What’s Happening at Good Shepherd
Thanksgiving and Good Shepherd In preparation for Thanksgiving this year, all open office hours will be cancelled from Tuesday evening until The following Tuesday morning, and the church office will also be closed. All Bible studies will be taking a break during that same time period. As always, if you have an emergency, please do call Matt or Jerry.
Harvest Dinner The 115th Annual Harvest Dinner was a great success. Many local neighbors came to join us for a hearty harvest meal. Thank you to all who helped prepare food, serve food and clean-up after the event.
Prayer Shawl Ministry Prayer shawls are lovingly knitted as an expression of the knitter/crocheter’s care, concern, and prayers. They can reach out to those who are in need of comfort and solace, as well as in celebration and joy. It is a gift freely given. If you love to knit or crochet, please join us on Saturday, November 21 at 11:15. Everyone is welcome!
Evangelism Training Save The Date! Did you ever wish you could be more effective in sharing your faith? If so, you’re not alone. The evangelism committee will be organizing a series of Sunday Morning Trainings beginning at 8:15am on Sunday December 6th. Look for details in future bulletins and Save The Date!
Ongoing Ministries
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.
Good Shepherd Food Pantry With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming fast, we definitely need to keep our food pantry stocked. You can call it your holiday gift to those who use the pantry, and know in your hearts that it will be appreciated.
Pantry Needs: canned fruit (other than applesauce), canned soups and stews, canned meats and fish, peanut butter, pasta sauce, tomato sauce, canned vegetables (other than green beans), onions, potatoes, rice (white/brown), coffee, tea, cocoa, creamer, and anything else you’d like to bring.
Last Week
Sermon Last week’s sermon: ‘Living For the Resurrection’, based on 1 Corinthians 15:58-16:1-4 can be listened to or downloaded here.
Mission Group Discussion Questions
Discussion Questions for 1 Corinthians 15:58-16:4
Keep these themes in mind as you read and discuss:
- The free gift of salvation and the guarantee of the resurrection belong to the believer in Christ first, and then the believer is commanded to work for Christ and for the church.
- The work that Christians do for the kingdom of God will bring results last forever.
- The word “therefore” at the beginning of verse 58 implies that what will follow results from the truth previously explained and confirmed by Paul.
- What truths or certainties were outlined, explained, and confirmed by Paul in the section before verse 58 (specifically from 1 Cor. 15:20 up through verse 57)? [resurrection of the physical body after death, inheritance of an imperishable body for believers, Christians bear the image of Christ, perishable cannot inherit the imperishable, sin and death will have no power or influence over the imperishable, victory over sin and death is won for us in Christ…]
- According to verse 58, what are some characteristics and actions of a Christian that should directly result from the truths outlined previously?
- Consider the three questions that follow about these words and phrases used in verse 58: be steadfast, immovable, always abounding, work of the Lord, knowing, labor is not in vain.
- What does the word or phrase mean in this context?
- Why can a Christian do this or believe this confidently?
- How does it look or how can it be applied for a believer?
- In Chapter 16, verses 1-4, what command is given to the Corinthian church?
- Why does Paul command the Corinthians to collect money for other Christians?
- How does this command to collect money for Christians in need apply to us?
- What is the reason for “storing up” the collection until Paul arrives?
- How are these verses connected to Chapter 15, verse 58?
- Why can a believer be confident that money given to the church will be useful?
Tuesday Morning This Tuesday’s Bible study, ‘The Savior of Israel Revealed’ was based on Genesis 45. It can be seen here. You’ll need to have a LiveStream account, but it’s free and easy to sign up for.
This Week
This week’s sermon is based on 1 Corinthians 16:5-24.
I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers. Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity. Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints—be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people. The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. (1 Corinthians 16:5-24 ESV)
The additional readings for this week’s sermon are 2 Timothy 3 and 2 Corinthians 1 and Acts 19.
Team Corinthians is working on the altar this Sunday with Melissa Boeker.
The readings for this week are: 2 Samuel 23:1-7 and 1 Corinthians 16:5-24.
The PDF Bulletin for this Sunday’s 10:30 service can be downloaded here.
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gs.binghamton@gmail.com
by Monday night.