Phyllis Larsen was a member of the Lansing Laughter Club and periodic worship visitor at Our Savior's Lutheran Church. She is pictured (above) with her husband, Michael, at last year's Women of the ELCA picnic.
Phyllis Larsen, 62, of Ferryville, passed away on Saturday, May 21, 2011 at Prairie Memorial Hospital in Prairie du Chien.
She was born in Boscobel, Wis. on June 4, 1948.
She was very active in the Gays Mills United Methodist church. Among her hobbies were fishing, enjoying the river, and cooking. For the past couple of years she and Michael have enjoyed Laughter Yoga at Lansing. They recently both completed Laughter Leader Training.
She is survived by her husband: Michael of Ferryville; 1 son: Raymond (Joanne) Gentz of Seattle; 1 daughter: Dr. Beth (Dave) Welter of Prairie du Chien; 4 grandchildren: Austin J. Gentz, Justin L. Gentz, Devin R. Gentz, and Raymond L. Gentz, Jr.; 4 step children: Jennifer Johnson of Galesville, Eric Larsen of Maple Lake, Minn., Jason Larsen of LaCrosse, and Craig Larsen of dodgeville; and 1 brother: Jerry A. Suetmeyer of park City, Ill.
She was preceded in death by her birth mother: Bessie Lee Faust; her adoptive parents: Lee and Beth Faust; and 1 brother Dean Suetmeyer.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 27 at 11 AM at Gays Mills United Methodist Church. Pastor Lori Betz will officiate. Friends may call at the Sime Funeral Home in Readstown on Thursday from 4 to 8 Pm, and on Friday at the church from 10 AM until service time.
On Wednesday evening, the Women of the ELCA hosted the annual church family picnic. This year it was held at the ballpark so the kids could be near the playground equipment and have lots of fun. Though the heat index was high, we managed to squeeze into the shade and have a lovely time.
Women of the ELCA President, Kim Timmerman showing off her very cute butterfly treat bags.
We needed additional seating so the helpful men moved another table into the shade.
Mary Schweitzer brought her 3 grandchildren who are visiting from Washington.
Here's the group digging into the wonderful potluck spread.
Mary helps her grandchildren get their plates full.
The kids' picnic blanket.
Laughter club member, Rick Gramlich
Bob and Judy Wood
Gayle and Gary Bahlmann finding the only shade under their umbrella
Jack Schweitzer enjoying the shade
We held a laughter club meeting at the picnic as well. Here Mike Larsen and Vern Timmerman demonstrate "cell phone laughter."
Gary Bahlmann, Avis Smith, and Phyllis Larsen laughing
Grace Ziegelmaier demonstrating a very big, hearty laugh
Rick doing the "evil laugh"
Vern and Gary with more laughs
Vern and his daughter, Zoey
Pastor laughing with them
Mike and Phyllis Larson, Laughter Club member from Ferryville
The Lansing Laughter Club enjoyed a Halloween costume party on Wednesday, October 28. Pictured above are the laughers in their funny attire. Back row: Rick Gramlich, Mike, Wendy Morris, Gary Jones, Janet McMillan, Front row: Pastor Laura, Phyllis, Grace Zigelmaier, Sheryl Karns, On floor: Riley Gage. Photo taken by Ellicha Gage.
Karris Golden just wrote this opinion piece about laughter and faith for the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier in the Cedar Valley of Iowa.
Friday, May 29, 2009 12:01 PM CDT Laughter proves to be good medicine By KARRIS GOLDEN, onfaith@karrisgolden.com
Laura Gentry loves a good laugh --- but don't laugh her off.
Gentry, laughter yoga expert and pastor of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Lansing, has serious wisdom to impart.
"Laughter yoga combines laughter exercises with deep breathing, stretching and relaxation. When it is practiced in a group, it becomes absolutely contagious," she says. "Not only do people laugh, but they joyfully connect with one another and cultivate their own childlike playfulness."
By merging laughter with conventional understandings of "yoga" and "meditation," we tap into the additional benefits of mirth, deep breathing and contemplative focus, Gentry explains.
"It is surprising, even outrageous, to think of laughter as a form of meditation," she says. "Yet not only is laughter meditation one of the simplest forms of meditation, it is also a very powerful one. The physical act of laughing is one of the few actions involving the body, emotions and the soul. When we laugh, we give ourselves over to the immediacy of the present moment."
Laughter yoga and meditation can have deep, meaningful and spiritual benefits, adds Gentry. It is healing, soothing and builds compassion.
"The Bible says that the joy of the Lord is our strength," she says. "Yet with the many pressures modern people face, we don't always live with joy in our hearts. If we truly believe the good news of the gospel, I think it is imperative that we live joyfully."
The basic premise is that anyone can laugh, Gentry says.
"We don't need jokes, or comedy, or even a sense of humor to laugh," she explains. "All we need is the desire to laugh, to open up our hearts and let the joy of laughter flow."
It's deceptively simple. To laugh for "no reason" requires a certain level of vulnerability.
"Laughing in such a childlike manner is daunting to some people," Gentry explains. "They've been conditioned not to exhibit such behavior in public. This is why the concept of laughter yoga must be introduced carefully to convince them that it is valuable."
The "zealous laughers" usually bring the reluctant ones along, she says. "Even if they didn't intend to cut loose and laugh so much, it happens naturally when they see the exuberance of the others. By all laughing together, we give each other permission to set aside self-consciousness for the moment and laugh wholeheartedly."
Why laugh? Because laughter reduces stress, lowers your blood pressure, boosts immunity, eases physical pain and promotes happiness, Gentry notes. In addition, practicing laughter yoga can increase your creativity, physical vitality, communications skills and sense of well being.
Gentry presents laughter programs for churches and other groups, offering an in-depth look at biblical joy. And they laugh, of course. It's fun and fulfilling work, she says.
"Recently, I did a young women's retreat for a church in La Crosse (Wis.). They even brought their own silly hats, and we had such a wild time. It was amazing! We have also walked the sacred labyrinth while laughing and playing, and that's quite a spiritually enriching experience as well."
For more information or to contact Gentry, go to www.laughinglaura.com, write her at P.O. Box 11, Marquette 52158 or laughterlaura@yahoo.com or call (563) 880-2699.
The Lansing Laughter Club celebrated Halloween this year with a silly costume party. Laughter was enjoyed by all, followed by a time of treats and fellowship.
This month, the Lansing Laughter Club, a ministry of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, celebrates its one-year anniversary. For a whole year, the group has met each Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m. at the Kerndt Brothers Community Center on Main Street to laugh for a half hour.
Using a method called laughter yoga, developed in 1995 by a medical doctor, the Lansing Laughter Club laughs without the necessity of jokes. The basic premise of laughter yoga is that anyone can laugh. We don’t even need a sense of humor. All we need is the desire to laugh, to open up our hearts and let the joy and laughter flow. Laughter yoga combines laughter exercises with deep breathing, stretching, and relaxation. When it is practiced in a group, it becomes absolutely contagious. Not only do people laugh, but they joyfully connect with one another and cultivate their own childlike playfulness.
As the old saying goes, laughter is the best medicine. Laughter has been proven to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart disease, strengthen your immune system, ease physical pain and boost happiness. Participating in laughter yoga sessions can also increase creativity, physical vitality and emotional intelligence. Besides, it is just plain fun.
The Lansing Laughter Club draws laughers of all ages from Lansing and Waukon. Often, people from outside the area drop in to experience laughter yoga as well. Laughter club is a unique place where the generations can join together in a unifying activity. Even those with physical limitations or disabilities can actively participate.
Because it is the first laughter club in Iowa registered at the international laughter yoga site, www.laughteryoga.org, it has received a great deal of media attention. In addition to coverage by local newspapers, the Des Moines Register ran a front page article in February. It was featured in the religion section of the LaCrosse Tribune in May. The Lutheran, the national magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, published two articles about the club. KWWL Channel 7 aired a special feature about the laughter club in May.
One of the highlights of the year for the laughter club was the costume party held on Halloween night. Laughers, dressed in a wide array of costumes, paraded down Main Street with signs. They offered free laughs to everyone as a special Halloween treat.
Gary Jones and his wife, Janet McMillan, make the trip from Waukon each week to participate in the Lansing Laughter Club. “We just love it!” they proclaim.
“That half hour flies right by! You want to stay even longer.” says Jones.
Lansing resident, Donna Thran, has also been a regular participant. She recognizes the difference it has made in her life. “Even if you didn’t think you wanted to come to laughter club, it’s worth it. You get here and get to laughing and when you get home, you feel so energized.”
Duane Heit also echoes this sentiment. “When I leave laughter club, I always feel great.”
Rich Gramlich believes that his participation in the group has changed his life for the better. “Laughter Club has improved my overall well-being. I feel healthier. I feel more vibrant—not just at laughter club but in my everyday life. And I have made a wonderful set of new friends by attending these meetings each week.”
Laughter club leader, Pastor Laura Gentry, is amazed by the positive effects of practicing laughter yoga. “It is such an immunity booster,” she says. “In the past year, I only got one cold and I got over it immediately. The laughter has truly made me more resilient.”
Gentry thinks the community-building power of laughter is astonishing. “When you laugh with people, it breaks down all barriers and you quickly become friends. At laughter club, everyone feels loved and important, even first time visitors. And that makes it a great outreach ministry.”
Gentry, convinced of the importance of laughter clubs, traveled to California last May to study with Dr. Madan Kataria. The founder of laughter yoga, Kataria lives in Mumbai, India. After a week-long course, Gentry became a certified laughter yoga teacher. She has now trained 20 laughter yoga leaders.
Two of her students, Mary Beth Theising and Maxxximum Madcap of Decorah, started their own laughter club. It meets each Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Senior Center, 806 River Street in Decorah.
Another laughter student of Gentry’s, Anna Moody of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, has begun doing laughter yoga sessions at the Elkader Hospital. She is also planning to lead laughter yoga at the McGregor Public Library.
Gentry’s third laughter yoga leader seminar is scheduled for February 8th through the 10th in Ferryville, Wisconsin. “This seminar will be a retreat where people can get away from their everyday stresses and laugh, learn and develop meaningful friendships.” Explains Gentry who is eagerly anticipating this upcoming laughter seminar. Several people are flying in from out of state to participate. Enrollment is limited, but there are still a few spots open.
The Lansing Laughter Club is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Web site at www.laughinglutherans.com or call the church at 563-538-4664.
On Wednesday, January 3, 2007, Lansing will make history by holding the first Laughter Club meeting in Iowa. That’s right: a Laughter Club.
Just what is a “Laughter Club”? Well, it all began in 1995 when Dr. Madan Kataria, a family physician from India, decided to write an article called "Laughter: The Best Medicine" for a monthly health magazine. His research led him to discover an overwhelming body of scientific literature that described the proven benefits of laughter on the human mind and body. In particular he was very impressed by American journalist Norman Cousins' book "Anatomy of an Illness" and the research undertaken by Dr. Berk from Loma Linda University. Profoundly inspired and being a man of action rather than an academic, he immediately decided to field-test the impact of laughter on himself.
The next morning, he went to his local public park and somehow managed to motivate four people to start a “Laughter Club” with him. This small group quickly grew to over 50 participants within a few days.
In the beginning, everybody stood in a circle while one person would come to the center and crack a joke or tell a humorous anecdote. Everybody enjoyed the fun and felt fabulous for the rest of the day. After about two weeks, however, the stock of good jokes ran out and the sexist and off-color jokes came up. Two women were offended and complained. It became clear that an alternative to jokes had to be found if this "Laughter Club" was to survive. He told everyone to come back the next day and he would have a new method for them to try.
That evening, Dr Kataria reread all of the scientific research he had on laughter and found the answer he was looking for: the human mind doesn't know how to make a distinction between fake and genuine laughter. Either way it produces happy chemistry. And so the concept of laughing for no reason was born. His wife, Madhuri, brought in her experience as a yoga teacher and suggested gentle yoga breathing be included in the routine to deepen the impact. Thus, they invented a method they named “Laughter Yoga”.
What started with just five people in 1995, has grown into a worldwide movement with more than 5,000 clubs. Laughter Yoga clubs have been covered by prestigious television channels like BBC, CNN, ABC and in magazines like National Geographic, New York Times, London Times, The Wall Street Journal and many others.
Pastor Laura Gentry of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing began to research more about the Laughter Club movement and got enthusiastic about the proven preventive and therapeutic values.
Laughter helps us keep healthy by enriching the blood with ample supplies of oxygen, the lifeline of our systems. By controlled and deep breathing, we can enhance our well-being. The half-hour session of breathing and laughing offered by a Laughter Club causes participants to carry home the healthy habit of deep breathing. This helps to increase the lung capacity, thus enhancing oxygen supply to the body.
Laughter helps to remove the negative effects of stress, which is the number one killer today. More than 70% of illnesses like high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, depression, frequent coughs and colds, peptic ulcers, insomnia, allergies, asthma, tension headaches, stomach upsets and even cancer, have some connection to stress.
Laughter helps to boost the immune system, which is the master key for maintaining good health.
Other benefits of laughter include: • Controlling high blood pressure and heart disease by reducing the release of stress-related hormones and bringing relaxation • Increasing stamina through increased oxygen supply • Alleviating pain and giving a sense of well being by releasing endorphins, the body’s painkiller hormones. • Reducing the affects of depression, anxiety and psychosomatic disorders because laughter boosts the production of serotonin, a natural antidepressant • Giving an excellent internal massage to the digestive tract and enhancing blood supply to important internal organs like the liver, spleen, pancreas, kidneys and adrenal glands • Aiding sleep and reducing snoring because laughter is very good for the muscles of the soft palate and throat • Bringing a happy glow to your face and making your eyes shine with a thin film of tears which are squeezed from the lachrymal sacs during the act of laughter
After learning all this, Pastor Gentry decided a Laughter Club would be a wonderful ministry to offer the Lansing community. The council of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church agreed and sent Gentry to California during Thanksgiving weekend to become trained as a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader.
According to the Laughter Yoga website: www.laughteryoga.us, Lansing’s Laughter Club will be the first Laughter Club in Iowa.
Now just what does a Laughter Club session entail? It is physically-oriented technique that uses a perfect blend of playful, empowering and otherwise "tension-releasing" simple laughter exercises, interspersed with gentle breathing, warm up and stretching exercises, rhythmic clapping and chanting of “Ho Ho Ha Ha Ha” in unison. These exercises are done as a way to improve health, increase well-being, and promote peace in the world through personal transformation. In Laughter Yoga we use laughter as a tool—not an emotion—so you don’t have to be happy or have a sense of humor to benefit from laughter. And it is a physical workout, which is why the sessions are just thirty minutes long.
Beginning this week, Pastor Laura Gentry will lead Lansing Laughter Club meetings each Wednesday night from 6:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 480 Diagonal Street in Lansing. These meetings will be free and open to the public. Everyone is invited to boost their health and happiness by laughing along!
Our Savior's Lutheran Church of Lansing, Iowa is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCA). This blog covers news stories about the church. Visit our Web site at www.LansingLutherans.org.
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Click play to hear samples of laughter exercises and you'll get an idea of what it's like to attend the Lansing Laughter Club, which meets every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at Our Savior's Lutheran Church.
