The Little Free Pantry (LFP)
The Little Free Pantry (LFP) is open to anyone in our community to participate by either filling the pantry or taking from it. The LFP is located just north of the parsonage on Pratt Street, in the open lot. The pantry has been clearly labeled to make it easy to restock with the following list in order keep the LFP stocked with the items our community needs. If you have any questions or need to report any issues with the LFP, please contact the LFP administrator, Chili at chilibas14@gmail.com.
Below is the Winter List
Below is the Summer List
Atwood Shelter
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/.
Bethlehem has a history of providing household needs (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) to the shelter. Donations are always welcome—bring needed items to the bin in the narthex; write a check to Bethlehem with “Atwood Shelter” on memo line; designate the Atwood Shelter on your giving 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 W. (pkwright1360@gmail.com).
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 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. In some years, Bethlehem teams up with First Lutheran. We have done flood relief, highway cleanup, quilting, Habitat for Humanity work, highway and greenspace cleanup, and assembling newborn layettes for Global Health and care packages for the homeless.
For more information contact Carolyn B-G (cbuckgengler@gmail.com).
ELCA Rocky Mt. Synod
Bethlehem is one of the 165 congregations in the ELCA Rocky Mountain Synod. Through our donations to the synod, we support programs in our five state area (Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico and Texas). In addition, we support the ELCA Lutheran camp, Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp. See below for more information.
Habitat for Humanity – St. Vrain Valley
Building days
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.
Build Dates 2023
April 22, June 24, August 26, October 28, December 2
ReStore
The HHSV ReStore located at 1351 Sherman Drive, Longmont, CO, 80501, 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.
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
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. For more information, please contact Jane L. at (303) 588-9562.
For more info or to volunteer see http://hopeforlongmont.org/get-involved/ .
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.
Bethlehem supports the Inn Between with financial contributions, supply donations and holiday gifts for residents. If interested in helping, contact our Missions Ministry (missions@bethlehem-lutheran.net).
Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp
Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp, 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. For more information, visit their website.
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 our Faith Formation Director (faithformation@bethlehem-lutheran.net) or Pastor Katie (pastor@bethlehem-lutheran.net).
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 L. at (303) 588-9562 or the Mother House.
Musical Ambassadors Bringing God’s Love to the Atria
The Atria has once again welcomed our Musical Ambassadors back into the Memory Unit once a month. We are there on the second Sunday of each month at 11:30 a.m. to sing familiar hymns and read scripture selections to the residents. All are welcome, including children who bring much joy to this event. You do not need to be a singer to greet or help an elderly person.
For more information, please contact Jeanne P. (jeanne@phippsweb.com) or Pastor Katie.
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 Mike S. (mikesmith512@msn.com) or Missions Ministry (missions@bethlehem-lutheran.net).
Visit Denver Women’s Prison
Thanks to Mike S. who has agreed to be the new coordinator for our outreach to New Beginnings. Please contact Mike (mikesmith512@msn.com) about future opportunities to visit and contribute to the New Beginnings ministry.
The Reentry Initiative
The Reentry Initiative (TRI) based in Longmont, empowers individuals transitions from incarceration to a fulfilling and meaningful life by offering post-release wraparound services. At the Welcome Back Center in Longmont (402 Kimbark behind Central Presbyterian), both men and women released from incarceration receive mental health and substance abuse treatment, classes on self sufficiency as well as housing, transportation and mentoring assistance. TRI is partially funded by WAGEES (work and gain education and employment skills) and donor contributions. The Reentry Initiative is one of only two programs in Colorado working with female inmates and is the only one in Boulder county. The needs are great for clothing and toiletries for both men and women since many leave prison with literally only the clothes on their back. This is not conducive to a positive impression on the potential employers.
To donate clothing, toiletries, or gift cards, contact:
Emily Kleeman, Executive Director of The Reentry Initiative (720-593-038, emily@reentryinitiative.org) or contact Mike or Sue S. at (mikesmith512@msn.com) who will take your donation of lightly used clothing to the Welcome Back Center.
OUR Center
Since 1986, the Outreach United Resource Center, Inc., 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 benevolence, through food and clothing donations, and by volunteers providing lunches on Sundays periodically throughout the year. If you would like more information or to volunteer, contact our our Evangelism Ministry Chair (evangelism@bethlehem-lutheran.net).
Quilting Groups
Bethlehem Quilting Queens
The Quilting Queens of Bethlehem Lutheran Church meet to tie and talk on Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. in the Quilting Room and Music Room. 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)! For more information, contact Barbara P (bjprice47@yahoo.com), or if you would like to donate or purchase a quilt, please contact the church office (303-776-3290).
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 donate to support Lutheran World Relief and Nicaragua Mission. We provide materials and members participate in the quilting. Our contact is Sandy B. (sisb1358@comcast.net), who can provide more information on the Peacemakers quilting group.
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. For more information, contact missions@bethlehem-lutheran.net.
Bell ringing for the Salvation Army
For many years, Bethlehem members have volunteered to be bell ringers for the annual Salvation Army Christmas Drive. This is great fun with lots of holiday spirit. If you are interested in signing up for a shift, contact Duane P. (duane.penny@coloradohomes.com).
Lutheran Family Services
Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains is a faith based, non-profit human service agency helping children and families during their most challenging times. We have been committed to serving all people, regardless of race, religion, gender or age since 1948. Bethlehem participates in fund raisers and requests for needed item donations periodically throughout the year. Contact the current Mission chair for more information (missions@bethlehem-lutheran.net).
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! (Special Note: We cannot accept sofa beds, TVs, desks, bookshelves, or king size beds—sorry!)
LFS Refugee Program Needs
The refugee program had a busy fall with increased refugee arrivals, and we hope to welcome even more refugees in the coming year—so we need your help! We are low on bedding (sheet sets, bed-sized blankets, comforters, and pillows) and cookware (pots and pans). Can you help give a warm welcome to a new refugee family by donating new or gently used items? If so, contact Jaime (jaime.blanchard@lfsrm.org).
Casa de Paz
Casa de Paz (House of Peace) offers shelter, meals, plane/bus tickets, transportation and emotional support to immigrants released from detention as they transition to their final destination. They also welcome out-of-town families in our hospitality home, creating a space for families separated by ICE detention to be together, right where they belong. The Bethlehem Social Justice Initiative supports with volunteers, donations, and various collections. For more information, contact the Missions Ministry (missions@bethlehem-lutheran.net).
Intercambio Colorado
Intercambio provides English language education, resources and training that create meaningful connections, build cultural awareness and inspire confidence. BLC members volunteer at several levels to provide practice opportunities for students learning English at all levels. For more information, contact the Missions Ministry (missions@bethlehem-lutheran.net).
BLC 