Serving in our local community

 

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Bethlehem Mission House

Atwood Shelter

CU Campus Ministry

ELCA "God's work. Our hands."

Fair Trade

Habitat for Humanity

HOPE for Longmont

Inn Between of Longmont

Sky Ranch

Lutheran Family Services

Mother House

New Beginnings Prison Ministry

OUR Center

Quilters

Relay for Life

Safe Shelter of St. Vrain

Bell Ringing for Salvation Army

 

 

 

 

Bethlehem Mission House

A few years ago we repurposed our parsonage into a Mission House that is used to host groups coming to Longmont to help with rebuilding after the 2013 floods and with other area mission projects.

 

In August, we had two groups in the Mission House. Both groups were working for St. Vrain Habitat for Humanity doing the ongoing rebuilding from the 2013 flood. The first group was with IOCC—International Orthodox Christian Charities. One missionary was from Baltimore, another from Pueblo and the third from Petaluma, California. They shared this thank you:

"Thank you for the lovely accommodations. This is a beautiful and comfortable home.

We've enjoyed our stay very much. It was so nice to have a home-away-from-home to come to after a day with Habitat. We enjoyed working with Habitat and did work as we never have before. What an opportunity for us to be blessed while blessing others.

Longmont is a beautiful city. We enjoyed experiencing downtown and going for an evening walk. Thank you for the delicious cinnamon/chocolate bread. Oh my! We are so grateful. God bless you all and thank you again."

~Lynette, Catherine and Jenie

The other was a group of eight from St. Petersburg, Florida. They all belong to a UCC church there. Their comment was that they have done many mission trips like this but these were the best accommodations they have ever had.

 

In September we had a family, two adults and four children, live in the Mission House for the first two weeks of September. They were referred to us by Habitat for Humanity because their new house from Habitat was a little behind schedule. They had to move out of their apartment at the end of August and needed a temporary place to stay until their home was completed.

Pastor Mark was at church following the September 13 day of service. The mother and oldest boy came by to share that they were leaving the Mission House because their Habitat house was ready. They were so appreciative of the use of the Mission House and so excited about moving into their new home.

 

In October, we hosted another family that was waiting for plans to move back to China and needed a place to stay until all was ready for their trip. They were very appreciative to have this home to live in.

 

Recently, Pastor Mark and Nancy Tiff met with the leaders of St. Vrain Valley Habitat for Humanity. We again agreed to house groups that come through them in our Mission House. We already have two groups signed up for the spring of 2016.

 

We are blessed to be a blessing!

 

Atwood Shelter

Monthly Collections

The Atwood Shelter in Longmont is one of four shelters in Boulder County that provides emergency housing for homeless families with children. The shelters in Longmont, Boulder, Lafayette, and Louisville are operated by EFAA, the Emergency Family Assistance Association, which is a non-profit that has been in existence in Boulder County since 1918. They provide help to low income families in the areas of health needs, education, transportation, employment, housing, and food. More information on EFAA can be found on their website at https://www.efaa.org/ .

To be accepted in the shelter, a family must have children under 18 years of age, have a monthly income of $1000, and must have lived in Boulder County for 90 days. Their income is often through disability income or low paying jobs. The case manager at each shelter works to prevent families in need from falling further into crisis. They work to help each family meet critical immediate needs and access the resources they need for long-term success. The families work out a budget and a savings plan with the help of the case manager—with the goal of finding stability and growth in their life situation. The shelter also provides a children's program and the director of that program is as involved with the family as the case worker.

In Longmont, the shelter includes two housing units. One is a four-plex, which houses four families, and the other is an apartment complex, which houses seven families. Of these 11 units, two are transitional units which people can stay in for two years—paying rent of $500 per month. The other nine units are short term units that house families for up to 16 weeks rent free. The units are fully furnished and provide families with all the supplies they need for daily living such as toilet paper, paper towels, diapers, personal hygiene needs, dish/dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent, bleach, all cleaning products, brooms, mops, bedding, towels, dishes, silverware, and pots & pans.

Bethlehem has a history of providing household needs to the shelter. If each family in the congregation would give two items per month, we would support at least two of the units with their needs. Donations are always welcome—simply write a check to Bethlehem, write Atwood Shelter on memo line, and designate the Atwood Shelter on your envelope or use our online donation page and choose Atwood Shelter under Mission options. Those funds will be used to purchase items that the Longmont Atwood Shelter needs.

For more information or questions, please contact Phyllis Wright (pkwright1360@gmail.com, 303-763-0755).

 

Campbell's Soup Label Program Ended

The Campbell Soup Label program has come to an end. Contact Bev Coody if you have questions.

 

 

 

University of Colorado Campus Ministry

Bethlehem supports the CU Lutheran Campus Ministry by donations, participation in events, and encouragement. Christus Rex is a welcoming community, whose members support one another in their faith journeys. The students enjoy caring, fun, and fellowship as a part of everything they do together! Special events include weekly Sunday evening dinners following worship, movie nights, ski retreats, a fall kick-off picnic, ethnic dinners, trips to special exhibits, and so on. For more information, contact Pastor Zach Parris (303-786-7137) and the CU campus ministry website.

 

 

 

ELCA "God's work. Our hands."

ELCA congregations across the country join together on the second Sunday in September to do service projects in their local community. Bethlehem teams up with First Lutherans. In 2014 we did flood relief, highway cleanup, quilting and Habitat for Humanity work.  In 2015 we again shared a wonderful day of service with our brothers and sisters of First Lutheran then went out into the community to serve by doing highway or greenspace cleanup, digging up flower beds at Old Mill Park, working on the current Habitat build, quilting and assembling newborn layettes for Global Health. We assembled 60 newborn kits and completed seven quilts.

2016 "God's Work. Our Hands." Day of Service: September 11

At the recent 2016 "God's Work. Our Hands." day of service, care packages were assembled for the homeless—for the folks we see on our street corners with their cardboard signs. These care packages (food and personal items) were creatively packed into a new pair of socks. The socks have been distributed for you to hand out. Thanks to the volunteers who assembled them.

 

 

 

 

 

Support For Local Coffee Farmers Through LWR

Lutheran World Relief (LWR) produces LWR Farmers Market Coffee in partnership with THRIVE Farmers Coffee, a coffee roaster with a passion for helping farmers lift themselves out of poverty and become self-sufficient and better able to support their families. LWR Farmers Market Coffee is sourced directly from farmers participating in LWR coffee projects. At this time, it is sourced completely from Nicaragua. Through their purchases, consumers also support and strengthen the work of LWR. For every pound of coffee purchased, THRIVE Farmers donates 80 cents to LWR's continued efforts to reach out to farmers around the world. Two varieties of LWR Farmers Market Coffee are available at BLC: Medium Roast and Dark Roast. Both are whole bean. The cost is $7.50 per bag.

For more information contact Carolyn Buck-Gengler (cbuckgengler@gmail.com or 303-651-0612).

 

 

Nicaragua Fair Trade

As part of our support for the Nicaragua Mission, Bethlehem hosts an annual Nicaragua Fair Trade Fair that promotes items made by the people of Nicaragua. For more information, contact Cathy Goodman.

 

 

 

Habitat for Humanity – St. Vrain Valley

Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley- New Builds

The mission of the Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley (HHSV) is to provide simple, decent, affordable housing to those in need. BLC supports HHSV by contributing financially, providing and serving workers' lunches, and providing volunteer workers. Current projects are in the Popular Grove area of Longmont (near South Main and Jersey St).

 

Flood Response

BLC is currently supporting flood relief work projects in partnership with HHSVV. Once a month, volunteers work on repairing resident's homes and properties that were damaged in the Sept 2013 flood here in Longmont.

 

ReStore

The HHSV ReStore located on Ken Pratt Blvd. receives household donations that are in turn sold to the public; the proceeds provide funding for additional Habitat build projects. Members of BLC contribute time and donations to the HHSV ReStore.

 

Habitat Build and ReBuild Days for BLC

 

2018 Habitat ReBuild Days

In 2018, we will participate in the following 2013 Flood ReBuild Days:

April 27

May 19

June 29

August 18

September 28

October 27

November 30

Please sign up on the narthex west wall for our 2018 Habitat Rebuild Days. Contact Bob Cotton (303-651-6563) for more information.

 

 Apostles Build Day for June

On Friday, June 29, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., we will be working on repairing run down mobile homes in Dacono.  Please sign up on the west wall of the narthex. Contact Bob Cotton for more information or if you have questions (303-651-6563 or rcc.cotton@gmail.com). 

 

 

For the 2016 Report for St. Vrain Habitat for Humanity: 

Download the 2016 Report for St. Vrain Habitat for Humanity!107.55 KB

 

 

HOPE for Longmont

Homeless Outreach Providing Encouragement (HOPE) is an after-hours street outreach program providing life-sustaining support to the homeless community, while offering programs which encourage movement toward self-sufficiency. Bethlehem supports this outreach both financially and with volunteers; Bethlehem members donate and collect needed items; provide food; and have participants in the delivery program. Our contact is: Colleen Beyer.

 

People seeking support will access all city and county homeless services through the new Coordinated Entry (CE) system. CE features a streamlined assessment process resulting in one of two paths: higher need folks are directed to the housing-focused shelter at the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless for long-term assistance; lower need individuals are directed to a navigation site in Longmont or Boulder. Navigation is intended to eliminate or reduce time in homeless services for those who may be able to resolve their housing crisis with limited assistance.
Boulder’s navigation services are offered by Bridge House. In Longmont, HOPE and OUR Center are providing a collaborative service model: HOPE provides nighttime navigation from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 a.m. and offers basic needs services including meals, overnight sleeping space, showers, and laundry for up to 50 people. Nighttime services will feature an expanded version of last winter’s program with United Church of Christ joining the continuing foundation laid by Journey and Heart of Longmont Churches. OUR Center provides daytime navigation 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. where clients work with a case manager to develop a housing plan, receive assistance and links to county and other community programs as needed.

As part of the new system, HOPE is adding a daytime street outreach service to support the transition of nighttime outreach to a search and save model, which is designed to engage people experiencing homelessness at a deeper level. This incredibly important work establishes supportive relationships and increases the chances that individuals will access the array of programs to help them move off the streets and into housing. Search and save volunteers connect vulnerable individuals to services and provide emergency transportation to nighttime navigation in severe weather.

Emergency Assistance
Through its emergency assistance program, HOPE provides bus passes, laundry vouchers, fills prescriptions and more, on a case by case basis. This program offers medical respite to individuals released from hospitals who have no indoor place to stay.

Transitional Storage
Transitional storage provides a safe place for people to keep their belongings as they work, seek employment, or attend classes and appointments. Identified as a primary step toward self-sufficiency, the opportunity to store belongings can be transformative.

Step Up Longmont
The Step Up program pairs teams of community volunteers with individuals experiencing homelessness. Teams from faith, community and human services organizations, city government and businesses work with individuals to help achieve self-sufficiency and build support systems.

Bikes fo HOPE
Thanks to a partnership between local businesses and cycling enthusiasts in our community, HOPE is able to distribute bicycles to clients with a demonstrated need. We accept donations of bicycles and bike parts, then volunteer bike mechanics refurbish the bicycles and add important features like lights and luggage racks so that each bicycle given to a HOPE client is reliable and safe. Having a bicycle helps people experiencing homelessness meet a vital need for transportation, which is an empowering step towards self-sufficiency.

Volunteer Opportunities:

 

Search and Save: HOPE’s nightly search & save mobile outreach service operates seven nights a week, 365 nights per year and is designed to engage with people experiencing homelessness at a deeper level. This incredibly important work establishes supportive relationships and increases the chances that individuals will access the array of programs to help them move off the streets and into housing. Search and save volunteers connect vulnerable individuals to services and provide emergency transportation to nighttime navigation in severe weather.

Two volunteers staff the van between 5:30pm – 7:30pm. Search & save volunteers attend classroom training and work several shifts with veteran partners before hitting the streets on their own. Volunteers are supported by on-call HOPE staff to communicate and trouble-shoot outreach activities.

Volunteers are required to be at least 18 years old and in good physical condition. Outreach activities may occur during extreme weather conditions and volunteers are required to perform a modest amount of lifting when loading the mobile outreach van with emergency supplies. A valid Colorado driver’s license and background checks are required. Bethlehem has several volunteers participating in the search & save service. For more info or to volunteer see http://hopeforlongmont.org/get-involved/ .

 

Interested in getting involved? Contact Sandy Woodruff (303-442-6391).

 

 

 

Inn Between of Longmont

The Inn Between of Longmont, Inc., provides transitional housing and services for diverse homeless individuals and families to help them achieve self-sufficiency and offers low-cost housing, case management services, parent support and education, life skills, conflict resolution, resource and referral. The Inn Between was created through a community-wide collaboration to address the problem of homelessness. The goal was to create a transitional housing program that would house the diverse client-population served by this collaboration and provide the services that would also promote stability and lead toward increased levels of self sufficiency.

 

The Inn assists residents to develop individualized plans that address their issues and needs, such as housing (first and foremost), education, job training, job search, and financial management, treatment for substance addictions, mental health issues, family relations, and goals and objectives for children when necessary.

 

Bethlehem supports the Inn Between with financial contributions, supply donations and holiday gifts for residents.

 

Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp

Sky Ranch, just north of Rocky Mountain National Park at an elevation of 9200 feet, is operated by congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Their programs and facilities are open to all.

Bethlehem provides monetary support, staff support and volunteers for maintenance projects, in addition to using the facilities for a variety of camp weeks and for staffing our Summer Day Camp in Longmont. For more information, contact Deaconess Kristen, or Pastor Peterson (303-776-3290).

 

 

 

Mother House

Mother House is a safe haven for pregnant women who are at risk. The house is located in Boulder and provides shelter to homeless pregnant women while teaching self-respect and the responsibilities of parenting and/or adoption during their residency at Mother House. Bethlehem supports Mother House through donations and work projects. For more information, please contact Jane Lahman or the Mother House at (303) 651-9304. 

 

 

 

New Beginnings Prison Ministry

 

Cards for New Beginnings Prison Ministry

Do you have extra cards that you are not using? New Beginnings, our mission at the Women's Correctional Facility in Denver, gives cards to inmates several times a year so they can stay in touch with family and friends. There is a basket in the narthex marked "New Beginnings"! Appropriate cards of all kinds including Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Sympathy, Birthday, Valentine's Day, Blank cards, and Calendars can be donated. Questions? Contact Sandy Woodruff (or 303-442-6391).

 

Next Visit to Denver Women's Prison

Our next scheduled date to attend the worship at New Beginnings Prison Ministry at the Women’s Correctional Facility in Denver is May 18. For those who would like to be join in on that date, we need to submit your visitor information by April 22 for the background check.

Thanks to Mike Smith who has agreed to be the new coordinator for our outreach to New Beginnings. Also thanks to Jeanne Phipps who helped to reconnect Bethlehem to New Beginnings.

 

 

OUR Center

Since 1986, the Outreach United Resource Center, Inc., the "OUR Center", has worked to meet its mission to unify a safety net of available resources to help people with short term hardships meet their basic needs and move toward self-sufficiency. The priority is to assist families with children who are residents of the St. Vrain region. Assistance to households without children may be provided after a thorough assessment has been done and as resources permit. Bethlehem supports the OUR Center financially, through food and clothing donations, and by providing lunches on Sundays periodically throughout the year.

 

2018 OUR Center Lunch dates for Bethlehem:

BLC will host a luncheon for the OUR Center on Sunday, June 24. We need six first–shift volunteers for preparation from 10:00 a.m.–noon, and eight second–shift volunteers for serving and cleaning up from noon–2:00 p.m. If you haven't tried this before, it's a great opportunity to reach out to our community and  have some fun with fellow volunteers. A signup sheet is on the table in the Narthex. Call Nancy McLeod at 303-772-6019 with any questions.

 

"OUR Center Spotlight"

As one of the supporting churches of the Longmont OUR Center, the OUR Center wants to keep us informed of how our congregation can partner to help families and individuals in need. Therefore, they are sending a monthly "OUR Center Spotlight" newsletter and ask that we please share this list with you. We will be posting a copy in the narthex and also making it available here on our website. Please contact Elaine (or 303-772-5529 x224) if you have any questions.

December "OUR Center Spotlight" for download407.5 KB

 

 

 

 

Quilting Groups

 

Bethlehem Quilting Queens

The Quilting Queens of Bethlehem Lutheran Church meet to tie and talk on Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon. The #1 priority is plenty of fellowship, fun and work. We cut, iron, sew, tie and produce an amazing number of quilts each year. We are always anxious to welcome any and all—male or female—to join us in cutting and tying patch work quilts. It's a really good time—belly laughs and giggles, eating a lot and drinking (coffee, that is)! Find more details and pictures at Connect/Quilters.

Peacemakers Quilters

Bethlehem members also participate in another quilting group in Heatherwood (founded by members from Bethlehem and Mt. Calvary Lutheran churches) who makes quilts to sell to support Lutheran World Relief, Nicaragua Mission, and ELCA World Hunger. We provide materials and members participate in the quilting. Our contact is Sandy Burrell, who can provide more information on the Peacemakers quilting group.

 

 

Relay for Life

Relay For Life of Longmont

Relay for Life USA

Relay For Life® is a fun-filled event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money to help the American Cancer Society save lives, help those who have been touched by cancer, and empower individuals to fight back against this disease. During the event, teams of people gather at schools, fairgrounds, or parks and take turns walking or running laps. Each team keeps at least one team member on the track at all times.

 

 

Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley

The Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley offers support, shelter, and information to victims or survivors of any abuse regardless of gender identification. There is also educational outreach for all which is bilingual. The Safe Shelter 24/7 Crisis phone is (303)772-0432 or (303)772-4422. More information can be found at: www.safeshelterofstvrain.org. BLC offers donations to support Safe Shelter.

 

Bell ringing for the Salvation Army

For the last several years, Bethlehem members have volunteered to be bell ringers for the annual Salvation Army Christmas Drive. If you are interested in signing up for a two hour shift, contact Duane Penny.

 

Lutheran Family Services

Furniture Needs

If you are doing some tidying up around the house and have any furniture or household items to donate to Lutheran Family Services' refugee families (Denver area), please call Jaime at 303-922-3433 to schedule a pickup! We are in particular need of dressers and dining tables and chairs. Also needed are lamps, side/coffee tables, night stands, sofas, living room chairs, mattresses and box springs in good shape. Or, if you don't have anything you can donate, funds to purchase furniture at thrift stores would be great too. Thanks! (We cannot accept sofa beds, TVs, desks, bookshelves, or king size beds—sorry!)

 

 

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