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THIS MONTH'S GUIDEPOST: Following our local ministries & activities and those of other Lutheran churches in Lexington, KY.
DONATE with TITHE.LY: A safe and simple way to support our ministry.
DONATE to MISSION POSSIBLE: ROOF REPAIR
FOR ONGOING ACTIVITIES, CHECK THE CALENDAR IN THE TOP MENU
ROOF REPAIR CAMPAIGN
GOOD MORNING:
Gethsemane Lutheran Church needs to replace its 50+ year-old roof. The cost is nearly $200,000, which will deplete our financial reserves. Did you know:
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Our church supports community initiatives, including the only Blessing Box in the Gardenside area.
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Our congregation is commited to service.
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Donations are essential for maintaining these services and fulfilling the church's mission of compassion and support in the community.
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YOUR MISSION:
Donate to help with our continued service to the community. Every contribution, regardless of the amount, is crucial for the church's ongoing service and future projects.
CLICK TO MAKE A TAX DEDUCTABLE
DONATION OR MAIL TO:
Gethsemane Lutheran Church
2185 Garden Springs Dr
Lexington, KY 40504
PURPOSE & GUIDING PRINCIPLES WORKSHOP
Saturday, October 3, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
A light Breakfast & Lunch will be provided
Please join us for an important gathering as Gethsemane makes plans for the future. Missy Schroeder, Director of Evangelical Mission with the IK-Synod office will be here to facilitate this workshop as we engage in the vital work of discerning God's purpose for Gethsemane and identifying the guiding principles that will lead our ministry into the future.
Please RSVP to the church office and let us know of any dietary restrictions. We will do our best to accommodate. Thanks so much!
KNIT AND CROCHET FOR A CAUSE
To help with the Christmas at Sea initiative—creating warm hats & scarves for sailors at sea—look for "Grab-and-Go" kits to soon be available, complete with needles, yarn, & appropriate patterns. Team project kits will also be on hand. With this option and help from others, you'll only need to "Knit-a-Bit," without the hassle of a pattern. Watch for kits in the narthex. Contact Pamela Anderson at pandapig322@gmail.com for more info.
SAVE YOUR TOILETRIES
Outreach will collect toiletries & fun items for care packages. While you travel this summer, save your unopened soaps & toiletries supplied by hotels. We'll officially start our collection in September. Thank you!
GOT ANY GOOD USED COATS?
Destiny Church, one of our neighborhood churches, has a coat closet that provides used coats to anyone in need. As cold weather is approaching, Outreach would like to help them stock their racks. If you have any clean, gently used coats you’d like to donate, please bring them to the church and leave them on the cart by the Blessing Box closet. If there are too many for the cart, leave them on a table in the all-purpose room and let Lisa in the office know they are there. Please also bring a coat hanger if you can. Thank you in advance!
HAYRIDE & CHILI SUPPER
October 17 at 6:00 p.m.
Mark your calendar for the Hayride & Chili Supper! We'll have a fire pit for s'mores, hot dogs, and maybe singing too, for all the indoor souls. Just in case it's pouring, we'll have games & puzzles. PLEASE bring a friend or neighbor or someone you meet at the grocery store. WE always have PLENTY; God provides! Watch for a sign-up sheet in the narthex.
FALL PROPERTY CLEAN-UP DAY
October 24 at 9:00 a.m.
This is a great opporutnity to gather, enjoy the crisp autumn air, and help beautify the grounds before winter. No tools or special skills are required—just bring your enthusiasm! if you have them, feel free to bring gloves, rakes wheelbarrows, or pruners. We hope you can join us. Thanks in advance! If you have any questions, blease give Bill Benjamin a call at 518-466-5319 or email him at Wbenjami@aol.com .
LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE / FLOODING
Flooding is one of the most common disasters in the United States. Across the country, the ELCA, through Lutheran Disaster Response, supports communities as they recover from devastating floodwaters.
As ever and with your support, our church stands ready to walk with our neighbors around the country as floodwaters recede, cleanup begins and communities rebuild after flooding events. May we be bearers of the hope found in Christ alone and help shoulder the burden for those who grieve.
Lutheran Disaster Response works with synods and partners to respond to urgent needs, give emotional and spiritual care, support long-term recovery (including disaster case management and meeting unmet needs) and provide educational training for synods and partners in affected regions.
Please pray for communities impacted by flooding. May God’s healing presence give them peace and hope in their time of need. Pray that God will deliver comfort to those who mourn and strength to those who work diligently to care for affected communities.
Your gifts to Lutheran Disaster Response equip us to accompany communities affected by flooding and related disasters. These gifts also empower us to respond to disasters whenever and wherever they strike. Gifts to “U.S. Flooding” will be used in full (100%) to assist those affected by floods.
HOW WE HELP OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED
The Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) supports communities through the cycle of disaster (response, recovery, mitigation, and preparedness). The LDR works both domestically and internationally in 53 countries and 36 states and territories responding to hurricanes, tornados, conflict, migration, and more.
The LDR in Action ongoing responses:
Russia-Ukraine war
Hurricane Fiona, Ian, Debby, Helene, Milton
Eastern Africa drought
Southeastern spring tornados in 2023
Sudan civil war
Middle East crisis
Maui wildfires
Midwest storms in 2024
You can learn more about this ministry at the following links:
https://www.elca.org/how-we-serve/relief-and-development/lutheran-disaster-response
JUSTICE AND PEACE IN PALESTINE
Sumud is the ELCA Churches' response to occupation and injustice in Palestine and Israel, reflecting the core values of faith and devotion that resonate within the community of Lutheran churches in Lexington, KY. In Jesus Christ, all of life—every act of service, in every daily calling, in every corner of life—flows freely from a living, daring confidence in God’s grace.
Freed by the transformative life of Christ, the ELCA is committed to accompaniment, advocacy, and awareness-raising with our partners in the Holy Land and in the United States. For the past two decades, that work has been organized through the ELCA Peace Not Walls campaign. In October 2023, the ELCA announced that, following an in-depth review by ELCA staff and leadership from the Palestinian Lutheran church, Peace Not Walls would be renamed and reconfigured as a new initiative, Sumud: For Justice in Palestine and Israel.
Sumud, an Arabic word meaning 'steadfastness,' is a term widely used by Palestinian theologians and others to signify Palestinian resistance to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and people. This resistance takes the form of nonviolent advocacy for political change as well as 'resistance through existence,' embodied in education, social work, the arts, and one’s relationships with the land and community—principles that align with the mission of Gethsemane Evangelical Lutheran Church and other Lutheran churches in Lexington, KY. Together, we can foster a culture of mental health and awareness, especially during the Christmas season, where the message of hope and steadfastness is vital.