Bethlehem August News

In a world that seems discordant, hurtful and harsh, where do we find our hope, our center and ourselves? The answer is often in the unexpected places, in the quiet moments of God’s intervening voice, and in the hearts of those who remind us of that which is of deepest value.

For me, one of those moments came on Maui a week or so ago, as I stood with 23 students and leaders, near the beach in the early morning. We had come that morning to be of service. We had come to work with the Hawaii Land Trust and be of help as they restored the ‘aina. I was ready to work hard, but I was not ready to be blessed.

Isn’t that so often the case. The blessing comes unbidden. We were invited to stand on sacred ground and join our host and his extended Hawaiian family in their morning protocol, before the work began. Protocol is a time of prayer and chant (oli). It is an opportunity to set an intention for the day and to honor all that has come before. As the leader’s voice rose in the air, he was answered by the oli of all those present. The chanting filled the air and filled us completely. Our hosts reminded us that this was our chance to leave all that burdened us there. To lay down the hurt and the pain, so that we might enter the land at peace. So that our hands might carry grace and good as we worked.

What an important reminder. We so often carry the worry and hurt of the world with us. We hold it as some sort of necessary burden. Certainly, we are called to know the pain of the world, but we can only begin to heal that pain, when we claim for ourselves the grace in which we stand. When we allow our hands to carry the hope and promise in which we are grounded. The Hawaiian people reminded me to claim the ancient things that cannot be taken away. They taught me to claim aloha and grace and the beloved community first, and then to walk into the responsibility of the day. They taught me to remember in whose image I am made. I left that sacred ground knowing my place, and carrying hope deeply within me. I carry it still.

I pray the same for you. May you feel, this day, the grace in which you stand. The deep knowledge that you are made in the image of God. May you lay down the burdens and the pain, if only for a moment, and hold deeply within you — light and hope. May God’s peace be yours.

Our work on that day was to help in the taro fields (the lo’i kalo). Taro plants cannot grow in isolation. The stems and leaves are too top heavy and the plants would fall over. They must be planted together, so they can hold each other up. Their roots must intertwine, so that the plants can nourish each other. What a deep truth. I give thanks for you. We are here to hold each other up, to share in our grace and hope and to carry the light together. If you are in need of healing, join us on Sunday, that we might be reminded again of the grace in which we stand.

Aloha, Pastor Laura

August Worship Schedule

Sunday Worship

August 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st - 9:00 and 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 Sunday service or as indicated.

Health and Wellness

Qi Gong practice with Chacha - Sunday, August 10th between services. After the 10:30 service we will have Qi Gong and a sound bath in the sanctuary. Please bring a mat.

Music Ministry

Judy Collier Retirement - After 20+ years of service, Judy Collier, our organist/ accompanist has decided to retire from her position. Judy has played numerous Sunday morning services, weekday services, VBS weeks, weddings and funerals. In addition, she has been an integral part of the Second Sabbath and World Music Ensembles. Judy's outgoing personality, advocate of the pipe organ and flexibility will be missed. Her last day of playing will be on Sunday, August 24 - Hymn Sing Sunday. Judy will continue to be a member of Bethlehem and participate in volunteer activities of her choice.

Following the last service on the 24th, there will be a brief reception to honor Judy. If you are unable to attend the reception, you can send your thoughts to Judy Collier's email: ghudi92107@yahoo.com

August Special Music

3- Guitar duet- Wes and Judi Westlake
10 - Trumpet duet- Mark Weed and Mike Lindberg
17- Piano Solo - Tyler Kershbaum
24- Hymn Sing Sunday
31- Duet -TBA

Hymn Sing Sunday - Time to start thinking about your favorite hymns from our hymnal! Our services on August 24th will be the time to request a few hymns to sing during our morning services. Three hymns per service will be selected during the services and three hymns per service will be pre-selected by some congregational members who will tell us why they chose the hymn of their choice. Time to put our organist Judy Collier and cantors to the test!

Youth Ministry

Youth (6th-12th grades)

Sundays from 6:30-8 pm join in the youth group fun.
August 3: Lunch packing for Interfaith Community Services
August 10: Game Night
August 17: Movie Night with popcorn and more.
August 24 & 31 : No meetings

Final beach meeting is on August 6. Email or text Deacon Mindy for details.

Maui - The summer service trip to Maui was a terrific experience for all. If you missed the youth sharing at worship, be sure to watch the YouTube recording from July 27th on the church’s YouTube channel.

Bethlehem Serves

Bethlehem Serves will be on Sunday, September 21st. This is a Sunday where congregational members of all ages come to church and participate in a community service project for the morning. Projects will include onsite projects: School Kits, 1st Responders Gift Baskets, Plants to the Neighbors, Car Wash, One Safe Place Laundry Kits, Interfaith Shelter Hygiene Kits and Prayer Shawl Ministry. Offsite projects will be Community Resource Center Resale Shop, Ocean Knoll Children's Farm, Beach Clean-up and Chimes for the Seniors. We will also have special projects for the Humane Society on campus for anyone who finishes early!

Signups for the various projects will be in person and online beginning on August 17th. Also watch for an email sign-up. There will be a short service at 9:00 a.m. at church before leaving for the service projects. At the end of the morning, participants are encouraged to stay for a catered lunch and some fellowship with each other! Please bring a lawn chair for lunch. If you have any questions, please contact Mona Goetsch (mona.goetsch@gmail.com) or Jana Hegg (rjjhegg@gmail.com).

If you would like to donate to Bethlehem Serves, please click here.

School Kits Project - One of the projects for Bethlehem Serves will be to make 200 backpacks with school supplies for Lutheran World Relief and children in our San Diego community. If you are able, please pick up a few of these items to help fill our backpacks:

2 1/2 inch eraser
30 centimeter ruler
Pencil sharpener
Blunt scissors
Unsharpened #2 pencils
Blue/Black ballpoint pens
Box of 16 or 24 crayons
Single subject notebook, 70 pages

Please bring items to church by August 31st and leave in the basket marked “School Kits.” Thank you!

Children's Ministry

Learning Circles will begin again on September 28th during the 10:30 service. If you are interested in finding out more about helping during Learning Circles or if you would like to volunteer starting in September, please contact Jana Hegg at childrensministry@blcenc.org.

Adventure Ministry (BAM)

We are going camping! - Friday, September 5th through Sunday, September 7th.

We will be tent camping at the El Prado group campground near the town of Mount Laguna. Our site is the Big Sage campsite. Parking will be limited to 15 vehicles so we will be requiring signups in advance. Maximum vehicle length of 45 feet.

We will share a potluck dinner on Saturday night. Last year we had a Mexican themed meal, this year (thanks to a suggestion from Alisa Wolf) we will have a Mediterranean themed meal – hummus, pita bread, tabouleh salad, tzatziki sauce, shawarma, falafel. The rest of the meals will be your responsibility. There’s a fire pit and several picnic tables at the site. There is also a pit toilet at the site. Showers and flush toilets are available in the larger campground. We can go hiking, biking (e-bikes are not allowed on the trails but can be used on the paved roads), play games, or just relax.

Signup early to reserve your spot here. Questions? Contact Dennis Astroth

Stewardship Stream

Since COVID, many churches including Bethlehem have benefited significantly from electronic giving. Bethlehem’s on-line giving site and the link to download our giving app can be found HERE. Available to members and friends of Bethlehem, both the app and the on-line site accommodate busy lives by being available 24/7, facilitating automatic periodic giving, and enabling giving to Bethlehem and ELCA special projects (e.g., Bethlehem Serves and Lutheran Disaster Response), all in a secure environment. Electronic gifts are captured on the giving statements that the Church mails quarterly/annually.

Speaking of those quarterly giving statements, be sure to check yours to ensure that your automatic giving (weekly, bi-weekly, etc.) has been updated for your most recent pledge. It’s an easy oversight and updating it now will avoid a larger catch-up amount later in the year.

On-line giving allows us to engage in our ministry work with confidence, knowing that the funds necessary to do the work of the church will be there. We are so thankful for the consistent and generous ways that you support this congregation.

Stephen Ministry

Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

Think Stephen Ministry - Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Romans 12:13 (NIV)

Stephen Ministry is a ministry that belongs to every member of Bethlehem. It is your ministry, too, and we ask you to support it in whatever ways you can. Remember Stephen Ministry as you meet and talk to people. When you notice a need, ask about it and listen some more. Might this be a need for Stephen Ministry? Let yourself be the eyes and ears of Jesus.

How do you recognize when needs exist? Look around you. Who do you see? Who do you know? If a person you talk to each week at church isn’t there one week, call him or her to be sure everything is okay. If someone you know at work or in your neighborhood begins to behave differently, take notice. Often people withdraw when a crisis occurs or may not have the energy to contact others to let them know that something is wrong. They may be embarrassed about needing help. Or, they may assume that somehow the church already knows. You may be the only one who notices that someone is missing or has a need. If that person doesn’t, or can’t, tell anyone- and you don’t either- the need goes unmet and the person suffers. If you encounter a need that you are unequipped to meet, bring it to the attention of one of the pastors or to one of our Stephen Leaders: Suzi Westmoreland, Molly Hall, or Laure Reynolds.

Food Pantry

Opportunity to Serve - The St. Andrew’s Food Pantry provides groceries to about 220 local families each week. We have a few volunteer slots available:

Food Rescue Driver- We need able bodied drivers who are will pick up, load and deliver boxes of donated food from Encinitas grocery stores Thursday mornings 8:30-10 am.

Produce Gleaner- This involves sorting and repacking rescued produce. Thursday mornings, 10 am- noon.

Distribution Line Clerk- Clerks assist our clients during the shopping hours. Thursday afternoons, 1:30-4.

If you are interested in learning more, please contact Cynthia Heigold at 760-525-3519.

Prayer Chain

Are you or someone that you know and love in need of prayer? The BLC Prayer Chain is a virtual space where we can share prayer concerns with one another, hold each other in prayer, and support one another during times of need. You can share your prayer requests by clicking here. On that same page you can also sign up to receive prayer requests when they are sent out, so that we might hold one another in prayer, light, and love.

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