What’s Happening at Good Shepherd
Lessons and Carols On December 23rd, Good Shepherd will hold a service of nine lessons and carols for Christmas. Our service is similar to the annual broadcast from Kings College, Cambridge, in the UK. This is a very traditional service, and Good Shepherd is excited to offer it this year. We begin with a traditional children’s hymn explaining the Christmas story and continue with nine lessons outlining the story of salvation from the fall in Genesis 3, through the birth of Christ. A Christmas carol follows each lesson (either sung by the congregation or by the choir).
Attention ladies of Good Shepherd The annual Ladies Christmas Tea will be held on Sat. Dec 16 from 11-2. Please plan to attend as it is a nice way to get to know each other better in a casual setting. The Dreher family has graciously offered to host the tea again this year. Please see Christine Osgood for more information.
Abraham had Isaac, Isaac he had Jacob…The remaining rehearsal for the 2017 pageant will be directly after the 10:30 service on Dec 17th. Hope to see all children and youth there.
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.
Christmas Schedule This year’s Christmas Schedule is a bit different.
December 17th – Christmas Pageant rehearsal after the 10:30 service
December 23rd – Lessons and Carols service 5pm
December 24th – Spoken eucharist service @ 9am, no 10:30 service, Christmas Pageant 5pm, performers arrive no later than 4pm.
December 25th – 11am eucharist service
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 member Tyler VanFossen. For more information, contact the Good Shepherd office at (607)723-8032. There will not be youth group meetings on December 24th or 31st.
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 will be beginning a new study on a book called Money, Possessions and Eternity, by Randy Alford.
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 Sunday in Christian Ed We’ve nearly concluded our series on “Race, Life, and Sexuality” by discussing some of the controversies regarding sexuality in the church and how scripture is often misused to support gender and sexual confusion.
Last Sunday’s Sermon was called Leaving Egypt, and was based on Hebrews 11:23-26. It can be listened to or downloaded here.
Mission Group Discussion Questions
Read Hebrews 11:23-28
1) Why did hiding Moses when he was born and not fearing the king’s edict require faith?
- What did Moses’ parents believe about God and his promises?
- What does it mean that “they were not afraid of the king’s edict”?
- In what specific way have you trusted in God instead of your own fears? In what ways do you still struggle to do so?
2) How did Moses’ decision to refuse Egyptian identity for Hebrew identity demonstrate his faith in God?
- What does “reproach of Christ” mean? What treasures of the world have you refused for the reproach of Christ?
- To what reward was Moses looking? How is this worth more than any treasure offered by the world?
- In what ways do you still struggle to choose the reproach of Christ over worldly treasures?
3) At the end of verse 27, what does it mean that “[Moses] endured as seeing him who is invisible”? How does this contribute to the faith of Moses?
- Verse 28 gives a final example of faith for Moses. For all of the examples given, how was the faith of Moses and his parents made evident? [They acted or obeyed. They did something.]
- For all the examples of faith described since Hebrews 11:4, how was the faith of the person made evident? [Action that trusts in the promises of God]
- Why is describing faith as a feeling inconsistent with the examples given in Hebrews?
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
Posted by Matt Kennedy on Tuesday, December 12, 2017
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 Great (Sexual) Purge’, Matt and Anne Kennedy discuss snow in the south, the strange new cultural phenomenon of erasing the life, work, and humanity of guilty people, sex within marriage, courtship, and we squabble about Advent.
You can catch up on all of the older podcast episodes here.
This Week
This Week in Christian Ed we’ll conclude our series on “Race, Life, and Sexuality”, and have a Q and A session. Please send your questions to Matt at lambeth98@gmail.com.
This Sunday’s Sermon will be based on Hebrews 11:23-31.
By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
Team Philippians is working on the altar this Sunday.
The readings for this week are Isaiah 65:17-25 and Hebrews 11:23-31.
Christine O. will be serving on the altar guild this Sunday.
Shepherd’s Bowl Team 3 is serving this week with the Warner family.
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.