Mission Appeal – One Year Update
by Melissa Steen, Co-Chair
LADIES' TEA
Saturday, May 12, 2 pm
Minneapolis Campus
Ladies of all ages are invited to enjoy
sweet and savory treats, tea and
an afternoon of elegant fun over
the Mother's Day weekend. Tickets
are $20 adult, $10 children 12 and
under. Tickets are available online
at bethlehem-church.org and at the
Minnetonka campus church office.
Proceeds from the tea benefit our
mission partner, the Holistic Ministry
of Children of the Horn of Africa.
Travel to Rome with the
Together in Hope Choir
October 26 - November 2, 2018
Become an
‘Ambassador
of Hope’ and
accompany
the ‘Together
in Hope’ choir to Rome when they
perform at the Sistine Ch apel, Basilica
of St. Paul Outside the Walls, and St.
Peter’s Basilica on Reformation and All
Saints Days.
The select 60-voice ensemble
(including Naomi and Steve Staruch)
will perform new sacred music by
Norwegian composer Kim Andre
Arneson in one of the great historic
centers of Christian faith. The
Ambassadors who accompany the
choir will be a key part of advancing
Christian unity and healing through
the transformative power of music. The
trip will include a tour of the Vatican
Museum and an excursion to Assisi.
It will be a once in a lifetime, spiritual
and community-building experience!
To learn more, visit
TogetherInHopeProject.org, or pick up a
brochure from Pastor Kris TM.
On behalf of the campaign’s leadership team,
including Gary and Kathryn Schmidt, thank you so
much for your encouragement, prayers, and financial
support. We are now celebrating the first year of our
three-year Mission Appeal – Opening New Doors.
As we celebrate this milestone, we think you will
agree that we’re creating safe and welcoming spaces
and addressing deferred maintenance – at both the Minnetonka and Minneapolis
campuses. A few highlights:
DONATIONS: Over 200 families and individuals have pledged over $1.4 million to
the appeal with current contributions of nearly $700,000. THANK YOU!
RENOVATIONS: These funds have been invested in renovations at the
Minnetonka campus that include installing air conditioning in the sanctuary,
adding new carpeting, paint, and coat racks, and cleaning up the activity room.
Structural assessment work and some roof repair have also been completed.
Minneapolis campus renovations include slate roof replacement (roughly 50%
complete), and the beginnings of masonry repair and tuck pointing for the walls.
Proceeds from Opening New Doors pays our loan principal and interest that make
all of these improvements possible.
PEOPLE: We welcomed and installed Pastor Meta as Minnetonka campus pastor.
It is wonderful to learn of new families visiting the Minnetonka campus for the
first time.
GREAT… NOW WHAT?
We still have work to do to reach our ultimate goal of raising $3 million. Planned
projects include updated lighting in the sanctuary and narthex in Minnetonka,
and the long overdue renovation of the choir room in Minneapolis this summer.
We continue to look forward and focus on the future of our church. We are caring
for our buildings so that we can welcome others into our family of faith. It’s about
reaching out to others and inviting them in – opening new doors. And, in order
to do that we need to pay it forward and create that opportunity just as others did
for us in the past. On this anniversary of the Opening New Doors appeal, we invite
you to join us in giving – helping prepare the way for future generations.
2018 OPEN STREETS is JUNE 10
Every year the city of Minneapolis chooses a Sunday to close Lyndale Ave. to car
traffic and encourages neighbors to get out and bike or walk the street. This is an
event that encourages small town community in a large city. Since the beginning
of Open Streets, Bethlehem has been an active participant. Our mission for this
event is to meet our neighbors and to show them that Bethlehem is more than a
pretty building on the corner. We support one another in life and we support our
greater community.
We are looking for volunteer Ambassadors to help with grilling hot dogs and
brats, assisting with the petting zoo, setting up tents and chairs and helping
to enjoy a fun afternoon filled with live music and activity. If you can help
represent Bethlehem for an hour or two that afternoon, please contact Wendy,
612.312.3363, [email protected].
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