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 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

A key focus will be the transition to a July-to-June fiscal year. This change allows Bethlehem to align financial planning with ministry goals and activities more effectively. Jo and Ryan will explain why this shift benefits the church’s long-term growth and how it integrates with our stewardship practices.

The Finance Town Halls are an excellent opportunity to ask questions, provide feedback, and deepen your understanding of how Bethlehem is positioning itself for a faithful and sustainable future. Whether you’re passionate about the church’s mission, curious about the budget process, or simply want to stay informed, these sessions are for you.

Your participation helps shape Bethlehem’s future as we steward God’s gifts for ministry and service. See you there!

February 4, 2025 – Wednesday Night Dinners

Put down those pots and pans and come on over to the Minneapolis campus for dinner! The beloved tradition of Wednesday night dinners is back! Delicious meals will be served in Iverson Hall each Wednesday from 5:00–6:45 pm beginning February 19 to May 7. These dinners will feature a wonderful entree, a tasty side dish, a healthy salad bar with a variety of fixings and dressings, a scrumptious dessert, and a beverage.

February Menus:
(Salad bar, dessert and beverage always included)

2/19: Italiano Magnifico! Beef lasagna, savory green beans
2/26: Mardi Gras & BINGO! Baked chicken, pan-roasted potatoes and carrots

January 28, 2025 – Ways to Participate in Bethlehem’s Day of Service

Join us for Bethlehem’s annual Day of Service, where everyone can make a meaningful difference! This year, we’re aiming to assemble an additional 1,000 kits (for a total of 1,600!) and we need your help to make it happen.

There are many ways to participate:

• Bring an individually wrapped, new bar of soap and change for a noisy offering to support the kits and our food shelf partners: CES, ICA, and the Division of Indian Work.
• Donate items needed for the kits, including Newborn and Hospice kit supplies.
• Shop online through our Amazon Wishlist or Target Registry to have items sent directly to Bethlehem.
• Join us in person on Saturday, Feb 8, starting at 9:30 am at the Minneapolis campus for a day of hands-on service, warm fellowship, and a delicious lunch. Please RSVP to help us prepare for the day.

We’ll create Newborn Kits, Hospice Kits, and rolled bandages to send to our outreach partner, Global Health Ministries. Let’s unite to serve, share, and make an impact in our community and beyond.

We can’t wait to see you there—your participation matters!

January 21, 2025 – You’re Invited to Bethlehem’s Annual Meeting!

Mark your calendars for Bethlehem’s Annual Meeting on Saturday, Feb 22 at the Minnetonka campus. This important gathering begins at 10:00 AM and will be followed by a delicious lunch, offering a wonderful opportunity to connect as one church community.

During the meeting, we’ll vote on a six-month budget as we transition to a new July-to-June fiscal year in 2025. We’ll also share updates on our Mission, Vision and Values, which will guide Bethlehem’s work and ministry in the years ahead.

Your voice matters in shaping our church’s future, and your presence is vital to this time of reflection, decision-making and fellowship. Please join us as we come together to celebrate 2024, embrace the present, and envision the future. We look forward to seeing you there!

January 14, 2025 – Take Time for Mental Health

From Diane Waarvik, Director of Congregational Care Ministries

Take Time for Mental Health is a monthly series of educational presentations on mental health and illness. The program is co-sponsored by St. Joan of Arc Catholic Community (SJA) and Bethlehem. SJA and Bethlehem began to work together about 10 years ago to increase awareness of mental health in our communities. The mental health ministries of each community plan monthly topics for presentations. These presentations focus on a specific topic each month. The topics range from education about a specific disease to tools for self care as well as about how to offer support to those living with a diagnosed mental illness. We have experts in their field who make the presentations.

We are excited about our upcoming season topics. Presentations are held the third Tuesday of the month at 6:00–8:00 pm. A light supper is provided, with a free will offering for the meal.

We begin the year on January 21 at SJA. This is a hands-on presentation on restorative art and its healing given by Jesse Fraser. You will be shown a fun and entertaining way to use art for healing.

Other topics coming up this season:

Loneliness: Better Together—A review of the Surgeon General’s advisory on the epidemic of loneliness and the health benefits of community connection. Held on February 18 at Bethlehem.

LGBTQIA2S+ Community—What are the barriers for this community, and how can you become an advocate for better and safer care and inclusiveness? Held on March 18 at SJA.

Suicide Planning and Suicide Prevention: “A Guide for Family and Friends”—This is a two part series given by Melissa Conway. The first line of defense in trying to prevent someone’s suicide is caring and alert friends and family members. The better armed they are with knowledge, skills, information and resources, the greater the likelihood this tragic loss can be avoided. This program is designed to explore basic interventions at the family/friend level to help someone stay safe, receive care, and how to continue to be a support once someone is receiving care. Held on April 22 and April 29 at Bethlehem.

These programs are free and open to all. Please join us.

January 7, 2025 – Follow Along! Journeys of Paul Dinner & Info Session

From Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson

Yesterday Pastor Chris and I embarked on a nine-day journey to Greece and Türkiye! We are traveling with a big group of clergy (and a few spouses, including mine) to follow in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul. We’ll be learning from Professors Karoline Lewis and Michael Chan while exploring places Paul preached and the churches he inspired.

We’ll also be planning the official itinerary for our Bethlehem tour to Greece and Türkiye together on this trip, choosing which places and stories to highlight during our adventure this summer. I have no doubt that standing on Mars Hill or in the ruins of Ephesus will help Paul’s words come alive for you in new ways! More than 20 of you are already signed up to travel with us July 1–12, but there’s room for many more.

December 31, 2025 – “Invitation to the Psalms” with Rolf Jacobson

From Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

After reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, “Life Together,” this fall, I’ve been wanting to take a deeper look at the Psalms. As it happens, the second edition of Rolf and Karl Jacobson’s book, “Invitation to the Psalms: A Reader’s Guide for Discover and Engagement,” was released in October. The Jacobsons posit that the Psalter is not meant to be studied as much as it’s meant to be prayed, sung and lived. That said, the Psalms are Hebrew poetry, and poetry has a different “governing logic” than other types of writing. It’s helpful to know something about the basic conventions and features of the genre in order to experience the individual Psalms.

During the season of Advent, we encountered Hebrew poetry in some of the readings from Luke and the Old Testament prophets, and I found it helpful to have been exploring the Jacobsons’ book.

In January and February, Dr. Rolf Jacobson will be present to introduce and wrap up a study of the new book, and in the five weeks between, Pastor Kris TM will lead a conversation exploring the themes and practical applications.

• There are several ways to participate:
  Come to the presentations by Dr. Rolf Jacobson on (MPLS) Wednesdays, Jan 8 and Feb 15, 6:30–7:30 pm, or participate online. Register here to receive the link.
• Purchase a copy of the book and participate in the book study (MPLS) Wednesdays, Jan 15–Feb 12. Read more and register here.
• Pick up a stand-alone reading plan for the Psalms and do an independent study.

We’re heading into a new year. Why not start a new habit? We hope to see you on Wednesdays in 2025!

November 5, 2024 – Today Is Election Day

We hope you have been engaged in the democratic process this season. If you haven’t already, please plan to vote today before the polls close. Regardless of the outcome, we will need to navigate a mix of emotions and reactions in the coming days and weeks.

This month marks the conclusion of the church calendar with Reign of Christ Sunday. Established by Pope Pius XI in 1925, this festival responded to the rise of secularism, nationalism, and atheism in Europe. The mission of Christian communities is to listen deeply for the Reign of Christ at work in the world, particularly during such challenging times.

The stories we hear in worship during November remind us that Christ is King and that our earthly loyalties should not take precedence. Christ is King, and our partisan heroes are not. Christ is King, and the forces that seek to divide us are not. Our unity in Christ is not a compromise but a transformative shift toward God’s love for the world. Our unity in Christ is also not a fallback position in times of profound disagreement. Jesus has already united all in all.

So come and worship. Pray and read Scripture. Sing aloud and take deep breaths, trusting that the Spirit is alive within you. Engage in the story that continues to change the world. Don’t even wait until Sunday! We will share simple spiritual practices and devotional resources on our social media channels throughout November and hope these rituals remind you of our shared belonging and our unity in Christ.

We are praying for you, beloved community of Bethlehem. May the Word of the Lord penetrate through every anxious distraction and doubt, filling us with hope in Christ Jesus so that we are empowered to love our neighbors and proclaim the truth of God’s grace and love.

Pastor Chris Enstad (Lead Pastor)
Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson (Minnetonka campus Pastor)

November 2, 2024 – Bright Stars of Bethlehem Special Offering Update

Thank you for your generous support of our recent special offering for our outreach partner, Bright Stars of Bethlehem. We are thrilled to share that we collected $3,855 from your contributions! When we factor in the matching funds from the Foundation & Outreach committee, we will be able to donate a total of $10,000 to help Dar al-Kalima University recover from the recent attacks from Israeli occupation forces. Details about the Hospitality Education Center at Dar al-Kalima University available below. 

Your kindness and commitment truly make a meaningful impact in our community and beyond. Together, we are making a difference, and we are grateful for each of you.

Our outreach partner Bright Stars of Bethlehem is a non-profit organization in the United States that raises awareness and financial support for Dar Al-Kalima University, the first and only university of arts and culture in all of Palestine.