Dear
Good Shepherd,
Welcome to Lent. We had a great turnout for both Ash-Wednesday
services given the fact that some 20 or 30 regular parishioners
are out of town. They should really confer with pastors
before going around declaring school holidays.
In any case, At the morning service I forgot to mention
that the ashes on our heads are a sign of three things:
1. That we are rebels. God created Adam out of the dust
of the earth and Eve from Adam (see Genesis 2). But when
they rebelled against God and sin entered into human history,
God said, “for dust you are and to dust you will return”
(Genesis 3:19). We have all inherited Adam's rebellious
nature and we have all participated in the rebellion. The
ashes remind us of this. Because of sin which separates
humanity from God, our bodies are presently subject to death.
2. It is a sign of sorrow. Throughout the scriptures “dust
and ashes” are used to symbolize deep regret and anguish.
We anoint our forehead with ashes as a sign of our deep
remorse and anguish over sin.
3. Finally, the ashes are a sign of hope.
The ashes are imparted in the shape of a cross on our foreheads.
This symbolizes the fact that though we are rebels
and though we mourn because of our sin, the Lord
loves us and has sent his son to die to take away our sins.
Anyone who repents and trusts in Jesus Christ, is forgiven
and declared righteous in the sight of God.
The
result of Jesus’ atoning death was his rising to life
three days later. In the same way, though we will die, one
day Jesus will return and call us all out of our graves
to live with him forever in the New Heaven and New Earth
he will establish.
So
though you return to the dust, one day Christ will call
your name and you will rise again to live for eternity.
UPDATE CONTENTS
LENT
BIBLE
STUDIES
PRAYERS
LIBRARY
HOLY
WEEK
ANGLICAN
COMMUNION NEWS
7
PARISH GOALS REMINDER
READ THE NEW TESTAMENT IN 40 DAYS UPDATE
SEE THE NEW SIGN
WOMEN'S
BIBLE STUDY
BIBLE STUDIES
ADULT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION: HEROES OF THE BIBLE
NEWS
LENT: There are 40 days in
lent. The last six days are called “Holy Week”
culminating on Easter Day. Lent is a time of repentance.
As individuals and as a body we confess and, with God’s
help, root out those places in our hearts and lives most
out of step with God’s nature and his Word.
It
is a time of self-examination, prayer, study, and recommitment.
If you’ve let yourself stray over the last year, this
season is the time to return.
But
even though it is a time of repentance it is also a time
of joy. Believers are forgiven sinners. We do not need to
hide from God or cover up our rebellion. We can offer them
up to him and seek his mercy and grace, which is abundant
and overflowing to all those who ask.
BIBLE STUDIES: Lent is an excellent time
to commit yourself to a bible study. There are five every
week at Good Shepherd and they all meet here at the church.
You can see the times below listed on the weekly schedule
PRAYERS: Lent
and Beyond is the place to go on the web to find sermons,
prayers, and other resources for Lent. Here’s the
link.
LIBRARY: You may have noticed some furniture
rearrangement over the last few weeks. Well, if you look
down you will see that number one on the list of goals for
the year was to establish an active youth ministry. One
thing we’ve desperately needed over the last year
is a place in the church for kids to hang out. We have a
lot of them roaming the halls and hanging about in the nursery.
The vestry decided to set aside what used to be the library
to be used as an all purpose youth room. There are of course
conditions for this, which will be posted. If things start
to get out of hand, well, there goes the youth room. It
is next to the office, so there should always be an adult
within close proximity. In any case, there is now a fuse-ball
table in the room and there are an assortment of chairs
and couches. The Junior High meets there on Sunday morning
for Sunday school but after the meeting and not during church
services, it will be open for kids to be there and do whatever
it is they do…in an orderly and polite way of course.
HOLY
WEEK: We have an extensive Holy Week
Schedule at Good Shepherd. Pretty much everything will be
the same this year as it was last year but stay tuned because
I’ll be publishing this year’s schedule next
Sunday.
ANGLICAN COMMUNION NEWS: There was a very
important meeting of all the Anglican Primates held last
week. The Communion had asked the Episcopal Church to stop
all same sex blessings and not to elect or consecrate any
non-celibate homosexual bishops. At General Convention in
2006, the Episcopal Church failed to agree to this request.
The Primates recognized this failure and have placed the
Episcopal Church in disciplinary probation until September
30th. After that time if the Episcopal Church still refuses
to act in accordance with the scriptures and church teaching,
then those bishops and dioceses responsible for or in agreement
this refusal will not be welcome in the councils of Communion.
For a very good summary of what has taken place, please
read this piece by Jordan Hyden and keep up with Stand
Firm.
7 PARISH GOALS: Just as a reminder. You
can find the summary of our parish
retreat here
1.
An active youth ministry in place by the end of the year
2. Quarterly Friends and Family Sunday
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
READ
THE NEW TESTAMENT IN 40 DAYS: We
are less than a week into the 40 day NT challenge. If you
have internet access, I’ll email you a reflection
on each day’s readings and then post them on the website.
You can find them linked from the home
page. If you are not online, then I’ll have copies
available each week for whoever asks. Just let me know.
SEE THE NEW SIGN: The digital model of
our new sign is up and posted on the bulletin board across
from the kitchen downstairs. The sign will be dedicated
in memory of the late Mr. and Mrs. Francis Sherman, honored
members of Good Shepherd for many decades. The sign has
already been designed and passed unanimously through the
vestry and is currently in the process of fabrication.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: Will meet this
Saturday at 10:00am. All Women are invited.
ADULT CHRISTIAN ED:
HEROES OF THE BIBLE
Continues this week.
Last
week we discussed the plagues and that launched us into
a discussion of natural disasters and the reason God permits
them. There would be no death or disaster had humanity not
rebelled against the Lord. When we chose to turn from him,
God let us have our way. He removed his protective hand,
the hedge between humanity and chaos. And so the world is
a mess.
But just like the Egyptians, even after terrible plagues
and disasters, humanity refuses to repent and return to
the Lord. Human hearts have grown hard.
And yet for those who believe, even though we also must
suffer in this world, we have been give freedom and peace
in Jesus Christ. One day we will inherit the Kingdom he
has promised and live forever with him where there will
be no more crying, death or pain.
In the meantime, while we live in this world, we also must
bear suffering. But Christ is with us and acts on our behalf
when we place our full trust in him.
This Sunday we will talk about the Exodus itself, the Passover
in Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, and the trek through
the desert. I hope you’ll join us.
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
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves
and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify
us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned,
we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in
our lives.(1st John 1:8-10)
Don't forget to....BRING A
FRIEND TO CHURCH!
Daily Schedule for the week of Sunday February 25th,
Lent 1 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
7:30 p.m. Choir Practice (temporarily meeting on Thursdays
due to scheduling conflict on Tuesday)
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
Sunday March
4th 2007 Lent 2: Praise and Worship the Lord!
8:00am Holy Communion II and Sermon
9:15-10:15 a.m. Christian Education for all Ages
10:30 am Holy Communion II, Music and Sermon
God bless you all
In Christ,
Matt+
