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Bethlehem Blaze Volume 78, Number 11 December 2019 Published monthly by: Bethlehem Lutheran Church 526 E 52nd Street Indianapolis IN 46205 317/283-6559 www.indylutheran.org Pastor The Reverend Ken Ranos [email protected] Deacon Deacon Jody Winter [email protected] Cell: 317/294-3290 Interim Precentor Mike Powell Ministers The Members Parish Assistant Laura Henn [email protected] 317/283-6559 Nursery Coordinator Ellen Roberts Editors Marty Benson Carl Crabiel [email protected] He went out . . . to blaze abroad the matter. Mark 1:45, KJV Advent Worship Gods Pregnant People Linda Henke, Worship Ministry Sunday, December 1, ushers in a new liturgical year and marks the beginning of Advent. Mary’s song of joy, known as the Magnificat (Luke 1:46b-55), will serve as a connecting thread in our consideration of the weekly lectionary texts and how Advent calls us to be God’s pregnant people. On the first Sunday of Advent, December 1, we’ll explore how we are called to be pregnant with God’s justice. On the second Sunday of Advent, December 8, we’ll consider how we are called to be pregnant with the peace that gives birth to hope and harmony. On the third Sunday of Advent, December 15, we’ll be invited to see ourselves as a people pregnant with God’s in-breaking reign. On the fourth Sunday of Advent, December 22, we’ll explore how the gift of Emmanuel, God-with-Us, longs to be birthed within and among us. Each Sunday, we’ll experience Mary’s song in a distinct way, as we mine the meaning behind the assertion of Meister Eckhart (a 13th- century German theologian, philosopher, and mystic): “We are all called to be mothers of God, for God is always needing to be born.”
Transcript
  • Bethlehem Blaze Volume 78, Number 11 December 2019

    Published monthly by:

    Bethlehem Lutheran Church

    526 E 52nd Street

    Indianapolis IN 46205

    317/283-6559

    www.indylutheran.org

    Pastor

    The Reverend Ken Ranos

    [email protected]

    Deacon

    Deacon Jody Winter

    [email protected]

    Cell: 317/294-3290

    Interim Precentor

    Mike Powell

    Ministers

    The Members

    Parish Assistant

    Laura Henn

    [email protected]

    317/283-6559

    Nursery Coordinator

    Ellen Roberts

    Editors

    Marty Benson

    Carl Crabiel

    [email protected]

    He went out . . . to blaze abroad the matter. Mark 1:45, KJV

    Advent Worship

    God’s Pregnant People Linda Henke, Worship Ministry

    Sunday, December 1, ushers in a new liturgical year and marks the beginning of Advent. Mary’s song of joy, known as the Magnificat (Luke 1:46b-55), will serve as a connecting thread in our consideration of the weekly lectionary texts and how Advent calls us to be God’s pregnant people. • On the first Sunday of Advent, December 1, we’ll explore how we are called to be pregnant with God’s justice. • On the second Sunday of Advent, December 8, we’ll consider how we are called to be pregnant with the peace that gives birth to hope and harmony. • On the third Sunday of Advent, December 15, we’ll be invited to see ourselves as a people pregnant with God’s in-breaking reign. • On the fourth Sunday of Advent, December 22, we’ll explore how the gift of Emmanuel, God-with-Us, longs to be birthed within and among us.

    Each Sunday, we’ll experience Mary’s song in a distinct way, as we mine the meaning behind the assertion of Meister Eckhart (a 13th-century German theologian, philosopher, and mystic): “We are all called to be mothers of God, for God is always needing to be born.”

  • 2

    Among Us Baptisms: Clara Louise Schroeder-Kurinsky, daughter of Brianna Schroeder & Pete Kurinsky and sister of big brother Reuben, was baptized on October 27; Pastor Ken Ranos presided. Clara’s sponsors are John & Maura Jacobi, Abigail McKean, and Jordan Schroeder. . . . Lennox Ryne Barringer, son of Kris & Stephanie Barringer, was baptized on November 10; Pastor Ken Ranos presided. Lennox’s sponsors are Jake & Sarah Tennant and Ephron & Hilary Poyer. . . . We support and pray for Clara and Lennox in their new lives in Christ. Ill, Injured, Recovering: Meredith Emmons-Hyndman . . . Aaron Kaiser . . . Ken McCune . . . Jane Bailey’s son-in-law Piero Madar . . . Liz Ball’s daughter Tori Michel . . . Jane & Jerry Decuis’s friends Marissa & Taylor Anderson . . . Timothy Harber’s mother Margo Harber . . . Brent Hege’s brother Adam Hege . . . Aaron Kaiser’s & Deb Maxwell’s nephew Adam Weaver . . . Bob & Juanita Keck’s friends Kurt Friesth, Bob Manz . . . Mary Lapworth’s friend Jean Foster . . . Cheryl & John Pitts’ daughter Heather Patrick . . . Al Rider’s cousin Kim Malloy . . . Dee Simpson’s cousins Clinton & Marilyn Crick, friends Jeannie & Marvin Galbreath, Ben Keip . . . Nancy Stephan’s friends Nicole Brown, Katy Housman, Lelia McCarty, Jean Harris Thomas . . . Carol Sternecker’s relatives Uschi & Werner Riecken . . . Bev Todd’s cousin Linda Ruisz . . . the Tysklinds’ friend Ron Davis . . . the Vurvas’ friend Evan Montgomery . . . former member Virginia Mosbaugh-Horne . . . . We pray with these sisters and brothers in Christ for their comfort and healing. Condolences: To the family and friends of former Bethlehem member Mary Muir, who died recently. . . . To Al & Karen Rider on the recent death of their daughter-in-law’s mother Becky Clifton. . . . We share with these families and friends our sure and certain hope of the resurrection. All Saints: On All Saints Sunday, November 3, we remembered the Bethlehem members who have died in the faith since All Saints Sunday 2018: Anna White, Doris Young, Karen Brogan, Mary Muir.

    First Friday Forum There has been a lot of interest in, and obvious need for, a place and time to gather information and talk about some things that are hard to talk about. So we’ll start with this monthly daytime* group session to discuss some of the harder topics we may face as we age. Please join us for any or all of the following sessions from 2:00-4:00pm, on the first Friday of each month.

    • February 7: Advance Directives—DNRs, living wills, health care representatives

    • March 6: Scams and Safety for Seniors—learn about some of the things to be aware of so you can protect yourself and/or the ones you love

    • April 3: Wills and Trusts—what’s the difference? Where do I start?

    • May 1: Planning ahead for your funeral—your family will thank you for it!

    • June 5: Caregiver Workshop—support and resource information for those who are on the front line of caring for parents, spouses, and others

    *If you are interested in this material and would like it offered also on a weeknight, please let Deacon Jody know. We can make arrangements!

  • 3

    Hanging of the Greens – Sunday, December 22 Please join in as we decorate the sanctuary for Christmas. Decorating will begin following a light lunch which will be provided after the 11:00am service on Sunday, December 22. It is not required, but please sign up on the sheet in the hallway if you know you can participate. The decorating is fun and goes quickly with many helping hands!

    Unhanging of the Greens – Sunday, January 5 We will be removing the Christmas decorations immediately after the 11:00am service on Sunday, January 5. Your help would be most welcome!

    Nativity Display Our Third Annual Nativity Set Display will be available for viewing in Fellowship Hall on Sunday, December 1, until Friday, December 6. You may bring your collection from 2:00-4:00pm on Saturday, November 30, and come anytime December 6 to pack it up. Thank you for sharing your beautiful and diverse collection with the rest of us! If you have any questions, please speak to Deacon Jody or Juanita Keck.

    LCFS Christmas Store Bethany Champley, Service Ministry In honor of Nancy Capron, I will be continuing her beautiful Christmas-time legacy by helping out Lutheran Child and Family Services’ mission to make Christmas merry for 200 families. To do this, we will be helping stock the shelves for the Christmas Store, which is an outreach of LCFS that lets families “shop” for Christmas goods at no cost. Feel free to take any red tags or something off the wish list (information is in church hallway). If you want to get involved more to help remember Nancy, feel free to contact me, as Christmas Store can always use volunteers. With any questions, contact me at [email protected].

    Christmas Eve Schedule

    3:30pm Children’s Christmas Eve Worship

    7:30pm Worship with Carols and Candlelight

    9:00pm Christmas Cookie Reception

    10:30pm Holy Communion with Candlelight

  • 4

    2019 was another delicious Dining-In year! There were three teams of 7-8 members, with each couple/pair taking a turn as host, who then assigned dishes for other team members to bring and supplied the beverages. These dinners are a good way to meet other members in a small group setting and also a good time to try new recipes.

    Won’t you join us for the 2020 season? No gourmet experience or matching tableware is necessary. A sign-up sheet can be found on the Fellowship bulletin board. The deadline is Sunday, January 5, after which you will be notified of your tablemates. If you need a partner or have questions, contact me at 317/845-1966 or [email protected].

    Dining In 2020 Norma Crabiel, Fellowship Ministry

    Gifts of Stock to Bethlehem Barb Alder, Finance Ministry Bethlehem uses LPL Financial as the broker for managing stock donations. Below is information you will need if you wish to donate shares of stock to Bethlehem. For year-end gifts, please initiate transfers well in advance of December 31 to allow time for the transaction to settle. The securities must be received in Bethlehem’s LPL brokerage account on or before December 31 for your 2019 tax purposes. Data Needed for Electronic Transfers:

    • DTC: 0075

    • Account titled to: Bethlehem Lutheran Church

    • Account number: 1483-0905

    • Comment Line: ask your broker to enter your name in the comment section so the electronic transaction can be identified with you (though not all brokers do this).

    Bethlehem’s investment representative is Mike Harper (317/584-3126, [email protected]) if you have issues. Please send our parish assistant a letter or email ([email protected]) to inform her of your gift and how it is to be used. If no donor information is included in electronic transfers, we will not know who donated the stock. Laura will acknowledge your gift via letter.

    Have You Heard of Give Back Box? This is a great way for you to re-use those Amazon boxes, de-clutter your home, and donate directly to a charity of your choice! Visit www.givebackbox.com for a list of charities and purchase a $15 shipping label. Then, take whatever size/weight box you have, fill it to the brim, and send it directly to that charity’s donation center! Instructions for use are very clear. If you’d like help filling a box, let your Bethlehem friends know. We can do amazing things together to help reduce waste and make a positive impact on things and people we care about.

  • 5

    Fellowship Karen McCune Advent by Candlelight, Thursday, December 5, 7:00pm All women of Bethlehem (and their friends) are invited for an evening of Advent, beginning with a dessert tea and ending with a seasonal devotion. “A New Song,” the theme for this year’s Advent by Candlelight, will be reflected in our hymn and scripture readings. The homily will be presented by Lori VanEvery. Both ride service and childcare are available in hopes all of us can gather together for an evening. Please indicate on the sign-up sheet if you would like either service, or let Deacon Jody know. We will end around 8:30pm. Hostesses are needed. Hostesses provide dessert for eight and set a table. Bethlehem has dishes (and a dishwasher) or you may bring your own dishes from home. You will need to bring a centerpiece. Votives, tablecloths, and linen napkins are available at church—we just ask that you take them home and wash them. Please indicate your willingness to host when you sign up. Co-hosting is fun and a great way to renew a friendship or meet someone new. Have a question? Call me at 317/254-1057. Calling All Bakers Brunch is on hiatus during December as we move our fellowship times to holiday traditions of St. Lucia and Christmas. For both, we need help with baked goods. St. Lucia Celebration – Sunday, December 8, 9:30am; Pastries needed. Beth Tysklind has traditional Scandinavian recipes on the bulletin board for you to try, or bring something from your family’s tradition. The Bethlehem twist on celebrating St. Lucia is to share pastries from all of our traditions: German kuchens and stolen, Slovak kolaches, Hoosier specialties, etc. Even Scotch eggs have made an appearance in the past. Just bring your pastries plated and ready to serve on Sunday, December 8. Please include a brief note of major ingredients to help those with restricted diets. Christmas Eve – Tuesday, December 24; Cookies needed. Would you put aside three dozen cookies to share with us for our Christmas Eve reception? The cookies may be dropped off early and frozen; just mark them for Christmas Eve. The deadline for getting them is 5:00pm on Christmas Eve; this will allow the servers to plate them and set the table in time to worship with everyone else. Please include a note with ingredients for those on restricted diets. A sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board. Christmas Eve Reception, Tuesday, December 24, 9:00pm We continue the Bethlehem tradition of a Christmas Eve reception immediately following the early worship service. Please join us around 9:00pm on December 24 to celebrate the fulfillment of God’s covenant to us in the birth of his Son, Jesus. Cookies, punch, and coffee will be served in Fellowship Hall. Bring your family and friends and let us take some time to celebrate this special night together. Dining Out 2020 There will be no Dining Out in December, but we will resume meeting on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30pm beginning on January 9. Dining Out is simply joining folks from Bethlehem for a meal where no one has to cook. You almost always sit with someone different and get to know that person a little better. Hosts are needed for 2020; it is very simple—the month before, make a reservation at a restaurant for about 16-20 people. Let both the Blaze editors and the office know the details. Laura will help you get a signup for the bulletin board and a notice in the bulletin. The 2020 schedule and hosting signup is on the bulletin board. We hope you will join us to eat and visit, even if you can’t host.

    Faith & Film Shari Morgan, Fellowship Ministry Since we’ll all be dealing with visions of sugarplums in late December, we’ve canceled next month’s Faith and Film movie. The third Thursday in December falls on the 21st, and that seems to be a busy week for everyone. However, save Thursday, January 16, for our next movie. All are welcome and there may be treats!

  • 6

    Assisting Ministers Cantors: Kassy Cayer, Maury Plambeck, Kent Steele, Andy Swenson Communion Preparers: Norma Crabiel, Julie Smith, Jen DeMotte Offering Counters: Barb Alder, Todd Rainer

    December 1 8:30 Welcomers: Winter Family Lector: Shari Morgan Children’s Sermon: Sarah Evans Ushers: Jim Capron, John Champley 11:00 Welcomer: Erik Tysklind Lector: Nathan Bouman Children’s Sermon: Erik Tysklind Ushers: Monroe Little, Erik Tysklind Altar Flowers: Sharon Swinford Altar Flowers Delivered: Will You Help? December 8 8:30 Welcomer: Lori VanEvery Acolyte: Sophia Levine Lector: Rob Pritchard Children’s Sermon: Deacon Jody Winter Ushers: Ken Moeller, Jeff Mooers 11:00 Welcomer: Nancy Stephan Acolyte: Antonio Ladrón de Guevara Lector: Gloria Price Children’s Sermon: Deacon Jody Winter Ushers: Rob Pritchard, Timothy Wott Altar Flowers: Debtors Anonymous Altar Flowers Delivered: Norma & Carl Crabiel December 15 8:30 Welcomer: Kaaren Rodman Acolyte: Trey Feder Lector: David Rees Children’s Sermon: Juanita Keck Ushers: Adam Horst, Brett Quandt 11:00 Welcomers: Linda & Phil Henke Acolyte: Savannah Hollingsworth Lector: Heidi Radtke Children’s Sermon: Courtney Vurva Ushers: Nick Vurva, Eric Wott Altar Flowers: Levine Family Altar Flowers Delivered: Will You Help?

    December 22 8:30 Welcomers: Winter Family Lector: Lori VanEvery Children’s Sermon: Jennifer Scharbrough Ushers: Dolfin Roper, Justin Vanecko 11:00 Acolyte: Gunnar Queck Lector: Karen Rider Children’s Sermon: Al Rider Ushers: Judy Simpson, Erik Tysklind Altar Flowers: Lois Laube Altar Flowers Delivered: Julie Smith December 24 – Christmas Eve 7:30pm Acolyte: Zazel Bredehoeft Ushers: Monroe Little, Rick Roberts 10:30pmUshers: Ken Moeller, Timothy Wott December 29 8:30 Lector: Jesse Vadas Children’s Sermon: Karen Feder Ushers: Marty Benson, John Champley 11:00 Acolyte: Savannah Hollingsworth Lector: Nick Vurva Children’s Sermon: Linda Henke Ushers: Michael DeMotte, William Slover Altar Flowers: Wendy Myres Altar Flowers Delivered: Will You Help?

    Congregation Council Timothy Harber

    Raymond Horn, secretary Steph Levine, president Monroe Little, treasurer

    Ken McCune Karen Roberts

    Bill Slover, finance/endowment John Todd

  • 7

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  • 8

    Service Justin Hart

    Great Chicken Roundup Mike Smith, Service Ministry Welcome to December! We are now in the midst of our Great Chicken Roundup fundraising phase. Our goal is $6,500 this year—each box of food costs approximately $65. We will host the boxing and delivery activity in January. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me ([email protected]).

    Food Pantry Emphasis for December

    Miscellaneous: Crackers (all kinds), cocoa mixes, tea, muffin mixes, cake mixes,

    icings, cookie mixes, pudding mixes, microwave popcorn.

    Thank You for Supporting Mid-North Food Pantry Mary Neu-Stoppelman, Service Ministry The Mid-North Food Pantry is approaching the Advent season with open hearts and open doors. We have increased service for our neighbors in 46205 and 46208 to two pantry visits per month, while encouraging neighbors in other ZIP codes to find pantries closer to their homes. With this change in service, we are serving more families each month. MNFP hopes to better fulfill our mission this way, and we are asking for your help in this effort. Whether you remember us on Giving Tuesday (December 3) or in your end-of-year charitable giving, we appreciate and need the ongoing support of Bethlehem and all our founding churches. Thank you again for giving your time, treasures and talent to help our neighbors in need. We couldn’t do it without you. Visit www.midnorthfoodpantry.org or call 317/924-7900.

    Mission Trip Deacon Jody Winter The youth are beginning to sign up for the trip, and that means they are also digging out their rakes to start the fundraising effort. The cost of the trip is estimated to be $350 per person this year so we will be doing what we can to work together as we ask for donations. As usual, our fundraisers include leaf raking, pancake breakfast, and silent auction. If you would prefer to just make a donation, please mark it as “Youth Mission Trip.” Thrivent dollars are also welcome and appreciated! Your support gives our youth opportunities to serve and grow in countless ways.

    Fall Retreat Follow Up Twenty-nine of us gathered at beautiful Lutheran Hills to enjoy the chilly but sunny outdoors! There was also plenty of food, card games, chats by the fire, etc. Thanks to all who participated! We’d love to have more retreaters join us next year! Mark your calendar now for November 6-8, 2020.

  • 9

    Youth Deacon Jody Winter Summer 2020 Mission Trip Registration Time! We’ll be heading north to Kenosha, Wisconsin, to serve with Group Mission Trips’ Week of Hope. All current 4th-12th graders are invited to join us for this exciting week of serving and relationship building. The trip will be from June 28-July 3, so we’ll be home this year for the fireworks! Help build excitement by signing up to join us right away. Actual commitments and $100 registration will be due January 26, 2020. Youth Progressive Dinner, Friday, December 13, 6:30-9:30pm Our friends from Cross & Crown would like to join us again for our traditional Christmas celebration. 6th-12th graders are invited to travel with us to three houses, each of which will offer a course of a meal, some time for fun, and time for reflection. Please sign up no later than December 8. Hosts and drivers needed!

    Results from the Survey of Bethlehem Women Deacon Jody Winter Thanks to all 46 women who took a minute or two to fill out the survey about women’s ministry at Bethlehem. All results are posted on the Youth/Family board, for those of you who like bar graphs! Next step for us is to create sort of a steering committee to get a few things rolling. My proposal, based on the results and the already existing programming, is to:

    • Offer monthly topical discussion on Monday evenings.

    • Offer a Bible study on alternating Tuesdays, during the day

    • Possibly offer another Sunday morning class at 9:45am

    • Schedule a variety of quarterly gatherings I’m very excited to help support all of these, but can’t and shouldn’t be the leader of most of them. We will need folks who are willing to help do the planning/scheduling for these events, and also those willing to commit to lead and/or at least show up regularly to those you prefer! If you are willing and able to help get these things up and running, please contact me during the first week in December.

    Dreading a “Blue” Christmas? Whether you are caring for a sick family member, going through a period of underemployment, grieving a change or loss, or experiencing incurable pain, you may benefit from the support and care of a Stephen Minister. Our congregation is committed to providing care to those who need it. Speak to Pastor Ken or Deacon Jody if you’d like more information about our program and how we can walk beside you during a difficult time.

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    7 Gina & Jeff Mooers

    10 Jenna & Keith Beatty

    17 Deb & Jesse McDaniel

    28 Barb & Kent Alder

    30 Angela & John Hertig

    31 Deborah Kaiser & Aaron Maxwell

    December Wedding Anniversaries

    1 Geri Nestel

    2 Felcie Harber

    2 Isabel Harber

    2 Scarlet Peelle

    3 Stephanie Levine

    4 Ben Clark

    5 Conor Bergeson-Dana

    5 Beverly Emmons

    7 Dee Simpson

    7 Randy Swenson

    11 Cheryl Pitts

    13 Jerry Decius

    13 Audrey Olry

    13 Gunnar Tysklind

    15 Noah Pfligenstofer

    18 Eli Hreno

    19 Tonya Bergeson

    19 Bill Slover

    20 Susan Dittman

    21 Jane Decius

    22 Taylor Brown

    23 Sarah Cummings

    23 Milo Kaser

    23 Mike Smith

    24 Katie Harber

    24 Raymond Horn

    25 Chris Olry

    29 Susan Biederstedt

    29 Nathan Champley

    29 Andrew Haggstrom

    29 Eric Wott

    30 Ray Horn

    31 Mary Ann Michau

    31 William Slover

    December Birthdays

    Get Together for 18-25 Year-Olds Come and spend some time reconnecting or getting to know each other for the first time. This is a great time for our youth ministry alumni and others of similar age to spend time together. Let’s meet at Bazbeaux Pizza (Broad Ripple) on Friday, January 3, at 1:00pm. RSVP via text (317/294-3290) to Deacon Jody so we can have a table ready!

    All Y’All Lunch and Games Join us on Monday, December 30, from 11:00am-4:00pm for a pitch-in lunch and fun and games. We will gather in Fellowship Hall for board games, card games, etc. Bring your new games, or old favorites, and stay for as long as you like! (Note: Bingo/Karaoke Night returns January 17!)

    Walking through Bethlehem Come join the journey at Servants of Christ Lutheran Church (7650 Oaklandon Rd.) anytime on Saturday, December 7, between 3:00 and 9:00pm. This free, family-friendly event will have you taking a one-hour guided journey through time as you meet many of the locals on the way to the manger. (You may even recognize a few faces!)

    Praying Around the Labyrinth Labyrinth enthusiasts, let’s check out the cross-shaped labyrinth at Messiah Lutheran Church in Brownsburg. We have been invited to join them on Thursday, December 19, at 7:00pm for this special monthly event. What a great way to experience the labyrinth outside in the dark, just before the “longest night of the year.” Sign up if you plan to join us . . . and indicate if you’d like to carpool. (Dress for the weather!)

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    Many of you may have noticed that we now have wireless networking throughout the church and I think you would agree that our new sound system seems to be working well. We are not quite done with the project—we still have new speakers to place throughout the church; this will be done in a couple of phases. By the time you read this, we hope to have placed the new speakers in the nursery, bridal room, kitchen, children’s enrichment room, office, and lounge. We also plan to update some of the speakers in the sanctuary at a later date. We still have plans to install video recording equipment so that we can stream service to shut-ins and out-of-state travelers. That will most likely be sometime next year. The exciting news is that we can now broadcast audio in the church to smartphones for members and guests who may need hearing assistance. They

    can download an app to their phone that will allow them to listen to the sermon with their headphones, Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids, or if they are downstairs and just want it on their phone speaker. Instructions:

    • Go to the appropriate store (Android or Apple) and download the Listen Everywhere app from Listen Technologies.

    • When at church, log into the BLC-Guest wireless network (no password required).

    • Open the app and it should scan for venues automatically, or do a Venue Scan.

    • When it finds the system, connect to Audio 1.

    • Enjoy the sermon. Thank you again for your support, and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].

    Technology Update Mike Smith, Technology Ministry

    Women’s Retreat Shari Morgan, Fellowship Ministry Those of you who have been on a Bethlehem Retreat know how cool these are. My first one was a woman’s retreat as a newcomer. It’s a great way to meet people, become a part of your church community, and spend some quiet time with your faith. If you have been a member for years, are new, or have never done this before, please consider this your personal invitation. Since the goal is to have a women’s event every quarter, we are considering mid-March for our next one. We would plan for a Friday night drive up to Lindenwood, a retreat center run by the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ in Plymouth IN. We’ll spend the night and all day Saturday, with a few activities, and time for you to read, walk, or visit their absolutely beautiful chapel. The plan is to leave after breakfast on Sunday, but your arrival times and departures are completely up to you. The dates we’ve picked are March 27-29. The director said that they already have reservations from groups for February, so if you are interested, please let me know by December 5, the night of our women’s Advent by Candlelight. The pricing is estimated at $175 for a single and $125 if you share a room. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided on Saturday, along with a breakfast on Sunday. Linens are provided. Also, since we are who we are, you are encouraged to bring and partake of snacks. I know, deep in my heart, that no one will go home hungry. Call or email me at [email protected] or 317/753-7323.

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    Bethlehem Blaze

    Bethlehem Lutheran Church 526 E 52nd Street

    Indianapolis IN 46205

    Address Service Requested 11

    Non-Profit Org.

    U.S. Postage

    PAID Indianapolis, IN

    Permit No. 3660

    Bethlehem’s Statement of Mission

    Bethlehem is a community of believers in Jesus Christ who gather around the Word and the Sacraments

    whereby we are strengthened, encouraged and sent to serve our Lord in the world.

    We Gather . . .

    We gather around worship experiences which are rooted in deep and lively traditions of evangelical

    proclamation and sacramental celebration; we make exceptional use of music and the visual arts

    as we strive for worship that is meaningful, authentic, and responsive to community contexts.

    We invite and welcome anyone and everyone, members and non-members, to worship with us and

    enjoy our fellowship in Christ.

    We strengthen our bonds with one another through fellowship events.

    We provide ministries that engage, affirm, and nurture children and youth as an integral part of the

    congregation.

    We offer adult religious education for members and visitors.

    We Are Sent . . .

    We address hunger in our community through food pantries as well as our own food drives.

    We work to alleviate human suffering and injustice, both directly and through community and

    government institutions.

    We support members in times of crisis through Stephen Ministry and in other ways.

    We minister on the Butler campus in partnership with the Episcopal Church through Grace Unlimited,

    and we welcome their students (and others) in our worship and fellowship.

    We offer our building to the community as a meeting place for non-profit organizations and activities

    such as Narcotics Anonymous, the Dulcimer Society, and for voting.

    We support the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and its Indiana-Kentucky Synod, and through

    them engage in ministries far and wide.

    All these things and more express our faith, our hope, and our love for others, as a people who are thankful

    to God for the Gospel which shapes our lives.


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