Bethlehem December News

Advent always seems to sneak up on me. I feel like I’ve barely turned my attention from Halloween to Thanksgiving and then suddenly it’s time to get ready for Christmas! But I love that we are so intentional about getting ready for such an important day in the life of both the church and, really, the whole world. Advent was initially meant to be like a mini-Lent. Lent is a season of somber reflection, repentance, and fasting to get ready for the joy and exuberance of Easter, and so Advent was meant to function in a similar way. A time for intentional waiting, watching, and listening to the words of John the Baptist who proclaims, “Prepare the way of the Lord!”

It's interesting to juxtapose the ideas of “waiting,” which feels very stagnant and inactive, with the notion of “preparation,” which by nature feels full of activity and movement. To try to do both will inevitably result in feeling somewhat torn between two, pulled in two opposite directions. When that happens, we enter what is called “liminal space” – the space between spaces; halfway between what was, and what is yet to come. And while that sensation can be strange and uncomfortable at first, the more we lean into that discomfort, the more we find that it is a place that is filled with great creative potential – fertile ground that is just waiting for new life to blossom forth.

Additionally, we may need to rethink our traditional understanding of what it means to “wait.” Waiting does not have to be a time of inactivity. There is such a thing as active waiting, a form of waiting that incorporates preparation for the new thing that we are anticipating and hoping for. And that is the kind of waiting that we are called to during the season of Advent. We are called to clear out the clutter in our hearts and minds and make room for the coming of Jesus into our world. We are invited to hear John’s words calling us to repentance and affirmation of our faith, in anticipation of the coming of the one who will make all things new.

We talk often about Lenten disciplines, and I’d like to suggest that our Advent disciplines this year be to consider what it means to both wait and prepare simultaneously. You just might find that the tension between the two bears some unexpected fruit.

Blessings, Pastor Sam

December Worship Schedule

Sunday Worship

December 7th, 14th, and 21st - 9 and 10:30 am
December 28th - One service at 10 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.

Advent and Christmas - Worship Service Schedule

Comfort at Christmas Worship Service - Thursday, Dec. 11th at 7 pm

Advent 3 – Children’s Christmas Program - Sunday, Dec. 14th at 9 & 10:30 am

Advent 4 – “A Christmas Carol” - Sunday, Dec. 21st at 9 & 10:30 am

Christmas Eve – Dec. 24th -

- Candlelit Worship Service at 10 am, 7 pm, & 9 pm

- Children’s Christmas Service at 4:30 pm

Music Ministry

Christmas Concert - December 7 - Bethlehem's Music Ensembles will be performing their annual Christmas Concert " Stars and Angels" in the sanctuary on Sunday, December 7 at 4 pm. Groups performing will be the Good News Singers, Children's Choir, JuBellation Ringers, World Music Ensemble, Woodwind Ensemble, Soloists, and Band of Bethlehem. The concert will also be livestreamed on Bethlehem's YouTube channel.

Special Music in December

12/7 - World Music Ensemble
12/14 - Learning Circle program with Children's Choir
12/21 - A Christmas Carol and Good News Singers Men
12/24 - 10 am- Carolin Meinhardt, 9 pm- Good News Singers
12/28 - to be determined

Youth Ministry

Poinsettias, Wreaths & Tacos! - THANK YOU to everyone who ordered from our wreath and poinsettia fundraiser! Purchased items can be picked up on Saturday, December 6th between 9:30 am and 12:30 pm.

Youth can bring in the Christmas cheer and help to distribute the wreaths and Poinsettias from our fundraiser. Be at Bethlehem Lutheran at 9:15 am. We will end at 12:30 when we go for tacos at Wahoo's. Santa hats are optional, but encouraged. Contact Deacon Mindy if you have questions.

Winter Camp - Registration is Open! February 20-22 all 6th – 12th grade students are invited to Winter Camp at Luther Glen. The cost is $205 per student. For more details and to register, use this link. Let Mindy know to expect you and to coordinate transportation.

Instagram for Our Youth - Share in the youth group's Instagram. This is a fun option for students who want to connect with peers through messages of faith and prayers. Parents and students are invited to follow "faithwhereyouare" on Instagram. If youth are interested in providing content as prayers or inspirations, let Mindy know.

Confirmation Class - Class will meet on December 2nd and 16th from 5:30-6:30 pm.

Bake Sale

Bake Sale! - Supporting the Women of Bethlehem Lutheran Church

Calling all Bakers!

Bethlehem Lutheran Church women will be hosting a bake sale full of a delicious selection of homemade treats on Sunday, December 14th after the 9 and 10:30 services.

All proceeds from this event will support the programs, outreach, and initiatives led by the Women of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. All are welcome to contribute - your support helps us make a positive difference in our church and our community. If you’d like to donate baked goods they may be delivered on Saturday, December 13th between 2 and 4 pm in the multi-purpose room or before the 9 am service on Sunday, December 14th.

Please email Lori Wolf lorijanewolf@gmail.com) if you can donate (or sign up Sunday at church).

Also, you have questions or need alternate arrangements for delivering let her know.

Together, let’s make this bake sale a sweet success!

Children's Ministry

Intergenerational Christmas Program - The Children’s Ministry Intergenerational Christmas Program, The Friendly Beasts, will take place on December 14th during both the 9:00 am and 10:30 am worship services. The story is told through the eyes of animals at the manger and focuses on the gifts we all bring to Jesus. Join us for a time of story, song and sharing of gifts. All children in attendance are invited to join the celebration by wearing an animal costume and participating in portions of the program. Following the 10:30 service, a special Blessing of the Animals will be offered, and all animals present are welcome to take part in the closing manger scene. We have small gift bags to share with all of our children in attendance on the 14th. We look forward to seeing you at the manger!

Learning Circles December Schedule

December 7 - God's Peaceful World (Isaiah 2:1-5)
December 14 - "The Friendly Beasts" Intergenerational Christmas Program
December 21 - Angels Visit (Matthew 1:18-25)
December 28 - Escape to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-23)

Secret Santa

Thanks to everyone who has to already supported the Secret Santa Ministry this year!! There is still time to participate — support for this ministry will be available until Sunday, December 7th. Ways to participate are listed below:

Monetary donations to help either our Secret Santa program which supports local families in need or Es Por Los Ninos (Its For The Children). Es Por Los Ninos 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.
Gift cards towards the local Secret Santa Project. We are asking for either $40 or $50 gift cards from Target, Walmart, or any grocery stores.
Donations for the Teen Shelter program in San Diego. We are asking for for the following items to help create a gift for a foster teen.

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

You can make a monetary donations either by writing a check or donating online. Please make checks out to Bethlehem Lutheran Church then add either Es Por Los Ninos or Secret Santa in the memo section of your check. Online donations can be made to either Es Por Los Ninos or Secret Santa by clicking on one of the links listed below:

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

Thank you for your many years of support!!

If you have any questions, please call Cheryl Monreal at (760) 942-1482 or Carolin Meinhardt at (760) 803-4926

Stephen Ministry

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

Galatians 6:2

For the Holidays- Give Care - For most of us Christmas is a time to gather with family and friends and celebrate the season. This year, in addition to giving gifts to your loved ones also consider giving care.

Care to visit someone who is lonely and feels forgotten by all the festivities.

Care to listen to someone who is hurting and is having difficulty finding a reason to celebrate.

Care to share the burden of someone who is overwhelmed by preparations for the season.

Care for the children of a busy mother so she can shop by herself.

Care for someone who cannot be left alone- an ill family member, a frail elderly person, a special needs child- so that their caregiver can attend to their own needs.

Care enough to refer someone to Stephen Ministry. A person does not need to be a member of Bethlehem to receive the care of a Stephen Minister. Before making a referral, please remember to ask the person’s permission first.

For more information about Stephen Ministry please contact Pr. Laura, Pr Sam, For the Holidays- Give Care

For most of us Christmas is a time to gather with family and friends and celebrate the season. This year, in addition to giving gifts to your loved ones also consider giving care.

Care to visit someone who is lonely and feels forgotten by all the festivities.

Care to listen to someone who is hurting and is having difficulty finding a reason to celebrate.

Care to share the burden of someone who is overwhelmed by preparations for the season.

Care for the children of a busy mother so she can shop by herself.

Care for someone who cannot be left alone- an ill family member, a frail elderly person, a special needs child- so that their caregiver can attend to their own needs.

For more information about Stephen Ministry please contact Pr. Laura or our Stephen Leaders Molly Hall, Suzi Westmoreland, or Laure Reynolds.

BLC Advocacy

Lutheran Office of Public Policy-California Now Offers Secure Online Giving through Vanco - LOPP-CA advocates for economic justice, human rights, reconciliation, and stewardship of creation. Supporting Lutheran Office of Public Policy California helps advance the ELCA’s public policy work in California, provides education and networking for congregations, and promotes peace and justice through collaboration with other groups.

When you give online you will be given a choice to support LOPP-CA’s day-to-day operations or the annual Lutheran Lobby Day, where Lutherans from all over the state gather in Sacramento to meet with their elected officials. Click here to go to LOPP-CA’s website and scroll down until you see the "Give Online" button on the front page. It only takes a minute.

Adventure Ministry (BAM)

2025 Recap and 2026 Plans - Thank you to everyone who joined our adventures in 2025. Your participation and enjoyment inspire us to continue finding new adventures. See below for a recap of the 4.1 adventures we had in 2025...

2026 - Mark your calendars! - These are the adventures we're planning for next year. We will provide more details closer to the events. Note: All adventures are planned for Saturdays. We reserve the right to change dates or adventures depending on what the new year brings.

February 21: We're going to the World Famous San Diego Zoo Safari Park. In February, anyone 65 or over can enter for free! If you are under 65 or don't have a membership, contact one of the leaders. We have lots of options.
April 18: Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad. We have scheduled a docent-led tour, and the museum is offering a discount on tickets.
June 20: 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 like the one that taught us how to make these beautiful Christmas trees. Food trucks are available for lunch. And there are lots of peacocks!
September 12: A water adventure at Oceanside Harbor. Bring or rent your kayaks and paddle boards. If you don't want to be in the water, join us on the electric party boat as we tour the harbor and compete to find the most hilarious boat names. Stay for lunch, too!
October 16 - 18: Camping in Idyllwild. We've picked a new camping destination this year. Stay tuned for more details.

We hope one of these adventures catches your interest. Most of our adventures are suggested by one of you! If you have ideas for an adventure, please contact one of our leaders: Dennis Astroth, Eileen Lajimodiere, Lori Wolf, and Suzi Westmoreland

2025 Recap ...

On February 8, 15 of us enjoyed the 3.2 mile round trip walk next to the Batiquitos Lagoon. It's a lovely, level walk with views of the water, vegetation, and wildlife. After the walk, we enjoyed a delicious fish lunch at Pelly's nearby.
On March 29, eight intrepid bikers biked from Oceanside to Mission San Luis Rey on the San Luis Rey Trail. Thanks to Chris LaClair who pointed out the sites: a Benedictine monastery, a recycling center, the site of a new resort complex, and Eden's elementary school! We also saw parachuters who had taken off from Oceanside Airport. We enjoyed a picnic lunch at the mission.
May 10 saw 18 of us carpool to Cabrillo National Monument for a beautiful walk along the Bayside Trail. Thanks to Sue Kristiansen, a docent there, for lots of information that we used to plan the adventure. After the hike, we shared a picnic lunch with some of the most fabulous views in all of San Diego. Some of us viewed the very interesting documentary films that play every day.
On July 11, we attempted a beach day at Moonlight Beach. (This is the .1 part of our 4.1 adventures.) We forgot that in the middle of summer there is NO PARKING at Moonlight (unless you arrive at sunrise!). Lesson learned.
The weekend of September 7, 16 dauntless campers enjoyed the weekend at the El Prado group campground near the town of Mount Laguna. Thanks to Dennis Astroth for organizing the trip and the communal dinner. Pastor Laura joined the fun on Saturday!

Stewardship Stream

Advent and Stewardship: Waiting with Open Hands - Advent is one of those seasons that sneaks up on us. The turkey leftovers are barely gone, and suddenly we’re lighting candles, humming “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” and counting down the days until Christmas. But Advent isn’t just about waiting for December 25—it’s about learning how to wait well, with hearts and hands open to God.

Stewardship fits right into this rhythm. Advent reminds us that everything we have—our time, our resources, even our breath—is a gift. We’re not owners, we’re caretakers. Think about Mary and Joseph: they didn’t control the story, but they made room for it. Their “yes” to God was an act of stewardship, offering their lives to be part of something bigger.

So what does that look like for us? Maybe it’s carving out quiet moments in a busy season to pray. Maybe it’s choosing generosity when the world says “buy more.” Maybe it’s sharing our talents—baking cookies for a neighbor, volunteering at church, or simply listening to someone who’s lonely. Stewardship in Advent is less about doing grand things and more about being faithful in small ones.

As we wait for Christ’s coming, let’s remember that stewardship isn’t a chore—it’s a way of living thankfully. Advent teaches us to hold our gifts loosely, ready to offer them back to God. After all, the greatest gift we celebrate this season wasn’t wrapped under a tree, but laid in a manger.

[Note: this article was drafted with the aid of Co-Pilot.]

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