April 9, 2024 – Welcome, New Members!

This Sunday we welcome 11 households into membership at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities! We’ll celebrate at all services (online and at both campuses). Join us in giving thanks for these siblings in Christ.

In the spirit of new names and faces, please introduce yourself to someone you don’t already know this Sunday. Whether you have been part of Bethlehem for days or decades, your presence and participation help make each gathering in this community special.

Think about it! Every worship service includes different combinations of people in the room and online together, unique hopes and fears, a variety of songs and prayer requests, a changing world, deaths and new births—we are resurrection every time.

The services on Sunday will invite all of us to renew our commitment to God and this community. I hope you’ll spark another connection this week and be reminded that we are still Becoming Together.

April 2, 2024 – Thank You, Volunteers!

Dear Bethlehem Church Family,

As we journey through the season of Easter, celebrating the joy and renewal that the Resurrected Life brings, we find a profound connection to the spirit of National Volunteer Month. This season, we recognize and sincerely appreciate our volunteers, whose selfless contributions reflect the transformative power of living out the Resurrection in our daily lives.

The Resurrected Life invites us to experience renewal and to share that gift with others. In the same spirit, our volunteers embody this call through their dedication and service, becoming beacons of hope and agents of change within our community and beyond. The 50 Days of Easter give us time to reflect on the Resurrection message of new beginnings and consider how we might use our giftedness to serve one another.

March 26, 2024 – You’re invited to Easter at Bethlehem

Dear Members and Friends of Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities,

As we move into this sacred space of Holy Week and Easter, I extend a heartfelt invitation to you and your loved ones to join us in a time of reflection, renewal and rejoicing.

Holy Week offers us a path to walk alongside Jesus Christ, from His triumphant entry into Jerusalem through the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday, His crucifixion on Good Friday, and His glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday. These experiences are not just observances of historical events, but an invitation to experience the depth of God’s love, the cost of grace, and the joy of our salvation. Each service is a step on our journey towards a deeper understanding and experience of Resurrected Life.

This is a time for us to come together, across all our expressions, to support one another in our spiritual journeys and to renew our commitment to live out the teachings of Christ in our daily lives.

Please join us for these holy observances. Draw near in faith, with open hearts, ready to be transformed by the power of His story, which is also our story.

May this Holy Week and Easter be a timeless blessing for you and your family as we celebrate the foundation of our faith and the promise of our hope.

Pastor Chris Enstad

March 19, 2024 – Baptismal Promise No. 5

Nurture them in faith and prayer

Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

March 12, 2024 – Baptismal Promise No. 4

Place In Their Hands the Holy Scriptures

Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

March 5, 2024 – Baptismal Promise No. 3

Teach them the Lord’s, the Apostle’s Creed and the Ten Commandments

During Lent, we’re unpacking the promises made in baptism.

There’s a Latin saying, ‘lex orandi, lex credendi’ (the law of prayer, the law of belief), that points to the relationship between worship and belief: what we pray informs what we believe, and what we believe inspires what we pray; the two are interwoven. When I first learned to talk about theology, I realized that my own beliefs had been shaped by what I’d experienced in worship from the time I was little. My understanding of God recognized there’s something bigger than me who created all that exists, a saving God who came to us in human form and whose power is made known in weakness, and a Spirit who comes alongside guiding me, as close as my breath and as powerful as the wind. That God doesn’t watch from a distance but invites me and all people into relationship through prayer.

When a new Christian is baptized, we make promises to help them grow in faith, including teaching them the prayer, the creed and the commandments. These teachings don’t come with a test to pass, a mark to achieve, or a box to check. They’re tools that help us learn to trust God so we can live into our calling to care for each other and the world God made and to work for justice and peace. We help fulfill those promises every time we worship together. How fun it is on Wednesday nights in Lent to sing Evening Prayer with voices young and old!

Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

Question:
What do you talk to God about when you pray? How have the creed and commandments influenced what you believe or the way you live?

Readings:
Matthew 6:5–15
Philippians 4:4–7
Deuteronomy 5:6–21
Deuteronomy 6:4–9
Matthew 22:34–40
John 13:3–5, 34–35

Quote:
“Baptism is a call to set out on a moral adventure in the name of Christ, but all Christians travel this path of discipleship hobbling and stumbling.” —Thomas G. Long

Lenten Devotionals:
The devotional has weekly questions and scripture readings to get you thinking about the promises made in baptism. Use them for quiet time or conversation prompts with others. Available via download.

February 27, 2024 – Baptismal Promise No. 2

Bring them to hear the Word and share the Supper

Believe it or not, when I was in sixth grade, we had homework for Sunday School. On Saturday nights, I’d take a bath, and my mom would set my hair in pink foam curlers. Then I’d sit under the hairdryer and work on my homework for Sunday morning. (There’s even an embarrassing photo to prove it.) The next day, we’d go to church and Sunday School.

Much has changed since then. I received my first communion when I was in eighth grade, for example, while my kids were preschoolers when they began to commune. But fundamental things with ancient roots remain the same. Christians gather for worship—most often on Sunday—and the Word is read and preached and sung, and the sacraments are celebrated. And what was promised by God in baptism is named again in communion and revealed in Scripture:

“You are a precious child of God. I will always love you. I will be with you, loving you and forgiving you all the days of your life.”

We make promises in baptism, it’s true, but our promises are always based on the promises of God. Baptism is a gift of grace, and it’s a gift to share!

God’s blessings as we journey through Lent.

Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

Question:
What do you experience when you receive communion?

Readings:
Luke 4:16–21
Luke 24:28–35
Matthew 26:26–30
1 Corinthians 10:16–17
1 Corinthians 11:23–26
2 Corinthians 5:17–19

Quote:
“We don’t have a God who says, ‘Gotcha’. We have a God who picks us up, dusts us off and says, ‘Go try again.’” —Desmund Tutu

Lenten Devotionals:
The devotional has weekly questions and scripture readings to get you thinking about the promises made in baptism. Use them for quiet time or conversation prompts with others. Available via download.

February 20, 2024 – Baptismal Promise No. 1

Live together among God’s faithful people

When our kids were little, Dave and I were asked to be sponsors for the third child of some family friends in Nebraska. We were honored to be asked and vowed to do our best, even though we lived 400 miles away. The day of the baptism, we met with the pastor so he could instruct us about our responsibilities as parents and sponsors. (We were no doubt a pedagogical challenge with five unruly preschoolers and four adults who thought they knew it all.) Then we gathered around the font with the congregation, and we spoke aloud some promises to Clara—the promise that she is God’s beloved child and that will never change, as well as our promises to help her grow in faith with the support of a community. Truth be told, Clara’s parents and faith community have had the deepest impact on her faith, even as we pray for her from afar.

During Lent, we invite you to think about the promises we make in baptism. Each Tuesday, we’ll pass along some scripture readings and a question or two to get you thinking. (You can download all the questions and readings.) On Wednesdays in worship, we’ll take a deeper dive and explore the promises made in baptism. We’d love to widen the conversation. You are welcome to share your insights to the questions.

God’s blessings as we journey through this Lenten Season.

Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

Question:
Tell a story about someone who helped you see Jesus. Who is someone you are mentoring in faith now?

Readings:
Ephesians 1:17–19
2 Timothy 1:5–7
Galatians 3:27–28
1 Corinthians 12:4–13
Colossians 3:12–15
John 1:12–13

Quote:
“Grace is when you aren’t striving or controlling or trying to change or manipulate or make something happen. Grace is when you find yourself carried along when all that’s left to do is receive. Grace is when you know you’re loved, exactly as you are. Grace is an entirely different way of experiencing life.” —Rob Bell

February 13, 2024 – Join us on Ash Wednesday

As we embark on the sacred journey of Lent, marked by reflection, patience and hopefulness, I invite you to join us for our Ash Wednesday services. Lent, derived from the Latin word “forty,” symbolizes a period of 40 days, mirroring the biblical stories of waiting while trusting God’s promises—a time for deep introspection and renewal of faith.

On Ash Wednesday, Christians across denominations and around the globe gather to observe the beginning of Lent, a season of spiritual significance. As we receive the imposition of ashes, we are invited to contemplate the promises we make to God, to ourselves, and to one another in our baptism. We will reflect on the steadfast love and faithfulness bestowed upon us by the God who makes and keeps promises over these next 40 days.

Throughout history, the number 40 has signaled a season of waiting and preparation, leading to transformation and renewal. Just as Moses waited 40 days on Mount Sinai, Jesus endured 40 days of fasting in the wilderness, and Noah persevered through 40 days and nights of rain, we too are called to wait on God’s promises with patience and hope.

My prayer for you is that you would join with your siblings in Christ as we embark on this Lenten journey together, seeking a deeper understanding of God’s promises and our lives lived in response. May this Ash Wednesday mark, for you and for us, a time of spiritual renewal and recommitment to living out God’s love in our lives and community.

Sincerely,
Pastor Chris Enstad

February 6, 2024 – Keeping Up

from Cas Stoll, Director of Service, Engagement and Fun for Youth and Young Adults

Keeping up with the way the world changes can feel intimidating at times. Even as the youth director, I always ask my youth what certain new and “hip” words or trends mean!

When it comes to understanding gender and gender identity, there are quite a few new terms that have popped up in recent years, and they can often be confusing. Supporting folks who identify as LGBTQIA+ doesn’t mean you have to know everything all the time, but it can sometimes be helpful to have a safe space to ask questions and sort out all of the different terminology.

This is why we are inviting people of all ages to come and learn more about what it means to be transgender, non-binary, gender-non-conforming, or genderfluid.

We know that many of you know folks who identify as trans, non-binary, or gender-non-confirming (and of course we’ll talk about what all of those terms mean!). Some of you may not know a person who identifies that way by name, but perhaps you are looking to better understand and support the LGBTQIA+ community at large.

This class is the perfect opportunity to learn the difference between gender and sexuality, the basics of gender identity, how to use people’s correct pronouns and more.

We will be hosting the event in Iverson Hall at the Minneapolis Campus, following the 10:30 am service this Sunday, February 11. Lunch is provided. While registration is not required to participate, we do ask that you register in advance to help us adequately plan for lunch. Register here.

January 30, 2024 – Bethlehem Day of Service

This year’s hospice kits are going to Phebe Hospital in Liberia. After two civil wars, supplies are scarce and needs at Phebe are especially critical. GHM recently learned that the kits we send not only support hospice patients but are also distributed to hospital employees when money for salaries is not available.

If you’d like to donate items for kits, the shopping lists are here. Priority items include bath towels, petroleum jelly, kitchen-style rubber gloves, and Ivory bar soap.

The day begins with coffee and ends with lunch. Friends and family are welcome to join you. Check-in begins at 9:30 am. The 10:00 am program will be livestreamed. We hope to see you there!

January 23, 2024 – Welcome, Pastor Chris!

Dear Bethlehem Family,

It is with great joy that I introduce myself as your new Lead Pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities. As I step into this role, I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to serve such a dynamic and spirit-filled community.

Let us walk this path together with faith, hope, and love, trusting in God’s guidance and the strength of our community. I look forward to meeting and getting to know each of you, and to the many ways we will grow and serve together in Christ’s love.

Sincerely,
Pastor Chris Enstad

SAVE THE DATE: Pastor Chris’ installation will be held on Sunday, March 10 at 3:00 pm at the Minnetonka campus and via Livestream.

January 16, 2024 – Let’s Walk Together

We received an email from one of our key Outreach partners, Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, about the opening of a new supportive housing building, Bimosedaa (Ojibwe for “let’s walk together”). Located in downtown Minneapolis, Bimosedaa offers 48 homes with culturally relevant support services tailored toward members of the Native American community.

January 9, 2024 – Building a Future with Hope

Capital Campaign Leadership Team

Your Capital Campaign Leadership Team has worked closely with the Church Council and congregational leaders to determine the best way to meet our financial obligations without the need for ongoing capital campaigns. Integrating expenses previously paid through capital campaigns into the General Fund (operating budget) will allow for a more comprehensive picture of Bethlehem’s finances. The “All In” 2024 annual appeal was designed to ensure these expenses are covered through donations to the General Fund.

It’s still possible to make a 2024 commitment! When you set up recurring automated donations or return a pledge card, you ensure the continuation of the ministries important to you: high-quality worship music, children’s programming, and the strong support of our outreach partners. The budgeting process is informed by the total amounts pledged, so every pledge counts! Click here to make a 2024 commitment.

January 4, 2024 – Staffing Update from Children, Youth and Family Team

Dear Congregation,

With a grateful heart for the work Cas Stoll has done at Bethlehem, please read their news below. Cas writes:

Dear Bethlehem, 

I hope you all had a wonderful (and maybe even restful?) holiday! I am writing to give you all some fairly big news about my next steps personally and professionally. 

My Diaconal Internship is going really well so far, and I’m very close to finishing up my MDIV degree at Luther! That being said, after a lot of prayer and discernment, I’ve been feeling like I need some extended space and time to plan and rest this spring, before deciding on what comes next after graduation. 

In order to take that time of space and rest, I will be resigning from my position as Director of Service, Engagement and Fun in early March (my last day will be March 1st). This is fairly normal for internship candidates – and although it was not something I anticipated doing when I started internship, it now feels like the right step personally and professionally. 

This was a very difficult decision to make and of course comes with some very mixed feelings. I am excited to take some time to be able to discern my next steps professionally and vocationally, but am also deeply sad to be leaving this wonderful community. You all have been a bright spot in my life these past 16 or so months, and I’m taking lots of fond memories with me into this next season of life! 

I know Bethlehem as a community is embracing a lot of change in these next few months, and so I want to say that I will be working closely with my Children Youth and Family colleagues to make this transition as smooth as possible for everyone. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out via email or my office line. Truly wishing you all the best, 

Deep thanks for everything.  

Cascade Stoll 

Please join the Children, Youth, and Family team on Sunday, February 25 at 10 am at the Minneapolis campus in Harrisville to celebrate Cas, their work, and what comes next for them!

Any questions? Just ask!

Pastor Heather

January 2, 2024 – ABCs of the Old and New Testament

From Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

Welcome to 2024! Are you someone who likes to greet the new year with a resolution? Have you come up with a good one for this year? I admire people who set out to read a book every week or walk 1,000 miles in a year, but inspiration doesn’t always line up with the calendar, and I’m usually most successful if I bite off small chunks or have an accountability partner to keep me on track. Here’s an idea that checks all the boxes: several groups are beginning new studies in the next couple of weeks, and you’re invited to join one or more!

December 26, 2023 – Godspeed Pastor Vern

From Council President Lisa Johnson

“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”  —1 Peter 5:1-4 

Pastor Vern,

On December 31, 2023, you will conclude 22 months of leadership and ministry at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities. During this time, you have earned your crown of glory: you have exemplified eagerness to serve, provided shepherdly oversight and breathed spiritual hope into our flock. As Interim Pastor, you were always intended to “love us and leave us”, so to speak. Yet, this does not make your departure any less difficult. 

You will be missed greatly for many reasons, and the impact of your love, care and spiritual guidance will remain for the span of time. 

You came to us during a period of uncertainty. At that time, I don’t know that we fully understood how valuable this time of transition would be. Your presence brought healing and hope through your many gifts of leadership, counsel, ministry and humility. 

You coached the important work of the Transition Team through listening and discernment to clarify the expertise, abilities and focus needed in a new Lead Pastor. 

You nourished our spiritual thirst through your sermons; You bring the Word to life through a combination of gentleness and provocation to illustrate God’s boundless love – for us and for those in need of God’s vision for a healed world. You instilled important practices during worship; engaging congregants to recite and embrace our mission statement. and sharing how our financial contributions support the operations and ministries of our campuses. 

You encouraged us to connect more deeply through conversations; the Can We Talk series facilitated constructive listening and reflection around some difficult topics which allowed us to build compassion with each other as we “disagreed without being disagreeable” as you were fond of saying.

You reached out to individuals experiencing disillusionment, illness, uncertainty or loneliness. You are a master at bringing comfort, solace and, when needed, a smile, a laugh or some commiseration. 

You encouraged our Council and our staff to broaden our perspectives about leadership and to expand the involvement of the laity. You have been engaged, involved, collaborative – and candid when we needed it. You have demonstrated servant leadership by posing hard questions without a personal agenda and providing space and support for lay leadership to discuss, debate and discern the path forward. You shared your ‘rolodex” of contacts to bring in external expertise in evaluating how we think about sustaining our ministry through stewardship. 

We honor you for your tireless perseverance in serving our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ through our congregation. We thank God for the deep compassion, generosity of spirit, and vision for God’s justice you have shared with our flock. 

As one Council member shared, you have been a gift to Bethlehem and its members for many reasons. You are: 

Gracious:
You bring a graciousness to your interactions, your sermons and amid potentially polarizing conversations and difficult Council decisions 

Impactful:
You have helped us to move forward, to talk and connect more deeply with one another, you encourage lay leadership and we are now in a better place as a congregation. 

Funny:
În a good way. Whether it is the little zingers in your sermons, growing a beard and acting out BIble characters, or your red sneakers, you bring a smile and a laugh that helps pull us together. 

Teacher:
Your sermons are relatable with touching examples that teach and inspire us to be better people amid our own struggles.“ 

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.” —2 Corinthians 9:15

Your leadership, vision and guidance has left an indelible mark on all of us. We are truly grateful for all you’ve done over these past two years. You showed up in a big way when we needed it most. 

Thank you for choosing us.

Please join us Sunday, December 31 at the Minneapolis campus to celebrate Pastor Vern during worship and enjoy cake afterwards in the gallery. If you cannot attend in-person, you’re also welcome to send him an email to express your gratitude and say farewell.

December 19,2023 – You’re invited to Christmas at Bethlehem Twin Cities!

“I’ll be home for Christmas,” or so we sing in the old song, “you can count on me.” In so many ways, the Christmas season brings out a strong hope and longing that we will be together with loved ones; that we will laugh and sing and tell stories, gather around tables of love, and maybe light a candle or two to chase away the darkness.

We hope you can join us at Bethlehem this Christmas. We will sing familiar carols, listen to an old and trustworthy story, gather around a table of love, and illumine the room with the warm glow of candles. And we hope it will feel like home.

LONGEST NIGHT / ADVENT 4
Thursday, December 21
7:00 pm – Minnetonka
7:00 pm – Minneapolis & Livestream

Christmas services will include carols and communion. Come 15 minutes early for beautiful prelude music.

NEW YEAR’S EVE
Sunday, December 31
9:30 am – Minnetonka
10:30 am – Minneapolis & Livestream

Bulletins | Resources for Families

All Minneapolis services will be livestreamed.

December 14, 2023 – 2024 All In Budget Outlook

Dear Bethlehem Members and Friends,

Thank you for your generous commitment to Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities (BLCTC). Because of you, Bethlehem provides meaningful worship, engaging youth programs, connections for seniors, and a robust outreach ministry. As we have communicated throughout the 2024 All In appeal, we anticipate the combined operating and capital budget for 2024 to be $3.6 million.

Remarkably, we already have $1.59 million in total pledges for 2024 from 268 families. 58% of these families have increased their combined operating and capital fund giving over their 2022 giving! This is an incredible demonstration of optimism and will be instrumental in establishing our financial stability as we welcome Chris Enstad as Lead Pastor of our Bethlehem community.

Based on the overall giving to BLCTC, which includes unpledged giving, we feel that it’s essential that we secure pledges totaling $1.8 million to continue providing the ministries we do. Having committed gifts, established through pledging, increases our financial stability, and allows the ministry we treasure to continue faithfully.

If you have not yet made a pledge for 2024 it’s not too late, there are multiple ways to complete your pledge:

• Click on this link and scroll down to the appropriate Pledge button:
  https://www.bethlehem-church.org/annual-appeal/
• Log onto Realm and complete the simple pledge form
• Fill out a hard copy of the pledge card (sent to your home, or found at the welcome desk at both the Minneapolis and Minnetonka Campuses)

As always, if you need assistance, please contact Sara Kleckner (skleckner@bethlehem-church.org or 612-312-3402).

Please note: If you contribute via automated giving but have not pledged, please consider recording your pledge in addition to your automated giving schedule. Also, if you are over 70 1/2, consider maximizing your gift by making a Qualified Charitable Distribution from your IRA. More information can be found in the Give section of the BLCTC website.

You make Bethlehem the strong, vibrant, and generous community that it is.

Gratefully,

Lisa Johnson, Council President

Joe McRae, Treasurer

Joanna Engstrom, Stewardship Chair

December 5, 2023 – Alternative Gift Fair

From Whitney Stofflet, Marketing and Communications Manager

• Through HMCHA, you can help a family in Ethiopia with the gift of a lamb, which will help to provide nutrition and income for the family throughout the year.
• Through Starfish, you can help to assist our neighbors in need who are experiencing financial crises.
• Through LPGM, you can help girls in Guatemala stay in school where they learn to grow and cook with native crops, set personal goals, and sustainably care for the cloud forest.
• Through Beacon, you can help to provide a family with a Holiday meal or help to set up new residents with kitchen cleaning supplies.
• Help to collect funds to create Winter Care Packs for Our Savior’s Community Services that that congregation will assemble in January. Each Winter Care Pack will go to people experiencing homelessness and is a wonderful way to spread hope and comfort this winter.

The Alternative Gift Fair will be tabling this Sunday at both the Minneapolis and Minnetonka campuses following worship. You can also make your purchases online through December 14.

November 28, 2023 – Advent Is My Favorite Season

By Pastor Heather Roth Johnson

Advent is my favorite season of the church year. I love everything about it: the blue paraments, lighting the candles of the advent wreath, and the greens. Advent is the season of waiting, anticipation, and wonder. So if you are looking for churchy ways to boost your Advent mood, join Bethlehem in a couple of different ways this month.

Join Pastor Meta for a Sunday evening book study of Barbara Brown Taylor’s, “Learning to Walk in the Dark.” Her stories braid together astronomy, chemistry, theology, sociology and more to wonder about and expand our relationship with night and darkness. There’s still time to purchase or borrow the book before the first of three digital gatherings this Sunday evening. Learn more and register online.

Sunday, December 3 at 2:00 pm, Minneapolis ECHO kids will share the “God Is So Good” Christmas Program. The kids have been working hard at making backdrops, writing prayers, learning lines, and singing. New this year! Music will be offered in a variety of ways: prelude music by kids, offering music by students, children’s choirs will sing, and the new youth bells ensemble will play. The offering will go to Toys for Tots.

Sunday, December 10 during the 9:30 am worship service, Minnetonka families and friends will join in together for a “Pop-Up Christmas Program!” We will wear hats, tell the Christmas story, and close with the song “12 Days of Christmas!” This will make your advent merry and bright. Then we’ll gather in fellowship hall to sing a few Advent carols and decorate ornaments. This event is for all ages and no registration is required. You are welcome to bring a plate of your favorite holiday treats to share or just show up—there will be more than enough.

Wednesday, December 13 at 6:30 pm, Minneapolis confirmation students will be caroling in the East Harriet neighborhood and return to the Minneapolis campus after for cookies and cocoa. If you would like to join a group, feel free to join in!

Celebrating Sandy Jackson

Bethlehem was blessed with a number of excellent candidates. We extended an offer of our accountant position to Walt Ullrich, and he has accepted. Walt will be starting with us on December 5. Luckily Sandy and Walt will get a chance to do some training together before Sandy’s retirement.

Please join us in welcoming Walt to the staff. Walt has 18 years of experience in accounting and bookkeeping. His interests include reading, photography, decoupage and animal welfare, along with basketball, football and tennis.

November 21, 2023 – Thanksgiving Eve at Bethlehem

From Pastor Vern Christopherson

The Minnetonka campus will have a bonfire, liturgy and pie irons starting at 4:30 pm. An ingathering of food will be received for ICA Food Shelf.

The Minneapolis campus will have traditional worship starting at 7:00 pm, followed by Pie Fest. In worship, we will bring our tribute and lay it before God, our creator and redeemer, even as we kneel and adore our faithful and generous God. Our Thanksgiving offering is designated for Community Emergency Services, and we will also bring sacks of groceries to the altar as we remember and reach out to those who could use a helping hand. For those looking ahead to Advent, signed copies of Pastor Meta’s new book, “Ordinary Blessings for the Christmas Season,” will be available for purchase at a discount during Pie Fest.

Join us this Thanksgiving Eve. Giving thanks is good for our souls. Together we bless and praise God’s holy name.

November 16, 2023 – What’s Coming Up at Bethlehem

Friends at Bethlehem,

We are entering a new chapter in Bethlehem’s story. We have issued a call to a senior pastor candidate – Chris Enstad of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Madison, Wisconsin. The exciting news is that Pastor Chris has said yes!

These transitions take time, of course. This week Pastor Chris has had the unenviable task of letting his congregation know. Next he’ll have to work out the details with his family. Then he’ll need to begin saying lots and lots of heart-tugging goodbyes. And that’s to say nothing of packing up and finding a new place to live. Be on the lookout for a formal letter of acceptance from Pastor Chris coming soon, and for more information about a start date in mid-January.

Because many of you have been asking, a word about next steps for me. I will continue my interim work at Bethlehem through the end of December, with my last Sunday being December 31. The last 21 months have been a positive and uplifting time for me, and hopefully they’ve been some of the same for you. What happens next on my end, I don’t know, perhaps another interim. These opportunities have a way of arriving when a person is least expecting them.

With Commitment Sunday coming up on November 19, we will be entering yet another chapter in Bethlehem’s story. Having a yes from Pastor Chris provides a real shot in the arm for our efforts.  By now you’ve likely heard about our All In appeal. We’re combining our annual giving and our capital campaign giving into a single appeal. It’s part of a concerted effort to simplify our budgeting process and to make it easier for the congregation to understand how much it costs to do ministry in and through Bethlehem.

Undoubtedly this integrated appeal will stretch us. We’ve got some strong goals for 2024.  We want to strengthen our spiritual vitality, to connect relationally in deeper ways, and to ensure financial sustainability in the process. Part of that sustainability will involve increasing our annual budget by $400,000 to cover both our mortgage and maintenance costs. Hopefully your personal pledges will be able to include some combination of both your previous annual and capital giving, but everyone will need to prayerfully consider how much they are able to give at this time.

To date, the news has definitely been very encouraging. We have received 97 lead pledges totaling $646,000. On average, people have been increasing their commitment to the previous year’s annual and capital appeals by 20%. Please consider joining in the generosity of these lead givers. These gifts will go a long way toward helping us solidify our budget for 2024 and beyond.

If you haven’t yet done so, I encourage you to read through the All In appeal materials. The information is very helpful, and hopefully will answer any of your questions. I’ll be praying for you as we enter into these transformative chapters in Bethlehem’s story.

Grateful for all your support in and through Bethlehem,

Pastor Vern

November 14, 2023 – ‘All In’ Commitment Sunday

From Pastor Vern Christopherson

Commitment Sunday is coming up soon. I hope you’ll be able to join us on Sunday, November 19. I encourage you to bring your pledge card and take part in our processional offering as you share your commitment to God’s work in and through Bethlehem for 2024.

November 7, 2023 – Cottage Meetings: It’s not too late!

From Pastor Vern Christopherson

We’ve had a number of cottage meetings over the past month related to our upcoming “All In” Commitment Appeal for 2024. Considering our busy schedules, however, it’s been a bit challenging to get people together at the same time and place.

The gatherings that worked have been helpful and encouraging:

• we connected with other Bethlehem members
• we discussed next year’s priorities and funding needs
• we took a closer look at the pie chart in the appeal brochure
• we considered how we might invest in Bethlehem’s ministry, especially as we end our capital campaign and move into an integrated appeal

October 31, 2023 – All Saints Sunday

From Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

Last year on the day after All Saints Sunday, some of my extended family members gathered for a sacred task at the small country cemetery in southwestern Minnesota where ancestors on my dad’s side of the family are buried. My second-cousin, Steve, who lived in Texas had arranged for his cremains to be interred in the family cemetery, and a small grave had been dug. Distant cousins who had never met Steve, along with close cousins who had loved him since childhood, set about our work. We lay a rose on the resting place of each ancestor, and then we formed a circle around the place where Steve’s remains would rest. “Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” From nutrient-rich, life-giving humus (earth) came the human, and to earth he was returned. We passed the shovel from one person to the next as we completed our humble, yet holy, task of burying him.

Afterwards, we drove to the farm and set a long table to share a feast. We told stories of our beloved now gone. My aunt told us how sad she was when her aunt Ruth moved to Missouri to be close to children and grandchildren. Ruth’s granddaughter told us how happy she was when her grandma moved close to them. I imagine our homecoming in heaven is a bit like that. Those left behind grieve the absence of loved ones who travel on, while a welcoming party beyond imagination greets their arrival.

This Sunday is All Saints Sunday when we celebrate the body of Christ that transcends time and space and remember the baptized people of God, both living and dead. We’ll speak the names of those who died in Christ this past year, and a candle will be lit for each newly baptized child of God. When we gather for the feast at the Lord’s table, first communion students will receive the meal for the first time. It’s a gift of grace—being loved and fed as a child of God in this life and the next.

On Sunday, there will be an opportunity to light candles in remembrance of loved ones, and in a space not far from the sanctuary (the narthex in Minnetonka, and small chapel in Minneapolis), we’ll create a “gallery of saints” with photos of saints whose baptism is now complete. You are welcome to bring photos and add them to the gallery. In worship, we’ll sing and pray together, give thanks for our life in Christ, and support those among us who are grieving loss.

We’ll also have a meet-and-greet with Chris Enstad, the candidate to be our next lead pastor, and his wife, Carrie. We hope to see you in church! For those who are unable to be there in person, we’ll catch you online.

Peace to you as we give thanks for the saints,

Pastor Kris

October 24, 2023 – Reformation Sunday: Wear Red!

From Pastors Meta Herrick Carlson and Heather Roth Johnson

MINNETONKA CAMPUS
It’s a Bible Jubilee! The Sanctuary and Narthex will be filled with different translations and story bibles that have been sitting on shelves and in cabinets at church. They are yours to take home, share with a friend, or leave in a lending library where they just might come alive!

Until the Protestant Reformation began in 1517, most Christians could not read or did not have access to the scriptures in the language they spoke at home. It was a radical idea, translating bibles and putting them into the hands of people so everyone could explore, ask questions, push back, and wonder together instead of being told what to think about the Living Word. Every time you open a Bible and engage the scripture with others, you participate in the reformation story!

October 17, 2023 – Mental Health Awareness Events

From Diane Waarvik, director of Congregational Care Ministries

October is World Mental Health Awareness month. Mental health awareness is the ongoing effort to reduce the stigma around mental illness and mental health conditions by sharing our personal experiences. Often, because of misconceptions about mental health and mental fitness, people often suffer in silence and their conditions go untreated.

We want to look at mental health in a positive way. How do we care for our mental health? Music, diet, reading, quiet time, yoga and friends are some of the ways we care for our mental health.

Bethlehem’s Mental Health and Addiction Ministry has two events coming up this month:

The first is a Prayer and Healing Service on Tuesday, October 24, 7:00 pm, Minneapolis & Livestream. This service will focus on mental health and also on those living with a mental illness. We are all living in a world where we witness or experience pain, loss and hardships. This will be a service where we offer music, a message and prayer. Led by Rev. Hannah Campbell Gustafson, director of Mental Health Connect. All are welcome!

The second is a Live Concert on Friday, October 27, 5:45 pm, Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Community. The concert will feature David Lohman and Jen Burleigh Bentz. Both of these musicians are amazing artists and well known in the music world. The concert is a fundraiser for Mental Health Connect, a collaborative ministry of 33 faith communities. Please join us for a very enjoyable evening of music.

October 10, 2023 – 2024 Commitment Appeal: “All In”

From Pastor Vern Christopherson

We’re in the middle of our stewardship season. Our theme is All In. We’ll be encouraging people to think and pray about what it might mean for them to be all in when it comes to Bethlehem’s ministry and mission.

This year’s effort will take a bit longer—Commitment Sunday is November 19—because we’re doing an Integrated Appeal. In a nutshell, we’re folding our capital appeal efforts into our annual appeal. The goal is to have one appeal for you to support, and to make the stewardship process a little simpler.

Very soon we will be sending our donors an update on how much they’ve given to this year’s annual appeal. And if you’ve been able to contribute to the 2020 Building a Future with Hope Campaign, you’ll be getting an update on that as well. Thank you so much for your generosity. Just a reminder, our current capital campaign is coming to an end this October.

You’ve likely been hearing about cottage meetings. We’re inviting folks to gather in small groups, to discuss our connections with Bethlehem, to hear about our ministry priorities for 2024, and to answer any questions you might have. If for some reason you don’t get in invitation to a cottage meeting by the end of October, be sure to call the church office and we’ll get you on the list.

No doubt, these are exciting times for Bethlehem. The Call Committee is getting much closer to nominating a candidate as our next Lead Pastor. Your effort to support the work of Bethlehem will be instrumental in leading us into the future.

October 3, 2023 – Installation of Cas Stoll as Deacon Intern

From Pastor Heather Roth Johnson

About 18 months ago, I wrote up a job description for a Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. Both Ryan Currens and I shared the job description on many different websites, and we received zero applications. After giving the job description some thought, Ryan and I gave it a facelift, and changed the title to Director of Service, Engagement, and Fun (for Youth and Young Adults). This time we got 8 excellent applicants and landed with the best one, Cas Stoll. Cas has worked hard to rebuild a youth group and young adult ministry that has fun at its center (because we want our students to have fun at church), be engaged with the Bible, and share in the work of service. It’s exciting to see this work flourish again!

Cas is also a student at Luther Seminary in St Paul, and they hope to be ordained as a deacon in the church. As pastors, we are called to Word and Sacrament, but deacons serve a different role. They are called to Word and Service. Here is how Cas sums up the ministry of being a deacon; they said, “Being a deacon is having one foot inside the church – preaching, leading, and teaching – and the other foot outside the church – serving, supporting, and caring for the community.”

September 26, 2023 – Blessing of the Animals

From Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson

St. Francis of Assisi is remembered for his great love of nature and animals. He called all of God’s creatures his brothers and sisters, delighted by all they have to teach us about life. Until a few years ago, I did not consider myself “an animal person”. I’d never had a pet and didn’t want one, either. I appreciated the way other people loved their pets but couldn’t imagine caring that much about an animal. When I would say “never” about getting a dog, my kids were not deterred. And, as it always happens with my “never” statements, one day it was overruled by love.

These days I am an embarrassment to Old Meta, proudly dressing our three-year-old pit bull (Marshall, pictured) in cheesy sweaters and letting him get away with more than all three of my children combined. Marshall adds the best kind of chaos to our lives and I’m so glad I didn’t stick to my “never”. I have a better sense of what St. Francis was talking about and a deeper appreciation for my own identity as a beloved creature of God.

September 19, 2023 – Open Streets Lyndale

Pump up those bike tires or strap on your rollerblades—it’s almost time for Open Streets!

Since its inception in 2011, Open Streets Lyndale has been a highly anticipated community event in Minneapolis. Organized by Our Streets Minneapolis, Lyndale Avenue (from 22nd Street to just past the Minneapolis campus building at 42nd Street) is closed to traffic, transforming into a safe and welcoming space for biking, walking, community-building and play.

Each year, hundreds of unique participants fill the streets: neighborhood organizations, small businesses, local entrepreneurs, artists, musicians, campaigns, and nonprofits.

September 12, 2023 – Building a Future Together with Hope: Emerson Village

Message from Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson

This congregation has been passionate about housing for a long time. Bethlehem works with several organizations and movements toward a future where every neighbor has a safe and affordable place to call home.

More often than not, this audacious goal can feel overwhelming or far off in the distance. But the actions we take together with Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative and our other partners are rooted in God’s values and tap into collective power that makes a big difference. A key ingredient in working for justice and liberation is JOY. When there’s a win, we come together and celebrate!

When you give to Bethlehem’s “Building a Future Together with Hope” Capital Campaign, a portion of your gift goes to building Emerson Village with Beacon, 40 safe and deeply affordable homes in North Minneapolis.

Thank you for your financial giving and community building that is making Emerson Village a reality. If you or someone you know is new to Beacon Housing and the work we share with the Interfaith Collaborative, this joyful event will be a great way to learn more. Spread the word and hope to see you at the groundbreaking!

September 5, 2023 – Celebration Sunday

Message from Pastor Vern Christopherson

We hope you make plans to join us this Sunday, September 10 for Celebration Sunday! After a summer with time away or vacation plans or sabbath rest, this is a time in the church to gather for celebratory worship and the start of fall programming.

Our sermon series for September is Radical Welcome. As we live into our new welcome statement at Bethlehem, we focus on the opportunity to welcome others into our midst, both the new and returning.

This week we’ll hear about a young mother who gave birth to Moses. Because the Hebrew slaves were a threat to Pharaoh, so were their children. Moses’ mother made a papyrus basket for little Moses, and placed him among the reeds of the Nile. Both Pharaoh’s daughter and Moses’ big sister found him there, and together they showed radical compassion for this new baby boy.

August 29, 2023 – Childlike Wonder and Curiosity

Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

This week: Pastor Heather talks about childlike wonder and curiosity.

August 22, 2023 – Power and Authority

Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

This week: Bethlehem’s Director of Music, Mark Paisar, muses on power and authority.

August 15, 2023 – Hearing God’s Voice

Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

This week: Dan Ruth, executive director of Bethlehem’s Outreach Partner, Lutheran Partners in Global Ministries, talks about where and from whom we can hear the voice of God.

August 8, 2023 – Sowing Seeds

Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

This week: Pastor Kris talks about sowing seeds with imagination and extravagance.

August 1, 2023 – Challenging Expectations

Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

This week: Pastor Holly from Spirit Garage talks about challenging expectations.

Throughout this summer, you will find weekly videos that get you thinking about our weekly message in new ways. We will hear a variety of voices who will make meaning of what we are hearing around the living word.

July 25, 2023 – What it means to be family.

Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

This week: Interim Associate Pastor Hans Lee talks about what it means to be family.

Throughout this summer, you will find weekly videos that get you thinking about our weekly message in new ways. We will hear a variety of voices who will make meaning of what we are hearing around the living word. Your experiences, doubts, wisdom and curiosities are faithful and shape your unique lens for encountering the holy ordinary and asking questions like, “What does this mean, and why does this matter, here and now?” Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

July 18, 2023 – “Fear and Salvation”

Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

This week: Pastor Kris talks about fear and salvation.

Throughout this summer, you will find weekly videos that get you thinking about our weekly message in new ways. We will hear a variety of voices who will make meaning of what we are hearing around the living word. Your experiences, doubts, wisdom and curiosities are faithful and shape your unique lens for encountering the holy ordinary and asking questions like, “What does this mean, and why does this matter, here and now?” Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

July 11, 2023 – “Welcome and Rest”

Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

This week: Emily Stoll, Director of Service, Engagement and Fun, talks about welcome and rest.

July 4, 2023 – “What moves us to justice and mercy?”

Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

This week: Bethlehem member Betsy Hoium asks what moves us to justice and mercy.

June 27, 2023 – “What It Takes to Welcome”

Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

This week:  Emily Stoll, Bethlehem’s director of Service, Engagement and Fun, talks about what it takes to welcome.

June 20, 2023 – “The Hidden Parts of Ourselves”

Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

This week:  Anni Coyle, music director at Spirit Garage, sings a prayer for the hidden parts of ourselves.

June 13, 2023 – “How Do We Show Up and Try”

Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

This week:  Council Member Elizabeth Appel talks about showing up and not overthinking things.

June 6, 2023 – “Getting It Right”

Come along with us, “Here and Now.” Encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today.

This week:  Pastor Heather talks about Matthew, perseverance, and “Getting It Right”

May 30, 2023: Here and Now

This summer at Bethlehem, we will practice remembering that preachers and teachers are not the only ones who can be inspired to speak and make meaning of what we are hearing around the living word. Your experiences, doubts, wisdom and curiosities are faithful and shape your unique lens for encountering the holy ordinary and asking questions like, “What does this mean, and why does this matter, here and now?”

Come along with us for our new sermon series, “Here and Now,” which invites you to encounter scripture and signs, and then wonder aloud about how God is still speaking today. Weekly texts will be framed by questions that inspire us to make connections. And weekly videos will get you thinking about old stories in new ways.

This week’s Message Theme – Old metrics and tools are not always able to measure and hold a new thing.

This week’s Text – Matthew 9:14-17

May 23, 2023 – Sacred Sites Tour: Dakota Land

From Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

Last week, I went to the Festival of Homiletics in downtown Minneapolis, a preaching conference that draws more than a thousand people in-person and almost as many online to hear and learn from some of the best preachers in the country. There were wonderful moments throughout the week; one of the most memorable was being welcomed to open worship and the communion table by two Native American pastors, Dr. Kelly Sherman Conroy (Oglala Lakota) and the Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs (Mohican).

We were a diverse group gathered: descendants of enslaved Africans and European immigrants, Asian Americans and Canadian citizens, Indigenous people whose ancestors have lived in this region for thousands of years, and more. It was deeply meaningful to be welcomed by people whose families have lived here the longest. While I know many things about my Norwegian ancestors who came to a particular place in Minnesota 150 years ago, I know very little about the people who preceded them.

The group is limited to 50 people, so we encourage you to register soon.

I participated in a Sacred Sites Tour last summer and look forward to experiencing it again to absorb even more stories and information. You can learn more and register here.

May 16, 2023 – Pastor Meta’s Sabbatical Send-off

From Pastor Vern Christopherson

May 9, 2023 – Ending Well: Planning for End-of-Life

From Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

“For everything there is a season…”

One of my favorite children’s books, “More” by I.C. Springman and Brian Lies, is about a magpie who finds cool stuff and brings it to its nest. There’s a marble, and then a coin and a Lego. Pretty soon, there’s a key and a watch and a pearl necklace, a bolt and a stamp and a spool of thread. All of it is useful, at least to someone, but it doesn’t take long before the accumulation of things is overwhelming. With the help of some friendly mice, the bird begins to empty the nest, until eventually it’s just enough.

It dawns on me that for us humans, we spend the first part of our lives getting ready to leave our parent(s)’ nest, and then we begin to build a nest of our own. Eventually—whether we accumulate more than we need or just the right amount of stuff—the things we have will no longer be useful to us, and someone will need to help empty our nest, perhaps when we are ill or after we have died. We know that things will go most smoothly if we make our wishes known ahead of time. We might also ask, what would we like our loved ones to know about what mattered to us in this life? How will we tell them?

Last summer, a member of Bethlehem and I met to plan her mom’s funeral, and she brought along her mom’s LBW (the green hymnal that precedes the red one). Her mom had been a piano teacher, so her LBW was an obvious place to record her favorite things—hymns, Bible passages and a blessing that had been meaningful to her. When it came time to plan her funeral, this beloved matriarch had given us a road map.

Next Tuesday, we’ll begin a two-part series about end-of-life planning that will be held on May 16 and 23. We’ll look at legal and financial matters, as well as health care directives and funeral arrangements. We’ll ask the question, what would you like your legacy to be? Whether you are well on your way planning or are just beginning, you are welcome to attend one or both of these sessions. Register and learn more here.

May 2, 2023 – Mental Health Awareness Month

From Diane Waarvik, Director of Congregational Care Ministries

Mental Health Month was established in 1949 to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans’ lives, and to celebrate recovery from mental illness. May is observed nationally as Mental Health Awareness Month. It provides an opportunity to learn more about this challenge to the well-being of persons of all ages and identify ways to address those in need of help. Mental health is essential for a person’s overall health.

To kick off Mental Health Month, Bethlehem’s Mental Health and Addiction Ministry is having Reverend Dr. Ed Treat, CEO of the Center of Addiction and Faith, and member of the Mental Health Connect board, speak on Tuesday, May 2 at 7:00 pm. His topic is the  Role of Faith in Addiction Recovery. This engaging presentation will explore the extent of the addiction problem in Minnesota; recognize who is most vulnerable to addiction; and discuss what faith communities can and should do to help its members. It will be hosted in the Minneapolis campus sanctuary and also live streamed.

April 25, 2023 – Volunteer Appreciation

From Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

April is ‘national volunteer appreciation month’ when the culture around us recognizes the value of people coming together to create community. The church celebrates its volunteers, too, and is grateful for the many ways people share their gifts and passions, their willingness to serve, and their desire to grow that help knit our community together. It’s part of how we work together as the body of Christ.

There are ‘thank you’ boards at each campus where you can write a message of thanks for volunteers and read notes of gratitude from the congregation. Check it out some time this month!

April 18, 2023 – Summer Fun and Adventure

From Pastor Heather Roth Johnson

Summer IS happening for children, youth, families, and more! And it is coming SOON! Check out these fun events:

Looking for summer fun and adventures for you and your family? Join us for Vacation Bible School in Minneapolis and Minnetonka. Between these two options, you can sign-up for the traditional model, a family style in the evenings, or once a month after worship. Check out the Children, Youth and Family Summer webpage here. We love volunteers, too!

Can’t make it to VBS? Join Pastor Heather for a few evenings in the summer for Family Scrappy Art and Bible Fun. We meet outside in the evenings on Wednesdays, July 26 and August 23 from 6:00–7:00 pm. We will do art that you don’t normally do at home! Register here.

All students, entering grades 6–8 in the fall are invited to gather for the Summer Brunch Bunch on Sunday mornings for muffins, juice and time together. This starts June 4 on Sundays between services from 9:50–10:25 am in the Viking Room (third floor) at the Minneapolis campus. Students can also join Jayn for Friday Hangouts in Minneapolis starting Friday, June 30. They’ll have pizza plus a variety of activities, service projects, time together, and maybe a field trip or two. Learn more here.

Bethlehem Youth are traveling to Salt Lake City from July 15–23 for a Service Learning Trip! We are glad to be partnering with Service Learning Camps to craft an experience tailored to our group’s unique interests. There is still room available! More information and registration can be found here.

This summer, women of all ages (over the age of 18) are invited to join Pastor Heather on a Boundary Waters Canoe Trip. The trip is from Friday, August 4 to Monday, August 7. As a group, we will spend 4 days/3 nights canoeing and camping in the BWCA. All equipment, food and a trained guide are included in the cost. The deadline to register is May 15. Check out more information and register here.

April 4, 2023 – The Three Days

From Pastor Vern Christopherson

When evening comes this Thursday, the bell will toll three times and mark the beginning of the Three Days. This is the holiest portion of our faith story. I hope you will make every opportunity to join in our storytelling from Matthew. If you can’t make it in person, consider streaming our worship. Many of the worship events come directly out of the biblical story.

March 28, 2023- Maundy Thursday Soup Supper

From Pastor Heather Roth Johnson

One thing I can tell you about Jesus is that he loved to eat. There are several stories of Jesus eating with sinners, tax collectors and the disciples. If I had to guess his favorite food, I would pick bread. Jesus loved bread. With five loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus fed a crowd of more than 5,000 people. Jesus reveals himself to us as, “I am the bread of life.” At the Last Supper, Jesus shared bread and wine with his best friends as a way of recognizing and remembering him.

• Sharing meals gives us a chance for fellowship, conversation and getting to know each other better.
• It’s a physical embodiment of a key part of Jesus’ ministry.
• Research has clearly shown that sharing meals can greatly boost our wellbeing.
• Gathering for a meal with your church family is an earthly representation of the heavenly banquet imagery.
• It’s good to catch up with each other!

Don’t forget to add Maundy Thursday Dinner to your calendar. Bring a friend with you. Please register so we can best plan for you:

March 21, 2023 – Extending the Communion Table

From Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

This past Sunday, I said a prayer of thanks as I walked down the aisle to introduce a newly baptized child to the congregation, and again when I handed communion kits to the Home Communion Ministers. During the COVID shutdown, we paused or adapted nearly every aspect of how we come together as a community, including how we celebrate the sacraments. While we have resumed or reimagined many things, the heart of what we do hasn’t changed.

For over a decade we’ve been extending the communion table to people not able to come to worship through Lay Eucharistic Ministry or, as we now call it, Home Communion Ministry. As part of the communion liturgy, we send trained members to deliver consecrated elements to members who are not physically present as an extension of Sunday worship. The benefits are twofold: those receiving communion at home are able to participate in the body of Christ, and those who have gathered publicly recognize their oneness with those who are absent. We are delighted to have resumed this ministry.

Of course, we discovered during the pandemic that livestream worship is a meaningful way to participate in public worship, and we can even share the meal using bread and wine or crackers and juice from home. Yet, the gift of one another’s presence is a blessing, so we have resumed Home Communion Ministry for those unable to be present. If you or someone you know would like to receive communion at home or in a care facility, or if you would like to deliver communion, please email Pastor Kris to explore the options.

Happy spring!

March 14, 2023 – Prayer Partners for Families

From Pastor Heather Roth Johnson

Maybe you know this, but we have a team of people working on “All Things Kids in Worship” at the Minneapolis campus. One team member mentioned a really great idea about how her work does a “coffee connection” every month. The goal of the “coffee connection” is to help people connect to others in the workplace they don’t know. She wondered if this idea could be something that could work at church—not necessarily the coffee part—but connecting young families to older adults in the congregation.

Intergenerational ministry is at the core of what it means to be the church. Psalm 78 shares that we as God’s people are called to pass down God’s story to the younger generations. It’s one of the most important reasons to connect with people outside your friend group at church.

But here are a few more reasons why intergenerational relationships at church are so important:

• Strength – Intergenerational relationships build a stronger community and strengthens us as the body of Christ.
• Connectivity – Being together and being known reduces isolation and loneliness in people.
• Purpose – Praying for one another gives us purpose in our relationships and a responsibility to follow up with them.
• Valued – Bethlehem values its people at all ages and stages of life.

After Easter, the Children, Youth and Family team hopes to engage in this intergenerational ministry connecting our young families with older adults in the congregation through prayer partners. Please know that being a prayer partner does not ask you to be physically alone with the children, but that you become a familiar name and face who sees and supports them when they are in person at program events and in worship.

Families are busy during the month of May as the school year wraps up. Summer is a different beast in Minnesota with camps, vacation and just being outside. Your friendship and prayerful support would create another tie to the community and a new connection that meets them where they are.

If you are interested in becoming a prayer partner, please email Pastor Meta (Minnetonka campus) or Pastor Heather (Minneapolis campus).

March 7, 2023 – FoodShare Month

From Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson

March is Minnesota FoodShare Month, a campaign that brings together businesses and organizations to support the work of more than 300 food share programs across the state. Organizations like ICA and CES are helping neighbors get the resources they need to be safe and successful. By addressing food insecurity with their clients, they can also offer support for finding employment, housing, and other community resources.

Last year, food shelves across Minnesota saw a dramatic increase in first-time visitors and are serving more households than ever before. ICA staff says that some long-time donors have become clients in recent months, a good reminder that we’re all created to be generous and we’re all in need of support from our community sometimes.

There are collection sites for canned and boxed goods at both of Bethlehem’s campuses, or you can give a financial gift online. Your donations can make all the difference for someone trying to decide if they can afford rent, gas, prescriptions, and groceries in any given week.

It’s a simple way to practice our faith: living like God’s abundance is real and sharing what we have so everyone has enough.

February 28, 2023 – Love Beyond Measure

From Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson

Yesterday I sent my kids off to school for the first time in more than a week. It was back to a morning structured by all kinds of metrics: three lunches, two permission slips, one science project, four hair braids and six rain boots. We measured time by hollering: Ten Minutes! Two Minutes! Let’s Go!

This season we hear stories from scripture about how the God of heaven measures some things differently than humans on earth: success, time, wealth, mercy and justice to name a few. As we move through Lent toward the cross, we remember that Jesus showed us what Love Beyond Measure looks, sounds, smells, tastes and feels like. In Christ, we have everything we need to Love Beyond Measure, too.

Join us for Wednesday Lenten Services at 7:00 pm in-person at both campuses and online. The livestream will move back and forth between our two campuses each week for evening prayer, featuring both sanctuaries over the course of the season. There will be a different guest ensemble each week.

Invite your senses to find Love Beyond Measure this season. Soup and hearty sides will be served at the Minnetonka campus every Wednesday from 6:00-6:50 pm before worship. This week the menu is Zuppa Tuscana, Caesar salad, bread, dessert. The daily lent devotional highlights all kinds of stories and scripture verses that invite us to pay attention to God’s measures.

The logistics of parenting and daily life mean I will keep counting backpacks and traffic delays, but the gifts of this season will ask me to measure with hugs when they get home, music playlists while I wait, and deep breaths that give thanks for all the ways I know Love Beyond Measure.

February 21, 2023 – Bethlehem Annual Meeting

From Pastor Vern Christopherson

Bethlehem’s Annual Meeting is scheduled for this coming Sunday at 11:30 am at the Minneapolis campus in the Sanctuary. Granola bars and snacks for those who might need sustenance. will be available in the Gallery. As worship ends, we will pause for a few minutes, welcome additional attendees, and then continue with the meeting.

Online participants will have an option to submit questions and participate in polls as they happen. We will also make every attempt to accommodate those asking questions online. Please remember that there is about a 60 second delay, so the Q & A and the polls will be a little behind what you see on the screen.

This is an important week in the interim at Bethlehem. Bishop Ann Svennungsen presented a report on the Ministry Site Profile on February 20. If you were unable to attend, you can watch the Livestream here. In the midst of this, we’ll be gathering to make decisions on how we will operate in the coming year. As I see it, God has been doing lots of good work in and through the people of Bethlehem. Thanks for the part you have played in it!

February 14, 2023 – Love Beyond Measure

From Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

On Sunday, Pastor Meta announced that we were in the third trimester of winter, and some of us began to flip through our calendars counting the months. Could it be true, we wondered? The days have begun to lengthen, and some of us (though not all of us) feel a need to be done with winter. We’re coming close to Lent, the season that takes its name from the word ‘lengthen’, the season of the church year when we get ready for Easter.

Next Wednesday, February 22, is Ash Wednesday. We’ll gather for worship and mark our foreheads with ashes, acknowledging that one day we will die and return to the earth. Clear-eyed that God is God and we are not, we’ll begin a 40-day journey to return to God. With the sign of the life-giving cross on our foreheads, we’ll remember that in baptism, we’ve been washed in God’s mercy and forgiveness, and following Jesus, we’ll strive to bear the fruits of mercy and justice in the world.

Ash Wednesday worship begins at 7:00 pm at both campuses and on livestream. We’ll also have a family blessing at 5:45 pm in Minneapolis and on livestream. New this year, you are welcome to stop by the Minnetonka or Minneapolis campuses between noon–1:00 pm to receive ashes-to-go and a blessing.

Throughout Lent, we’ll gather at both campuses and on livestream on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm for worship using Holden Evening Prayer. Guest musicians will join us. Keep an eye out for a Lent devotional resource for all ages. Our Lenten theme is, “Love Beyond Measure.”

…which reminds me, Happy Valentine’s Day! May your hearts be warmed by love today.

February 7, 2023 – Day of Service

From Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

Looking for a meaningful way to connect with others and make a difference in the world? There are several hands-on opportunities in the coming week, and we hope you’ll find one that calls your name.

This Saturday, February 11, people of all ages from all Bethlehem campuses with gather in Minneapolis for Day of Service 2023—a morning of service projects and community building, followed by a delicious lunch. Come at 9:00 am for check-in, coffee and treats. Friends are always welcome!

Then we’ll head downstairs to roll bandages and assemble newborn and hospice kits to be distributed by our international mission partner, Global Health Ministries. We’ll also assemble ‘Days for Girls’ kits with menstrual supplies for young women in the U.S. If you want to take a break, you’re welcome to experience ‘healing touch.’ The morning concludes with lunch.

Hosted by women in Minneapolis, this event is open to all (not just women and girls!), and we’re pleased that folks from Spirit Garage, Minnetonka and Minneapolis have already registered.

Want to see what happens to the newborn and hospice kits packed at Day of Service 2023 when they leave church? SALT (Seniors Active in Life Together) will volunteer at Global Health Ministries in Fridley on Monday, February 13, 10:00 am–Noon. Learn more.

Inclined to support hungry people instead? Families and people of all ages are welcome to volunteer at CES Food Shelf in Minneapolis on Saturday, February 11, 10:00 am–Noon. Learn more.

These are just a few of the ways we’re “becoming together and sharing in the work of God’s vision for a healed world.” Financial contributions can be made toward any of these efforts through Realm.

Thanks for being part of Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities!

January 31, 2023 – Projects of Change

From Emily Stoll, Director of Service, Engagement and Fun

There’s nothing quite like the Rocky Mountains to make you feel small. Seeing a giant, pristine white-capped mountain stare down at you from thousands of feet into a wide blue sky is something you don’t easily forget—and something that comes to mind when I hear the passage about faith like a mustard seed.

I’m not much of a gardener—but I do know how small seeds are—a hundred or so fitting easily in the palm of a hand. And yet, Jesus promises us that faith the size of a tiny little seed is all we need to move one of those pristine peaks.

This is partly why the Capital Campaign has set aside $25,000 to give away as “seeds” for projects of change in your neighborhood. We know that each of you have community spaces outside of Bethlehem that you pour your time, love and talents into. We are hoping that together, with the love you have for your neighborhoods, and these small seed grants, we can affect a mountain of change.

Projects can be as simple as handing out granola bars to a passerby, or as big as hosting a fundraiser dinner for a specific cause. A Bethlehem staff member would work with you to develop your project and see it through to the end. There’s no formal application process, no experience necessary. Just a willingness to see what a tiny bit of seed money can do in your neighborhood. Who knows, maybe it’ll even move mountains.

For more information or to sign-up to do a project, please email Emily Stoll.

January 17, 2023 – What Connects Us?

From Pastor Heather Roth Johnson

Church is a unique experience. I mean, where else can you find a 3-year-old sitting next to a 93-year-old? I was reminded on Sunday, while baptizing babies, that what connects the generations at church together isn’t age. But it’s God’s love that tethers us to each other. Baptism is an act of that love.

(Keep scrolling down because I have an invitation for you at the bottom.)

Being a part of God’s family is a gift found in baptism. This public event promises the child that they are loved by the congregation, and to the parents that they don’t need to shoulder this responsibility alone. This is why families of Bethlehem love these promises, and you are a part of their child’s faith journey.

Check out what they had to say:

• The congregation makes kids feel welcomed: “I love how we see kids in worship, we get grounded when Jesus says, ‘Let the children come.’” (Linae)
• You as the congregation understand that “they cannot learn to be the church without being in church.” (Sherry)
• Because you know how important children are to the church, and you are “more than tolerant of them when they are fussy toddlers and moody teenagers.” (Annie)
• Our church offers “space to grow, learn and make mistakes, and you offer them a space at the table.” (Laura)
• As parents and caregivers, the congregation can be “an additional support system for parents and for kids, and that you will love these children just the way they are.” (Katie)
• The church is a “trusted ally, someone kids can talk to when they have awkward questions about faith and life. And we promised to love and support each child in their walk of faith.” (Deb & Mike)

That’s it. We welcome kids in worship, because of how YOU love, and that’s what Bethlehem does so well, love.

Here’s the Invitation: The Children, Youth and Family staff is creating a team to lean into our congregational promise to love these children and students even more. We are looking for a few more team members of all ages, from 3–93, to be a part of this important work we promise to do. This team will make considerations on “all things kids” in worship such as the prayer ground, pew partners for the newly baptized, or pew information on how to connect with families of little ones.

If you are interested in being on this team, please contact Pastor Heather.

January 10, 2022 – Do One New Thing

From Pastor Heather Roth Johnson

During the pandemic, my son worked at Eric’s Bike Shop in Roseville as a bike mechanic. Noah’s college classes had moved online, and his job became increasingly busy. He told us stories about how people who had never ridden a bike before were buying bikes right off the saleroom floor, or how the store had to close down for a few days just so the mechanics could keep up with bike repairs.

What I noticed from his stories was that people were willing to do new things! (My new thing was to learn how to knit because I already had a bike.) Doing new things is good for the brain, it puts fear in the backseat, gives you a shot of dopamine, and marks time in a different way.

Maybe you have noticed that the church is doing some new things? Check out these new things you can do, and the best part? Anyone can join in. Do one new thing this Epiphany season. It’s good for the soul, and it’s good for the community.

January 3, 2023 – Twelfth Night Bonfire

From Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson

Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing Advent and Christmas a little bit backwards. Try as I might, it’s hard to wait and wonder at a slower place in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The church calendar is full, and there are plenty of opportunities for shopping, parties, winter sports, music concerts, family, friends, and good food. December is full!

And then something happens on Christmas Day. Technically, the season of Christmas is just beginning, but we finally hunker down and rest for the last few days of the year. There are fewer emails and deadlines and pressing engagements. There’s a deep, collective breath before New Year Resolutions and the hustle comes calling again.

In my blessing “For a New Year” in “Ordinary Blessings,” I write, “Perhaps this year’s resolve is to heal who I already am. My person does not need fixing or replacing so much as mending and gentle attention.” We are a few days into 2023 and this is a good time to remember that you are already loved and enough. You don’t have to be someone else to be worthy and here.

I hope the gentle pace of the Christmas season can remain with you for a few more days, that you still have access to that deep, collective breath. And then, when you’re ready, cut a bough from your tree or garland for the Twelfth Night Bonfire on Thursday, January 5 at the Minnetonka campus. It’s a farewell to Christmas celebration, with cozy drinks and all the songs we want to sing one more time before Epiphany dawns.

December 27, 2022 – Capital Campaign Update

By The Capital Campaign Committee

The third and final year of this Capital Campaign is underway. We want to thank you for your continued generosity. Your participation and contributions have had a great impact within our own community and across the globe.

• Bethlehem Twin Cities continues to have mortgage payments paid as well as building projects completed thanks to the money set aside for these important things. Is the sanctuary feeling extra cozy? The new HVAC units are a wonderful thing, right?
• Thanks to funds provided to Mental Health Connect, they have been able to fully staff their Navigation phone line/email as well as hire a Navigator Lead position who can help support staff and develop training around important and relevant topics.
• Beacon continues to take steps forward with the exciting Emerson Village build in North Minneapolis. Public funding is nearly all secured, land use has been granted, and building will begin in 2023! Click here for an inspiring video from Beacon.
• The family housing units at The Ejeda Hospital in Madagascar have not yet been constructed but we are happy to hear that the funds we have already disbursed could possibly fund the full project. We anticipate learning more when Global Health Ministries staff are able to visit the site in 2023.
• Starfish Ministries has been a very important resource to so many, especially over the past two years. As we face recession and the end of many subsidies/programs created in 2020/2021, the need for this resource is growing substantially. The funds committed by the Capital Campaign are intended to sustain Starfish in these three years.
• Capital campaign funds have made a big difference at Parktown School and the boarding home at Melpattambakkam (MKM) in India, replacing a roof at MKM and much more. Click here for more details and here for pictures.
• This winter we are excited to involve our young adults in reaching out to our community with a portion of the funds set aside for neighborhood restoration.

As we enter into the last nine months of this “Building a Future with Hope” campaign, we are HOPEful that we will reach our goal of $2 million dollars. $1.52 million are currently committed from 337 households. Remember:

• There is no perfect time to “jump in” and no minimum gift requirement.
• The challenge from the Bethlehem Foundation remains for anyone who has not participated in a Capital Campaign before. They will add an additional $300 contribution to any gift, of any size.

December 20, 2022 – You’re invited to Christmas at Bethlehem Twin Cities!

Wishing you joy this season…
Merry Christmas from the Bethlehem Staff!

We invite you to join us for Christmas worship at Bethlehem, either in person or online. We’ll join in festive music, listen to the timeless Christmas story, and gather around the table for Christ’s love and forgiveness.

Christmas Worship Times

December 13, 2022 – The Longest Night

From Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

It’s the third week of Advent, and I’ve been waiting and watching and wondering, trying not to get too carried away by Christmas preparations before Advent has had its season. There are concerts and parties to attend, cards to write, and thoughtful gestures to make. It’s a complicated season with cultural expectations of happiness dwelling alongside Advent longing. Sometimes sadness sneaks up and overshadows joyful anticipation.

The holidays can be difficult for those experiencing grief. The death of a loved one or loss of a job, estranged relationships or physical distance, unfulfilled hopes for what might have been are especially painful. Sometimes the holidays stir up grief we thought was long settled. We might feel exposed and out of place, or equally painful, invisible. It’s hard to participate in the usual celebrations.

December 6, 2022 – The Call at Christmas

From Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson

Perhaps you’ve heard about the work we share with Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative. It’s a movement of more than 100 congregations of varied faiths and sizes working together toward a common vision: that everyone would have a home. The Minnetonka campus goes way back—more than 30 years—with Beacon’s Families Moving Forward (FMF) program. Congregations in the collaborative take turns hosting families experiencing homelessness while they are waiting for a place to call home.

Before the pandemic, congregations prepared to host by turning Sunday school classrooms into cozy bedrooms, making meals and stocking the kitchen. For now, families stay in hotel rooms and volunteers bring the groceries and meals each day. Because congregations and volunteers have adapted, the FMF program continues to provide emergency shelter and stability for families nearly home!

The Minneapolis campus started hosting in December a few years ago. Beacon was having a hard time finding churches to host during Christmas and the synagogues in the collaborative couldn’t do it alone. Volunteers from Bethlehem recognized that our name was enough reason to say YES. This is the call at Christmas—to make more room and extend welcome. That’s where Jesus shows up.

November 29, 2022 – Watching and Waiting

From Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson

Last night I sat outside and watched the sky for stars, even though it was cloudy. It is good to know the constellations’ mysteries are there, even when I can’t see them. And it is good to wait with the crisp air, even when I know a storm is rolling in.

Our church year begins with Advent, a four-week sabbatical from the rational and practical so that wonder and awe can fill the gap. We get to practice craving God’s dreams, which are bigger and better than our own. We remember that we are built for relationships rather than being right. We show up to keep vigil, noticing what we couldn’t when the days were bright and long. Glory stirs in the darkness of the unordered cosmos, the possibilities that bed down in the womb.

This is the season for watching and waiting, but not passively! It is an eager anticipation that dares something impossible to happen. I don’t know about you, but the first stretch of winter makes me feel really brave. I bundle and bluster, as though it’s a contest and I might have a chance! And then I hunker down, warmed by the courage it takes to keep going. I pay attention differently this time of year. Life gets simple and I take stock of what I need to live.

All this to say, I need the promise of Christ coming and community until then. I need reasons to show up so I can hear hope in new ways that inspire; so I can spy a sliver of peace here and now; so I can delight in the faith of small children; so I can love like it actually changes things. Maybe you do, too!

We have several ways to show up in the promise and in community this season. We invite you to join us for Caroling & Hot Cocoa this Wednesday at the Minneapolis campus, and for a Reindeer Festival next Sunday at the Minnetonka campus.

Let’s keep watch together—not because the gifts depend upon fortitude or caffeine, but because they can’t wait. The story shows up with us. Christmas is on the way!

November 22, 2022 – Thanksgiving Eve at Bethlehem

From Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

A long time ago, I discovered these words from Philippians and underlined them in my bible: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I was a camp counselor that summer, and it was the first time that something from the Bible jumped off the page and into my heart. Fast forward a few decades, and one of our members recently delivered a prayer shawl to one of our elders. When she read the verse on the accompanying card, the elder replied, “Philippians 4:6-7.” She, too, had memorized the passage several decades before I had! I suspect that she, too, has found comfort in bringing everything to God, even fear and anxiety, and faces the future with gratitude knowing that God is with us in all that comes our way.

We’ve been reading Paul’s letter to the Philippians in worship this month and lifting up the theme of gratitude, remembering that all we have is a gift from God, even God’s presence. The theme culminates this week when we pause to give thanks for the blessings of life.

We hope you’ll join us for worship tomorrow on Thanksgiving Eve! In Minnetonka, people will gather around a bonfire at 6:00 pm for prayers of thanksgiving and a brief liturgy while enjoying pie. Be sure to bundle up and bring a lawn chair, and register so we can plan for you. Pie irons and ingredients will be supplied.

In Minneapolis, young adults will also gather around a bonfire at 6:30 pm to reconnect and make new connections; registrations are appreciated. Worship in the sanctuary and on livestream begins at 7:00 pm, where our Bethlehem youth will share with us a Land Acknowledgement and short prayer of blessing to honor our Native American neighbors who have long stewarded the land that we now know as Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities. The service will be followed by pie in the gallery. Bring a home-made or store-bought pie to share at church and one to pass on to the Marie Sandvik Center, where 500 people from the community will share a Thanksgiving meal.

An offering will be received for local food shelves—CES in Minneapolis and ICA in Minnetonka. Both food and monetary donations are welcome, but remember food shelves are able to stretch our dollars further by tapping into networks that distribute food as efficiently and economically as possible. Thank you for your generosity!

And Happy Thanksgiving!

November 15, 2022 – Understanding Senior Housing

From Diane Waarvik, Director of Congregational Care Ministries

Many of us are looking at next-steps for seniors who are making decisions about leaving or not leaving their homes. With that decision comes many questions about what is next. What are the options for seniors? There are many, and it is often confusing and difficult to choose. We may be looking for ourselves or for a parent or other loved ones.

On Thursday, November 17 at 1:00 pm, Susan Krantz will be at the Minnetonka campus presenting on this very important topic. Susan comes with many years of experience working with seniors and families who are making housing transitions in their senior years. She will cover the topics of moving versus staying in your own home, the different types of housing available, different levels of senior care in residences, financial assistance, community resources and so much more.

Please join us for the informational presentation, Understanding Senior Housing Options. Register online or contact Sue Lungstrom with questions.

November 8, 2022 – Bethlehem’s Mental Health Ministry Adds Focus on Addiction

By Heidi Simpson Tjeltveit, Co-Chair, Mental Health and Addiction Ministry Team 

According to the National Institute of Mental Illness (NAMI), substance use disorders—the repeated misuse of alcohol and/or drugs—often occur simultaneously in individuals with mental illness, usually to cope with overwhelming symptoms. The combination of these two illnesses has its own term: dual diagnosis, or co-occurring disorders. In research published by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 17 million U.S. adults experienced both mental illness and a substance use disorder in 2020. 

Given those staggering numbers and the impact we know the pandemic has had on our own congregation’s well-being, Bethlehem’s Mental Health Ministry has added a new focus on addiction to its work. Those efforts will include assessing congregational needs around addiction-related issues and prioritizing those needs with an eye towards providing education and information for all ages. 

The work of the Mental Health and Addiction Ministry team is also expanding to include a focus on suicide prevention—particularly among youth. Research gathered by NAMI indicates suicides are also on the rise:

• It is the 12th leading cause of death overall in the U.S.
• It is the second leading cause of death for individuals aged 10–14 years
• It is the third leading cause of death for individuals aged 15–24 years

Because the need to provide assistance to persons with a mental health crisis is so great, a national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has been created to help: Call or text 988, or chat via 988lifeline.org

A listing of additional mental health resources has been compiled by the Mental Health and Addiction Ministry Team and posted for confidential and ready access in several restrooms at both campuses.

Not infrequently the ministry team gets the question, “What’s the difference between Mental Health Connect and your group?” The two are related, but different. The Mental Health and Addiction Ministry team focuses on serving Bethlehem. Mental Health Connect is a community collaborative of other congregations also seeking to improve the mental well-being of its respective members, of which Bethlehem is a part.

Our ministry team is hosting an interactive learning opportunity, “Taking Care of Our Emotional Health” on Sunday, November 13. It will be held at the Minnetonka campus from 10:45–11:30 a.m. and at the Minneapolis campus from 11:45 am–12:15 pm. 

If you have an interest in being a part of this ministry team, we’d love to hear from you! Please contact either Heidi Simpson Tjeltveit or Gail Feichtinger for further information.

As always, if you have a health concern, please contact Diane Waarvik, Director of Congregational Care Ministries (Minneapolis) or Heidi Peterson, Minnetonka Faith Community Nurse. 

November 1, 2022 – All Saints Sunday

A few weeks ago, I was in Iowa for a college reunion. Since it was less than an hour away, I made a pilgrimage to Clermont, the small town where my grandparents lived until a couple decades ago. I had been there many times in my life, and all the streets and landmarks were familiar. I drove by the church where I was baptized and the John Deere shop my grandparents owned. Then I parked next to the house that had been the center of my family’s life and walked to the cemetery. I hadn’t been there since Grandpa died in 2004, and it felt good to sit down next to my grandparents’ graves and remember them. Mostly I was filled with gratitude for the love they had shown me and the family they nurtured.

This Sunday is All Saints Sunday, when we remember our loved ones who now rest in God. We’ll read the names of people from the congregation who have died in the past year, and we’ll light candles for the newly baptized—a reminder that “saints” are not people who lead extraordinary lives, but ordinary Christians living into the promises of baptism, made holy by Christ. We’ll light candles for our beloved, too.

Some of the kids in Minneapolis will receive communion for the first time. They’ll feast on the meal by which Jesus feeds and forgives and loves us, and they’ll glimpse the mystery that the communion of saints extends beyond time and space and includes both the living and the dead.

In a space not far from the sanctuary, we’ll create a “gallery of saints” with photos of loved ones who have died, a visual reminder of the cloud of witnesses who have gone before us. If you are grieving the loss of someone and would like to include a photo, please drop it off at the church office ahead of time, or bring it with you on Sunday to the small chapel in Minneapolis or the narthex in Minnetonka. If you’re not able to participate in person, we hope you’ll gather photos and light candles at home during livestream worship.

Blessings to you on this All Saints Day and All Saints Sunday.

Pastor Kris

October 25, 2022 – Commitment Sunday

Sunday, October 30 is a special Sunday in many ways for Lutherans. We celebrate the convictions of Martin Luther, as he pounded his 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Church in 1517. There were things in the church that were troubling to Luther. He wanted to debate them. Whether then or now, it seems, we live with Luther’s conviction that the church is always in need of reform. And that goes for Bethlehem too.

One of the ways we express our commitment to a church is through our financial gifts. You will have an opportunity to support the ministry of Bethlehem as you fill out a pledge card. We have challenged you to grow in your giving by using the Step Chart. We are asking worshippers, as they are able, to consider growing one step in support of God’s work in and through our church.

We will have a processional offering on Commitment Sunday. As we sing the hymn, “Take My Life that I May Be,” we will come forward as an act of worship. Bring your regular offerings, pledge cards, and also cards in the pew indicating your participation. The fourth verse of the hymn goes: “Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold; take my intellect, and use every power as thou shalt choose.” The entire hymn—but that verse in particular—always convicts me.

A fun part of Commitment Sunday will be the “noisy offering” we are taking. Come with your loose change, drop it in a metal container passed by the kids, and plan to make a loud and joyful noise to the Lord. As it turns out, that offering is going to help support school children in India through Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry.

And don’t forget the cinnamon rolls at the end. Volunteers are baking up a batch of cinnamon rolls to help the Stewardship Team say ‘thank you’ for all the ways you commit your life to God’s work at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities.

Please know that we couldn’t be the church without you. Thanks for who you are and all you do!

Pastor Vern

October 18, 2022 – Membership at Bethlehem

It’s no small thing that folks find their way to Bethlehem and discover belonging in this community, even while we are in transition and discernment, rediscovering our identity and purpose as a congregation.

The last few years have challenged the way we all practice our faith and relate to organizations. And still, we welcome and celebrate new members each fall and spring. We learn from those who opt in to this shared work for God’s vision of a healed world and grow because their fresh perspective and unique gifts have an impact on the whole.

That’s what we mean when we say we’re Becoming Together. Whether we’ve been here for five minutes or 50 years, the gospel is working hard to keep us clear about a few things and curious about the rest: the world God loves, the church in change, and the congregation through which we are called to serve.

We’ll be welcoming New Members in worship on Sunday, November 13 at all services. If you’ve been thinking about membership at Bethlehem, this is your invitation to make it official this fall. We’ll connect you with a pastor and a new member sponsor for the sake of caring conversation and introductions to people and ministries that light up your purpose.

And if you are already a member in this community, remember that cultivating a culture of hospitality, healing, and hope is never finished. It’s a perennial way of being. So let’s stay curious about one another and this season of transition at Bethlehem. It feels like reformation, so God must be up to something very good and messy and true. We give thanks for those who are joining us in this work and for the God who invites our full participation in making things new!

Contacts about Membership:
Aly Haugen, Hospitality and Event Coordinator
Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson, Minnetonka Campus Pastor

October 11, 2022 – Supporting Mental Health Connect

From Vicki Elliot, Mental Health Connect Director

Sometimes life gets difficult. Situations arise that challenge us, shake our foundation, make us question our wellbeing. Will we get back to where we began? Will things ever be ok again? How long will this last? Can I make it through this? Who can I talk to? Has anyone else felt this way?

Over half (56%) of adults with a mental illness receive no treatment. Why? There are many reasons…it’s difficult to know where to start, the process seems daunting, they’re unsure they have a mental illness, and uncertainty about where real help can be found.

Mental Health Connect began at Bethlehem in 2014 with a small group of people that cared, a grant and a BIG idea. Today, we serve 35 faith communities, run a warm line to serve people looking for resources, and help and educate the community on all areas of mental health. Mental health IS health and everyone deserves support. Faith communities are in a unique position to offer hope and healing!

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’” —Jeremiah 29:11-13

There’s big, exciting news. The Bethlehem Foundation has offered MHC a $30,000 grant… with a challenge: That we double it!

Here is how MHC will use your gifts:

• Supporting the work being done through our Navigation line. Walking along side people so they get the resources they need, when they need it.
• Education to the community to better understand mental health and reducing stigma. Mental health IS health.
• Collaborating and being a resource to our faith communities. Providing critical resources, training, and expanding our partnerships. Our faith communities are here to support you and your neighbors. We want to make sure they have tools.

Please consider making a gift and help MHC reach their goal. Any donation will be matched by the Bethlehem Foundation up to $30,000 if given by October 30. This could be a special offering, a family or individual that has a heart for mental health, or a gift in memory of honor of a loved one.

Thank you! Through your gifts you are helping people learn about and access mental health resources and more.

October 4, 2022 – God’s Ongoing Creation

From Pastor Vern Christopherson

Someone at our Thursday Bible Study asked a provocative question: “What would the Bible be like if we didn’t have the Book of Genesis?” I must confess, I’d never considered that question before, and it gave me pause. Suddenly the class was going back to the creation story in Genesis 1 and human beings made in the image of God. And then we were talking about God calling a particular people in Genesis 12, starting with Abraham and Sarah. They too were fashioned in the image of God and were called to live out God’s creative design for the world in which they lived. In the process, Abraham and Sarah were intended to be a blessing to others.

This fall we’re focusing on the stories of Genesis. They get us thinking about God’s marvelous design in creation. No doubt, some of that design is within you and me. We have all sorts of talents and abilities to help us live out God’s creative design in our world. We forget to look sometimes, but it’s there. Take a drive in the countryside on one of these October days. Give thanks for the changing seasons. And remember that creation is an ongoing work of God all around us.

Please join us for the Fall Art Show Opening on Thursday, October 13 from 6:00–8:00 pm. Both campuses will showcase a beautiful display of different artistic interpretations from artists of all ages on the theme, “Created in the Image of God.” There will be a short program at 7:00 pm, a chance to talk to some of the artists, as well as charcuterie treats and beverages generously funded by the Bethlehem Foundation.

All sorts of fascinating pieces have been loaned to us for our art show. To name just a few: a painting depicting the significance of a turtle in the creation of indigenous people; photographs showing the beauty of nature; and a lovely collection of contemporary quilts. And that’s just the beginning. Over 80 items have been submitted. The stories of Genesis and God’s ongoing creation will be with us all the way to Thanksgiving.

Thanks in advance to all who are sharing their work with us. No doubt your work will stretch our thinking, and gladden our hearts, and remind us that we are created in the image of an incredible God. We don’t all have the same talents, of course, but each of us can find ways to be a blessing to others. And that in itself is remarkable indeed.

September 27, 2022 – Walking with Kids in Faith

From Pastor Heather Roth Johnson

Did you know that Martin Luther, the reformation reformer loved children, and he saw their importance in the church? In his writings, he remarks about the significance of children learning the faith at church and in the home. He said this, “All live on as though God gave us children for our pleasure or amusement … only to gratify our whims, ignoring them, as though what they learn or how they live were no concern of ours.” In more modern terms, Luther might say it this way: We can’t say that kids and youth are the future of the church because they are the church now. They are not seated in the pews for us to absorb their cuteness. But they come because they are faithful people of God and are fully formed members of the body of Christ.

The church’s role with our kids and youth is to live up to what we promised in their baptisms and walk with them in faith. That’s why I am a pastor of family ministry, not only to help families live into their baptism promises, but the congregation as a whole. So maybe you have noticed some changes in worship or in the sanctuary space itself such as:

• With Storytime, when we learn God’s story together, we grow in God’s story together. It’s God’s story that tethers people together. Next Sunday over donuts and drink coffee, ask a young person what they heard in the story?
• ECHO Sunday School allows kids to participate in what we do best, worship. Any good pastor would tell you to take the kids to worship over anything else. Learning to worship takes time and patience for everyone involved. ECHO allows kids to do both! And holy moly, our engagement is up 30% from last year.
• We offer prayer grounds in the sanctuaries at both campuses so that the little ones can easily be in worship with their families. Parents who use these spaces love them! Next time in worship, ask them why?
• Our DIY Sunday School Kids@Home kits have been popular! 60 different households use these kits because they love forming faith at home.
• Soon we’ll be asking 21 students to affirm their faith on October 30. We will be inviting back younger students in confirmation to help lead worship by serving communion, writing prayers, being a greeter or usher. If you see them leading, thank them for their service! It means a lot to them.

I know we grieve for how things were at church or how we want them to be. But I have been in ministry for 25 years, and the church has never stayed the same—only God has. So let’s rejoice together in what God has done and embrace our kids and youth—not for their cuteness or what they can do in future—but because who they are now: people of God.

To read the Children, Youth and Family Vision Statement, click here.

For a fun conversation with Pastors Heather and Meta, click here.

September 20, 2022 – The Transition Team is Still Listening

From Pastor Vern Christopherson

We’re seven months into our pastoral interim. Interims can take time, often more time than we’re expecting. And when they follow a pastor who has died while serving as senior pastor, and then the unexpected departure of co-lead pastors a few years later, the adjustment period might feel even longer. Add in a full-scale pandemic and you can probably see why some interims are called intentional interims. There’s often a need for careful reflection and conversation before a Call Committee is formed and a new lead pastor is brought on board.

There is an additional way to provide feedback as well. A Ministry Assessment Survey will be sent via email this coming Thursday. On a scale of 1–4, you’ll be able to rate how we’re doing in various areas of ministry. We’re also asking for comments to further elaborate one’s perspective. The survey should be able to be completed in approximately 15 minutes.

Once the Listening Sessions and Ministry Assessment Surveys are done, the Transition Team will spend time collating and evaluating what people have been telling them. If there are areas of special concern, they will be discussed with the Church Council.

Finally, when the evaluations are completed, the Transition Team will get busy writing up a Ministry Site Profile. The task is a bit daunting, especially trying to speak for the congregation as a whole. Hopefully the team can get it finished by the end of the year.

What comes next? The information will be shared with the Church Council and the congregation. It will also be shared with the Minneapolis Area Synod. Soon afterward, the council will begin forming a Call Committee. Following that, a list of pastoral candidates will be gathered and interviews will begin. Your prayers throughout the entire process are greatly appreciated.

September 13, 2022 – Work of the People

From Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel

A few years ago on a Saturday afternoon, I received word that the next day’s preacher was ill so I would be leading worship solo, including preaching a sermon that was yet to be prepared. (Gulp!) I had my work cut out for me, but would I really be leading worship alone?

Far from it. There were assisting ministers all around. Greeters and ushers welcomed people to worship and helped them find a seat. Scripture readers, communion servers and the worship prep team helped deliver Christ’s presence in word and sacrament. The organist and choir brought the word to life through music. The AV tech made sure everyone could hear and see. One of the ushers even supported me with a cup of tea!

‘Liturgy’ means ‘work of the people,’ and it involves all of us in worship. For things to flow smoothly, some of us step forward as ‘assisting ministers.’ Some of the work is visible, and some happens behind the scenes. All of it is meaningful, and all ages are welcome.

September 6, 2022 – We Are Made for One Another

From Pastor Heather Roth Johnson

If you didn’t know this, I worked at Bethlehem (Minneapolis campus) back in the day as the Director of Children’s Ministries. My kids, Noah and Jacob, loved Bethlehem, and they were sad in 2013 when I told them that we were changing churches.

Noah, age 12 at the time, got really quiet and didn’t want to talk to me about things, so I told him to text me. This is what he wrote:

Noah: I love Bethlehem…
Me: You will love the new church, too!
Noah: …Jensen, Henry, Fritz, Marshall
Me: ???

The four names he sent left me questioning his thoughts. I had to think about the names for a minute. The first two made sense because Jensen and Henry were Noah’s peers. They had been church buddies since Kindergarten, and Noah would miss them. But Fritz and Marshall? Noah had been their Sunday School helper that year, and even though they were only five years old, Noah valued them as community.

It’s an aha moment that we easily forget about. Often, we remember that the church is a building. That’s easy! But the church is so much more than that! It’s the people—a community—that young Noah noticed, who valued one another and walked with each other in faith.

August 30, 2022 – Fall Bible Study Opportunities

From Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson

As I write this, my children and puppy are running laps around the main floor of my house. It’s hard to tell who’s chasing who—either way, it’s full volume and I’m straining to concentrate on this note to you, beloved Church. But I’ll refrain from telling them to stop or from sending them outside for the 40th time today because summer is fleeting. A new school year starts in a few days and structure will surely find us. Until then, I’ll do my best to embrace the wild and wooly sounds of children who know their freedom.

Back to School is one of my favorite annual transitions. New notebooks and the sounds of school buses rolling through the neighborhood give me back to my childhood—the restless curiosity for new friends, new teachers, and new routines for discovering the world. We’re never to old to remember there’s still so much to learn.

In this spirit, I invite you to check out one of the Bible studies at Bethlehem this fall. There are a few different ways to engage the stories we’ll hear in worship, stories from Genesis about the longing to go back to what feels familiar when God is calling us forward into something new. You can engage this curriculum with your small group and/or with one of the four Bible studies offered this fall.

Spend seven weeks in the origin stories of our faith, together with other members of this community who are remembering freedom and finding structure for a new season of Becoming Together.

August 23, 2022 – Built for Connection

From Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson

There have been chapters of pandemic life when I felt pretty two-dimensional. Screens and routines and so much alone time meant a different relationship with myself and the world.

Whenever I see someone in person for the first time since March 2020, my heart does a little dance. We are three dimensional and we’re sharing space! I notice something new about them, which helps me see myself differently.

I think that’s why I love working through the Enneagram with other people. It’s hard to make much meaning from this typology all by ourselves because human beings are built for connection. Our many dimensions appear in relationships and interactions with others. Pastor Holly says it this way: “It’s helpful to learn that you view the world in a certain way and so does everyone else…and they aren’t the same.”

I hope you’ll join Pastor Holly and me this Saturday at the Minnetonka campus for a free workshop, Introduction to the Enneagram. The church and the world can use more people who are conscious about their own lens on life and curious about the way others see things. Let’s practice together.

August 16, 2022 – Calling All Artists!

Bethlehem will be rooted in stories from the Book of Genesis this fall. These stories will be braided through the way we gather for worship, bible study, small groups, children’s ministry, and more. We’ll go back to the beginning—the very beginning!—to remember God’s delight and image at work in each of us and every living thing.

These stories are our spiritual origins and ancient truth about where we come from and to whom we belong. The series will invite us to take a fresh look at ourselves, one another, and the world around us, to borrow God’s lens so we are looking with love and finding connection where we can’t muster it all on our own.

In celebration of these stories alive in us at Bethlehem, we’re curating an art show hosted by both campuses. This is an opportunity to share the ways you participate in God’s creative work on earth. Let’s showcase a variety of mediums and expressions of making, an expansive vision of what it means to be inspired by the image of God alive and in our midst.

Share what you knit, sculpt, paint, draw, photograph, modge-podge and craft. Frame your favorite family recipes or an original musical score. Your co-creation is a gift to this community and the wider world.

May this art show delight in the many ways we participate in the creative work of a God who is never finished making things new! You are encouraged to share your art as part of this exhibit, signs of God’s delight in our daily lives and God’s image at work in our creative expressions of this world.

August 9, 2022 – Staff Comings and Goings

From Pastor Vern Christopherson

As we near the beginning of a new program year, I wanted to give you a heads up on some staffing changes at Bethlehem. First, the comings:

And now for the going:

August 2, 2022 – Changing Worship Times

We’re going to be adjusting our worship times at our Minneapolis campus starting on Celebration Sunday – September 11. This is only a slight adjustment, moving worship at 8:45 am to 9:00 am, and moving worship at 10:15 am to 10:30 am. Worship at our Minnetonka campus will remain the same at 9:30 am.

Why are we doing this? The main reasons are these:

• The 8:45 am and 10:15 am start times can be confusing to people, especially to visitors; we hope moving start times to the hour and half-hour will make it easier for people to remember them.
• More and more of our special music is getting moved to the 10:15 am time slot, often leaving the 8:45 am service feeling empty.
• The comparison between attendance at 8:45 am and 10:15 am is substantial, with the 8:45 am service being much lower; we hope to even up the totals just a bit.

Bethlehem has adjusted its worship times fairly regularly. No doubt COVID has turned much of our worship schedule upside down. Some people tell me they miss 8:00 am worship. Some people say they miss a service later in the morning. And some people say they wish we still had worship on Sunday evening. No doubt we can’t please everyone, but we are going to experiment with the 9:00 am and 10:30 am times, mainly for the reasons mentioned above.

I truly long for the day when worship times aren’t simply a matter of convenience, but are also related to creating more space for crowds of people to find their way in. We have a way to go in this regard, but hope springs eternal.

See you in church!
Pastor Vern

Needless to say, how a congregation handles its finances is full of possibilities and challenges. People can be incredibly generous with their gifts. At the same time, they often want to know more about how their gifts are making a difference. And beyond that, they might want to explore leaving legacy gift as they near the end of life.

Expect to hear more from Chick soon. Note that he will be preaching at our Minneapolis campus on Sunday, August 21. It’s part of our current sermon series: “Seven Encouraging Words from God.” The theme for the day is, “You Have Enough to Share.” And some time along the way, we hope to get Chick to our Minnetonka campus too.

Pastor Vern

July 19, 2022 – A Good Day to be Together

The day was warm and sunny. Around 300–350 people were gathered for worship—from Bethlehem’s Minneapolis and Minnetonka campuses, but others joined us from area churches too. Evidently the opportunity for outdoor worship was appealing to many. And I have to admit, I was encouraged every time someone shared that they’d seen me on TV. One way or another, we’re doing our best to stay connected.

Some came prepared for the bright sunshine. Many found their favorite spots in the shade and looked quite comfortable with their lawn chairs and blankets. There were many donning wide-brimmed hats, colorful umbrellas and festive t-shirts.

It was a good day to be together and one small step to “find a way back to one another.” Outdoor worship at the bandshell is a good reminder that God often gathers people in any number of times and places, an encouraging sign that God isn’t done with us yet.

Thanks for your flexibility and support while we tried something different together!

Pastor Vern

July 12, 2022 – Beacon

We have been spending the first weeks of summer in preaching texts from the prophet Jeremiah. These are stories are more than 2,500 years old, but we can relate to themes of belonging, safety, occupation, land rights, dignity, forced migration, and coming home. These are challenges and opportunities for people in every time and place.

Bethlehem is in partnership with several organizations that work for housing justice. We care about ending homelessness and building communities in which folks can afford to live and work, where housing is deeply affordable and everyone belongs. We are learning how to make sure our most vulnerable neighbors are included in plans for rental assistance and funds for affordable housing.

July 5, 2022 – The Power of Moments

I read a book last year called, “The Power of Moments.” It was written by brothers Chip and Dan Heath. I found it to be a great reminder of the moments—big and small—that make up our lives. The authors make a compelling case that if we take the time to reflect more deeply on the moments we experience, they can have extraordinary impact.

Though the book wasn’t written with Covid in mind, it was particularly telling of the “moments” that have so readily slipped away from our schedules: July 4 celebrations, trips to the lake, family vacations, birthday parties, and wedding receptions. How much have we missed along the way—in the hugs, the laughter, the tears, the smiles? And in the process, how greatly have our lives been diminished?

The effort it takes to create these “moments” has been especially hard in the midst of our pandemic, sometimes too hard. It’s easy to assume that we’ll get to them later, when the pandemic dies down, when life doesn’t seem quite so complicated. But as we have been discovering the past couple years, anything we set out to do takes a lot more effort. Is it worth it? We hope so, but sometimes we have a hard time even getting started.

Early on in the pandemic, I read an article saying that funeral practices were bound to get set aside during Covid. We wouldn’t be able to gather. We wouldn’t find it worth the risk. Our loved ones would be forgotten. As someone who has officiated at a lot of funerals over the years, that was especially difficult for me to accept.

Truth be told, while we have had to adjust our funeral practices, I have been greatly impressed with the efforts of families to honor and remember their loved ones who have died. Services have often been put off till later, but these loved ones have not been forgotten. Families and friends have found ways to gather at the cemetery, to stream a small gathering so that others can join in, to honor the stories and give thanks for the blessings that have come.

This week at Bethlehem we’ll be continuing in this tradition. On Wednesday we will say goodbye to Eric Rivers, and on Thursday we will say goodbye both to Carolyn Van Every and Bernice Digre. These moments are powerful. They are worth our time and attention. These good people will be celebrated and honored. Thanks be to God.

Pastor Vern

June 28, 2022 – Transition Team Listening Sessions

Over the summer months and into the fall, the Transition Team will be holding a number of Listening Sessions. These sessions will occur on various days and times of the week, and also at a variety of locations. Most will be in-person, but a few will be virtual. Some might involve existing small groups (invitations are welcomed).

Pastor Vern will lead the conversations. Team members will take notes. A series of questions will be asked, and hopefully there will be time for some of your questions too. A number of topics will be explored, such as:

1. What are your hopes and dreams for what we can create together at Bethlehem?
2. What are you looking for in a new lead pastor?
3. What are you anxious about as you look to the future of Bethlehem?

As noted, we plan to take notes on what people are telling us. We will share summaries with the congregation along the way, without attaching names, of course. We expect a variety of opinions in answer to our questions. That’s a good thing. Robust conversation is important, especially during a time of transition.

June 21, 2022 – You Are Not Alone

It is the blessing I speak most often to folks during this season of life at Bethlehem.

Still trying to figure out a worship rhythm?
Not ready to be singing indoors quite yet?
Wishing our sanctuaries were filled with people?
Wanting to reconnect, but not sure how?

You are not alone.

These things can feel overwhelming and stressful, but the best medicine has a few ingredients:

• Move your physical body
• Share a common purpose
• Express yourself creatively
• Imagine something bigger
• Emote with others (laugh, cry, and sigh!)

These things can happen in our worship life on Sunday mornings, and they also come alive in the ministry we share. Singing in an ensemble, joining a small group, and helping in the community garden can remind us that we are not alone. We are actively part of something bigger than ourselves, something that invites our unique gifts and expressions into the work of the whole.

If you’re looking for a way to show up and remember you are not alone, sign-up to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.

Learn more about our hosted weeks with Habitat for Humanity at our website, where you can find the online registration and waiver instructions. Let’s fill these two weeks (July 18–22 and July 25–29) with connections new and old, with movement and shared purpose, with creativity and imagination for this season of Becoming Together: sharing in the work of God’s vision for a healed world.

Pastor Meta

June 14, 2022 – Summer Rest and Renewal

Some of you have asked if we should combine our two services at the Minneapolis campus into one during the summer months. Attendance would suggest that we could all fit in the sanctuary during one service each week, but here are a few reasons we’ve decided to keep two services this season:

• We’re far enough into the summer months that communicating a different summer worship schedule would be a challenge, especially if we would plan to change it back in time for fall.
• The livestream experience at 10:15 am is helped by the staff and volunteers having already practiced the technology and liturgy once that morning.
• Early risers have expressed appreciation for the 8:45 am service.
• Attendance at the 8:45 am is welcoming to those who are not gathering in large crowds and wish to social distance.

Perhaps your weekends take you elsewhere this season and you are making the most of these summer months outdoors. Good for you! Get away and enjoy it, even if it does cost you an arm and a leg to fill up your tank with gas. Returning to some of our favorite spots is a good way to rest and renew.

We hear from many of you who join worship by livestream, wherever you happen to be. This is one of the true blessings as a result of COVID. Digital ministry, or the next generation of it, will continue to be a vibrant part of life at Bethlehem from now until Jesus comes again.

When you are nearby and comfortable doing so, I encourage you to participate with in-person worship, small group gatherings, and ministries that put us proximate to one another for connection. It’s life-giving and refreshing, for many of the same reasons we venture to the woods, the baseball fields, or the North Shore.

Hope to see you in worship and connecting sometime soon. Bring a nametag. It helps me and I know it helps others, too.

Pastor Vern

June 7, 2022 – Text Messages from Jeremiah

Digging into biblical passages is often hard. Understanding where those passages are going, and what they might have to say to us today, can be harder still. No doubt, the Bible is a big, complicated book. There are some passages that readily speak to us — like the creation stories in Genesis or Psalm 23 or the Sermon on the Mount — but there are many other parts of the Bible that leave us bewildered.

One of the tasks of a preacher is to read the appointed preaching passage in context and then attempt to speak a word that is relevant and perhaps even transformative for today. Depending on how close to home that word comes, or how many toes get stepped on in the process, that word might open hearts or close up ears, or somewhere in-between.

Over the next six weeks, we’re going to dive headlong into the book of Jeremiah. There are a number of memorable passages in the book, but much of it can be complicated and confusing. Thus, we are going to write Text Messages in advance of the sermons in an attempt to give you a better understanding of the background of a particular passage — and how this word might continue to speak to us today.

On a personal note, and a few years ago now, I got a degree in biblical preaching. My thesis work was on the topic of “Preaching to Those Who Have Read and Reflected on the Texts in Advance.” Needless to say, I didn’t try to turn it into a bestseller. Then again, it has led me (and my pastoral colleagues) into several years of writing Text Messages in advance of the Sunday sermon, because — quite simply — people tend to get more out of sermons when they’ve had time to think about them beforehand.

Now, drumroll please, you’ll be getting a Text Message over the next six weeks on a passage from Jeremiah. And if you find them helpful, we may even continue the practice down the road. Here’s the link. And by all means, let us know what you think.

Pastor Vern

May 31, 2022 – Prayer Partners for Guatemala Travelers

It has been a long two years, where as trips are concerned we’ve stayed close to home. But on June 21, an intergenerational group of students, parents, grandparents and friends will be traveling to the cloud forests of Guatemala via our friends at Lutheran Partners in Global Mission!

During our time in Guatemala, we will be traveling to national parks, visiting and dining with local community members, spending time playing with the children at the school we’ll be residing at, and so much more. You can learn more about the school, Community Cloud Forest Conservation, here. Our hope for the trip is for everyone, leaders included, to see the ways God is at work in a culture different from our own and in the lives of its people.

May 24, 2022 – Open Streets

Summer is a busy time here at Bethlehem. The season is full of fun events like VBS, Bandshell Sunday, and — coming up very soon — Open Streets.

Lyndale Open Streets is an event sponsored by the city of Minneapolis that will take place on Sunday, June 5, 11:00 am–4:30 pm. Lyndale Avenue will be shut down to vehicles from 22nd to 42nd Streets, and the avenue will be filled with people biking, rollerblading and walking, taking time to explore and connect with their community.

Open Streets gives us a chance to connect with our broader community and is a time-honored Bethlehem tradition. Bethlehem has become a Lyndale Open Streets staple thanks to our highly anticipated petting zoo, as well as the host of other programming, games and food that we organize each year for this event.

May 17, 2022 – Bethlehem Lutheran Church Foundation

The Bethlehem Lutheran Church Foundation was established in 1957, over 60 years ago! Our mission is to gather, invest and distribute assets to further the mission and values of Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities. People most often ask where do we get the money and how is it distributed. Money comes to the Foundation from gifts or bequests from estate plans. This could include wills, trusts, or just a simple beneficiary designation on an IRA or insurance policy. Another source of funds is memorials given at the time of death or at the funeral. We are very grateful to families that include us in their estate plans or designate the Bethlehem Foundation for memorials for a loved one.

The Foundation has a long history of supporting seminarians from our congregation. We also fund grant request for staff enrichment, program needs and building issues. The most exciting distributions we make are for outreach. When the pandemic shut down many businesses and the riots after the death of George Floyd caused great destruction in South Minneapolis we were able to provide some needed funds to businesses to help them stay afloat and to humanitarian efforts in our neighborhoods. We are especially interested in grant requests made by members of the congregation on behalf of an organization they support either monetarily or by volunteering.

More information on the Foundation and the grant request form can be found online.

May 10, 2022 – Bethlehem Music Series

Forty years ago the Bethlehem Music Series began. The hope was to bring music into the Lyndale sanctuary that wouldn’t normally be heard on a Sunday morning. That said, the first 10 years featured a number of old standbys: organ music, choral ensembles, and choirs. Gradually the musical selections became more diverse, including everything from Dixieland bands to soul artists to liturgical dancers.

The plan from the beginning was to provide the concerts free of charge. Donations were encouraged and plates were passed, of course, but there was never a price for tickets. At the beginning, the attendance typically consisted of two-thirds Bethlehem members and one-third people from the community. There were invitations given to attendees to come back for worship on Sunday, and some did. But the invitation was never an end in itself. The goal was to make beautiful music and to enrich people’s lives in the process.

As you might imagine, an army of volunteers has been needed to keep this series going: board members, ushers, parking attendants, hospitality servers, stage managers, registration assistants, folks to put together the programs, and a host of others. As in many areas, Covid has complicated the concerts. Extra attention has gone into requiring masks and proof of vaccination. The overall hope has been to continue to provide quality programming in a safe environment and to celebrate the music God has placed in our hearts.

From my limited perspective, perhaps the most amazing thing is the sheer longevity of the series. So many of these community events are largely a thing of the past. Yet somehow Bethlehem manages to welcome 500–700 people up to six times a year. And whether the musical selections are sacred or secular, or a combination of the two, peoples’ spirits are touched and their lives are enriched. And for that we owe a great debt of thanks.

If you haven’t watched the 40th anniversary video on the Bethlehem Music Series website, I encourage you to check it out. It’s bound to give you a picture of the many ways God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Also, Bethlehem Music Series is looking for board members. If this is of interest to you, contact Sandra Anderson for more details.

Pastor Vern

May 3, 2022 – Your Hopes and Dreams for Bethlehem

We’re in the process of putting together a Transition Team that will help guide the time between the arrival of an interim pastor (Pastor Vern) and the formation of a Call Committee. Part of the work of the Transition Team will be to take the pulse of the congregation: How healthy are we? What areas do we need to strengthen? And perhaps most importantly, what are our hopes and dreams for Bethlehem going forward?

To explore this latest question, we’re planning a studio session with artist and storyteller John Noltner. We’re calling these sessions, “A Peace of My Mind with John Noltner,” and they will be held on Monday, May 23 (MTKA) and Wednesday, May 25 (MPLS) from 4:00–8:00 pm.

We’re looking for participants to sign-up for 10-minute sessions with John, with the plan to capture portraits of the people of Bethlehem and their hopes and dreams for what Bethlehem can create together. At the end of these sessions, John will combine these stories exploring where Bethlehem might go in the future.

If it’s hard to imagine what this might look like, let me share a couple of examples. At Easter Lutheran in Eagan, a young girl said: “We can treat others how we want to be treated.” And a middle-aged woman said: “Shoulder to shoulder with open hearts we may discover that others may not look at things the way we do. Love will be our basis for understanding.” The challenge will be to put your hopes and dreams into a 25-word story that comes out of your own perspective.

With John’s efforts, the portraits of those involved will be combined with the stories of their hopes and dreams, and a picture of Bethlehem’s future will begin to emerge. Not only will we ourselves be inspired by the storytelling, but hopefully it will catch the attention of future leaders for Bethlehem. And that is our ultimate goal.

We want to hear from you. Read more and sign-up for this opportunity on the Bethlehem website.

Pastor Vern

April 26, 2022 – Mental Health Awareness

We are heading into May even though our outside weather does not make us feel that way. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. I cannot remember a time when being aware of our mental health was more important. We are continuing to live in a COVID world after almost two years of isolation. We have a world of pain and war around us. We are all learning to live in a new and ever-changing time.

What does that mean for our mental health? Many feel pain, isolation, loss of control, grief, uncertainty and so much more. Where do we find our relief? For those who are living with mental illness, times have been even more stressful and sometimes traumatic. There are many with new diagnoses of mental illness and many individuals who are wondering about their mental wellness. People are searching for resources, help and understanding.

Bethlehem recognizes that mental health is a concern for many in our community. We have had a mental health ministry for many years, and in 2015, we created Mental Health Connect (MHC). MHC is a collaborative mental health ministry now with 35 faith communities working together to reduce stigma, create awareness, and help those with mental health concerns and questions navigate the mental health system. This is a free service thanks to the generosity of donors and faith communities like Bethlehem.

On May 12, we will be hosting our once-a-year fundraiser. This year it will be a virtual event lasting only an hour. Everyone knows someone who’s been living with mental illness. You, your child, a friend or co-worker? By supporting MHC, you’re helping to give people hope, reduce stigma, provide resources to increase quality of life, and improve access to services for all people.

Join us on May 12 at 8:30 am to hear more about MHC: Stories of Hope from people that are advocates, guides and living with mental health concerns. Register here so you can watch. Invite and share here. Make a donation here and support the work of Mental Health Connect.

Diane Waarvik, Director of Congregational Care Ministries

April 19, 2022 – Coming Alive this Easter!

April 12, 2022 – Join us Holy Week at Bethlehem

Howard Thurman once said, “Do not ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do that because the world needs people who have come alive.” Join us for worship on Easter Sunday and for a season of asking the bold resurrection question: What makes you come alive?

April 5, 2022 – The Drama of Holy Week

I love the drama of Holy Week. The sights and smells, the light and darkness, the agony and hope of an ancient story that calls us to faith year after year.

This April, we’ll do our best at Bethlehem to invite you into our unforgettable story. Some of what we experience will be old and familiar, and some will be new. As is so often the case, especially in the middle of a pandemic, much of what we do will have a fresh and vibrant feel to it.

The children will lead us in a Palm Sunday parade. We’ll sing, “All Glory, Laud, and Honor.” We’ll look for the king that’s coming, but we’ll also look for smiles on the faces of children. There seem to be more children and families in worship every week! At the close of worship, we’ll sing, “Lift High the Cross,” and raise up African palm crosses as we do.

We’re gathering for a soup supper before Maundy Thursday worship. There’s still time to sign-up (April 12 is the deadline). How long has it been since Bethlehem folks sat together at a table and shared a meal? Too long, that’s for sure. Join us if you can.

John has been our gospel over the past four months. At the heart of John’s Holy Week story is Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. Don’t get nervous; we’re not going to ask you to remove your shoes. But we will invite you — after communion — to stop at a table for a symbolic handwashing. We’ll share the reminder that Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. And he invites us to serve too. At the close of Maundy Thursday, we have the stripping of the altar as Psalm 22 is sung. We remember Jesus being stripped of his power and glory as his hour drew near.

The drama of Holy Week reaches a fever pitch with the agony of Good Friday. What other salvation story ends with a king who becomes obedient unto death, even death on a cross? Our songs and scripture readings take us through Jesus’ last painful hours. We’ll have our own Journey to the Cross, leaving behind our sins and struggles, and asking for Jesus’ forgiveness as we do.

I hope you can join us for the drama of Holy Week. It’s a story unlike any other. Hopefully, it will touch your heart and enliven your spirit.

Pastor Vern

March 29, 2022 – Fellowship Opportunities at Bethlehem

We’re been gradually relaxing our COVID restrictions and taking steps toward making connections at Bethlehem. A comment we consistently hear is that people miss fellowship opportunities, and in particular, coffee.

For all you coffee drinkers out there: We’re going to be serving coffee this coming Sunday, April 3 from 9:00–11:30 am at the Minneapolis campus and from 10:30–11:00 am at the Minnetonka campus. Our plan is to continue serving coffee on the first Sunday of each month. But, if additional people sign-up to help — and there will be a sign-up sheet near the coffee pot — we might even and work toward serving coffee weekly. Imagine that

You may not know this, but the word fellowship is derived from the Greek word koinonia. Among the early Christians, it was often defined as “holding something in common.” It likely involved more than a cup of coffee or a bowl of soup. Still, whatever brought those believers together, koinonia involved genuine sharing — shared behaviors, beliefs and convictions (Phil. 2:1-2; Acts 2:42). Surely there continues to be a need for koinonia today.

Pastor Vern

March 22, 2022 – Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign

During the month of March, people throughout Minnesota come together to raise funds and collect food for their local food shelves. Traditionally the time of year when food shelves endure their lowest period of inventory, the March Campaign has become the largest grassroots food and fund drive in the state. Every dollar donated during March will be proportionally matched, so your donation will go even further!

Bethlehem supports two local food shelves in our communities, Community Emergency Services (CES) in Minneapolis, and ICA Food Shelf which supports Minnetonka, Hopkins and the surrounding communities. While our support is year-round, March is Minnesota FoodShare Month, a statewide campaign that brings together organizations, businesses, faith communities and individuals to help keep 300 food shelves statewide stocked.

Volunteer:

• CES FOOD SHELF: once a month at CES on Saturday from 10:00 am–12:00 pm. Our next volunteer date will be Saturday, April 2. If you would like to volunteer or to be added to the CES opportunities list, contact Shari Anderson.
• ICA FOOD SHELF: If you would like to volunteer, contact Peg Houle.

Pray for the work of ICA and CES and those who are served

March 15, 2022 – Rediscovering Jesus

I’ve been thinking about ‘Jesus as Friend,’ the theme of last week’s Wednesday worship. “This is my commandment, that you love one another,” Jesus said. “…You are my friends if you do what I command you.” Wow, it sounds so conditional, as if Jesus were saying, “I’ll only be your friend if you do what I say!” But Jesus’ statement is actually descriptive of what happens when we love. Friendship grows when we take a risk and act in love. Whether one-on-one or in community, friendship is mutual, and it changes us.

Our expectations and metrics for success and engagement continue to evolve. We’ve been coming back to church gradually. Every week, it seems, someone says to me, “This is my first time back in-person.” In many ways, we’re asking with fresh eyes what it means to be church now. We will, of course, continue to gather for worship in-person and online, and hospitality will be at the center. We’ll take risks and act in love with our mission partners, and we’ll care for one another.

Staying in touch during the pandemic has been challenging. Maybe you’d like to participate in a new way. Let us know of your interest via the links that follow. Who knows what kind of friendship might grow as you take a risk for the sake of love?

Pastor Kris

March 8, 2022 – Lent is my favorite season of the church year…

The scripture, music and sermons call me to reflect on my walk with Jesus. The discipline of Lent nudges me to do some soul-searching. I’ve had Lents when I “fasted” from from desserts to meat. I’ve also “added” things for Lent, including more time set aside for personal prayer and reaching out with daily acts of kindness to a neighbor or friend.

In the book studies and sermons, we’ll be focusing on a variety of engaging topics. Butler Bass explores these themes in and around her personal faith journey — growing up as a Methodist, attending a Bible Church in high school and college, eventually joining an Episcopal Church, and finally heading off to seminary.

Personally, I am challenged by the book. I’ve spent little time envisioning Jesus as Friend, but as Butler Bass suggests, this is not just a topic for children. I relate more closely to Jesus as Teacher, but truth be told, I’m not always ready to hear what he’s trying to teach me. When I was growing up, I heard a lot about Jesus as Savior, but unlike other Christian traditions, that didn’t mean I needed to come forward for an altar call. We use Jesus as Lord language often in the church, but in a world of competing powers, what do we really mean by it? Finally, we are combining the last two chapters: Jesus as Way and Jesus as Presence. No doubt we are moved by following Jesus on our journey of faith. Life wouldn’t be the same without him.

Join us this Lent for “Freeing Jesus.” Let your hearts and minds be stretched. There may be more to Jesus than you know.

Pastor Vern

March 1, 2022 – Masking Update from the COVID Task Force

The COVID Task Force has made a decision to loosen mask restrictions. This will begin on Sunday, March 6. No longer will masks be required but instead strongly encouraged. The positivity rates for COVID infections are continuing to decline. The rates for hospitalization are lower. Those who are vaccinated, even if they experience a breakthrough infection, are not getting as sick as before.

Needless to say, this loosening of restrictions will be a process and not a destination. If we’ve learned anything during our pandemic, it’s that COVID is unpredictable. Our response to it needs to be able to change at a moment’s notice, especially if and when a new variant is on the horizon.

For now, here are a few things you may notice at Bethlehem:

• Whether or not people are masked, our job is not to make assumptions about others but rather to look for ways to be the body of Christ in love and unity.
• Some may choose to sing without masks, but others might consider putting on a mask for singing. This would be helpful as we negotiate the difficulties of spreading aerosol when singing.
• Communion assistants will be masked.
• We will not staff the nursery, but we will continue to make it available for parents and children. There are simply too many uncertainties for our little ones, at least until they have a chance to get vaccinated.
• In an effort to welcome funeral families, we will consider providing light hospitality, perhaps coffee and a dessert.
• Children and youth will be strongly encouraged to mask, just like adults.
• Staff will continue to mask much, if not most, of the time.
• We will eventually try serving coffee again, perhaps after Easter. Fellowship is important. Volunteers are needed to make this happen. Contact Aly Haugen or Sue Lungstrom if you’d like to help.

As I mentioned, this is a process and not a destination. We will experiment with some things, doing our best to keep people comfortable and safe. If you have further ideas for the COVID Task Force and staff to consider, don’t hesitate to send me an email.

Thanks for your efforts to help us find ways to be the church going forward. We are definitely better together!

Pastor Vern

February 22, 2022 – Join us for the Annual Meeting

February 1, 2022 – For Everything There Is a Season

“For everything, there is a season, a time for everything matter under heaven.” —Ecclesiastes 3:1

When they shared the news that they had discerned a co-resignation, it was with the same clarity and love they began. They shared with humility and wisdom that they are making space for new leadership, new reserves, and everything God still has in store for Bethlehem.

This is a season for blessing Ben and Mary for giving thanks for their discernment, their leadership, and their steadfast spirits. We invite you to share your stories about Ben and Mary’s ministries, the ways they nurtured your faith and marked moments in your life with the promises and gifts of God.

Help us celebrate them by recalling some of your favorite memories. Email videos by February 7 to Drew Pannebecker. (Videos should be one minute or less.) Or submit well-wishes, thanks and memories online.

We also hope you will join us on Sunday, February 6 in Minnetonka and/or on Sunday, February 13 in Minneapolis where we’ll celebrate them with a blessing during worship.

Pastor Meta

January 31, 2022 – Special Congregation Council Meeting Report

Dear Siblings in Christ,

At a special meeting of the Congregational Council on Saturday, your Council voted to contract with an Interim Lead Pastor. The Council is pleased and gratified to announce the acceptance and arrival of Pastor Vern Christopherson to guide our congregation in ministry, care, and guidance in this time of transition, beginning on the 1st of February. Pastors Vern, Mary, and Ben will work together in transition in preparation for Ben and Mary’s last day on the 18th of February. Please see the below communication from Pastor Vern, introducing himself.

For some of us, the timing of this announcement may be a distraction from the grieving process. We are in a season of change, with many familiar and beloved people transitioning to new chapters and calls. It’s appropriate for you to stay with those feelings and to feel the work of Bethlehem continuing. We will take time to be together with Mary and Ben, to thank them, to grieve with them, and to celebrate their incredible work, at the Minnetonka campus on the 6th of February and on the 13th of February at the Minneapolis campus.

For others of us, the idea of interim ministry is unfamiliar. An interim pastor is an important step forward as we remain committed to sharing in God’s vision for a healed world. We are compelled, individually and communally, to respond to the Grace we have received in Christ. Interim pastors play a unique and important role as we prepare to call new pastoral leadership. I’m convinced Vern is the pastor to play this important interim role. Some of the foundations of interim ministry, as shared by our Synod, include:

• Maintaining the viability of our congregation
• bringing closure to the ministry of the previous pastors
• reinforcing our role in ministry
• working with us to clarify our mission
• addressing specific and special needs of the congregation
• making space for our work in self-study and plans for what’s next
• preparing us for our next leader(s)

In the months to come, Bethlehem will engage in a period of reflection and discernment, in deliberately and intentionally transitioning, and secondly by calling new senior leadership. I’m thankful that Bethlehem Lutheran Church – Twin Cities has a long history of purposeful discussion and honest debate before committing to community and the unity we share in Christ as we move forward together. Please continue to keep our community in prayer.

Over these last few weeks, as I’ve reflected on our planned and unplanned changes, and in the work ahead, I’ve been reminded of what an amazing community we are a part of: In your continued commitment to being God’s church. In the kindness, support, and gratitude you have shared with Ben and Mary. In the “togetherness” of your words and support expressed to Staff and congregational leaders. And in the gratitude shared so beautifully with Maria yesterday. As Maria so appropriately reminded us, all we do and all we are together is Soli Deo Gloria – the Glory to God alone.

Please welcome and introduce yourself to Pastor Vern in the weeks and months to come. We’re blessed to have this time to work together. In closing, I’d like to share a special thank you and my deep gratitude for our remaining Pastors, our amazing staff members, our congregational leaders, and all of you.

I appeal to you, therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.  Romans 12:1-2

Grace and Peace,
John Helberg
Council President

January 25, 2022 – Handle with Care

After worship on Sunday I was going through files, looking for something I needed for a meeting on Monday. Tucked way in back of the cabinet I spotted an oddly shaped package. Curious, I opened it and discovered about 50 labels, leftover from a sermon I had preached at the Bandshell some years ago. “Fragile: Handle with Care.” Maybe you still have yours. If not, stop by my office and I’d be happy to give you one. Take note: supplies are limited.

A reminder, I had worn the label during a particularly stressful time. My family was in the middle of a move and a neighbor had given me the stickers to use on boxes. Keenly aware of how the message communicated my own reality, I decided to wear the stickers instead. I wore one every day for a couple of weeks. It changed every encounter. People greeted me with a smile; strangers asked how they could help. It was an unintentional experiment that changed ordinary interactions to extraordinary moments of grace. I invited you to join me in this way of being present in the world, being honest about who we are; seeing each other as God sees each of us: fragile and in need of care.

As you navigate this newest season of transition my hope is that you will remember this truth about each other. Anxiety about the future is a given. You are keenly aware of that right now AND you have what you need to keep moving forward in mission together. Start with humility. Listen well. Speak with tenderness. Practice forgiveness. Be kind. Offer grace upon grace. God is with you and the Spirit will lead and guide you.

My heart is filled with gratitude for the blessing and privilege it’s been to serve with you. I’ve appreciated your openness to invite me into your stories. I’ve been energized by your commitment to Bethlehem’s core values for unity in Christ, caring for others and the world God makes, and communicating the Gospel in a variety of contexts. You’ve inspired me with your willingness to try new approaches for ministry. You have blessed me in our shared work, living into God’s vision for a healed world. You are God’s holy and beloved, blessed with deep faith, strong leadership and talented staff.

God is doing something new in your midst and the future is uncertain. This reality creates stress and anxiety AND it is an opportunity to bear witness to the good news of Jesus Christ through whom God reveals a strength made perfect in weakness, a peace that passes all understanding and a love that endures all things, hopes all things, a love that never ends. May God hold you close in this holy love AND may you be generous in extending it to one another in this community and in the world.

Keeping you in my prayers and thankful for yours—
Mary

January 18, 2022 – Held Together In Love

This week I want to encourage you to watch or maybe even rewatch the announcements portion of last Sunday’s service. You should also check out Pastor Mary’s marvelous sermon too while you’re at it. I don’t often point back to anything that I say in sermons or in writing because I never feel like I get it quite right. That’s true of this somewhat extemporaneous reflection as well. But I want you to watch or rewatch it again because I don’t want you to lose sight of something. You’re in this together. In the midst of all kinds of change and uncertainty you are in this work together.

Bethlehem is this extraordinary collection of God’s people that the Spirit has called to be together. You are called to discern together. Called to work together. Being the body of Christ is not an individual exercise. It requires that you all work and struggle and learn and grow with one another, across the table from those folks with whom you don’t see eye to eye.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

The Apostle Paul wrote what we now know as 1 Corinthians, Chapters 12 and 13, for a community of believers that was challenged. I’d encourage you to read the whole two chapters today too. There was conflict. Disagreements about how to live faithfully. There was change and uncertainty in their midst. They were trying to figure out how to do this. And Paul challenged them to love each other through it. Love is an act of work, holy work. Love pushes us toward one another and forward with one another. Paul wrote these words for such a time as this.

But as I mentioned on Sunday there is much to celebrate. You have exceptional people in your midst. Thoughtful. Caring. Brilliant people. People you’ve elected to lead in this moment. You also have an incredible staff. Pray for them. Support them. Work with them. Thank them.

Finally, transition creates an opportunity for new possibilities. As we celebrate 45 years of wonderful work and ministry done by Maria Bucka these next two weeks, we also give thanks for the gifts that Mark Paisar will bring and the new ways he will lead this congregation in worship and song. As you say goodbye to Mary and me in the coming weeks, there will be new ways for you to imagine, together, the kinds of leaders Bethlehem will need for its next phase of life together. Together, through the Spirit’s leading, you get to imagine what is next. God’s love never ends. Thanks for sharing it with me this last decade. It’s been a gift.

Pastor Ben

January 11, 2022 – Council Update Re: Pastors Ben and Mary

Dear Siblings in Christ,

At a special meeting of the Congregational Council this evening, Ben and Mary shared letters of resignation. I write to you with a heavy heart and ask that in the days, weeks, and months to come, you continue to include Bethlehem, the other pastors and staff, Mary, and Ben in your prayers. Members of the Executive Committee have been in conversation with the Synod office and Bishop Ann Svennungsen to begin the process of identifying potential interim support. As details become available, additional communications will be sent out and shared on this webpage.

Collectively, we will have questions. We will feel a range of emotions. We will need time to process, and we will want to move to action. We will celebrate Mary and Ben’s incredible commitment to their call, and the generosity with which they’ve shared themselves with us. Watch for additional communication on our celebration plans in the coming weeks.

Bethlehem has long been blessed with extraordinary congregational leadership. Together with the exceptional remaining staff we will work together to meet the days and weeks ahead. As our Vision reminds us, God comes to us so that we can live for others. Relationships change us and change the world. Home matters. Together we are the church and as we reflect together on God’s calling, and the mission we share in response to that, let us do so loving each other, with confidence in the comforting presence and promised guidance of the Holy Spirit.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. —Romans 15:13

God’s peace,

John Helberg
Council President

January 11, 2022 – COVID Task Force Update

I recently came across this poem called, “The Railing,” written by Coleman Barks:

“A child stood on his seat in a restaurant,
holding the railing of the chairback,
as though to address a courtroom,

‘Nobody knows what’s going to happen next.’

Then his turning-slide back down to his food,
relieved and proud to say the truth,
as were we to hear it.”

Not that long ago we may have smiled as we imagined the above scene unfolding. After the last couple of years though, we are keenly aware of the weight of the truth the child speaks. We plan. We speculate. We hope. We pray. And still, we are often surprised by what happens or doesn’t happen next.

As a result of the recent surge in infection and hospitalization numbers with Omicron, we’re making some adjustments to plans we had made at Bethlehem:

• ECHO Sunday School and Breakfast Club will resume Sunday, February 6. Virtual options will continue in January. Check the website for details.
• Children and Youth Choral Ensembles will not meet in January. Plans are to resume Wednesday, February 2.
• In-person Confirmation programming will not meet in January. Reboot is scheduled for Wednesday, February 2.
• The storytelling project with John Noltner, related to the interruption during worship on December 12, is postponed until the week of February 21. This is an important first step in thinking together as a congregation about how we want to respond to the public conversation that was begun on Sunday, December 12. Watch for more details to come so you can be part of this congregation-wide conversation.

At this time, in-person worship will continue. Please remain masked (KN95 and N95 masks preferred) regardless of vaccination status when inside the building. We encourage all to be vaccinated and boostered.

As we continue to live with a deep sense of uncertainty, let us be quick to name the reality of Christ present in our midst. We are in the season of Epiphany after all, a season in the church year in which we are invited to give our attention of God coming to us in Jesus and showering us with grace upon grace. This reality makes all the difference, blessing us with courage and hope, now and for the future that unfolds.

Pastor Mary

January 7, 2022 – COVID Protocol Update

In light of the recent surge of infections/hospitalizations due to the Omicron variant, Bethlehem’s COVID Task Force reconvened on January 5, 2022 and recommends the following: 

• We continue to encourage people to be fully vaccinated and boostered.
• We continue to require masks inside our facilities regardless of vaccination status. A KN95 or N95 mask is preferred as cloth masks have been shown to be less effective. This offers more protection for one another. 
• Please stay home if you’re not feeling well. If you test positive for the virus after having recently been in one of our facilities, please let us know as soon as possible so we can alert others. If you were not at Bethlehem Twin Cities within two days of the positive findings, there is no need to call. If you have questions about COVID and vaccines, please call Diane Waarvik or Heidi Peterson at 612-312-3400.

We are suspending ECHO Sunday School and in-person Confirmation during the month of January. We will continue to pay close attention to data for Hennepin County. We remain committed to providing opportunities for connecting with God and with each other. We will continue to assess and communicate adjustments as needed. 

Thank you for your continued efforts in tending to our shared responsibility of slowing the spread of the virus.

January 4, 2022 – Come & See

In this coming Sunday’s gospel reading, Jesus begins to gather his disciples. We’re going to be hearing from John’s gospel, so it’s not through proclamation, or wonder-working, but through open-ended invitation. Jesus says, “Come and see.” It’s an invitation to the unknown. An invitation to experience uncertainty. They don’t know what will happen, what they will see, what will unfold in front of them. They’re just invited to come and experience it.

I don’t like it. Not one bit.

When someone invites me to something I want to know who will be there, how long I need to be there, what if anything I’ll need to do. I want to know what I’m getting myself into.

Jesus doesn’t offer that. He just says, come and see.

Maybe it’s because of the time through which we’re living but that feels especially unnerving right now. There is so much that is unknown and shifting and uncertain that an open-ended invitation feels really unsettling.

That is unless you trust the one who invites you. If I trust the one who invites me, then I’ll come and see. If I trust the one who invites me, I’m up for adventure, willing to be stretched, willing to try something new, because time and again they’ve delivered on their promises.

So it’s striking to me that the disciples recognize Jesus as trustworthy, after all they’ve just met. But they’ve seen in him something that is worth following, even into the unknown.

Jesus’ invitation is for us too. Will we come and see? Will we come and see the ways that Jesus is dwelling in our midst, the ways in which Jesus is giving himself away so that we might live and live differently? Will we come and see the new ways in which Jesus is gathering us together as church for this moment?

Will we come and see?

Pastor Ben

December 25, 2021 – Stories Matter

Today the church celebrates the birth of Jesus. With Mary we ponder the amazing story of God born into the world to us. With the Shepherds we look for the presence of the Christ child in our midst. We join the angels in song whenever we experience the good news of God’s love for all people. This story shapes us for living with a lens that seeks peace, clings to hope and announces joy. And stories matter.

Since a visitor’s interruption during worship on December 12, there’s been a lot of conversation — not only about the painting above our altar but also about who God is calling Bethlehem to be. For those of you who reached out to Ben and me and leadership, thank you for sharing your stories and perspective. Your story matters.

While we’re quick to focus on action, on what we should or should not do, it’s become clear to us that we need to start by listening to each other’s stories. Stories of impact and history, stories of joy and sadness. So that’s where we’re going to start.

There will be a few phases to this work. We’ve been in conversation with John Noltner, creator of “A Peace of My Mind,” who builds community through storytelling and art. John is set to work with us starting in mid-January. We’re working out the details so watch for more information to come.

Next, we’ll also leverage expertise within our congregation, people trained in the work of navigating hard conversations with respect, grace and love. More information to come on that too.

In the meantime, we ask that you commit to praying for this community and for each other, that we would continue to bear witness to God’s love born to you this day in Jesus.

Thank you, Lord, for your love and forgiveness in times of stress and uncertainty. Help us to be open to your Spirit’s leading so that we can listen in love and speak with grace. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Pastor Mary

December 21, 2021 – You’re invited to Christmas at Bethlehem Twin Cities!

As we look forward to gathering for Christmas Eve worship with beautiful music, powerful words and the amazing sight of our sanctuaries lit with candlelight, we invite you to pause and listen to the story now. A reading of the Christmas gospel from Bethlehem pastors.

DECEMBER 24 — Christmas Eve Worship
(MTKA) 4:00 & 7:00 pm
(MPLS) 10:00 am*, 2:00 pm*, 3:30 pm, 5:00 pm* & 10:00 pm*

DECEMBER 25 — Christmas Day Worship
(MTKA) 10:00 am
(MPLS) 10:15 am*

The Christmas story is central to Christmas Eve worship at Bethlehem. Each service will also include carols, candlelighting and communion. We’ll celebrate the Lord’s Supper together from where we sit receiving elements in all-in-one cups.

On Christmas Day we’ll return to distributing elements at the front of the sanctuary. Masking is required inside the buildings regardless of vaccination status. Join us 15 minutes before each service for seasonal harp selections.

COMING UP — Sundays, December 26 & January 2
(MTKA) 9:30 am
(MPLS) 10:15 am*

Worship services with an asterisk (*) will be livestreamed on our YouTube Channel.

December 14, 2021 – How to Connect

We know that rhythms and routines have shifted. We know that people are participating in the life of this congregation in all kinds of ways, both new and old. We also recognize that some of the patterns for communication within the congregation have shifted.

Here’s where you can reliably find the best and most current information about what’s happening at Bethlehem in all our expressions.

WEEKLY CONGREGATION-WIDE EMAILS
Read our Tuesday email for community events happening in the next couple of weeks. Our Saturday email email includes resources for worship the following Sunday.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow Bethlehem on Facebook and Instagram for stories of recent events and upcoming events.

SUNDAY WORSHIP MATERIALS
Features worship-centric and campus-specific information. (Bulletins / Livestream)

WEBSITE
The best resource to see all that is happening at Bethlehem is our Events webpage.

‘TOGETHER’ NEWSLETTER
This monthly publication lifts up stories from our congregation. In 2022, this will be available for pick-up at each campus. Please email us if you’d like to receive a copy mailed to you.

WEST WORD
A weekly message from Pastor Meta geared towards the Minnetonka campus. All are welcome to receive this message. Please contact Pastor Meta to sign-up.

REALM
This is Bethlehem’s primary tool for groups to communicate and manage registration, giving and contact information. Sign-up here to get started.

We hope that this helps you know where to turn to get the latest information and the best stories about what we’re doing as a congregation. I remain grateful for your participation and your passion for our work together.

Pastor Ben

November 30, 2021 – Service of Hope and Healing in Advent

A couple weeks ago, the holiday edition of my favorite home furnishings catalog arrived in the mail. Its pages were enticing; each one portrayed a festive setting. There were tables set with clean white dinnerware and red berries, charcuterie boards covered with meat and cheese, and glasses filled with wine. There were no people in the pages, just perfectly imagined settings for the gatherings we might have. I chuckled as I placed the catalog in the recycling. In the short time I had paged through its contents, my expectations for the season had risen and fallen. The cheery images had brightened my mood, but any thoughts of recreating those idyllic settings faded away quickly. They were not within my reach.

The days leading up to Christmas can feel complicated. We’re surrounded by advertising and cultural messages that tell us it’s time for joy and celebration. There are long lists of things to do. But for those experiencing loss or separation from loved ones, the holidays can be difficult. Sometimes long-buried grief or unfulfilled hopes rise to the top. We might feel out of sync with all that’s going on around us. A festive Christmas feels out of reach.

Next Tuesday, the care ministries team will host an Advent Service of Hope and Healing. We’ll light candles and lean into the promise that light shines in the darkness. We’ll breathe deeply and pray for healing and wholeness. We’ll immerse ourselves in song and Scripture and proclaim that Christ is born for you.

If a quiet service of reflection beckons to you in these Advent days, please join us on Tuesday, December 7 at 7:00 pm at the Minneapolis campus or on Livestream.

Pastor Kris and Diane

November 23, 2021 – Thanksgiving

Every year at Thanksgiving, before we would eat, my Grandma would go around the table and make each person say one thing that they were grateful for this year. I was always hungry and having to wait longer to eat didn’t really engender feelings of gratitude. But every year, without fail, as I would listen to my family share with one another all the things for which they were thankful, I couldn’t help but be grateful too.

It reminds me that gratitude is both a discipline and an attitude. It’s something that we can cultivate and practice. The apostle Paul begins most of his letters expressing deep gratitude for the people he’s writing too. We know that Paul didn’t always agree with or get along with the people in the churches he worked with, just read Galatians. But he practiced gratitude and in turn started to see the fruit of God’s work in and through these people God had called him to serve.

Recently I came across a TED Talk a colleague of mine shared years ago. It felt appropriate for this week and the season we’re living through. It’s only six minutes long, so I encourage you to watch it, reflect on what you’re grateful for at this moment, this week, this year. I imagine you’ll be surprised and delighted just as I always am.

I also want to invite you to join us in Minneapolis or on the Livestream for Thanksgiving Eve Worship at 7:00 pm Wednesday evening. It’s a rich and meaningful worship experience, and I look forward to lifting our voice in thanks and praise to God. Food and monetary donations will be received for our mission partners, CES and ICA. Log into your Realm account to give online, or bring your offering to Thanksgiving worship.

Pastor Ben

November 17, 2021 – Advent Small Groups

I rarely muster the willpower for a Lenten discipline, but for some reason Advent feels doable. I often add a spiritual practice to my routine in December, something to nourish my relationships and help the familiar stories come alive again.

This year, I invite you to join me in welcoming the new church year with an Advent practice. We’ve created a four-week study guide based on the stories we’ll hear in Sunday worship services. The resource invites us into community with the characters who shape the telling of Jesus’ birth and into connection with one another. It’s designed to be used as part of a small group experience, a four-week connection between worship and study, between Sunday mornings and our relationships during the week.

If you are already part of a small group, this study guide is available in the digital library we share through Google Classroom. If you’ve been thinking about joining a small group, this four-week series is the perfect time to give it a try! Create a group with folks you already know through a committee, team, or ensemble. If you’re still finding friendships at Bethlehem, simply register and we’ll help you find a good fit for your schedule and interests.

The resource will also be available on our church website on the pages about Advent and Adult Education. Printed copies are being gifted during the drive-thru event at both campuses this Sunday, November 21 after worship. I hope you’ll use this resource to nourish your faith and spark conversations about these sacred stories. And I pray that your relationships are blessed by the season that invites us into a new beginning, a coming home to what’s still possible with God.

Pastor Meta

November 9, 2021 – Welcoming New Staff

Over the past few months we’ve had a number of changes on our staff, and as you saw last week with Maria Bucka’s retirement announcement we’re not done yet! I have seen 2021 referred to as the year of the Great Resignation, and while I don’t think that directly applies to Bethlehem, we are not immune from the zeitgeist of this moment that we are living through. Folks are being intentional and taking time to imagine new possibilities of how they want to live, work and serve in God’s world. That’s exciting, but obviously presents the church with some challenges. That said, we are close to being fully staffed once again, so I wanted to take any opportunity to introduce a few of our newest team members and highlight some of their roles.

We continue to work on finding a Technical Director, the position formerly held by Dan Mariska, and are hoping find a replacement very soon. In the meantime, we give thanks to Dave Michel who once again is ably and generously giving of his time to make sure we can continue to worship in rich and meaningful ways in a variety of locations.

Thanks for your ongoing support of and your prayers for our staff at this time. We are grateful to be becoming together.

Ben

November 2, 2021 – All Saints Sunday

This Sunday is All Saints Sunday. We’ll read the names of people from the congregation who died in the past year, and we’ll light candles for the newly baptized – a reminder that “saints” are not people who lead extraordinary lives, but ordinary Christians living into the promises of baptism. The communion of saints extends beyond time and space and includes both the living and the dead.

At this time last year, worship was Livestream, with no option for in-person worship. In fact, that was our reality for a whole year! That means many of our funeral gatherings since March 2020 have been scaled back, and, we haven’t always been able to share grief and support in person. All Saints, therefore, feel like a good time to look back a little further and remember loved ones who died during the pandemic and connect with their families.

On Sunday, we’ll read names and light candles in worship to honor those who have died or been baptized this past year, as usual. But this year, we’ll also gather photos. In a space not far from the Sanctuary*, we’ll set up a table with photos of people from the congregation who died during covid as a reminder that these people now rest in God. We’ll invite their families to worship with us if they’re able, and we’ll remind them that their grief is shared. We’ll also welcome photos of anyone who died in March 2020, so if you are grieving the loss of a loved one, feel free to bring a photo. There will also be an opportunity to light candles in memory of loved ones.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out: [email protected] or 612-312-3410. As always, if you’re not able to participate in person, feel free to gather photos and light candles at home during Livestreamworship. Peace to you.

*Langemo Lounge in Mpls and the Narthex in Mtka

October 19, 2021 – Getting from Here to There

My oldest daughter released an album last week and I’ve been listening to it on repeat. In the song entitled, “Standing In the Way,” she sings: “There’s a pull on the map, when it’s laying flat seems easy to arrive…”

“Seems” is the key word in this sentiment.

I enjoy the first step of any trip: looking on a map, figuring out when, where and how you’re going to get there. Once the destination is identified then the real work begins. You do your research. You tend to details of meal-planning and accommodations. The “things to do” list before you go grows long. A meaningful and memorable trip doesn’t just happen. It’s rarely easy to arrive. Preparation is key for every successful trip. You’ll likely encounter roadblocks or detours along the way, but with careful planning before departure you are more ready to adjust as needed while keeping your focus on where you’re headed and why.

During the annual fall stewardship campaign we lift up the importance of your financial commitments to further Bethlehem’s mission — Becoming Together: Sharing in the work of God’s vision for a healed world. This is our shared destination. We can’t do the work God calls us to without pooling together our financial resources. Thank you for your continued commitment to our shared work in Jesus’ name. Our life together also relies on the generosity of your time and talent. We’re so grateful for different ways you participate in our life together.

A special shout out to Bethlehem’s Church Council who steward us in this endeavor. Please keep them in your prayers. We are grateful for their faithful and generous commitment to moving us toward God’s vision of abundant life for all people.

• John Helberg, President
• Lisa Hedden, Past-President
• Lisa Johnson, Secretary
• Joe McRae, Treasurer
• Elizabeth Appel
• Nan Grube
• Chris Hughes
• Val Johnson
• Andy Kroll
• Joanne Ortendahl-Lucas
• Lamar Newburn
• Nikki Sorum
• Andrew Witt
• Heather Stonacek, Recording Secretary

With deep gratitude,
Pastor Mary

October 14, 2021 – COVID Protocol Update

It’s been exciting to kick-off another programmatic year at Bethlehem. We delight in seeing many people again after far too long. We’re grateful for the presence of families engaging in worship, learning and fun. We celebrate those who continue to participate and engage virtually with the life of our congregation. With increased activity in our spaces we thought it prudent to communicate how we gather given the ongoing reality of COVID.

• We celebrate the success of vaccinations that keep risk extremely low for hospitalization and death. Thank you for being vaccinated.
• We will continue to mask as an act of radical hospitality — for the sake of the families wanting to be in this space but whose children can’t be vaccinated.
• We will continue to mask to reduce the risk of disruption. If worship leaders are exposed, the required time (10 days) to quarantine will significantly impact the worship life both at MPLS and MTKA.
• We are being cautious, not out of fear but with hope to mitigate the virus for the sake of the greater community. 

The Task Force recently reconvened and recommended we continue with our current approach to our life together.

As a reminder, please stay home if you’re not feeling well. If you test positive for the virus after having recently been in one of our facilities, please let us know as soon as possible so we can alert others. If you were not at Bethlehem Twin Cities within two days of the positive findings, there is no need to call. If you have questions about COVID and vaccines, please call Diane Waarvik or Heidi Peterson at 612-312-3400.

October 12, 2021 – A Regular Season of Surprise

I will miss summer. The warmth. The sun. The long days and the bright nights. The ability to be outside whenever. I do love that. But I also like the change of seasons. Each new season invites a different kind of focus. Maybe I’ve been conditioned to think that way, to expect certain things in certain seasons. Football and apples in fall. Sledding and snowmen in winter. But each season always manages to surprise me. I think you notice different things, or maybe more accurately you notice different aspects of familiar things.

Every fall the church talks about generosity and giving. It’s predictable. We read stories from scripture that celebrate and invite generous living and an attitude of abundance. It’s what we do. It’s what we’ve done. It happens every year like the changing of the seasons. And yet every year I’m surprised. Every year I see something new. I am moved by something different. I am confronted by the surprising grace of Jesus Christ in a new way, through you. Your love for Bethlehem and your love for God continues to astound and surprise me. So I am moving into my eleventh season of stewardship with Bethlehem confident that I will be once again greeted by the unexpected and the wonderful. I will see more of who this community truly is, as you continue to live into God’s call to become more generous together, in faith, hope and love.

Over the next few weeks we want to take an opportunity to share with you something about Bethlehem, about what you all do together that might surprise and delight you. Think of them as different and beautiful aspects of this congregation that you know well, that greet you in this new season.

Pastor Ben

October 5, 2021 – Annual Campaign Launch

Becoming Together through Faith, Hope and Love is the theme for our 2022 annual stewardship campaign. Join us this Sunday to discover how our combined financial commitments increase ministry impact for the sake of the world God loves. There’ll be a surprise that’s part of the launch during worship and giveaways during the drive-thru event at both campuses—thanks to the Bethlehem Foundation and Stewardship Team. In Minneapolis come to meet and greet neighbors during Open Streets (11:00 am–5:00 pm). At the top of the hour (12:00–3:00 pm) there will be bike blessings, book readings and a book giveaway. You can also add your unique signature to an interactive, intergenerational art project on the lawn on Lyndale Avenue.

See you Sunday!
Ben & Mary

September 28, 2021 – Global Health

From the outset, the leadership team for our current capital campaign, Building a Future with Hope, has sought to provide regular updates on how we are progressing toward our goal, sharing information about what work is being done, and how your generosity is impacting our partners in ministry. This Sunday following worship at 10:15 am in Minneapolis, there will be another opportunity to get up to date. Kim Dickey from Global Health Ministries and a long-time Bethlehem member will be sharing news about how GHM is strengthening health systems in resource-poor areas of the world.

The capital campaign is helping to fund lodging spaces for families in Madagascar. This will give them a place to stay while they help care and support for loved ones who are in need of medical assistance. We are continuing work that was begun at Ejeda Hospital through our Opening New Doors capital campaign and deepening our long-standing connection to Global Health Ministries and its life-saving work.

If you’re worshiping in person at 10:15 am in Minneapolis, you’re welcome to stick around and join us. Or if you’d rather, join us on the livestream immediately following worship.

We are so grateful for the opportunity to celebrate your generosity and share with you the impact you are having here and around the world.

Pastor Ben

September 21, 2021 – Priorities

Dear Bethlehem,

In last week’s From the Pastor letter I named one of Bethlehem’s priorities for the coming year: becoming a hybrid church. We’re committed to living into this new reality of in-person and online strategies needed for continuing the ministry of Jesus.

We’ve identified two other priorities for ministries in our congregation: re-engaging families with children and centering the voices of young adults. Our Children, Youth and Family staff continue to be in conversation with families and young adults with intention and care. We’ve been listening for how Bethlehem can support them in our current context.

We’ve learned that many of our families aren’t ready to be back inside the buildings but are longing for connection and growing in faith together. We’re grateful for the honest and heartfelt conversations and are responding by developing resources and experiences that meet them where they’re at, assuring them that they are part of this beloved community.

(Pictured: Pastors Ben and Heather serving Communion on the Lawn, welcoming many families on campus for the first time since March 2020.)

We’re also grateful that the young adult community at Bethlehem continues to deepen their engagement and grow in numbers. They’re bringing fresh perspectives and new insights about being church in and for the world.

Part of our calling as a congregation is to nurture people in faith, that they are empowered to bear witness to Christ in word and deed. We’ll keep tending to this, learning from what works and from what fails. We’ll remain open to the Spirit’s promptings, following Jesus into the future God imagines for the church at work in the world.

You’ll learn more about these priorities in the fall stewardship campaign, Becoming Together through Faith, Hope and Love, that will launch on Sunday, October 10. Thank you for your continued generosity which supports Bethlehem ministries and keeps us moving forward in mission.

With deep gratitude,
Pastor Mary

September 14, 2021 – Celebration Sunday Reflections

September 7, 2021- Let’s Celebrate!

Dear Bethlehem,

I’m so excited about all that’s planned for this coming Sunday. I hope you’ll make every effort to be part of the day that starts with worship at 8:45 & 10:15 am (MPLS) and 9:30 am (MTKA), and Livestream at 10:15 am. Go to the website for details about what’s happening in addition to worship: the El Jefe food truck, petting zoo, scavenger hunt and more (MPLS), and dedicating the courtyard, multiple llamas, cookie decorating and more (MTKA). We’ll take pictures to share with those of you who can’t be on site. Know that you’ll be missed and we’re grateful for your presence in this community, whatever that looks like for you in this moment.

Whether here or elsewhere, we gather as Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities to give God thanks and praise for the life-giving news of Jesus, for the gift of this community, and the blessing it is to be connected in faith in our becoming together. Every day is a day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Blessings,
Pastor Mary

August 31, 2021 – Make Music & Share Life Together

I am so grateful for the musicians that are a part of our congregation. They enliven and enrich our worship, they help us experience moments of transcendence. They awaken faith in our bodies in ways that the spoken word alone cannot. I am especially grateful for the musicians that serve on the staff here at Bethlehem. Over the last year and a half they have found ways to continue to allow music to be created in a variety of ways in the most challenging of circumstances.

After Labor Day our instrumental and vocal ensembles will begin making music together again. If you would like to be a part of that, and feel ready to be a part of this good and holy work, more information can be found on our website.

These groups play a pivotal role in the life of our congregation. Yes they enrich our worship. But they also foster connections and relationships. They are networks of prayer and support that celebrate the joys of life and walk with each other during the challenging moments. They make music together but they all share life together. They are the church. They are a huge part of how we are Becoming Together, and we’re excited to invite you into that work.

Pastor Ben

August 24, 2021 – Save the Date!

Dear Bethlehem—

Growing up in the church, the first Sunday in September following Labor Day was always called Rally Sunday. Bethlehem calls it Celebration Sunday. The purpose is the same; only the name is different. For those who don’t know, Rally Sunday is the celebration of the beginning of a new program year at church. We’re not changing the name, but I do find myself thinking about the former title.

Webster defines “rally” as: (a verb) “to draw or call together for a common purpose” and (a noun) “a renewal of energy in joint action.” Both definitions speak to an ongoing desire I have for our faith community. How about you?

In a year that has kept us mostly apart, I’m grateful for our shared purpose in loving God and loving others. In our current culture, it’s life-giving to be reminded that we’re not alone: God blesses us with God’s presence and strengthens us through this community as we seek to know and love God and act on behalf of others. I look forward to our rally on Celebration Sunday, September 12.

As we draw together for a common purpose, may the Holy Spirit renew our energy for worship, for digging into God’s Word, for connection, for serving in Jesus’ name, and for sharing in the work of God’s vision for a healed world.

See you Sunday—in person or online!
Pastor Mary

August 17, 2021 – Finding Belonging and Making Connections

Before the pandemic, we chose a particular worship service for welcoming new members. It was hard to find a date that worked for everyone and only the folks attending that particular service were able to participate in the welcome.

We’ve learned a lot since then! This Sunday we’ll celebrate new members at all of our worship services – online and in both sanctuaries. Wherever and whenever you show up, you’ll get to see their faces and share a word of welcome.

I am in awe of these newcomers. They found belonging and made connections during a very unique season of church. Some introduced themselves during parking lot drive-thru events or signed up to be an usher or reader the first weeks we opened in-person worship. Others joined small groups and made new friends through adult education on Zoom.

I wonder if we aren’t all new members these days. We’re still figuring out how to show up as one community across time and space. We’re tending to collective grief and hope, both old and new. We are exploring why the church matters and what’s next together.

Wherever you are, I hope you’ll celebrate these new members on Sunday. Introduce yourself. Be curious about each other. And remember your own welcome in the process of making space for another.

Gratefully,
Pastor Meta

August 10, 2021 – Staff Updates

Today I wanted to take an opportunity to provide an update on some of the recent staff news, help put some role changes in context, and invite your help in finding good fits for three new roles on staff.

First, over the last few months Diane Waarvik and Pastor Kris Tostengard Michel have been working together to assess the ways in which their skills and passions can complement one another and help Bethlehem’s care ministry continue to grow in new directions.

Moving forward, Diane’s title will be Director of Health and Wellness. Diane will continue to work closely with Mental Health Connect and will be working to build out Bethlehem’s own Mental Health Ministries. Diane will support critical initiatives like the Gathering and Starfish Ministries. She will also work to further develop our educational offerings that help foster whole person wellness.

Pastor Kris will now be the Pastor of Congregational Care & Adult Ministry. Kris will focus time and energy on leading our pastoral care work, our visiting efforts like Lay Eucharistic Ministers and Parish Visitors, and supporting our grief ministry. Kris will be engaged with some of our vibrant adult ministries like SALT, Free Spirits, and our Women’s Ministries.

Diane and Kris will continue to partner in critical ways to ensure that we are able to respond as a congregation to the care needs of our members and our community.

We are looking to hire three roles that will help support the work and ministry of this congregation in critical ways: a full-time campus administrator for the Minneapolis campus, a part-time communications and design coordinator; and a part-time hospitality and events coordinator. If you’re interested or know someone we should talk with, please don’t hesitate to refer them.

Last week, hopefully you saw our email about Steph Smith’s new plans. We’re so grateful for her many years with us and all she has given to this congregation, this community and the world. Finally we’re grateful to Jennifer Harris for the work she’s done over the last two years supporting Care Ministries and Mental Health Connect and our communications team. Jennifer has a new role at a church in St. Paul and we wish her well.

In the coming weeks we will be profiling some of the different staff teams that serve this congregation so we can all have a better picture of how we’re working together to do the work God is calling us to do.

—Pastor Ben

August 3, 2021 – A Return to Masks for Now…

“Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4)

Last week the CDC updated guidelines for fully vaccinated people to wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission, which now includes all counties in the Twin Cities metro area. Wearing a mask decreases the possibility of spreading the virus to others and maximizes protection from the Delta variant. While there is no mask mandate in place, the MDH recommends that Minnesotans follow the CDC guidelines.

Because of these recommendations, Bethlehem will require everyone over 2 years of age to wear a mask when in our facilities, regardless of vaccination status, effective immediately.

This is not what we hoped for after seeing so much progress these last few months. It’s troubling news — especially for the most vulnerable among us. But we’ve learned a lot since March of 2020. We know there are ways to mitigate the spread of the virus:

• Get vaccinated
• Wear a mask
• Stay home if you’re sick

So let’s do our part! It’s one small act that can make a big difference for others who are at risk — many of whom are children that are not yet able to be vaccinated. Let’s do this for the kids.

A friend of mine used a helpful metaphor with her congregation: when we board an aircraft, we are required to wear seat belts. The pilot gives permission after takeoff to remove our belts for comfort. However, when turbulence happens, the pilot makes a verbal announcement and turns on an electronic sign to “fasten your seat belts” until further notice.

We are in a time of turbulence. There’s a lot of virus moving around. We need to be on heightened alert, putting into practice strategies that diminish transmission. We don’t know who is vaccinated and who is not. We do know masking increases protection for you and the vulnerable around you. We’re confident that the turbulence will pass as we work together for the health and welfare of all.

We’re grateful for continuing conversation with Bethlehem’s COVID task force as we discern best practices for the congregation in these uncertain times. We’re grateful that we’ll continue to gather every Sunday for worship and fellowship in person and online. We’re grateful for you, dear church, who give faithful witness to God’s love revealed in Jesus as you continue to serve God and neighbor.

In the strong name of Jesus,
Pastor Mary

July 27, 2021 – From the Belly of the Whale

Read the chapter of Jonah and share your observations and what you’re curious about with Pastor Ben.

July 20, 2021 – Consistency In Worship

Pastor Mary shares a plan for consistency in worship as a faith community rooted in word and sacrament.

July 13, 2021 – The Possibility of Home

Join us in New Hope for Habitat of Humanity builds the weeks of July 19–23 & August 9–13.

July 6, 2021 – More Than a Moment

A couple weeks ago, Dave and I did something we hadn’t done in a long time: we got dressed up and went out to dinner! (Noteworthy after 15 months of social distancing.) The event was a banquet in honor of Dr. James Meredith, a civil rights activist who integrated the University of Mississippi in 1962. The keynote speaker was Dr. Terence Roberts, one of the “Little Rock Nine” who desegregated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957. The evening was the culmination of several roundtable discussions (including one at Bethlehem) between civil rights icons and members of the Twin Cities community.

It was a remarkable evening. Some 200 students and educators, business and nonprofit leaders, government officials, and faith community leaders dined together and listened to first-hand stories of civil rights leaders, now in their 80s, and to music of Billie Holiday performed by Thomasina Petrus and the Trio, including “Strange Fruit,” the haunting protest anthem about lynching. Meredith, Roberts and Holiday each risked their lives as young people for the sake of racial justice and, in the prophetic tradition, to articulate truth that was difficult to hear.

The audience that night ranged from contemporaries of the speakers to current high school students — evidence that time marches on. With it comes some perspective. Are we wiser now? Have things changed really? (James Meredith reminded us that Minnesota ranks 50th in the nation for graduation rates of students of color… and then he returned to his seat next to the governor.) I wonder how the long view of history will regard our current engagement in the struggle. How will this moment be part of a larger narrative?

In a few days, some of our high school students will participate in an immersive learning experience designed to help them understand themselves as racial beings and to consider tangible next steps to confront racism. Let’s keep them in our prayers. The Spirit has been known to stir in the hearts of young people, after all! Let’s pray that the Spirit of the Lord who anointed Jesus to bring good news to the oppressed will draw us in to the pursuit of justice.

Pastor Kris

June 29, 2021 – What’s Freedom?

When I was in seminary I thought that much of my time as a pastor would be spent having deep theological conversations with people who had big questions about God. I thought people would call me up and say, let’s have a beer because I have some things I want to ask you. And while it does happen, it’s maybe more like a couple times a year than a couple times a week.

Over two years ago, I thought it would be fun to put together a series of videos that teed up some of the kinds of conversations I thought I would be having much more. I thought these videos could hit on common questions people have or “cool” pieces of theology that we never find time to unpack on Sunday morning or confusing parts of scripture that make you scratch your head.

In my head I thought we’d call the series, “Beer with a Pastor.” Because Meta is game for any kind of adventure, and we used to have these kinds of conversations over beer while in seminary, I convinced her to shoot a few pilot episodes. They never saw the light of day. Turns out watching your pastors drink beer and talk shop isn’t really a spectator sport. Also it’s hard to keep the camera in focus when you’re on the other side of it.

But today I’m going to share one of them.

Because every year around the Fourth of July there is all kinds of talk and celebration of our freedom, I try to remind myself that the freedom we have as Christians is different. It’s not an absolute freedom, it’s not a freedom without purpose. Sometimes folks in the church will say that we’ve been freed from something (sin, death, despair, isolation) so that we can be free for something (life, love and your neighbor).

If you’re interested in reading the whole treatise that I reference in the video, that can be found here. However, the two themes that Martin Luther develops are these:

• The Christian individual is a completely free lord of all, subject to none.
• The Christian individual is a completely dutiful servant of all, subject to all.

So as you celebrate the gift of freedom that is yours in Christ, always remember it comes with an amazing opportunity to use it for the well-being of others and the healing of this world.

Pastor Ben

June 22, 2021 – People to Place

A few years ago I had the good fortune to eat lunch across the table from Chris Coleman at the Habitat for Humanity senior pastor build. Chris had just recently been named the new CEO for Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity and I was excited to talk with him. I told him that as a pastor I struggle with responding to all of the invitations to partner with organizations that are doing good work and making a difference in communities locally and globally. I asked, why does Habitat for Humanity stand out? He first acknowledged his own bias and love for the organization he was called to lead, but then said something that’s stuck with me.

If you solve for housing, all of the other challenges — unemployment, substance abuse, mental health, food insecurity, education, and list goes on — become just a little bit easier.

If we’ve learned anything over the past year and a half it’s how critical safe and stable housing is. When the world is upside down, when things change on a day-to-day basis, having a place for you and your family to be able to rest and reset is critical.

This is why we’ve articulated People to Place as one of our areas of focus in our vision statement Becoming Together. It’s why we partner with organizations like Habitat for Humanity and Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative to help ensure that people can have a home. It’s why we work with ZOOM House and Our Savior’s Community Services to help begin that transition for folks who are experiencing homelessness to long-term solutions.

Next month there will be a number of opportunities for you to partner with Habitat and Beacon to make a difference in someone’s life. Whether it’s through one of our two Habitat build weeks or helping to provide meals for Families Moving Forward, a little bit of your time or energy or resources can go a long way. You can learn more about our Habitat build in New Hope or the needs for our Families Moving Forward hosting efforts on our website.

Thank you, and more importantly, thank God for you.
Pastor Ben

Enjoy a tour of Bethlehem’s Stained Glass Windows

Learn about windows both at the Minneapolis and Minnetonka Campuses — the art, their history, their story. This presentation was put together by Dan Mariska and Bethlehem’s very own SALT group. Enjoy!

June 15, 2021 – Lake Harriet Bandshell Worship

Bethlehem and Spirit Garage worship will be at the Lake Harriet Bandshell this coming Sunday, June 20, 10:00 AM with Monroe Crossing leading music.

Please note the time change. It’s a wonderful opportunity for our campuses to worship together along with the greater community. Invite friends and neighbors. Stay for a brief concert by Monroe Crossing immediately following worship. We will livestream from the Bandshell, so if you can’t make it in person, be sure to tune in from wherever you are. Services will not be held in either sanctuary or at Squirrel Haus Arts that day. In case of inclement weather, check Facebook and the webpage for updates. See you Sunday!

June 9, 2021 – Care of Creation Immersion

Dear Bethlehem,

A few years ago a group of young adults, funded in part by the Bethlehem Foundation, traveled with Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry (LPGM) to Guatemala to learn from a local organization having an impact in the region. The focus of their work is to provide education for women and to implement sustainable agricultural practices. Ellen Weber, Bethlehem’s Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, notes that a new curiosity emerged from the experience leading to questions about our local community: “What stories are we missing? What stories may be untrue? What does it look like to listen and learn here?”

What better time to take a deep dive into these questions than right now? This year there’s an exciting opportunity to do just that through a local immersion experience called Caring for Community Immersion. Please watch the short video attached and hear from people in the Bethlehem community who are excited to participate in this opportunity for deep learning and impact for change. Watch, listen and you may be moved to participate too. Go to the website to learn more.

Summer in Minnesota is traditionally a time to mix things up a bit. Routines and regiments often relax. Many of us spend as much time as possible outside — immersing ourselves in the beauty of creation. Consider what change might happen when we immerse ourselves in the stories of the community in which we live. As we listen and learn from others may we discover a way forward together that brings healing change into the world.

Pastor Mary

June 3, 2021- Masks and Moving Forward

Dear Bethlehem,

This week we take another important step toward post-pandemic life as a church. Effective this Sunday, masks will no longer be required for those who are fully vaccinated. We are still going to follow the recommendations of public health experts and expect that those who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated will continue to wear masks.

This is a big shift and will bring with it a whole host of feelings for many, specifically those of you who are choosing to join us for in person worship. While this might feel like a “return to normal” in many ways it’s more than that. We are constructing a new way of showing up in space together. Everyone will do that at a different speed and with different expectations. We need to continue to create space for people to show up and be treated the way they want to be treated, not the way we expect they should. So we ask that you leave room for celebration and trepidation and everything in between. If you’ve been waiting for this moment since the second week after your second dose, come on in. If you’re thinking that online worship is still the route for you, or you and your family we see you too.

Each step forward brings a new set of challenges and opportunities that we will navigate together. Know that we’re grateful for you, your love for Bethlehem and one another, and your patience as we move forward in faith together.

A reminder of what you can expect.

• Pre-registration is no longer required.
• Spaces are marked in the pews to allow for some space between groups of worshippers.
• Congregational singing is welcomed.
• Communion is served with individual wafers and cups of wine and grape juice.

Grace and peace,
Mary and Ben

June 1, 2021- Creative Connections

Have you been noticing some of the ways the world seems both smaller and bigger these days? We spent so much of the last year locally, alone, or in smaller and more familiar groups. At the same time, we adapted our behavior to protect neighbors and strangers. We used technology to nourish relationships near and far.

Those connections will continue transforming the Bethlehem community. People tune in for worship from all over the country and abroad. Small groups are meeting online, grateful for the flexibility to be together after kids are in bed. And some who found Bethlehem during the pandemic are showing up for worship in person. I recognize them from Zoom or a phone call and realize we’re not meeting for the first time on a Sunday morning — we’re already connected.

Tom and Peg Houle started worshipping with us while living in New Jersey. They were discerning a move to the Twin Cities, a homecoming from Peg who had long hoped for a return to the Midwest. When Tom asked their beloved pastor in New Jersey about congregations in the Minnetonka area, she grinned. Pastor Christa and I became friends a few years ago, thanks to Pastor Holly at Spirit Garage. Christa pointed the Houle’s toward Bethlehem and that’s when Peg grinned. She had attended Bethlehem in Minneapolis in the 1980s and thought a campus in Minnetonka was too good to be true!

Moving can be stressful in the best of times, but it was particularly challenging while COVID numbers spiked at different times in each region. Bethlehem offered rituals, hope, connection, and a new beginning in the midst of so much change. By the time we met in person, Tom and Peg had been actively involved online for several months. Their first visit to the Minnetonka campus meant recognizing several familiar (masked) faces from a Bible study and forums.

Today I give thanks to God for all of the creative connections and the new movement being stirred up in this congregation. We are together, even when we are apart. We are becoming the church in a world that is both smaller and so much bigger.

Pastor Meta

May 26, 2021 – Plans For Reopening

Dear Bethlehem,

Plans for reopening are changing quickly. We encourage you to check the website regularly for updated information. For over a year we’ve navigated the unsettling pattern of making plans, scrapping them, replanning, adjusting, repeat. But increased vaccination rates and decreased infection spread give us confidence to plan further ahead. We are excited about plans for the summer.

Beginning June 6 worship will:

• Continue with one service at each campus and livestream at 10:15 am
• Continue with worship registration
• Increase capacity at both campuses to 250
• Require masking (will align with City of Minneapolis orders at both campuses)

Beginning July 11 worship will: 

• Increase to two services at MPLS (8:45 am and 10:15 am) and move MTKA service to 9:30 am
• Continue with livestream at 10:15 am
• Stop worship registrations
• Align with City of Minneapolis masking mandate
• No capacity limits 
• Set-up commons in MPLS for overflow seating

Beginning June 7 the buildings will be open with limited staffing: 

• MPLS campus:  Monday–Thursday, 9:00 am–1:00 pm
• MTKA campus: Thursdays, 9:00 am–3:00 pm
• Staff will continue to be available outside of these building hours via email/phone
• Building/office hours will be adjusted as the summer progresses. Please be sure to check the website for updated information.

We are excited to be able to make these changes to open up and be in each other’s presence again! It’s been a long wait. If you’re feeling healthy we hope to see you soon. When it comes to a worship schedule, it’s hard to anticipate what the demand will be. We know worshipping in-person patterns have changed. And so we anticipate we will continually be refining the plan. We’ve been blessed to discover in new ways the power of the Holy Spirit who unites us in Word and sacrament across multiple locations. We will communicate changes effective for August and fall in mid-July.

God’s grace and peace—
Mary & Ben

May 25, 2021 – One Year Later…

One year ago our city, and country and the world was profoundly impacted by the murder of George Floyd. We are still experiencing the after effects of those nine minutes of inhumanity. But in the wake of that awful event and the challenging days that followed, many have committed themselves to working for something different. I want to share with you a video that Holy Trinity Lutheran Church created to make sense of how their story is woven into the story of their neighborhood, and the city, and all of God’s people in this moment. It’s a long video, it’s a hard video, but it’s important because it reminds us that our work of becoming something new is ongoing and it happens together. We are a storied people. It’s how we make sense of who we are and whose we are. I remain forever grateful for the ways in which Bethlehem continues to show up to love and care for our neighbors, this city and the world God loves.

Pastor Ben

May 18, 2021 – The Hybrid Church

Dear Bethlehem —

I’ve been reading a lot about the hybrid church. I referenced one article in the sermon on Sunday which claimed that congregations who don’t embrace this model will not exist in the near future. You can read the article here. You will be hearing this term more in the coming weeks and months as Bethlehem answers the question should ministry be digital or physical with a resounding “yes”!

The hybrid church model is simply a model in which a church structures ministries around both online presence and in-person gatherings. It doesn’t prioritize one over another. “The model marries together the innovative, far-reaching, multi-faceted digital experience with the personal, relational, vital physical experience.” (Quoted from this short article, another good read.). This model is a “both/and” way of doing ministry instead of an “either/or.”

This is a new model for Bethlehem and we’re committed to figuring it out. It’s exciting work! We’ll need to do some things differently — letting go of what was in order to be open to what’s next. But I am confident with the Spirit’s leading, we are up to the challenge. Bethlehem has a long history of embracing change and engaging in innovative ways of being church. We are a community empowered to reach people with the good news of Jesus so all would experience the joy of love and belonging. This hasn’t changed.

As we move forward into the future together let us give thanks for the gift of the Holy Spirit who leads us. And may each of us remain fervent in prayer that God be at work in and through us as we discover together new ways of being God’s church.

I invite you to take a small step in the work of being the hybrid church right now. Sign-up (MPLS / MTKA) to show up and help welcome people into our spaces on Sunday mornings — whether in our sanctuaries or online. Your participation makes a difference!

Thank you!
Pastor Mary

May 11, 2021 – In-Person Worship Updates

It has been a gift and a joy to see many of you looking back at me as we’ve been worshipping together these past few weeks. We had the opportunity to hear children making noise in the pews again, it’s a gorgeous sound. This past week we had the opportunity to begin to make music together again as the gathered assembly began to sing with one another, it was also beautiful.

At the end of last week Governor Walz announced another easing of restrictions, which afford us the ability to continue to explore new ways to be together again. The incremental climb of vaccinations rates and the decline of cases mean that in the coming weeks welcoming more people into the space is on the near horizon.

For the immediate near term here are a few updates:

• Registration is still required to ensure we have enough space for everyone. Social distancing requirements limit our capacity at 100.
• Singing behind masks is welcomed.
• Please familiarize yourself with the safety protocols on the website, but health screening and seat assignments are no longer a part of the process.
• We will serve communion as a part of worship but folks will be able to pick up individually wrapped communion elements to use as a part of communion as they wish.

We remain committed to offering a meaningful worship experience however you choose to gather with us, whether that is in person or online. It is delightful to see the connections this congregation continues to make with one another, both in person and digitally. You are being the church in powerful ways and we’re grateful for that.

The end of the month will usher in new adaptations and we will communicate those with you as soon as we have them. As always up to date information can be found on our website.

Thank you for your patience as we move forward together.

Peace,
Pastor Ben

May 4, 2021 – The heavens are telling the glory of God!

We welcome warm temperatures, the sounds of birds, the beauty of budding flowers, and opportunities to gather safely for fun in the sun and making meaningful connections. Check out the summer fun page to learn more about Bethlehem’s summer plans for all ages. Invite friends, neighbors and extended family to join you!

April 27, 2021 – Capital Campaign Update with LPGM

Join us after Sunday worship on the livestream for an update from the Capital Campaign Team and our partner, Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry. This will be a great opportunity to hear how we’re progressing toward our $2M goal, hear from LPGM about how Bethlehem’s generosity has had an impact in their work over the years, and learn more about what’s on the horizon for LPGM, particularly with Park Town School which has a long storied connection with Bethlehem. Please share any questions you might have in the livestream chat section on Sunday. We look forward to sharing how we’re Building a Future With Hope, together.

April 20, 2021 – Patience, waiting and hope

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. —Romans 8:22-23

I love the eighth chapter of Paul’s letter to church in Rome. I don’t really understand it, but I still love it. It feels like such a struggle, filled with pathos, you can feel Paul trying to make sense of the world around him and the pieces aren’t coming together. But still he has hope, hope that somehow, someday things will be different.

That’s where I find myself today. As I hold my breath with the rest of our community, and the nation, as the jury deliberates. As I look around and see the anguish and anxiety that too many people are feeling, the pain with which too many are walking around each and every day, I’m trying to see a way forward. But the pieces aren’t coming together.

So we wait. We labor. We groan. For the redemption of our bodies, for the redemption of this world.

The outcome of this trial is infinitely important, to our city and our nation. But it won’t be the end. Whatever the outcome, we will need to continue the work of repentance. We will need to continue the work of renewal. We will need to continue to lean hard on the first fruits of the Spirit, so that we work toward a future that we can’t yet see. But in the meantime we keep hoping.

For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. —Romans 8:24-25

Pastor Traci Blackmon is the Associate General Minister of Justice & Local Church Ministries in the United Church of Christ. Earlier today she posted this.

“I expect Derek Chauvin to be found guilty. I expect him to be held accountable for his wrongs. I will never stop expecting justice. I would rather live with frequent disappointment than languish in despair. I will always expect people to rise to a higher level of humanity…even if that means I’m often wrong.”

Regardless of how you are making sense of the trial, I invite you to consider those last three lines. Because I think that’s what patient holy hope looks like. It’s how we struggle and hope when the pieces don’t fit together.

Know that you all are in my prayers and I trust that you are holding this time in your prayers as well.

God be close,
Ben

April 13, 2021 – What Can We Do?

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
—Hebrews 10:23

There’s nothing we can say to ease the shock and grief from Sunday’s news of another Black man killed by a police officer. Heartbreak. Rage. Worry. Grief. Again. Duante Wright should be alive. This pattern of violence persists. With the trial of Derek Chauvin underway our collective level of anxiety is already high, and now the community is swept up in the terror of more trauma. While we can’t know the wounds of others, we are part of a shared humanity and so together we grieve, together we weep, together we ask: what can we do? What will we do?

People of God, in faith we live as if God’s reality is the only one that matters and so we act. We practice compassion and work for justice. We use the agency we have for breaking down the systems and cycles that perpetuate violence and injustice. The problems we face are complex. As a congregation, we will continue to do the internal work necessary to move toward justice for all. We will partner with other congregations answering God’s call to help our neighbor in need. We will advocate for equity that all might know God’s peace. God’s call to action is both corporate and individual. We won’t presume to tell you what is yours to do but know you are part of God’s plan. Now is the time for action. Open your heart to the Holy Spirit who will lead you, for God’s kingdom comes on earth as in heaven.

Less than two weeks ago our faith community gathered to retell the story of Christ crucified. At the foot of the cross, we hear Jesus cry out. He breathes his last and dies. But Easter will come. God raised Jesus to new life. The resurrection of Jesus Christ changes the trajectory of our world and our lives. Now there is hope. This is what we profess.

May the good news of Jesus strengthen you in faith and embolden you to act as we share in the work of God’s vision for a healed world.

—Pastors Mary and Ben

April 6, 2021 – In-person Worship

We are ready and excited to welcome people back into our sanctuaries in meaningful numbers on Sundays at 10:15 am. Register on our website and familiarize yourself with protocols to keep each other safe. It will be good to be back together, but let us never forget that we were never apart.

March 30, 2021 – Join Us this Holy Week

The stories of this week may be familiar, but that doesn’t mean that the holy and the transcendent can’t surprise us. We want to encourage you to join us for these holy three days. Immerse yourself in this story, surround yourself with rich music, and taste and see the goodness of God who gives God’s own life for you. Maundy Thursday at 7:00 pm, Good Friday at 7:00 pm, and Easter Sunday at 6:00 and 10:15 am (two different services, both livestream).

Bless each other with your presence in worship these coming days, so that God may bless you, and open you up to be a gift for others.

—Pastors Ben and Mary

March 26, 2021 – In-person Worship Details

Dear Beloved of God —

Over the past few weeks Bethlehem’s staff and congregational leadership has been working hard to develop a plan for a return to in-person worship. Last Sunday we invited a few leaders to be a part of a test run to ensure that we had adequate plans in place to begin welcoming people back into the sanctuary in meaningful numbers on Sunday morning.

We are ready. We are excited. We will continue to learn along the way and are grateful for patience and grace.

Following Easter you can expect some changes to Bethlehem’s worship schedule. In-person worship limited to 75 will occur at each campus for 10:15 only. We’ll start with one service and adjust the schedule if needed. Wednesday evening worship will be suspended as we dedicate resources to Sunday livestream and in-person worship.

Registrations will be available on the website and we will ask those of you choosing to join us to familiarize yourself with protocols to keep each other safe. Some things will feel different, but we feel these are important steps to set us up for ongoing success and safety.

A subgroup of the congregational council has met to review our plans and support how we are moving into this new phase. Below you will find the committee’s update in full.

We are committed to being a hybrid church. We know that being able to worship at home or at the cabin or on the road has been a huge gift to many of you this past year. We also know that many long to be back in our buildings. We believe that we can do both of these things well. Furthermore, we believe that this is the church God is calling us to become, together. Physical location isn’t a limiting factor to our work as the body of Christ, indeed it never was, but we’ve seen more clearly in this last year just how wide our reach can be. We can be the church across time and space and that’s exciting and holy work. It will be good to be back together, but let us never forget that we were never apart.

In Christ,
Mary and Ben

“For you are called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ …the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with it’s passions and desires.”
— Galatians 5:13-14, 22-24 NRSV

Ben and Mary,

Thank you for your love of our community and the ways you have reflected that in thoughtful decision-making while navigating the complicated decisions and logistics of closing our facilities and plans for potential reopening. When the COVID Taskforce last met, we suggested several guiding principles for consideration in closing our buildings for public use and for consideration when reopening. In summary, they were:

• We won’t be more aggressive than MDH and CDC guidelines for meeting,
• As a faith community, we will defer to the experts on matters of public health where appropriate,
• As a faith community with an obligation to the most vulnerable, we will not begin reopening for only subsets of our community, but rather to begin reopening when it is safe for all,
• and, we encourage the leadership of Bethlehem to look for, and make appropriate decisions around, meeting specific physical and in-person needs of our community (smaller groups, funerals, etc.) 

We appreciate the deliberateness, commitment, and focus Bethlehem’s staff have demonstrated over this last year in support of being God’s Church in this time and this place. You’ve made difficult decisions and done so with an eye to meeting a wide variety of needs from the congregation.  

As infection, hospitalization and death rates have fallen; and vaccination rates and access continue to accelerate, you’ve expressed interest in reopening and have shared a roadmap with the Taskforce in response.  We are supportive of your plans and of the care and focus on our most vulnerable that is captured in them. We also believe them to be in line with the guiding principles communicated to you by this Taskforce in 2020.  

As you experiment, adapt and respond through this process, we are grateful for your focus on what our church needs to be in the coming months and years. We appreciate your communicated desire to:

• Respond with consideration for the safety needs of our most vulnerable, including our staff,
• Continue to adapt with a worship experience that meets the needs of both in-person and online audiences and staff,
• And, take data-driven and appropriate levels of risk in responding to the changing risk environment.

We support your desire for a thoughtful and deliberate opening that allows for appropriate consistency of experience, in an effort to minimize the risk of going too far, too fast and needing to dramatically pull back/close down. Your preliminary requirements for reopening appear to be well in line with current public health recommendations from both the CDC and MDH. Given the initial plan’s more conservative approach than is “allowed” by MDH, we encourage the staff to consider opportunities to experiment with humming along with hymns and to monitor our experience with attendance, risk-demographics of in-person worshippers, infection and vaccination rates, etc. to determine when further loosening might be appropriate. We encourage the staff to consider reopening for programming beyond worship services on a case-by-case basis based on similar guiding principles and to ensure participants are communicated with clearly.

While various available infection reporting can be hard to weigh and prioritize, this Taskforce supports your desire to be fluid in Bethlehem’s reopening with flexibility to accelerate or pull back on reopening efforts. We would suggest focusing those decisions on data that:

• Speaks to the prevalence of concerning COVID variants, 
• Virus reproduction (R0) rates, 
• The experiences of similar local congregations, 
• Local hospitalization and death rates, 
• and, local vaccination rates and availability – particularly for high-risk groups of individuals. 

We are excited by Bethlehem’s continued effort to respond to our need to be in community, as servants of each other, and we remain available to you as resources in navigating these next steps. 

In Christ,
Caroline Cochran
Joan Flaaten
John Helberg
Andy Kroll

March 23, 2021 – Why the March Minnesota FoodShare Campaign Matters

March 16, 2021 – Capital Campaign Update

Stick around after the livestream worship this Sunday, March 21 for an update from Capital Campaign Team. You will hear some exciting updates from Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative about their work and how Bethlehem is helping to make home a reality for some of our neighbors in the Twin Cities.

March 9, 2021 – Prioritize Grace

Dear Bethlehem —

It’s been one year since we worshipped together in-person. Our world has suffered immeasurable loss. The individual and corporate grief is multi-layered and weighs heavy. Yesterday, I delivered a care package to a friend who lives an hour away. It was the second year anniversary of her son’s death. As I drove I listened to a radio show that lifted up stories of people directly impacted by the virus. These stories were interrupted by a news “break” updating me on the Chauvin trial. The reporter interviewed people for whom this moment brings both old and new trauma to the surface. At our most recent drive-thru event, one of you commented to me: “We have been through so much together and we can’t forget that each person’s story is unique.”

This is a season to prioritize grace — toward ourselves, toward one another and toward the world.

I give God thanks to be part of this community of faith bearing witness to God’s goodness and grace. I give God thanks for you and for the work we do together in Jesus’ name for the sake of the world God loves. And I give thanks and praise to God who is gracious and merciful, who is the source of all hope for healing and peace.

“May comfort come to enfold you, not to take away all sorrow but to infuse it with tenderness, with rest, with every grace it has.”
—Jan Richardson, “Blessing in the Turning”

— Pastor Mary

March 2, 2021 – Annual Meeting Videos

A big thank you to all those of you who participated in this past Sunday’s annual meeting.

It was a big experiment and a wonderful celebration of the ways Bethlehem has continued to embody the work of the church even in this challenging time. During the meeting we shared a video produced by Dan Mariska, from the Bethlehem staff. It’s a beautiful witness, be sure to watch that. Also, if you’d like to learn more, you can watch the entire annual meeting here.

March 1, 2021 – Initial Reopening Plans

Dear Bethlehem,

It was Thursday, March 12, 2020. The coronavirus numbers were climbing. There were rumors that the Governor would be issuing stay-at-home orders soon. We reached out to Bethlehem’s council leadership to discuss a plan. We invited other senior pastors to a zoom meeting to discern our next step as leaders in the church. It was a watershed moment. By the end of the day, we made the decision to immediately suspend in-person worship. We remain convinced it was a faithful response.

We’re incredibly grateful for your support of that decision and for all the ways you continued to be God’s church this past year. You remained steadfast in your generosity to support Bethlehem ministries; you responded to the needs of our neighbors impacted by increased economic hardship and civil unrest; you faithfully gathered for livestream worship on Sundays and Wednesdays, giving thanks to God, lifting prayers, singing praises, sharing in the meal, welcoming newly baptized and greeting each other in the chat. Thank you. We thank God for you.

This past winter became increasingly difficult. The grief from missing familiar holiday gatherings and the loss of loved ones added weight to our isolation and uncertainty. With the psalmist, we cry, “How long O Lord, How long?” But there are hopeful signs. The number of infections, hospitalizations and deaths are in decline and the distribution of vaccines continues to expand. We’ve learned that there are actions we can take to slow the spread of the virus. Masking and social distancing make a difference.

We are cautiously optimistic that even though the pandemic continues, there are ways to gather safely. Bethlehem leadership and staff have already started to prepare our buildings as we plan for limited in-person worship beginning Sunday, April 11.

Currently we plan to offer:

• Continued livestream worship on Sundays at 10:15 am and Wednesdays at 6:30 pm.
• Limited in-person worship with reservations on Sundays at 8:30 am and 10:15 am at both campuses. Masking and social distancing will be required and there will not be congregational singing.
• Sunday school will continue with Zoom gathering at 9:30 am. There will also be outdoor Sidewalk Sunday School for families at both campuses from 11:30 am–12:15 pm.

In mid-March, we will communicate details about numbers and the registration process. Updates will be posted regularly on our website. We will work closely with Bethlehem’s COVID task force paying attention to the rate of infection spread and other pertinent medical information to determine if adjustments for gathering need to be made.

We are excited to safely gather together soon and appreciate your patience and trust as we work our way through this next phase. We will get through this together. We give thanks for God’s steadfast love that strengthens us in faith. And we give thanks that by God’s grace we’re empowered to be God’s church, giving witness to God’s love revealed in the good news of Jesus.

Grace and peace,
Mary & Ben

February 23, 2021 – Annual Meeting

Join us this Sunday for the Annual Meeting.

Please be sure to register so that you can receive the financial packet as well as the Zoom link to join the meeting. In a year when everything seemed different, Bethlehem continued to show up in bold and wonderful ways for each other and for the world. We’re excited to share those stories with you as we gather on Sunday.

February 16, 2021 – Connections Make All the Difference

Dear Bethlehem,
Many of you are aware that my youngest son lives in Madrid, Spain. It’s been over a year since I’ve seen him in person. That wasn’t the plan when he moved there. He had planned to come home last summer. Then we hoped he’d be home at Christmas. Now we hope for this summer. Thank goodness for technology that keeps us connected. It’s not the same as being together, but it does help ease my pain of being so far from him for so long. Texts, emails and Zoom assure me he’s okay. Hearing his voice and seeing his face keep me focused on the positive nurturing gratitude in my heart. These connections make all the difference.

We’re coming up on one year of staying a part as a congregation. I’m hopeful that vaccine distribution and our continued vigilance around masking, social distancing and hand-washing will afford us ways to gather in the near future. It won’t be the same as pre-COVID but be assured, the day is coming when we will be together again and it’ll do our hearts good. In the meantime, there are opportunities for us to nurture connections as a community of faith. It’s not the same as being in each other’s presence but it helps.

This Wednesday there’ll be another drive-thru event. Please come to the parking lot at either campus between 12:00–1:00 pm or 4:00–6:00 pm. From your car we’ll get to see each other! You’ll receive a bag that includes ashes to participate in the 6:30 pm service, a bible reading plan for the season and a variety of Lent related games and activities to nurture faith, regardless of age. Continue to tune in for worship every Sunday and Wednesday and keep sharing our YouTube link with family and friends. We’ve reached over a 1,000 likes on our YouTube channel — so thanks for the invitations you’ve already extended.

We may not be gathering yet but connecting in these ways keeps our focus on our shared identity as the Body of Christ. This keeps our spirits filled with hope and nurtures our hearts with gratitude. There’s no need to go through this season alone; God blesses us with the gift of community and the presence of Christ. This makes all the difference.

Pastor Mary

February 9, 2021 – Welcome Ryan!

Mary and I are thrilled to announce that we’ve hired Ryan Currens (pictured below) as our next Director of Business Administration. While there is only one Steve Tjeltveit and we remain eternally grateful for all he’s given to this congregation over the last two plus years, we are confident that Ryan will help us to continue to move forward in significant ways. Ryan will officially be starting on March 8, but will be working on some transition items with Steve during the month of February.

I want to extend my thanks to Steve, Angie Philips from our staff, as well as Lisa Johnson and Paul Steen for their assistance during the search and interview process.

Below you will find a brief bio from Ryan. One of the hallmarks of the Bethlehem staff for many years has been the skill and commitment they bring to the work God is calling us to be about at this time and place. Ryan brings a rich set of skills and experiences along with a big heart for the church. We are excited to have him join our team.

Gratefully,
Pastor Ben

January 27, 2021 – With Malice Toward None

In the Apostle Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth, he builds on some of the same themes and addresses some of the same challenges that he addressed in his first letter. The church is divided. People were having difficulty seeing each other, working together, being the people that God called them to be. So he wrote this to them:

From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Reconciliation isn’t easy work. In fact it’s incredibly hard work. As Paul outlines it involves death. It involves becoming new. It requires change. Over the past few years, Bethlehem member Bruce MacKenzie has been working with the organization Braver Angels to bring about change in how we engage with one another around the difficult and contentious work of being citizens. Braver Angels has been working on a newer initiative called With Malice Toward None (WMTN) initiative.

Bruce writes: This initiative is an effort to address these temptations and the dangers of further divisions and polarization within America. WMTN asks its participants to commit to a higher partisanship of Holding America Together, recognizing the importance of our shared civil life; and seeking to promote those feelings of goodwill that Lincoln called the “better angels of our nature.”

The goal is to humanize “the other side,” and call us back to our basic creeds to love one another and that our country was conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all are equal. This is expressed in the pledge that asks all who participate in this initiative, regardless of the election’s outcome, they will not hold hate, disdain, or ridicule for those who may have voted differently.

With Bruce’s help, Braver Angels will be facilitating digital workshops at Bethlehem that will focus on promoting the initiative’s call to a higher partisanship. The first workshops will be separate gatherings. One on February 2 for those who are pleased with the election’s outcome, and one on February 4 for those who are distressed and preferred a different outcome.

A second workshop will be offered following these initial meetings. This workshop, at a date to be determined, will feature a gathering that brings both groups together to seek understanding of each other’s views and focusing on how we can move forward working together as members of a beloved community and citizens to address the problems facing our country.

For more information about With Malice Toward None and how Bethlehem will be working with Braver Angels on this initiative, you can contact either me or Bruce.

Pastor Ben

2021 Candidate Slates

Bethlehem’s Leadership Development Team has proposed two slates of candidates; one to serve on the 2021 Church Council and a second to serve on the 2021 Minnetonka Perpetual Trust. In accordance with our bylaws, the full slates of candidates have been posted outside the office area of both the Minneapolis and the Minnetonka campuses and are also listed below.

* These candidates will be proposed for election at the February 28 annual meeting that will occur following the 10:15 am service.

Any questions should be directed to a member of the Council. We are grateful to these candidates for their willingness to serve on these respective governing bodies if elected!

January 19, 2021 – Welcome Pastor Heather!

This Sunday’s worship will include the installation of Pastor Heather Roth Johnson as Bethlehem’s Pastor of Family Ministry. Rev. Craig Pederson from the Minneapolis Area Synod will lead this part of the service in which we make promises to her and to one another about the work we’re called to do together.

The following week, we invite you to meet Pastor Heather via Zoom. Come to a conversation on Wednesday, January 27, 7:00 pm or on Sunday, January 31 following worship to learn more about her. Please register on our website to receive the Zoom link.

Watch the below video to learn something surprising about Pastor Heather. To learn even more be sure to attend one of the meet and greets.

Pastor Mary

January 8, 2021 – Our House

Dear Bethlehem,

In her book Caste, author Isabel Wilkerson, describes America as an old house with bowed ceilings. She writes: “We in the developed world are like homeowners who inherited a house on a piece of land that is beautiful on the outside, but whose soil is unstable loam and rock, heaving and contracting over generations, cracks patched but the deeper ruptures waved away for decades, centuries even.”

This past week we witnessed the crumbling of our nation’s house. Watching its desecration at the hands of fellow citizens has shaken us to our core in a year that continues to test our fortitude in ways we never imagined. Some are angry. Some are sad. Some are afraid. Some of us are feeling all of those things and more. Know that God holds you and whatever you’re feeling with mercy and grace. Know too, that as God’s beloved we cannot look away or ignore the evil that was on display.

As Jesus said in the gospel in the Gospel of Mark, And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. It is all the more critical in this divided time, that we work together to heal and to steward the home we’ve been given.

As people of faith, we have a responsibility to this place we call home and a duty to love and care for our neighbor–especially the most vulnerable among us. As people who confess that Jesus is Lord, we are called to embody Christ’s love in the world that others might experience through us the way of mercy and goodness.

This way of Love is not easy but God took on flesh and blood to show us how. Christ’s continued presence assures we are never alone.  Jesus walks with us, guides us, lifts us up when we stumble and fall. With his help, we can turn from the powers of sin, hatred, fear, injustice and oppression and be strengthened in our witness to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God.

May the strong love of Jesus take hold of our world and may God grant us wisdom and courage for the living of this hour. We hope that this prayer will be on your lips today and give your hands, your voice and your feet strength for the difficult work ahead.

Rise up and come to our help, merciful God, for we are in need. Our spirits are weighed down with fear; our bodies feel as fragile as the dust from which we came. All that we have trusted seems hidden from sight. Although this moment has come upon our nation, you have not forgotten us. We do not trust in our own power or strength, but in your steadfast love in every generation. Show us your face in this time of trial, remind us of your faithfulness, and save us for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (All Creation Sings p. 49)

Sincerely,
Mary and Ben

December 8, 2020 – Staffing Changes

Dear Bethlehem — In a year of change and ongoing uncertainty, we need to share with you two changes to our staff configuration. First is Steve Tjeltveit’s desire to retire early next year. Second is plans to redirect resources from our Sunday evening worship service and Michael McDeid’s departure at the end of this year.

We received the letter below last week from Steve Tjeltveit, Bethlehem’s Director of Administration. He will be missed and we are both deeply grateful for Steve’s leadership, passion and hard work these past two plus years. Please know that we will begin a search process as quickly as possible to ensure that there is as much overlap as possible to help with a smooth transition. A job description will be posted on the church’s website in the coming days.

Steve has promised to not be a stranger, especially when it’s not ski season. Similarly Steve will be helping us through the end of this year and positioning us well to begin 2021. So while we are sad, please join us in thanking Steve for all he’s given to Bethlehem.

November 17, 2020 – Advent video message from Pastor Mary

November 10, 2020 – Where in the World is Church?

In 1969, “Sesame Street” changed the rules of children’s television. It instantly became a sensation and has continued to educate and entertain children for generations. Back when I needed to monitor my kids’ screen time, this was the show that always made the short list of what my kids watched.

We’ve had to change all kinds of rules this past year. There’s grief in losing familiar ways of doing things. There’s also joy in discovering new ways of learning, connecting and gathering. I desperately miss the buzz in our buildings on Sunday mornings. I look forward to when that happens again. In the meantime, I’m excited by how Bethlehem’s Sunday School is evolving even as its purpose of passing on the faith to our children remains the same.

If you haven’t seen “Where in the world is church?” I encourage you to watch last week’s episode. It’s created to educate and entertain our children but the lessons and format nurtures adult faith too. Reporter Ron shows up every time asking a question that relates to who we are as church. To find the answer, he gets help from others in the community. You’ll delight in how all ages discover together important facets of our faith. I encourage you to make these weekly 15-minute episodes part of your short list for staying connected to church. The link for the current episode is always included in Bethlehem’s Saturday email. I hope you’ll also share the link with your children, grandchildren, neighbors and friends.

We may not be able to gather in our sanctuaries but our calling to invite and welcome others into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ continues.

Thanks for being church!
Pastor Mary

November 3, 2020 – Election Day

Hopefully by the time you receive this email, you will have voted. If you haven’t yet, there is likely still time so please do. Now, having done our civic duty, we wait. It’s the one thing that we will all do, regardless for whom we cast our vote. And in that time of waiting, and oneness, I’d encourage us to remember that we are one people. Regardless of the forces and people that try to divide us, we are one.

In the beatitudes from Luke’s gospel, Jesus said, “But I say to you who are listening, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who are cruel to you.”

Love and blessing and prayer help us to refrain from seeing one another as us and them. It’s why we’re inviting you to join us for a time of reflection, scripture, song and prayer after the vote. This worship experience will be shared on Wednesday at 7:00 pm. You can find details below.

On Thursday, there is another installment of Bold Conversations, where we will have a post-vote debrief called, Making Sense and Making Peace: How our reactions impact diversity, equity, and inclusion. Details and registration can be found below.

Then finally, in the coming weeks Bethlehem will be participating in the Braver Angels With Malice Toward None (“WMTN”) initiative. This initiative is an effort to address these temptations and the dangers of further divisions and polarization within America. WMTN asks its participants to commit to a higher partisanship of maintaining our Union, recognizing the importance of our shared civil life; and seeks to promote those feelings of goodwill that Lincoln called the “better angels of our nature.”

The goal is to humanize “the other side,” and call us back to our basic creeds to love one another and that our country was conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all are equal. This is expressed in the pledge that asks all who participate that regardless of the election’s outcome, they will not hold hate, disdain, or ridicule those who may have voted differently. Please consider signing the pledge available at Braver Angels website.

Braver Angels will be facilitating workshops at Bethlehem after Election Day once the outcome is clear. We will update our website as details become available. For more information on this initiative you can contact me or Bruce MacKenzie.

Thanks and God be close,
Pastor Ben