Bethlehem Lutheran Church has gathered on Eden Prairie Road in Minnetonka, Minnesota, since 1948, and the congregation still describes itself the same way it always has: a small church with a big heart. Members and visitors who arrive on Sunday morning look for the distinctive "ski jump" roof line that has marked the building along Eden Prairie Road since a new sanctuary was built in 1967, then follow the sound of voices into a room where a Rodgers Salzburg pipe organ has been drawing praise to God since 1986.
Sunday Morning at 9:30
Worship at Bethlehem takes place every Sunday at 9:30 AM. The liturgy follows the historic Lutheran pattern of confession and absolution, readings from Scripture, a sermon, the prayers of the people, and Holy Communion on most Sundays. Preaching and teaching are centered on the Word of God, and the music that fills the room is "moving," a truth-filled blend of hymns and praise drawn from the Lutheran Service Book, which the church's own devotional writers frequently reference.
A single worship service gathers the whole congregation. Hymns are accompanied by the Rodgers Salzburg pipe organ, the kind of instrument that has anchored Lutheran worship for centuries and still anchors this one. Each Sunday, a writer from the church offers a written devotional, a brief meditation on the day appointed by the lectionary, that is published online for those who wish to revisit the message during the week.
Communion on Three Sundays a Month
Holy Communion is celebrated on the second, fourth, and fifth Sundays of each month. The congregation confesses together that in the Sacrament of the Altar, Christ gives His true body and blood with the bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins, the very gift the catechism names "our daily bread" beyond bread alone. Worship on the first and third Sundays of each month is a Service of the Word without the Sacrament, marking each season of the church year with the right rhythm of Word and Table.
Coffee Fellowship and Coffee Lite
Coffee time at Bethlehem happens immediately after Sunday worship, at 11:30 AM. On the first Sunday of every month the gathering is called Coffee Fellowship and is marked by more substantial treats and conversation. The other Sundays it is Coffee Lite, with cookies and coffee in the fellowship hall. Either way, the hour is open to all who want to linger and talk, whether they have just worshipped for the first time or have been part of Bethlehem for decades.
A Refuge for Children and Families
Bethlehem loves having children in the sanctuary. The church provides several layers of welcome so that families with little ones can settle in for the full service.
A nursery is available for young children, with a child-friendly bathroom and well-stocked changing facilities, plus additional changing tables in the restrooms on the main level. The nursery room has gliders, a pack and play, and a wide selection of toys and activities. The service can be viewed from inside the nursery for parents who want to keep one ear on the sermon.
For older children, the church maintains Rainbow Tree, a collection of quiet activities that can be brought into the sanctuary during worship, including quiet books and coloring sheets. A Children's Bulletin is also available; ushers can hand one over on request, and its activities are designed for children who can read on their own.
For adults who want to follow along more easily, large print bulletins are available each week. Audio listening aids are also available from the ushers for anyone who needs a hand hearing the service.
The Ephrathah Gallery
One of the things that sets Bethlehem apart from other congregations on the western edge of Minneapolis is its long-running art program. The Ephrathah Gallery, started in 2013, hosts about four shows a year featuring the work of regional and national artists. The gallery rotates a current artist into its display space, while a permanent collection hangs in the church year-round. Past exhibits and the work of previous artists are documented in an online archive, and artists can apply to be considered for future shows. It is, in a small way, a museum without walls set inside a Lutheran church.
From 1948 to Today
Bethlehem Lutheran Church began in 1948. By 1956 the congregation had grown to more than 400 members, and Pastor Arden Malotky accepted the call to serve as pastor. In 1967 the present sanctuary was built across the parking lot from the original building, and Dr. Oswald Hoffmann, the longtime speaker of "The Lutheran Hour" radio program, preached at the dedication service.
In 1972 the congregation adopted a new constitution, established a Board of Directors, and granted women the right to vote. The Rodgers Salzburg pipe organ was dedicated in 1986. Pastor David Buuck became pastor in 1991 and, in 1998, a new addition was built to mark Bethlehem's 50th anniversary. Bethlehem's youth attended LCMS National Youth Conventions in New Orleans, Orlando, and San Antonio during those years.
Pastor Buuck retired in 2012, and in 2013 Pastor Disney arrived to shepherd Bethlehem. The Ephrathah Gallery was launched the same year. More recently, the original 1948 church building was sold to a Montessori preschool, and Deaconess Kris joined the staff for ongoing pastoral care and member ministry.
What Bethlehem Believes
Bethlehem is a member congregation of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and holds to the historic Lutheran confession of faith. The congregation believes that God is real and present, that the Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God, and that salvation comes by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
The church affirms the ecumenical creeds, the Apostles', the Nicene, and the Athanasian, and looks to the Augsburg Confession and Luther's Small Catechism as guides for Christian doctrine and life. In Baptism, the congregation confesses, the sinner is united with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. In Holy Communion, the body and blood of Jesus Christ are truly present and received for the forgiveness of sins. The church also confesses the Second Coming of Christ, the resurrection of the body, eternal life for believers, and eternal punishment for those who reject the gift.
The mission statement sums it up plainly: "We at Bethlehem Lutheran Church proclaim and celebrate the Lord Jesus Christ and bring His guiding light and healing touch to the world."
Reaching Out Beyond the Walls
Bethlehem supports a wide circle of mission partners in the name of Christ. Members give to LCMS Disaster Response to provide physical and spiritual care in the wake of disaster, and contributions can be designated directly to that effort on the offering envelope or through Realm.
The congregation also partners with Samaritan's Purse on Operation Christmas Child, filling shoeboxes for children around the world; supports ResourceWest; registers participants in Tackle Hunger; and stocks the shelves of the ICA Foodshelf. Bethlehem sponsors children through Compassion International, supports the work of LAMP Ministry, and takes part in MOST Ministries' eyeglass ministry, which collects and distributes prescription glasses to those who cannot afford them.
Accessibility and Welcome
Bethlehem's facility is handicap accessible, and ushers are ready to assist anyone who needs help finding a seat or moving through the building. Large print bulletins and audio listening aids are available each week. Visitors are warmly welcomed and may sign up for the weekly email newsletter, delivered through a short sign-up form on the contact page, to receive announcements and a link to the audio of each Sunday's worship.
Office Hours and Getting in Touch
Deaconess Kris holds regular office hours at the church on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and the building at 5701 Eden Prairie Road is open during those hours for visits, calls, and conversation. The office phone is 952-934-9633, and email goes to office@blcmtka.org. A weekly email newsletter includes announcements and a link to the audio of each Sunday's worship.
Giving is welcome in several ways: by check or envelope at Sunday worship, online through the church's Realm account, or by texting BLCMTKA to 73256 on a mobile device. Members and visitors can set up scheduled giving, track their history, and manage their profile once they have created an account.
Bethlehem Lutheran Church sits at 5701 Eden Prairie Road in Minnetonka, just a short drive from the western suburbs of Minneapolis. The ski-jump roof is easy to spot, the door is open, and Coffee Lite is waiting after the service.