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.
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 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
Last week’s sermon ‘My Covenant with Levi’ was based on Malachi 2:1-9. It can be listened to or downloaded here.
Mission Group Discussion Questions
Malachi 2:1-9
Main Idea(s):
- The priests of Israel broke their covenant with God.
- The conditions of the covenant are straightforward and well established.
- God’s curse against the priests for breaking the covenant is just.
1) What is a covenant?
- How are covenants established? Why are covenants established?
- Why are there consequences for breaking a covenant?
- What is the covenant with Levi discussed in Malachi 2:5? (Between who? What conditions are part of the covenant? What obligations are there for each?)
- What does it mean in verse 5 that “it was a covenant of fear”?
- Who has broken this covenant? How?
2) What is the command referred to in verse 1?
- What does it mean to “take it to heart to give honor to my name”?
- What purpose does God have in cursing the priests who have not obeyed this command?
- How are the command in verse 1 and the covenant with Levi connected?
3) What are the specific curses resulting from not following this command as listed in verse 3?
- What does “rebuke your offspring” mean in verse 3?
- What is implied by the spreading of dung of defiled offerings on the priests’ faces and them being taken away with it?
- Why are these curses just?
4) What are the characteristics and actions of a priest who upholds the covenant of Levi that are listed in verses 5 through 7?
- In what ways are we as believers commanded to be and act similarly to the priests in the covenant of Levi?
- What covenant, if any, currently exists between God and Christian believers?
- What are the specifics of this covenant? (Between who? What conditions are there? What obligations? What blessings? What consequences?)
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 ‘Trump and Christians, Facebook and Faith, and Mexican Food’. You can listen in here.
This Week
This week’s sermon is based on Malachi 2:10-16.
Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the LORD of hosts! And this second thing you do. You cover the LORD’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.” (Malachi 2:10-16 ESV)
Team Romans is working on the altar this Sunday with Chris Jones.
The readings for this Sunday are: Malachi 2:10-16 and Galatians 2:11-21.
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.