What’s Happening at Good Shepherd
Work Day There will be a Good Shepherd clearing out day coming up on November 18th. A large dumpster will be delivered, and we hope to clear out some of the old, broken, or useless things that have been hanging around the building for a while. Whether clutter makes you unhappy, you enjoy making spaces look open and inviting, or just want some good exercise, please consider helping out. Lunch will be provided and many hands will be needed! More information on exact times will be coming soon, so be sure to watch this space!
Abraham had Isaac, Isaac he had Jacob…Time to think about preparing for our Christmas Pageant! There will be a brief meeting after church on Nov 5th to choose roles and then rehearsals will be directly after the 10:30 service on Nov 12th, Nov 19th, Dec 3rd, Dec 10th, & Dec 17th. Hope to see all children and youth there.
Operation Christmas Child This is the time to assemble Christmas boxes for Operation Christmas Child, a program of Samaritan’s Purse. Unfortunately, without Carol Hallam here to guide us, we’ve missed the date by which we should have ordered the shoeboxes. The Ev, Free church in Montrose has extra boxes which Bill Freund will bring on Sunday, 15th Oct., and place by the door, on the left, at the front of the church. You can also buy useful shoebox size plastic boxes at the Dollar Store to pack your gifts if you prefer. Please bring them back by Sunday, November 12th., and Bill will take them to the drop-off in Montrose.
Mark your calendars Trunk ‘N Treat is this Tuesday, October 31, 4-7pm! Please prepare your trunks with decoration and candy! Inside there will be hot chocolate, cider, and donuts. There will also be games, BJ a Christian clown, and music. Please help by providing small donuts if you can. Invite friends and neighbors and come! Come! Come!
Clothing Needed Kathy Urda will be collecting your unwanted clothing from October 15th – November 19th for the Windsor Food Pantry and Clothing Shop. Please bring your unwanted bagged clothing to Good Shepherd and leave downstairs under the coat hooks near the nursery. Both adult and children’s clothes are needed. This is a good way to clean out drawers and closets and give your items a second life.
Good Shepherd Youth Group Each Sunday evening, the youth of Good Shepherd meet for fellowship and worship. Any young person between the ages of 12 and 18 are welcome to attend. Led by Good Shepherd member Tyler VanFossen. For more information, contact the Good Shepherd office at (607)723-8032.
An Offer of Prayer The prayer team prays for the needs of the church on a weekly basis. If you have a specific request (Praise or intercession) please fill out a card and place it in the “prayer box” by the bulletin boards in the parish hall. All prayers are kept confidential.
Are you de-cluttering? Please contribute the items that no longer ‘bring you joy’ to the annual CHE Rummage Sale fundraiser, part of Christmas in Montrose, the first weekend in December. Talk to Anne or Bill about passing on items. We are collecting and storing contributions now. Thanks so much!
Mission’s Prayer Request The CHE Association is starting a new group in support of their efforts to generate funds within Nicaragua. This includes the families involved contributing to the ministry through their skills and micro-businesses. Please pray for CHE Association Marketplace. The economic situation in Nicaragua is very difficult. It’s a great step that people are saying, We love this ministry, we want it, and we are willing to do what we can to help it continue. It’s a lovely thing that people are using their new, and/or improved skills, learned through CHE, in the service of the ministry which has helped them know Jesus.
They are selling coffee, fish, pottery, and beans – from 4 different areas, and beginning a motorcycle taxi business! Pray hard!
Ongoing Ministries
Bread and Wine If you are interested in joining a group of moms for a monthly supper and discussion, please contact Liz Hull. The group will be beginning a new study on a book called Money, Possessions and Eternity, by Randy Alford, and the next meeting will be on November 11th.
Health and Wellness Our bodies are “the tents” that the Lord has given us to house our souls. Begin to take care of the body which God Has given you. Check your blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight every Sunday in the Parish Hall 9-10AM. Please see Dolly Shaller or Carmen Swoffer-Penna for more details.
Last Week
Tuesday Morning’s Bible Study This week we finished our discussion of the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20. We then moved on to summarize Exodus 20 and started our study of Exodus 21, one of the most difficult chapters in the book of Exodus as it deals with a number of seemingly cruel regulations for slavery. But as usual, when you grasp the context, the passages turn out to be quite the opposite of cruel. You can watch here or in the window below.
Posted by Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd on Tuesday, October 24, 2017
You can catch up on the older studies here.
Last Week in Christian Ed We continued our discussion of “Life”, it’s meaning and value. This was the second section of our course on “Race, Life, and Sexuality”. During the previous week, we worked our way through Genesis 1-9 and discussed what it means to be created in God’s image. We spent a good deal of time discussing the death penalty which God himself instituted in Genesis 9 and how that penalty under-girds the truth that we bear the divine image. To murder is not only to take a life, it is also a form of blasphemy against God by destroying his image. This raised the question of God’s justice. Before the class concluded I was asked to address the conquest of Canaan and God’s command to Joshua and the Israelites to destroy the people living in the promised land.
Last Week’s Sermon was based on Hebrews 11:7, and was called ‘By Faith Noah Built the Ark’. It can be listened to or downloaded here.
Mission Group Discussion Questions
Hebrews 11:7
Read Genesis 6:5-9
1) What was the condition of the heart of men before the flood? Why?
- What is the condition of the hearts of men and women today? [See Psalm 14:1-3]
- If the condition of men’s hearts are the same now as they’ve always been, what was God’s purpose in sending the flood and rescuing Noah?
2) What do verses 6 and 7 reveal about God’s character?
- Discuss what the words “regretted,” “grieved,” and “sorry” mean as they describe God in verses 6 and 7.
- What do these verses reveal about God’s attitude toward sin?
3) What does it mean that “Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD”?
- How could Noah be “blameless” as he is described in verse 9?
- Why did God show grace towards Noah? Did he deserve it or earn it?
4) What does the account of Noah and the flood point to about faith and God’s plan of salvation?
Read Hebrews 11:7
5) What is “reverent fear”?
- Do we live our lives day to day with this same reverent fear? How would our lives be different if we lived with the same reverent fear as Noah?
6) How did the work of Noah demonstrate that he had faith?
This Week
This Week in Christian Ed Before the class concluded last week, I was asked to address the conquest of Canaan and God’s command to Joshua and the Israelites to destroy the people living in the promised land. We will begin with that discussion this week and move on to talk about the origin of life (when does it begin?) and the end of life (is euthanasia ever justified?). The discussion begins at 9:15 am. Hope to see you there.
This Week’s Sermon is based on Hebrews 11:8-12.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
Team Galatians is working on the altar this Sunday.
The readings for this week are Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Hebrews 11:8-12.
Mary S. will be serving on the altar guild this Sunday.
Shepherd’s Bowl team 4 will be cooking this Thursday (11/2) with Michael Beauharnois.
To download a PDF of the 10:30 service bulletin, click on this link.
Have an item for the Update or an Announcement?
Email the secretary at:
gs.binghamton@gmail.com
by Monday night.