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 For many years the ACW has had an event called “Lunch out“. This invitation is open to everyone. Please come and join us for good food, good conversation, and good fun! On Saturday, July 9 at 11:45. We’ll meet at Cortese Restaurant, 117 Robinson St, Binghamton, NY 13904. Let Christine Osgood or Pat Chaney know if you plan on attending! Carpooling will most likely be available.
ART-on- Mission Open House Need refreshment? Encouragement?
Psalm 113 states, “Let the name of the Lord be praised.”
Living Springs ART School serves as an engaging teaching resource to educate, mentor, and mobilize future leaders to live on mission to make Christ known.
Join the Colemans 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 reflective ART-on Mission slide presentation of God’s love and faithfulness, and a youth and adult art exhibit that will be on display in the fellowship hall.
Please join us 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].
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.
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 I recently discovered how some people survive even with the help of food pantries like ours and the food distribution trucks.
Many churches like ours help to support them by serving a meal one night a week, like our Shepherd’s Bowl. I went with my friend to a church this week, and we had a great meal. Then the minister invited everyone to church on Sunday, and said that there would be another free meal following that service. It was a wonderful evening, and we felt so welcome. So, by God providing the means to let our churches keep the food pantries well stocked, in turn we can in turn help others to receive a hot, nourishing meal.
Food Needs: powdered milk, peanut butter, creamer, crackers, canned meats and tuna, one box meals, soups and stews, canned fruit (except apple and cranberry sauce), and anything else that you’d like to bring.
Last Week’s Sermon: ‘Guard Yourselves, in Your Spirit’ was based on Malachi 2:10-16. It can be listened to or downloaded here.
Mission Group Discussion Questions
Malachi 2:10-16
Main Idea(s):
- Israel and Judah have broken a covenant with God
- God has not accepted or blessed the defiled offerings
- The faithlessness of Israel parallels the faithlessness of a man divorcing his wife
1) In verse 10, to whom do the pronouns “we” and “us” refer?
- What does it mean that those in verse 10 all have one Father? Why is having one Father significant?
- How many times between verses 10 and 16 is the word “faithless” used? [five] What does it mean to be “faithless”? What are the consequences of faithlessness?
- What things should be the evident among those having the same Father and being created by the same God?
2) In verse 11, what does it mean that “Judah…has married the daughter of a foreign God”?
- What parallels exist between a faithless Judah and a faithless husband?
- Why are the actions of Judah an abomination?
- According to verse 12, what should be the consequence of faithlessness?
3) According to verse 13, what is the response of those whose defiled offerings are not accepted?
- What is the reason in verse 14 that God does not regard or accept the offerings?
- What does it mean that “the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth”?
4) What makes marriage a covenant and not just a friendly agreement between a man and a woman?
- According to verse 15, who is involved in a marriage covenant? Why is God also a participant in this covenant?
- The phrase “guard yourselves in spirit” is used twice in verses 15 and 16. What does it mean to “guard yourselves in spirit”?
- How can we guard ourselves in spirit in order to remain faithful and not become faithless?
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 ‘Comments on Comments’. You can listen in here.
This Week
This week’s sermon is based on Malachi 2:17-3:12.
The Messenger of the LORD You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?” “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts. Robbing God “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 2:17-3:12 ESV)
Team Corinthians is working on the altar this Sunday with Melissa Boeker.
The readings for this Sunday are: Malachi 2:17-3:12 and Galatians 3:23-29.
Have an item for the Update or an Announcement?
Email the secretary at:
gs.binghamton@gmail.com
by Monday night.