In December 1956 regular worship services and Sunday School began in Carson City by Pastor Emil Leising. Services were done with the support of Trinity Lutheran Church in Gardnerville, NV as outreach into Carson City and hopes for further outreach to Reno. The worship services were conducted at a small chapel in the mortuary on South Carson Street. It was there they met for three years. In 1959 Bethlehem Lutheran Church formally organized and in 1960 the church joined the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
In 1960, the congregation also called Rev. Rodney Jensen to serve as pastor, who served until 1965. In 1963 the property on Mountain Street was purchased and ground was broken for Bethlehem’s first building. The building was completed and the dedication was held on July 14, 1964. A large fellowship hall was added in 1964-1967, and a four bedroom parsonage was constructed on the site.
In 1965 Rev. Fred Rutkowski was called to serve the congregation, serving until 1969. In 1969 Rev. Douglas Thunder was called and served until he resigned in 1978. There was a vacancy in the congregation, but the Lord provided and the congregation was served by a vacancy pastor, Pastor Norman Ellerman until Rev. William Reese accepted the call to serve Bethlehem in 1980.
As Bethlehem continued to grow plans were completed for the construction of a new sanctuary on the north end of the Fellowship Hall. The new sanctuary was completed and dedicated in May 1985. A morning pre-school was established also in 1985 for three and four year olds. Plans were made for the establishment of a Lutheran school.
In 1987, Pastor Reese took a call elsewhere and in October 1987 Rev. Mark Demel was called to serve the congregation. During this time plans were completed and the building of the school began, at the time only three classrooms were needed. The school opened in September 1988. L. Joe Fichtner served as principal and teacher for 1st-4th grades and Kim Kintz served as Kindergarten teacher.
As the church and school continued to grow the congregation began their participation of the vicarage program for seminarians. In December 1989 Kene Whybrew was placed and served his vicarage year. The following years were Vicar’s Harold Bender, Jr. and Fred Page III.
In 1990, John Gamble assumed the position of principal on a part-time basis and served until June 1993. Marvin Laurente was called to serve principal and teacher in 1993. By this time the school had expanded to the eighth grade, and in 1993 graduated its first class of 8th graders. In the spring of 1993, former Vicar Harold Bender, Jr. was called to serve as Assistant Pastor and served until November 1996.
In 1992, plans and construction began on a new school complex. The first phase of the school construction included an additional three classrooms and a multipurpose room. During the construction portable classrooms were purchased and used. In 1996, the portable classrooms were able to be sold and six additional classrooms were added; and the building dedication was on May 18, 1997.
In 1999, Pastor Demel accepted a call to serve elsewhere and Rev. Dr. Paul Deterding was called to serve the congregation in March 2000, serving until 2008. In 2001 the school called Mr. Lonnie Karges to serve as principal. Mr. Karges had been serving Bethlehem as a teacher previously. In August 2010 Bethlehem called Rev. Christopher Amen as pastor.
Bethlehem continues to serve the community of Carson City in faithfully proclaiming the gifts of Christ in Word and Sacrament and serving the community. Children of all ages are served through Little Lambs, pre-school and day school, youth groups for all ages, as well as various Bible study and fellowship opportunities.
