ON THE COVER:
Someone Invested In You...
by Pastor Ben Cieslik
Someone invested in their money for this moment.
Someone invested what had been entrusted to them so
that you could be here, engaging in this congregation,
inspired by the music and nurtured by the worship.
Someone invested in you.
God has long been at work in and through the people
who have come before us to prepare for the present
moment. And God is at work, right now preparing, getting ready for what is to
come. We never get to see the fullness of what God sows in and through our
work, but we get to enjoy and tend the fruit of those who came before.
So here we are. In the middle of a mission appeal that is tending to the long
term functionality and vibrancy of our facilities. These are not the most exciting
things: roofs, sealants, paint and carpet. But the things for which they create
space: worship, relationships, outreach, music and
welcome. Those are things worth investing in. Those are We never get to
things worth living for.
see the fullness of
Brothers and sisters we are a part of something that is
still unfolding. We are a part of God’s work in this place
that continues to strengthen and nurture people in faith
today so that God’s dreams for tomorrow will be realized.
You and I get to be a part of that.
what God sows
in and through
our work,
but we get to
enjoy and tend
the fruit of those
who came before.
I want to invite you to contribute to the Opening New
Doors Appeal. Over 200 individuals and families have
already invested in someone’s tomorrow. Will you join
us? Take a look at the next couple of pages. You can see what’s been done and
what we hope to do in the very near term to prepare for what’s to come, so that
God can do even greater things with Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities.
IMPORTANT DATES
Sun. April 29: Pick up a two-year pledge card in church (both campuses;
only for those who have yet to pledge.)
Wed. May 2: Appeal Update Presentation 6:00 pm in Choir Room (MPLS)
Sun. May 6: Appeal Update Presentation 10:45 am in Fellowship Hall (MTKA)
Sun. May 13: Commitment Sunday (for those who have yet to pledge)
It’s mind-blowing, earth altering
news. Jesus is alive. Death has been
defeated. Life wins. It’s great, but
now what? How do we live with the
knowledge that things are different
when in many ways it still feels the
same. Each of the gospel writers were
struggling with this experience as
they told their stories of what
happened after Jesus was crucified.
These stories give us clues into what
life looks like on this side of Easter,
where our every impulse has us
wondering, “Great...Now What?”
April 29:
John 21:15-25
Follow Me
May 6:
Mark 16:1-8
Say Nothing to Anyone
May 13: Matthew 28:1-20
Go and Tell Everyone
May 20:
Pentecost
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Acts 2:1-21
May 27: The Holy Trinity
Isaiah 6:1-8
Romans 8:12-17
Next CONNECT deadline:
May 10, 2018
[email protected]
CONNECT newsletter online
bethlehem-church.org
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