Bethlehem October News

At its heart, a church is a community of people who gather together to hear the gospel proclaimed; to receive the promise found in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; and to surround one another with love and provide mutual encouragement. It’s a place where wonderfully imperfect people are welcomed and loved exactly as they are. A place where healing truth is spoken into the broken places inside of us, and into the world around us. And in the midst of countless stories about the demise of the Church, the failure of organized religion, and the futility of faith, stand you, the incredible people of this congregation. You who daily inspire with your steadfast faithfulness. Your dedication, and tireless desire to be God’s hands and feet in the world, can only be described as indefatigable.

In addition to being an excellent vocabulary word to impress your friends and family at parties (vocab is what impresses folks these days, right?), it is also the perfect word to describe our community. Persisting tirelessly, and showing sustained, enthusiastic action with unflagging spirit. It’s also the perfect word to describe the kind of hope that our faith provides. Hope that can see us through stormy seas, and sunny days. Hope that fills our hearts to overflowing, so that we cannot help but go out into the world to share it. Hope that never grows weary, that never runs thin, but is as steadfast as the God who inspires it.

As we do each fall, our attention turns to the coming year, and the financial resources that will be required to do the ministry that we are called to do for the sake of the world. We are grateful for your indefatigable support of this community – for the amazing work that we have been able to do, the lives we have been able to touch, and the hope that has been proclaimed. Our goal for the coming year is to increase giving by 4% – 5%, or around $30,000 total.

If you are able to increase your pledge from last year to help us reach this goal, we ask that you prayerfully consider doing so. If this past year has left you in a position where you need to take a step back, know that we fully understand, and if we can be of any assistance to you or your family please reach out and let us know. For those who give automatically online, we would still greatly appreciate it if you would fill out a pledge card, and prayerfully consider if increasing your pledge is something you are able to do at this time.

Please fill out a pledge card and bring it with you when you come to church for Commitment Sunday on October 8th. You may also return it to the church office by mail, or fill out your intended pledge using the Google Forms link below. Rest assured these responses will be safe and confidential.

BLC Pledge 2024

Thank you for being the indefatigable people of faith that you are. Thank you for your commitment, passion, and the witness that you bear to the indefatigable hope of the gospel. In a world filled with narratives of scarcity, Bethlehem exists as a place where God’s abundance can be seen around every corner, and for that we say thank you, and praise be to God!

With indefatigable gratitude,

Bethlehem Church Council

Pastor Laura & Pastor Sam

October Worship Schedule

Sunday Morning Worship:

October 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th - 9 & 10:30 am

Worship usually takes place in the sanctuary for both services, and there is the option to sit outside in the eco-narthex as well. The livestream usually takes place during the 10:30 am or as indicated.

Learning Circles take place during the 10:30 am worship service except during the summer. We have classes for ages 3 thru 6th grade and nursery services available, too!

Music Ministry

New Part Time Organist/ Accompanist - Please welcome our new part-time organist and choir accompanist, Natasha Riabova! Originally from Moscow, Natasha is an accomplished musician who will be sharing the organist position with Judy Collier and accompanying the choirs of Bethlehem. She will be playing Sunday services this month on October 1st, 15th and 29th. Stop by the organ bench after services and get to know Natasha!

Scheduled Music for the Month -

October 1- Goetsch/Schmidt duet
October 8 - World Music Ensemble
October 15- Anselona/ LIndberg duet
October 22- JuBellation Ringers
October 29- Good News Singers

Christmas Choir Retreat - October 22 - The Good News Singers will be having their annual Christmas Choir Retreat on our Bethlehem campus on October 22 from 1- 4:45 p.m. The retreat is the day where the choir goes through all the Christmas music that they will be singing for the Christmas Concert on December 3rd. The afternoon includes sectional and full group rehearsals, grab prizes, snacks and a final prize to one lucky attendee! If you want to join the choir just for the Christmas season, this would be a good day to join! Please contact monagoetsch@yahoo.com. for further information. We could use more basses!

Children's Ministry

We are so excited to have our Learning Circles/Sunday School happening again during the 10:30 service. We will meet as one large group to begin in the Multi-Use/Library right after the Children's Message. The curriculum that we are using is designed to break into "buddy pairs" with older children helping the younger children to participate in discussions and complete activities together. This time is intended for children ages 3 - 6th grade. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Jana Hegg at childrensministry@blcenc.org. We are excited to see you on Sunday!

Here are the upcoming themes:

10/1 - Jesus Feeds 5,000
10/8 - The Beatitudes
10/15 - Jesus Teaches About Anger
10/22 - MUSIC with MONA
10/29 - The Greatest Commandment

Youth Ministry

High School Youth - The group from Bethlehem and St. Andrew’s continues to meet on Wednesday evenings.

For added fun, students attended a pool party hosted by Pastor Laura. Games, sauna, pizza, and pool time were all enjoyed! High school students also met last month to pack lunches for donation to Interfaith Community Services. One hundred sack lunches were prepared by the students.

In October, the students will continue to meet for discussion and fellowship. All students in high school are encouraged to join us! Contact Deacon Mindy for details and location. Happy Halloween from all the youth at Bethlehem and St. Andrew’s!

Middle School - Middle school group meetings are held at St. Andrew’s on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month. This is a fun opportunity to get together for activities and discussions. All 6th - 8th grade students are invited to join the group. Contact Deacon Mindy for more information.

Confirmation - Bethlehem’s Confirmation class has begun. Any 7th and 8th grade student desiring to be confirmed can join the class on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. Contact Pastor Laura, Pastor Sam, or Deacon Mindy for more information.

Ordination Announcement

Save the Date!

Emily Baynton, the daughter of Pastor Laura, will be ordained here at Bethlehem Lutheran and live-streamed on October 7th at 2 pm. Bishop David Nagler with be presiding and preaching. Come celebrate this momentous day in her life.

Secret Santa

This year our Secret Santa Ministry season will be from Sunday, October 22nd to Sunday, November 26th. During this time, you will have three ways to participate:

Monetary donations to help Es Por Los Ninos (Its For The Children). This is an organization that helps families with HIV/AIDS in Tijuana. They are in need of baby formula. Mothers with HIV/AIDS must feed their babies formula to prevent them from contracting AIDS.
Either gift cards or monetary donations towards the local Secret Santa Project. We are asking for $25 gift cards from either Target, Walmart, or the 99cent Store. You may also give any denomination of any grocery store gift card.
Donations for the Teen Shelter program in San Diego. We are again asking for for the following items:

Backpack - Black or Navy Blue
Hooded Sweatshirt - Black or Navy Blue - size L or XL
A deck of cards
Men’s Crew Length socks

Beginning Sunday October 22, you will be able to make a monetary donation to either Es Por Los Ninos or Secret Santa by going the website and clicking on the contribute page. If you would like to write a check to Bethlehem Lutheran Church please write either Es Por Los Ninos or Secret Santa in the memo section of your check.

Gift cards and teen shelter items can be dropped off at church on either a Sunday morning or during the week.

If you have any questions, please call Cheryl Monreal at (760) 942-1482. Thank you for your many years of support.

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest at Bethlehem - Sunday, October 29, from 12-3pm - Come join in meeting new people and celebrating with many of us with a German heritage. Please join Pastor Sam in his lederhosen outfit and wear your German dress for the event.

Enjoy the beer garden and delicious food like Bratwurst and German potato salad, recipe from the Meinhart family. There will be games and a jump house for the kids. A suggested donation will be taken at the event.

Church Directory

Make-up Day for Portraits - We are working on a new photo directory including the “old and new” faces of Bethlehem! Our make up photo session appointments will be scheduled for Thursday, November 2 from 2 to 8 pm. Please sign up now below to make sure we have time for everyone!

Whether your family is one person or many, and of course including your pets, our directory will not be complete without YOU! Your family group may include whoever you please. Sign up your family under one name and appointment time.

If you are unable to attend on November 2, or have any questions, please text or call Cynthia at 760-525-3519.

BLC Church Directory Make-up Day Sign-Up

ELCA Advocacy

Update from Lutheran Office of Public Policy – California - Great news, advocates! Senate Bill 4 passed out of the legislature and is on its way to the Governor! SB 4 provides a streamlined process for religious organizations and nonprofit colleges to develop affordable housing on their property regardless of local zoning restrictions. This is the product of years of advocacy, and we cannot be more excited to get this important housing bill across the finish line. As of this printing, the bill was still on the Governor’s desk, awaiting his signature.

Save the date! LOPP will be holding a virtual legislative session wrap-up call on November 1st, at 6:30 pm PT. Check the LOPP website about a week before for details.

In other legislative news,...

AB 249: Clean Drinking Water in Schools, Lead Testing enacts a goal of removing all lead from school drinking water and requires water utilities to test all potable water faucets and fixtures in TK- 12 schools for lead by 2027. Lead concentrations must be reduced to below five parts per billion (5 ppb). Faucets and fixtures found to exceed 5 ppb must be made inoperable until the lead is reduced or fixture replaced.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that there is no safe amount of lead content in drinking water. Although the federal government and state of California have established some lead testing standards for child care centers and schools, the standards' misalignments leave room for important improvements, and continue to expose children to lead. This legislation will close those gaps and help ensure no child is exposed to lead in their drinking water at school.

“Advocacy in Quarantine”

“AiQ” is on hold until Wednesday, October 18^th. Join us then for this 30-minute Zoom call at 12:00pm with Regina Q. Banks, Director of the Lutheran Office of Public Policy – California. Each week Regina will give us an update on the status of recent bills and suggest a quick advocacy Action Item for us.

ELCA Advocacy Action Center

Check out this site to see the latest “Action Alerts” on vital issues affecting our community right now. Currently homelessness and affordable housing policy and assistance to Palestinian refugees.

LOPP- CA: Facebook, Twitter

Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton: Facebook, Twitter

Pacifica Synod: Facebook, Twitter

ELCA Advocacy: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

ELCA: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

For information or questions about Bethlehem’s Advocacy Team, contact Karin Kloehn at blcadvocacy@gmail.com.

Bethlehem Serves 2023

Bethlehem Serves 2023 - a Huge Success! - Over 100 people from Bethlehem and the Jewish community B'nai Tikvah joined forces for Bethlehem's annual day of service. Thank you to the leaders who led eleven projects this year which included the car wash, school bags, prayer shawl ministry, plants for the neighbors, hygiene kits, 1st responders, CRC Resource Center and food pantry, Ocean Knoll Children's Farm, beach clean-up and chiming for seniors.

The highlights were:

Packing 170 snacks for the Sheriff station, lifeguards, and firefighters
Washing 15 cars resulting in over $1000 in donations for the Maui Wildfire Relief Effort
Assembling 230 hygiene kits for the Shower of Blessings ministry and Interfaith Community services for asylum seekers
Combining school supplies that created 200 school bags split between Lutheran World Relief and local schools.
Collecting trash at Moonlight Beach
Planting and weeding at the Ocean Knoll School Children's Farm
Deep cleaning and sorting bins of donated goods at the Community Resource Food Pantry and Resource Center
Entertaining senior citizens by singing old time favorite songs while playing hand chimes at two local senior assisted living facilities
Potting and Delivering 20 flowered plants with a note of thanks to the surrounding homes near Bethlehem.
Knitting prayer shawls for those in need

Many returned for lunch and fellowship from La Nopalito restaurant prepared by Sandy Lakey and crew. Thanks to Ron Hegg for technical support and Leaders Jana Hegg and Mona Goetsch for organizing this annual event. Pictures of the event were taken by Carolin Meinhardt and Pastor Laura and Carolin created

a Bethlehem Serves video which was shown during September 24th services.

Here is a link to that portion of the service:

"Bethlehem Serves" Video

Bethlehem Adventure Ministry (BAM)

SAVE THE DATE -

September 6 - 8, 2024

We are going camping!

Thanks to everyone who expressed an interest in tent camping. We have reserved a group campsite in the El Prado group campground near the town of Mount Laguna. More details and signups will be forthcoming next June but SAVE THE DATE!

If you have questions, please contact Dennis Astroth

Stephen Ministry

“…to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” Ephesians 4:12

Our congregation’s Stephen Ministry equips lay people to provide confidential, one-on-one care to individuals in our congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives. They are people with a compassionate heart who’ve been trained to listen, encourage, and offer support when someone is in need. Pastors will always be on the front lines of care, especially during times of crisis. But there is always more need for ongoing, one-on-one care than pastors can effectively meet by themselves. Stephen Ministers extend the care that pastors continue to provide. Stephen Ministers reach out with God’s love to people who are hurting- both congregation members and nonmembers alike.

Stephen Ministry began in 1975 when the Rev. Kenneth C. Haugk, Ph.D., a pastor and clinical psychologist, trained nine members of his congregation in St. Louis to be Stephen Ministers. They assisted him in providing Christian care and support to people in the congregation and community who were experiencing life difficulties. Today Stephen Ministries St. Louis is a not for profit, trans-denominational, religious and educational organization that provides support for ministry in more than 12,000 congregations worldwide representing over 170 Christian denominations.

Why is it called Stephen Ministry?

“and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit…” Acts 6:5

The “Stephen” refers to Stephen from the book of Acts. He was one of the first people appointed by the Apostles to serve the needs of the church.

If you would like more information about Stephen Ministry please contact one of our Stephen Leaders, Suzi Westmoreland, Molly Hall, or Laure Reynolds or visit the Stephen Ministries website at www.stephenministries.org.

New Columbarium Project

We are in the process of creating a new outdoor columbarium space. We are working on finalizing the design, contracting with a company to build both the niches and the supporting frame, and local artist Jane Wheeler has already created an incredible tri-panel mosaic art installation for above the columbarium.

The price per niche is $2500. Each niche has space for up to two urns. You do not need to be a member to purchase one - all are welcome here at Bethlehem. Please sign up by contacting the church office, and payments can be made via check, or online here.

If you have any questions, or would like to inquire about payment plans, please contact the church office. If you would like to simply donate to this project, but do not wish to purchase a niche, your generosity and stewardship would be so appreciated, and you can do that by clicking here.

As Christians, we know that we are connected with all who have come before us in the faith – a great cloud of witnesses. Through this columbarium space we bear witness to that fact and will provide a much needed place of final rest for members of our community.

Volunteers Needed for Sat. Breakfast at St. Andrews

Volunteers Needed! Saturday Breakfast at St. Andrews - Our mission to feed the hungry a hot breakfast each Saturday is starting back up again, and the kitchen at St. Andrew’s is now open for business. Bethlehem will be preparing breakfast on the 4th Saturday of each month. We need 6 volunteers to crack and scramble 6 doz. eggs, cook 60 hash browns, 13 lbs. of bacon, make 80 pancakes and serve up plates with a smile! Click below to volunteer!

Opportunities to Engage

Qigong/Tai chi -The weekly Qigong/Tai chi practices at our church is available by Zoom. You are able to join online from your computer on Wednesdays at 6 pm. Also, Chacha is having a Friday at 9 am practice by Zoom.

These practices are moving meditation practices that focus on relaxation, breath, and visualization while carrying out gentle movements. Everyone is welcome, no previous experience is necessary. If you are interested in joining please e-mail Chacha at chachapinillap@gmail.com. Please let her know which of the practices or if you would like to be invited to both practices. She will send an e-mail invitation with the zoom link.

Scraps and Prayers - This ministry sews quilts for people in need of comfort and care. We meet each Wednesday morning from 9am-11am in the Multi-Use Room. We need your help sewing and tying quilts. No experience necessary! Stop by for an hour or stay for the whole morning; we'd love to share our scraps and prayers with you. For more information, contact Bobby Allen at roberta798@aol.com or Laure Reynolds at laurereyn@roadrunner.com.

Pastor Sam's Sermon Blog

Did you miss one of Pastor Sam's sermons? Want to double check if he actually said what you think he did? Accidentally fall asleep and want to go back and read the section you missed? Check out all of Pastor Sam's sermons on his blog at: https://sinningboldlywithsam.wordpress.com/

Global Mission "Global Links" E-Newsletter

Rooted and built in Jesus! This is the core of our work as the ELCA walks with more than 80 companion churches in other countries to participate in God's reconciling mission through proclamation and service. Participating in these relationships, ELCA members see how people's lives are touched by the gospel, how their lives are transformed and renewed, and how their communities live in hope. If you would like to receive the ELCA Global Mission e-newsletter "Global Links", please click on the following link to subscribe: https://community.elca.org/elca-email-subscriptions

Bethlehem Cares Fund

Bethlehem Cares Fund: For members of Bethlehem, we have a fund to assist you with temporary financial needs such as medical, home, family or personal needs.Contact Pastor Laura, Pastor Sam, Rose Moldenhauer or Molly Hall. If you are able to contribute to the fund please mark your gift to BLC with the notation Bethlehem Cares.

Newsletters Available on Our Website

Have you missed one of our monthly e-newsletters? Have you wished you could open up that newsletter again to get that bit of information you were looking for? Well, now you can. On our Newsletter Archive page there are links available to view current and past newsletters.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church

www.blcenc.org