What’s Happening at Good Shepherd
Special Request Joan Dinnel is hoping that you have a sum of refillable plastic eggs that are in need of a good home. They will be used to increase the numbers for next year’s Easter Egg Hunt. If so, please see Joan to make arrangements.
Mobile Food Pantry The next Broome County Mobile Food Pantry food distribution will be Wednesday, April 25th, from 10-11am. All are welcome, please bring containers to take away any goods that you receive.
Space Available A young, single female parishioner at Good Shepherd is in need of a roommate. She is looking for a single Christian female to share her space with. If you know anyone that would be interested, please contact Steph at the Good Shepherd office.
A Happy Occasion Nick and Lauren Sluyter are expecting triplets in mid-October! Please plan to stop by the Dreher’s house anytime today from 1:30-4:00 PM for an open house style baby shower for them. Lauren would like the opportunity to sit for a bit and enjoy time with you. For more information, grab an invitation card from Anna.
Lunch with a Missionary Lauren and Nick Sluyter, InterVarsity leaders, will be with us on Sunday, and the mission committee will host a Lunch with a Missionary with them promptly after church in the green room. Good Shepherd contributes to Lauren’s and Nick’s support, and we are so glad to have a chance to meet with them and hear about their work with InterVarsity in the Buffalo area.
Housing Needs Do you have a spare bedroom? Several clergy that are coming to synod are in need of housing. If this is something that you and your family would like to consider doing, please contact the Good Shepherd Office.
Health Fair and Ice Cream Social Do you have a regular hairdresser? A restaurant where you go often? A bakery? Or a favorite café? Please consider asking them if they would be willing to contribute a gift card for our FREE raffle at our Health fair and Ice Cream Social on June 2nd? We are also in need of massage therapists to give free chair massages. Please help find new participants for this annual family-friendly event!!
Thank You! Many thanks to all who made the Saratoga Youth Easter Party a beautiful blessing! Resurrection Eggs facilitated the explanation of the importance of God’s great sacrifice for us sinners. The children were engaged in the opening of each egg as we all remembered how Jesus suffered and died for our salvation. Later when Ms. Jackie asked them what they had learned, the children responded accurately and enthusiastically. Each child received a goodie bag where chocolates and toys reinforced the Easter message. May God bless our efforts with His Holy Spirit!
SYNOD facilities projects and preparation are being managed by Tyler Van Fossen. 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.
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.
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 Pastoral Assistant Tyler VanFossen. For more information, contact the Good Shepherd office at (607)723-8032.
The Good Shepherd Youth Group will be meeting at Recreation Park in Binghamton, NY on the Beethoven Ave. side this Sunday, Sunday April 22 right after 2nd service at 1pm. Lunch will be provided for the youth. Following lunch will be some fun games around the park. Pick-up time for the students will be at 4pm on the Beethoven side of the park. Contact Tyler if you have any questions or need transportation. Tvf.arrowhead@gmail.com.
If you’d like to know how to 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 4/21 at the Hull home.
Mission Groups are expected to start shifting and multiplying within the next 6 months. If you are interested in joining, now is a great time. If you are interested in leading as well, we are looking for possible co-leaders to consider. Mission Groups exist bring glory to God as small groups seek to help each other become more like Christ through study, discussion, prayer, and fellowship. Please contact Ben Murphy after church or by email to talk through your ideas and thoughts! Email: mgroups.cogs@gmail.com for more information.
The Vestal mission group has changed location, and will now be meeting at the Dinnel Home. The address is 213 William Street, Vestal NY, 13850.
CHE Rummage Sale Collection We are collecting for the spring rummage sale to raise money for CHE, Nicaragua. Specifically, to support Juanita and Izamar, the Area leaders in Leon department. Please bring items to church starting last Sunday in April through the end of May. If you have something you would like us to pick up (in our car), please let us know. Bill and Anne, 570-504-5908. Thank you!
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’s Sermon ‘One Name Under Heaven’ was based on Acts 4: 5-12. It can be listened to or downloaded here.
Last Week in Christian Ed In this series we discuss the great councils of the church, beginning with the Jerusalem Council recorded in Acts 15. You can listen to the recording here.
Tuesday Morning Bible Study This Tuesday we finished Exodus 34, discussing the glory of God reflected in Moses’ face. If you could not be there in person, you can watch here, or in the window below.
Posted by Matt Kennedy on Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Preventing Grace Podcast Did you know that Matt and Anne have a podcast? They talk about everything from church polity to rustic breads. This week, in ‘Velociraptors of Easter‘, Matt and Anne Kennedy discuss Easter worship and entertainment and dinosaurs.
You can catch up on all of the older podcast episodes here.
This Week
This Sunday in Christian Ed This Sunday we’ll wrap up our discussion of early heresies by completing our discussion of Pelagianism and touching on the heresy of Donatism. Then we’ll dive back into the Great Councils and discuss the Council of Constantinople which produced the Nicene Creed we recite every Sunday in worship. Christian Education for all ages begins at 9:15am. Hope to see you there.
This Sunday’s Sermon will be based on Acts 4: 5-12.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
Team Galatians is working on the altar this Sunday.
The readings for this week are Acts 4: 32-37 and 1 John 3:1-10.
Karen C. will be serving on the altar guild this Sunday.
Ashley V. and Emma K. will be working in the nursery this Sunday.
Shepherd’s Bowl Michael Beauharnois is serving this week (4/19).
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.