What’s Happening at Good Shepherd
Can You Help? As Synod approaches, a few clergy have come up needing accommodations for the event. If you are interested in hosting one of these, please contact Stephanie in the church office. So far, we need housing for two.
Work Day #2 Will be next Saturday, April 29th. There will be opportunities to come in and work prior to the work day, so if you can’t make it on Saturday, please see Anne Kennedy or Erin Annis for more information.
Special Event Faith in History Players presents Safely Home, a stage adaptation of the novel by Randy Alcorn. Please come support Sarah Dreher in her senior year as she plays Li Cuan, the pastor of an underground Chinese Christian church. “It cost him everything he had… but he gained everything that mattered.” You are invited to the free performances of this show.
Friday, April 28 at 7 PM and Saturday, April 29 at 2 PM in Conklin at the Little White Church
Saturday, May 6 at 7PM at the State Theatre in Deposit
CANA East Synod Our diocese, CANA East has asked Good Shepherd to host the annual Synod meeting this year. It’s an honor that Good Shepherd has been chosen to host this event. This year is even more special, as it’s the 500th year anniversary of the Reformation. On May 4th-6th, 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, the keynote speakers will be Archbishop Foley Beach (Archbishop of the ACNA), and Dr. Rev. Lee Gatiss.
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 co-ordination, and ushers. If you’d like to attend the event, you can register at the CANA East website. The cost is $120 for the full event. If you’d like to attend for free, then please contact Stephanie to sign up as a volunteer at gs.binghamton@gmail.com or by calling the office.
VBS Vacation Bible School is coming! Think about joining in the fun of telling our neighborhood kids about Jesus.
Look for the sign-up sheet downstairs and save these dates: Monday, July 31- Thursday, August 3. 6:00-8:15 PM
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.
Ongoing Ministries
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, or the Good Shepherd Office. The next meeting is on May 13th.
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.
Member Food Pantry How do we give hope to those in need? By listening, seeing and doing. Knowing that many families need assistance in providing food, clothing, shelter, etc. Our food pantry provides for one of those needs, and by keeping it stocked with good, healthy food, we can fill the bellies of those who lack the money to do it for themselves.
Items needed: Soups and stews, peanut butter, jam or jelly, tuna, canned ham beef turkey or chicken, rice in 1 lb bags, macaroni/noodles/spaghetti and sauces, canned food other than cranberry or apple sauce, bottled juice or juice packs, crackers and cookies, tea, coffee, cocoa, and anything else you’d like to give.
Note: Please don’t bring flour or sugar, or leave any open packages of pasta or rice in the pantry, as it attracts mice.
Last Week
Last Week in Christian Ed we took a break from our Evangelism series and talked about resurrection, and why it matters.
Last Week’s Sermon was called ‘The Resurrection of the Son of God’, and was based on Matthew 28:1-11.
Tuesday Morning Bible Study All Bible studies were cancelled for Holy week and Easter Week. Stay tuned for new content next week!
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, The Day After, Matt and Anne discuss the aftermath of Holy Week, food, vestments and the worship wars.
You can catch up on all of the older podcast episodes here.
This Week
This week in Christian Ed This Sunday we will continue our study of JI Packer’s “Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God”. It is only 122 pages but an excellent read. This series began with a series of discussions based on his book. You can buy it here, and I highly encourage you to do so! If you cannot afford it, don’t worry (we’ve been there) there will be free copies available at the church (please see Carrie Moorhead for more info).
Audible has a deal on the audiobook for $6.95, and can be found here.
This Sunday we will continue to discuss evangelism. We will continue the previous discussion of “method”. We have been speaking mostly in theological terms but Packer does address practical “how to” considerations also. How do you know that you have done “evangelism”? When does “evangelism” take place?
This Week’s Sermon is based on 1 Peter 1:3-9.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Team Romans is working on the altar this Sunday with Chris Jones.
Shepherd’s Bowl Team 1 will be working this week with Carmen Swoffer-Penna (4/27).
Altar Guild Karen Berman is serving this Sunday.
The readings for this week are: Isaiah 26:1-9,19 and 1 Peter 1:3-9.
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.