Our purpose simply put; loving God, serving others, doing no harm.
We seek to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Dear Friends:
Holy Week has finally arrived! Hallelujah! This is the season that we celebrate Newness of Life in Christ and also Newness of Life in Creationrevealed in Spring. In addition, this year we celebrate the decline and (hopefully) soon end to the Covid-19 Pandemic. We have much to be grateful for and much to worship our God for this Holy Week.
Please join us on Maundy Thursday, April 1 at 7p for a worship service of Reflection and Repentance. We will worship our Great God as we sing the hymns: Near to the Heart of God; Purify My Heart; and There is A Redeemer. Our scripture passage is fromLuke 22 and tells the story of the disciples gathering with Jesus in the Upper Room to celebrate the first communion. My meditation will focus on our Loving God of Incredible Patience. Following my message we will celebrate the Lord's Table together. To be Covid safe you will receive an individually wrapped communion wafer and cup upon entering the Sanctuary.
On Resurrection Sunday, April 4, we will gather for Easter Celebration at 9a and at 11a. Since we can only have 50 people in our worship area, please sign up here or our website for the worship service you prefer to attend, or call Sandy at the church office to make your reservation. We will celebrate our Risen Lord by singing the Easter hymns, Christ the Lord is Risen Today; and Up From the Grave He Arose. Jeanie will be singing Easter Songas a solo. My message will be from John 20and is entitled, Seeing Is Believing. I will talk about the followers of Jesus on that first Easter Sunday and who believed in the resurrection of Christ and when they believed, and who did not believe in the resurrection. It’s a very interesting story.
Lastly, Mt Bethel Church has been in anIntentional Season of Reflection and Prayer during the 2021 Lenten Season. Our desire is, receiving clear guidance from our Heavenly Father as to how our church can move forward into a season of blessings once the Covid-19 Pandemic is over. Our Church leadership has put together a short survey to get your feedback and input. We want to hear from you as to what you believe Mt Bethel Church should do to move into a New Season of Blessings and Grow. You can complete the survey online here and it is posted to our our website to access. Also, we will be mailing the survey to all those who do not have internet access. Please fill out the survey one per congregantand submit by May 1, 2021. Do survey online, mail it to the church, or put it in the “Completed Survey Box" in the Narthex. Your input is important and greatly appreciated! We will make the results available to the congregation once they have been tabulated. May you be richly blessed this Holy Week as you bask in God’s Love and Grace revealed for ALL through Jesus! In His Love, Pastor David
If or when you are in need of Pastoral Care,
please contact me, Pastor David by phone, text or email.
Pastor Dave 763-439-6838 email: pastordave@mtbethelchurchigh.org
With more COVID-19 vaccinations and COVID numbers statewide, the Worship Team has made a way for social distancing, In-Person Worship in Mt Bethel's Sanctuary. Restriction: 50 attendees. For Easter Worship we ask that you reserve a seat, by calling the Church office on Wednesday
orclick here to reserve your spot. Easter Worship 9am & 11am
Social Distancing restrictions 50 attendees, masks required.
We of Mt Bethel Church get to join many other Minnesota United Methodists and participate in a 2021 conference-wide Lenten video study. “Love is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times,”by Bishop Michael Curry. This week
Chapters 9&10 with Rev. Susan Nienaber / Week 5 Video / Week 5 Study Guide
Praise God from whom our Blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly Host ~ Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost ~ Amen
When mailing your Offering send to: Mt Bethel Church, 3239 70th Street E., Inver Grove Hts, MN 55076 Thank you to the people of the USPS who 'usher' our Offerings to Mt Bethel's secure mailbox. DONATE
The “neighbors helping neighbors” philosophy has been at the heart of Neighbors, Inc. since the beginning. Right now our assistance is needed during the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign, Now to April 11, to help feed our neighbors in need. There is a matching grant from MOE up to $500 for MN FoodShare March Campaign to Neighbors Inc Food Shelf. When giving, please designate your “Neighbors Food shelf” offering. Donate online here or mail your donation to Mt Bethel Church.
Reflections from Finance This has absolutely nothing to do with finance other than that Jesus paid for our sins. As we celebrate Easter, we are led to remember that.
I love the picture of Jesus in the hallway by Pastor’s office. When you are at the church, take some time to look closely at it. Here is the backstory
of this picture. Is it true? I like to think so. It is a beautiful picture of a Middle Eastern male. “Prince of Peace” by Akiane Kramarik. She painted the “Prince of Peace”, in 2003 when she was eight years old. It depicts her vision of the “Likeness of Christ,” and was done using a model – a carpenter who arrived at the family’s door looking for work. Akiane Kramarik says that she had prayed for two years for the proper face to appear.
Also in 2003, a four-year-old child named Colton Burpo had a near-death experience. Afterward, he described his experiences of being in heaven where he sat on Jesus’ lap and met pre-deceased family members. You can read about this in a book written by his father titled “Heaven is for Real”. Colton looked at many pictures of Jesus over the next few years, hoping to find the one that would be the most accurate. In 2006, Colton’s father found the “Prince of Peace” on the Internet, and showed the portrait of Jesus to Colton, who said: “Dad, that one is right!”
~ as reported by the Chair of Finance-Treasurer, Linda Emerson,
~ Phone/Text: 651-226-4556. treasurer@mtbethelchurchigh.org Photo from Unsplash – j sangia
With Monday & Tuesday gusty winds.... The trustees are asking for volunteers to walk the church property and pick up sticks. All in making ready for lawn mowing in the upcoming weeks. Thanks for letting our Trustee Chair, Craig Bonn know you can
help~ call or text: 651-600-5186 image by anialaurman Pixabay
Our Mt Bethel Church Calendar Zoom links are also posted in the calendar ~ Today, Wed 4pm Love is the WayLent Study on Zoom ~ Maundy Thursday Service of Repentance 7pm in person & livestream. ~ Good Friday Virtual Stations of the Cross Service click here to view ~ Monday, 6am Power Prayers Zoom code in calendar
Zoom link for Mt Bethel has been updated https://zoom.us/j/8935457543?pwd=RHJzYk83TWtPcGM0emEvR01iMk5BUT09 Meeting ID: 893 545 7543 Passcode: Grace Don’t have WiFi - Do Zoom prayer time or a Meeting by Phone-
phone in ~ it is like a "conference call". You can phone in and listen to 10am Worship also and then to 10:30a Connect Prayer time.
Dial one of these phone numbers: 1-312-626-6799 US (Chicago)
1-669-900-9128 US (San Jose) or 1-646-558-8656 US (New York)
A voice will say, “Welcome to Zoom, Enter our meeting ID number, followed by the #”
Then Enter this number: 893 545 7543 # When calling in to listen to Worship over Zoom, when Worship begins you will be muted. You will be able to hear Worship but not speak. Call back and participate Connect Prayer Time unmuted.
When I disagree with someone, I will first reach out in
Christian love.Upperroom.org
Our loving Father, use us as channels of your love. Be with us and help us to become good witnesses for you. Amen.
This past week in worship, the following burdens were communicated to our church community. Thank you for adding this week’s concerns to your prayer journal. Prayerfully submitted to you, Power Prayers
Join us for Connect - Prayer Time immediately following Worship in the Sanctuary
and on Zoom.
Unspoken prayer needs: life’s situations: Coping in this pandemic, Health/Physical, Emotional, Finances, Relationships
-Those in pain, being well physically spiritually emotionally financially & more…
-Parenting-family resolving tensions/conflict with grace & mercy- being the Light in broken decision making
-Overcoming loneliness, being connected in social distancing, family, friends with COVID, & healthcare workers caring for the most ill
-Coping with Anxiety, Loneliness, Depression, Mental health, Addiction
-Dick Larson/health Sandy caretaking, health of their family members
-Darlene Ashley/health, Al’s bro Arlen/health, Valerie/knee health, loved ones mental health
-Eck’s Colleen & Rollie/wellness
-Ron Larson hospitalized icu/paralysis Rx plan & recovery from intestinal-colon surgery
-Shirley Drain’s son Tim/bladder surgery recovery
-Deloris Hammer moving to Eagan this week
-Brian Bitzer’s daughter Brittany loss of friend/drug overdose
-Roberts; Ardi cataract surgery recovery, Don/wellness, relative Jessica/breast cancer Rx chemo
-Nancy E. momNorma/cancer, friend Sukru/cancer
-Polly T’s friend Cathi/cancer
-Tony Emerson bladder cancer/restored wellness, -Johnston’s bnl Dale/prostate cancer, neighbor’s meth addiction, friend Anita/spouse addiction
-Alan Wentkiewicz’ dad, Tony/wellness
-Caroline Willis respiratory wellness
-Kathy Behrendt/health, loss of cousin Wayne, son Mike/healing-wellness, grandson Tristin/Marine deployment Kuwait, friend Tony/heart & Parkinson, friend Darin/colon & lung cancer,
-Dale Schmidt/wellness
-Joann Nelson Bladder cancer/Rx,bro Bud/wellness
-Anich’s granddaughter Lorena/hand & foot circulation-covid longhauler, bnl Steve/bladder & kidney cancer/wellness,
-Barb McAdams wellness, gain strength & mobility, sister Judy/hip pain, Tony/neck healing
-Connie Dorniden ~ sister Mindy & son Sam’s mental health, Chris COVID recovery
-Pregnancy: Jasmin & Jacob (boy/April) Tabbert, Loral & Scott (boy/April), Rachel & Davey (girl/June) Johnston, Melissa & Bobby Krejchi/June, Jill & Ryan Eshelman/June, Katie & Adam/July
-Health/wellness of Cathy Petrie, Vaughn Winter, Marie Mikyla, Mary Rue, Deloris Hammer, Grace Mapes, Jeanie Kirkhus, Jack Morehouse, Bill Brausen & Judy Woods.
-Southern states recovery from storms
-Employment impact of COVID, stress, businesses impacted (Jeanie’s Journeys), medical personnel Doctors & Nurses & support staff, schools reopening for in person
-Seeking the heart of God, listening to the voice of God for God’s will for our life and for Mt Bethel Church to thrive and multiply in coming months AND Years. God leading Mt Bethel in the next steps to multiply and thrive.
-Love is the way, overcoming senseless violence Bishop Bard “At the heart of our Christian faith is a belief that all persons are created in the image of God, that no matter the hue of our skin, the particular facial features we display, the weave of our hair, the place of our birth, the ancestry of our families, we carry within us the image of God. To fail to see the image of God is to fail to live our faith. The love of God we know in Jesus Christ is a love for all people, for all the nations. The Bible begins with the creation of humankind in the image of God and ends with a vision of the heavenly city through which the river of the water of life flows. On either side of the river is the tree of life, the leaves of which are for “the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2)”
If or when you are in need of Pastoral Care,
please contact Pastor Dave Johnston by phone, text or email.
Pastor Dave 763-439-6838 email: pastordave@mtbethelchurchigh.org
Privacy note: The Mt Bethel Prayer list is not to be circulated in oral or written form beyond the recipients. Prayer concerns are included with the express permission of the individual(s) involved. We wish to honor our connections and respect the privacy of those requesting prayer. In worship people announce their traveling plans. To honor your home's wellbeing, names are not included in this prayer request. God knows. Requests may be edited for length and content.
Click here for the latest updates from
Minnesota Annual Conference
Please take a few moments and read throughOur COVID Preparedness Planestablished by following guidelines of CDC, State of MN and Minnesota Annual Conference.
H a p p y H a p p y H a p p y
March Birthdays Paula Larson-Glenn 1 Ambir Rich 8 Gary Wallerich 14 Cyndi Zahn 14 Barb Mahovlich 15 Kathy Behrendt 18 Marilyn Ertel 20 March Anniversary
If we have missed your birthday or anniversary please let us know by replying to this email and letting the church office know the date.
April Birthdays Melissa Kelly 4 Cole Tschida 5 Mitch Tschida 5 Linda Brausen 9 Caleigh Rich 12 Al Ashley 15 Ellen Kirchner 15 Jack Methner 20 Sandy Schmidt 20 Darlene Ashley 21 Jim Ertel 23 Pat Ashley 24 Jack Morehouse 25 Clyde Cress 27 Francis Ertel 27 Karen Stephan 28 April Anniversary John & Jackie Tschida 12, 1997 Al & Darlene Ashley 22, 1967
Our 2020-2021 Leadership Team:
Administrative Board Chair: Dick Larson
Vice Chair: Mark Zahn
Lay Leader: Lora Gregg
Lay Delegate: Nancy Ernewein
Finance Team Chair: Linda Emerson
Financial Secretary: Darlene Ashley
Treasurer: Linda Emerson
Membership Secretary: Sandy Larson
Staff Pastor Parish Relations Chair: Dan Glenn
Trustee Chair: Craig Bonn
Day Care Liaison: Sandy Larson
Endowment Chair: Ken Alich
Worship co-Chair: Joan Larson, Mary Anich
MOE~Mission Outreach Evangelism Chair: Barb Mahovlich
Ad Board Secretary/Communication Coordinator: Polly Tabbert
Pastor: Rev. David Johnston Click here for Ad Board meeting minutes. To view minutes, the PassWord is: JesusSaves
