Council Notes
by Lisa Hedden
The Council opened with general
business including pastor and staff
reports, the treasurer's reports, and
Foundation requests.
The majority of the meeting was in
conversation about "dream big" with
Pastor Ben leading the discussion.
We read an excerpt from a recent
article by the UnStuck Group, a
church consulting organization. They
identified five significant challenges
facing a number of churches across a
variety of denominations: Discipleship
Pathway, Leadership Development,
Mission/Vision, Communications,
and Lack of Volunteers. Although
Bethlehem is a healthy and vibrant
church, we are not immune to these
challenges.
Council discussed how we consider
these challenges as we plan for the
"Year of Jesus" within the framework
of our vision words of Known,
Challenged, Changed, Sent. Pastor
Ben asked the Council to spend time
in reflection as we will continue the
conversation in future meetings.
The meeting adjourned with the Lord's
Prayer and a special blessing of healing
for Pastor Mary recovering from her
fall.
YOUR GIVING MAKES A DIFFERENCE
by Pastor Bob Wertz, Pastor of Stewardship and Planned Giving
In mid-May of last year, we invited Bethlehem
members to dream and pray about these three
questions:
• What if every time we acted in God’s name at
Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities, we
paid attention to the person who has yet to come
through our doors?
• What if we conveyed extraordinary hospitality to
the stranger so that people new to our community would know we’ve been
hard at work preparing for the newcomer, so that with one voice the physical
environment and the people connected to Bethlehem might proclaim, “we
are SO glad you’re here!”
• What if together we focused on those bricks-and-mortar improvements that
desperately need attention on both campuses not as something we have to
do, but as something we get to do for the sake of those not here yet, that
they, too, might soon grow their own connection to God, each other, and
their mission in the world?
With that, Opening New Doors, our three-year, $3 million mission appeal was
launched, with hopes that every single Bethlehem member would lend their
support to raise funds for four critical needs:
1. To make the Minneapolis buil ding water-tight, structurally sound, and
inviting, and to tend to stewarding the Minnetonka property in the most
prudent and responsible way possible;
2. To renovate spaces that are long overdue, including an upgrade of the choir
room in Minneapolis;
3. To fund a new pastoral position that Pastor Meta Herrick Carlson accepted
with primary duties at the Minnetonka campus and to fund a marketing plan
to help engage our neighbors in Minnetonka to share in God’s work;
4. To earmark 15% of funds received to support the work of key mission
partners near and dear to Bethlehem’s hearts.
Because we know the church exists for those who aren't here yet, we again hold
up these words from the campaign launch one year ago.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU
Good news from my surgeon: all will be
well. My bones are mending and full
recovery will come. My heart bursts
with gratitude for all the goodness God
pours out to me through you! Thank
you for your prayers, cards, kindness
and ongoing concern. I'm blessed!
“From start to finish, this appeal will not be about you and me. We’re counting on
you to grow in your own generosity for the sake of people we don’t know yet, people
who crave the same deep and life-giving connection to the Bethlehem community
that you and I have. And we’re counting on you to be prayerful and open to the
nudging of God who empowers and enables all good things—the God who
continually opens door in our lives so that we might go and open new doors for
others.”
We are grateful for those who have taken this invitation to heart and acted upon
it with your own gifts and/or pledges to the appeal, and encourage those who
haven’t to do so. Questions? Contact me at [email protected] or
612.312.3368.
[ See related article on Page 5]
Pastor Mary Pechauer
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