Bethlehem has provided financial support for global missionaries for many years. Currently the congregation helps to support Pastor Rod Nordby and his wife Nancy Anderson, who serve as missionaries in Lae, Papua New Guinea.

Pastor Rod has degrees in Accounting, Health Care Finance, and a Master of Divinity degree from Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. He serves as the church’s Assistant Internal Auditor and assists the leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church - Papua New Guinea (ELC-PNG).

Nancy Anderson has degrees in English, Hospital Administration and Religious Studies. She assists the church in strengthening its evangelism program.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

The ELCA engages in God’s mission in more than ninety countries around the world. Its ministry abroad is distinguished by the concept of accompaniment, which is a unique sharing of gifts and ministries. It is walking together in solidarity that practices interdependence and mutuality. The North/West Lower Michigan Synod - of which Bethlehem is a part - has three companion synods, which means we are in partnership with three global churches.

Christian Lutheran Church in Honduras

This church consists of a small number of congregations, in one of the poorest countries of the hemisphere. Honduras has a high rate of illiteracy and very few basic services. The Christian Lutheran Church in Honduras witnesses to God’s grace with a holistic message of the Good News of Jesus Christ. The ELCA assists with the cost of theological education, women’s ministry, and with youth ministry. This synod has sent teams to build Habitat for Humanity homes in the country. It has also sent medical teams, provides the salary for a social worker and lunches for kindergarten children, who often have that as their only meal of the day. Another project is the provision of water filters which enable people to secure potable water with little or no cost.

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia

This church, established in 1523, re-emerged when religious freedom was restored in 1988 and grew stronger after its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. It describes its ministry as “Following the example of Jesus who healed the sick and had compassion upon the poor, the downtrodden and those who live without hope.” The relationship between our two churches is in its beginning stages of development and accompaniment.

Evangelical Lutheran Church-Papua New Guinea (ELC-PNG) - Papua District

A companionship Covenant was signed in 2009 between our synod and the PNG church, which was founded in 1886. As working partners we share one another’s visions, life and mission.  We encourage one another and participate in one another’s ministries through prayer, communication, and the exchange of resources and people. Bethlehem is a sister congregation with Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in the capital city of Port Moresby.