Announcements

Dearest Members of Bethlehem, “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” -Hebrews 10:25 This Sunday, January 25th is Bethlehem’s annual congregational meeting.  And I am almost sure that even with just that sentence I have already lost several folks.  But I really do hope that you will stick with me for a few mor

Dearest Members of Bethlehem, “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. -Philippians 1:6 It has been said that an effective way to fend off the doldrums is to have something to “look forward to.”  There definitely is some truth to this encouragement. A genuine sense of anticipation and expectation can be a real blessing.  It permits us to hope for a joy-filled future without being consumed by

Dearest Members of Bethlehem, “Then opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” -Matthew 2:11 This is the Epiphany of our Lord! January 6th isn’t just the day set aside for the removal of Christmas decorations, it is the inauguration of a new liturgical season. Of course, today is the day we remember the Magi following the star and finally making their way to Jesus. The wise ones brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We k

TIDINGS from BETHLEHEM                                                              -----Monthly News From In & Around Our Parish January 2026  Tremendous Potential   “Do to others…” -Luke 6:31 (NRSV)   I admit, this is not an easy time of year.  The Christmas holiday is in the rearview mirror and Easter seems to rest on a distant horizon.  The days are short.  The cold has settled in.  And the snow shovels stand at the ready for the next inconvenient squall.  It is only a ma

Dearest Members of Bethlehem, “Hark! The herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn king; peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.’  Joyful all you nations rise; join the triumph of the skies; with angelic hosts proclaim, ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem!’” - ELW #270 We will be singing lots of carols in the coming days, and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” is one of the best. It’s a tremendous carol for many reasons, but one of the elements that I truly treasure

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

Check out the cards for the week!

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.

A word from our Associate Pastor December 2025 Dear friends in Christ, “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’” Luke 2:10-11 That is my wish, encouragement, and my most fervent prayer for you this December, that you get to experience great joy this Advent and Christmas season. I pray that you experience joy in the

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

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

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

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