Bethlehem October News

God bless you for all that you do to bear witness to God’s grace and love in this world. With open doors and open hearts, we as a congregation welcome everyone to the love of God. We fling wide the doors for the grieving and the joyous, the stranger and the friend. Then we carry that grace beyond our doors to any who are in need of healing and hope. Thank you for your stewardship of grace. Your hands, hearts and financial gifts make it possible for us to serve the world together, in ways that we could never do alone.

Our theme for this year’s stewardship emphasis is “Open Hearts – Open Doors.” We are blessed to be a congregation that welcomes all, and then carries that welcoming heart to a world in need.

If you regularly make a financial commitment to Bethlehem, thank you for your stewardship. We couldn’t do it without you.

Your council is working diligently to create our 2027 budget. In order to meet rising costs and meet our ministry goals, we estimate that an increase of 5% in giving, or roughly $36,000 will be needed. If all of us were willing to increase our giving for the coming year, to whatever degree is possible or most meaningful for each, we could easily meet that goal.

Please prayerfully consider what you are able to give and fill out the enclosed commitment card. Bring your commitment card with you to church on October 11th, return it to the church office, or submit your pledge virtually using this link.

Thank you for all you do to make our ministry possible at Bethlehem. Thank you for your generous and faithful stewardship that allows us to do such expansive and joyous ministry in our community.

We are making a difference as we serve neighbors, preschool and immigrant families.

We are making a difference as a Lutheran voice in our community sharing the radical promise of God’s grace and love for all.

Online Giving – You can give automatically online through Vanco or your bank’s bill pay. If you give in this way, and have not re-examined the amount of that auto pay in the last few years, we encourage you to do so this year.

Other Creative Giving Strategies – If you are able to pre-pay your pledged amount, that helps our financial team tremendously. You can also give via stock or mandatory distribution from retirement accounts.

First Time Giving – If you have never made a financial commitment to Bethlehem, please consider doing so. Give in any amount and see how it changes both you and the world.

How Can We Help? If you need to decrease or stop your giving for any reason, we understand. We invite you to please reach out, so that we can be of support to you and your family.

We are sincerely grateful for each and every one of you. Your participation in this community of faith gladdens our hearts and increases our joy. Communities like ours are places where hope is found, healing is possible, and service is lived out.

Thank you for your Stewardship,

Pastor Laura, Pastor Sam, and your BLC Council

October Worship Schedule

October Morning Worship

October 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th - 9 & 10:30 am

Healing Sunday

October 11th (Prayer after both services)

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.

Music Ministry

This month many groups will be providing special music for our services.

Special Music

10/4 - Good News Singers
10/11- World Music Ensemble
10/18- JuBellation Ringers
10/25 - Reformation- Good News Singers

Christmas Music Choir Retreat -Sunday, October 18 - Each year, the Good News Singers attend a choir retreat where they are introduced to Christmas music that they will be singing for our Christmas concert. The retreat is a special rehearsal at Bethlehem from 1- 4:40 pm. It is a fun afternoon of sectionals, full group rehearsals, grab bags, food and a final raffle for those who attend. This is a great opportunity for additional singers to join us for the Christmas season! This year's Christmas concert "The World Rejoices!" will be on December 6 at 4 pm.

Youth Ministry - 6th thru 12th Grades

Sunday, October 11 - Fall Fun-fest at Ascension Lutheran - Youth Group goes on the road for an afternoon of fun and fellowship with other local youth groups. There will be games and food. Plan to meet at Bethlehem at 3:30pm. Parents are invited and their help with carpools will be greatly appreciated. Sign up with Deacon Mindy before October 7.

Wednesday, October 28 - Youth Drop-in - Youth are invited to drop by Leucadia Pizza to check in with Deacon Mindy and other youth. Get something to eat or drink and share in conversation. The address is 315 S. Coast Highway 101, Encinitas, CA. Mindy will be there from 5:30-7pm.

Confirmation Classes - Classes for 7th and 8th grade students will meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month at 5:30-6:30 pm. If interested in confirmation instruction for your student, please contact Pastor Laura, Pastor Sam, or Deacon Mindy.

Children's Ministry

Learning Circles - All of our preschool and elementary aged children are invited to join us in the Multi-Use/Library each week during the 10:30 service. We will leave the sanctuary right after the children's sermon and return during communion time. The children will be split into two groups, one with younger children (3 yr - 3rd grade) and one with older children (4th - 6th grade). We will also continue with our monthly music time with Mona. If you are interested in finding out more about helping during Learning Circles or if you would like more information about Learning Circles, please contact Tammy Sivert at sivertfamily@gmail.com.

Adult Education Opportunity

250 Years of American Lutheran History

Please join us, beginning on Reformation Sunday, October 25th, for the first of five sessions exploring the history of our Lutheran heritage as it developed in America from colonial times to the present. We will meet in the Multi-Purpose Room after the last service around 11:30 for discussion, a short video, and personal reflection. It will be led by Ron Hegg.

The five sessions will include how the church's journey and early struggles began in the colonial days, the subsequent wave of immigration from Scandinavia and Germany, the transition to English and the question of Lutheran identity, merging into a large American denomination in the 20th century, and finally, how our ELCA formed and developed and became the church we know today.

We hope to see you there whether you are a lifelong Lutheran or just starting your journey in the Lutheran church. Should be interesting and enlightening!

Adventure Ministry (BAM)

Camping in Idyllwild

October 9 - 11, 2026

Idyllwild Regional Park

54000 Riverside County Playground Road

Idyllwild CA 92549

Join us to camp in gorgeous Idyllwild Regional Park. The campground has beautiful trails, the Idyllwild Nature Center, and historic sites and museums. It is just a short walk to the community of Idyllwild where there are artsy shops, wine tasting, a brewery, and restaurants.

This campground does not have a group site but has an area that has several campsites in the same loop. Most of these sites accommodate either tents or an RV. There are a couple of loops near this loop that accommodate tents only and tent campers could easily share a campsite.

Please use the following Signup Genius link here to let us know if you have already reserved a campsite. It will be a fun weekend of camping, hiking, and exploring the town.

If you are interested in joining us, please click here to go to the Idyllwild Regional Park website and reserve your campsite. This campground does not have a group site but has an area that has several campsites in the same loop. Most of these sites accommodate either tents or an RV. There are a couple of loops near this loop that accommodate tents only and tent campers could easily share a campsite. We suggest reserving a site in Campground 2, in the loop that contains sites #84 - #96.

As we get closer to October, we will send out another signup for the Saturday night group dinner.

Save the Date!

Saturday, November 7, 2026

Brick N Barn

29200 Miller Rd

Valley Center, CA 92082

https://bricknbarn.com

This is the former estate of the real Betty Crocker, Agnes White. The house was built in 1883. We can enjoy the monthly antique and crafts sale and purchase tickets to tour the house and grounds. We can also sign up for various workshops like the one that taught us how to make these beautiful Christmas trees. November is the perfect month to go because the vendors will be selling lots of Christmas goodies: gifts, clothes, food, jewelry, crafts, and more. Food trucks are available for lunch. And there are lots of peacocks!

We are planning to meet at Brick N Barn at 10AM and stay for lunch. If you would like to carpool plan to meet at the church by 9AM.

If you will be joining us please sign up by clicking here.

BLC Advocacy

The Policy Council of your Lutheran Office of Public Policy California has once again pored over the California ballot propositions that will be on the upcoming ballot. On October 15th at 7 pm, LOPPCA Director Regina Banks will be presenting a summary along with any Policy Council recommendations in an online presentation that gives an ELCA faith-based perspective.

To be clear, this presentation will not tell you you “how to vote.” What this presentation will do is give reasoning based on ELCA social statements and messages as to which propositions may deserve your support or your No vote. As Ms. Banks is fond of saying, “reasonable minds may differ.” We hope you will join this informative faith-based presentation sponsored by the Sierra Pacific Synod Hunger Network. RSVP to Edie Lott at thelotts@gmail.com with your name, city, and congregation. You will receive a Zoom meeting invitation a week before the event.

Scraps and Prayers

Quilts on the Pews - It’s that time of year when we pull our quilts out of storage in anticipation of shipping them to Lutheran World Relief and to other local charities. Join us on Sundays October 4 and 11 when we display the quilts before sending them off. You may take a quilt home with you in exchange for a donation to our ministry. We will accept cash, checks, credit cards, and Venmo, or you may pay through the church’s Vanco website. The money we raise is used to purchase fabric, batting, and other supplies. Thank you for your support!

After School Tutoring

After School Tutoring at Ocean Knoll - Bethlehem Lutheran Church is excited to begin a partnership with Ocean Knoll Elementary School to provide after-school tutoring for students who need extra academic support. Tutoring sessions will be held twice each week, most likely on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and will last approximately 30–45 minutes. Lessons will mostly focus on Math to begin with as we build the program. All lessons will be prepared by the school's intervention teacher and will include clear, easy-to-follow directions, making this a wonderful opportunity for volunteers of all experience levels. We will work closely with the family liaison and intervention teacher to ensure students receive the support they need to succeed. Tutors do not need to be available both days and you do not need to make a weekly commitment. We will take you whenever you are available! If you are interested in learning more about this rewarding ministry and community partnership, email Pastor Laura at revziehl@sbcglobal.net.

Meals for Parishioners

If you are willing to occasionally provide a meal for parishioners of Bethlehem who are sick or in need please contact Rose Moldenhauer, Parish Nurse Rosemoldy@cox.net.

Stephen Ministry

What if I am Unsure About Asking for a Stephen Minister? Upon asking about Stephen Ministry the first step is a visit from one of our Stephen Leaders, Molly Hall, the Referrals Coordinator. She will explain exactly how Stephen Ministry works, answer any questions you may have, and help you find out whether Stephen Ministry is right for you. Any personal information you share will be held in strict confidence, regardless of whether or not you decide to pursue Stephen Ministry at this time. To request a visit please contact Pr. Laura, Pr Sam, or one of our Stephen Leaders, Suzi Westmoreland, Molly Hall or Laure Reynolds.

Food Pantry

THANK YOU for supporting St. Andrews Food Pantry. We collected about 30 bags of groceries during our Lenten food drive and raised $1100 to send directly to St. Andrews to purchase necessary food items. The pantry is distributing groceries every Thursday to about 260 families.

Also, give a shout out to our BLC volunteers who have helped at the pantry this year: Marty Topp, Karl van Schlieder, Arleen van Schlieder, Teri Grady, Steve Grady, Bev Laning, Susan Serdar and Cheryl Mozino.

All are welcome to receive groceries from St. Andrew’s on Thursdays, 2-4 pm. If you or your neighbor are in need, come on over! - Cynthia Heigold

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 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