What’s Happening at Good Shepherd
Easter Schedule Many of you have asked about the Holy Week schedule for this year. Look for more detailed information to come, but for now, here are the dates and times:
3/28 Tennebrae 7:00pm
3/29 Maundy Thursday 6:30pm
3/30 Good Friday Service Noon
Stations of the Cross 7:00pm
3/31 The Great Easter Vigil 8:00pm
4/1 Easter Day 8:00am and 10:30am
SYNOD facilities projects and preparation are being managed by Tyler VanFossen. Please email him if you would like some flexible, do-at-your-convenience tasks around church, as well as be put on the work crew email list. Talk to him at church, or email him at tvf.arrowhead@gmail.com
CANA East Synod Our diocese, CANA East has asked Good Shepherd to host the annual Synod meeting again this year. It’s an honor that Good Shepherd has been chosen to host this event again, and we are looking forward to it! On May 3rd-5th, close to 300 clergy and lay people from around the country will come together to decide church business, and to worship and fellowship together. This year’s theme is: The Divine Allurement of God – Archbishop Cranmer’s Missional and Pastoral Principles for the 21st Century.
The Rev. Canon Dr. Ashley Null, our guest speaker, is one of the foremost experts on Thomas Cranmer. He travels widely throughout the Anglican Communion, teaching regularly on the godly, biblical heritage of Anglicanism in the Americas, Europe, Africa and Australia.
Many things will need to be done to prepare for this event, and many hands will be needed. In the coming weeks, you’ll be hearing about opportunities to serve by painting, cleaning, reorganizing, decorating, and even helping with some construction work! Please consider coming in to help beautify Good Shepherd as we prepare to host this exciting event.
There will also be a great need for volunteers during the event. If you are able to come and volunteer for part of the event, please let Stephanie in the office know by email or a phone call. We’ll be looking for volunteers to help with serving meals, cleaning, keeping refreshment areas well stocked, running small errands, child care, parking coordination, and ushers. If you’d like to attend the event, you can register at the CANA East website. The cost is $100 if you register before March 1, and $135 after March 2 for the full event. If you’d like to attend for free, then please contact Stephanie to sign up as a volunteer.
Good Shepherd Coffee Hour There’s been a trend as of late for people to spend time visiting in the sanctuary after the 10:30 service. It’s wonderful to see that so many relationships have formed, and that Good Shepherd’s parishioners love spending time together. However, this is problematic for two reasons. Firstly, there are often events scheduled to happen in the sanctuary immediately following the 10:30 service. It is difficult to have these events in an orderly manner when there is noise and commotion happening in the room. Secondly, (and more importantly) when visitors come to Good Shepherd, they are encouraged to go downstairs and get to know people. If a visitor goes downstairs and finds a mostly empty hall, they don’t get to know many people and can go away feeling unwelcome. For both of these reasons, please do go downstairs and have a nice lunch, or a cup of coffee and spend some time visiting and building the community of Good Shepherd.
Scheduling Reminder If you need to make an appointment with Pastor Matt, please be sure to contact Stephanie directly at gs.binghamton@gmail.com.
Often when people come to speak with Matt after the service on Sunday, he’s already been working for over nine hours, and doesn’t always remember to put it into the calendar. This can cause double bookings or forgotten appointments. Please keep in mind that the office is closed on Mondays and Fridays, but you can always leave a message. Thank you so much for your understanding.
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.
Saratoga Easter Request Please consider contributing small individually wrapped candy or small gifts for our annual Saratoga Easter party which will be held on March 28th. If you would prefer to contribute funds, that would also be appreciated. We will be serving fresh fruit and cookies that the children will have baked with us. We will also be sharing the gospel using “resurrection eggs”. Please pray for the party and always for these dear children!
Ongoing Ministries
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. There will be no Youth Group on the night of March 18th.
If you’d like to know how help or be involved, please contact Tyler VanFossen.
Bread and Wine If you are interested in joining a group of ladies for a monthly supper and discussion, please contact Liz Hull. The group is currently reading a book called Money, Possessions and Eternity, by Randy Alcorn. The next meeting will be at 6pm on 3/10 at the Hull home.
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
Last Week in Christian Ed Last Sunday we continued our series entitled “The Great Councils of the Church”. Two weeks ago, we kicked off the series discussing the setting for the Jerusalem Council recorded in Acts 15 (listen here). What is the relationship between works and faith? Should Christians keep the Old Testament dietary and ceremonial laws? How do Jews and Gentiles come together peaceably in individual congregations? These were the questions discussed and settled at the Jerusalem. Last week we dove in to the actual minutes of the council as recorded by Luke in Acts 15.
Last Week’s Sermon was called ‘The Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever’. It was based on Hebrews 13:7-14. It can be listened to or downloaded here.
Mission Group Discussion Questions
Read Hebrews 13:7-14
1) Who are those specific people who “spoke to you the word of God” and shared the gospel with you?
- In what ways was or is their faith inspiring to you? How can you imitate their faith?
- What was or is the “outcome of their way of life”?
- Who else has the book of Hebrews presented as those who lived by faith?
- How are the specific people who shared the gospel with you like the people in Hebrews 11 who lived by faith?
2) How is the simple truth of verse 8 a comfort to believers?
- How can this truth be used to draw unbelievers to Christ?
- How can this truth be used to guard yourself against heretical teaching?
3) What “diverse and strange teachings” lead people away from Christ and toward death?
- Why do these teachings so often succeed in drawing followers?
- How is the message of these teachings in conflict with the truth of the gospel?
- How should we love and share the truth of scripture with those who are drawn to false teaching?
4) What ideas found in verses 10-14 have already been presented and discussed in previous chapters of Hebrews?
- What does it look like today in our culture for a Christian to “bear the reproach [Jesus] endured”?
How have you put yourself in situations to suffer with Christ?
- Why are we encouraged to suffer with Christ? What’s at stake when choosing to stand with or stand against Christ?
Tuesday Morning Bible Study This Tuesday morning we continued our study in Exodus, beginning midway through chapter 33. Moses has built the Tent of Meeting, and is now interceding on behalf of the people of Isreal. You can follow along here.
Preventing Grace Podcast Did you know that Matt and Anne have a podcast? They talk about everything from church polity to rustic breads. In this week’s episode, ‘About that Planned Parenthood Tweet’, Matt and Anne Kennedy discuss gender identity and a recent Planned Parenthood tweet “Some men have a uterus”. They also discuss Matt’s facebook personality.
You can catch up on all of the older podcast episodes here.
This Week
This Week in Christian Ed Sometime in the early 300’s a tall handsome pastor with an excellent singing voice began to teach that “there was a time when the Son was not” and thus began one of the greatest theological conflicts in church history. We are at the very beginning of our study of the Great Councils and we turn this week to the Council of Nicea, the most important council (since it dealt with the very nature and essence of God) and yet it is also, perhaps, the least understood. We’ll discuss the historical context, the theological issues, the political machinations, and the practical importance of the council this Sunday beginning at 9:15am.
This Sunday’s Sermon will be based on Hebrews 13:15-25
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
I appeal to you, brothers, bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. Grace be with all of you.
Team Corinthians is working on the altar this Sunday.
The readings for this week are 2 Chronicles 36:14-23 and Hebrews 13:15-25.
Karen C. will be serving on the altar guild this Sunday.
Shepherd’s Bowl Team 3 is serving this week with the Warner team (3/15).
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