What’s Happening at Good Shepherd
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 more. A time for fellowship and good food.’ Watch this space for more information in the coming weeks. Please see Christine Osgood for more information.
Work Day There will be a Good Shepherd clearing out day coming up on November 18th. A large dumpster will be delivered, and we hope to clear out some of the old, broken, or useless things that have been hanging around the building for a while. Whether clutter makes you unhappy, you enjoy making spaces look open and inviting, or just want some good exercise, please consider helping out. Lunch will be provided and many hands will be needed! More information on exact times will be coming soon, so be sure to watch this space!
Abraham had Isaac, Isaac he had Jacob…Time to think about preparing for our Christmas Pageant! There will be a brief meeting after church on Nov 5th to choose roles and then rehearsals will be directly after the 10:30 service on Nov 12th, Nov 19th, Dec 3rd, Dec 10th, & Dec 17th. Hope to see all children and youth there.
Operation Christmas Child This is the time to assemble Christmas boxes for Operation Christmas Child, a program of Samaritan’s Purse. Unfortunately, without Carol Hallam here to guide us, we’ve missed the date by which we should have ordered the shoeboxes. The Ev, Free church in Montrose has extra boxes which Bill Freund will bring on Sunday, 15th Oct., and place by the door, on the left, at the front of the church. You can also buy useful shoebox size plastic boxes at the Dollar Store to pack your gifts if you prefer. Please bring them back by this Sunday, November 12th., and Bill will take them to the drop-off in Montrose.
Trunk-n-Treat The annual Trunk-n-Treats Halloween event, held in the parking lot and parish hall of Good Shepherd was a huge success again this year. Around 200 people, both adults and children participated in the event. The costumes varied from scary to cuddly and cute. Some of the favorites were a baby dressed as a pumpkin, a tiny toddler dressed as a mouse, a little police officer, a beautiful butterfly, a tiny bee, a friendly fox, and a toddler dressed as a kangaroo. There was music, a Christian clown who made things with balloons, all the while teaching children about Jesus. People came and enjoyed donuts, cider, and hot cocoa, and sat chatting with friends and neighbors. Chester P. Squirrel, was also present, along with his sidekick, the Gypsy Lady, to wish everyone a happy Halloween and give out candy. There were games, and Miss Carmen took pictures. All in all, it was a terrific evening, and many people heard the gospel.
Clothing Needed Kathy Urda will be collecting your unwanted clothing from October 15th – November 19th for the Windsor Food Pantry and Clothing Shop. Please bring your unwanted bagged clothing to Good Shepherd and leave downstairs under the coat hooks near the nursery. Both adult and children’s clothes are needed. This is a good way to clean out drawers and closets and give your items a second life.
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.
Are you de-cluttering? Sunday, Nov 12 is the last date we can pick up CHE rummage sale donations at church. Thank you so much to everyone who has already donated! Bill and Anne
Mission’s Prayer Request
From the CHE team, Nicaragua.
We thought you would like to see some stories that describe some the impact CHE ministry has in the communities.
Melisa Arostegui is 23. She was married last year to a believer, but things did not turn out the way Melisa had hoped. The young man she married mocked her, and abandoned her after 3 months of marriage. People in the community were saying that she wasn’t a virgin, and that was why her husband left her. They were very cruel to her, abusing her physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Melisa turned to alcohol and parties, and made the decision to destroy her life.
We thank God that we could be with her in those difficult times. She received psychological therapy, and left the community for a while. Afterwards, we talked to her about training for her future and, above all, reestablishing her relationship with God.
Melisa listened to God, decided to study, entered the police academy, and graduated as a police officer. She is now working in the Leon police department, earning $263 a month. We thank God for what he has done in her life.
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.
Bread and Wine If you are interested in joining a group of women 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, and the next meeting will be on November 11th.
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
Tuesday Morning’s Bible Study After a week’s rest due to illness, we picked up our study in Exodus. We are presently in Exodus 21. We entered into a lengthy section including various laws and instructions regarding the construction of the Tabernacle. It’s crucial to remember that every stroke of the pen was breathed out by God. There is nothing that is extraneous or unnecessary. Scripture is no mere book of rules, though there are certainly rules in it. Nor is it solely a book intended to move our affections, though we are often so moved. Scripture is, above all, God’s self-disclosure. Through it, God tells us about his character, his nature, his purposes and plans. Therefore, even the most seemingly mundane passages reveal invaluable truths about the God who made us and who by Jesus Christ redeems us. If we keep this principle in the forefront of our minds, we will not be too tempted to skip the difficult books and chapters to our favorite stories or psalms. You can watch the recording of the class here or in the window below. Please disregard the scrambled look of the opening shot.
Posted by Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd on Tuesday, November 7, 2017
You can catch up on the older studies here.
Last Week in Christian Ed Last week in our series on “Race, Life, and Sexuality”, we continued our discussion on the question of the value of human life, the reality of eternal condemnation and how the two truths can be reconciled, and then delved more carefully into the scriptures that deal with the value of human life from beginning to end.
Last Week’s Sermon was based on Hebrews 11:13-16, and was called ‘Citizens of Another Country‘. It can be listened to or downloaded here.
Mission Group Discussion Questions
Read Hebrews 11:13-16
1) How is dying in faith an ultimate proof of that faith?
- What was gained by faith while those listed in Hebrews 11:4-11 were still alive? What was gained through death?
- How is the faith of a believer in Christ proven to be true?
- In what ways are you willing to die in your faith? In what ways might you have no choice?
2) In what ways have you made this world your home? Do you have any hopes, desires, goals, or achievements that you value
above the promises of God?
- How should believers in Christ view the world?
- What should believers expect of the world since we are “strangers and exiles”?
- In what ways can we live and speak more like “strangers and exiles” in the world?
3) Why does speaking the promises of God and living by faith make a person seem foreign to the world?
- How does it indicate that believers are “seeking a homeland”?
- What things can be gained by living according to the world? How would your life be different if you lived as if the world was
your home? Why not return to the world?
4) What are the characteristics of the heavenly country for which we wait?
- How is it that God is not ashamed to be called the God of those who have faith in him?
- Why does the work of God in the life of a believer bring God glory and not shame?
This Week
This Week in Christian Ed This Sunday we will move into the last section of our course “Race, Life, and Sexuality” and discuss human sexuality. We have, of course, discussed this topic before. In the past, due to the controversies we experienced in the Episcopal Church, we focused primarily on homosexuality. This time we will approach the question more broadly and discuss God’s good design for human sexuality and the various ways human sin has corrupted it. As the cultural discussion of sexuality becomes ever more confused with questions about “identity” and the assertion of gender fluidity, it is vital for Christians to understand God’s original purpose and design for sex and sexuality. The discussion begins at 9:15 am. Hope to see you there.
This Week’s Sermon is based on Hebrews 11:17-22.
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
Team Philippians is working on the altar this Sunday.
The readings for this week are Amos 5:18-24 and Hebrews 11:17-22.
Karen C. will be serving on the altar guild this Sunday.
Shepherd’s Bowl A substitute team will be cooking this Thursday (11/16). Please see Steph Warner if you’d like to help serve this week.
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.