Seven
Mission Goals for 2007
1.
An active youth ministry in place by the end of the year
2.
Hosting a quarterly Friends and Family Sunday (where we
invite non-believing family and friends to church)
3.
100% parish participation in the Franklin Graham festival
(i.e. everyone gets trained and brings a non-believing friend
to the festival itself)
4.
The vestry is seeking100% participation in Bible Study.
5
At least 30 new believers by this time next year.
6.
An active discipling program by the end of the year with
at least 4 leaders in discipling relationships.
7.
gathering at least 100 people for worship every Sunday.
Dear Good Shepherd,
Since we've had
such a busy week...a new baby, the Harvest Dinner, parents
in town, I have not had the time to pen an article. I apologize.
I meant to do it but just didn't get around to it. In any
case, thank you for all of your prayers and support this
week. They have been needed and welcome.
God bless you.
Have a great weekend and I'll see you Sunday.
UPDATE
CONTENTS
HARVEST
DINNER
MEETING
WITH THE BISHOP
MORMONS
LITURGY
AND WORSHIP
ACOLYTE
PRACTICE
SERMON
PREVIEW
DIGITAL
RECORDING
SERIES
ON THE THIRTY NINE ARTICLES
FLOWER
FUND
BIBLE
STUDY
PARENT'S
MEETING
THURSDAY
NIGHTS
ANGLICAN
NEWS
YOUTH
STUFF FROM MICAH
NEW
AND POTENTIAL MEMBERS GATHERING
HERESIES
AND CULTS (ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL SERIES)
CHILDREN'S
CHAPEL
NEWS
HARVEST DINNER: Thank
you so very much to everyone who contributed their time
and effort to the Harvest Dinner this year. It was a splendid
demonstration of community cooperation. It was especially
encouraging to see the way newer members and those whose
families have been here for generations cooperated gracefully.
Thank you for that. This dinner has, as I understand it,
always been more than a fundraiser. It has served to the
people of the parish closer to one another and open
the parish to the community. Thank you again to everyone
involved.
One
idea that has been tossed around lately, one I think has
a great deal of potential, is the possibility, perhaps by
the end of the decade, of using the Harvest Dinner as outreach.
Only a few years ago, we needed the income generated from
the dinner to survive. God has blessed us since then in
many ways. We can, financially speaking, live without the
income the dinner generates. Wouldn't it be a fine thing
to offer a harvest dinner to the entire community for free
as both an expression of our gratitude to the Lord for bringing
us to this place of abundance and as a testimony of his
love for the people of Binghamton ?
Just
an idea to think and pray about. Maybe it could be something
to work toward by the end of the decade? I realize that
we invest a lot of money and time and if something like
this were ever done as a gift to the community it would
certainly mean spreading the cost and the work around a
lot more evenly.
MEETING
WITH THE BISHOP: As many of you know, we (the senior
warden, treasurer, and I) met with the bishop this Thursday.
It was a very good meeting. Negotiations are moving ahead
quickly and it is our hope and prayer that the entire matter
will be resolved by December 1 st in way that is mutually
beneficial. I believe and have confidence that the end result
will be just that. This is a time both for thanksgiving…God
has blessed and protected us in this matter in many ways…
and for serious daily prayer and intercession. Our
relations have been gracious and charitable and we are continuing
to work closely to achieve an amicable parting. This is
not only possible, but at this point I am confident that
it is probable. Please keep this in your prayers this month.
You will hear more this month and next.
MORMONS:
The Christian Research Institute 's, “The Bible
Answer Man” is a great radio resource for Christian apologetics.
Recently, Hank Hanegraff, the president of CRI and host
of the broadcast, sat down with a woman who works to spread
the gospel among Mormons and discussed her work. It is a
very good discussion with some great insight into Mormonism
and how to speak with and address Mormons with the gospel.
You
can listen here:
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Bible_Answer_Man/archives.asp
LITURGY
and WORSHIP: Why
do Anglican clergy wear collars and robes? What's with all
of the prayers read from a leaflet? Why do we have communion
every Sunday? Why do we use real wine? What do we think
happens during communion? Do any of these things have biblical
warrant? I'll attempt to answer
any and all of these questions during a Rector's Forum between
services on the first Sunday of November (the 4th).
ACOLYTE PRACTICE:
THIS SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH. This practice
is mandatory for all who wish to be acolytes. At last count
we have about 5. There are far more people able to do it,
but only five who are willing. This is a good thing. We
need to rebuild. I have asked all those who are unwilling
and unable to serve with professionalism and excellence
to step aside because there are going to be lots of changes
not so much in what we do but in the way that we do what
we do. I think that the five who have volunteered are capable
of being some of the best acolytes Good Shepherd has ever
had. We are going to work hard, but we'll also see the benefits
that come from giving God our best. Practice starts 15 minutes
after the service this Sunday. There will be pizza and good
stuff after practice for those who volunteer.
SERMON PREVIEW: The final sermon in the
four part series on Jesus' story of Lazarus and the Rich
man is coming up this Sunday. You can find the story in
Luke
16:19-31 . We've looked at the This week we turn
to the place of scripturePlease study that text this week
leading up to Sunday so that you will be ready to hear and
understand the Word of God and apply it to your life. You
can find the first two sermons posted here
DIGITAL RECORDING
Last week someone forwarded a site that could host MP3 recordings
of sermons and that will certainly be helpful. I suppose
what I need most is the capacity to record them. What sort
of equipment do we need to do it? How much does it cost?
How much time is involved in uploading? If you know the
answers to these questions or are willing to help, please
let me know.
THE 39ARTICLES: If you are interested in what
Anglicans believe, be sure to read the Thirty Nine Articles.
You can find them here
. You can find the first six commentaries I have
written on the 39 Articles linked from the homepage
under the “weekly articles section”
FLOWER FUND: Once again we are coming
back together after a very full and busy summer to start
our Fall flurry of activities. It is now time to remember
our loved ones who have passed away as well as happy events
such as Births, Baptisms, Weddings, Birthdays or Anniversaries.
You can express your feelings by putting flowers on the
altar to commemorate any event. In the pew, you will find
a form, which you can fill out and send to the Church. This
is an easy way to remember our loved ones with flowers for
the full year. You can specify the flowers for specific
weeks and also for the Christmas and Easter holidays at
one time. Of course, you can always put flowers on the altar
at any time during the year as the need arises.
If you have any questions about the Flower Fund, please
feel free to call me at any time. Cookie Finch 775-2250
BIBLE STUDY : All the bible studies are meeting
this week and I will be at every one of them (except the
women's bible Study)
PARENT'S
MEETING: Micah
is planning to hold a parents meeting THIS SUNDAY.
I HIGHLY encourage all parents
to attend this meeting. He will get details out very soon.
It is so important to do everything you can to support his
ministry with the kids.
THURSDAY NIGHTS:
There are going to be some changes in the New Beginners
Bible Study on Thursday nights. Since this study meets on
the night of the Shepherd's Bowl, I am going, beginning
next month, to change the format from that of a bible study,
to that of a discussion of common questions and challenges
to the Christian faith. In speaking to people at the Shepherd's
Bowl, I've found that so many of them question the existence
of God, question the inspiration of the bible, want to know
why God lets bad things happen in the world...etc. I think
this new format will be a good way to reach out to people
with doubts and questions. If you have similar questions/doubts
and are free on Thursday evenings at 6:30pm, this will be
an excellent opportunity for you as well. Again, this will
start in November.
ANGLICAN NEWS: You can catch up and follow the
news on Stand
Firm .
YOUTH STUFF FROM MICAH.... Coming off the roaring success
of 23 apple pies (23 folks...23!), thanks in large part
to the effort of the junior high kids, with the help of
parents, and the leadership/cooking skills of Doug Osgood
(thanks again Doug), we will be having regular junior high
meetings on Saturdays from 6-8. Sunday will be the regular
high school meeting time, from 6-8 also. As always, stay
updated and entertained through the website
www.xanga.com/goodshepherdyouthgroup
NEW MEMBERS and POTENTIAL MEMBERS GATHERING :
There are a number of new faces around the church and we
would like to help ease your way into the parish. If you
have just joined Good Shepherd or you are thinking about
doing so, there will be a
gathering on Monday October 22nd (his date has changed due
to a meeting I forgot that I had on Wednesday of that week)
to
welcome you and give you an overview of the community. That
is this coming week, so I'll be calling you to make sure
the night and the time works. There will be food, drinks
etc…provided.
ADULT EDUCATION SERIES: HERESIES
AND CULTS:
This week we continue discussing the modern re-emergence
of: Paganism, Wicca, as Witchcraft. Last Sunday I passed
out a rather large packet of information. Much of that can
be found on the following website.
http://www.wicca.com
There
will be more this Sunday.
CHILDREN'S CHAPEL: Just a note to parents.
As soon as the music starts for the Gospel procession, all
kids from the ages of 3 to 8 may be excused for children's
chapel downstairs. We'll train the acolytes and create a
new system for getting to chapel in a more organized manner,
but for now, this seems to be the best way to do it.
HAVE YOU…. shared your faith with a friend? The vestry has
challenged all of us to share our faith in Jesus Christ
with at least one non-believer each month.
Good News
for the Week
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,
continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened
in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow
and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition
and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily
form, 10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who
is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you
were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful
nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men
but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12 having been
buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your
faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision
of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He
forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written
code, with its regulations, that was against us and that
stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the
cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities,
he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them
by the cross. (Colossians 2:6-15)
Don't
forget to....BRING A FRIEND TO CHURCH
Daily Schedule for the week of Sunday October 21st, 2007
Monday:
pastor's day off
Tuesday
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
9:00 a.m. Tuesday Morning Bible Study
6:00 p.m. First Light Bible Study
Wednesday
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
Thursday
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
5:30 p.m. Shepherd's Bowl
6:30 p.m. New Beginners Bible Study
Friday
6:30 a.m. Men's Breakfast/Bible Study
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
Pastor's sermon prep day
Saturday:
10:00 a.m. Women's Bible Study
4:30
p.m. Hebrew Class
Sunday
October 28th, 2007 SUNDAY
MORNING WORSHIP (SEASON OF PENTECOST)
8:00am
Worship, Holy Communion and Sermon
9:15-10:15
a.m. CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FOR ALL AGES
10:15-10:30
a.m. Prayer in the Library
10:30am
Worship, Holy Communion, Music, Sermon
God bless you all
In Christ,
Matt+
a
