Gethsemane News

Give Online

Amy — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:37:22 -0500

Give Online

Give through Access ACS

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.

Electronic Giving

Our church also offers electronic giving, which allows you to make donations on a scheduled, automatic basis. It's convenient for you and provides much-needed donation consistency for our church.

Click here to download an Electronic Giving Form.

Making a Commitment

Download a 2012 Commitment Card.

Thank you for supporting our ministries.

"Driven to Serve" Block Party May 20

Amy — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:57:22 -0500

"Driven to Serve" Block Party May 20

Download a flyer to print and share!

Mark May 20, from 3 – 6:00 pm on your calendar as a time to celebrate with friends, neighbors and fellow members of Gethsemane Lutheran Church during Driven to Serve: Gethsemane’s Block Party.

In addition to the chance to socialize, the event – which is free and open to the community – will feature live music by the rock cover band Concentual, catered food and beverages, inflatable games for the kids and a raffle.

Energy is high around first prize in the raffle: A 2012 Ford Focus!

In addition to the car, a 46” Sony LED HD Television (Second Prize) and a Toro 22” Personal Pace Electric Start Lawnmower (Third Prize) will be given away as part of the raffle.

Raffle tickets are $50 each. You must be at least 18 years old to purchase raffle tickets, and there is no limit as to how many tickets you can purchase. Tickets can be paid for with cash or check only (no credit or debit cards.)

Tickets are available between church services, from 9:30 – 10:45 am, at the Block Party or by calling Gethsemane Lutheran Church at (952) 935-1753 and leaving your name and phone number. Your contact information will be given to a Ticket Manager, who will call you back within 24 hours to process your order.

Because a maximum of 1,000 raffle tickets may be sold, your odds of winning are great!

While waiting for the big moment of the raffle drawing, you can enjoy great food including pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, baked beans, corn bread and dessert.

Money raised by the raffle and the event will go toward Gethsemane's ministries including community outreach programs.

Driven to Serve will take place in Gethsemane's parking lot. It is free to attend, with raffle tickets, food and drinks available for purchase. We will have tents on site that allow us to celebrate regardless of weather, rain or shine. You may also want to bring a picnic blanket or lawn chair, as there will be limited seating.

For more information, click here to view Frequently Asked Questions.

Download a flyer to print and share!

Battle of the Bands! Friday, May 18

Amy — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:09:30 -0500

Battle of the Bands! Friday, May 18

Friday, May 18, 7:00-10:00 pm

Challenged to create a youth outreach event, the student members of our Youth Council have been putting together a Battle of the Bands to be hosted in our Fellowship Hall.

Several local teenage bands will be competing for a cash prize (voting by paying customers,) while an additional prize will be awarded for Best song about faith.

Gethsemane Jr/Sr High students, don’t miss this great, fun opportunity to have your friends come join you for a church event!

Your admission price ($5 in advance, $7 at the door) includes a barbecue meal. If you know of another band that might be interested, if you have other questions, or if you want to buy tickets, please contact one of the Youth Council members listed below… then come on the 18th to support your favorite band, grab some grub, and show off your church and youth program to your friends!

Youth Council: Will Huttner, Marissa Haeny, Sam Arneson, Jane Henderson, Jonah Emerson, Allison Spencer, Austin Nash, Claire Dirnberger, Max Harlan, Kim Krattley

Food Drive Challenge!

Amy — Mon, 07 May 2012 09:54:05 -0500

Food Drive Challenge!

As a fun component of our Community Days of Service weekend, Westwood Lutheran Church has challenged Gethsemane to a Food Drive to see which congregation can collect the most nonperishable food items for the food shelf. When you come to worship May 20 bring a bag of food and we will show them our love of sharing.

Need of the Month: Socks

Amy — Mon, 07 May 2012 09:52:46 -0500

Need of the Month: Socks

In May we are collecting new, white socks for adults which will be distributed to homeless people in Minneapolis through Central Lutheran Church. We are ALSO collecting children’s and youth socks to be distributed locally through ResourceWest. Socks can be dropped off in the barrels near the church entrances.

"Dignity Quilt" Project

Amy — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:58:31 -0500

"Dignity Quilt" Project

The Quilters group from Gethsemane Lutheran Church recently began a special project inspired by a request from their next door neighbor and partner Augustana Chapel View Nursing Home.

When a death occurs at the nursing home, the body must leave the building through the main front door whatever the hour of day. The church was asked if a quilt or coverlet could be designed to place over the body before it is moved through the halls and past the friends of the deceased.

The women immediately went to work collecting white, cream, soft gold and silver prints to create a quilt top of approximately 48" by 80".

Three of these quilts have been assembled so not only Chapel View might have their wish fulfilled and a spare provided, but another was made for their sister facility, Augustana Home in downtown Minneapolis. The plan at Chapel View is to have the quilts stored in their chapel so it is at hand whenever the need arises.

Gethsemane dedicated the Dignity Quilts in worship before sending them out to their respective mission fields.

This project has inspired fellow member and current Gustavus Adolphus College student Linnea Moat, daughter of Gethsemane's Pastor Sarah Moat, to work with churches in her community of St. Peter to create similar quilts. Carol Rodine, a Gustie alum, and the director of the Gethsemane project, will be her mentor for the project.

Want to know more about the process? Click here to download Dignity Quilt instructions.

Community Days of Service May 19-20

Amy — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:55:57 -0500

Community Days of Service May 19-20

Gethsemane will once again be joining with other faith communities and neighbors Saturday-Sunday, May 19-20 for the annual Community Days of Service event.

CDS is an initiative organized and led by the Hopkins, Minnetonka and St. Louis Park faith communities, in partnership with our cities and community organizations, for the purpose of caring for our neighborhoods, engaging our members in living out their faith through service, and building bridges among faith communities.

The planning team has been meeting for months to create service opportunities for over 800 volunteers through 35 different projects spread out over the weekend. There are projects for young and old, nimble-bodied and slow-going, so that all will have a place to serve. We will be working with Alice Smith Elementary, ICA, Chapel View, Blake Road Collaboration, Hopkins Park & Rec, and many, many more local projects.

Take part in projects on Saturday or on Sunday after our 9:30 worship service. For planning purposes, we need you to sign up ahead of time. Project descriptions are available when you register.

Registration opens May 1. Visit http://cds2012.eventbrite.com for registration information, or find us on Facebook and watch for updates.

Don’t miss this opportunity to "let your light shine, so others might give glory to God."

Health & Wellness Ministry featured on KSTP

Amy — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:14:07 -0600

Health & Wellness Ministry featured on KSTP

GLC members Jean Lundgren and Fran Lahre, along with our Parish Nurse, Susan Radde, were recently featured in a segment about our Health and Wellness Ministry.
Watch it online.

Thrivent Choice

Amy — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:16:55 -0600

Thrivent Choice

We are making a concerted effort to help all Thrivent Financial members at Gethsemane complete their paperwork to direct their Thrivent Choice dollars to a ministry of their choosing. In 2011 Gethsemane was a recipient from several members and our congregation was blessed with an additional $5,000 for ministry. It’s no cost to you, but a huge blessing for the church.

If you are a Thrivent member and have not yet filled out these forms, please look for the information tables at church on Sundays and Wednesday nights.

You can also sign up at Thrivent.com or by calling 1-800-847-4836. You can select one ministry, like Gethsemane, or several. Select "recurring" designation and you won’t have to call again.

Women's Book Club

Amy — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 08:53:20 -0500

Women's Book Club

On the third Tuesday of each month (except December) you’ll find a diverse group of women talking and often laughing in the Gallery from 7-8 pm. They are sharing their thoughts about the monthly selection for the Women’s Book Group. If you’re someone who enjoys good books and interesting discussions, consider joining in. Here are the future selections:

May 15: Wolf at Twilight by Kent Nerburn
June 19: A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay

LaRee Shebeck supports Lutheran Malaria Initiative

Amy — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:15:57 -0600

LaRee Shebeck supports Lutheran Malaria Initiative

Watch this Lutheran World Relief video of our own LaRee Shebeck as she shares the story of why she became an LMI supporter.

Learn more about the Lutheran Malaria Initiative at www.lutheranmalaria.org

Shop with Scrip

Amy — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:32:35 -0600

Shop with Scrip

You can support Gethsemane Youth Ministries by simply pre-spending the money you normally would for gas, groceries, restaurants and more.

Gethsemane Youth Ministries has recently launched a new fundraiser with Great Lakes Scrip Center. Cub, Rainbow, Shell Gas, iTunes, Panera, LL Bean, Amazon, Target and hundreds of other merchants all have gift cards available through Scrip. Purchase your gift cards through Scrip and a portion comes back to Gethsemane!

Here's how:

Go to www.shopwithscrip.com
Go to Family Sign Up and click on create an account. Use a unique user name and enter Gethsemane’s enrollment code at the end of the process: 6775BC75273L1
Select from hundreds of merchants including Cub, Rainbow, Target, Shell Gas, Panera Bread, Old Navy,

PrestoPay electronic payment is now available to Gethsemane members. With PrestoPay, you can order ScripNow! in between regular order dates and receive your Scrip through email. You can also reload your Scrip cards that have been purchased through Great Lakes Scrip using the Reload option. Visit www.shopwithscrip.com for details.

If you prefer not to purchase your Scrip online, click here to download and print an order form.

GLC Staff Music Video

Amy — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:37:55 -0600

GLC Staff Music Video

If you missed this year's Talent Show Youth Fundraiser, you can click here to view "Oh Happy Day!" The first-ever GLC Staff music video. Enjoy!

If you were not able to attend the Talent Show to help us raise money for youth camp scholarship, please consider making a donation in appreciation for viewing the video.

Pastor John Nelson, Pastor Sarah Moat, Tiphanie Dirnberger, Paul McKenzie, Russ Sheats, Brian Furan, Karen Eckenrode, Susan Radde, Sandie Chermak, Amy Furan and Bob Windels (director/producer)

GLC Housewarming Project

Amy — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:31:06 -0600

GLC Housewarming Project

The Gethsemane Social Ministry Team in partnership with local non-profit organizations would like to provide household furnishings to people in need in our community.
If you have items such as tables, chairs, lamps, dishes, utensils or linens in clean and safe working order, we may be able to provide a family with much needed items for their home.

Additionally, we may be able to accept some recycled products such as appliances, doors & windows, lighting fixtures and miscellaneous cabinetry including hardware and doorknobs, plumbing fixtures and more.

We may provide some pickup and delivery, or for small items we can set up a convenient time for you to drop your items off. (The non-profit organization is in Hopkins.)

Contact LaVerne Anderson at 952-544-3062, or email andrs691@aol.com, using the word “Gethsemane” in the subject line.

About Access Gethsemane

Amy — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:29:38 -0600

About Access Gethsemane

Access Gethsemane

Connect. Serve. Grow.

Access Gethsemane is a web tool that enables members to:

Complete your Serving Skills Set
Change your personal information
Register for events
Sign up for volunteer opportunities
Stay connected with your groups
Request your newsletter be delivered via email
View your giving history
Check your pledge
Give online
and much more!

Click here to send us your e-mail address. All email addresses and membership details will be securely protected and will not be distributed outside of the church office.

"Blue Ribbon" Recipe Contest Winners

Amy — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 08:47:44 -0500

"Blue Ribbon" Recipe Contest Winners

Thanks to everyone who participated in our "Blue Ribbon" Recipe Contest on Rally Day. Congratulations to our winners! Click on the recipe title to view the recipe.

Chocolate Dessert: Marcia McCombs
Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake Pops

Runner-up: Randi Lawson

Jam: Mary Ofstie
Plum-Ginger Preserves

Runner-up: Kathy Swanson

Sweet Bread: Gingie Wood
Kolaches

Salsa: Eileen Lorentz
Tangy Black Bean Salsa

Pie: Karen Eckenrode
Banoffee Pie

Fair Trade Coffee, Tea & Chocolate sold each 3rd Sunday

Amy — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:57:08 -0600

Fair Trade Coffee, Tea & Chocolate sold each 3rd Sunday

Lutheran World Relief Fair Trade chocolate, coffee and tea is sold every 3rd Sunday of the month in the Lobby at Gethsemane.

Gethsemane serves Fair Trade Coffee every Sunday during fellowship time in the Gathering Space. Fair Trade ensures that more of the money spent on coffee reaches the farmers who actually grow it. Visit www.lutheranworldrelief.org to learn more.

Special orders can be sent by email to kwilliams57@comcast.net.

Serving Attributes Survey

Amy — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:55:04 -0500

Serving Attributes Survey

It's always a great time to think 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.

'Greening Up' Gethsemane

Amy — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:57:17 -0600

'Greening Up' Gethsemane

By Brian Furan, Facilities Supervisor

These days, you can’t turn on the news, go online or open a newspaper without seeing more and more about the environment and being "green" (environmentally friendly.) By doing what we can to conserve energy here at Gethsemane and at home, we are contributing to a much larger effort that can produce massive results!

What can we do here at Gethsemane? We can ALL make an immediate difference by just doing a few simple things when we are at church.

Simply wiping your shoes well on the way in can make a difference in the energy and resources needed to keep the carpets clean.
Turn off lights, fans and air conditioners when you are finished using a room.
Recycle instead of just tossing in the nearest garbage can. We have aluminum can recycling containers around the building, and containers for paper, glass and plastic are located next to the walk-in cooler in the kitchen, as well as a large red barrel for paper in the work room.
Ink cartridges, cell phones and cell phone batteries can be recycled in a container located next to the front desk.
Cardboard can be recycled in the paper dumpster located behind the garage, or left next to the maintenance office downstairs.

Other steps being taken include using paper products such as towels and tissues from recycled materials and certified "green" industries, and researching bio-degradeable cleaning products and methods to reduce cleaning waste.

Together, we can all take little steps towards making a big difference at Gethsemane, and hopefully be an inspiration for others in our community to work toward a cleaner, better environment for our future generations to enjoy!

Preaching Project Survey

Amy — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:13:48 -0600

Preaching Project Survey

Gethsemane is one of eleven congregations chosen from across the United States and Canada to participate in a research project led by Luther Seminary and funded by the Lilly Endowment, Inc. The project wants to try to discover ways to make preaching more engaging and relevant to daily life.

We need to hear from you. Please follow the link below to participate in a short survey.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GethsemaneLutheran

The results from this survey will help strengthen and deepen preaching in our congregation, inspire other congregations to follow along, and allow seminaries to more effectively train future leaders.

Please respond candidly, and know that your answers will be anonymous. The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete. If you have questions about the survey, please contact Jason Misselt at jmisselt@luthersem.edu or 651-641-3532.

We appreciate everyone who spent time filling out a survey or participating in an interview. The seminary is collecting the data from Gethsemane and each of the other 10 congregations participating in the program. Early in the new year leaders from our team will learn about what new insights were gleaned from our research. Recommendations will be made to each congregation on ways to increase and maintain vibrant preaching in our dynamic world.