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,

There's lots of news this week so be sure to read carefully.

 

UPDATE CONTENTS  

NEW MEMBERS

LIFE AND WITNESS COURSE UPDATE

SIGN UPDATE

OPERATION ANDREW UPDATE

FREE HEBREW CLASSES

SPECIAL FUND TO SUPPORT THE FRANKLIN GRAHAM FESTIVAL

CHURCH WORK DAY

THE WHOLE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR TOGETHER

ACOLYTE PRACTICE SCHEDULE

ADULT EDUCATION: DOES GOD EXIST?

 

NEWS

 

NEW MEMBERS: Please join me in welcoming all those who have joined Good Shepherd since January: Joseph Barham, Ellen, Isaac Njuko, Charles Rider. It is wonderful to have you all here!

 

LIFE AND WITNESS COURSE UPDATE : the first session of the Life and Witness Course is this Monday April 23rd. I hope you will drop everything and be here. It is like mini-retreat for believers that will help you get re-grounded and refocused on Christ and pass on some of the basics of Christian living.

 

Some estimate up to 300-400 people in the church at one time. This means that we will need to stream video and audio downstairs into the parish hall. It means that we will need volunteers to help usher, to direct traffic (St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church has generously offered use of her parking lot). It means we will need people to help clean on Saturday (see below) and help clean up afterwards. If you are willing to help, please contact Cookie Finch or call the church office at 723-8032. Please leave a message if no one answers.

 

Finally, the Lord has blessed us so very much with the opportunity to both open our doors to Christians of every denomination from all over the city and to be fed and nourished ourselves through the course material and presentation. It is very important for us to receive this gift from the Lord gratefully and eagerly.

 

I did not volunteer our parish to host this course. We were asked. I do not know why God would do this, but I do know that God's hand is in it for some good purpose. Please pray for Good Shepherd and thank God for the blessings he has poured out already this year.

 

SIGN UPDATE: You may remember that the installation of our new sign has been delayed because, as it turns out, Good Shepherd is listed by New York State as an historical building. That means that we have one more hoop to jump through. I signed an application that will be reviewed by the State historical society board meeting in 2 weeks. Three I Graphics tells me that they will start the installation the day they receive word of approval…which should be the day after the board meeting. So, to sum up, we are looking at about 2 weeks before the sign is up for good.

 

OPERATION ANDREW UPDATE: I've spoken to several people and so far many of you have already identified 5 people with whom you would like to share the good news of Jesus Christ. I am very encouraged by this because it means that we are taking the Lord's Great Commission (to make new disciples) seriously and acting on the faith we profess. If you are not taking part in this mission project, I encourage you to do so. It is not difficult. There are only three initial steps:

 

Step 1 is to Look Around where you live, work, or go to school—this is your mission field. List names of individuals you know who need Jesus Christ, whom you will pray for regularly.

Step 2 is to Look Up because God changes people through prayer. Pray each day for those on your list, that God will give you opportunities to share His love with them.

Step 3 is to Look Out for ways to cultivate friendships with each person on your list. Spend time with them. An invitation to dinner or a sporting event will build friendships, which can open the way to talk about Christ.

 

If we want to grow as a church and as a people, if we want to reach out to the lost and bring them the hope of Christ, we must become fishers of men.

 

FREE HEBREW LESSONS: Is offering free Hebrew lessons to his congregation and ours. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn the language of the Old Testament; the language spoken by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Moses and all the prophets. It is not only a fascinating language but knowing it will provide you with deep insight into the Old Testament.

 

Classes will start sometime soon (more information will be coming) and they will be held on Saturdays at 4:30pm. Let Anne or me know if you are interested in taking advantage of this generous offer.

 

SPECIAL FUND TO SUPPORT THE FRANKLIN GRAHAM FESTIVAL: God has used the Franklin Graham Festival to bring thousands of people to faith in Jesus Christ across the country. But there are significant overhead costs associated with this ministry and they have asked for all Christians to give their financial support. At Good Shepherd, we are setting aside a special fund for this purpose. If you would like to support the Franklin Graham Festival in Binghamton, please mark your check or cash donation for that purpose and it will be given directly to the Festival from Good Shepherd.

 

CHURCH WORK DAY: As Cookie Finch said, we are about to have a lot of company. The Life and Witness Courses will bring hundreds of people to Good Shepherd. In preparation for our guests, we are holding a Church Work Day, that will begin this Saturday at 9:00am and last as long as it lasts. Please come and take the time to help make clean and prepare for our guests.

 

 

THE WHOLE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR TOGETHER: You have all done so well following the 40 Days through the New Testament reading schedule during Lent, I want to pass on another Challenge...the 365 day challenge. Beginning THIS Monday I am asking everyone in the parish to read through the whole bible in one year.

 

This will mean a big commitment, but the readings will be much shorter than the 40 days through the New Testament and I will continue to provide reflections throughout the year. The schedule we will follow is the one that will be printed in the bulletin every Sunday and I will put it up on the website as well. The more we study the bible the more grounded and rooted we become in Jesus Christ. When we set our foundations on the Rock of his Word then no flood will move us. I pray that you will come with me in this venture.

 

ACOLYTE PRACTICE SCHEDULE: Last week I noted that we were moving to a regular acolyte practice schedule…holding practices every third Sunday. Since then it has been brought to my attention that the third Sunday in June is the Parish Picnic! So, that means we'll just have one more acolyte practice, the third Sunday in May, before summer. Practices will resume in September.

ADULT EDUCATION SERIES: APOLOGETICS: DOES GOD EXIST?  I have been asked to go back through my Sunday Morning series on Defending the Faith in which I explore the arguments for and against the existence of God, his nature, and the created order. I have decided to interrupt my series on the Heroes of the bible (and come back to it later) in order to go back though this series. It will start THIS SUNDAY.

 

This is a great class to invite non-believers and those searching for or doubting their faith.

 

BIBLE STUDIES: All the bible studies are up and running for this coming week. I hope to see you there.

 

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
15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." (John 14:15-21)

Don't forget to....BRING A FRIEND TO CHURCH!


Daily Schedule for the week of Sunday April 22nd, 2007 Easter II

Monday:
7:00 p.m. LIFE AND WITNESS COURSE

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
7:00 p.m. Vestry Meeting

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

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 April 29th, 2007
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+