What’s Happening at Good Shepherd
Mission Group Announcement Mission groups will have modified formats and schedules throughout the summer as people take breaks and travel. Expect updates and details about these modifications as the summer approaches. As always, see Ben Murphy with any questions about or interest in mission groups.
The Tuesday night mission group meeting that generally meets at the Dreher home on Vincent St. has been moved to the Ojetayo home at 65 Beethoven St., Binghamton for the remainder of June.
Update and Announcements If you have an item you’d like to have announced on Sunday morning, or included in the update, please be sure to forward the item to Stephanie by Wednesday afternoon, and specify if you’d like it announced or just listed in the updates. It will then be edited and forwarded to Anne/Ife to announce on Sunday and/or added to the paper and digital update.
ACW The Anglican Church Women will next meet on Saturday, July 9 at Cortese at 11:45. All are invited!
ART-on-Mission Open House On Saturday, June 25, 2016 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Little White Community Church at Heart Lake (20149 Route 706, Montrose, PA 18801).
Psalm 113 states, “Let the name of the Lord be praised.”
Join the Coleman family in setting aside a “Day of Remembrance” to honor the name of the Lord.
In the sanctuary of Heart Lake Community Church, there will be a community life slide presentation each hour. Each community sketch featured in this presentation celebrates the truth of God’s love and faithfulness. May you also enjoy hearing from the youth, teachers, and families that participated in the Living Springs ART School this year.
In the fellowship hall, there will be an adult and youth art exhibition with art-on-mission photographs from over the last 24 years. Cheryl will be showing her recent commission for the first time—Jessica’s Rose.
Need refreshment? Start the new school year differently! Come to the Women’s ART School Painting Retreat, August 10-13th at The Haft Retreat Center in New Albany, Pennsylvania. Contact Cheryl Coleman for more information.
Ongoing Ministries
“And as for your little ones…”
Vacation Bible School is coming August 1-4 from 6-8 PM. It is an opportunity not only for children of Good Shepherd, but especially for children in our community to hear the gospel clearly presented. It is also an opportunity for you to lend your talents to those children. The range of skills that can be used in Vacation Bible School are broader than you may initially think. Vacation Bible School can be a beautiful quick snapshot of the body working together, all parts having the same goal but accomplishing that through a great variety of tasks and time commitments. Please talk with Anna Dreher and tell her what you enjoy doing and when (during the months of June-August) you are available. Your skills and interests are perfect.
Children’s bulletins are available to help your children follow all parts of the service today. Please pick one up from an usher.
Health Fair and Ice Cream Social 2016. The Ice Cream Social will be held on June 11 from 12-3pm. This year all participants in the event are required to agree with our statement of faith; a change which we pray will both protect us from the inclusion of groups which would oppose our beliefs, and also provide a venue for us and for other bible- believing Christians to proclaim our faith in words and deeds while promoting health of body, mind, and soul. This change also demands that we ALL take part in this effort. Please ask yourself what you can do to help and who you know who might be willing to participate. This event will include health screenings and information, holistic health professionals, Christian groups such as the Salvation Army, haircuts, skincare, facepainting, dance and athletic demonstrations, children’s crafts, music, food, and much more! There are recipes for food for this event downstairs by the sign-up sheet. Parishioners are encouraged to prepare these snacks/chili for June 11th. Also, please sign-up to bring other healthy snacks (fresh fruit, trail mix, etc) in small plastic baggies ready to serve. Please let me know how YOU would like to help!
Bread and Wine If you are interested in joining a group of moms for a monthly supper and discussion of women in the bible, please contact Liz Hull.
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 Spring and summer are the times when farmers begin planting their crops for the season, ensuring that there is nutritious food on the grocery store shelves to feed families. It’s a system that has been working for as long as we’ve had recorded history. What happens when that system breaks? What if a person loses his or her job, and other things like rent and utility payments must take priority? Many have to either rely on food pantries like ours or go hungry. So the next time you are grocery shopping remember to purchase items for the pantry as well. You’ll be glad you did!
Food Needs: Powdered milk packets, powdered creams for coffee, assorted cookies and crackers, peanut butter-(all kinds) Canned chicken, tuna beef, spam and ham, stews, canned peaches, pineapple, cherries, pears, etc., Sauces like barbecue, Worcestershire, steak etc.; salad dressings, condiments like ketchup, mustard, pickle relish; and spices or anything else you care to bring.
Last Week
Last week’s sermon ‘God’s Love & Israel’s Offensive Worship’ was based on Malachi 1. It can be listened to or downloaded here.
Mission Group Discussion Questions
Malachi 1
Main Idea(s):
- God has loved Israel, but Israel has not loved God.
1) Why did God need to remind Israel that He has loved them?
- Why had Israel forgotten the love of God?
- Why was the question from Israel to God “How have you loved us?” a foolish question?
- In what ways had God demonstrated his love for Israel up to this point in history?
2) Why are the priests of Israel the focus of the first chapter?
- Do they carry the blame for all of Israel? Why or why not?
- How had the priests failed to love God and defiled his name?
- Why is offering a polluted sacrifice to God in this sacrificial system evil?
3) Have the priests and the people of Israel diminished the glory of God by their evil practices?
- Does the glory of God depend on the actions of Israel?
- What role did God intend for Israel to play in the world?
- How is the discipline received for failing to obey an act of love for Israel?
4) In what ways are Christians today like the nation of Israel?
- How can our thoughts, words, and actions sometimes be polluted offerings in the eyes of God?
- What strength do we have on our own to be holy and please God?
- What hope do we have then to love God as he commands us to?
- From whom does our ability to love come?
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’s podcast is called ‘That Voice in Your Heart’. You can listen in here.
This Week
This week’s sermon is based on Malachi 2:1-9.
“And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it. So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the LORD of hosts. My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.” (Malachi 2:1-9 ESV)
Team Phillippians is working on the altar this Sunday with Michael Beauharnois.
The readings for this Sunday are: Malachi 2:1-9 and Galatians 1:11-24.
The PDF Bulletin for this Sunday’s 10:30 service can be downloaded here.
Have an item for the Update or an Announcement?
Email the secretary at:
gs.binghamton@gmail.com
by Monday night.