Gethsemane Lutheran Church

Transcription

1 February 2012 Volume 45, Issue 2 The Leaf a monthly publication of GLC Gethsemane Lutheran Church The Leaf 35 East Stanton Avenue Columbus OH Pastor Rev. June A. Wilkins pastorjune@gethsemane.org Music Ministries Dr. Timothy E. Guenther tguenther@gethsemane.org Learning & Family Ministries Terri Siebert tsiebert@gethsemane.org Child Care Center Brenda Weilbacher bweilbacher@gethsemane.org Parish Secretary Diane Gutgesell glcoffice@gethsemane.org Custodians Kate and Shana Bumster In this Issue Growing God s Garden - P. 2 Lent Schedule - P. 4 Adult Education - P. 5 We Collect - P. 6 Soup Supper Volunteers - P. 7 Care Packages - P. 8 Visioning - P. 8 The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on February 22. Join us for supper at 6:00pm followed by Ash Wednesday worship at 7:00pm. On this day you may receive the sign of ashes, an ancient symbol of repentance reminding us of our mortality. Returning to God s mercy and grace, marked with the cross of Christ, we make our way through Lent, longing for the baptismal water of Easter, our spiritual rebirth. The following Wednesdays in Lent continue with the soup supper at 6:00pm and add a study at 6:30pm. This year Pastor June leads us through the book The Last Week by Marcus Borg. Lent worship will be Holden Evening Prayer at 7:30pm. (Note time change.)

2 GROWING GOD S GARDEN Learning When Jesus speaks in the Gospels, it s not referred to as preaching most of the time, it s referred to as teaching. Jesus was called teacher most often by people. Teaching was important to Jesus. He obviously believed that the average person should know about God just as much as scholars and priests and scribes. We often consider Christian Education important for children and youth, but then we fall off in our education as adults. It is extremely important for children to have a grounding and understanding of God and Jesus and the stories and promises we share in church and it s important to give youth a firm understanding of the faith before they venture out into the world on their own. But it is equally important as parents and grandparents and adults in a Christian community to continue our dedication to Christian education. We need to be able to teach the children in our midst about Jesus and we also need it so that we can understand where God is leading us. How can we recognize God s promises, love, mercy and call to us if we don t understand what God has told us in scripture and throughout history? At Gethsemane, we are blessed with people who care very much about Christian Education for children, youth and adults. We have excellent volunteers, leaders and staff who teach and foster growth in faith both mentally and spiritually. Each of these areas encourage the participants to dig deeper, ask hard questions, voice their doubts, and wrestle with their beliefs. There are great opportunities here to volunteer as a Sunday School Teacher of all ages, in the summer as a Vacation Bible School leader, volunteering in the nursery or the Play and Learn day school, helping with Confirmation activities, being a chaperone on a Youth trip, planning the Adult Education classes and many many other ways too (we ll have a full Time and Talent sheet that you can fill out soon!) Maybe you don t feel called to teach or volunteer. It s still important as active Christian that you dedicate yourself to your Christian Education. Encourage others (including your own children) by example. Go to the Lifetime Learning class after worship on Sunday, join a Bible study, go to a Care group, start a small group of your own, join in the Wednesday Lenten Education... there are a whole host of ways you can expand your understanding along your faith journey and help God s Garden to Grow! Pr. June Wilkins 2

3 GROWING GOD S GARDEN Learning Lifetime Learning By Sharon Walton In the year that Eric and I have been attending Gethsemane we rarely miss the Lifetime Learning sessions. I really look forward to them each week and have continued to be nourished and stimulated by the classes. All of the sessions have been well prepared and taught but there is always room for discussion, observations, and even jokes. There has always been an acceptance of divergent viewpoints and it is refreshing to hear various leaders of the class feeling free to say, I don t know when a difficult question pops up. The spirit of Lifetime Learning is that we are all seekers who are growing together. During this year of Lifetime Learning, we participated in a thoughtful class entitled Muslims and the Bible led by Dr. Rod Hutton from Trinity Seminary. This class gave us some real insights into some of the differences and similarities in the ways Christians and Muslims read the Bible. Dick and Judy Reuning led us in From Here to Community which gave us a glimpse of the Biblical model of what it means to live in community as a church. This summer we grew to know Gethsemane better as we heard the history of some of the programs at the church. Most recently Pastor June led us through a summary of the history of Baptism as the church has lived it out and helped us see how we have arrived at our current understanding of Baptism. None of these classes have been dry or pedantic. They are interesting and fun. After many of the classes, it is hard to get people to leave! The sessions this month are focusing on a study of Galations let by Don Dell. We are using materials initiated by the ELCA and published by Augsburg Fortress. The Galations study has already given me some new ways to think about this book which was one of Luther s favorites. I feel that the Lifetime Learning classes are a real extension of worship. In last month s Leaf article, Barbara Ford wrote about worship as a time when God acted and empowered us to do his mission in the world. I feel that Lifetime Learning is a time when God continues to give us tools to understand our neighbor, our place in his creation, and our relationship to Him. It is a time to learn to love God with all of our heart, all of our soul and all of our mind. 3

4 WORSHIP 6:30 pm Lent Study 7:30 pm Holden Evening Prayer THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT, MARCH 11 9:30 am Worship ASH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 7:00 pm Worship (note earlier time) Imposition of Ashes & Holy Communion FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT, FEBRUARY 26 9:30 am Worship WEDNESDAY LENTEN WORSHIP, FEBRUARY 29 6:30 pm Lent Study 7:30 pm Holden Evening Prayer SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT, MARCH 4 9:30 am Worship WEDNESDAY LENTEN WORSHIP, MARCH 7 WEDNESDAY LENTEN WORSHIP, MARCH 14 6:30 pm Lent Study 7:30 pm Holden Evening Prayer FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT, MARCH 18 9:30 am Worship WEDNESDAY LENTEN WORSHIP, MARCH 21 6:30 pm Lent Study 7:30 pm Holden Evening Prayer FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT, MARCH 25 9:30 am Worship WEDNESDAY LENTEN WORSHIP, MARCH 21 6:30 pm Lent Study 7:30 pm Holden Evening Prayer Growing God s Garden Worship Everyone has a green thumb! Growing God s Garden at Gethsemane takes all of us working together with our gifts of time, talent, and treasure! Maybe you can use your GREEN THUMB in some of these ways! Assisting Minister Usher Lector Eucharistic Minister Choir Contemporary Band Bell Choir Individual/ group musicians Be in a procession Worship Ministry Team Swahili Ministry Team Help plan Contemporary Worship Sacristan Bread-Baker Communion Care Worker Sound Board Bulletin Collating Locking up the Church Offering Counter Nursery Volunteer Sanctuary Art Committee Helping with one time tasks Other If you are interested in doing any of the above, fill out one of the green forms located in the narthex on the credenza beneath the new bulletin board or contact the church office at glcoffice@gethsemane.org. 4

5 LEARN Lenten Class 6:30-7:30PM Wednesdays in Lent In the Great Hall Adult Bible Study Sundays at 8:15AM in the Library Adult Bible Study that meets Sundays at 8:15 am will take a winter hiatus. Watch the newsletter for when the class will resume. The Last Week, Marcus Borg & Dominic Crossan. Two of the top Jesus experts explore the last seven days of Jesus life using the Gospel of Mark. The book and discussions will help us to understand Jesus character, his crucifixion and resurrection in a different light from what most of us have been taught. Prepare your hearts and minds for the upcoming Holy Week and Easter Season. Lifetime Learning Sundays at 10:45AM in the Multi-Purpose Room Christian Education about life, for life, and for a lifetime SACRAMENTS EUCHARIST Led by Pr. June Wilkins Sundays at 10:45, February Some people think that the Eucharistic sacrament has been exactly the same since Jesus shared the last supper with his disciples. Well, think again! This sacrament is anything but the same (there are even five or so names for it!) We ll talk about the rituals that lead up to the Eucharist we know today, the practices of the early church and how it s been used and abused by the Church since then. We ll have lots of visuals for people who get distracted easily too! Sundays at 10:45, February A big Thank You from the staff to the congregation for our staff gifts at Christmas. As staff members, it s a blessing to feel the generosity and support of the people of Gethsemane at Christmas and the rest of the year as well. Thank you, Gethsemane staff Pastor June Wilkins Dr. Timothy Guenther Terri Siebert Brenda Weilbacher Diane Gutgesell Kate Bumster Shana Bumster 5

6 SERVE You can help us collect the following items. Place them in the appropriate bin located in Gethsemane s narthex.... Play & Learn Campbell soup labels... High School Youth Printer cartridges and cell phones... Ronald McDonald House Pull tabs from pop cans, cat and dog food, canned fruits and vegetables, etc. (We recently turned in 20 pounds of tabs.)... Lion s Club Eye glasses... Lutheran World Relief Personal Health Kit Supplies: bath towels, bar soap (4-5oz.), toothbrushes, combs, metal clippers... Faith Mission toiletries, dish sets, pitchers, pots & pans, cleaning supplies, drinking cups & glasses, silverware, cooking utensils, shower curtains with hooks, bath towels and wash cloths, new blankets, new sheets, and new pillows, garbage bags, laundry baskets, brooms and dust pans, mops and buckets. Prior to Christmas Gethsemane collected deodorants for the Frazier Health Center. See the thank you below. Dear Prison Ministry Partners, We so appreciate your partnership with the NW Cluster in the Prison Hygiene Christmas Bag Project. One of the most difficult products to get donated is deodorant - yet you came through with 200 deodorants for the medical inmates. The inmates live in very close quarters so they are very appreciative of your gift. They asked me to write and thank you for your time in collecting and giving the deodorants. I hope you will continue to partner with us in this ministry to some of our society's poorest and most marginalized people. Bobbi Lindner, Chaplain Frazier Health Center, Pickaway Correctional Volunteers are needed at the Lenten Soup Suppers on Wednesdays, February 22 March 28. Sign up at the Welcome Center in the narthex to... SETUP or CLEANUP BRING SOUP or BREAD 6

7 CONNECT Small Group Ministries First Reflections Monday Bible Study Paula Sauer Connections: Faith at Work Judy Reuning Men s Breakfast Bob Davis rjdjr@wowway.com Habitat for Humanity Bill Darlage Darlage_bill@hotmail.com LWR Quilts Ruth Fortis ruthfortis@sbcglobal.net Prayer Shawls glcoffice@gethsemane.org OR Call the Church Office Souper Bowl Sunday, February 5, 2012 Souper Bowl Sunday is an opportunity for you to participate in a program that benefits the food pantries of Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio (LSS). Please consider being a part of this important event, which helps to feed our hungry neighbors! At worship on Feb. 5, we will be collecting food and money for LSS. Please place your contribution in the soup pot or your food items in the grocery cart. The money collected will be sent directly to Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio for use at their food pantries in Columbus, Lancaster and Caldwell, Ohio as well as their mobile food pantry. This program began in 1990 when a small church in South Carolina decided to use the famous football event as a way to raise money to help people in need. The SOUPER BOWL project has grown into a national event and now raises more than $10,000,000 each year, with all funds being used by local community programs. LSS food pantries have been providing food to families in need since 1927, and today LSS is one of the largest single direct providers in central Ohio. Last year their pantries served nearly 1.9 million meals. More than 40 percent of the people they serve are children. LSS has a reputation in the community for providing nutritious food served in an atmosphere of kindness, dignity and respect. Care Packages Sent to College/ Military Personnel February 12 We will send Care Packages to all college students and anyone in the military on Sunday, February 12. This is Gethsemane s way of letting those who are away from home know that we are still thinking of them. WE NEED ADDRESSES: If you have someone in your family that should receive one of these packages, please contact the church office at glcoffice@gethsemane.org or with their address. WE NEED GOODIES: Please bring homemade cookies, candy, snack crackers, or other goodies to the upper level kitchen by Sunday, February 12. WE NEED BOXES: We can use small, sturdy (shoebox size) boxes, bubble wrap, and styrofoam peanuts. WE NEED HELPING HANDS: The goodies will be packed in boxes following the Education hour. If you are available, please come to the upper level kitchen on February 12 at 11:45am. 7

8 PEOPLE NEWS February Birthdays 2 Donna Baer 5 Salome Mashambo 6 Daniel Frashier 7 Tim Guenther Sarah Reilly 8 Adam Langknecht 9 Carrie Large 11 Jim Hiller 13 Bob Brugler Rob Needham 14 Cindy Baer Andrew Keller 17 Alice Gerken Phyllis Wei 19 Eric Gaines Carol Savolaine 21 Jan Davis 22 Elizabeth Ankrom Irene Ralls 24 Patty Gerken 26 Dorian Norstrom 27 Marie Cooper 28 Jennifer Coppola Our Prayers and Concern Are With... Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18 Members: Donna Baer (Oakleaf Village) Marilyn Bosen (Arlington Court) Bob Cerny Sibylle Custis Dotty Edwards (Laurels -Norworth) Carolyn Fergus (Wesley Glen) Jean Fritchen (Worth. Christian Village) Ken Gerken Mary Manship (Wesley Glen) Eleanor Nagy Rob Needham Phyllis Nelson Becky Oldaker (Bennington Glen) Reva Woodruff Family and friends: Elmer and Marian Ahlberg (father and stepmother of Terri Siebert) Family and friends serving overseas: T.J. Smith (friend of Morgan Melton) Colin Steffa (son of Meredith Dobyns) Nick Swenson (nephew of Barb Driver) Would you like to add your prayers? For Sunday Prayers: Contact church secretary, Diane, at or glcoffice@gethsemane.org before 12:00 noon on Thursday. After that time, you will have the opportunity in worship to name those silently or aloud during the prayers. For prayers during the week: Call Barbara Nelson ( ). 8

9 VISIONING Announcing the Vision Process Soon after Easter, we ll begin the process of discerning the mission and vision for Gethsemane. The initial process will be a group of about eight to twelve people from the congregation who will meet once a week for about 6 weeks. We ll be using a book called Living Lutheran and the Book of Acts to lead our process and we ll be relying on prayer, discussion and the Holy Spirit s intervention to help in our discernment. What we ll be working towards is figuring out what God is calling this congregation to be at this time. We ll consider our environment, the people we have, and what we feel called to do as a community in this place and time. We won t be working on ideas for new ministries or how to get more members or a five-year plan or anything along those lines (we might decide to do those things later.) This will be more of a process to discover and convey who we are now and what God is calling us to do and be together. At the end, we ll have a specific mission statement which will say who we are, a vision statement which will say what we are out to do, and a few guiding principles to help us determine how we conduct our lives together. We will have a special event where the congregation will be able to review these statements and some of the work that went into it and give feedback. Then the Council will refine the statement and present it to the congregation. And THEN, we will start the real work of implementing and using our vision in our life together! If you would like to be a part of the Vision Team, contact Pr. June at pastorjune@gethsemane.org or And if Pr. June approaches you about being on this Team, please say yes! 9

10 Serving This Month February 2012 February 5 9:30 AM February 12 9:30 AM February 19 9:30 AM February 22 7:00 PM February 26 9:30 AM Assisting Minister Jeff Luedke Jeff Luedke Jeff Luedke Jeff Luedke Jeff Luedke Readers Howard Feole Nancy Feole Sharon Walton Jim Siebert Heidi Hiller Teresa Perin Carol Prigan Scott Prigan Don Seidelmann Pam Seidelmann Ushers Sayuni Kimaro Paul Siebert Dave Whitesell Wendy Luedke Dave Reutter Jane Sieberth Don Cumberland Judy Reuning Hugh Geary Joyce Geary Mark Geary Joe Reilly Jim Sauer Paula Sauer Mike Siddall Mark Hagerdorn Ed Savolaine Howard Feole Barb Driver Jim Driver Communion Bread Joyce Geary Wayne Melton Linda Mackov Lutz Family Rachel Mackov Communion Care Darlene Norman Darlene Norman Joyce Geary Joyce Geary Counters Dave Reutter Joyce Davis Dan Erwin Jeff Luedke Wendy Luedke FEBRUARY 2012 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 7:30p Swahili Ministry 2 6:00p Bells 7:15p Choir 3 7:00a Connections 4 Youth at Food Pantry 1:30p Choir 5:00p Sub Assembly 7:00p Lock In 5 9:30a Worship 10:45a Education 3:30p Swahili Ser. 12 9:30a Worship 10:45a Education NEWSLETTER DEADLINE 19 9:30a Worship 10:45a Education 26 8:30a Health Ministry 9:30a Worship 10:45a Education 4:00p Synchronicity Fundraiser Concert 6 8:00a Reflections 8:00p AA & Al Anon 13 8:00a Reflections 8:00p AA & Al Anon 20 8:00a Reflections 6:00p Day Care 7:30p Prayer Shawl 8:00p AA & Al Anon 27 8:00a Reflections 8:00p AA & Al Anon 7 10:30a Staff 1:00p Chapel 14 10:30a Staff 1:00p Chapel 21 10:30a Staff 1:00p Chapel 28 10:30a Staff 1:00p Chapel 7:00p Worship Ministry Team 8 9 6:00p Bells 7:00p Council 7:15p Choir 15 7:30p Swahili Ministry 22 6:00p Soup Supper 7:00 Ash Wednesday Worship 29 6:00p Soup & Study 7:30p Worship 7:30p Swahili Ministry 16 6:00p Bells 7:15p Choir 23 6:00p Bells 7:15p Choir :00a Men s Breakfast 1:30p Choir :00p P & L Fundraising Dinner 10:00p Mkesa Prayers Worship 18 10:00-9:00p Scandinavian Club :00a Synch. Rehearsal 1:30p Choir 4:00p Chamber Music Connection 10

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