Bethlehem Connect July/August 2018 | Page 7

children, Youth & Family Children PrayerGrounds The Minneapolis PrayerGround is open during this summer for your little ones. A place has been created in the Commons with a table, books and quiet activities. The worship is streamed above their heads for you to continue to participate in worship. The nursery option continues to be a place well-loved by our little ones. The Minnetonka PrayerGround is part of a refreshed section in the back, lectern-side of the sanctuary. This space is perfect for families with small children who need extra room for crawlers, wigglers, and all the gear parents shlep along to church. Sunday School and Echo Fall is on our minds! We are restructuring and creating new Sunday School and ECHO elements. We will be introducing monthly “Servant projects”. Would you like to champion a project? Volunteer to organize one month’s service project? OR are you interested in reading a Bible story to a group of children? Contact Kirsten Patterson at [email protected] or 612.312.3420. From the Youth Team This summer, there are many exciting opportunities for youth: City Stay: June (11th) Israel/Palestine: June (10th-12th) Volunteer with VBS: June (7th-12th) Camp Amnicon: July 8-13 (7th-12th) Serve Boldly: Chicago: July 22-27 (7th-12th) Green Lake Bible Camp: July 29-August 3 (7th-12th) Why we love volunteering at Bethlehem’s VBS: Little kids are joyful and wise. It is fun to have kids look up to you. God loves silly, messy, beautiful. Leading brings confidence and clarity. Why we love going to Green Lake Bible Camp: Bunk beds, water fun, stars, campfires, guitar worship and smores all make building friendships and deepening faith more scrumptious! Why we love Amnicon canoe trips: Nature is powerful. Rapids are fun. Sharing a tent bonds people. We meet God in the water. Why we love Serve Boldly in Chicago: Chicago is an amazingly diverse city made up of dozens and dozens of unique neighborhoods full of culture and opportunity. Serving changes our hearts as we see Jesus in the unexpected corners. Why we love City Stay: You do not need to travel across the country to have a cross- cultural experience. Sometimes the most exciting boundary to cross is the one right in front of your nose. Knowing your actual neighbor makes the world more beautiful. Why we love The Global Immersion Project trip to Israel and Palestine: Why not go to the center of conflict to learn how to make peace? You get to walk where Jesus walked and meet folks who are working tirelessly to bring reconciliation to our hurting world. Why we love sending our kids to Green Lake Bible Camp: a week of great fun, fabulous food, and enriching prayer. Youth come home from camp refreshed and renewed with a stronger relationship with God, new friends from Bethlehem and other churches, and a desire to get more involved at church. REGISTER on the GLLM website and REGISTER FOR THE BUS on our website. (Bethlehem will have a bus going to camp on Sunday, July 29 and returning on Friday, August 3.) Thank you for your continued prayers and support of our youth ministry! Welcome Katie Conover as a Children and Youth Specialist for the summer. "Hi! I am Katie and am excited to be serving as a Summer Specialist with Children and Youth Ministries this summer. Church involvement has always been central to my family and through this, I became involved as a volunteer for Sunday School, VBS, and confirmation. Likewise, this involvement led me to the opportunity to intern with Youth Ministries for two years. I am glad to be back working more closely with youth, particularly, joining in the youth's mission trip to Chicago as staff. I look forward to the opportunity I have to contribute and foster the lasting relationships and memories that I experienced on Bethlehem mission trips for the students this year. Additionally, last summer, I worked as a "red shirt" for VBS and am looking forward to working with the strong team of leaders once again, leading, playing and learning with both Bethlehem campuses. In between all this excitement you can find me upstairs working on everyday operational tasks for children and youth planning, so come say hi!" VBS by the Numbers • 2 VBS weeks • 2 campuses • 296 children and youth • 1,501 freezies • 9 Bible Stories • 61 games • 14 different crafts • 24 tie-dye shirt creations • 110 beautiful painting creations • 1 giant Christmas tree • 10 field trips • 10 “Red Shirt” leaders • 3 Mission projects • 424 sugar cookies • 21 songs learned • Millions of smiles • Thousands of connections of family, frien ds and faith • And a partridge and a pear tree! Check out the videos of each week on our website, bethlehem-church.org and the Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities Facebook page. 7