Our mission "To worship God as a loving community that grows in faith and shares the Gospel of Christ."

BLC Family News & Events

Pastor's Letter

Emmanuel

Today is one of the most blessed days of all. On Christmas, we get to celebrate the fact that God chose to be with us! He could have lived eternally only thinking about Himself or perfect things. But, while we were still lost—trapped—frozen in despair and sin, He came to be with us.

He did not come to hurt a hurting world, but instead to save the world through Him (John 3:17).

Although we had fallen from grace, He chose—out of His grace—to come to us, to redeem us, to make us whole. Our home became His home so that one day we might be home with Him forever.

Christmas Day is just the first day of this grand celebration and as we head into this new year together, we will ponder what it means and practice making our neighborhoods—our homes—places full of God’s presence, hope, and wonder.

May God richly bless you this Christmas and always,

Pastor Josh Schmidt

President's Report

Dear Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Family and Friends. A Merry Christmas and greetings to you all in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

The year ends and so does my term as President of the Board. I have personally thanked, and now I’m publicly thanking everyone, on the 2024 Board, the 2025 Board, all committees, their leaders and all the rest of you for your boundless work at Bethlehem as our church has indeed been through a growth spurt this last year. I certainly felt the growth, and everyone’s support. I pray you did too as God has blessed us greatly. How about that Pastor of ours? Is he on it or what? 

As exiting President, I intend to make the smoothest transition possible so growth can continue to flourish. I have been helping and supporting Patti Johannsen, your incoming President, for weeks now. And will help where I can. Jean and I are still members and will continue to support the congregation and our mission. We are not walking away. 

Abundant Blessings.

Ken Goebel

Upcoming Events

Financial Report

Feel free to contact me if you have questions.

Bob McCully

Get a Journal!!!

Starting now and leading into the new year, we will be prayerfully discerning what it means to bring the hope found in Jesus Christ to our homes and neighborhoods. The first step in this journey is to start a journal. Take time to find a notebook or journal or calendar book that you can write prayers in daily. Every day, pray for (at least) one of your neighbors and someone in your family. Be creative, maybe each day of the week could have its own person or you can start with the ones you seem to know the least.

Write these prayers down and think about how God is impacting their lives already and how He is using you to be there for them now.



Communion & Liturgy Class

How do we build a loving community anyway? Well, to be short, we can't. Not really... at least, not really without the help of God. He is the only source of immutable and insatiable love. Join us Sunday, January 26th, from 12-3pm for a short class on Community & Liturgy-how our worship (7 days a week, 365 days a year) impacts who we are and how we fit in the world.

Youth Ministry

“The Youth Room” - January 2025

E3 Youth Ministry Update

NEW Church year, NEW Calendar year, NEW Chapter for our Youth Ministry!

2025 is already shaping up to be a year of new opportunities and community partnerships that will allow the youth of the Monterey area to get to know us, and to know that we are here for them. 

With the generous gift from the LWML ($7000.00!!!!), and an amazing new relationship with the principal at Monterey High School, 2025 is going to see the start of a new program that will open our doors to Monterey High students, with the prayer and hope being that they will open their hearts to the Lord and our BLC youth group. 

Starting in February, we will be Hosting FTW, which stands for First and Third Wednesdays (or “For The Win” for gaming enthusiasts). As you can probably deduce, the First and Third Wednesdays each month will be days that Monterey High students can come and hang out for a period of time after they get out of school. We will offer a gaming room which will feature group video games (with an Xbox generously donated by Alan), as well as board and card games. Additionally, we will have a study/homework space, and an art room to start. We do hope at some point in also include teaching/skill building sessions on a variety of topics. 

Prior to the start of FTW, we will be spending some time on campus to start getting to know the students, to give out tokens of encouragement, as well letting them start getting to know us. Each Friday, care packs are sent home with some students, and we hope to include encouraging notes from us here at Bethlehem to bless them as they head home for the weekend. 

One way you can be involved in this outreach opportunity is to: 1) pray for Pastor Josh and I, and pray for the students we will come into contact with; 2) as we seek to strengthen our relationship with the school staff and families, there will be lots of opportunities to volunteer for school events. Perhaps you would consider giving some time for those events; 3) come by on Wednesday afternoons and get to know the kids in our community; 4) write encouraging notes to be given to students (not overtly religious) 5)Talk to Crystal or Pastor about other ways you can be involved. 

In conjunction with hosting the Monterey high students for FTW, we will also be expanding youth group to meet on those nights. Consistency is a key factor in growing any ministry, so it is important for us to start being more consistent in meeting. Hopefully, eventually, students who come after school will choose to stay for youth group and hear the gospel message they may not be hearing anywhere else. 

Another partnership that is forming is with Salad Bowl Bobby Sox. They are based in Salinas, but as the only public softball organization in Monterey County that serves players up to the age of 18 (all others age out at 14), they serve teen girls from all over the Monterey Bay area. This January 22^nd, we will be hosting a few board members of Bobby Sox for their ONLY in-person registration site outside the city of Salinas. This will serve to help them reach players that may not otherwise be aware of Bobby Sox, as well as open our doors to yet another segment of our community that may not know much about us. Please feel free to share the word that any girl, ages 6-18 can register and play, no try-outs, no cuts, all girls are welcome. They can come to the church between 3 and 5:30 on Jan 22 to meet some board members and sign up for this awesome experience. 

National Youth Gathering Update: 

We are registered!!! Thank you again to the Endowment committee for their generous support, covering our group registration fee in full. 

We met with the youth group at Our savior’s Lutheran church in December for a time of fellowship and wandering through the “Streets of Bethlehem” at First Baptist church in Salinas. 

We have raised just under $14,000 of the ~$16,000 estimated costs to send our group. 

Thank you for all who have so generously given of your time, prayers and finances to help us reach this goal. 

Please continue to pray for the NYG planning committees, all of the leaders from congregations all over the country who are also in the throws of planning this endeavor for their students, and for the students who will be attending. 

I am looking forward to many exciting new developments in 2025, and I pray that you will be blessed in the New Year as you have been a blessing to me, my family, and the youth of our community. 

By His grace,    

Crystal

God is working wonders through the Steffenson family. As you might recall, we are supporting Pastor Jason and his family as missionaries abroad. They had been called to Africa to teach their pastors so that they could read Scripture in its original language. After many trials and struggles including sickness, they have been relocated.

After a brief training at the International Center in St. Louis, they will be headed to Italy to teach the pastors there. This should be an environment more conducive to their family needs and open to hearing the Gospel. Please, continue to keep them in prayer. Their newest newsletter may be found at the link below.

Ask and you shall receive! God has provided for us as He always does. On Christmas Day, the Communion Wine may have tasted a little different. We would like to thank our friends over at Scheid Vineyards for their donation of a case of 2019 Pinot Noir to bless our worship at the beginning of this New Year.

If you may know anyone who would like to donate Communion wine; coffee for coffee hour; or any other of our typical needs; we would love to continue to build local partnerships willing to support our mission: "To worship God as a loving community that grows in faith and shares the Gospel of Christ!"

In closing...

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