastor Matthew Ian Fleming, author of “The End is the Beginning: Revelation, Hope, and the Love that Lit the Stars” to lead an introductory session on the Book of Revelation at both of our campuses:
- (MPLS) Wednesday, May 7, 6:30–7:30 pm
- (MTKA) Thursday, May 8, 10:00–11:00 am
Fleming is the Director of Church Anew and Teaching Pastor at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Eden Prairie. You can read an interview with him here. Come to either session, or both if you’d like to hear him twice! Register here.
April 22, 2025 – Opening Worship of the 2025 Synod Assembly
Dear Bethlehem Community,
We have a unique and exciting opportunity to live out our value of Radical Hospitality as we welcome congregations across the Minneapolis Area Synod to our Minneapolis campus on Friday, May 2, for the Opening Worship of the 2025 Synod Assembly.
This is a meaningful chance to gather with siblings in Christ from across our synod—to pray, sing and be inspired together in the Spirit. The service will begin at 6:30 pm and is open to all.
We’d love for you to attend—and we could use your help! Volunteers are needed to serve as greeters, ushers, parking lot hosts, and more. Let’s extend the same warm welcome to our guests we know and love here at Bethlehem.
Here’s how you can participate:
- Attend worship – come and be part of this joyful evening.
- Volunteer to serve – sign up to help us offer gracious hospitality.
Let’s show the synod what it looks like to be Alive Together: A New Creation in Christ.
With gratitude,
Pastor Chris
April 15, 2025 – Celebrate Easter at Bethlehem
Dear Bethlehem Friends and Family,
I invite you to join us for worship on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. These days commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and embody the very essence of our church’s Vision, Mission and Values—an unwavering commitment to discipleship, community, and the transformative power of Christ’s love.
Understanding the Triduum
The term “Triduum” refers to the three-day period at the close of Holy Week that includes:
Maundy Thursday: A day recalling the Last Supper, when Jesus washed His disciples’ feet and served his last meal, setting an everlasting example of humility and servant leadership. This day reminds us to embrace the call to serve one another, reflecting our shared mission of love and community. Maundy is derived from the word “maundatum” or “commandment”. Jesus gave a new commandment, one that is to be found written not on our courtroom walls but on our hearts: “Love another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” —John 13:34 NIV
Good Friday is a solemn day commemorating Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. In observing Good Friday, we are invited to reflect deeply on the magnitude of His sacrifice, a powerful testament to our values of redemption and hope.
Easter Sunday: A day of jubilant celebration as we proclaim the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith, affirming that new life, renewal, and hope are ever-present in our lives and in our mission to extend God’s grace to the world.
Why Observe All Three Days?
Participating in the entire Triduum enriches our spiritual experience and deepens our understanding of God’s redemptive work. We are reminded of the fullness of Christ’s sacrifice and the profound mystery of His love. Our hearts are invited to move from the humility of service to the sorrow of sacrifice and finally to the joy of resurrection. We renew our commitment to living out our church’s values by engaging in acts of service, reflection, and celebration that embody the love and hope of Christ.
This Holy Week, let us unite as a community to honor our Savior’s legacy and renew our faith in the promise of new beginnings. Please invite family and friends to join us as we worship and fellowship during these pivotal days. May the anticipation of Christ’s resurrection fill you with hope and inspire your heart to serve with compassion and humility.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Pastor Chris Enstad
Holy Week & Easter Worship
We invite you to join us for the greatest story ever told!
MAUNDY THURSDAY
April 17
At the heart of the Maundy Thursday liturgy is Jesus’ commandment to love one another.
7:00 pm – Minneapolis
7:00 pm – Minnetonka
7:00 pm – Livestream
Join your Bethlehem community for a soup supper before worship.
GOOD FRIDAY
April 18
We gather on this holy day and walk with Jesus to his cross and burial. Liturgy for this Good Friday service is based on nine events mentioned in the four Gospels.
7:00 pm – Minneapolis
7:00 pm – Minnetonka
7:00 pm – Livestream
EASTER SUNDAY
April 20
Celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday, a day filled with joy and hope, proclaiming the victory of life over death.
6:00, 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 am – Minneapolis
9:30 am – Minnetonka
6:00 & 9:30 am – Livestream
10:30 am – Spirit Garage (at 100 W 46th St.)
April 1, 2025 – Stories of Hope
From Hannah Campbell Gustafson, Director of Mental Health Connect
It is estimated that 20 percent of Minnesotan young people have a mental health diagnosis by the time they are 18 years old. When we ask members from our 40 collaborative faith communities about their number one concern around mental health, they consistently mention youth mental health. This is why the theme for our annual Stories of Hope Breakfast Fundraiser this year is Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing, because we want to join together in learning and committing to ways we can support young people.
The Stories of Hope Breakfast Fundraiser is on Thursday, May 8, 8:00–9:00 am, Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church (5025 Knox Ave. S). Join us to hear from a young person and her real struggles with mental health and also the hope that she’s found. Hear from her parent and other professionals about the supports that exist and the ways faith communities can support youth mental health.
At our breakfast you’ll experience connection with many, many other supporters of our mission as well as the excitement and joy of doing this hard work together. You’ll hear messages grounded in reality but also filled with hope. Come to be nourished, both physically and emotionally.
Mental Health Connect is deeply grateful for all of the ways we are supported by Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities and its members and friends. Stories of Hope is an opportunity to deepen your understanding of the work that we’re doing, and show up to support us in another way.
To purchase either a table (of eight seats) or an individual ticket, register online. And please, always feel free to reach out to me—I’d love to get coffee with you!
March 25, 2025 – Lutheran Campus Ministry Sunday
Lutheran Campus Ministry–Twin Cities is a young adult ministry at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities that centers on God’s unconditional love and is marked by curiosity, integrity and a commitment to creating belonging for one another and our neighbors. While we often talk about young adults as the “future” of the church, the young adults that comprise LCM are actively shaping our church right now, in the present.
As we move into yet another era of unchartered waters, we continue to learn so much from the young adults about the power of the Gospel, the deep hunger for grounding spiritual practices, and the eagerness to belong to a community that shares your values. Whether bearing the weight of grief and loss, a fractured political system, or mental illness, young adults are learning what it means to be resilient and faithful amidst a world that will likely be uncertain for a very long time.
Still, or maybe because of this uncertainty, students are actively engaged with their faith. They are hungry, and they show up to pray, serve, learn, and worship together. More than anything, they show up to connect and center down in the love of God. At LCM, we see first-hand the incredible work of the Holy Spirit, who animates these young adults and our ministry among them.
This Sunday, we welcome guest preachers from Lutheran Campus Ministry at our Minnetonka and Minneapolis campuses. We are also excited to invite you to further partner with this ministry. Your support matters now as much as it ever has, and we are grateful that Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities will be taking a special offering in support of this vital young adult ministry. Please consider making a gift (choose Lutheran Campus Ministry from the fund drop-down), and thank you for being church together.
For more information, click here.
March 18, 2025 – Become a member this spring!
From Burke Hancer, Director of Membership Engagement
I have been the Director of Membership Engagement at Bethlehem for a few months now, and this spring will be my first experience with our New Member process. I get to participate as a leader on staff and as a newcomer to this community, with fresh eyes for the way we invite, welcome and engage as a congregation.
Whether you are brand new to Bethlehem or you’ve been participating for years, I invite you to join me on the journey. Your active investment in the life of this congregation matters. Your faith, interests, values, questions, and talents are precious and vital gifts to the whole. Your belonging through engagement is a sign that the church is always being made new!
I hope you’ll register for the New Member classes so we can make connections and build relationships together. And, if you’re already a member, plan to attend worship on Sunday, Jun 1 when we welcome this cohort during all of the services. It’s an opportunity to renew your promises to this community and bear witness to the new things God is doing at Bethlehem.
Register online for this event to receive the New Member packet and more information about these in-person New Member classes. This two-part class is hosted by both campuses on Sundays, Apr 27 (MPLS) and May 4 (MTKA) so you can experience worship in both places prior to New Member Sunday, Jun 1. Online make-up sessions will be scheduled as needed in May.
The new member process highlights: Your faith, gifts, leadership, and questions; Bethlehem’s vision, mission and values; Lutheran theology and identity; Meaningful ministry and relationships. Contact Burke Hancer with any questions.
March 11, 2025 – Take Time for Mental Health: 2SLGBTQIA+ Persons and the Role of Faith Communities
Join Bethlehem at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Community next Tuesday, Mar 18, 6:00–8:00 pm for a special Take Time for Mental Health discussion with Matthew Lewellyn-Otten, Director of Organizing at OutFront Minnesota, our state’s largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organization.
Matthew will discuss the barriers to well-being for Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, gender expansive, intersex, asexual, aromantic, questioning and other individuals and ways that people of faith communities can advocate for change to create a more equitable healthcare system.
We recognize that the 2SLGBTQIA+ community often feels unsafe and unequal in our society, preventing many from leading lives of opportunity, autonomy, and full expression. Matthew will share insights on attitudes and strategies for being a good ally.
This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and explore ways to foster a more welcoming and inclusive church environment. A light meal will be provided, followed by the presentation. This is a free event, but a free-will offering for dinner is appreciated. Please register in advance.
March 4, 2025 – We invite you to worship with us this Ash Wednesday!
Dear Bethlehem Community,
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, a time to turn our hearts toward God’s call to repentance and renewal. We invite you to join us for worship on Wednesday, Mar 5, as we begin our Lenten journey with the theme, “The Way It Is: Following Christ’s Call.”
Through scripture, music, and the ancient practice of receiving ashes, we will reflect on God’s call to transformation—both in our lives and in our community.
We hope you will join us as we begin this sacred season together.
Sincerely,
Pastor Chris Enstad & the Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities Team
ASH WEDNESDAY WORSHIP SERVICES & ACTIVITIES
We receive ash in the form of a cross on our foreheads hearing the words of Genesis 3:19, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Both Campuses & Livestream
5:45 pm – Family Blessing Service
7:00 pm – Worship Service
Activities:
(MTKA) 5:00 pm – Lent crafting session (Pom Pom Pals)
Dinner Menus:
Registration is encouraged to help with meal planning but is not required.
(MPLS) 5:00–6:45 pm – Vegetable soup, grilled ham and cheese sandwich, generous salad bar with fixings, dessert, and beverage. Read more and register here.
(MTKA) 6:00–7:00 pm – Homemade entree or soup, salad, bread and homemade dessert. Read more and register here
February 25, 2025 – Feed Minnesota!
Join Bethlehem in supporting the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign—the largest grassroots food and fund drive in the state!
The Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign unites organizations, businesses and faith communities to keep over 300 food shelves stocked across the state. Since its inception, Minnesota FoodShare has distributed over $18 million to participating food shelves, ensuring that families facing food insecurity receive the support they need.
This year’s campaign runs from March 1 – April 6, and Bethlehem is responding by supporting our food shelf partners, ICA and CES, both of which are seeing record numbers of families in need. Spring is a time when food and financial contributions typically decline, making your support during this campaign more important than ever.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Donate Food – Bring non-perishable food items to Bethlehem anytime between March 1 and April 6. Drop-off locations include grocery carts, white barrels, or the main office at the Minneapolis campus. At the Minnetonka campus, please leave donations at the ICA table.
Give Financially – Donate online or via check payable to BLCTC with ICA or CES in the memo line. 100% of donations made to Minnesota FoodShare during this campaign go directly to food shelves, amplifying the impact of your generosity.
Join us in living out our mission of Alive Together – A New Creation In Christ by ensuring families in our community have the food they need. Thank you for your support!
February 19, 2025 – You are invited to the Bethlehem Annual Meeting!
Attend, participate and be part of the conversation.
Dear Bethlehem Family,
I invite you to attend the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Congregation on Saturday, Feb 22, 10:00 a.m. at our Minnetonka campus. This gathering is essential for uniting as a faith community, celebrating our shared ministry, and looking ahead to the future.
During this meeting, we will:
- Vote on the stub-year budget as we transition to a new fiscal year structure.
- Engage with our newly approved Vision, Mission and Values, exploring how they will shape our ministry and life together in the coming years.
Your voice and presence matter as we seek to live out our calling as a church faithfully. Please attend, participate, and be part of the conversation that helps guide Bethlehem forward.
This will be in-person only event. Please RSVP online to attend the luncheon following the meeting.
I look forward to seeing you there!
Sincerely,
Chris Enstad
Lead Pastor