March 2016 Volume 49,, Issue 3 The Leaf a monthly publication of GLC Ge ethsemane Lutheran Church The Leaf 35 East Stanton Avenue Columbus OH 43214 www.gethsemane.org 614-885 885-4319 Pastor Rev. June A. Wilkins pastorjune@gethsemane.org Music Ministries Dr. Timothy E. Guenther tguenther@gethsemane.org Mission Developer Rev. Ipyana Mwakabonga ipibonga@hotmail.com Child Care Center Brenda Weilbacher bweilbacher@gethsemane.org Parish Secretary Diane Gutgesell glcoffice@gethsemane.org Custodian Brian McLean L.I.C. Ally Jagoda In this Issue From the Pastor P. 2 Adult Education P. 3 Strategic Planning P. 4 New Members P. 5 Small Groups P. 9 Prayer Concerns P. 10 Serving P. 11 Calendar P. 12 Maundy Thursday, March 24, 6:30 pm Good Friday, March 25, 6:30 pm Easter Vigil, March 26, 6:30 pm Easter Sunday, March 27, 9: :30 am Easter breakfast will be served starting at 8:00 am. Proceeds will benefit youth activities.
FROM THE PASTOR The Long Lenten Season A lot of people get the blues in January and February, in the middle of winter when the leaves are off the trees and the slushy snow is on the ground. The cold and the dreariness is just too depressing. As I m writing this, there s snow on the ground and the sky is that familiar grayish-white color. Even though we ve had a pretty mild winder this season, it s hard to imagine Spring. It s hard to imagine the leaves on the trees and the warmer weather. I know it s coming soon, but I can t get the spring feeling because it isn t time yet. I have met a lot of people who come from different religious denominations and a lot of those denominations don t run their years by the church seasons, so they don t observe Lent. I always feel a little bad for them in that regard. Lent is a time where we reflect and repent. Where we consider where we ve been and where we re going. It s a solemn time and a time of self-control and discipline. Some people think Lent is too depressing and maudlin. Some just see it as a time of self-denial and they would rather just forget it. But I think that Lent (and other church seasons) help us to remember that we are living on God s time. We might feel like celebrating the resurrection, we want it to be here now. But Lent says, not yet. Now is not the time to celebrate. Now is the time to ponder and dwell and feel just a little less than celebratory. We might want life to be fun and light hearted in our worship, but the reality is life isn t always fun and light hearted. Lent reflects that. We know that Spring and Easter will be here soon, but it will be here on God s time, not ours. Rev. June Wilkins Remember when it was warm out? Soon, but not yet. Gethsemane Justice Meeting Monday, March 7 7:00 pm. We will hear updates on how the research for this year s issue is going (Jobs) and we will hear updates on our previous campaigns (Mental Health, Crimes and Violence, etc.) We will also discuss the upcoming Nehemiah Action to be held on Monday, May 9. 2
LEARN themes. The study concludes Palm Sunday with conversation about the gifts of the church community to and from those who are in Winter. LIFETIME LEARNING Christian Education about life, for life, and for a lifetime. Everyone is touched by Winter, those experiencing it, those in care-giver roles, family members of all ages, and church friends. Join our inter-generational group either on Sunday mornings after or on Wednesday evenings with our church community and our food pantry community after supper or come to both. Let s learn from each other so that we can better understand and prepare for this universal wilderness. SUNDAYS at 10:45 AM IN THE MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM Winter of Christian Life: The Generations Consider Difficult Choices AND WEDNESDAYS at 6:30 PM IN THE TRINITY HALL CLASSROOM Conversations about Difficult Times The study Winter of Christian Life lead by Dick and Judy Reuning follows the Lenten worship and education theme In the Wilderness like the wilderness of endings, the wilderness of decisions. Adults of all generations are invited to discuss the problems and potentials of the Winter of life. The Sunday morning classes focus on one family s true story A Winter Struggle as they make difficult endof-life decisions; yet in the midst of winter still find joy, love and peace. On Wednesday evenings we will reflect on related readings and dig deeper on questions that amplify the Preschool and school-age children meet in the Youth Room on the upper level for opening music at 10:45 am. 3
STRATEGIC PLA ANNING times (but young people are encouraged to participate). We are asking that everyone in the congregation come to both sessions if at all possible. (We do want everyone s input so if you are only able to come to one, please do.) For the past four years, we have been working on getting a clear picture of who Gethsemane is. We worked on our purpose statement, guiding principles and a vision statement (you can find all of these posted around the church!) Now we need to figure out our future plans. What we need to do to make the future we want to see happen? At the moment, Gethsemane is at a crossroads. We have a staff position that has been vacant for nearly a year and we are going to need to make some financial decisions. We have been moving forward, but the decisions we need to make should be made with a clearer picture of where we want to go instead of piecing them together ad-hoc without any direction. Now is the time to work on a strategic plan for Gethsemane. Please save these dates: Saturday, April 30, 9am-1pm Sunday, May 1, 10:45am-2pm Our facilitator will be Rev. Luke Bouman who has done this kind of facilitation for many churches embarking on capital campaigns. Luke is also a child of Gethsemane! He was confirmed here and his father, Rev. Walt Bouman, had an important presence in this congregation many years ago. Luke assures us that we will have a usable plan at the end of our sessions together. This will be time well- spent for our congregation and we are excited about where this will lead us next! All the information available says two things about a strategic plan for an organization like ours: 1. The whole congregation needs to be involved in the process and 2. Someone from the outside needs to facilitate it. We feel like this process needs to be done sooner, rather than later, and that it should be done before people go away for the summer. Therefore, we will have strategic planning on April 30 th and May 1 st. Our process will be over two days. Saturday morning 9:00am 1:00pm and Sunday 10:45am 2:00pm. We will have child care for both 4
NEW MEMBERS Meet Gethsemane s New Members By Joyce Geary Gethsemane is happy to welcome twelve new members to our church family! Let me introduce them to you and then you may introduce yourselves to them. Dan Bonarrigo 5353 N. High Street #1005 Columbus, OH 43214 614-596-4496 Dan is a Columbus native who grew up on the East side but now lives right across the street from church which is a real plus for one who mostly travels by bus or on foot! Dan has two brothers in Akron, one in Columbus and a sister in Delaware. His dad died when he was eight and his mom lives in Columbus but has Alzheimer s disease. He went to Roman Catholic elementary schools and graduated from Ohio State in history which he still loves to read, especially Roman and Islamic history. After all, his grandparents came from Italy! He s worked in a variety of jobs the insurance field, as an aide in special education for the multi-handicapped, as a bus driver for the Mainstream program, in food service but his favorite jobs are working directly with people. At present he s looking for a job and would rather be working. Bob Brauer P.O. Box 1177 Worthington, OH 43085 614-825-9677 Another person who lives nearby is Bob Brauer. He credits his love of doughnuts and walking trips to Tim Horton s as his reason for finding Gethsemane and becoming a member of a friendly church! A lifelong Lutheran since his 1941 baptism, he comes from Youngstown and Cleveland to Columbus after being in the Army, attending Capital under the GI bill, and working for many years for the phone company in technology keeping things running and growing with the company as new technology came along and upgrades were made in the computer area. He and his first wife had one son who lives in Columbus. Bob lived on the East and South sides of the city and in German Village before he moved where he now lives to be closer to his second wife who died at Wesley Glen not long ago. Bob enjoys yard work, reading, church 5
NEW MEMBERS continued activities, sailing, and taking classes at the Griswold Center. He and his wife took early retirement and did extensive traveling especially in the north and northwest. He has some great stories about the variety and activities in their travels. Roland and Lois Hornbostel 5050 Forest Trail Columbus, OH 43230 614-476-9049 Ask Roland and Lois Hornbostel how they enjoyed their recent downhill skiing trip to Lake Placid, or about tent camping and hiking, especially in the northeast part of the country, or canoeing in the Adirondacks, and cycling around town. Roland comes from St. Louis. Roland knew Gethsemane s former pastor, Gerry Miller, from their seminary days in St. Louis. After the walk out known as the Seminary-In-Exile and later as Seminex these students had a hard time getting calls as pastors. Roland and Lois met when he was called to the Lutheran Metro Ministry in Cleveland. They got to the Columbus area when the state of Ohio asked Roland to replicate the program parts of Metro Ministry for the state. He retired as the Deputy Director of the Ohio Department of Aging in 2011. Lois is retired from the Laboratory Corporation of America where she worked in medical technology. Her efforts now focus on the Sierra Club and environmental issues. They like to read, go to the Columbus Symphony and be outdoors. They have no children but have siblings from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. In doing a church search they found they were most comfortable at Gethsemane because it is friendly, welcoming, has good music, and the congregation sings! Jeff Klukas and Karen Obee Emi and Eli Klukas 236 E. Stafford Avenue Worthington, OH 43085 Jeff 937-215-5061 Karen 419-494-9407 JEFF KLUKAS and his wife KAREN OBEE brought two more children to our Gethsemane family. EMI turned five on February 23 and attends All Saints Preschool but will attend Wilson Hills Elementary next year while ELI turns two in April and stays home with mom and a six-monthold cousin who is Karen s nephew. Both Karen and Jeff are Wittenberg graduates, and she worked in student services in a high school when they were in Madison Wisconsin, while Jeff was in graduate school. They came to Columbus last June to be closer to family in northwest Ohio and Columbus. Karen has decided to stay at home for now to enjoy the kids, knitting, caring for the home (their first) and gardening. Jeff is a software developer for a 6
NEW MEMBERS continued bank and works there or at home. He enjoys reading to the kids, doing home improvement projects as well as playing the piano and guitar. All enjoy reading, going to the library, and bike riding. Doug Sand and Bob Spiegel 46 Highland Terrace Worthington, OH 43085 614-846-6365 Doug Sand has rejoined the Gethsemane family. Born and raised in Cleveland, he spent four years in the Air Force as a pharmacy tech after high school and was able to take some college classes at the University of New Mexico and the University of Alaska in Anchorage, both places where he was stationed. Doug continued with college in Cleveland for a year after the Air Force and then came to OSU in Columbus in the 1960s studying special education to teach the blind. Finding that wasn t what he wanted to do he went to New York City as an assistant manager of a hotel. He later published a book about those years and the people he met at the hotel. Coming back to Columbus in 1998 he started working as a computer programmer in the Tax Department of the State of Ohio. He also met Bob Spiegel whom he married at Gethsemane in August, 2015. He had left Gethsemane for a while to join Bob s Methodist church and visited other churches near their apartment at Melbourne Village where they have lived for five years. Doug enjoys music including the Gay Men s Chorus in which he sang for some years and the Gethsemane choir to which he has returned. He also enjoys reading, writing, and watching television, especially classical movies. Bob grew up in New York City and Upper Sandusky. He was stationed in Thailand and Vietnam while in the Air Force during the Vietnam War and then came back to Ohio. He retired as a school board courier in 1998. Politics are a great interest of Bob as is reading and studying outer space and the origins of the universe, especially after seeing the movie The Martian. Julia Wiebe Capital University 1 College & Main Columbus, OH 43209 920-420-5797 Kewaskum, Wisconsin, is home for Capital University freshman JULIA WIEBE. She came to Columbus during high school to visit her #1 school choice The Ohio State University! Later when she made a return visit to OSU she was encouraged to visit Capital. She found that OSU was too big and busy and Cap was a better fit so she s now in a three-year International Studies program with a Spanish minor and hopes to work for a non-profit, to learn about the Young Adults in Global Missions programs, and to 7
NEW MEMBERS continued travel abroad, maybe to Central America. Summers she works at a Lutheran north woods camp where the stars are magnificent! Julia enjoys knitting and makes many presents out of yarn, and I caught her just as she was leaving her yarn group at Cap. She s a trained peer chaplain at school and meets students to help them with questions, concerns, and to give them needed resources for a better life. Her mom and dad are both pastors and her sister is a student at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. She found Gethsemane because her mother knows Pastor June. You ll see Julia sitting with Heidi Hiller who lives near Capital. John and Jill Woods Nevin, Gerrit, Sela 258 W. Southington Avenue Worthington, OH 43085 John 614-560-3390 Jill 614-560-3391 John Woods is now an official member of Gethsemane although he has been attending for some time with his wife Jill, whom he met at NBBJ Architecture Firm. John grew up in Clintonville, went to Bishop Watterson High School and graduated from OSU in Landscape Architecture. Interests include listening to music at Natalie s on High St. live rock, blues, and alternative music. He collects vintage audio stereo equipment and enjoys yard work, and gardening, especially ornamental plants, although he says that he doesn t have enough time to do more than maintenance. John and Jill have three children Nevin at Kilbourne Middle School, Gerrit in third grade at Evening Street Elementary and almost five-year-old Sela at Creative Play Center. Family movie night with rotating choices of movies, pizza and maybe cards are special times for the whole family. Vision Statement To empower a servant community that overflows with God's grace, justice, and welcome. 8
Small Group Ministries First Reflections Monday Bible Study Paula Sauer paulagsauer@gmail.com Bible Study Every Monday at 8:00am at La Chatelaine-Worthington CONNECT Second Saturday of the month at 8:00am at TeeJaye s Brown Bag Bible Bunch Dick Lyndes rhlyndes@wowway.com Connections: Faith at Work Judy Reuning jreuning@lifecrossings.com Every Wednesday at 12:00pm in the church library Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 8-3:00pm. Book Group Sharon Walton skrwalton@gmail.com Barbara Ford bandbford@columbus.rr.com Men s Breakfast Bob Davis rjdjr@wowway.com Thrivent Builds Bill Darlage darlage_bill@hotmail.com First Friday of the month at 7:00am at Bob Evans on Olentangy River Road Quilting Last Saturday of the month from 9-12:00pm in Trinity Hall LWR Quilts Terri Siebert tsiebert@columbus.rr.com Prayer Shawls rdhekh@att.net OR Call the Church Office Last Wednesday of the month at 7: :30pm in the church library. Fourth Monday of the month at 7:30pm in the church library. 9
PEOPLE NEWS March Birthdays 1 Paul Feldman 2 Char Jessie 5 Mike Murphy 6 Sela Woods 9 Chris Bullwinkle 10 Dotty Edwards 14 Mark Keller 15 Joel Bullwinkle Lois Hornbostel 25 Donna Darlage Phyllis Nelson 26 Bryn Hagerdorn Leah Hiller 28 Paula Sauer 29 Diane Langner 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: Mary and Maury Drum (parents of Andrea Mayer) Bob Hagerdorn Gretta Massie (greatniece of Laurie Burnett) Phyllis Nelson. Congratulation and Best Wishes to Pastor Chris Lutz who was installed into the ministry of Grace Lutheran Church, Centerburg, OH on Feb. 21. Our Love and Compassion to the family of Doug Ludtke (brother of Carol Prigan) who passed away. Members with ongoing concerns: Donna Baer Bob and Sibylle Custis Elaine Haines Dick and Sue Jones David Kibble David Lagerberg James Laspisa Kathleen Vergamini. Homebound: Mary Bardach Marie Cooper Beryl Cumberland Dotty Edwards (Laurels-Worthington) Carolyn Fergus (Wesley Glen) Ken and Alice Gerken (Mayfair Village) Becky Oldaker (Bennington Glen) Ralph Portzline (Chapel Grove Inn) Joanne Vollrath (Worthington Christian Village) Phyllis Wei Reva Woodruff (Brookdale). Would you like to add a name to the Sunday prayers? Contact church secretary at 885-4319 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 (email). 10
SERVING THIS MONTH MARCH 2016 March 6 March 13 March 20 Assisting Minister Don Dell Don Dell Don Dell Don Dell March 27 Easter Sunday April 3 Projectionist Brian McLean Kate Lutz Paul Siebert Mark Geary Sound Monitor Readers Eric Walton Jim Sauer Eric Walton Eric Walton Don Seidelmann Pam Seidelmann Doug Sand Wendy Luedke Brian McLean Ushers Jim Driver Barb Driver Brian Burdette Jim Siebert GottfriedMaeffert Manfred Maeffert Brian McLean Scott Conlon Diane Langner Rick Langner Jeff Luedke Wendy Luedke Jim Sauer Paula Sauer Andrea Mayer Tim Mayer Nursery Diane Langner Jen Tatz Alice Siddall Diane Langner Kelly Seifert Communion Bread Communion Care Darlene Norman Joyce Geary Team Carole Wilkins Brian Lutz Joyce Geary Darlene Norman Darlene Norman Darlene Norman Darlene Norman Counters Jeff Luedke Wendy Luedke Joanne Leussing Hugh Geary Imma Lyatuu Dave Reutter Brian McLean Joyce Davis Pianist SERVING IN LENT & HOLY WEEK Lent 3 March 2 Hank Langknecht Lent 4 March 9 Dr. Tim Guenther Lent 5 March 16 Hank Langknecht Cantor Andrew Keller Barbara Ford Chris Bullwinkle Reader Sound Monitor Ushers Shirla Langknecht Brian Murphy Anna Wildermuth Maundy Thursday March 24 6:30 PM Mark Geary Mike Siddall Mark Geary Mike Siddall Scott Conlon Bob Abdou Bill Darlage Paul Siebert Good Friday March 25 6:30 PM Joe Reilly Dave Reutter Easter Vigil March 26 6:30 PM Hugh Geary Joyce Geary Mark Geary Judy Reuning 11
MARCH 2016 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 P&L Chapel 10:30 AM Staff Meeting 3 Handbell Choir 7:15 PM Vocal Choir 4 7:00 AM Connections 5 11-1:00 PM 6 10:45 AM Education Hour 4:00 PM Swahili 13 8:30 am Health Ministry 10:45 AM Education Hour 3:30 PM Swahili Choir NEWSLETTER DEADLINE 20 10:45 AM Education Hour 4:00 PM Swahili 27 8:00 AM Easter Breakfast Easter Sunday 4:00 PM Swahili 7 8:00 AM Reflections 7:00 PM B.R.E.A.D Network 8:00 PM A.A. & Al Anon 14 8:00 AM Reflections Day Care 8:00 PM A.A. & Al Anon 21 8:00 AM Reflections Prayer Shawl Ministry 8:00 PM A.A. & Al Anon 28 CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED 8:00 PM A.A. & Al Anon 8 P&L Chapel 10:30 AM Staff Meeting P&L Staff Mtg. 15 P&L Chapel 10:30 AM Staff Meeting 22 P&L Chapel 10:30 AM Staff Meeting Handbell Choir 7:15 PM Vocal Choir 29 P&L Chapel 10:30 AM Staff Meeting 7:00 PM Ministry Team 2 6:00-8:00 PM Supper & Study 9 6:00-8:00 PM Supper & Study 16 6:00-8:00 PM Supper & Study Swahili Ministry 23 NO 30 12:00 PM B B Bible Bunch Book Group 10 10-3:00 PM LSS Handbell Choir 7:00 PM Council 7:15 PM Vocal Choir 17 Handbell Choir 7:15 PM Vocal Choir 24 6:30 PM Maundy Thursday 31 Handbell Choir 7:15 PM Vocal Choir 12-4:00 PM Cumberland Party 11 12 8:00 AM Men s Breakfast 11-1:00 PM 18 11:00 PM Mkesha Prayers 25 DAY CARE CLOSED 12:00 PM Good Friday Community Service 6:30 PM Good Friday 19 5:00 PM Scandinavian Club 11-1:00 PM 26 Easter Breakfast Preparations NO 6:30 PM Easter Vigil 12