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Raise your hand if you think Bethlehem Farm should continue to exist! Donate NOW to make it happen!
Save The Date!
The Bethlehem Farm Annual Benefit is IN-PERSON for the first time since 2019! We can't wait to gather to see old and new friends, so mark your calendars!
Location: St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church 10655 Haverstick Rd. Carmel, IN 46033 The program portion of this event will also be live streamed. Date:December 9th, 2023 Time: 6pm ET - Mass 8:15pm ET - Benefit Program
Purchase Tickets(click here!): Early bird (through November 21st): Student: $20 / Adult: $50
November 22nd - December 8th: Student: $30 / Adult: $60
Day of the Event (December 9th): Student: $40 / Adult: $70
If you are interested in donating items for our auctions, please contact Tim Shovlin at timdshovlin@gmail.com.
For anyone who would like to integrate the cornerstone of service into their benefit experience, we welcome volunteers! Please contact Lauren LaCoy at lnlacoy@gmail.comto volunteer. Thank you.
If you are coming from out of town and would like assistance in planning your lodging, please reach out to Kera McNelis at keramcnelis@gmail.com.
The 2023 Benefit proceeds will go toward our "Repairing Homes, Renewing Communities" program, so that we can continue to help make homes safer, warmer, and dryer around our mountains of West Virginia.
Watch our website and social media for more information to come.
We're so excited to hang out with you!
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Seeking Caretakers!
Do you feel a calling to live in an intentional community? Become a Bethlehem Farm Caretaker, and join the Farm in living out the Cornerstones.
Miriam is starting seventh grade as a virtual remote student, and the Education Committee is hoping to supplement her learning with additional activities. If you have engaging curriculum or lesson plans for middle schoolers, or if you can be a teacher support for our budding home school program, please contact Angela at homeschool@bethlehemfarm.net
In May, we said goodbye to Sarah, and this summer we welcomed home our newest Caretaker, Angela.
Angela
Hello! My name is Angela, and I hail from the great state of New Jersey. My first encounter with Bethlehem Farm was in the summer of 2021, when I applied to be a Summer Servant. I had never been to the farm before, but with the encouragement of some friends, I decided to take the leap and see what it was all about.
After what felt like a too-short, two-week visit, I was heartbroken to have to leave. I was initially drawn to the farm for its mission of sustainability and service, but I left with a wealth of knowledge, lingering curiosities, new friendships, and a reignited awe of creation and of God.
I had numerous moving conversations while at the farm, but one in particular that I had with a Caretaker stuck with me as I journeyed through my senior year at Loyola University Maryland.
I was studying Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences and had a minor in Catholic Studies, and the closer it got to graduation, the more I realized I wanted something more for my post-grad life. I soon realized my desire to be involved with a service program following graduation, so I applied to become a Caretaker. However, things did not go as planned, and I was unable to commit right away.
After returning to the farm in March 2023, I realized that the call was still deep in my heart, and I reapplied. Although my journey took a few different turns, I am grateful that it was rerouted back home to Alderson. I look forward to the challenges and joys I will experience at the farm, and to be part of such a worthy organization.
Sarah
The response Sarah received when telling a local contractor she studied engineering: “Women are getting into everything these days!” Indeed, at the Farm, Sarah had her hands in the dirt digging sweet potatoes, dumping toilet buckets into our humanure compost every Cleaning Day, and playing “Sedona,” “By and By,” and “Cornbread and Butterbeans” with her guitar around the campfire. In her year as a Caretaker, she worked with incredible joy and dedication, transforming lives through direct service as well as the behind-the-scenes administration of the home repair program—all with a discerning, clear eye towards equity and Catholic Social Teaching. In particular, we are grateful for the tools she created to give preferential option to the most vulnerable homeowners on our two-year waiting list and dozens of site visits she embarked on with a posture of solidarity during the month of February to plan ahead for summer group weeks. In everything she got herself into, Sarah was unwaveringly committed to the common good.
On weekends, you could often find Sarah reading about plants and Indigenous wisdom - insights she would bring to group prayer. Or you wouldn’t find her on the Farm property; rather, mountain biking, hiking, and visiting scenic vistas around the state. She even earned the status (and free t-shirt) of “Waterfall Wanderer” by visiting 25 waterfalls in West Virginia.
We miss seeing Peace Blossom, Sarah’s pastel yellow camping van, waiting in the parking lot with a back drop of the rolling blue mountains and red garage, the interior of which she helped design as an ETHOS intern. But we know Sarah will be an inspirational light for whoever she encounters on her year-long road trip across the country. Her light continues to shine here, too, illuminating the way deeper into the beautiful simplicity (complexity?) of our mountaintop mission.
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Thank you Summer Servants!
We couldn't have done it all without you!
Ethan Salas Flynn Somers Brian Lee Lacey Holland Mary Steinbicker Clara Johnson Colin Ryan Michael Davis Matt Bach Kaile Lips Owen Kidd Hannah Johns Morgan Pettlon Meg Schemanske Julius Malin Katie Wiggins Emily Whitcomb Machele Lynch Jarrett Murano Helena Kaelin
Director’s Corner By Eric
I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind… (Romans 12:1-2a)
So began the second reading when Colleen and I exchanged vows in the presence of a great cloud of witnesses back in 2005. And we were recently asked by interviewer Dr. Ben Ou-Yang of the Go Forth! podcast of the US Catholic Missionary Association to reflect on that very reading as it pertains to our mission and life at Bethlehem Farm.
Please also check out the show notes on that page, which include a photo album, with some beautiful faces and scenes from the past year.
If you are inspired by the Bethlehem Farm mission and believe that it should continue to exist, then we humbly invite you to share in your time, talent and treasure as partners in this mission.
Time: come serve with us on a service-retreat weekor invite someone else to this opportunity
Talent: do you have special skills to offer in carpentry, electrical, grant writing, farming...you name it? Ask Ericabout special ops service activities.
Your participation and prayers are critical now. The need in our community has increased, as other home repair services have decreased, and the cost of materials has sharply increased. We have responded by reviewing, improving, and expanding our programs including hiring a salaried Construction Manager, Marcus. To give an example, in our first year of full year of operation, we invested $924 in home repair materials; in years 2 and 3 we invested $12,000 per year; in years 4-15 we averaged $27,000. Our investments in home repair materials and professional labor have leaped to $74,000, $160,000, and $165,000+ over the past three years. The differences we are making in people’s lives through these significant investments have been made possible through generous giving by individuals, foundations, and parish communities. Please consider donating now.
Another beautiful thing (besides the safe, warm and dry housing that affirms the dignity of each person, coupled with the good feeling you get when giving) is that each family then repays their 0%-interest loan on an affordable monthly payment plan, which gives each person a sense of ownership in their own home and gets invested in the next project. So your gift is not “used up”, it is paid forward and shared over and over and over…
How far will my gift go?
$10 for a few 2x4s for a wheelchair ramp
$25 for a can of paint
$50 for a 16-foot sheet of roof metal
$100 for a storm door
$250 for 5 sheets of 4’x8’ subfloor
$500 for an emergency plumbing job
$1,000 for a wheelchair ramp
$5,000 for a complete roof replacement
$10,000 stipends and wages for Construction Manager and 4 site leaders
Thank you for however you choose to give—we appreciate you!
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Working With Our Neighbors By Anna
Bonnie Bethlehem Farm Construction Manager Marcus, along with the help of Summer Servants Brian and Matt, led volunteers in providing Bonnie with a new roof. Bonnie’s roof was challenging in particular due to its many peaks, valleys, and the crater in the middle of one section that had to be built back up. Many hands came together to put on new metal on most sections of the roof, EPDM on one section, and to demolish both porch roofs to rebuild the structure of those roofs. Bonnie saved for several years in order to pay off her roof upfront, and delighted volunteers with her biscuits and other treats. A hardworking woman, Bonnie’s day job as a caregiver made her a compassionate, funny, and wise person for volunteers to connect with at the end of the day. We’ve loved working with you, Bonnie!
Jessica Caretaker Jenna, along with Summer Servants Colin and Hanna replaced and meticulously trimmed 17 windows in Jessica’s house. Further investigation of one wall, after taking out a window, prompted Bethlehem Farm to collaborate with a local contractor to demolish and rebuild Jessica’s side room. Volunteers then sided the room and finished the inside with flooring, paneling, and trim. Jessica jumped right in on the work and kept volunteers safe, as well as learning to use tools. Jessica offered hospitality to many who came through with her favorite recipes for lunch, and with her funny stories of her many dogs.
Donna Bethlehem Farm and Wellspring of Greenbrier collaborated in order to build a porch and wheelchair ramp and install a new floor for Donna. Wellspring funded the project while Bethlehem Farm Caretakers, Summer Servants, and volunteers provided the labor. Donna had fallen down her front steps several times and broke her shoulder on the last time, causing her to have to get surgery. Her new porch and wheelchair ramp help her significantly with staying safe, as the structure is no longer falling down and she doesn’t have to climb steps. The places where her flooring was sinking down were built up and a new subfloor, as well as flooring, was installed. After the project was done, Caretakers were happy to hear that Donna is delighted with her porch and likes to watch the fireflies without worrying about falling off!
Mark Bethlehem Farm volunteers, led by Steve, went back to Mark’s to continue his underpinning from the spring, as well as install four new windows on his trailer. With his house further insulated, Mark is looking forward to a warmer fall and winter this year, and enjoyed chatting with the volunteers. He also loved introducing us to the neighborhood dogs, who humored the groups with their antics and playfulness.
Curtis A jack of all trades and master gardener, Curtis has a lot of solutions to practical problems, including working on his home. Due to several surgeries on his back, he is no longer able to fix up his trailer and needed help with a laundry list of items. Bethlehem Farm volunteers, led by Caretakers Steve and Jack, coated the leaky roof of Curtis’s trailer and hung new gutters. We will continue looking forward to working with Curtis more in the fall!
Stacy Caretaker Steve pivoted in the middle of a group week and led volunteers through two days of coating Stacey’s roof, which will keep her roof from leaking for the next few years. Stacy was in the middle of moving into a new trailer, and needed a dry roof to be living under. We were glad to work with her and her family, who told us that it warmed their hearts seeing folks willing to help!
Justin and Jessica Construction Manager Marcus installed a new metal roof, in collaboration with funding from Wellspring of Greenbrier, for Justin and Jessica. In addition, the steps leading up from the road, where they park on the shoulder, to their home, were rotting and were generally unsafe. Marcus, along with Summer Servant Matt, tore down and built new steps and handrails up the steep hillside. Volunteers loved getting to know Justin and Jessica’s household, including their cats, assorted kittens, dogs, and thirteen new puppies!
Denice Denice is an energetic, elderly go-getter who has been working to fix up her home for both herself, her children, and her grandchildren. Bethlehem Farm was able to hire a contractor to build up and replace a metal roof for Denice, who had been living with a roof that was leaking for several years. Denice is focusing on one thing at a time in getting things done around her home and on her property; but as she says, one day’s task is one more dream completed!
Deloris and Conrad Deloris and Conrad entertained Caretakers, Summer Servants, and volunteer alike with their stories about life, advice, and joyous gospel singing! Volunteers, led by Marcus and Jack, are doing a little bit of everything on Deloris and Conrad’s home. From building a new ramp, to replacing walls and windows, to extending their roof, to siding, it’s been a delight to head to their home and enjoy some good company. Deloris also loves cooking lunch for the volunteers, making sure they’re fed while talking about faith is something that brightens her day.
Kelly Bethlehem Farm has known Kelly since early 2022, and has worked with her intermittently over the last year and a half. Kelly’s home was in unhealthy condition when we first met. Bethlehem Farm has completed several projects, including contracting a new bathroom, building a fence, siding her home, funding a new porch, and closing in the roof over the porch. Family week volunteers, led by Anna, moved a new cast-iron and porcelain sink from a friend’s house into Kelly’s. Volunteers then worked on installing soffit under the roof over Kelly’s porch, as well as closing in the sides of the porch roof. Kelly’s five kids also joined in the work, adding energy to the Family week vibe.
