Gethsemane Lutheran Church

Transcription

1 August 2013 Volume 46,, Issue 8 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 ies 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 etary Diane Gutgesell glcoffice@gethsemane.org Custodians Kate and Shana Bumster A COMMUNITY HYMN FESTIVAL FEATURING EATURING: JEFFREY BRILLHART ZEBULON HIGHBEN MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 7:00 PM IN THE SANCTUARY HOSTED BY GETHSEMANE LUTHERAN CHURCH THE SITE OF THE AUGSBURG FORTRESS 2013 SUMMER MUSIC CLINIC 2013 In this Issue From the Pastor P. 2 Projection in Worship P. 3 Heavenly Harp Concert P. 4 Adult Education P. 5 LWR Quilts P. 6 Blood Drive/ Flu Shot Clinic - P. 7 Vacation Bible School P. 8 Prayer Concerns P. 9 Council Highlights P. 10 THE EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. COME AND SHARE IN SINGING PRAISES O GOD OD! For further information visit the Augsburg Fortress website er2013/?redirected=true, or Contact Tim Guenther at church ( ), or via at tguenther@gethsemane.org.

2 FROM THE PASTOR Religious but not Spiritual (We Are Religion!) religion is people. Whenever large groups of people get together for a period of time, they naturally form institutions. Religion is just the institution of people centered around God. Being religious does not mean that we believe every doctrine that the church has ever come up with. It doesn t mean that we demean people if they don t come to church or don t believe. It doesn t even mean that we go to church every Sunday ourselves. Being religious just means that we believe that other people are important to our experience of God. And besides, people make spirituality much more fun and interesting! Today we hear about the rising number of people who consider themselves nones, that is people when asked on a survey about their religious affiliation, they choose none. These people aren t necessarily atheists or even agnostics, but they don t have an association with any religious group. Many people refer to this as spiritual but not religious. In other words, people believe in God, but they re not interested in doing it with a group of people. I understand the inclination of that of course. People can be difficult. Church dogma and hatred and exclusion might even represent the worst that humanity can dish out. Therefore it might sound idealistic to have all that God can give us without the headache that other people bring. So wear the label proudly I Am Religious! (and often spiritual). Rev. June Wilkins But I don t know that you can truly be spiritual but not religious as a Christian. The community of believers (the Church) is such a part of experiencing God and Christ and the Spirit. Nadia Bolz Weber, a well-known pastor from Denver, Colorado (the one with all the tattoos) said that her business card used to say religious but not spiritual. She admits this was snarky because she is spiritual too, but she wanted to stress that she valued and believed in the community that was centered around God and Christ. In the end, 2

3 WORSHIP Projection in Worship On Sunday, June 23, we tried something different: we used a projector for our entire worship rather than using books and bulletins. For our trial run, it was technically very successful. Much thanks to Mike Siddall and Paul Siebert for doing the technical work and also obtaining and hanging the screen. Also, Diane Gutgesell and I (Pr. June) also put a lot of extra work into creating what everyone saw during worship. The Projection Team asked the congregation for responses to the experience and you provided them! Many of the respondents were pleased with the experience. Some people came in expecting to hate it, but they found they liked it. Quite a few people mentioned that they appreciated saving paper. Other people said that it was much easier to read and follow along (especially newer people.) Only one or two people mentioned that they did not like it at all. And a lot of people had specific requests which we will try to incorporate into future trial runs. (As your pastor, I noticed that I really like to see everyone s faces during worship instead of the tops of everyone s heads!) One of the main issues brought up was the difficulty of not having notes along with the songs. Most people who mentioned that appreciated having the option to refer to the hymn number in the book. There were a few songs in the worship (as often happens in Contemporary Worship) that were not in the hymn book. On the other side of that, the one time we did use notes in the prayer refrain, many people said they could not read the words. There is obviously some research we need to do on projected songs with music. Another thing that people mentioned was a request for some sort of paper with the order of worship on it. Even though the slides show us where we are in the worship, people like to see what s coming up and also the titles of songs. When we do it in the future, we will most likely provide that. One thing which came up was the scripture readings. All written responses that commented on this issue, found their presence on the screen distracting. Some people verbally told me that they appreciated having the words on the screen. We ll try it several ways and see what works for Gethsemane! Lots of people said that the projector was in the way. For the projector that we currently have, that is the best we can do. If we decide to purchase a permanent projector, it will be mounted on the ceiling and out of the way. As far as the location of the screen: People in the front mentioned that the screen was high for them and then people who aren t able to stand in worship said that they couldn t see the screen because people were in the way. The Projection Team will be taking these suggestions and work on finding the best solutions to some of the bigger problems. The intent is to experiment with our existing equipment a few more times with a variety of worship experiences and using more images, videos and other things that will enhance our worship. The team has been working on the possibility of purchasing and installing permanent equipment. When they have decided the best possible option for that course, they will be asking the congregation s opinion and preferences and, in the end, the council will decide what is best for the congregation. If you have any thoughts positive or negative that you did not share on the 23 rd, feel free to me and I ll pass it on to the team. 3

4 MUSIC Find Peace at the Heavenly Harp Concert The Heavenly Harp duo, featuring harpists, Karin and Joy Gunderson, will be giving a concert on Thursday, August 22 at 7:00 pm in the sanctuary at Gethsemane Lutheran Church. There is no admission charge; a free will offering will be taken. CDs and DVDs will be available. The ministry of Heavenly Harp was founded in 2004 with the mission of making available the unique healing benefits of harp music combined with the power of scripture and prayer to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Heavenly Harp brings peace and relaxation as well as comfort into everyday life. From an early age, Karin Gunderson's life has been filled with music and faith. A graduate of Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, she is an accomplished vocalist, harpist, pianist and flutist. Her musical career has included work as a public school music teacher, a private music instructor, a church musician, and a performer. Singing songs of faith is her passion, and she has performed as a vocal soloist in concert halls and churches alike. Karin has served as a Harp Practitioner in hospice facilities for the past ten years, where she was fondly known as the "singing harpist." Her ministry has brought peace and comfort to nearly 25,000 patients and their families in times of sorrow and pain. Karin specializes in integrative therapies that bring greater levels of wholeness and wellness to body, mind and spirit. She is a Health Educator through the oldest natural health institute in the U.S., Hippocrates Health Institute. Through her training there, she is able to help people find natural alternatives to many diseases and ailments, from cancer and diabetes to arthritis. Her ministry is called Karing (caring) Journey. Karin is a chaplain with the International Ministerial Fellowship. Joy Gunderson, at age eleven, was already performing the Handel Harp Concerto; and now at age 21, as one of the top three harpists in the Phoenix, Arizona metro area, plays with professional mastery and sensitivity that will truly inspire you. Joy recently graduated from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota with a Church Music degree. She studied harp with the Minnesota Orchestra harpist, Kathy Kienzle, who has won numerous awards in teaching harp. Joy won the Philharmonia Concerto Competition in her junior year. Enjoy a combination of harp duets, solos, inspirational stories from Karin s work as a hospice harpist and peaceful music featuring flute, and vocals along with harp. For more information, contact the church office at or view their Web site 4

5 LEARN LIFETIME LEARNING Christian Education about life, for life, and for a lifetime. SUNDAYS AT 10:45 AM Story Time in the Library July 7 through August 18 Every Sunday of the Summer after worship is STORY TIME IN THE LIBRARY. Each week another Gethsemane member shares a different story from Jesus we call Parables. So plan your day to include an enjoyable and interesting hour. Wednesdays at noon Leaders Dick Lyndes and Bob Davis Bring your lunch and your Bible to the library. Enjoy the company of friends and learn about the Gospel of Mark. August storytellers: Carol Savolaine The Visual Word stories of Christian Symbols, Pastor June the parable of The Sheep and Goats, and Sharon Walton the parable of The Wedding Feast. Thanks to our July storytellers: Joyce Geary Old Testament Stories, Violet Meek the parable of The Prodigal Son, Don Dell the parable of The Talents, and Dick Lyndes the parables of The Pharisee and the Publican and The Lamp under the Bushel. Monday Morning Reflections Bible Study is on hiatus. The group will resume after Labor Day. August 28 7:30 pm People of the Book Written by Geraldine Brooks Discussion led by Sharon Walton in the library. 5

6 SERVE Tied In Faith. Sent In Hope. Wrapped In Love Top 10 reasons why this is the Year of the Quilt (from LWR quilt newsletter) 1. Because in a world full of growing need, this is a tangible way to reach out and help. 2. Because the Christian Council of Tanzania will finally be able to reach every diocese in the country with hope and comfort. 3. Because "We love, because God first loved us." 1 John 4: Because 150,000 Burmese refugees in Thailand need to stay warm through the rainy season. 5. Because what better time than right now to fight poverty? 6. Because a quilt is more than just a quilt. 7. Because we need the quilting table as much as people around the world need quilts! We care for each other. 8. Because over 100,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan need a reminder of God's love and care. 9. Because cold nights don't discriminate between the strong and the weak 10. Because "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overcome it." John 1:5 Our next quilting Saturday will be Aug. 24, 9:00am - 12noon. Come and help tie quilts to get them ready for shipment in early October. Our final quilt Saturday for this shipment will be Saturday, September 28 with Quilt Dedication on the 29th. So, how can you help? 1. Take a roll of squares found on the Sign-Up Desk. Sew them up (instructions are attached) and return to the same place. 2. Come to a Quilt Saturday. Bring your coffee, your conversation, and your fingers to tie. 3. If you can't come, take a quilt, thread and a needle home. (You'll find some on the narthex table.) 4. Pray for all quilt recipients, even though we don't know their names. For further information: See Terri Siebert, Gethsemane quilt coordinator, tsiebert@gethsemane.org or Diane Langner and Donna Darlage are also quilt assemblers and can help you. Our quilt project is supported by a grant from Thrivent Financial, West Franklin County Chapter. 6

7 CONNECT Small Group Ministries First Reflections Monday Bible Study Paula Sauer Brown Bag Bible Bunch Dick Lyndes Connections: Faith at Work Judy Reuning Heads Up From the Health Ministry Team Please put these dates on your calendars!! Our FLU SHOT CLINIC this fall will be on October 6. This year LifeCare Alliance will also honor Anthem Insurance in addition to those previously accepted. Our next RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE will be October 19. Watch for further details regarding these dates! Our Prayer Shawl Ministry Team is pleased to report that we have received a grant from Thrivent Financial to purchase yarn for our prayer shawls. We appreciate this grant. It will keep us stitching for a long time to come! Book Group Sharon Walton skrwalton@gmail.com Barbara Ford bandbford@columbus.rr.com Men s Breakfast Bob Davis rjdjr@wowway.com Habitat for Humanity Bill Darlage Darlage_bill@hotmail.com Gethsemane Participates in the Pride Parade LWR Quilts Terri Siebert tsiebert@gethsemane.org Prayer Shawls glcoffice@gethsemane.org OR Call the Church Office 7

8 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good; his love is eternal. Psalm 107:1 This was our memory verse for Vacation Bible School. What a wonderful thing to remember! God blesses us with so much to be thankful for and is always there to love us! Twenty children spent 3 evenings together, learning the stories of the 10 lepers (one came back to say thanks to Jesus... just one!), the prodigal son (who learned that family and home were really something to be thankful for), and the crippled man with 4 wonderful and loyal friends who worked hard to bring their friend to Jesus (even a hole in the roof... would we do that?). Thank you to our staff - it couldn't have happened without you! Preschool - Morgan Melton, Paula Sauer, Jane Sieberth, Diane Langner, Angela Miller (day care alum) Early Elementary - Jill Woods, Margaret Murphy Late Elementary - Judy Kulikowski Snack coordinator - Celia Conlon Music - Dr. Tim Guenther Storyteller - Joyce Geary VBS Coordinator - Terri Siebert The children learned about blessings and thankfulness. We have many reasons to be thankful! 8

9 PEOPLE NEWS August Birthdays 3 Jon Myers 6 Adam Siddall Bonnie Spring 7 Andrew Norris Lisa Whitesell 8 Robbie Dunham Valerie Nesser 9 Donna Roush Jim Siebert 14 Sara Gardner 15 Sarah Lucco 19 Joyce Geary Brian Lutz 20 Leslie Stoshak 23 Emily Gardner 26 Patsy Carringer Daniel Gaines Emily Gardner Gottfried Maeffert Manfred Maeffert 28 Michelle Toops 28 Eric Ndossi 29 Lillian Crawford 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 New Concerns: Doris Devine (surgery July 8) Morgan Melton Tiina Perttu (friend of Linda Mackov) Irene Ralls (surgery July 5) Carole Wilkins (surgery July 16). Members with ongoing concerns: Donna Baer Sibylle Custis Elaine Haines Manfred Maeffert Mary Lou Means Rob Needham Phyllis Nelson Lee Ann Perin Ralph Portzline. Family and friends with concerns: David Jones (son of Dick and Sue Jones) Howard Stob (cousin of Don Huiner). Congratulations to: Christopher and Karen Gutgesell on the birth of their daughter Heidi Elaine on June 20 in Riverdale, NY. Proud grandparents are Steve and Diane Gutgesell Ben and Heather Langner on the birth of their son Theodore (Theo) Thomas on July 4 in Minneapolis, MN. Proud grandparents are Rick and Diane Langner... Reva Woodruff on her 90 th birthday July 7. Our Love and Compassion to the family of Norma Jean Fritchen who passed away on Friday, July 12 and was given Christian burial on Monday, July 15 Richard Stoltz, father of Ruth Ann Norris, who passed away Friday, July 19. Homebound: Dotty Edwards (Laurels- Worthington) Carolyn Fergus (Wesley Glen) Ken Gerken (Mayfair Village) Eleanor Nagy Becky Oldaker (Bennington Glen) Reva Woodruff. Would you like to add a name to the Sunday prayers? Contact church secretary, Diane, at or glcoffice@gethsemane.org before 10:00 am on Thursday to have the name printed in the bulletin. After that time, you will have the opportunity in worship to name those silently or aloud during the prayers. You may also have the name sent out to the congregation via our E-Prayers ( ). 9

10 COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS Purpose Statement The people of Gethsemane Lutheran Church Sing God s good news Share God s unconditional welcome Care for each other Serve those in need Guiding Principles The life, words, and actions of Jesus Christ are the inspiration for all we do and are. We recognize the uniqueness of each individual. We welcome and value everyone. We reach out to each other, our neighbors, and creation with our hearts and minds as well as with our labor, generosity, and works of justice. We create a supportive environment to nurture growth and learning. We find Christ in the study of God s Word and through sharing questions, doubts, a diversity of opinions, and new ideas. As a faithful Christian community, we are led by the Holy Spirit to live and worship together, respect differences, communicate openly, and seek consensus. Highlights of Council Meeting July 18, 2013 A copy of the Council minutes and Financial Report is posted in Atrium Way. PLEASE READ BUT LEAVE POSTED. Take home copies (minus attachments) are available at the Sign Up Desk in the narthex. Jim Sauer discussed By-Law changes requested by properties. Council assured him they were in agreement with changes and would present them to the congregation for approval at November meeting. The congregation will be notified mid September of change request. Joe will send proposed changes to the personnel committee. It was noted that changes would affect church custodians only. SECRETARY S REPORT Creative Worship workshops led by Jill Woods have begun. Jill is presenting a very good program. TREASURER S REPORT Rick Langner discussed the Audit Committee s report and recommendations. Only small changes in procedure are needed. Rick is working on putting these changes into place. A discussion ensued on the church s utility bills and the increase in the electric bill. Imma Laytuu suggested that properties should look into a new supplier. Rick Langner will speak with the church secretary to route utility bills to Jim Sauer s mailbox to check bills correctness. Rick Langner will make certain the correct amounts are paid. Rick Langner expressed concern with spending from committees on large budget items without seeking council approval. He reminded all that a budget is a plan and not an actual source of money. Everyone, including committees, ministry teams and staff, needs to keep this in mind when planning spending. A discussion followed. Joe Reilly suggested that council members think of ways to better inform the congregation of where the church stands financially. These ideas will then be discussed at the September meeting FINANCIAL REPORTS Details regarding key financial indicators follow: 1. For the month, GLC has a net shortfall (i.e., expense exceeds income)) of $ The result is favorable to budget by approximately $

11 COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS Congregation Council OFFICERS: President Joe Reilly Vice-President Barbara Ford Secretary Alice Siddall Treasurer Rick Langner MEMBERS: Imma Lyatuu Jill Woods Donna Darlage Tim Mayer Gary Rader Contributions in support of general operations are $ 28, Contributions are favorable to budget by approximately $5, Year-to-date, GLC has a net shortfall (i.e. expense exceeds income) of $32, The result is unfavorable to budget by approximately $17,650. Yearto-date contributions in support of general operations are $307, Year-todate contributions are unfavorable to budget by approximately $12, The cumulative shortfall is $10, The Current Balance of TOTAL OF ALL FUNDS plus any accelerated contributions represents GLC s working cash. At month end, working cash totaled $47,920. GLC requires approximately $36,000 each month to cover typical cash flow requirement. MINISTRY TEAMS Rick Langner presented the Benevolence recommendations from the Mission and Ministry Team. MOTION: (A. Siddall, D. Darlage) TO ACCEPT PAYING THE FISCAL YEAR END BENEVOLANCE AS RECOMMENDED BY THE MISISION AND MINISTRY TEAM. Carried. Jill Woods reported for the Youth Ministry about the success of the VBS. OLD BUSINESS Donna Darlage reported that the tutoring program is sponsoring a potluck picnic for Broad Meadow residents and all Gethsemane members on August 11 at 5 p.m. She encouraged all to come and to bring a dish or two to share. NEW BUSINESS Joe led a discussion of a plan for Play and Learn to get new windows and paint the Infant/Toddler house. He would like to make certain that the day care is looking towards the future use of the building. The 2013 budget is closed. ANNOUNCEMENTS NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 15 AT 7:00 P.M. MEETING TIME WILL BE USED TO WORK ON COUNCIL VISION FOCUS FOR THE COMING YEAR. Meeting adjourned at 8:55 pm. Submitted by Alice Siddall 11

12 SERVING THIS MONTH AUGUST 2013 August 4 August 11 August 18 August 25 Assisting Minister Barbara Ford Barbara Ford Barbara Ford Barbara Ford Sound Monitor Readers Ushers Nursery Mike Siddall Eric Walton Mark Geary Jim Sauer Rosa Prigan Dick Lyndes Jim Sauer Paula Sauer Bill Darlage Bob Adbou Howard Feole Nancy Feole Paul Siebert Dave Reutter Jane Sieberth Don Cumberland Elaine Haines Jim Siebert Mark Geary Joyce Geary Hugh Geary Dick Reuning Click on the link to sign up and serve in the nursery. Margaret Murphy Michael Murphy Judy Reuning Joe Reilly Andrea Mayer Tim Mayer Communion Bread Joyce Geary Wayne Melton Worship Team Brian Lutz Communion Care Celia Conlon Bonnie Reilly Lisa Ankrom Lisa Ankrom Counters Dave Reutter Brian McLean Joyce Davis Dan Erwin Jeff Luedke Wendy Luedke I ve signed up to be an... usher... reader... counter... etc. How do I know when I will serve? You may find serving schedules in each monthly newsletter whether you pick up a paper copy in the narthex or download it from the link that is sent out each month.... posted on our webpage at Click on Serving Schedules under Quick Links. Then click on either the current month or one of the future months.... posted on the bulletin board across from the church office. If you find you are unavailable, please trade with someone and let the church office know. If you haven t signed up to serve, but would like to, please call the church office at or glcoffice@gethsemane.org. 12

13 SUNSUNDAY nday MONDAY AUGUST 2013 Tuesday TUESDAY Wednesday WEDNESDAY Thursday THURSDAY y FRIDAY Saturday SATURDAY 4 Worship 10:45 AM Education Hour 3:30 PM Swahili Service 11 NEWSLETTER DEADLINE Worship 10:45 AM Education Hour 3:30 PM Swahili Choir 5:00 PM Gethsemane and Broad Meadows Potluck in the Great Hall 18 Worship 10:45 AM Education Hour 3:30 PM Swahili Choir 25 Worship 10:45 AM Children s Ministry 3:30 PM Swahili Choir 6:05 PM LSS Day with the Clippers 5 9:00 AM Augsburg- Fortress Music Clinic 8:00 PM A.A. & Al Anon 12 8:00 PM A.A. & Al Anon 19 6:00 PM Day Care Brd. 8:00 PM A.A. & Al Anon 26 8:00 PM A.A. & Al Anon 6 9:00 AM Augsburg- Fortress Music Clinic 10:30 AM Staff Meeting 6:00 PM P&L Staff Meeting :00 AM LSS Food Pantry 10:30 AM Staff Meeting 20 10:30 AM Staff Meeting 27 10:30 AM Staff Meeting 7:00 PM Worship Ministry Team 7 4:00 PM Tutoring 4:00 PM Tutoring 7:30 PM Swahili Ministry Team 21 4:00 PM Tutoring 8 7:00 PM Council 15 6:30 PM Meet the P & L Teachers 22 7:00 PM Heavenly Harp Concert :00 AM Men's Breakfast :00 PM 9:00 AM Mkesha Prayers Quilting 12:00 PM Private Party 28 4:00 PM Tutoring 7:30 PM Swahili Ministry Team