Please be sure to scroll down to see all
of our news and activities, past & present!
Posted 01/30/12
NEIGHBORHOOD DAY
Starting in January the Outreach Ministry Team is sponsoring
A “Neighbor Day” on the 4th Saturday of each month. Most of them
will be from 9 am to noon, but some will be longer depending on the project,
host or guest.
Marianne Hunsucker sponsored the Adecco Job Fair for
Neighbor Day on Saturday, January 28. Nancy Honert provided coffee and cookies
for the participants. There were 25 people who attended the event. Marianne
said that it was very successful and would like to do it again in the fall.
This is a great community outreach with so many people out of work.
Posted 01/31/12
Hot
Meal Program
The hot meal is permanently
at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, on the corner of Washington and Taylor Avenues.
Thank you to Sandy Skovsted
who is the coordinator of our Hot Meal Program. Thanks to everyone who
cooked and helped for the Monday, January 30 hot meal. And thank you to Rosy Fay
and Debbie Peterik for organizing a clothing drive for the patrons of the hot
meal. So many members were willing to donate clothing items. We can
always depend on Gethsemane members to help and give from the heart.
Posted 02/02/12
Join us for Ash Wednesday worship on Wednesday, February
22, 6:30 pm and for Lenten worship every Wednesday evening beginning February 29 at 6:30
pm. Simple supper is at 5:30 pm.
The Care in
the Congregation Ministry Team is looking for people willing to sponsor
a simple supper. It can be a family, group, organization, friends or whoever you
like to cook with. Pease contact Shawn Madore or Carolyn Pietsch if you
are willing to help out.
Posted 01/23/12
Bible Study News
Esther Circle
First Wednesday of the month at 9:15
Esther Circle Bible
Study is studying the ten women of the Bible. It will be
based on the book "Bad Girls of the Bible" by Liz Curtis Higgs. It should
prove to be an interesting study as Publishers Weekly states "Higgs retells
these biblical stories with rollicking humor and deep insight." If you have any questions
or would like to join the group,
please contact Debbie Peterik at 632-3317.
Study
for WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2012
Winning the Lord's Favor without a Word:
The Sinful Woman
She's our final Bad Girl. Suppose we join her for dinner.
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the
Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who
was a sinner, having learned that he was eating at the Pharisee's house, brought
an alabaster jar of ointment. Luke 7:36-37
Posted 01/23/12
HALO FRUIT DAY
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12
Gethsemane is scheduled for fresh fruit
donations for HALO this month. Please bring in fresh fruit on Sunday, February
12, or if you prefer, you may purchase a $10 grocery card available from the
Welcome Center receptionist on January 29 and February 5. HALO will purchase
fresh fruit and vegetables with the cards. Thanks for helping support this
important outreach for HALO residents.
Posted 02/01/12
A Thought for Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is a time when our thoughts turn to
love. But what is love? Is it a box of chocolates, or a pretty valentine? Is it
a red rose or maybe a dozen? Is it a peck on the cheek, a fond embrace, or a
big bear hug? Yes, love is known in those ways, but there is also a special
kind of love known as agape love. It is an unconditional, self-sacrificing and
active love. It is the love that God has for us and wants us to have for one
another.
Posted 02/01/12
The Sunday School will kick off a
Winter
Mission Project
For the Lakota Indian Mission
Because the Lakota Indians cannot get
help from their tribal, state or federal governments, every year, they lose a
few more people — mostly elders — because they freeze to death. The past few
winters in South Dakota have been lethal, and this year promises to be no
exception. An organization has set up relationships with the propane companies
that service Rosebud and Pine Ridge reservations to supply propane to the Indian
households so they can stay warm during the winters.
There also is a shortage of food. The unemployment rate on Pine Ridge is said to
be approximately 83%-85% and can be higher during the winter months when travel
is often difficult and sometimes impossible.
Our Sunday School children’s mission will
be to help the Lakota Indian children who are in need of school supplies.
Please look for more upcoming information and fundraisers sponsored by the
Sunday School to support this important outreach.
Posted 01/01/12
We are looking for someone willing to coordinate the Cradle
Roll program. You would have the assistance of the Outreach /Evangelism
Ministry Team. The job is as follows:
Work with the team
to coordinate the four small parties
during the year,
Send out invitations to the Cradle Roll children for the parties (now about
12),
Send out a baptism
birthday and a birthday card to each child during the year, and
Keep track of the
Cradle Roll membership so the "Little Lutheran" can be ordered.
You would need to attend the Outreach Ministry Team meeting
on the 4th Sunday of the month after worship or send a status
report. Please consider helping with this. It is a valuable church ministry.
Mittens for Missions
Thanks to Jeannette Olsen for the 50 pairs of knitted
mittens she made to sell at our craft fair and to put in the Hot Meal Christmas
stockings. Thanks, also, to Doris Skovsted for the 40 pairs of gloves she
donated to the Hot Meal Christmas stockings. We are keeping lots of hands
happy.
Posted
12/4/11
L I N C O L N L U T H E R A N A U X
I L I A R Y
Gethsemane is part of Lincoln Lutheran Auxiliary.
Rosy Fay and Karen Johnson are the church representatives and they are also on
the Board of Directors. At a recent annual meeting of Lincoln Lutheran we were
told that they are feeling the effects of the recession as well as everyone
else. Funding has been reduced significantly and they need all the help
they can get to continue to effectively serve our sick and elderly in the
community. We appreciate everyone's participation in the Auxiliary
fundraisers and if at all possible, ask that you consider joining the Auxiliary.
You do not have to do anything if you don't want to. All it costs is $5 a
year and every little bit counts. The more that join, the more things we
can do for the seniors.
With money raised from membership, donations and fundraisers, the Auxiliary
Board approved $9,395.69 to cover the wishes of Lincoln Lutheran for 2011. Wishes
for 2012 amount to over $10,000. The Board approved just under $10,000 and
if we receive more we will add a few more items. The
supplemental funds we received each year are not available this year, so it is
important that we have everyone's help and dedication to fulfill the 2012
wishes.
If you haven't renewed your membership, there is still
time. It is only $5 but if you want to
contribute more, it would be appreciated. Membership forms are available
in the Welcome Center.
Thank you to everyone who took part in the 2011
fundraisers. We will be thankful for your participation in the upcoming
2012 fundraisers.
Posted 11/22/11
Craft and Project Day
In May of 2012, we will again support the ELCA Malaria
Campaign. Last year, the confirmation class raised $250 for malaria bed nets.
This year we hope to make 400 corsages and distribute them to other churches to
sell as well. The goal is to raise help $2,000 for these life saving bed nets.
Please come to Craft and Project Day on
February 18 from 9 to 3
to help make corsages
There are four easy steps to making the corsages: 1 -
Ruffle strips of net, 2 - Arrange a few flowers with the net, 3 – Attach a bow,
and 4 – Wind floral tape around the stems. Come and help with what you can. We
will also do these in January, February, March and April.
Posted 11/22/11
MAJOR BUILDING REPAIR
TUCK POINTING
It was necessary for congregational approval to have the
tuck pointing done since the proposed cost of $40,000 is well over what the
council could authorize on a non budgeted request. The tuck pointing must be
done.
It was brought to the congregation at the Oct. 30, 2011,
quarterly meeting. It was unanimously agreed to do what was necessary to get
this job done. If you did not attend that meeting, copies of the minutes will
be available in the Welcome Center.
Tuck Pointing Fund
To date, we have received approximately
$12,500 toward the tuck pointing project from our faithful members (including
$1,000 from our Endowment Fund.) Thank you to all who have donated, pledged or are planning to pledge or donate. You may put donations in an envelope designated Tuck Pointing Fund and place
in the offering plate or send it to church office – 3319 Washington Ave. 53405
Posted 01/01/12
PROPERTY COMMITTEE UPDATE
New blinds were installed in the pastor’s office and in the adjoining
office. There are a total of five blinds. This was paid for by the Women’s
Guild. A big thank you to the Guild.
The
west main entrance door was repaired and is now latching properly.
The
entire cork floor in the church was re-waxed to protect it from what will be
tracked in during the winter months.
The new heat pump was installed by Martin
Petersen Co. and thanks to Ron Johnson who donated his labor. The men’s
bathroom, off fellowship hall, now has heat thanks to Ted Bidwell and Glenn
Honert.
Posted 10/31/11
Gethsemane
Bus Tours
In cooperation with the Racine County Visitors and
Convention Bureau, we have been giving tours of our church for many years.
The proceeds from these tours go to our Outreach Ministry Fund.
Posted 4/1/11
The following people are on the Church Council for
the year 2011. Thank you to everyone who answered the call.
Debbie Anderson - Council President.
Rosy Fay - Council Vice-President.
Trudy Rozzoni - Council
Secretary
Jane Markham - Treasurer
General Council Members are:
Glenn Honert, Debbie Peterik, Carolyn Pietsch,
Janet Winter, Ted Bidwell, Kip Gustavson and
Nancy Kroll
Council meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:00 pm. We will continue to have
an open council. Anyone is welcome to come to a council meeting and listen to
the meeting. If you have an issue you can send a note including the subject and
your signature to the council secretary, Trudy Rozzoni, no later than the
Wednesday before a council meeting, or you can call her at (262) 637-6312 so it
can be put on the agenda.
If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or concerns, please feel
free to contact any member of the Council. If you don't feel comfortable
talking to any of the Council members, we invite you to put your written and
signed comments in the suggestion box in the entryway. The suggestions
will be picked up on a regular basis and answered within a reasonable amount of
time. (We are sorry we will only answer suggestions or comments that are
signed by the individual.)
Posted 5/1/11
THE TIDINGS
We feel our new mailing program is working out good and
that we are saving money for the church by going through "We Mail for You."
Once we have printed, folded and tabbed each of the Tidings, they are sent to
the mailing company to laser on the addresses. If you have a change in
address, please let Catherine in the church office know so there is no delay in
getting your Tidings. Her email address is Secretary@glchurch.com
Posted 10/01/11
In an effort to keep you informed of congregational events,
we are putting up three “Year at a Glance” calendars. All calendars will have
the same information on them. For your convenience, one is located on the
bulletin board outside the church offices, one is in Fellowship Hall on the
south end of the east wall, and one is in the Welcome Center on the wall
adjacent the pastor’s pictures.
Here you will see all planned activities months in advance,
such as the church picnic, Vacation Bible School, social events, fundraisers, educational events,
Christian holidays, regular meetings and special congregational meetings.
If your organization has something planned that is not on
the board, you can contact Rosy Fay to have it added. You could also write it
in pencil on the board or tack a note to the board.
Watch the boards for additions, postponements, and
cancellations.
Posted 11/22/11
“Welcoming Newcomers to our Congregation”: Part
5
by Keith Anderson
Understand people’s passions. Listen for the
way God is calling people to live out their faith – at work, at home, in the
congregation or any combination of the three. Set people free to follow God’s
call.
The individual transforms the institution, not the
other way around. We have a dream that one day, when we tell the
stories of our congregation, we won’t tell time by when pastors came and left,
but by when people came to our congregation – not “And then Pastor Anderson was
called,” but rather, “Then Karen and Katie joined the congregation.” We expect
newcomers to transform us, rather than expect the congregation to make everyone
the same.
Everyone is a greeter. One of the best
things we did to be more welcoming was to do away with official greeters - those
people congregations place near the front door to welcome people. But not
designating certain people, it let everyone off the hook. Now it’s a shared
responsibility. Every Sunday as I greet people leaving the sanctuary after the
service, there are several members engaging visitors in conversation. It is a
beautiful scene.
Decide to be assertive. There’s always a
fear that you will drive people away if you are too assertive. That’s a risk we
are willing to take. Except for one or two instances in five years, this has
never been a problem. Indifference and indecisiveness are far worse than
assertiveness.
This ends the series
of articles on being a welcoming church.
Keith Anderson is the pastor at
Redeemer Lutheran Church in
Woburn, Mass.
Posted
01/22/12
Care in the Congregation 
Craft & Project Day
February 18, 2012
In May, we will again support the ELCA Malaria Campaign. Last year, the
confirmation class raised $250 for malaria bed nets. This year we hope to
make
400 corsages and distribute them to other churches to sell as well.
The goal is
to raise $2,000 for these life saving bed nets. Please come to
Craft and
Project Days on January 21 to help us make these corsages.
Open to everyone, bring your friends and family
Posted 07/12/2010
God of all age groups
We do not all need the same things at the same time. Our
needs are different in our youth than they are in our middle years or in our
later years. Someone pointed out that one reason why God is referred to
continually in the Old Testament as the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob,
is in order to illustrate that He is the God of every succeeding generation and
the friend of every age. This indeed is gloriously true, and we may well rejoice
in it.
Posted 01/22/12
Altar Care -- Judy Masko needs help for altar care,
mostly dusting. Please call Judy at 632-3913 if you are interested in helping.
Save Your Stamps-and your Ink Cartridges, old Cell
Phones, McDonald's and Campbell's Soup Labels. We will still collect
cancelled stamps, but only unusual one -- not forever or flag stamps. The Sunday School is still collecting inkjet
cartridges, old cell phones, McDonald's receipts, and Campbell's soup labels.
Please help us with these projects.
Worship Team Members -- We
need more members for the Worship Leadership Team. Meetings are on the
first Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Please call Debbie Peterik at
632-3317 and let her know if you can participate.
Prayer Shawls -- We are
running low on prayer shawls. These have been well received by those who
are ill or for those who have lost a loved one. There are kits available
in the office which contain directions and yarn. They can be knitted or
crocheted. Or if you wish, donations toward yarn will be received.
Communion Servers and Greeters
-- We are in dire need of volunteers to serve communion and to be greeters on Sunday
mornings. If you would like to volunteer, please either put your name on
the signup sheet which shows the rest of the year, in the entryway or call Carolyn Pietsch at
884-7712 and tell her you are available. You can pair up with one of
your friends or a relative if you would like. If you don't feel
comfortable serving communion, then sign up to be a greeter on a Sunday.
You are welcome to do one or the other, or both.
Communion Set Up and Clean Up
-- If you can help with setting up the sacraments or clean up for communion, please call Debbie
Peterik, so you can get on the schedule. It only takes a few minutes for
each of the jobs and there are many openings. Thank you for your help.
Posted 7/31/11
This is the place you can find out what is going on in the
church. It’s where you sign up to help, bring donations of food or other
donation items and where you can view a year-at-a-glance calendar. There is a
suggestion box. We want your ideas, comments and suggestions. Look for
extra Tidings, Portals of Prayer and other monthly devotional material.
There will be someone at the Welcome Center desk every Sunday to answer
questions you might have.
Plans are being made for an historical area in the Welcome
Center. It will include books with old confirmation pictures, some old
photographs and other memorabilia. We continue to work on the Media Corner --
look for it to be finished early this fall.
Thanks to Trudy & Art Rozzoni, who gave a large screen TV
for the media area of the Welcome Center. We are now working on acquiring
the cables and a laptop computer.
The Welcome Center will be the place for
members and guests to get information on Gethsemane's activities and ministry,
and how we can participate in this ministry.
Posted 5/15/11
Visitation to Homebound Members
Some of our members have been visiting our shut-ins on a
regular basis for many years. If you are one of them or if you are
interested in being a part of the Visiting Ministry at Gethsemane, please let
the office know. We would like to have members from the congregation visit on a
regular basis, so our shut-ins will have at least two visits each month.
If appropriate, there is a visitation card for you to bring with you, so you can
leave it at the member's house or care center, so the family will know there has
been a visit. The cards are located in the Welcome Center on the top
shelf.
Also, there is a list of the homebound hanging in the Welcome Center.
If you make a visit to any one of the members, please sign your name and the
date you visited. That way we will know of those who are not receiving a
visit from anyone and we can see that they receive a visit.
Hospital Visitation
A small group of people have volunteered to assist with hospital
visits. These people will be on call for one week at a time to visit with
church members who are hospitalized. This group will represent the church in the
event Pastor Alice is unable to make a visit.
If you would like to be part of the hospital visitation group, please contact Rosy Fay for
information. (632-6071)
Home Communion
We are in the process of reorganizing the Home Communion
Ministry. Several people from the congregation had been taking communion
to the shut-ins on Sundays following worship. We would like to continue
with this very special ministry and are looking for more people who would be
interested in being a part of this.
Posted 01/31/2009
"Baptismal Quilts"
A small group of women from the church are busy
making "Baptismal Quilts"
The Lutheran church has made quilts for Lutheran World
Relief for decades. These quilts have become a symbol of warmth and comfort to
those who have received them. In the same manner we welcome those who are
being baptized into the family of God.
We will continue to use donated fabric for the Lutheran
World Relief quilts, however, we are using special coordinated flannel fabrics
for the baptismal quilts. These fabrics will be purchased with funds made
available through donations. The cost is about $20 - $25 per quilt depending on the size
(infant, child or adult).
We need more ladies to help make baptismal quilts. Our supply is running
low and we have more baptisms coming up soon. The ladies meet on the
second Tuesday of each month from 8:30 - noon, and anyone who can sew or help cut fabric are
welcome. Please call Jane Markham at 634-2242 if you are interested in
joining the group.
Posted 11/21/2008
Important Information For the Hearing Impaired
Good News!!! The "Induction Loop System" for the hearing impaired has
been installed!!!! Hearing aid wearers with a "T" (telecoil) setting or
phone setting can hear the service broadcast directly through their hearing
aids. The Induction Loop System delivers sound directly to the hearing aid
in a pure, undistorted form. Since the sound is going straight from the
source to the individual's hearing aid, each person gets the benefits of having
the sound customized for their level of hearing loss and increases the
intelligibility of speech.
The headsets we currently use will still be available for
those who have a slight hearing loss, but do not have a hearing aid.
The council feels that this will be of great benefit not only to the members of
our congregation, but also will be an invitation to other people with hearing
problems to join our church.
Thanks to the FROG committee for purchasing the microphones
and the digital equalizer. We have already seen the benefits of our new
equipment in the quality of sound, not only during worship but also in the
recording of worship. We are no longer getting feedback from the
microphone or dropped words from the speakers.
In the future, you will be looking at a new speaker system,
but the cost of that is $5,000, so we may have to do some fundraising in order
to make that a reality. That would be the last step in bringing the best
sound possible into the sanctuary.
Posted 10/13/08
Prayer Chain
Prayer: Communication with God
Intercessory Prayer: Communicating with God on behalf of another.
Chain: A series of "links" connected to one another.
Prayer Chain: A group of people (or links) connected in prayer on
behalf of others
How does it work:
The many "links" of the large group are placed in small
groups or "chains" of four or five members. Prayer requests for others,
yourself, situations, praise and thanksgiving are called to contact persons.
At the present time there are two contact people. They in turn call the
first member of each small chain. From that point the request is passed
from first to second to third and so on, until that chain is complete.
If you are a "link," your ministry is to receive a request,
call the next link to inform them, and then pray, pray, pray.
We are reforming our chains and would welcome any who wish
to join our prayer ministry. To join the chain or activate a prayer
request, you may call Meta Larsen at 886-1767 or contact Lucille Windberg at
262-488-1220.
Another way to contact us is to fill out a blue prayer card located in the pews
and place in the offering plates.
Posted
02/20/11
Esther Circle
Esther Circle is held the first Wednesday of each month in the Lounge at
9:15 am.
All women are invited. There will be no Esther Circle in July and August
2011. It will begin again in September.
Posted
01/05/2009
Gethsemane Women's Guild
meets the fourth Wednesday of the month at 1:00
in the Lounge.
Posted
03/10/2007
Gethsemane Quilting Group
meets the second Tuesday of the month, from 8:30 to noon, in
Fellowship Hall. All quilters are invited.
Posted
03/10/2007
Friendship Senior Center
We have added a new page for Gethsemane's Senior
Center. The page includes the schedule for the current month.
Friendship Center starts at 10:00 a.m. every Thursday. Everyone is
welcome. The weekly schedule appears on the Senior Center link.
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