Announcements

The Understanding Church Podcast has reached 16,000 downloads! We hope you will be 16,001! This podcast is offered by Pastor Dan Smail and Pastor Wendy Farone to help us make sense of this thing called 'church' and our place within it. We hope you will join us! Available at belc.org/podcast or anywhere you listen to podcasts. See you there!

Vacation Bible School, July 6-10, 2026

As parking issues persist, after much deliberation, the First Monday Community Meal has been cancelled for February. Please spread the word. See you in March!

Bible Study for both morning and evening has been cancelled due to snow accumulation, making parking and building access difficult. See you next week!

To ensure the safety of our staff, the church office will be closed through Tuesday.

The Bethlehem Lutheran Church office will be closed today due to inclement weather.

Tomorrow, January 25, we will be holding in person services and Sunday School. However, we do encourage you to stay home while using your best judgement as the winter storm develops.

Access to the Annual Meeting online has been sent to your email. Please check your email for the link. The meeting will follow the 10:30 worship.

Schedule Updates for January 24-25, 2026 Events Canceled: 1/24 Chili Cook Off 1/25 No Luncheon following the Annual Meeting. Annual Meeting will be held. 1/25 Confirmation Class or Youth Group

The Saturday Chili Cook-Off event has been cancelled due to pending winter storm.

Due to the pending weather conditions for this Sunday, the LUNCHEON after the annual meeting has been cancelled. Worship and the Annual Meeting will still take place.

In this episode, Pastor Dan Smail and Pastor Wendy Farone are joined by Andre Francois, who has been the chair of the Stewardship Committee for many years. We explore how to recognize and use the gifts God has placed within you. We share practical insight on discovering your strengths, serving with purpose, and honoring God through everyday stewardship. It’s an encouraging, focused conversation that reminds you that your gifts were meant to be used. www.belc.org/podcast or w

Whether you come to 8:00 or 10:30 worship service, there is Sunday School in-between at 9:15! Join us this Sunday

Tuesday Tidings, December 16, 2025 Dearest Members of Bethlehem, “For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” -Isaiah 11:9 “There’s got to be one more box!” This is usually the line that precedes the frantic search for the missing Christmas decorations. “It’s the one with the stockings, the tree skirt, and the special table cloth…”. And back up the ladder into the attic I go. Trust me, just about 11 months ago all the totes

Chatting with Bishop Melissa Stoller | Podcasts In this episode, Pastor Dan Smail and Pastor Wendy Farone welcome our guest, the newly installed Bishop Melissa Stoller, from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, to discuss her new role as bishop, expectations for the future of the synod and the ELCA and much more!

Check out the cards for the week!

The online calendar is presently unavailable. Please use this calendar until it can be repaired. Thank you for your patience.

Dearest Members of Bethlehem, “Set every peak and valley humming with the word, the Lord is coming. People look east and sing today - Love, the Lord, is on the way.” People, Look East, ELW #248 I have an affinity for Advent hymns, they’re the forgotten treasures buried within the hymnal that we stumble upon and uncover once a year. “People, Look East” definitely ranks near the top of my list. The very title of the hymn invites us into a deeper sense of expectancy, reminding

Join Pastor Ellen to organize your cards for week 2 of Families Celebrate Advent and Christmas!

Dearest Members of Bethlehem, “For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them.” -Ephesians 2:10 A few weeks back, we were hosting a community event at Bethlehem when the elevator gave out. Before we go any further, please note that those who were momentarily trapped on the elevator are just fine. In response to this unfortunate mechanical failure the police and fire department responded. Whe

Check out some cards for the First Week of Advent from the Families Celebrate deck.

Check in with Pastor Ellen to learn about the Families Celebrate Advent and Christmas cards.

Dearest Members of Bethlehem, “There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.” -John 1:6-7 I really have to be careful, mindful of what it is that I am saying, because it is so easy for both my internal and external discourse to devolve into whinging and whining. Truth is, I can just about find material anywhere I look to complain about. The weather? Too wet, too cold, too hot, and too

Click Here to download a BELC Commitment Form 2026 If you have yet to return your offering commitment form to the church, please bring it with you this weekend and place it in the offering box or drop it in the mail. Forms can be mailed to: Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1719 Mt. Royal Blvd., Glenshaw, PA 15116 Thank you for your commitment to Bethlehem

Dearest Members of Bethlehem, “In that region there were shepherds in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night.” -Luke 2:8 Have you purchased your turkey yet? How about set a time for Thanksgiving dinner? I included the quote from the Gospel of Luke in this morning’s devotion because in some ways we very much find ourselves in a similar position as those faithful shepherds. There they are going about their work. Day by day they see to the tasks that are before t

www.belc.org/podcast or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Dearest Members of Bethlehem, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” -Psalm 122:1 I am not getting any younger, and yet, each week my enthusiasm for worship persists. And in fact, I might be more excited about being in worship than I have ever been! Why? Well, there are several reasons… 1. Worship reminds me that I am not the center of the universe. The worship space itself is designed to draw us beyond ourselves and into the Divine p

Bulletin is available at belc.org , click on the "Worship Bulletin" blue action button. Livestream available at belc.org , "Livestream" blue action button and then click on "live," scroll down to the Ordination link.

From the Pastor's Desk: November 2025 A Place at the Table Recently, I was invited to enter into a very powerful moment of contemplation. A group of pastors were asked to draw a table on a piece of paper, we could draw any shape that we might like and any size that we preferred. Next, we took a deep breath, prayed for a bit, and… began to fill the chairs. I deliberately wrote the names of each person in their respective spot. Interestingly, location around the table matt

Dearest Members of Bethlehem, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” -Hebrews 13:8 This Sunday our congregation will be celebrating its 95th anniversary. 95 years… you know, a great deal can change in 95 years. In October of 1930, the Philadelphia Athletics won the World Series, have you ever heard of them? The first, yep very first, American football game was played indoors. And much more seriously, our country was deep in the throes of what would come

Dearest Members of Bethlehem, “This world, as a glorious apartment of the boundless palace of the sovereign Creator, is furnished with an infinite variety of animated scenes, inexpressibly beautiful and pleasing, equally free to the inspection and enjoyment of all his creatures.” Travels and Other Writings, William Bartram The words that appear above were not written a few weeks ago by a recently trained conservation biologist. The words that appear above were written in our

In this episode, special guest Pastor Erin Evans shares her experience and insight on the topic of Children in Church with Pastor Dan Smail and Pastor Wendy Farone. Discussion surrounds integrating and engaging children within the church, whether they are very young or nearly adults, through teaching, explaining, and becoming a part of the church body. There are insights and some tips on how to find the joy of having "Children in Church"! Click on the "Understanding Church" P

Dearest Members of Bethlehem, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection.” -Philippians 3:10 A fancy new restaurant has...

Listen to the latest podcast! Pastor Dan Smail and Vicar Wendy Farone share a conversation with guest Chaplain Gaea Thompson. There is...

Here is the schedule of services for Holy Week. Please note that the 7:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services, as well as the...

Dearest Members of Bethlehem, “The next day, the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So...

Dear friends in Christ, I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “April Showers Bring May Flowers” before. I’m so looking forward to creation...

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