Working Together So That All Experience Gracious Invitation Into Life-giving Christian Community
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Welcome to the Gethsemane Lutheran Church Newsletter. As this year unfolds, and we continue to bring you information virtually, we welcome all who are members of Gethsemane, as well as those who are discovering us for the first time, to join us in our mission journey. We hope to keep you up-to-date in these times of amazing change for our church community. Feel free to forward the newsletter to others and give us the emails of those you think my wish to connect with us and see what great things God is doing with our church each week!
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To contact staff: Please click email links on names to the right!
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Who's Who At Gethsemane
Minister of Music: Beverly Timpton-Hammond
Food Shelf Volunteer Coordinator: Jean Bailey
Children's Ministry: Brittany Schiebe
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School Supplies Drive Time
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It is school supplies drive time! We are hoping to collect a wide variety of school supplies in time for those in need of it for the coming school year. The items we are looking for are as follows:
Backpacks, Spiral Notebooks, Pencils, Glue, Pencil Pouches, Colored Pencils, Markers, Crayons, Folders, Whiteboard Markers, Hand Sanitizer, Tissue/Kleenex Boxes, Bandaids, Scissors, Headphones.
If you have any of these items, or know others that would be willing to donate, please feel free to direct them to Gethsemane.
You may also bring these supplies to Gethsemane as well as contact us with any other questions via email to Pastor Jeff (email linked above) or call by phone at 612- 618-8186.
Spread the word, and thank you for your support!
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The Camden Shop is now open! After a short prayer of blessing, we opened the doors and shoppers found clothing and housewares that they needed. We are so excited about how this place will help our friends in the Camden neighborhood! Spread the word, and come say hello!
We are open the 1st & 3rd Saturday’s at Gethsemane from 12-3pm
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The Camden Promise: Weekly Food shelf Schedule
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Food Giveaway Schedule into 2021:
The Camden Promise Food Shelf feeds boxes of food to community families 6 days a week at noon: Monday through Saturday.
All are welcome!
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Gospel of the Week: The Parable of the Sower
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Luke 8: 1-15
1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him,
2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;
3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable:
5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up.
6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.
8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant.
10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.’
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.
12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.
14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
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Writer's Corner: One in Christ Jesus
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“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)
Sometimes, it may seem difficult to read or discuss parts of the Bible and not question what is being said or how it affects us in our lives today. After all, we live in times that are very different than the times in which it was written, do we not? Lately, I find myself in many conversations with others, whether Christian or not, over whether the Bible is still relevant given everything that is going on in our world. Or, how scripture may speak to us differently depending on our gender, our age, our upbringing, the circumstances we find us in, our genetic inheritance, our education, our economic situation, or the pain and trauma we’ve experienced. We might even struggle to understand and integrate God’s word (as it reads in whatever version or translation we prefer) into our daily actions, words, and thoughts. I freely admit that I’m finding myself one of those people. I read scripture, reflect and hash things out in long involved discussions with friends and relatives; listening to opinions and reading commentaries. But often I just want to turn it all off and sit in my own feelings, my own thoughts— or complete silence—and pray to God for discernment and guidance. And, I can guarantee, that as a pastor’s wife, this is very difficult to admit. Because I judge that I am supposed to have all the correct answers and the right words, and no doubts or uncertainties.
But being only human, I also recognize my failings, my misinterpretations, my pride at needing to be right in my personal opinions, and my fears over saying the right things. I freely admit that I do not always “get” exactly how to think and to feel in any given situation, especially when difficult. I do not always understand what the Bible is trying to say, and I often sit with many questions and my personal doubts. But what I do know is that with passages like this one in Galatians (above)—that remind me clearly that in Jesus Christ we are all one—that the differences I often feel when I disagree with someone I love, or can’t understand another’s point of view, need to be secondary to the unity I should remember in Christ.
If we are all one in Christ, then if one of us feels pain we must try to empathize. If one of us feels fear we need to try to understand why. If one of us feels unheard, we must try to listen better. If one of us feels unseen, we must try to open our eyes wider. No, we will never see eye-to-eye on everything in life, and more often then not we might feel at odds. But in Christ we are still one. In Christ, we must remember our similarities above our differences. That we are equal inheritors of God’s blessed grace. We must be patient with each other and remember the love that Jesus came to earth to teach us. A love that is above all else unconditional. We must remember when we talk with each other in difficult times, and over difficult topics, that Jesus came to show us about our oneness. And, when we find ourselves trying to articulate our differences, I know will try to work harder to open my eyes, my ears, to understand, to empathize, and to focus on the fact that we are all one in Christ Jesus.
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Ephesians 6:10-20
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
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Weekly Message: When the War is Over
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What does a soldier do when the war is over?
Imagine, you are a soldier or imagine someone you know that is a soldier. When you come back, you leave from where ever you are at, your family is happy to meet you, and then what? Can a soldier stop being a soldier? What does it mean when the war is over.
That idea is the back drop and subtext of Paul’s writing to the church from the text of the week this week. The Christian war is over. Jesus died on a cross and sits at the right hand of the Father until he comes to judge again. The battle has been won, and all is over, right?
So what do we as soldiers of the cross do now that the war is over?
Paul is clear. The war is over, but there are still battles to be won. Soldiers of Christ still have work to do because the battles we fight now are not against flesh and blood, but against powers, governments, and forces of evil. Paul is talking to us as though we are still soldiers. What do we do? Paul tells us what to do through the imagery of armor.
Imagine the equipment you have on. Imagine that belt you wear is a belt of truth. Speak that truth and care. Wear the breast plate of righteousness. Wear whatever for shoes, as long as it allows you to proclaim the gospel of peace. Then carry the shield of faith and sword of the spirit and the helmet of salvation. Walk in faith with the word of God and know what God has done for us in Christ Jesus.
Our faith saves us as we receive grace and love from the Father. The work of a Christian soldier is to live as a victor in truth and make good choices, reading the word of God, and leaning heavily into our salvation.
However, why do we have to do this if the war is done? This is where the shoes come in. Think about the shoes. The shoes are the tool used to spread the word of God to everyone. Whatever it takes for you to get to the far corners of the earth, your shoes must take you. The word of God and His teachings must be heard for all to hear everywhere. So put on the shoes and go out there and announce the gospel of peace coming fully prepared with faith and truth; making good choices as well as with the word of God in our hand. This means go to those within our blocks, our neighborhoods, and our world. Travel and do what Paul calls us to do.
People of God, put on the full armor of God, and walk to places preaching the message and continuing the work of God. The war is over, but the battle continues.
Amen
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Thank you, Lord, for the blessings you have bestowed on my life. You have provided me with more than I could ever have imagined. You have surrounded me with people who always look out for me. You have given me family and friends who bless me every day with kind words and actions.
Amen
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Please join us every Sunday for our Virtual Zoom Worship Service. Online "fellowship starts at 10:00 am and Worship Service Starts at 10:30 am.
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Gethsemane Lutheran
Building Hope Together
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4656 Colfax Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55412
612-521-3575
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