Bethlehem March News

Every wilderness experience I have ever had has been wonderful. Our first trip to Yellowstone, with two young girls in the car, will always hold a special place. After driving for days, we arrived in the park and I told my girls that if they saw cars by the side of the road and looked closely, they would very likely see a bison or an elk. They were so excited. No sooner had the words left my mouth, when we turned a corner and in front of us was a small herd of bison, and a small herd of cars. Their mouths flew open and I became prophetic! Then Mesa Verde and the homes of the Anasazi, the first peoples; General Sherman and the towering Giant Sequoias; Arches National Park, and rocks reddened by the sunset — all of these experiences have shown me the very heart of God, and opened my soul to its greatest healing.

Perhaps that is the purpose of wilderness, not to be ominous but to be instructive, to allow open spaces to open the heart, that there might be more room for the divine, and for the Word of God to take its place in us. Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit at the beginning of his ministry. Perhaps God was providing him intentional space to consider his commission and what it meant to be the Son of God. Perhaps our time in wilderness and in the intangible wilderness of our lives is meant for the same. Perhaps it is a gift of God, to provide space for the widening of the heart, the deepening of our compassion, the examination of our pain, and the opportunity to consider our commission as followers of Jesus.

Lent is a wilderness journey of some 40 days, and it is meant for much the same. It is meant to open the heart and bare the soul and consider, not that which is external to us, but that which is internal. That we might be broken open by the silent space of wilderness and granted instruction by the wide sky of God’s grace.

Perhaps, like Jesus, it is a rare opportunity for the leading of the Spirit — the gift of time, to learn who we are. Often we give up something for Lent, but perhaps rather than giving stuff up, we might this year, lean into that which deepens our identity as children of God. That which helps us to know ourselves better, scars and all. Perhaps it is time for sabbath keeping, which is my decision for this lenten journey, or prayer or study, or simply the space to stop and allow the spinning of our lives to slow, so that we might catch a glimpse of our identity outside of the whirlwind.

When did you last stand at the top of a mountain, or at the edge of the sea, or in the shadow of the tallest tree at the end of a journey? What did you see there? And more importantly, what did you feel there? The depth of that feeling is what it means to stand in the company of God and for just a moment, to know deeply who you are.

May you journey in the strength of that knowledge in this season. May it carry you into every grace and into every act of compassion and care you extend in God’s name. May the knowledge that you are loved by God, as you are, be your hope for every tomorrow. God bless you on this and every wilderness road you travel.

Godspeed your journey,

Pastor Laura

(In order to honor my Lenten Sabbath keeping, I will be away from my phone on Mondays, my day off, between now and Easter. I will be distant from my phone, that I might be close to God. I pray the same nearness for you, in whatever way you choose.)

March Worship Schedule

Sunday Morning Worship:

March 5, 12, 19, & 26 - 9 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 or as indicated.

Learning Circles take place during the 10:30 AM worship service. We have classes for ages 3 thru 6th grade and nursery services available, too!

Lenten Wednesday Worship:

March 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29 - 6 PM

Wednesdays in Lent

Join us Wednesday evenings during Lent starting on March 1. We will be gathering for Holden Evening Prayer in the sanctuary at 6 PM. Worship will be immediately followed by dinner in the Family Center. We are overjoyed that for the first time since Covid, we will be able to gather at the same table for a meal together. As the meal is winding down, we will transition into a time of education and discussion around a video series with Rachel Held Evans. The videos engage what it means to be the church in our day, and are short enough to allow ample time for conversation.

For those unable to attend in person, the Holden Evening Prayer portion of the evening will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel. And a Zoom option will be available for the education piece. (Please contact the church office for the Zoom link.) Sadly, you will have to make your own soup.

Blessings on your Lenten journey, and we hope you can join us. All are welcome!

Women of Welcome (WoW) - Men of Bethlehem (MOB)

WOW & MOB Trivia Night - Join us on Tuesday March 7 at 6:30 in the Family Center as the Women of Welcome (WOW) and the Men of Bethlehem (MOB) host the first ever joint BLC Trivia Night. We will form teams the night of, so there is no need to sign up. Please bring a beverage of your choice, and a snack if you so choose. Hope to see you there!

Children's Ministry

We enjoyed our first Family Event of the year on Feb. 24th for a game night, pizza and cookie decorating. Thanks to all who came out and joined us. Mark you calendars now for upcoming Children's Ministry events:

April 9th, 10:30 am - Easter Egg Hunt
June 26-th - 30th - Vacation Bible School (VBS)

More information will be coming soon about both of these events, as well as another family event scheduled for May. If you would like to be added to the children's ministry email list, please contact Jana Hegg at childrensministry@blcenc.org.

Our Sunday morning Learning Time continues each week during the 10:30 service, where we utilize a multi-age classroom curriculum which emphasizes the use of peer buddies across all ages. We are also continuing our monthly music time on Sunday mornings during Learning Circles, which is led by Mona Goetsch. Here is our Learning Circle schedule and themes for the month of February:

March 5 - Abram's Call
March 12 - Woman at the Well
March 19 - Lazarus
March 26 - Music with Mona

We continue to have a need for more teachers for Learning Circles. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Jana Hegg at childrensministry@blcenc.org.

Music Ministry

March Music Happenings - The Good News Singers are rehearsing for the Palm Sunday cantata "Worthy is the Lamb" by Lloyd Larson. Accompanied by a small orchestra, the narrated version of the Passion story will be performed as the sermon for both services that day. Please join us on April 2nd for this powerful rendition.

Weekly Wednesday Lenten services featuring the Holden Evening Prayer start on March 1st at 6 pm and last all month. Following the service, a meal will be held in the family center and hosted by various church groups. On March 15, the Choirs are hosting and have chosen an Italian theme for the meal. Enjoy Italian pasta, soup, salad, bread and desserts! After the meal, our Pastors will lead an education hour.

Here is the schedule of choirs leading March worship:

March 5 - JuBellation Ringers
March 12 - Good News Singers
March 19 - Children's Choir and Chimers
March 26 - Second Sabbath

ELCA Advocacy

“Advocacy in Quarantine” Our weekly information sessions continue on Wednesdays at 12:00pm. “AiQ” is a 30-minute Zoom with Regina Q. Banks, Director of the Lutheran Office of Public Policy – California. Each week Regina will give us an update on state and federal legislative priorities and suggest a quick advocacy activity.

Save the Date: Lutheran Lobby Day! May 17 - Lutheran Office of Public Policy - California has scheduled a Lobby Day at the Capitol in Sacramento for Wednesday, May 17. Free registration and details here. We will gather to pray, learn, and meet with our California legislators. Come advocate with us – we’ll teach you how! It is a powerful experience to be able to express our faith-based positions on policies to our representatives.

Presiding Bishop’s Statement on the Killing of Tyre Nichols - ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton has issued a statement on the killing of Tyre Nichols. “As the nation watches another video exposing police violence against a Black man after a traffic stop, there will be great suffering and despair emerging from across the United States.” And “As Americans, we must all face this problem. Together we must cry out, much as Rachael wept in loud lamentation, "How long, O Lord?"”

A Pastoral Message in Support of our Jewish Neighbors - ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton has issued a statement about reports that extremist groups are planning a national "Day of Hate", targeting Jews. “We reject as sin and as an affront to the gospel all calls for hatred of the Jewish people and all forms of white supremacy.”

ELCA Advocacy Monthly Update

United Nations and State Edition

LOPP- CA: Facebook, Twitter

Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton: Facebook, Twitter

Pacifica Synod: Facebook, Twitter

ELCA Advocacy: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

ELCA: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

For information or questions about Bethlehem’s Advocacy Team, contact Karin Kloehn at blcadvocacy@gmail.com.

St. Andrews Food Pantry Drive

Continuing our long partnership with St. Andrews community feeding ministries, we will be collecting food March 19-26th for the food pantry. The pantry accepts all canned and shelf stable food, and is in need of:

Peanut butter, canned stews with meat, tuna, canned chicken, spaghetti sauce, chili, canned vegetables.
Condiments such as ketchup, mayo, hot sauces.
Snack bars and school lunch items.
Adult size disposable underwear.
And any other canned or shelf stable foods!

You may drop off your food directly into the marked SUV in the visitor parking spot on Sunday mornings or leave it in the church narthex near the St. Andrews basket.

If you prefer, you may donate funds directly to the pantry. They depend upon monetary donations to purchase particular foods. Click here to go to the donation page on our website.

Questions? Contact Cynthia Heigold

Thank you for all you do to help others.

Pajama Project

The Pajama Project begins it's 27th year - Saturday, March 25th, 9 - 2 in the Family Center - For the first time in 3 years, we will again be meeting for one of our fun Work Party Days to cut out and assemble kits for PJ's to be made.

All tools will be provided to help us cut out PJ's, If you know how to sew, Please join us to help sew these wonderful gifts that are distributed each year to those in our community that need them the most!

For more information email PJproject@gmail.com or call Belinda at 760-822-9573.

Stephen Ministry

Time to Bloom! March in San Diego is a time to stop thinking about the cold of winter and begin to look forward to springtime, new growth, and warmer weather. Its also a time for ourselves to stop dwelling on the thoughts and habits of the past and start to think about change. It’s time to emerge from the cocoon we have sheltered in for the past few years, and to enjoy being new and vibrant and active! Try something new. Join a new group. Start a new exercise or activity. Shake things up and celebrate being you!

If you find moving on is difficult for you, consider talking with a Stephen Minister. Stephen Ministers are lay people from the congregation who have been trained to listen and support those who are going through a difficult time in their lives. Your Stephen Minister will soon become a cherished friend. All relationships and conversations are strictly confidential and last as long as you feel there is a need.

If you would like more information about Stephen Ministry for yourself or for another, please speak with Pr Laura, Pr Sam, or one of our Stephen Leaders, Molly Hall, Laure Reynolds, or Suzi Westmoreland.

Stewardship Stream

Looking for Your Heart?? For many of us, Lent is a time of introspection and examination through prayer. The reflection on Christ’s sacrifice during his journey into the desert for 40 days invites imitation of commitment and discipline.

Sometimes a scriptural lamppost can guide us in this spiritual exercise. At our Ash Wednesday service, we heard the following words from Matthew 6 that might help us meditate on what Lent might mean in a stewardship context:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,

where moth and rust consume and

where thieves break in and steal;

but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

where neither moth nor rust consumes and

where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Where is your treasure these days? Is it where you’d like to find your heart? During Lent, are there changes in where you place your treasure – your time, your finances – to move your heart closer to God? What commitment or new discipline would you like to make to better celebrate the coming Holy Week and beyond?

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.

COVID Vaccine Help

If you need help navigating the Covid-19 vaccine sign up process, we are here to help. Our Stephen Ministry/Parish Nurse team can assist with:

Finding out your eligibility to receive a vaccine.
Helping you find a vaccination site and make an appointment.
Assisting with transportation to the site.

Please call the church office, (760) 753-1026, and we will get you the help you need.

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