Check back here often to find out what's happening at Gethsemane.
You can now give to Gethsemane instantly online! You can also check your pledge balance to be sure you are staying current with your support.
Click here to make your secure donation through Access ACS.
To make a donation to the Gethsemane Memorial Foundation, choose "Memorial Fund" from the list of funds, and be sure to put the name of the person you are memorializing on the "Memo" line.
Thank you for supporting our ministries.
Join with people from Gethsemane Lutheran, Faith Presbyterian, and All Saints Lutheran as we gather together on Saturday, September 25, 9 am to 12 pm to make a difference in our neighborhood and around the world.
Community service projects have been coordinated for people of every age and ability; everyone from young families to seniors can take part.
Review the project list below, then visit www.mysignup.com/cds to sign up. Use passcode "CDS."
The Fellowship Hall at Gethsemane Lutheran Church will feature stations for quilting, layette assembly, health kit assembly, and bandage rolling.
We can make an impact in our community by cleaning up God's good creation. Join us as we clean up Minnehaha Creek - we'll meet starting where it crosses Blake Road, then walk the creek picking up garbage along the way. Wear something you don't mind getting wet and bring gloves. Children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult. The city will provide trash bags.
Visit www.mysignup.com/cds to sign up. Use passcode "CDS."
Our Need of the Month for September is items for health kits, layettes and bandages which are distributed around the world by Lutheran World Relief. We will be assembling and working with the items during Community Day of Service on Sept 25.
Place your donations in the yellow barrels near the church entrances, or bring them with you to Community Day of Service.
We kick-off our fall adult education on Sunday, September 19 with special guest, Chris Farrell, economics editor of Minnesota Public Radio and columnist for the Star Tribune. Farrell is an award-winning journalist, a regular contributor to Marketplace Morning Report and chief economics correspondent for Minnesota Public Radio. His latest book is The New Frugality: How to Consume Less, Save More and Live Better.
Chris Farrell will discuss how giving should be the center of every personal financial plan. He will also connect being frugal with being generous and being green. We will meet in the fellowship hall at 9:40 am.
September 26: Join Pastors John and Sarah as we lead a follow-up discussion to Chris Farrell's presentation. We will examine ways to incorporate his ideas into our daily lives and explore Biblical Principles of Stewardship.
Clients of ICA, our local food shelf, really appreciate our donations of fresh vegetables and fruits. As your gardens produce, or when you're visiting the farmers' market, please pick some to donate to ICA. Place your donations in the basket at the foot of the altar on Sundays and we’ll promptly deliver them.
Men’s Ministry invites everyone—women and men—to attend their fall kick-off breakfast September 14 at 7:00 am in the Fellowship Hall. We are honored to have Jim Klobuchar as our speaker. His topic is "Looking for New Horizons." Breakfast is provided with a $6.00 donation.
Jim Klobuchar is a celebrated Minnesota journalist, author of 23 books, world traveler, mountain climber, and father of two well respected daughters—current U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and Meagan McGlade, auditor-accountant with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Jim’s writings have appeared frequently in the Christian Science Monitor, which in 2003 nominated him for a Pulitzer Prize in Journalism.
Women and men, family and friends, mark your calendars and plan to attend on September 14. You won’t be disappointed!
Join in the joys of summer camp and a full range of experiences that combine faith and fun: nature, wildlife, campfires, sing-a-longs and worship.
We will be staying at Mount Olivet Conference & Retreat Center, in Farmington, September 20-21. Choose from overnight or day camp. Transportation provided.
Click here to register. Deadline to register is September 3.
Questions? Contact Susan Radde, Parish Nurse at 952.935.1753, or cell, 612.272.2732.
The Saturday Night Club will again get off to a rousing start on September 25 with a repeat performance by the Senior Synod Band. The band was organized and is directed by Em Stark. Under his direction the band has grown and now includes over 80 fine musicians. Last year’s program was described by many as one of the best evenings of food and entertainment ever.
Dinner is served at 5:30 pm. Reservations are required—call Dorothy Siedler at 952-938-5858 by Sept 21.
On October 23 we will be entertained by Ingrid Anderson who is known for her outstanding Scandinavian gift shop on Gull Lake. Ingrid will bring Sweden to us with slides and stories of building her home in Sweden.
December 4 will feature the Travis Anderson Trio. They performed jazz at its best at our January dinner, and many of you expressed a desire to "get them back." These young musicians will lead us into the Christmas season.
The Women's Book Group meets every 3rd Tuesday of the month in the Fireside Gallery and is open to all women.
These are the selections for the rest of 2010. All are novels, but with very different plots and settings. Consider reading all or some and join the discussion at 7 pm in the Gallery.
September 21: A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick. A suspenseful thriller set in 1907 rural Wisconsin.
October 19: The Well and the Mine by Gin Phillips. A mystery set in 1931 Alabama, exploring the value of community, family and hope.
November: Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji. Set in 1973 Iran, it lays bare the beauty and brutality of the Persian culture during the last days of the Shah.
Gethsemane Lutheran Church is proud to present a retrospective show of the works of local artists Lois and Harry Heim. Over 50 paintings will chronicle their lives’ work in various art mediums.
The show will be on display from September 2 – October 31 in Gethsemane's Fireside Gallery. (See below for hours.)
A reception with the artists will be held on Sunday, September 26 from 10:30 am - 2:00 pm.
Together, Lois and Harry have received the Achievement Award from the Minnesota Watercolor Society and in 1999 the Alumni Achievement Award from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. They have maintained various studios and have led artists' tours to the South of France, Taos, Sante Fe and Ireland. They continue to paint in watercolor, acrylic, gouache and casein.
Stop in and view these amazing works by two of Gethsemane’s most devoted members. More info? Contact Paul McKenzie at pmckenzie@glconline.org or 952 935-1753 x113.
Gallery Hours *
Monday-Thursday 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
Friday 9:30 am - 3 pm
Sunday 9:00 am - 12 pm
*Note: this space is occasionally used for meetings during the week. It's best to call 952-935-1753 to make sure the room is available before you visit.
Some professional hints on the art of flower arranging will highlight the program for the Gethsemane Church Women’s Salad Supper on Tuesday, Sept 28 at 6:30 pm in Fellowship Hall.
The traditional opener for the GCW activity season, the supper is always a popular event for church women and their guests.
Demonstrating the flower arranging will be Peggy Bernet of Glenrose Floral in Glen Lake. A few lucky women will win a bouquet to carry home.
Each of the Circles will contribute to the colorful variety of salads for the buffet. Reservations should be made in advance by calling the church office.
Sunday, September 12 after worship we are gathering to celebrate the beginning of a new program year with food, fellowship and good times! Stay after church for food-on-a-stick, games, entertainment and the Blue Ribbon Recipe Contest (details below.) You will also have the opportunity to generously support the education ministries of our congregation.
Blue Ribbon Recipe Contest
On Rally Day we are hosting a recipe contest for cooks of all ages. Bring in a homemade sample from one of the categories below on September 12 along with your recipe and an entry form (find them at church) and our church council will provide the taste-testing and offer Blue Ribbons to the top recipe in each of the following categories:
Jam/Jelly * Sweet Bread * Pie * Salsa * Chocolate Treat
Fall is a great time to start thinking about how you can engage in new opportunities at Gethsemane. A tool that can help you match your interests with opportunities is the Serving Attributes Survey. Use your gifts and strengths to make a difference in our church and in our world! Log in to Access Gethsemane and complete the survey on your profile page.
If you are considering becoming a member of Gethsemane you are invited to our next New Member Class, Sunday, October 10 at 12 pm.
In this 1½ hour session we will share with you the mission and vision of our congregation, go over various ways you can get involved, as well as introduce you to other members, new members, and staff. If you have not yet indicated your interest in becoming a member, please talk with one of the pastors or contact Karen Eckenrode in the church office at keckenrode@glconline.org or 952-935-1753.
Since it began over 20 years ago, the ELCA has been committed to being a welcoming, diverse denomination, and its goal is for at least 10% of its membership to be persons of color or whose language is other than English. Each year, along with statistics about attendance and finance and educational programs, the ELCA asks congregations to report their racial/ethnic make-up in order to measure progress toward that goal.
In the past the GLC staff has estimated this information. But Gethsemane’s ethnic make-up has been changing and we believe that gathering this information in a more accurate, meaningful way will help us understand who we are as a congregation and be respectful of our diversity.
We now have a place in our membership database to record members’ race/ethnicity. We need each member to let us know how they identify themselves. You can do that by going to your Personal Profile in Access Gethsemane and choosing the Race/Ethnicity category that best describes you. Parents, please enter this information for your children as well. You can also check the rest of your information for accuracy, change the Newsletter Options to choose to get your newsletter by email , and complete the Attributes section of the Serving tab to tell us more about your interests and abilities. If you don’t have access to a computer you can contact Karen Eckenrode in the church office and she can record your information.
Thanks to all of you for the witness you gave to our community of faith and to our neighborhood as you worshiped God with your service to all his creation on October 3-4. There was an amazing energy and sense of fellowship as over 125 people gathered in our fellowship hall to work together. There were people from three different congregations, ninety-year-olds and nine year-olds, men and women, all focused on making a difference.
Click here to view a slideshow.
Look at what we accomplished together:
Even with a cold day that kept our numbers down, the day was capped off with a great meal and celebration at Central Park that featured Dixieland music and city leaders connecting with our congregations.
I want to extend a big thank-you to the planning team and especially our very own Tiphanie Dirnberger, Karen Eckenrode, Amy Furan, and Beth Jones who did so much to make this day happen as well as the staff at Faith Presbyterian and Pastor Buck Day.
One fitting piece is that as we went out to serve God, God came out and found us there. Pastor Laurie brought communion to all as they worked at Gethsemane and Alice Smith School to let us know we do not go out alone, but we go with the Grace of God.
Early this spring when Doris Seward brought one of her loads of fabric to the Quilters, a huge piece of royal blue cotton was in the delivery. We estimate it was 75 feet by 15 feet. From this we created 15 quilt backs with the trimmings becoming squares.
The story Doris shared when she delivered the materials is very interesting. The fabric was reported to have been a backdrop at St. Olaf during the choir concerts at some time in the past. She found it at a garage sale in Excelsior.
Through the spring we worked to complete the quilts and on July 29 took a field trip to the LWR warehouse in South St. Paul. Nine church members accompanied the 21 quilts and 18 layettes we delivered that day.
Click here to view the photos showing the work in progress through the spring and the process of folding, compressing, wrapping and labeling of a bundle of quilts in preparation for shipping. The supply of bundles we saw filling the warehouse were to be placed in a container in early August for shipment to Africa. We were invited to autograph and send a message on the synthetic burlap covering of the bundle, which held our special quilts.
We hope the folks who receive them will feel the love and warmth we send as we live the ELCA motto, "Gods Work. Our Hands."
Visit www.lwr.org for more information about Lutheran World Relief.
What happened on June 18, 2006? This was the date, only three years ago, of Opening New Doors, our Dedication Celebration to mark completion of our facility addition and remodel. After years of talking and dreaming, a building project was launched in May 2003 and the vision became reality three years later.
Today we’ve become so accustomed to living in our new spaces that it’s probably difficult for even those of us who were here before the Project to recall how things were different. Remember? No Gathering Space, no Fireside Gallery, no Kid’s Room, tiny narthex, and very different areas for Youth and Music? Check out the photos. It should help all of us to appreciate and give thanks for our wonderful facility.
One very specific way to demonstrate this appreciation is through financial support for our Capital Appeal. Our monthly mortgage for the project loan is $9603; and contributions during 2009 have averaged $9687 through May. While this is not bad news, it’s certainly not allowing us to accumulate a balance in order to make additional principal payments.
We encourage everyone to consider celebrating the 3rd anniversary of Opening New Doors with a Gift of Thanksgiving to our Building Fund. Envelopes are found in your My Offering packet and in the pew racks at church.
I was glad when they said unto me, "Let us go to the House of the Lord." Psalm 122:1
Click here to view "before and during" photos of our Building Project.
As people of God, we are given the task of being stewards of the earth and all that He has created. You don’t have to go too far in the Bible to find this message. “And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves over the earth.” Genesis 1:28
This is a powerful statement, and in truth a huge responsibility – we are in charge of taking care of the entire world! As stewards of God’s creation, it is our responsibility to do all that we can to follow His message. It is in this spirit that we at Gethsemane have decided to no longer use or advocate the use of Styrofoam products here at the church. As an alternative, we ask that you strongly consider using the ceramic and glass dishes and cups, and to factor in the washing of dishes when organizing an event and cleanup. (If you are interested in volunteering to help with dishwashing, please let us know.)
Styrofoam is cheap, convenient and easy to use, but is also one of the worst products that can be introduced into our environment. Some facts about Styrofoam:
Styrene, the basic component of Styrofoam, has been classified as a possible human carcinogen by the EPA
In addition to the environmental impact, Styrofoam has been linked to health concerns such as skin, eye and respiratory irritation, gastrointestinal problems, depression, kidney function, fatigue and even links to cancer Styrofoam has been completely outlawed in Taiwan, Portland, and Orange County, California due to its harmful nature.
By not using Styrofoam, we are taking a small but important step toward providing a better environment for our future generations, and are setting a good example for our children and grandchildren to follow. Any questions or concerns you may have regarding the use of Styrofoam can be directed to the Pastors, Gethsemane staff, or Brian Furan at Bfuran@glconline.org
Something remarkable happened. The welfare of a lovely four-year-old child was discussed among seven caring adults – mother, early childhood educator, early childhood speech therapist, and four preschool teachers. This is the embodiment of Minnesota’s vision of what investments and activities are required for all children to have opportunities to reach their full potential. Gethsemane is part of that vision through its support of the Todos los Santos preschool program.
The State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care has indentified assets needed for healthy, thriving children. Included in those assets are early learning opportunities in nurturing environments where children learn what they need to succeed in school and life, and family support surrounding parenting and economic issues.
Specifically Gethsemane has:
Todos los Santos, serving at-risk preschoolers, is a collaborative effort among All Saints Lutheran Church and Preschool, Hopkins Early Learning Childhood Center, Park Nicollet Foundation, and Gethsemane.
