12/01/2025 | Volume 132 | Issue 12

Advent at Gethsemane! Advent resources are available in the Narthex for you to take home. We invite you to pick up these materials and join us in preparing your heart and home for this beautiful season of hope and expectation.

Budget and Committee Reports - Reminder!

Your budget requests for 2026 are due to Dan Flaxbart ASAP!

Committee reports are due to the church office by Tuesday, December 16. Thank you!

Gethsemane’s annual Live Nativity is Saturday, December 6th, from 4-5pm. There will be animals to pet from Cowboy Critters, cookies and hot cocoa, music, a fire pit, and a Holy Family. This event is always free and open to the public. Bring your friends and get into the Christmas spirit! There are still plenty of volunteer opportunities, so sign up by clicking the blue button below!

Thank You for Sharing Christmas Cheer!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in Gethsemane’s partnership with St. Anthony’s Christmas Cheer Program! Because of your generosity, we are able to provide gifts for 40 individuals this year—bringing joy and hope to families in need across St. Louis.

Your kindness didn’t stop there! Many of you also donated blankets and gift cards, which will be shared between Isaiah 58 and St. Anthony’s, ensuring even more neighbors feel cared for this season.

If you still have (wrapped) gifts or donations to bring, please deliver them to the church by Sunday, December 7. Our volunteers will organize everything and make sure it gets to St. Anthony’s in time for Christmas.

Thank you for living out the spirit of Christmas and making the holidays brighter for our community. Together, we’ve shared Christ’s love in a tangible way!

Maryn and Angie

Red Cross Blood Drive

The Red Cross will be at Gethsemane on Monday, December 8 from 1-5pm. Click here to schedule your appointment!

Wondering if donating blood is right for you? Check out this article from Medical News Today highlighting the personal and societal benefits of donating blood.

All types are needed!

Christmas Giving

If you would like to make a special Christmas offering in celebration of or in memory of someone and have the dedication printed in the Christmas Eve bulletin, please use this form or fill out a paper copy in person on Sunday.



Forms are due by Tuesday, December 16. There is a link for electronic payment once you hit submit, or you may pay by check at the church.

Gethsemane’s Children’s Christmas Program!

Sunday, December 21, 11:00 AM

Come and celebrate one of our most beloved traditions! The children of Gethsemane have been working hard to prepare a joyful Christmas service filled with music and a heartfelt script written by our Confirmation class.

This special service will NOT be livestreamed—so make plans to join us in person!

Bring your family, invite your friends, and come share in the wonder of the season as we rejoice together in the true meaning of Christmas.

Celebrate Christmas at Gethsemane!



There are so many ways to rejoice this season at Gethsemane! Join us for the Live Nativity, the Children’s Christmas Program, and our special Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worship services.

Looking ahead: On Sunday, December 28, we will gather for one worship service at 9:30 AM—a beautiful Lessons and Carols service as we continue celebrating the Christmas season.

Come and share in the joy of Christ’s birth with us!

 STL Winter Outreach Opens December 1st

As the cold winter season begins, STL Winter Outreach officially opens on December 1st to provide life-saving shelter and support for our unhoused neighbors whenever temperatures drop below 25 degrees. This all-volunteer collective is dedicated to ensuring that no one in St. Louis has to face the frigid nights alone. Click on the graphic to sign up to volunteer. Training is provided.

The Big Ask - December

Collection of blankets and gift cards will be split between our two food pantry partners. Please bring to Gethsemane by December 7th.

Gethsemane has partnered with St. Anthony's and Isaiah 58 to provide them with food and non-food items. The non-food items are particularly important as these are not covered by food stamps.

These donations can be placed in the wooden cabinets at the end of the hallway leading into the narthex.

Little Free Pantry

Thank you for your continued support of Gethsemane's Little Free Pantry and the Anne Crotty Comfort Cabinet.

The Little Free Pantry Team is still requesting more items for the comfort cabinet - wipes, toothpaste, toothbrushes, pads, hand warmers, etc., and would like to see more pasta sauce, pasta, and cereal. (Remember no glass jars, please!)

The food pantry is especially in need of the following items: macaroni and cheese, shelf-stable milk, and cereal!

All items can be placed in the cart located in the hallway next to the mailboxes.

Annual Meeting

Save the date! The Church Council has set the date for Gethsemane's next Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 25, following one service at 9:30am.



Stay tuned for more details as the date gets closer.

Welcome New Members!

Gethsemane welcomed new members on Sunday, November 23rd. Introduce yourself when you see them! Don't forget to wear your nametag. (If you need a new nametag you can indicate as such on the bulletin insert found in the bulletin every Sunday.)

Are you curious about Gethsemane or what it means to be a member? Gethsemane hosts a 'Get to Know Gethsemane' class about two to three times a year. If you want to learn more, fill out this "New Member" form, and someone will reach out. (Filling out the form is not a commitment; it is just one step of the process.)



Jillian Kreimer

Suzanne Hirth

Libby, Tyler and Teddy Price