januaryjanuary 2012012013333 gethsemane lutheran church
TRANSCRIPT
JanuaryJanuaryJanuaryJanuary 2012012012013333
Volume Volume Volume Volume 44446666, Issue, Issue, Issue, Issue 1111
The LeafThe LeafThe LeafThe Leaf – a monthly publication of GLC
Gethsemane Lutheran ChurchGethsemane Lutheran ChurchGethsemane Lutheran ChurchGethsemane Lutheran Church The LeafThe LeafThe LeafThe Leaf
35 East35 East35 East35 East Stanton Avenue Stanton Avenue Stanton Avenue Stanton Avenue ♦ Columbus OH 43214 Columbus OH 43214 Columbus OH 43214 Columbus OH 43214 ♦ 614614614614----885885885885----4319431943194319
www.gethsemane.orgwww.gethsemane.orgwww.gethsemane.orgwww.gethsemane.org
PastorPastorPastorPastor
Rev. June A. Wilkins [email protected]
Music Music Music Music MinistrMinistrMinistrMinistriesiesiesies
Dr. Timothy E. Guenther [email protected]
Learning & Family MinistriesLearning & Family MinistriesLearning & Family MinistriesLearning & Family Ministries
Terri Siebert [email protected]
Child Care CenterChild Care CenterChild Care CenterChild Care Center
Brenda Weilbacher [email protected]
Parish SecrParish SecrParish SecrParish Secretaryetaryetaryetary
Diane Gutgesell [email protected]
CustodiansCustodiansCustodiansCustodians
Kate and Shana Bumster
In this IssueIn this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue
Pastor’s Message – P. 2
Hymn Festival – P. 3
Adult Education – P. 4
Youth Sub Sale – P. 5
Book Group – P. 6
Caring Contacts – P. 7
Stewardship – P. 8
TO BE INSTALLED ON
SUNDAY, JANUARY 27
9:30 AM
President – Joe Reilly
Vice President – Barbara Ford
Secretary – Alice Siddall
Treasurer – Rick Langner
Council Members –
Gary Rader
Tim Mayer
Donna Darlage
Imma Lyatuu
Jill Woods
Join us in worship on Sunday, January 27, at 9:30 am to see
the leadership of Gethsemane installed.
2
STAFFSTAFFSTAFFSTAFF
How to move forward . . . take
risks . . . step out in faith
“For if you love those who love you, what reward do
you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the
same? And if you greet only your brothers and
sisters, what more are you doing than others?” -
Matthew 5:46
I was flipping through TV channels and I watched part
of a reality show. The people in the show had a
disagreement with each other (over what I wasn’t
sure.) They yelled at each other for about three
minutes, said some very hurtful things and then one
person said “You’re dead to me.” and left the room.
The other person was left stunned.
This is not an uncommon sight on television. We see
and people doing this to one another in the media all
the time: dramatic characters, news commentators,
politicians, heads of state. Whenever there is any kind
of conflict or disagreement, it seems like the only
solution is to ratchet the discourse up to insults and
spiteful words, yell at one another, and then cut the
other person off. That kind of behavior is interesting,
it’s dramatic, it raises ratings, it’s good TV. Problem is
it’s not healthy to live like that.
This kind of irate discourse – manufactured for ratings
– is seeping into our real lives. I think that many
people get the message that the only honorable thing
to do is to stick unflinchingly to our own opinions and
objectives and not to compromise or even listen to
the other side. It divides families, friends, and
neighbors and unfortunately, it’s often divides
churches. Spiteful conflicts have wounded or
destroyed many churches in their wake.
Some churches believe that the only way to
counteract this is to never have a disagreement and
never to do anything that will bother anyone. This
strategy has led to other problems for churches:
stagnation, lack of forward movement, lack of vision
and mission, lack of courage to do what the gospel
calls us to do. These are things that destroy churches
slowly, but they still destroy churches. If we want to
do only what is universally popular we might never do
anything.
The challenge for Christians is figuring out how to
move forward, how to take risks, how to step out in
faith and do the things we might be called to do and
to still love one another through it all?
When we were planning to vote on being a
Reconciling in Christ congregation in November, we
found that there were some people who were not in
favor of this move. We decided to postpone the vote
to see if we could have a little more conversation,
understanding and compassion. We asked the
question in our conversation “How can we care for
those who disagree with us?” I believe it is one of the
most important questions that Christians can ask.
Maybe more important than any decision we make:
Can we disagree with someone and NOT cut them out
of our lives? Can we love others when we differ from
them? Can we follow the way of Christ and not the
way of the world? I think we can. It’s not always easy,
but we can.
Disagreements will happen. They actually need to
happen in a healthy congregation. Conflict is part of
growth and change. But disagreements do not need to
tear us apart. They do not need to divide us. They can
actually make us stronger.
Rev. June Wilkins
3
STAFFSTAFFSTAFFSTAFF
What Is a Hymn Festival?
I was part of several conversations following the Hymn
Festival which concluded the Augsburg Fortress
workshop here last August, and noticed some
confusion in expectations as to what exactly a Hymn
Festival was intended to be. As we prepare to offer
another hymn festival at Gethsemane for the greater
Columbus community this month, I thought it might
be helpful to explore exactly what we are planning.
First of all, a Hymn Festival is NOT an old-fashioned
hymn sing, where everyone selects their favorite
hymn, calls it out
to the person in
charge, and then
everyone sings
all or part of the
hymns selected.
Rather, a Hymn
Festival is an
intentionally
planned
program, with a
specific,
reasoned order
and guiding principle behind its organization. The
organizing principle can be theological, seasonal, or
topical. Hymns are then selected to illustrate various
aspects of this organizing principle. A Hymn Festival is
essentially a worship service in song, including
readings – both from scripture and other sources,
prayers, extended organ introductions to set the
mood for the hymn to follow, congregational singing,
and sometimes choral or solo offerings. The hymns
are presented in a variety of ways – stanzas sung by
men, women, soloists, right and left sides of the
congregation, choir, the organ alone, and/or other
instrumentalists. The hymn settings are usually
elaborate, concertato-styled arrangements, with
intentionally planned variations in the forces used so
that not everything sounds the same. The singing at a
Hymn Festival is intentionally very musically
expressive – sometimes soft, sometimes loud. The
participants are encouraged to really think about the
texts they are singing, not just sing the words
mindlessly. That is part of the reason behind the
alternations – to allow the participants time to reflect
on what they have just sung, and how it relates to
what is now being heard, and what is coming! This
alternation procedure is a long-standing Lutheran
tradition, originally intended both to help teach and to
understand those really LONG 14+ stanza hymn texts
so common among the early Reformers following
Luther.
Our January program is titled God in Flesh Made
Manifest: A Hymn Festival, and explores the various
ways in which God makes his presence known to us:
as a babe in Bethlehem, as a King who rules over time
and space, in the sacraments of Baptism and Holy
Communion, in worship, in our daily lives, and in our
call to discipleship and service to others. Texts and
tunes by authors and composers old and new,
readings from scripture, theologians, poets, and
mystics, and prayers all help us focus on the mystery
of the Incarnation, and how it influences our daily lives
as Christians. What better time of year to explore this
topic than the Epiphany season, when we celebrate
spreading the Gospel story to all the nations and
peoples of the world!
I hope you will join us for this inspiring afternoon of
worship in song on Sunday afternoon, January 20,
2013 at 4:00pm as we explore the ways in which God
is made manifest in this Epiphany season. And, in the
spirit of the Epiphany season, I also hope that you will
encourage some friends to attend this event along
with you. See you January 20th
!
Dr. Tim GuentherDr. Tim GuentherDr. Tim GuentherDr. Tim Guenther
4
LLLLEARNEARNEARNEARN
Adult Education Opportunities
LIFETIME LEARNING
Sundays at 10:45 AM Christian Education
about life, for life, and for a lifetime.
Multi-purpose Room
Jan. 6 – Caring for God’s Creation Leader – Joanne Leussing
After God created everything and saw that it was
good, the Bible says in Gen. 2:15, “Then the Lord God
took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till
and keep it.” In this first of five sessions about this
mandate to care for God’s Creation, we will look at
the evidence for human causes of global warming and
the impacts of life on earth. What does God require of
us?
Jan. 13 through Feb. 3 – Stewardship and
Environmental Sustainability Leader – Mark Keller
A stewardship ethic regarding the environment is
concerned with right and wrong actions in relationship
to the natural world and those in it. Our current
morals and ethics, in general, have been concerned
with how the environment can serve humanity. In our
four weeks together we will consider what is right for
the human community balanced against the needs of
our environment. What does it mean to be good
stewards?
Jan. 13 – Population, Resource Use and Easter
Island
During this initial session we will explore the two basic
issues facing the human community and its relation-
ship to the environment. How do we manage our
unlimited wants with the Earth’s limited resources? Is
stewardship an important part of our religion and our
culture?
Jan. 20 – Mutual Coercion, Ethics and a Well
Managed Commons This second session will begin to deal with the
relationship between self-interest and common good.
Is there such a thing as an environmental ethic? Can
we “mutually coerce” one another for the long term
benefit of the human community?
Jan. 27 – Repentance and Energy In this session we will look at our current dependence
on fossil fuel and the potential of increasing efficiency
and the use of alternative energy resources. How do
we do more with less in terms of energy consump-
tion? Should we turn to other energy sources?
Feb. 3 – Smart Growth and Sustainable
Communities In this concluding session, we will delve into the
current state of our cities and communities and the
possibility of developing livable and sustainable cities.
What are the elements of “smart growth?” How do
we promote livable, sustainable communities? What
lifestyle changes would move society toward a
sustainable future?
BROWN BAG BIBLE BASH Wednesdays from noon to 1 pm, Library
2 TIMOTHY
Our adventure in an adult midweek Bible study
continues. We will study First Timothy this month.
Bring your lunch, your favorite Bible and your
knowledge and/or curiosity each week.
5
LEARNLEARNLEARNLEARN
Special Opportunity During
Education Hour
On Sunday,
Feb. 10, we
will offer a
special
opportunity
for parents,
grandparents,
and those
with an interest in how our children grow in faith. We
will welcome Dr. Diane Hymans, Professor of
Education at Trinity Lutheran Seminary, to talk with us
about children’s faith development. Dr. Hymans has
spent many years in Christian education, past and
present. She remains actively involved with children as
a Sunday School teacher in her home church as well as
a teacher of adults preparing for the ministry at the
seminary. Please join us at 10:45-11:45 AM on Sunday,
Feb. 10.
Watch out for OWLs!
No, not those fascinating birds with the big eyes,
although they are really cute.
Older Wiser Lutherans = OWLs
Coming in January – OWLgrams, an opportunity for
adults to connect with our youth and children of all
ages. Each month several will be chosen to be
recipients of OWLgrams, notes of prayer and
encouragement from the adults of the Gethsemane
family. In exchange, our children and youth will share
with the adults a bit of their lives, what they like, do,
and hope for. Look
for the special
mailboxes in the
narthex starting in
January.
Order your sub(s) from the Youth on
Sundays, January 13, 20, and 27 in the
narthex. Pickup on Super Bowl Sunday,
February 3.
Cost is $5.00 per sub. Money raised will be
used for their activities.
6
LEARNLEARNLEARNLEARN
Join the Gethsemane Reading Group for 2013. See the chart below for the books chosen for each month. You are invited to
attend all sessions or to come when you can. The discussions are more
meaningful if you read the book before the evening of the event.
DATE TITLE AUTHOR LEADER
Jan . 30 Cutting for Stone Abraham Verghese Joyce Geary
Feb. 25* The Memory Keepers
Daughter
Kim Edwards Arlene Hendrickson
March LENT: No Meeting
Apr. 24 The End of Your Life
Book Club
Will Schwalbe Carol Prigan
May 29 Flight Behavior Barbara Kingsolver Don Dell
June 26 Ordinary Heroes Scott Turow Barbara Ford
July 31 Their Eyes Were
Watching God
Nora Neale Hurston Heidi Hiller
*** People of the Book Geraldine Brooks Sharon Walton
*** The Great Divorce C. S. Lewis Joy McLemore
*** The Fiddler of Pantico
Run
Joe Mozingo Marie Needham
*** The Snows of
Kilimanjaro and Other
Stories
Ernest Hemingway Eric Walton
*Note: February 25 is a Monday date. We will avoid a conflict with the Wednesday Lenten service.
*** The discussion dates for the last 4 books will be set later in the year.
For more information, please call Sharon Walton (614-451-4820 or email [email protected])
or call Barbara Ford (614-263-1365 or email [email protected]).
7
CCCCONNECTONNECTONNECTONNECT
Small Group
Ministries
First Reflections
Monday Bible Study
Paula Sauer
Connections:
Faith at Work
Judy Reuning
Gethsemane Book
Group
Sharon Walton
Barbara Ford
Men’s Breakfast
Bob Davis
Habitat for Humanity
Bill Darlage
LWR Quilts
Terri Siebert
Prayer Shawls
OR
Call the
Church Office
614-885-4319
Health Ministry/Caring Contacts:
Many of you are already aware of /involved in Health Ministry's Caring Contacts
Ministry. We have several members who are ill and/or homebound or who have
recently suffered a loss. As a Caring Contact "caregiver we pair you up with one of
these folks for a one-year commitment. Your "duties" could involve a visit, phone
call, a card on a special occasion, transportation to a dr. visit or to church, out to
lunch, etc. It also involves taking Home Communion to the client, either by their
caregiver or another Gethsemane member. After one year you get to decide if you
wish to continue this relationship or opt out or choose a new client. As a result of all
this, the rewards are usually yours!
In early January watch for Health Ministry members in the narthex who will answer
any questions and help you sign up to be a part of this very valuable ministry!
Quilting
Saturday, January 26
9:00am – 12:00noon.
Your help is needed! Now that the
holidays are over are you able to help
sew squares together in time for our
next quilt tieing session on the 26th
?
Rolls of squares are available on the
Sign-Up Desk. Please take a roll and
donate a little time for a great cause by
sewing a top. Return finished tops to
the same location. Then come on
Saturday, January 26, 9:00am-12:00noon (or any part of that time) to tie the quilt
layers together.
For information, contact Terri Siebert, Quilt Coordinator, at 890-6820,
8
PPPPEOPLE NEWSEOPLE NEWSEOPLE NEWSEOPLE NEWS
January
Birthdays
2 David Keller
3 Dick Reuning
4 Joy McLemore
Marie Needham
5 Bob Davis
Wendy Luedke
8 Mary Bardach
10 Steve Gutgesell
13 Jennie Myers
14 Andrew Kulikowski
16 Teresa Perin
18 Christy Feldman
23 Andrew Carringer
Margaret Murphy
24 Lucia Murphy
28 Jon Ankrom
30 Eric Walton
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: Ken Gerken … Bob
Hagerdorn … James Laspisa … Janice
Lord (cousin of Patti Nelson) … Lee Ann
Perin … Eric and Robyn Portzline.
Members with ongoing concerns:
Sibylle Custis … Bob Edwards … Elaine
Haines … Dick Lyndes … Manfred
Maeffert … Rob Needham … Phyllis
Nelson … Ralph Portzline … Harry &
Vickie Lyatuu and their children Ian &
Evelyn for immigration issues.
Family and friends with concerns:
Cindy Giffoed (friend of Howard and
Bonnie Spring) … Virginia Leiter
(sister0in-law of Jill Woods) … Caitlin
McCommis (niece of Judy Kulikowski)
… Oliver Shipley (friend of Anita
Gardner) … Michelle Smith (sister of
Lisa Whitesell) … Dorothy York (mother
of Donna Darlage).
Our love and compassion to the family
of Paul Vergamini who passed away
Nov. 30 … the family of Violet
Weilbacher (mother-in-law of Day Care
Director Brenda Weilbacher) who
passed away
Homebound: Marilyn Bosen (Arlington
Court) … Dotty Edwards (Laurels-
Worthington) … Carolyn Fergus (Wesley
Glen) … Jean Fritchen (Worthington
Christian Village) … Ken Gerken …
Eleanor Nagy … Becky Oldaker
(Bennington Glen) … Reva Woodruff.
Family and friends serving overseas:
Colin Steffa (son of Meredith Dobyns).
Would you like to add your
prayers?
For Sunday Prayers:
Contact church secretary, Diane, at 885-
4319 or [email protected]
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.
9
STEWARDSHIPSTEWARDSHIPSTEWARDSHIPSTEWARDSHIP
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 consen-
sus.
Last May we had a successful silent pledge drive or a Pledge Drive of Trust.
People returned pledge cards in sealed, self-address envelopes. These envelopes
were not opened or read. The gift you promised was between you and God. A
kind of thank you card to God.
Six months has passed since those were given and now it’s time to return them.
If you haven’t already gotten yours, please check your church mailbox (under the
stairs by the adult classroom.) Take a look at the card and see whether your giving
is keeping with what you promised.
If you have kept up with your pledge, thank you!
If you haven’t kept up to your expectation of time or treasure, consider what it
might take to do that.
Gethsemane has a lot of exciting things coming up in the next year and it will
take everyone’s hands to help.
Whether it’s small or large: In God’s Garden everyone has a green thumb! All
gifts do count.
Only together we can keep God’s Garden Growing!
10
SERVING THIS MONTH – JANUARY 2013
January 6
9:30 AM
January 13
9:30 AM
January 20
9:30 AM
January 27
9:30 AM Assisting Minister Jeff Luedke
Jeff Luedke
Jeff Luedke
Jeff Luedke
Readers Howard Feole
Nancy Feole
Margaret Murphy
Michael Murphy
Jim Siebert
Heidi Hiller
Carol Prigan
Scott Prigan
Ushers
Dave Reutter
Paul Siebert
Jane Sieberth
Don Cumberland
Hugh Geary
Joyce Geary
Mark Geary
Judy Reuning
Dick Jones
Sue Jones
Andrea Mayer
Tim Mayer
Jim Sauer
Paula Sauer
Mike Siddall
Joe Reilly
Communion Bread Joyce Geary Wayne Melton Worship Team Brian Lutz
Communion Care
Paula Sauer Paula Sauer Betty Guenther
Cathy Jung
Betty Guenther
Cathy Jung
Counters Dave Reutter
Brian McLean
Joyce Davis Dan Erwin
Jeff Luedke
Wendy Luedke
Christmas
Event
December
16
10:45 am
11
JANUARY 2013 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1
CHURCH
OFFICE & DAY
CARE CLOSED
2
12:00 PM
Brown Bag
Bible Bash
3
6:00 PM
Handbell Choir
7:15 PM
Vocal Choir
4
7:00 AM
Connections
5
6
9:30 AM
Worship
10:45 AM
Education
2:30 PM
Swahili Choir
3:30 PM
Swahili Service
7
8:00 AM
First
Reflections
8:00 PM
AA & Al Anon
8
10:30 AM
Staff Meeting
12:45 PM
P & L Chapel
9
12:00 PM
Brown Bag
Bible Bash
10
6:00 PM
Executive Com.
6:00 PM
Handbell Choir
7:00 PM
Council 7:15
PM
Vocal Choir
11
12
8:00 AM
Men’s
Breakfast
12-5:00 PM
Cumberland
Event
13
8:30 AM
Health Ministry
Team
9:30 AM
Worship
10:45 AM
Education
2:30 PM
Swahili Choir
NEWSLETTER
DEADLINE
14
8:00 AM
First
Reflections
8:00 PM
AA & Al Anon
15
10:30 AM
Staff Meeting
12:45 PM
P & L Chapel
6:00 PM
P & L Staff
16
12:00 PM
Brown Bag
Bible Bash
17
6:00 PM
Handbell Choir
7:00 PM
Block Watch
7:15 PM
Vocal Choir
18
19
9-10:00 PM
Scandinavian
Dinner Club
and Meeting
20
9:30 AM
Worship
10:45 AM
Education
2:30 PM
Swahili Choir
21
8:00 AM
First
Reflections
6:00 PM
Day Care
7:30 PM
Prayer Shawl
Ministry
8:00 PM
AA & Al Anon
22
10:30 AM
Staff Meeting
12:45 PM
P & L Chapel
7:00 PM
Worship
Ministry Team
23
12:00 PM
Brown Bag
Bible Bash
24
6:00 PM
Handbell Choir
7:15 PM
Vocal Choir
25
26
9-12:00 PM
Quilting
27
9:30 AM
Worship
Installation
10:45 AM
Education
2:30 PM
Swahili Choir
28
8:00 AM
First
Reflections
8:00 PM
AA & Al Anon
29
10:30 AM
Staff Meeting
12:45 PM
P & L Chapel
30
12:00 PM
Brown Bag
Bible Bash
7:30 PM
Book Group
31
6:00 PM
Handbell Choir
7:15 PM
Vocal Choir