Update April 7th, 2006

Dear Good Shepherd,

Good Morning! It's a great day to be alive. Below you will find both the weekly article and the weekly Update.

Read Carefully and Enjoy!

WEEKLY ARTICLE

The Future at Good Shepherd

by the Rev. Matt Kennedy

What is our vision?

If you don't know it's not your fault.

The vestry and I haven't done a great job of communicating the vision God has given us over the last few years.

One reason for that is the intense need we've all felt to get closer to God's Word: to teach, preach and study it.

Most of our time and energy in the past has been spent on the worthwhile task of getting to know our God through his Word. In fact, the need for the people of Good Shepherd to get to know the bible was something the Holy Spirit revealed to my heart very early on in my ministry here and many of our programs and ministries have been designed to meet that need.

I think one reason God has impressed on us this desire to know his Word is that he has an important mission for Good Shepherd in the coming years and a great purpose for us in the long term.

Do you know why Good Shepherd was founded?

In the late 19 th century some faithful believers from Christ Church realized that the people of Binghamton's south-side needed to hear the gospel. The Holy Spirit led them to establish Good Shepherd as a missionary church on this very corner for that very purpose.

Good Shepherd was built and called by God to be a missionary church to the south side community; to proclaim and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

That is still our mission today.

And our vision is this: to transform the south-side of Binghamton by proclaiming in word and deed the good news of Jesus Christ. Our vision is not just to feed and save the lost but also to transform an entire neighborhood, and entire community by and through the power of the gospel.

That is the vision. And that is what we will do.

Now that we have begun to establish a firm foundation of biblical faith and now that we are growing and maturing in Jesus Christ, I sense the Holy Spirit calling us to focus even more of our energy and drive beyond these walls, toward reaching the lost and hungry souls who live right next door and right across the street.

A vision provides the big picture of a preferred future. Mission describes the process of getting to or building that future. Our mission focus over the past three years has been primarily on building a solid biblical foundation so that when people come seeking hope and life, God will have equipped us with the gifts to share the gospel and feed and train disciples. That foundation is still being laid, but it is more solid now than it has been in any time over the last thirty years.

The Men's bible study is bursting at the seams with seekers; the soup kitchen that regularly nourishes the hungry is also feeding people into the New Beginners Bible Study; the Tuesday morning bible regularly overflows; the Sunday school that answers basic questions of life from a biblical perspective is generally packed out; these are all signs that God is moving here; that our foundation is solid and, more importantly, that we are ready to grow. The last thing we want to do is to become one collective big fat baby believer. God is calling us out to put feet on our growing faith.

One of the things God has convicted me about over the last few weeks is that in many ways I've been playing a one-man band. I lead most of the bible studies, plan most of the classes, and chart the series of classes. At the same time, many of you have grown by leaps and bounds in your faith and knowledge. It is time that the vision and mission of Good Shepherd become something we share and work toward together.

Over the last few weeks I've begun to pray through a few ideas. Perhaps God is calling some of you to start a bible study or lead a bible study in your homes not with people from Good Shepherd, but with non-believers, with people around your neighborhood. This may sound scary, but you wouldn't have to start from scratch. There are great materials out there that anybody with leadership skills can use.

Perhaps God wants those of you (and I know several) who have gifts for prayer to get a group together start interceding weekly for the people of the south side and asking for God's guidance and open doors so that we can reach them with the gospel?

Perhaps God is calling those of you who play instruments and have good voices to take a more active part in worship on Sunday morning? There are definitely some things we can do to make the worship here more accessible to non-believing seekers.

Perhaps God is calling the evangelists among us (and again, there are several) to start actively working through the neighborhood door to door?

These are really just brainstorming suggestions. I don't know what God is doing, but he' doing something. Most of us can feel it. There is an energy and a vitality centered on and coming out of the bible studies and other ministries that comes directly from the Holy Spirit.

We already have a mission structure which those of you who have attended Adult Christian education over the last two months are familiar with. Over the next few weeks and months I'm asking you to pray with me and ask God to give us some insight into how we as a body can use that biblical mission structure to turn more of our energy toward the lost, toward achieving the vision of transforming the south-side through the power of Christ.

Expect to be hearing more about this as we pray together and flesh out where God is taking us.

In Him,

Matt+

Here's the news.

UPDATE CONTENTS
PALM SUNDAY
OPERATIONAL PAUSE 2

NEXT WEEK'S UPDATE
WEDNESDAY'S IN LENT
HAVE YOU…
2 nd Notice SOLEMN/FIRST COMMUNION
THE NEXT FAMILY AND FRIENDS SUNDAY
WHAT IS THE CHURCH? (ADULT CLASS)

NEW COURSE ANNOUCEMENT

EASTER SUNDAY
ONLINE RESOURCE FOR THE ANGLICAN CRISIS
2 nd NoticeNEW BEGINNERS
INFORMATION NEEDED FOR DIRECTORY
RESOURCE RECOMMENDATION: DEBUNKING THE DA VINCE CODE
EASTER FLOWERS

NEWS:

PALM SUNDAY:   THIS SUNDAY! Palm Sunday is the first worship Service of Holy Week and it is one of the most important celebrations of the whole year. Holy Week is the week believers remember and celebrate the last week of Jesus' life. That week began with Jesus' triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem. By this time, Jesus was a celebrity. Everyone knew him and most people believed that he was the messiah, the coming savior of Israel. So when they heard he was coming they all rushed out waving palm branches and crying “Hosanna in Highest! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Waving Palm branches was the first century equivalent of those foam “#1” signs you see at football games. It meant, “We think this guy is our king.” Of course, after they really got to know Jesus and figured out that he was not the savior they thought he would be, i.e. that he wasn't going to get rid of the Romans, their enthusiasm died. In fact, five days later the very same people who greeted Jesus with shouts of “Hosanna” screamed for his death with cries of “Crucify Him!” Palm Sunday Services at Good Shepherd will be held at 8:00am and 10:30am as usual . They will begin with the blessing of the Palms. Then the blessed palms will be passed out to everyone in the congregation and we'll process into the church like Jesus' processed into Jerusalem (except for the donkey). During the service The Passion will be read and narrated.

OPERATIONAL PAUSE 2: Okay this week we go into full pause mode. If you'd like to continue meeting together, please do so with our blessing, but with all of the work during holy week Anne and I may or may not be able to join you.

NEXT WEEK'S UPDATE: In keeping with the news above, there won't probably be an update next week. Instead I'll be distributing news as it happens, just like on TV…except that it's not.

WEDNESDAY'S IN LENT: This coming Wednesday is the last Wednesday Eucharist. I am very proud of Anne+ for committing to this Lenten service as pregnant and exhausted as she is. Maybe there will be an extra gold star in her crown when she gets to heaven J . This week lunch starts at 12:30pm and Communion at 1:00pm.

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. We're at the END of March. Have you shared your faith?

2 nd Notice SOLEMN/FIRST COMMUNION: Many of the kids have asked about going through the first communion program again this year. And, since we have some new kids who will be going through it for the first time, we are opening the program to all…even those who've been through already.

Solemn Communion will begin on Tuesday May 2nd and meet every Tuesday at 6:30pm at the rectory until the weekend of June 3rd (the retreat weekend). Let Anne know if you'd like to help or sign your child up. Thank you.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS SUNDAY: The next Family and Friends Sunday will be May 21st, so start thinking and praying now about someone else to invite.

WHAT IS THE CHURCH? ADULT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION SERIES: This week we'll sum up and complete our discussion of the vision, mission, and goals of the church of the Good Shepherd. From now on you can expect a lot more communication about what we are doing and where we are going as a church in keeping with the biblical purposes and priorities we've discovered in our study. The hope is that you will take ownership of the vision and mission and take an active role in bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the South Side of Binghamton.

Also I'm excited to announce our new series that will start the Sunday after Easter (the 23 rd of April).

The new series will be called “Christianity and the Hard Questions”

We'll discuss questions like: Why does God allow evil to exist? What about those other books that didn't make it into the bible like the “Gospel of Thomas” and the “Gospel of Mary”? Does the Da Vince Code have any truth to it? Wasn't the bible written by human beings…how can Christians say it is the Word of God? Does Satan really exist and are there such things as demons?…and many more perplexing questions of faith.

I hope you will join me for this new series and invite your friends who may be questioning as well. "Christianity and the Hard Questions" will last throughout the summer.

EASTER SUNDAY: On Easter Sunday I'll be presenting a special one time only Adult education class on the resurrection. All four gospels claim that Jesus rose from the dead in the flesh. But some modern critics dismiss the biblical account. How can we answer these critics and demonstrate the historical validity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Come to Adult Education on Sunday Morning and find out! Invite your friends.

NEW RESOURCE FOR INFORMATION ON THE ANGLICAN CRISIS: If your looking for a complete and handy resource for understanding the current crisis in American Anglicanism , this PDF file put out by the American Anglican Council is superb. I heartily recommend it.

Second Notice to NEW BEGINNERS: just a reminder that after Easter we'll begin a grand Summary of the course and begin the process of morphing New Beginners into First light. This is all just to give you a heads up, and to let those who may want to join the next New Beginners class know that one will likely be starting up in the fall. If you have no knowledge of the bible and would like to gain some, this is the class for you. Let me know and I'll sign you up for the next course.

INFORMATION NEEDED FOR PARISH DIRECTORY: If you are a new member or your contact information has changed and you would like to be on the parish address/phone list, please write down your information and either give it to Anne or drop it in the offering plate on Sunday.

RESOURCE RECOMMENDATION: Last week I recommended the online Christian magazine and resource Christianity Today (CT). This week I'm recommending a resource from the same online magazine that deals specifically with the claims of Ron Brown, author of the Da Vince Code. No doubt you have heard some say that the Da Vince Code is “just a novel”. The problem is that it claims to be “historical” fiction. In other words, the storyline is fiction, but Mr. Brown claims the setting of his story is historical fact. This collection of articles from Christianity Today effectively debunks with the claims of the Da Vince Code and points you to some resources to gain a deeper understanding of Church history so that you can help those who might be blinded by the hype and publicity.

EASTER FLOWERS: Cookie Finch wanted me to let you know that the forms for donating Easter memorial flowers are stacked near the Sanctuary front door.

Good News for the Week
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:4-10)

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

Daily Schedule for the week of Sunday April 9th , 2006

Monday:
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer

Tuesday
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
The Tuesday bible studies are taking a break until Tuesday April 25th

Wednesday
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
12:30 p.m. Lunch and Lenten Eucharist

7:00 p.m. Tenebrae

MAUNDY THURSDAY
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
5:30 p.m. Shepherd's Bowl/Pot Luck Supper

7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday Worship (foot washing)

GOOD FRIDAY
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer

noon Good Friday Worship Service

5:00 p.m. Mel Gibson's The Passion will be shown in the library

7:30 p.m. Good Friday Worship Service followed by the Stations of the Cross.

HOLY SATURDAY
8:00 p.m. The Great Vigil of Easter

EASTER SUNDAY
8:00 a.m. Holy Communion II and Sermon
9:15-10:15 a.m. Evidence for the Resurrection
10:30 am Holy Communion II, Music and Sermon