Sunday Adult Bible Class
Sunday morning Adult Bible Class is offered throughout the year at 9:20. The class is generally a weekly series that focuses on portions of the Bible, key figures from the Bible, or a topic of interest for participants. The class runs simultaneous with our Youth Sunday School classes.
Youth Sunday School
Feeding Jesus’ lambs with God’s Word is vital in today’s world and is very important to us here at Gethsemane. Sunday School provides children ages 3 through high school an additional opportunity to learn about Jesus, what he did for us, and how we are to live our lives of faith. Sunday School is offered throughout the year at 9:20am. Typically, the children all meet together in the church for a brief opening session followed by a class/activity tailored to their individual age level in their respective classrooms. If you have questions about our Youth Sunday School program, please contact the office or one of our pastors.
Women's Tuesday Morning Bible Study
A small group of women from our congregation meet in the early morning hours on Tuesdays to start their day in God’s Word. The group currently gathers for this time of mutual encouragement in the Word at McDonalds for breakfast fellowship and Bible study. Interested in joining in? Please contact the church office to confirm dates and times as these may be adjusted from time to time based on the needs of those attending.
Men's Wednesday Morning Bible Study
A small group of men from our congregation meet weekly in the early morning hours to start their day in God’s Word. The group currently gathers Wednesday mornings (6:00am) at Hy-Vee for breakfast fellowship and Bible study. Interested in joining in? Please contact the church office to confirm dates and times as the schedule changes based on the needs of those attending.
Women's Thursday Morning Bible Study
A small group of women from our congregation meet on Thursday mornings to start their day in God’s Word. The group currently gathers for this time of mutual encouragement in the Word at Gethsemane’s fellowship hall. Interested in joining in? Please contact the church office to confirm dates and times as these sometimes adjust based on the needs of those attending.
Bible Information Class (BIC)
We all want answers to life’s biggest questions, but the process involved with finding these answers often seems a bit overwhelming. Where do I even start? How do I read the Bible? Will I even understand it? That’s why there’s no better place to start than our Bible Information Class. Bible Information Class (BIC) is designed to explore the good news that God has for us in his Word right from the very beginning. Whether you have been part of a church your entire life or a very short time, this class is a great opportunity to study the basic teachings of God’s Word. It is also the course designed for those who are interested in becoming members of our church.
Some of the topics covered are…
- How can I be certain that I’m going to heaven?
- Where did everything come from?
- What is God’s plan for my life?
- Who was Jesus really? Just another nice guy? Or something more than that?
- How do I read the Bible?
- Are all the stories of the Bible true?
- Why do some churches baptize infants and others don’t?
- Why is Holy Communion so important to Christians?
- How do I speak to God? How does he speak to me?
Our pastors offer BIC classes throughout the year. The course is typically held over 9 weeks with class sessions lasting 60-90 minutes. If you are interested in attending and require childcare, please let our team know and we’ll be glad to make arrangements. Please contact the church office or one of our pastors to register for the next BIC.
Youth Confirmation
Students in seventh and eighth grade take part in confirmation classes that prepare them for membership at our church and for reception of Holy Communion. Confirmation is a two-year course that covers the basic teachings of the Bible at a level designed for seventh and eighth graders. Confirmation class is taught by our pastors in cooperation with the students and parents. All youth in this age group have access to confirmation classes as they are offered during school hours and after school. For more information, please contact our church office or one of our pastors.
Youth Group / Teen Group
All of the young people at Gethsemane are invited and encouraged to participate in our Youth Group (grades 7-9) and our teen group (grades 10-12). The purpose of these two groups is to provide opportunities for our young people to grow in grace, serve others in Christian love, and reach out to their peers who are struggling with temptation or confused about God while also having fun with their Christian peers. Both the Youth Group and the Teen Group plan regular activities throughout the year for fun and fellowship. Want to learn more? If you and/or your teens are interested in getting involved, please reach out to the church office or to one of our pastors so they can put you in touch with the teen group coordinator.
The Vine
The Vine is a fun and FREE way for you to enjoy educational activities with your 0-age 4 child, while spending time with other parents! The Vine meets weekly in the church fellowship hall on Wednesdays from 9:00am-10:30am. For more information click here or check out our Facebook page.
Women IN God's Service (WINGS)
Our Women IN God’s Service group is “all in” at Gethsemane. WINGS engages in all sorts of acts of kindness and service throughout the year. Growing in God’s grace and mercy by serving others is the focus of this group. A few examples of the things that WINGS does each year is coordinating silent auctions to meet special needs, preparing care packages for high school and college students away from home, overseeing the ‘cradle roll’ program, preparing care meals for members in need and helping to keep the kitchen supplies in good order so that church and school events run smoothly. Of course, this list highlights just a few examples – the WINGS group does much more. Ladies, want to learn more about WINGS? For more information about this active group at Gethsemane, please contact the church office or one of our pastors so they can put you in touch with the WINGS group coordinator(s).
Organization Of WELS Lutheran Seniors (OWLS)
Seniors at Gethsemane enjoy lots of fellowship opportunities and fun activities through our OWLS group. OWLS stands for Organization of WELS Lutheran Seniors. For more information about the OWLS group or upcoming events, please contact the church office or one of our pastors so they can direct you to the OWLS coordinator.
Music Ministries
There are multiple ways for our members to use their musical gifts in worship at Gethsemane. Our Adult Choir regularly shares God’s Word with us in song during our worship services. The Adult Choir meets regularly each week for an hour-long practice. Our Adult Tone Chime Choir provides another opportunity to glorify our God through music. They also meet regularly each week for a 30-minute practice.
Our Youth Choir (grades 5-8) sings often at our worship services. The Youth Choir meets regularly each week for a half-hour practice. Our Youth Tone Chimes Choir also plays often for worship. They meet regularly each week for a half-hour practice.
If you are interested in learning more about any of these musical opportunities within our church’s ministry, please contact the church office or one of our pastors.
Christian School
A large portion of the ministry at Gethsemane Lutheran Church is our elementary school. Gethsemane Lutheran School (GLS) serves preschool children ages 3-5 and elementary grades K through 8. GLS exists to provide a strong, Christ-centered academic education in a caring atmosphere, assisting in spiritual awareness, discernment, and training. Our primary purpose is to assist families in providing a Christ-centered education for the children of our congregation and community.
For more information about our preschool or grade school, please click on the menu items at the top of this page. You can also contact our church office for more information.