Am y H asba rg en &
Lance B r eil and
Gifts That Keep On Giving
We know the opposite of love is not hate
-- it is fear. Committing, and
recommitting, ourselves to rise to the
challenge of choosing love instead of fear
is a fundamental aspect of the Christian
journey. We are loved and we are called
on to choose love. We give, both in terms
of our time and our money, because we
believe we are blessed with gifts that are
never fully our own. For us, giving is an
expression of our thanks for those
blessings and a tangible reminder that
our possessions can never be the center of
our lives. Bethlehem receives a good
portion of our giving by sharing that belief
and focusing its mission outside of its own
walls to support the world God loves.
Think about a three-legged stool. Is any one leg more significant than the
other two? Here at Bethlehem, the three ways in which the community is
held up is through giving to a) the annual fund, b) the three-year mission
appeal (see below), and c) the Bethlehem Foundation. We encourage
giving to all three! Intentions to support the Foundation are typically made
through one’s will or estate plans. The lower portion of the pledge card
provides more information.
Why So Many Three-Year Mission
(Capital) Appeals?
He ath e r & L e e Sims o
The church and the world are always
changing - we don't have much of a
choice! But we trust in Jesus' good
promise, "I will be with you until the end
of the age," and know we don't move
forward alone (Matthew 28:20). Our
families taught us to share what we have
generously with the church and
organizations we care about. We are
inspired when we see new faces in
worship, children engaged, beautiful
music, a variety of preaching styles, and a
dynamic care team. Together we are able
to have a bigger impact on our
community through affordable housing,
global mission, and supporting refugees.
We are grateful for the ways our gifts
bless others.
It’s a fair question. Bethlehem’s history of successive three-year appeals is
what thriving congregations do. This approach allows us to steward greater
overall resources than if we simply asked members to give to one fund.
Moreover, Bethlehem’s impact increases significantly. So ask yourself if the
improvements and renovations of the bricks and mortar of both buildings is
worthy of your support. Is funding our new Minnetonka campus pastor,
Pastor Meta, worthy of your contributions? And what about the 15% of
funds received that bolster our outreach endeavors? Join the hundreds of
other Bethlehem members who have already said yes and pledged to
support the current three-year mission appeal, Opening New Doors. Contact
the church office for more information.
T h a n k yo u fo r s u ppo r ti ng B ethl ehem i n
al l thr ee expr es s i o ns !
BET H LEH EM
LUTHERAN CHURCH
TWIN CITIES
Stewards
of God's
Mysteries
2018 Annual Pledge Drive