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,
UPDATE
CONTENTS
CHRISTMAS PAGEANT AND WORSHIP
NOTE FROM ANNE: MEETING ABOUT THE PAGEANT
SERMON PODCASTING
SERMON PREP
STEWARDSHIP/PLEDGING AND TITHING
PRAYER GROUP
ECUMENICAL THANKSGIVING SERVICE
FLOWER FUND
PRAYERS FOR GOOD SHEPHERD
BIBLE STUDY
YOUTH INFORMATION FROM MICAH
HERESIES AND CULTS (ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL SERIES)
CHILDREN'S CHAPEL
NEWS
CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
and WORSHIP:
Last year we combined the traditional midnight mass with
the family service and moved the Christmas Eve service to
an earlier time in order to unite the congregation in worship
as much as possible on Christmas eve. This year we’ll
be doing the same. The Christmas Eve Service will be at
5:00pm, carols starting at 4:30pm. In place of the readings
for the first part of the service, there will be a pageant.
If you were unable to make last year’s pageant, you
really missed out. It was fantastic. This year we are expanding
it yet again, adding more speaking parts and more music.
After the pageant we’ll go directly to a very brief
sermon and invitation and then, directly, to the offertory
and Communion. It is a high mass, just like the Traditional
service. In all from the beginning of the pageant at 5:00pm,
it will probably take about an hour and 10 minutes. That
was the time last year. I tell you that now so you can plan
your time on Christmas Eve.
Anne is preparing for the Christmas pageant this year. If
you are a parent or other adult and would like to help,
please contact her. This year’s pageant is open to
actors of all ages. We have plenty of kids, but we want
some speaking parts as well this year, so if you’re
interested, let Anne know by calling the Rectory 773-4810
or the office 723-8032
NOTE FROM ANNE: Christmas Pageant
General Meeting of Everyone Participating in the
Pageant. Due to Choir practice we will meet in the Parish
Hall at 12:00 sharp and the meeting will be No More than
20 minutes. This is an important meeting both for the acquiring
of information and because I will be handing out the schedule
of practices. See you there!
SERMON PODCASTING: Last
week's sermon and the sermon from the week prior are now
available and all future sermons will be available not only
in text on the website, but also in audio form on Good Shepherd’s
new podcast
site. Each Sunday the sermon will be recorded and uploaded.
We may also do the same for morning prayer and the Sunday
morning class, depending on the interest and time available
for uploading. The podcast site is linked from the Good
Shepherd website. Oh, one more thing, listening to a sermon
online or on the radio is not the same thing as going to
church. As the author of the letter to the Hebrews says,
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on
toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together,
as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage
one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
(Hebrews 10:24-25) So these podcasts do not give you an
excuse to sleep in on Sunday morning….
SERMON PREP: This Sunday we’ll continue
our brief two part look at Zacchaeus the chief tax collector
and Jesus in Luke
19:1-10. As I mentioned above last Sunday’s sermon,
the first part of this two part series is already online
in both text and audio, so you might want to review it.
This Sunday we’ll be delving into the second part
of the passage. Jesus invited himself into Zacchaeus’
home and in response Zacchaeus gave back, fourfold, what
he had taken unjustly in revenue. What do these actions
tell us about the power of Christ’s presence and word?
What sort of fruit does salvation bear in the lives of those
who come to see who Christ is?
STEWARDSHIP/PLEDGING AND TITHING: This
Sunday you will find pledge cards in your bulletin. If you
are not a member of Good Shepherd, please discard them or
use them to take notes during the sermon or whatever you
like. If you are a member of Good Shepherd, please take
them home and pray and think about your pledge this year.
The biblical principle is to return to God through your
local assembly 10% of what God has given you. I encourage
you to take that step and trust in God’s word and
providence. I explain the purpose and power of the tithe
in the sermon linked here:
http://www.binghamtongoodshepherd.com/sermon10.29.06_000.shtml
If you are not yet ready to tithe, do consider pledging
some amount in lieu of a tithe. The ministry of Good Shepherd
to those on the South side is very important. We have fed
a lot of people this year and, by God’s grace, we
have gained a significant number of new members…a
number of them already believers, though some have just
this year come to faith.
You
will also recieve a pledge card in the mail along with a
letter from Bob Shaller, the Stewardship Committee Chairman.
If you take a pledge card with you home today please feel
free to discard the one that comes in the mail. We hope
to collect pledge cards the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
PRAYER GROUP:
I hear that the prayer group is starting up again before
the 10:30am service. I am very thankful. This prayer group
meets specifically to seek God’s presence and power
to be revealed in the worship, music, teaching and preaching
at Good Shepherd first for the glory of Christ and second
for the salvation of the lost and then, finally, for the
edification and conviction of believers. These are essential
prayers and this is an essential group. If you are not part
of it I do encourage you to pray in a like manner daily
on your own. I believe they will meet in the parish hall
after the Sunday morning class.
ECUMENICAL THANKSGIVING SERVICE: Every
year the South Side Ecumenical Council hosts a Thanksgiving
service on the Tuesday evening before Thanksgiving. I am
not sure where the service will be this year, but I’ll
pass on the information as soon as I get it. This is just
a heads up.
FLOWER FUND 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
PRAYERS FOR GOOD SHEPHERD:
As many of you know this is a very crucial
time in the life of Good Shepherd. We have taken the decision
to leave the Episcopal Church and we are currently in negotiations
with the Diocese of Central New York for the ownership of
this building. These negotiations should be over by December
1st. So far all has gone very well and we have enjoyed a
gracious and amicable time with the bishop and standing
Committee. Pray that this continues and that we are able
to part in Christian charity and friendship with our building.
Thank you
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) The Tuesday Evening, “First
Light” Bible Study has now moved to the book of Romans.
If you are looking to get into a bible study at the beginning
of a book, this might be a good opportunity to do so.
YOUTH INFORMATION FROM MICAH: A
HUGE thank you to the King's for letting the Jr. High Youth
Group crash your house. We had a great time at the bonfire.
Sr. High Youth Group will be going to the Binghamton Senators
hockey game this Saturday, November 10th. We are meeting
AT THE ARENA at 6:30. Jr. High Youth Group will meet on
Sunday at 6, and will be going to the Senators hockey game
Saturday, November 17th.
be
sure to check the website
for information
Good Shepherd Youth Group Calendar
NOVEMBER
Saturday, November 10 – Sr. High(!), BSens Hockey
Game, 6:30, meet at BC Veterans Memorial Arena (Christina)
Sunday, November 11 – Jr. High Meeting (notice the
switch with Sr. High) (Kellie)
Saturday, November 17 – Jr. High BSens Hockey Game,
6:30, meet at BC Veterans Memorial Arena (Jeremy)
Sunday, November 18 – Sr. High Meeting, 6-8 (Jason)
Saturday, November 24 – Jr. High Meeting, 6-8 (Matt)
Sunday, November 25 – Sr. High Meeting, 6-8 (IFE)
ADULT EDUCATION SERIES:
HERESIES AND CULTS:
Last week we took a short break in order to discuss liturgy,
this Sunday we’ll return and wrap up our section on
the “lighter” side of paganism with a discussion
of druids and some other forms of pagan spirituality aside
from wicca. One thing I forgot to mention that I will bring
up on Sunday is that the message of forgiveness and shed
blood is a powerful one when witnessing to wiccans who,
like Hindu’s, see Karma as a rigid law of consequences
from which there is no escape. For wiccans, their sins WILL
come back at them. There is no way to find relief. This
is why, especially for a wiccan who has done something for
which he feels a great deal of guilt, the gospel of forgiveness
might be especially effective. In any case, as I said, we’ll
be wrapping up our section on paganism and moving into Satanism;
what it is and what it is not. Then we’ll be close
to wrapping it up.
The next ancient heresy we cover will be “Pelagianism”
so you might want to google it or do some research to prepare.
CHILDREN'S CHAPEL: 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
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts
us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort
those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which
we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly
in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly
in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort
and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort,
which you experience when you patiently endure the same
sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken,
for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will
also share in our comfort. 8 For we do not want you to be
ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in
Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength
that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that
we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make
us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.
10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will
deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver
us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many
will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted
us through the prayers of many. (2nd Corinthians 1:3-11)
Don't forget to....BRING A
FRIEND TO CHURCH
Daily Schedule for the week of Sunday November 11th, 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
6:30pm Jr High Youth BSens Hockey Game (meet at BC Veterans
Arena)
Sunday November 18th, 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
10:30am Worship, Holy Communion, Music, Sermon
6:00pm - 8:00pm Sr. High Meeting
God bless you all
In Christ,
Matt+
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