children, Youth & Family
Children
PrayerGrounds
The Minneapolis PrayerGround is open during this summer for your little ones. A
place has been created in the Commons with a table, books and quiet activities. The
worship is streamed above their heads for you to continue to participate in worship.
The nursery option continues to be a place well-loved by our little ones.
The Minnetonka PrayerGround is part of a refreshed section in the back, lectern-side
of the sanctuary. This space is perfect for families with small children who need extra
room for crawlers, wigglers, and all the gear parents shlep along to church.
Sunday School and Echo
Fall is on our minds! We are restructuring and creating new Sunday School and ECHO
elements. We will be introducing monthly “Servant projects”. Would you like to
champion a project? Volunteer to organize one month’s service project? OR are you
interested in reading a Bible story to a group of children? Contact Kirsten Patterson at
[email protected] or 612.312.3420.
From the Youth Team
This summer, there are many exciting opportunities for youth:
City Stay: June (11th)
Israel/Palestine: June (10th-12th)
Volunteer with VBS: June (7th-12th)
Camp Amnicon: July 8-13 (7th-12th)
Serve Boldly: Chicago: July 22-27 (7th-12th)
Green Lake Bible Camp: July 29-August 3 (7th-12th)
Why we love volunteering at Bethlehem’s VBS: Little kids are joyful and wise. It is
fun to have kids look up to you. God loves silly, messy, beautiful. Leading brings
confidence and clarity.
Why we love going to Green Lake Bible Camp: Bunk beds, water fun, stars, campfires,
guitar worship and smores all make building friendships and deepening faith more
scrumptious!
Why we love Amnicon canoe trips: Nature is powerful. Rapids are fun. Sharing a tent
bonds people. We meet God in the water.
Why we love Serve Boldly in Chicago: Chicago is an amazingly diverse city made up of
dozens and dozens of unique neighborhoods full of culture and opportunity. Serving
changes our hearts as we see Jesus in the unexpected corners.
Why we love City Stay: You do not need to travel across the country to have a cross-
cultural experience. Sometimes the most exciting boundary to cross is the one
right in front of your nose. Knowing your actual neighbor makes the world more
beautiful.
Why we love The Global Immersion Project trip to Israel and Palestine: Why not go
to the center of conflict to learn how to make peace? You get to walk where Jesus
walked and meet folks who are working tirelessly to bring reconciliation to our
hurting world.
Why we love sending our kids to Green Lake Bible Camp: a week of great fun, fabulous
food, and enriching prayer. Youth come home from camp refreshed and renewed
with a stronger relationship with God, new friends from Bethlehem and other
churches, and a desire to get more involved at church. REGISTER on the GLLM
website and REGISTER FOR THE BUS on our
website. (Bethlehem will have a bus going to
camp on Sunday, July 29 and returning on
Friday, August 3.)
Thank you for your continued prayers and
support of our youth ministry!
Welcome Katie Conover as a Children
and Youth Specialist for the summer.
"Hi! I am Katie and am excited to be
serving as a Summer
Specialist with
Children and Youth
Ministries this
summer. Church
involvement has
always been central
to my family and
through this, I became involved as a
volunteer for Sunday School, VBS, and
confirmation. Likewise, this involvement
led me to the opportunity to intern with
Youth Ministries for two years. I am
glad to be back working more closely
with youth, particularly, joining in the
youth's mission trip to Chicago as staff.
I look forward to the opportunity I have
to contribute and foster the lasting
relationships and memories that I
experienced on Bethlehem mission trips
for the students this year. Additionally,
last summer, I worked as a "red shirt" for
VBS and am looking forward to working
with the strong team of leaders once
again, leading, playing and learning with
both Bethlehem campuses. In between all
this excitement you can find me upstairs
working on everyday operational tasks
for children and youth planning, so come
say hi!"
VBS by the Numbers
• 2 VBS weeks
• 2 campuses
• 296 children and youth
• 1,501 freezies
• 9 Bible Stories
• 61 games
• 14 different crafts
• 24 tie-dye shirt creations
• 110 beautiful painting creations
• 1 giant Christmas tree
• 10 field trips
• 10 “Red Shirt” leaders
• 3 Mission projects
• 424 sugar cookies
• 21 songs learned
• Millions of smiles
• Thousands of connections of family,
frien ds and faith
• And a partridge and a pear tree!
Check out the videos of each week on
our website, bethlehem-church.org and the
Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities
Facebook page.
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