Bethlehem May News

I’ve been reflecting on the Gospel story that we heard a few weeks ago, the one where Jesus appeared to two of his disciples traveling on the road to Emmaus. They didn’t recognize him at first, even after walking with him for many miles, and hearing him explain the scriptures to them with great detail and insight. It wasn’t until they shared a meal with him, and Jesus broke the bread, that their eyes were suddenly opened and they recognized him for who he truly was.

This story clearly has strong parallels to the last supper, when Jesus instituted the gift of Holy Communion. Believe it or not, there are many churches that have very strict rules about who is and who is not allowed to participate in communion. Some are unspoken, implied rules, but some churches actually print it right there in their bulletins – a list of rules and “if-then” statements about who is welcome at the table. Some congregations require you to be members of that particular church or denomination, while others will allow non-members to commune as longs as they check in with the pastor ahead of time. Those of you who come from different denominational backgrounds might not be surprised by this – you very well may have visited or belonged to a congregation that held some of these practices.

And while they each have their reasons and rationale, you won’t find any such rules here at Bethlehem. We practice what is called “open communion” which means that any and all are welcome at the table. If you’ve communed every Sunday for the past 50 years – you are welcome. If it’s your very first-time setting foot in a church – you are welcome. If your one-year-old reaches for some bread (and we check with you to make sure that it’s okay) you better believe that Pastor Laura and I are going to hand it to them. Part of the reason for this approach is because of what happened on the Road to Emmaus. Communion is a sacrament in the Lutheran Church, which means that we consider it to be what is called a “means of grace” or a way that God imparts grace into our lives. And if Jesus chooses to make himself known to someone in the bread and the wine of our Sunday morning communion practice, just as he made himself known to those two disciples all those years ago, then we do not want to be the ones standing in the way of or preventing that from happening. Now that certainly doesn’t mean that we don’t believe in the importance of education and things like First Communion training – communion is one of the most sacred practices of the church and it’s important for people to understand what it is that we are doing. But understanding is not a prerequisite for experiencing, which is why, here at Bethlehem, we proudly say that all are welcome!

Blessings, Pastor Sam

May Worship Schedule

Sunday Morning Worship

May 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th & 31st - 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 Sunday service or as indicated.

Music Ministry

Spring Concert - June 7 at 4 pm - The choirs have had a short break and are now back at rehearsals gearing up for our concert , "The Best of Spring " on Sunday, June 7 at 4 pm. Included in the concert will be Barbershop, Gospel and Beatles music! The Children's Choir, JuBellation Ringers, World Music Ensemble, Woodwind Trio, Band of Bethlehem and Good News Singers will be performing.

Re-dedication of Dot's Garden - May 10 - Dot's Garden has been renovated and will be blessed at the end of the 10:30 a.m. service. The Good News Singers will lead music at the garden for this glorious event.

Special Music for May services

5/3 - Good News Singers
5/10- Mother's Day -Children's Choir ( 10:30 only) , Duet - Mona Goetsch, Sandy Lakey
5/17 - Duet by Dave Ensberg/Mark Stauffer
5/24 - Pentecost - Good News Singers
5/31- Woodwind Trio

Education Opportunity

Understanding Neurodivergence Workshops - This free workshop series provides practical, evidence-based strategies to understand and support neurodivergence in yourself and others with ADHD and autism. The final session "Autism support in Daily Life" is on Sunday, May 3rd from 11:45 am to 12:45 pm.

Details:

Feel free to attend
Snacks provided- bring a packed lunch if desired.
Workshops for teens & adults - childcare will be available for all ages.
Register online here.
Have questions? Contact Marisa Smith at (858) 324-4945 or msneurodiversityeducator@gmail.com

Youth Ministry

May 17th Dinner and a Show! -Don't miss the 3rd, annual, youth-hosted dinner and lip sync competition. The fun starts at 5:30 pm. Bethlehem will host this event with the proceeds benefiting the youth's summer service trip. Free-will donations will be accepted at the door. Reserve your spot for dinner now using this link to the sign up page.

The Lip Sync Competition for the Golden Microphone and the Church Cup competition, versus St. Andrew’s, will be held following dinner. Congregation members are invited to be performers or voters from the audience. Votes are cast with monetary donations for individual performances. To compete in the Lip Sync Contest, complete the registration form available here.

Youth News

Crafternoon – May 3 - Youth can join in creative fun at Crafternoon! Supplies for a wide variety of art and craft projects will be provided. Youth can either keep their creations or donate them for the fundraiser event. Meet at Bethlehem Lutheran on Sunday, May 3 from 11:30 am-1:00 pm. Contact Deacon Mindy with questions.

Beach Party – May 9 - Many area youth groups are getting together at Crown Point, Mission Bay, for a bonfire, food, and fun. Food and drinks will be provided. Spikeball and other games will be available. Join in the songs around the camp fire. Meet new friends and reconnect with old friends. We will be together from 4:45pm-7:45pm. Sign up by May 5th using this link. (Parents/adult drivers are welcome to sign up also.)

Graduate Recognition - We want to recognize the high school students graduating this year. Please plan to attend the 10:30 am service on Sunday, May 31st for a special blessing.

Summer Service Trip - The youth are going to Los Angeles this summer!

Dates: July 27 - Aug 2, 2026
Who: 8th - 12th graders

Our friendships and faith will grow while our hearts and minds are opened to new experiences. Contact Deacon Mindy for more information and to register.

Children's Ministry

Teacher Appreciation Day - Join us on Sunday, May 10th, at both services as we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Sunday! We will honor all of our incredible teachers, including our dedicated Learning Circle teachers, for their hard work, guidance, and commitment to our children. Let’s take this special time to show our gratitude and appreciation for the impact they have everyday.

Learning Circles - Our Sunday morning Learning Time continues each week during the 10:30 service until the end of May. Our Learning Circles will take a break during the summer months, June-August, but look for the worship resources for children in the narthex. Our hope is to provide activities for kids to help keep them engaged and occupied during the worship services. Please let us know if you have any questions or ideas. Here is our Learning Circle schedule and themes for the month of May:

May 3 - God's House (John 14:1-14)
May 10 - The Promise of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-21) / Teacher Appreciation Week
May 17 - The Ascension (Acts 1:6-14)
May 24 - The Holy Spirit (Acts 21:21)
May 31 - MUSIC w/Mona

Busy Bags/Children's Worship Resources - We have updated our "Busy "Bags" which are found in the Children's Worship Resource area in the narthex. The Busy Bags are now divided in two levels - Up to 5 years and Older Children. Our hope is that these bags are a way to help children stay engaged during the service. Each bag is filled with quiet, child-friendly activities designed to support young worshipers as they learn and grow. We invite families to make use of these resources and appreciate your help in caring for them—please be sure that all items are returned neatly to the bag after use so that they are ready for the next child to enjoy.

June 22-26, 2026 – Camp Kindness - Join us for Vacation Bible School: Camp Kindness! from June 22nd to 26th from 9 am to 12 noon daily. Hosted by Bethlehem Lutheran Church and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Click HERE to register.

This year’s camping theme will focus on spreading kindness through exploration of Bible stories centered on friendship. Kids will engage in exciting rotations, including Around the Campfire (Bible Story), Cooperation Station (Science), Interactive Music, and Teamwork Time (Games). Each rotation will inspire kids to work together, celebrate our differences and spread kindness in our world. We will also be exploring different ways that we can spread kindness in tangible ways around the neighborhood.

Camp Kindness! VBS is designed for children Age 4 – 6th Grade. Cost is $75 for the first child and $30 per additional child. Scholarships are available.

Stephen Ministry

Anxiety vs. Stress - Stephen Ministry invites you to a community education presentation from the Faith-Based Behavioral Health Academy.

In these modern times, many of us may feel stressed or anxious. What's the difference? And what can we do? Learn the difference between anxiety and stress and when and how to find support at this free Zoom presentation.

Anxiety vs. Stress

Monday, May 4, 2026

7-8 pm PDT

Please register here for this meeting. You will receive the Zoom link via email.

Questions? Contact one of the Stephen Leaders: Molly Hall, Laure Reynolds, or Suzi Westmoreland

Bethlehem Advocacy

"Protect Our Community - Protect Ourselves"

Neighborhood Response Training - May 11th

We’re excited to keep you connected with opportunities to learn, engage, and respond to the urgent needs of our immigrant community.

On Monday, May 11, from 6-8 pm, Bethlehem is pleased to host an event organized by the North County Justice Allies. This gathering is open to all members of our community who are interested in learning more about how to support our immigrant neighbors. Please see the details in the flyer below. If you’d like to attend, you can register by clicking the link here. We hope to see you there.

Travel Scholarships to Lutheran Lobby Day! -

This year there are airfare and hotel scholarship funds available for younger adults (under 36) to come to Sacramento for Lutheran Lobby Day on Wednesday, May 20th. Lobby Day is when ELCA Lutherans across the state gather at the Capitol to advocate for hunger relief, environmental justice, and other priority legislation as based on our faith values.

We first gather for opening worship service the evening before at St. John’s Lutheran, and the next day we meet in small groups with our scheduled legislative offices. If you’ve never met with a legislative office before, no worries! You’ll be in good hands paired with an experienced leader.

Registration for participants of all ages is open here. Please register by May 12 as hotel rooms in our block do run out. For information on travel scholarship funds, email Lutheran Office of Public Policy director Regina Banks at regina.banks@elca.org.

Louise Julig is attending and is happy to answer any additional questions you may have: email blcadvocacy@gmail.com.

Hope to see you in Sacramento in May!

BLC Women of Welcome

Bethlehem Women’s Retreat

SAVE THE DATE!

Our next Bethlehem Women’s Retreat will be held at Luther Glen on September 18 - 20, 2026. Stay tuned for more information.

Adventure Ministry (BAM)

2026 Schedule Update - Get ready to camp with BAM!

Due to scheduling conflicts, we have updated our schedule for this year:

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.

ACTION: Reserve your site by clicking here, which we recommend you do as soon as possible because the sites fill up at this time of year. We suggest reserving a site in Campground 2, in the loop that contains sites #84 - #96.

Questions? Contact Lori Wolf or Dennis Astroth.

Future Adventure...

November 7: Brick N Barn in Valley Center. 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. Food trucks are available for lunch. And there are lots of peacocks! November is the perfect month to go because the vendors will be selling lots of Christmas goodies: gifts, clothes, food, jewelry, crafts, and more. Look for more information in the October newsletter. For information click here. (Please note: This adventure has been rescheduled from June so it doesn't interfere with VBS preparation.)

Questions? Contact one of the leaders: Dennis Astroth, Lori Wolf, or Suzi Westmoreland or send an email to: blcsm@outlook.com

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