March 18, 2025 – Become a member this spring!

From Burke Hancer, Director of Membership Engagement

I have been the Director of Membership Engagement at Bethlehem for a few months now, and this spring will be my first experience with our New Member process. I get to participate as a leader on staff and as a newcomer to this community, with fresh eyes for the way we invite, welcome and engage as a congregation.

Whether you are brand new to Bethlehem or you’ve been participating for years, I invite you to join me on the journey. Your active investment in the life of this congregation matters. Your faith, interests, values, questions, and talents are precious and vital gifts to the whole. Your belonging through engagement is a sign that the church is always being made new!

I hope you’ll register for the New Member classes so we can make connections and build relationships together. And, if you’re already a member, plan to attend worship on Sunday, Jun 1 when we welcome this cohort during all of the services. It’s an opportunity to renew your promises to this community and bear witness to the new things God is doing at Bethlehem.

March 11, 2025 – Take Time for Mental Health: 2SLGBTQIA+ Persons and the Role of Faith Communities

Join Bethlehem at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Community next Tuesday, Mar 18, 6:00–8:00 pm for a special Take Time for Mental Health discussion with Matthew Lewellyn-Otten, Director of Organizing at OutFront Minnesota, our state’s largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organization.

Matthew will discuss the barriers to well-being for Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, gender expansive, intersex, asexual, aromantic, questioning and other individuals and ways that people of faith communities can advocate for change to create a more equitable healthcare system.

We recognize that the 2SLGBTQIA+ community often feels unsafe and unequal in our society, preventing many from leading lives of opportunity, autonomy, and full expression. Matthew will share insights on attitudes and strategies for being a good ally.

This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and explore ways to foster a more welcoming and inclusive church environment. A light meal will be provided, followed by the presentation. This is a free event, but a free-will offering for dinner is appreciated. Please register in advance.

March 4, 2025 – We invite you to worship with us this Ash Wednesday!

Dear Bethlehem Community,

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, a time to turn our hearts toward God’s call to repentance and renewal. We invite you to join us for worship on Wednesday, Mar 5, as we begin our Lenten journey with the theme, “The Way It Is: Following Christ’s Call.”

Through scripture, music, and the ancient practice of receiving ashes, we will reflect on God’s call to transformation—both in our lives and in our community.

We hope you will join us as we begin this sacred season together.

Sincerely,
Pastor Chris Enstad & the Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities Team

February 25, 2025 – Feed Minnesota!

Join Bethlehem in supporting the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign—the largest grassroots food and fund drive in the state!

The Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign unites organizations, businesses and faith communities to keep over 300 food shelves stocked across the state. Since its inception, Minnesota FoodShare has distributed over $18 million to participating food shelves, ensuring that families facing food insecurity receive the support they need.

This year’s campaign runs from March 1 – April 6, and Bethlehem is responding by supporting our food shelf partners, ICA and CES, both of which are seeing record numbers of families in need. Spring is a time when food and financial contributions typically decline, making your support during this campaign more important than ever.

February 19, 2025 – You are invited to the Bethlehem Annual Meeting!

Attend, participate and be part of the conversation.

Dear Bethlehem Family,

I invite you to attend the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Congregation on Saturday, Feb 22, 10:00 a.m. at our Minnetonka campus. This gathering is essential for uniting as a faith community, celebrating our shared ministry, and looking ahead to the future.

During this meeting, we will:

• Vote on the stub-year budget as we transition to a new fiscal year structure.
• Engage with our newly approved Vision, Mission and Values, exploring how they will shape our ministry and life together in the coming years.

Your voice and presence matter as we seek to live out our calling as a church faithfully. Please attend, participate, and be part of the conversation that helps guide Bethlehem forward.

This will be in-person only event. Please RSVP online to attend the luncheon following the meeting.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,

Chris Enstad
Lead Pastor

A key focus will be the transition to a July-to-June fiscal year. This change allows Bethlehem to align financial planning with ministry goals and activities more effectively. Jo and Ryan will explain why this shift benefits the church’s long-term growth and how it integrates with our stewardship practices.

The Finance Town Halls are an excellent opportunity to ask questions, provide feedback, and deepen your understanding of how Bethlehem is positioning itself for a faithful and sustainable future. Whether you’re passionate about the church’s mission, curious about the budget process, or simply want to stay informed, these sessions are for you.

Your participation helps shape Bethlehem’s future as we steward God’s gifts for ministry and service. See you there!

November 5, 2024 – Today Is Election Day

We hope you have been engaged in the democratic process this season. If you haven’t already, please plan to vote today before the polls close. Regardless of the outcome, we will need to navigate a mix of emotions and reactions in the coming days and weeks.

This month marks the conclusion of the church calendar with Reign of Christ Sunday. Established by Pope Pius XI in 1925, this festival responded to the rise of secularism, nationalism, and atheism in Europe. The mission of Christian communities is to listen deeply for the Reign of Christ at work in the world, particularly during such challenging times.

The stories we hear in worship during November remind us that Christ is King and that our earthly loyalties should not take precedence. Christ is King, and our partisan heroes are not. Christ is King, and the forces that seek to divide us are not. Our unity in Christ is not a compromise but a transformative shift toward God’s love for the world. Our unity in Christ is also not a fallback position in times of profound disagreement. Jesus has already united all in all.

So come and worship. Pray and read Scripture. Sing aloud and take deep breaths, trusting that the Spirit is alive within you. Engage in the story that continues to change the world. Don’t even wait until Sunday! We will share simple spiritual practices and devotional resources on our social media channels throughout November and hope these rituals remind you of our shared belonging and our unity in Christ.

We are praying for you, beloved community of Bethlehem. May the Word of the Lord penetrate through every anxious distraction and doubt, filling us with hope in Christ Jesus so that we are empowered to love our neighbors and proclaim the truth of God’s grace and love.

Pastor Chris Enstad (Lead Pastor)
Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson (Minnetonka campus Pastor)

November 2, 2024 – Bright Stars of Bethlehem Special Offering Update

Thank you for your generous support of our recent special offering for our outreach partner, Bright Stars of Bethlehem. We are thrilled to share that we collected $3,855 from your contributions! When we factor in the matching funds from the Foundation & Outreach committee, we will be able to donate a total of $10,000 to help Dar al-Kalima University recover from the recent attacks from Israeli occupation forces. Details about the Hospitality Education Center at Dar al-Kalima University available below. 

Your kindness and commitment truly make a meaningful impact in our community and beyond. Together, we are making a difference, and we are grateful for each of you.

Our outreach partner Bright Stars of Bethlehem is a non-profit organization in the United States that raises awareness and financial support for Dar Al-Kalima University, the first and only university of arts and culture in all of Palestine. 

October 29, 2024 – All Saints Sunday

The Book of Psalms tells us again and again: “Sing unto the Lord a new song.” “On earth it is the song of those who believe, in heaven the song of those who see.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer

One of the first passages from Scripture I learned to love was 1 Corinthians 13, Paul’s famous chapter on love. He speaks of patience, kindness and selfless love, along with a believer’s growth in faith. And then he writes, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face.” In this life as we grow in faith, we are blessed by human love, but one day, we will be in the most intimate presence of God, and our faith will be replaced by sight.

This Sunday is All Saints Sunday, when we remember our loved ones who now rest in God. We’ll read the names of people from the congregation who have died in the past year, and we’ll light candles for the newly baptized—a reminder that “saints” are not people who lead extraordinary lives, but ordinary Christians living into the promises of baptism, made holy by Christ. We’ll light candles for our beloved, too.

Some of the kids in Minneapolis will receive communion for the first time. They’ll feast on the meal by which Jesus feeds and forgives and loves us, and they’ll glimpse the mystery that the communion of saints extends beyond time and space and includes both the living and the dead.

In a space not far from our sanctuaries (the narthex in Minnetonka and the small chapel in Minneapolis), we’ll create a “gallery of saints” with photos of loved ones who have died, a visual reminder of the cloud of witnesses who have gone before us. If you are grieving the loss of someone and would like to include a photo, please drop it off at the church office ahead of time, or bring it with you on Sunday. If you are not able to participate in person, we hope you will gather photos and light candles at home during online worship via livestream.

Blessings to you on this All Saints Day and All Saints Sunday.
Pastor Kris

October 22, 2024 – Bound Together In Christ

This Sunday, October 27 is a special day in the life of our church. Not only do we celebrate Reformation Sunday, commemorating the courageous stand of Martin Luther and the reformers, but we also observe Commitment Sunday. As we reflect on the power of God’s grace in our lives, we are invited to prayerfully consider how we will commit our time, talents and financial resources to the work of this church in the coming year.

This year, our theme is “Life Together,” inspired by Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s profound work. Bonhoeffer reminds us that the Christian community is not an optional add-on but an essential part of our faith journey. Just as the reformers stood together in their pursuit of truth, we are also called to stand together, supporting one another in love and service.

Your financial pledge outwardly expresses your commitment to this community and its mission. It allows us to continue offering vital ministries, supporting those in need, and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Even more importantly, it helps us plan.

History shows that Bethlehem members who make a pledge are 98 percent likely to fulfill that commitment. This allows us to have confidence as we look ahead to the coming year and determine how we will best deploy our staff, buildings and ministries to impact God’s world in the name of the mercy and blessings of Jesus Christ.

As you consider your pledge, we encourage you to:

• Pray: Seek God’s guidance in discerning how you can best support the work of our church.
• Reflect: Consider how this community has blessed you and how you can give back.
• Commit: Make a pledge that reflects your desire to participate in the life and ministry of our church.

Commitment Sunday is an opportunity to renew our dedication to Christ and to one another. Let us come together this Sunday with open hearts and a willingness to answer God’s call to “Life Together.”

October 15, 2024 – Beacon Supply Drive & Work Day

When Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative announced that they would be building 40 deeply affordable housing units for families in north Minneapolis, Bethlehem was all in.

Members from this congregation showed up at city council meetings and zoning discussions. And, together with representation from other congregations and leaders in the collaborative, an old furniture store became the lot for a major investment in families and the future of north Minneapolis.

We’ve been talking about Emerson Village since this vision was part of our last capital campaign, long before ground broke on the site. It faced challenges during the pandemic and funding rejection from the city, but these things gave birth to a new advocacy campaign. By the spring of 2023, the campaign successfully increased the Minneapolis Affordable Housing Trust Fund and pushed them to invest in homes for those with the very lowest income levels. The advocacy of Bethlehem members—and an event hosted at the Minneapolis campus—were essential to this historic moment!

October 8, 2024 – Investing In Community

This fall, our “Life Together” series has been exploring what it means to be a community shaped by the love and grace of Christ. Our stewardship theme this year, “Life Together,” invites us to reflect on how we care for one another, not only with our resources but also through the relationships we nurture. Faith, care and connection come together in both ordinary and extraordinary moments.

Below is Joanna Engstom’s story, a testament to the power of stewarding relationships in Christian life.

Joanna’s story is a beautiful reminder that the heart of our stewardship is more than what we give; it is how we live in relationship with one another, especially in times of joy and sorrow.

As we continue in our “Life Together” series, may we be inspired to invest in the relationships that shape our community. In caring for each other, we reflect Christ’s love and steward the gift of fellowship, ensuring that future generations experience the same grace-filled community we have been blessed to share. It is vital that communities such as Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities continue to grow and thrive as we seek to build connections with God, each other, and our world.

October 1, 2024 – Spirit Garage Celebrations

From Pastor Holly Johnson

October is anniversary month for Spirit Garage, a faith community that is one of the expressions of Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities. During October we celebrate twice: First, we celebrate that a year ago we completed a year-long process of learning and discerning about our ability to be welcoming and inclusive of LGBTQIA+ folks, with a commitment to antiracism. That process culminated in writing a welcome statement, which was adopted on October 13, 2023, and we became a Reconciling In Christ faith community. You can read our welcome statement here. We’ll be celebrating during worship on Sunday, Oct 6 at 10:30 AM, followed by a feast catered by Brasa. Feel free to join us! All are welcome, and all means all. (You can even get a t-shirt that says that.)

Second, Spirit Garage will celebrate our 27th year of being a church. It was 27 years ago that Professor Rollie Martinson first asked Bethlehem Lutheran Church what they were going to do about all the young adults living in Uptown that were never going to walk through the doors of a church like Bethlehem. (Some young adults do walk into Bethlehem. We’re talking about the ones who don’t.) Out of that question, Spirit Garage was born and had their first worship service on October 17, 1997. These days, we worship about five blocks away from the Minneapolis campus, at 46th and Blaisdell Avenues. Come join us for our birthday celebration on Sunday, Oct 20 at 10:30 AM, with birthday cake to follow!

We are thankful for the faith and innovation from Bethlehem that set Spirit Garage on it’s path, and we’re excited about where that path takes us in the future.