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Quilters

This Bethlehem group meets on Thursday mornings to sew quilts and school bags for Lutheran World Relief to distribute. As one of the quilters has written, "The quilts we make are all sent away, but the friendships we make are here to stay."

Helping Hams

For our spring food drive, "Helping Hams," we collect funds, then make a large food purchase and split the food between the Mid-North Food Pantry and The Sharing Place.

Great Chicken Round-Up

Christmastime brings a special opportunity for Bethlehem members to contribute to the city's food pantries. Many boxes of canned and packaged goods, as well as fresh chickens, are purchased and assembled (during the hour between services) for delivery to an inner-city service center.

The Sharing Place

The Sharing Place provides free food to those in need in our community and also sponsors a back-to-school program for needy children in August and a Christmas assistance program in December. Bethlehem members volunteer at the food pantry, located at 5321 E. 42nd Street (First Trinity Church), 317-353-6466.

Mid-North Food Pantry

Bethlehem supports a food pantry at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church which provides emergency food supplies to the needy in their neighborhood. Bethlehem members support the pantry through food and monetary gifts.

Ecoministry

An interest group within the congregation meets every month or so to study and discuss how to help the congregation and its members improve our relationship with the natural environment.

Sovietsk Orphanage

Bethlehem has a special relationship with an orphanage in Sovietsk, Russia. Many of the children at the orphanage are sponsored by members of Bethlehem. We have a special relationship with them through the agency of Children's Hopechest in Pueblo, Colorado. More about the project can be found in Ben and Sarah's blog.

Lutherwood

Bethlehem members have a special concern for and a long-standing relationship with Lutherwood, a residential treatment center in Indianapolis for children who are recovering from the effects of abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment. Although it is a largely government-funded agency, the Lutheran community of Indianapolis provide the home and its residents with much-needed love, attention, and ministry.

CROP Walk

Each year a team from Bethlehem participates in CROP Walk, an event organized by Church World Service to raise money to help fight hunger, both worldwide and locally.

Community Housing Fix-Up Projects

Once or twice a year, Bethlehem members pitch in to clean up and fix up neighborhood homes and property for the needy.

Helping Hams

For our spring food drive, Helping Hams, we collect funds, then make a large food purchase and split the food between the Mid-North Food Pantry and The Sharing Place.

Campus Ministry at Butler & IUPUI

With the Indiana-Kentucky Synod of the ELCA and the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis, we support a campus minister at these campuses, "Grace Unlimited."

Meridian-Kessler Neighborhood Association

Bethlehem is very much involved in the life of its northside urban neighborhood. The church building is the home of the Meridian-Kessler Neighborhood Association (MKNA), which has its office in our facility. Visit the MKNA website for news of the neighborhood.