Caring Ministry

Bethlehem promotes caring ministries within the congregation and beyond. 

Parish nurses -  The church employs two parish nurses who administer blood pressure checks, educate the congregation about health issues through the monthly newsletter, and participate in various events such as healing services throughout the year.

Stephen Ministry – Bethlehem has three trained Stephen Leaders and twenty-one Stephen Ministers who weekly visit people within and outside the congregation who are going through crises in their lives.

Friendly Visitors – Bethlehem has fifty-five home-bound seniors who enjoy a monthly visit from their “friendly visitor”.

Eucharistic Ministers – Bethlehem has an average of twelve – fifteen members who welcome Eucharistic ministers into their home Sunday morning who have directly from the Holy Communion service at church and distribute the sacrament to them.

Prayer Chain – Bethlehem has six prayer chains that receive prayer requests to pass the information along the chain of pray-ers.

Prayer shawls, Cards and Flowers, Christmas and Easter cards – Prayer shawls are knit and crocheted by members for people going through a crisis and then taken to them.  They are wrapped in the shawl and in the prayers.  Cards are sent to members at significant moments in their lives.  Flowers are taken to members who are hospitalized.  Christmas and Easter cards are sent to the home-bound members.

The pastors regularly schedule visits to the church’s home-bound members and give group communions to members living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Evangelism/Hospitality Ministry

Hospitality Ministry at Bethlehem is the "recognition that God comes to us through strangers and that by receiving another we open ourselves to the expanding message of an incarnate God." (Gerald Hoffman, Hospitable Community booklet, 1990, Augsburg/Fortress, p. 8)

We invite strangers to become friends at Bethlehem. "Hospitality is the very nature of God. To be of the body of Christ is to reflect an openness to receive others.  We serve as Christ's hosts.  Our status is a gift from a gracious God and is to be reflected in our lives."   (Hoffman, p.10)  

The primary focus of this ministry is to welcome new members who are making a transition into our community of faith. Twice each year we go through a formal time of welcome and entry. Throughout the year we practice relationship building, grow in Christian education, and participate in worship and service.

Sunday hospitality is another dimension of this ministry. Greeters, Food Servers, Church Bus Drivers, Eucharistic Ministers, Nursery Attendants, and Ushers all serve on Sundays throughout the year to welcome one another in Christ's name.