The Olive Tree January 2021 - Gethsemane Lutheran Church
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The Olive Tree
January 2021
Index
Committee Updates
Pg. 2-3
Financial Update
Pg. 4
Community Messages
2021
Pg. 4 To the Members of Gethsemane,
Walk Down Memory Our annual meeting will be held on Sunday January 24th at
Lane
10:30am. The meeting will be held via Zoom and more infor-
Pg. 5-6
mation will be sent out once the logistics have been worked out.
Pet of the Month
Hard copies of the annual meeting report will be put up on the
Pg. 7
website. This will be done as soon as possible to ensure everyone
Sunday School Page is aware. For those of you that do not have access to a computer
Pg. 8
we will also have options for call in by phone. The information
Odds & Ends will be sent out to every member. We ask that you be patient as we
Pg. 9 travel this path for the first time. God Bless you all.
Council
Committee
♪ Worship and Music ♫ Updates
Times have certainly been different with our worship experiences these last few months. Thankfully
we had a dedicated crew who have put together the amazing parking lot services that we were able to
enjoy throughout the fall. Unfortunately the weather is too cold for our parking lot gatherings, but we
have been able to enjoy the wonderful prerecorded services that so many have worked on. Thank you
to Karl, Theo, Shelley, Jim, Gary, Pastor, and the rest of those who have worked so hard on coordinat-
ing and creating our Sunday service recordings.
A special thank you to Sue Capano and her new crew who decorated the church for the Christmas sea-
son. Even though we couldn’t be together for Christmas Eve it was nice to see that the church was
still filled with our merry decorations.
Hopefully everyone has been taking advantage of all the services, Christmas Eve was fantastic and the
synod has produced services for two Sundays to give recording crews and pastors a breather.
We are getting into our new church year, and after Epiphany we will be shortly getting into the Lenten
season. Let’s pray for a better 2021, and with the hope that sometime this year we can get back to wor-
ship in the church together.
The Property Committee
A contract was set up for snow removal (parking lot, walkways, and front entrance area) for January and
February. However, we did have a little snow on December 17, so the contractor was hired to plow the
lot.
Wreathes were purchased and hung on the four red front doors (on Sagamore Street), with lovely red/gold
ribbons.
The church building is being heated in the areas where members perform weekly tasks. The thermostats
in the remainder of the building are set lower.
Members of the Property Committee are keeping an eye on the snow load on the roof. With the recent
rain, most of the snow has washed away.
If you have work to do at church and you park in the lot, please do not choose a space next to the build-
ing, especially if there is snow on the roof. Snow and ice cascading off the roof can land on your car and
do significant damage. Please park in the center of the lot.
Thank you from your Property Committee.Committee Updates
Continued...
~ Mary Martha ~
Although not much has happened these past few months, the Marry Martha committee wants to thank you
all who have helped us and donated to those in need.
Thank you to those of you who donated what they thought they might spend at the fair. Your donations
helps Mary Martha help others; for example, because of the extra coins in our coffers, we were able to pro-
vide food gift cards to those who needed a little help during both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thank you
again for your donations!
The sale of our flower arrangements at Thanksgiving and Christmas was extremely successful and added to
our funds. Thanks to all who purchased the arrangement of spectacular flowers, and thank you too Shelley
Stama and Monica Moquin for planning this and to Sue Capano for helping with the delivery of the flowers!
Well wishes and a happy new year to all!
MEMBER CARE
In addition to the names on the prayer list, Member Care has seen an increase in the
requests for prayers, with the wish that the prayers be kept anonymous. As your
Shepherds, we encourage you to let us know when you need lifted up in prayer.
Martin Luther wrote, “The church and the ministry of the Word were instituted for
this purpose; that hands may be joined together and one may help another. If the
prayer of one doesn’t help, the prayer of another will.”
We pray because we want to join with God and with others in living out God’s love .
We pray because we want to be involved in how God works in people’s lives. We
pray because we want God to be the center of our lives instead of ourselves. We are
taught to pray, “without ceasing.” The Member Care committee encourages you to
keep all members of the congregation in your prayers as we pray for all those who
need hope and healing through prayer. AMEN.Financial Update
Messages From the Community
To the kind person or people who gave me the
Sue Capano is willing to make offering
beautiful flower arrangement I thank you so
envelopes for anyone in the congrega-
much! They certainly add so much to my
tion who wishes them. She can make
apartment. To everyone who has sent cards,
them for monthly giving. Please contact
prayers & kind thoughts thank you and Happy
her (cellphone 391-2858 or house phone
New Year!!
622-1031) if you are interested.
Peace and Love,
Kathy Zimmerman
We offer our thoughts, prayers, and well wishes to the family of
Janice Koch
Who found eternal rest on
January 7, 2021A Walk Down Memory Lane
The journey that led Carol Burgess to Gethsemane
My connection with God started in my home town, Worcester Massachusetts. It is there were my par-
ents brought me to church and opened up my heart to God. My childhood church, Zion Lutheran church has
a very special place in my heart. It is where I was taught the scripture, baptized, confirmed, and wed to my
husband Albert. Zion Lutheran church helped turn me into who I am today, a life long Lutheran.
Growing up I knew I wanted to keep God close to me, so when I went to New Jersey for nurses train-
ing, I chose to train at Clara Mass Memorial Hospital. Clara Mass let me work with those in need throughout
the day, and after a day’s good work I went to bed in my new lodgings on the Upsala College campus (also a
Lutheran School at the time). I spent two of my three years of training living at the Upsala College campus,
and I am so happy that I did because that is where I met, dated, and eventually married Albert Burgess.
After graduation, Albert and I lived in Belleville NJ where I continued to work at Clara Mass Hospi-
tal. We then decided to purchase a house in Clark NJ. We lived in Clark for twelve years where we belonged
to the nearby church, Calvary Lutheran Church.
In 1981, Al’s work had us move to New Hampshire. By then I had not worked for a while, so I took a
refresher course and decided nursing was for the younger nurses and I decided to move on. I proceeded to
get a job as a special education aide at Rundlett Junior High where I would work for fourteen years. During
those first years in New Hampshire Al and I found Concordia Lutheran Church in Concord, and we decided
that is where we wanted to settle for the time. We wanted to be active members of the congregation so we
decided to participate in many Church activities. Concordia was a wonderful church and it was where both
of our children were confirmed; however, it soon became apparent that the pastor there was ill and couldn’t
properly perform his duties as a pastor.
I was then diagnosed with breast cancer and believed that my church would be my strength during
my struggle. However, Concordia was unable to provide the help we wanted, so we decided to try Gethsem-
ane to see what help we could get. At Gethsemane Al and I were warmly welcomed by Pastor Pawluck and
Pastor Bianchi, and we were assured that I would be fine. Thankfully I was fine, and here I am twenty-five
years later still cancer free.
I was not too active in the first few years that we were at Gethsemane. Al was on a journey with the
Masons to become a Grand Master which led us to not have much time to spend with Gethsemane. We went
to church every week, but many of those weeks Al would be wearing a tuxedo because we had a function to
attend in the afternoon.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6...A walk down memory lane continued...
Al was then diagnosed with melanoma and had a rough time with surgeries and treatments, but Geth-
semane was always there for us. Pastor Hoyer became our pastor shortly before Al’s death and he and Al
became very close during that time. Pastor Hoyer was wonderful and a much needed comfort for me when
Al died, and I will be forever grateful for his attention to our family.
After Al’s death I became much more active within the life of Gethsemane, joining both the Altar
Guild and the women’s group. I decided that being an active church member is what makes the tough times
easier and the pleasant times more fun. I guess everyone knows that I became the president of the Mary
Martha Group, have been arranging the women’s retreats at Calumet, doing other odd jobs when needed and
that I am now a member of the Gethsemane’s council. Gethsemane is a place that is near and dear to my
heart. It has helped me when I was troubled and has brought me countless joyful memories. Although I have
been at many churches, I know in my heart that Gethsemane is and always will be my forever home.
Carol Burgess
Pet Month Introducing...
Of The
Odin!
Odin belongs to Kathy Zimmerman’s grandson!
He is a five year old rescue puppy from down
south and celebrates a birthday on June 27. His
favorite activities are chasing balls in the yard,
eating and playing with his toys. His kids (Finn
& Ella) love him and that love is returned 100
fold. He is a “mama’s dog” but also loves my son
and daughter-in-law and of course Grandma!!
He also loves going to Dunkin to get his Munch-
kins, and the people at Dunkin love to see him
too!!SUNDAY SCHOOL PAGE
Odds & Ends
Friday, January 29, 2021 is the ABSOLUTE
For those who don’t know what Amazon Smile is… Here is
deadline for articles for the February 2021
how YOU can help Gethsemane while you shop! Olive Tree. If you would like to contribute,
please email your news to Noah Hileman at
hilemanoah@gmail.com
The Olive Tree
Is published by
Gethsemane Lutheran Church
Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for
65 Sagamore St., Manchester, NH, 03104
603-623-3451
dona-tions. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for glcmanchester@comcast.net
Ama-zonSmile donation” on their product detail pages. To shop Www.glcmanchester.org
at Ama-zonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web
browser on your computer or mobile device. On your first visit to Interim Pastor: Pastor Denny Hacker
AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), you need to select a charita-
Director of Music: Gary MacDonald
ble organization to receive donations from eligible purchases be-
fore you begin shop-ping. We will remember your selection, and Church Admin: Shelley Stama
then every eligible pur-chase you make at smile.amazon.com will
result in a donation. The Congregation Council
The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase David Smith—President
price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases. The purchase Brad Cook—Vice President
price is the amount paid for the item minus any rebates and ex-
Sue Roma—Treasurer
clud-ing shipping & handling, gift-wrapping fees, taxes, or ser-
vice charg-es. From time to time, we may offer special, limited Kate Shaffer—Secretary
time promo-tions that increase the donation amount on one or Carol Burģess—Worship, Music & Liaison
more products or services or provide for additional donations to Sue Capano— Property Chair & Liaison
charitable organiza-tions. Barbara Connor—Finance Chair &Liaison
Gethsemane Lutheran is registered as a charitable 501(c) (3) or- Diane Fortier—Transition Team Chair & Liaison
gan-ization with AmazonSmile. Please check with the office if Theo Groh—Comm. & Stewardship Liaison
you have any questions. We look forward to having you shop
AmazonSmile and having their foundation give back to Gethsem-
Wendy Hileman—Outreach Liaison, Member
Care Chair & Liaison
ane.
Mike Shafer—
If you have a story about Gethsemane you would like to share, PLEASE VISIT US ON
please email it to Noah Hileman at hilemanoah@gmail.com no
later than January 29, 2021 FACEBOOK
Click any of the Facebook links in the news
If you would like to show off your fuzzy friend as pet of the letter to find us on Facebook and LIKE US!
month please email a photo and a short story of your pet to Noah
Hileman at hilemanoah@gmail.com no later than January 29,
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