CONTACT US
OUR LEADERS AND STAFF
OUR COUNCIL
WEDDINGS & fUNERALS
FACILITY RESERVATIONS
WORSHIP REMEMBRANCES
HOW TO CONTACT US
Church Office Hours
Monday 8:30-4
Tuesday 8:30-2:30
Wednesdsay 8:30-4
Thurday 8:30-2:30
Friday 8:30-11
Our Address:
1145 5th Avenue
P.O. Box 3850
St. Charles, IL 60174
Church Office:
Phone: 630-584-2199
Fax: 630-584-2674
Email: office@bethlehemluth.org
Preschool Office:
Phone: 630-584-6027
Email: blcpreschool@bethlehemluth.org
If you’d like to connect with one of our Rostered Leaders or Staff, please click here. To connect with a member of our Congregation Council, please click here.
We’re easy to find…
Stay connected with BLC!
Every Friday, the Bethlehem Weekly newsletter is emailed to congregants with news on upcoming programming, worship plans, volunteer opportunities and more. Click here if you’d like to receive updates and join our email list!
We also send occasional text messages for important reminders and updates. Click here to opt-in!
We look forward to hearing from you!
COUNCIL
Connecting With Council
Our Congregation Council is made up of elected congregants who have a passion for the operations of our church community (our member list with contact information is available here). They have general oversight of the life and activities of our congregation, including the following primary duties:
- Leading the congregation in stating its mission which includes long-range planning, setting goals and priorities, and evaluating activities in light of our mission and goals.
- Seeking to involve all members of the congregation to worship, learn, support, nurture, witness, and serve.
- Overseeing and providing for the administration of the congregation to enable it to fulfill its functions and perform its mission.
- Maintaining supportive relationships with our rostered leaders and staff and helping them annually to evaluate the fulfillment of their calling or employment.
- Being examples individually and corporately of the style of life and ministry expected of all baptized persons.
- Promoting a congregational climate of peace and goodwill, and, as differences and conflicts arise, to endeavor to foster mutual understanding.
Bethlehem’s Congregation Council serves by providing leadership and setting the vision for our church community. They welcome your feedback, and offer a number of opportunities to engage:
Coffee with Council
The council will provide updates on what is happening around Bethlehem throughout the year. These updates will sometimes focus on a single theme (e.g. building or call committee updates, budget review) while other times call for more general information. Disciples will have time at the end of scheduled meetings to ask questions of council members.
Meetings with Ministry Teams and Circles
Council understands the importance of our Ministry Teams and Circles to Bethlehem’s mission. Council would like to have an opportunity to attend your meetings and be available to team members to answer questions and hear feedback. Please reach out with information on your meetings so that a council member can join the meeting.
Council Meetings
Council meetings are typically held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at BLC. All meetings are open to the public. Visitors will be given an opportunity to address council during an open Q&A session at the beginning of the meeting. During the remainder of the meeting, visitors are welcome to observe the Council meeting, but please allow Council to conduct regularly scheduled business. On occasion, council will enter Executive Session for the purposes of conducting business around personnel and compensation. During Executive Session, visitors will be asked to leave as these are confidential discussions.
Council also welcomes Ministries and Circles to update council on what their teams are doing. Anyone may request a 10 minutes place on the council’s agenda for a presentation or discussion. Please email the Council Secretary by the 1st Tuesday of each month to be added to the next regularly scheduled council meeting. While every effort will be made to accommodate your request at the next scheduled Council meeting, the presentation may have to be scheduled for a future meeting based on time constraints.
Council Meeting Visitor Policy
Receiving staff reports and conducting the business of our congregation are the primary focuses of council meetings. Visitors are welcome to observe the meeting, and we ask that you respect the work and time commitment of council members by adhering to a few rules:
- A 15 minutes open discussion time will be allocated near the beginning of the meeting for visitors to address council.
- Comments and questions will be limited to 2 minutes per speaker. No one will be recognized a 2nd time until all visitors are given an opportunity to speak.
- While speakers may ask questions of council, answers to these questions may not be available at the meeting. If necessary, a council or staff member will follow-up with the speaker after the meeting with additional information.
- At the end of the 15 minutes the meeting chair will close the discussion time. If all speakers have been recognized before the 15-minute period has ended, the meeting chair will close the discussion time.
- During the business part of the agenda, we request that visitors listen, but not engage with council members or other observers.
- If council needs to discuss any personnel issue, we will move to Executive Session. During Executive Session, visitors will be asked to leave the room for confidentiality.
Our Congregation Council members are always happy to hear from you! Feel free to say hello when you see them at church, or reach out to them via email. Click here to meet our council members!
Weddings and Funerals
If you would like to schedule a wedding or funeral with us, please contact the church office at 630-584-2199 or email office@bethlehemluth.org.
Weddings
We would love to be a part of your special day! If you are a church member wanting to get married at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, please contact the church office at least eight months prior to the wedding to reserve a date. As part of your preparation for marriage, you will be asked to attend premarital sessions with one of our rostered leaders. Additional meetings may be necessary depending on your desire for music and other personal touches you wish to have as part of your ceremony. Please contact our Office Administrator, Melody Mathieu, at melody@bethlehemluth.org for more information.
Funerals
Thank you for entrusting us during this sacred time. Funerals are conducted as a part of the pastoral ministry at Bethlehem. We conduct funerals at our church as well as share in the process with local funeral directors. Arrangements for pastoral participation can be made by contacting us directly, or by putting us in touch with the funeral home you’re working with. We can also provide grief support through our pastors and care ministries. Please contact our Office Administrator, Melody Mathieu, at melody@bethlehemluth.org for more information or sign up using the link below.
In the spirit of serving God and others by making a positive impact in the community,
Bethlehem Lutheran Church offers its facilities for use by disciples (members) and outside
non-profit organized groups. Bethlehem believes that our facilities are a gift from God and
with that mindset will share and care for our facilities accordingly.
Prior to requesting a reservation, please read our Facility Use Policy.
