Dining Fundraiser at

The Crack Shack

Wednesday, May 1st

From 10:30am to closing

Crack Shack will donate 15% of your meal tab to the youth’s summer service trip. Share the flyer with neighbors! Be sure to mention Bethlehem Lutheran when you order or use the promo code "BLCSA" when ordering online. The youth hope to see you there! 

Summer Service Trip - July 23-30 - Our destination is Flagstaff with a few days at the Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission at Rock Point. Want to go? Sign up now using this form. All students completing 8th through 12th grades are encouraged to join this trip. Additional registration forms and cost will be available soon. Participating students and their parents are asked to help with fundraising activities for this trip to reduce the cost per student.

Youth Meetings in May:

• Middle School group meets at 5:30pm at St. Andrew’s on May 7 and 21.
• Confirmation class meets on May 14 and 28 in the BLC conference room.

Special May Schedule for High School:

• May 1 meet at the Crack Shack from 7-8:30.
• May 8 and 22 meet at St. Andrew’s.
• May 15 meet in the BLC Family Center kitchen for lunch packing and sandwich making.
• May 29 meet at BLC. 

Fiesta Fantastic!  - Thanks to everyone who came out to the Fiesta fundraiser! Thanks especially to all the volunteers who made the event FANTASTIC! Your generosity helped us to raise over just over $5,000 for Bethlehem and St. Andrew’s youth. It was a fun evening with terrific fellowship, delicious food, and lip sync entertainment that went above and beyond expectations!



Vacation Bible School – We are excited to dive into friendship with God during “SCUBA Vacation Bible School!” We will be underwater explorers the week of June 24th - 28th from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm each day!

Are you interested in volunteering for SCUBA VBS? We need volunteers for Crew Leaders, Assistant Crew Leaders, Singers, Dancers, Snack Time Helpers, Game Leaders, Imagination Station Helpers, Bible Adventure Helpers, Decorators and more! Fill out the volunteer form below and we will find a place for you in our underwater explorations!

Scuba VBS is open for all children, ages 4 thru 6th Grade and will meet from 9 am to noon. Each day of Scuba VBS will include Music, Bible Adventures, Imagination Station, Games, Snacks, and of course, Friends! Cost is $75 per child ($30 for second child) Scholarships are available as needed. Questions? Contact Jana Hegg at childrensministry@blcenc.org.

Our schedule for the week is as follows:

• Day 1 – God is a Friend Who is Real!
• Day 2 – God is a Friend Who Loves!
• Day 3 – God is a Friend We Can Trust!
• Day 4 – God is a Friend for Everyone!
• Day 5 – Friendship Day (Movie and Water Play)

Learning Circles – Our Learning Circles/Sunday School continue weekly during the 10:30 service. We meet as one large group to begin in the Multi-Use/Library right after the Children's Message. The curriculum that we are using is designed to break into "buddy pairs" with older children helping the younger children to participate in discussions and complete activities together. This time is intended for children ages 3 - 6th grade. If you have any questions, or if you would like to volunteer to help with Sunday School time, please feel free to reach out to Jana Hegg at childrensministry@blcenc.org. We are excited to see you on Sunday!

Here is our schedule for May:

• 5/5 – The Holy Spirit Came Down
• 5/13 - MUSIC w/Mona
• 5/19 –The Holy Spirit
• 5/26 – Isaiah’s Call



Our Learning Circles will take a break during the summer months, June-August, but look for worship resources for children in the narthex starting in June. Our hope is to provide activities for kids to help keep them engaged and occupied during the worship services. Please let us know if you have any questions or ideas.

Learn. Advocate. Build Relationships.  This is the theme of Lutheran Lobby Day 2024, held in Sacramento on Wednesday, May 15th. There is still time to register at https://lutheranpublicpolicyca.org/lutheran-lobby-day-2024, but the deadline of Tuesday, May 7th is fast approaching. The speaker this year will be Sister Michelle Gorman, California state Senate Chaplain, and the full schedule can be found here. Southern California is usually less represented at Lobby Day, so please consider whether you can spend a day in Sacramento advocating for environmental justice, poverty reduction, and affordable housing for the most vulnerable Californians. Specific bills will be finalized close to Lobby Day depending on thier status in the legislature. 

There is also still funding to cover housing and travel expenses for folks 27 and under who can commit to attending Lobby Day. Indicate your interest on the registration form. (Official cutoff is 25, but we have received notice this is somewhat flexible.)

Continuing our long partnership with St. Andrews community feeding ministries, we will collect food May 19-26 for the food pantry. The pantry accepts all canned and shelf-stable food, and currently needs:

• Peanut butter!
• Canned stews with meat, tuna, canned chicken, spaghetti sauce, chili, and canned vegetables.
• Condiments, such as ketchup, mayo, and chile sauces.
• Snack bars and school lunch items.
• And any other canned or shelf-stable foods.

You may drop off your food directly into the marked SUV in the visitor parking spot on Sunday, May 19 or 26th during worship or leave it in the church narthex near the St. Andrews basket.

If you prefer, you may donate funds directly to the pantry by clicking here. They depend upon monetary donations to purchase particular foods.

Questions? Contact Cynthia Heigold, 760-525-3519

Thank you for all you do to help others.

Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum -  Our June adventure will be at the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum in Vista. Bring your families for a docent-led tour. Wander through the farmhouse, blacksmith barn, antique steam engine barn, sawmill, metal arts display, model railroad, clock museum, spinner's cottage, looming and handweaving demonstrations and more. Play on the playground. Enjoy a picnic. Bring Dad for an early Father's Day adventure! Stay for the Antique Engine & Tractor Show and parade. 

BAM at the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum

Saturday, June 22, 9 am

Important​: Our tour will leave at 9:10 am.

2040 North Santa Fe Avenue

Vista CA 92083 

Cost: Adults: $5, Seniors 65 and older: $4, Youth 6-12 years old: $3, Children 5 & under 5: Free

Please sign up here so we know you are coming.

Pickleball - On Saturday, April 27, twenty of us enjoyed pickleball at Mira Costa College. It was so popular we may schedule this activity again.

Do you have an idea for an adventure? - Contact Dennis Astroth, Eileen Lajimodiere, Lori Wolf, or Suzi Westmoreland or email blcsm@outlook.com. We will work with you to host the event!

Reaching Out - Most people are much more open to giving care than to receiving it. When a person is giving care, he or she is in a position of strength, stability, and authority. When a person is receiving care, he or she is acknowledging weakness, insecurity, and vulnerability.

As a result, there are countless people today who, though they really could benefit from a Christian friend who would listen and care for them, instead tough it out on their own. They remain the strong silent type, or wear a smile across a face that is holding back a flood of tears. Society encourages this, particularly for men. To ask for help is to admit weakness. To show weakness is to admit inferiority.

Our Stephen Ministers know all about receiving care. Many of them have been on the receiving end of care at an earlier point in their lives-something that has motivated them to give care now. They know how difficult it is to ask for help, but they also know the great personal and spiritual growth and healing that follow. They know how to respond in a loving, caring, non-judgmental manner.



If you find yourself now or in the future facing difficulties in life, don’t succumb to society’s norm of remaining strong and suffering alone. Take the courageous step of reaching out. Our Stephen Ministry offers the opportunity for a very confidential relationship with someone who will listen to you and provide you with the care and encouragement you need, while Christ works inside to bring rest to your weary, burdened heart. For more information on Stephen Ministry please speak with Pr. Laura, Pr. Sam, or with one of our Stephen Leaders: Molly Hall, Suzi Westmoreland, or Laure Reynolds.

Planned Giving: What to Do Each Decade of Your Life (Part 2 of 2) - Last month, we shared important information about Planned Giving considerations in your 40s through 60s - because as you move from one stage of life to the next, your priorities shift. The tips that follow can help you (or a loved one) meet your/their personal and charitable goals in your 70s, 80s and beyond.

IN YOUR 70s - Discuss your giving goals with your family and meet with your financial advisor to align your financial and philanthropic plans.

Best ways to make a difference...

• Volunteering: See firsthand how your kindness can do great things by helping at your favorite charitable organizations.
•  Life income gifts: Consider establishing a charitable gift annuity or a charitable remainder trust. You receive income for life, with the rest supporting ELCA-related ministries after your lifetime.
• Gift from your IRA: If you are 70 1/2 or older, you can give from your IRA directly to a qualified charity without having to pay income taxes on the money. If you are required to take minimum distributions, this can also satisfy all or part of that obligation.

IN YOUR 80s AND BEYOND - Inform close family members and loved ones of your wishes and location of vital papers. Update your health care power of attorney and living will.

Best ways to make a difference...

• Legacy letter: This companion piece to your estate plan is a chance to share your story and your values with your loved ones.
• Beneficiary designations: Retirement plan assets are subject to income tax when distributed to loved ones, but they pass tax-free to non-profit organizations.

THE ELCA FOUNDATION HELPS AT ALL AGES AND STAGES - If supporting Bethlehem and other ELCA Ministries is important to you, Lisa Higginbotham, our ELCA Foundation Regional Gift Planner, can help you find a gift option that makes sense for your stage in life. Contact her for no-obligation help.

Source: ELCA Foundation

As has been mentioned on Sunday morning, offerings through March are behind by approximately $25,000. Fortunately, expenses have also been lower than budgeted though, as good stewards, a budget deficit of $13,500 is not where we want to be. We look forward to future offerings catching us up. 

Bethlehem is excited to partner with E4E (Encinitas for Equality) to host their Education Support Program. This after-school tutoring program is meeting at BLC three times per week in the Multi-Use room to provide tutoring services to students from our local community in 2nd - 8th grades. The students have access to the Community Library and are checking out books during the week. We recently received a $1,000 grant from the Pacifica Synod to help support this partnership and to provide needed materials to the students and tutors. The grant will also be used to update the Library as needed.

How can you help? E4E is looking for volunteers to help support this vital program in the following areas:



• Tutors - 1.5 to 3 hours per week. (High School -Adult). All tutors attend training and orientation prior to starting with students,
• Daily Facilitator - 3 to 5 hours per week to be present on campus one day per week to oversee the program. (Can be shared between two people).
• Co-Director - 10 to 20 hours per month to oversee the logistics of the program. (This is a stipend position)

If you are interested in finding out more about these volunteer opportunities, please contact Jana Hegg at childrensministry@blcenc.org.

Are you or someone that you know and love in need of prayer? The BLC Prayer Chain is a virtual space where we can share prayer concerns with one another, hold each other in prayer, and support one another during times of need. You can share your prayer requests by clicking here. On that same page you can also sign up to receive prayer requests when they are sent out, so that we might hold one another in prayer, light, and love.

We are in the process of creating a new outdoor columbarium space. We are working on finalizing the design, contracting with a company to build both the niches and the supporting frame, and local artist Jane Wheeler has already created an incredible tri-panel mosaic art installation for above the columbarium.

The price per niche is $2500. Each niche has space for up to two urns. You do not need to be a member to purchase one - all are welcome here at Bethlehem. Please sign up by contacting the church office, and payments can be made via check, or online here.

If you have any questions, or would like to inquire about payment plans, please contact the church office. If you would like to simply donate to this project, but do not wish to purchase a niche, your generosity and stewardship would be so appreciated, and you can do that by clicking here.

As Christians, we know that we are connected with all who have come before us in the faith – a great cloud of witnesses. Through this columbarium space we bear witness to that fact and will provide a much needed place of final rest for members of our community. 



Volunteers Needed! Saturday Breakfast at St. Andrews - Our mission to feed the hungry a hot breakfast each Saturday is starting back up again, and the kitchen at St. Andrew’s is now open for business. Bethlehem will be preparing breakfast on the 4th Saturday of each month. We need 6 volunteers to crack and scramble 6 doz. eggs, cook 60 hash browns, 13 lbs. of bacon, make 80 pancakes and serve up plates with a smile! Click below to volunteer!

Qigong/Tai chi -The weekly Qigong/Tai chi practices at our church is available by Zoom. You are able to join online from your computer on Wednesdays at 6 pm. Also, Chacha is having a Friday at 9 am practice by Zoom.

These practices are moving meditation practices that focus on relaxation, breath, and visualization while carrying out gentle movements. Everyone is welcome, no previous experience is necessary. If you are interested in joining please e-mail Chacha at chachapinillap@gmail.com. Please let her know which of the practices or if you would like to be invited to both practices. She will send an e-mail invitation with the zoom link. 

Scraps and Prayers - This ministry sews quilts for people in need of comfort and care. We meet each Wednesday morning from 9am-11am in the Multi-Use Room. We need your help sewing and tying quilts. No experience necessary! Stop by for an hour or stay for the whole morning; we'd love to share our scraps and prayers with you. For more information, contact Bobby Allen at roberta798@aol.com or Laure Reynolds at laurereyn@roadrunner.com.



Did you miss one of Pastor Sam's sermons? Want to double check if he actually said what you think he did? Accidentally fall asleep and want to go back and read the section you missed? Check out all of Pastor Sam's sermons on his blog at: https://sinningboldlywithsam.wordpress.com/

Have you missed one of our monthly e-newsletters? Have you wished you could open up that newsletter again to get that bit of information you were looking for? Well, now you can. On our Newsletter Archive page there are links available to view current and past newsletters.