Our Backpack Ministry fills 85+ backpacks every week for Aloha-Huber and Kinnamon Elementary Schools.  This program helps families that are on the free and reduced cost lunch program at their schools.  Because of volunteers from Bethlehem and St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, these children know they will have something to eat over the weekend.

Would you like to join the team?  The ministry could use helpers on Wednesday at 3pm and a Costco Top Ramen shopper! 

Email here for more information.

The Bethlehem Service Team puts on two blood drives at Bethlehem every year because every day, blood donors help patients of all ages: accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those battling cancer. In fact, every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood.

These important blood drives cannot happen without volunteers.  Look for more information on the home page as we get closer to our next blood drive, or email here for more information.

Every year the Bethlehem Family holds a food drive starting on Thanksgiving and lasting about a month.  At the end of the food drive we gather together to create “Christmas Boxes” utilizing the food that has been donated.  These boxes are then given to families in need.

There are several ways to volunteer to help with the Christmas Boxes.  The food needs to be sorted, packed, and delivered.  We also need volunteers to take donated money to buy perishable items right before the packing event.

Email here for more information.

Comforts of Home, a volunteer ministry of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, provides donated small home goods to neighbors in need, transition, or crisis.  Our mission is to love others as Christ first loved us.  We show God’s love by providing the comforts of home essentials to community members in need.  

Two Friday mornings a month for two hours, three volunteers assist up to six families in collecting items they need from our “shopping area” upstairs in the balcony.  The volunteers also sort/shelve donations received. 

Email here for more information.

Crosswalk provides a ministry of spiritual growth and fellowship for adult members with developmental disabilities.  Residents of Bethesda or others with special developmental needs have the opportunity once a month (usually the 4th Sunday) to enjoy a meal, singing, making crafts, Bible study, and just spending time together.

Volunteers plan and lead these get-togethers and anyone interested in lending a helping hand is welcome!

Email here for more information.

Family Promise is a Homeless Program. The Mission of Family Promise is to “End Homeless – One Family at a Time.” We do this by strengthening the lives of the people we serve and build a strong community to support their ongoing success.Our Program provides temporary shelter, case management (coaching) resources, advocacy and referrals for homeless families with children that reside in our shelter program. We help to provide a community connection – a foundation for success – – that goes with them when they leave our program – by ending Homelessness.

Bethlehem hosts families a few times a year, providing meals.  This program takes a lot of volunteers to run effectively and there are many ways to help.  

Email here for more information.

The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League is a volunteer organization that spends a lot of their time raising money for charities.  Donations in the past have included the Christmas Food Baskets, LAMP, Saving Grace Maternity Home, Bethesda, and LCMS Disaster Response.

Email here for more information.

The Bethlehem Quilters make and provide quilts for a variety of charitable organizations which have included Lutheran World Relief, Salvation Army, and Bethlehem Mexico Mission Trips.  Quilts have also been provided for fund-raising activities at Bethlehem.

The Bethlehem Quilters meet year round at the church, every Monday at 9:30 a.m.  Participation is open to all quilters and quilter-wanna-bees.

Email here for more information.

Stephen Ministry is a team of lay ministers trained to render one on one care to people who are in need, whether it be surgery or sickness, unemployment, chronic physical or emotional problems, relationship issues, or spiritual struggles.

Stephen Ministers receive on-going education in how to be effective care-givers.  They also receive regular supervision from their pastors and peers.  They pledge themselves to confidentiality and devote themselves to weekly visits of their care-receivers.  This ministry is open to new candidates for training although a new class is usually taught only once a year;  people in need who feel they could benefit from a Stephen Ministry relationship are encouraged to contact us.

Email here for more information.

Vacation Bible School exists as both a spiritual education and mission outreach program for the children of our congregation and our community.  Vacation Bible School is a one-week summer program for children ages 3 through grade 6. Children learn and review Bible stories and verses and relate scripture truths to their lives. Seeds of faith are planted and nurtured through an age appropriate curriculum, crafts, activities, music and lots of fun. 

There are multiple opportunities for adults and junior and senior high youth of the congregation to volunteer their skills as leaders and assistants with teaching, music, crafts, and recreational activities.  Volunteers also contribute important skills in working with theme development, registration activities and general organization.

Email here for more information.