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,
Good
Morning,
This is Anne writing today. This is a busy weekend--Full
round of Bible Studies and Worship, plus a Wedding
on Saturday. Please read all the announcements carefully
so as not to miss anything.
God Bless,
Anne
UPDATE
CONTENTS
BAPTISM
CHOIR
REMINDER
WEDDING
WHILE
WE'RE GONE
CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION WHILE WE"RE AWAY
HERESIES
AND CULTS THIS SUNDAY
SENIOR
HIGH SUNDAY SCHOOL
ELEMENTARY
AND MIDDLE SCHOOL
BIBLE
STUDIES
MICAH
TOWERY
GOOD SHEPHERD LISTSERVE
REMINDER: SUMMER ICE-CREAM SOCIAL
GREAT JOB KEEP IT UP!: SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER GROUP
NEWS
BAPTISM:
There will most likely be a baptism this Sunday....I say
most likely because baptismal counselling may not be completed
by Sunday. But if it is, then there will be a baptism of
a number of people. The scriptures teach that all Christians
must be baptized. Baptism is a public proffession of faith
in Jesus Christ. It is, as has been said, an outward and
visible sign of an inward and invisible grace. To be baptized
is to be initiated into the visible Church. Baptism does
not confer salvation, Christ does. And he does it through
the instrument of faith alone. But baptism is the divinely
instituted sacrament that both points to the justification
and cleansing that comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone
and initiates and incorporates new members of the visible
Body by sealing them with the sign of Christ's ownership.
It is a wonderfully joyous occassion. I will update you
as to whether the Baptism will take place so you will be
ready to help celebrate if necessary.
CHOIR REMINDER : Just a reminder that the
choir continues on hiatus until September. If you would
like to be involved in Summer Music or assist Micah and
Chris in anyway, please don't hesitate to call (723-8032).
WEDDING THIS SATURDAY: A young couple,
new to the church, will be getting married this Saturday
at 4pm --Melissa and Oz. You might have seen their beautiful
baby, Mackenzie, last Sunday. please welcome them when you
see them and pray for them as they begin their new life
together.
WHILE WE ARE GONE : That's right, we are,
after about 2 years, taking a little bit of a vacation.
We're not sure exactly when we'll be leaving next week,
but we will be gone for three Sundays. This much needed
R&R for us is NOT and opportunity for you all to skip
church without us knowing (certainly, God knows everything,
and it matters to Him most whether you come or not). We
are busy lining up supply clergy, excellent worship experiences
and other fun things, so please plan to come. See
below for details about Sunday School.
There
will be Communion offered at every service from the reserved
sacraments. There will be a priest, Fr. Bill Day,
to celebrate Communion at both services on Sunday August
5th
Please
be there to show hospitality and welcome to our guest preachers
and Fr. Day.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION While
we're gone/ (Adult): Father Matt has lined
up an excellent interactive video series called
'Faith Under Fire' done by a well known theologian and
apologist, Lee Stroble. Chris Jones will be leading the
interactive parts--the discussion etc. The topics include
The Resurrection, Christianity versus Islam and other Religions,
and....................If you'd like to brush up before
the class starts, you can check our Lee Stroble's excellent
book, 'A Case for Christ'.
ADULT
EDUCATION SERIES: HERESIES
AND CULTS: This week we will wrap
up our discussin of mormonism.
If you have not already, you might want to take a look at
the following Church of Latter Day Saints (the official
name of the Mormon Church) website:
http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg
It is always best to begin studying a belief system by reading
what the adherents themselves write.
This
week we'll focus on Mormon practices and some ways to speak
with people caught up in the Mormon faith.
After
I return from vacation we'll take up the ancient heresy
of Arianism:
You
can read about that here:
http://mb-soft.com/believe/txo/arianism.htm
In
the mean time, as we said, there is an exciting series produced
by Lee Strobel that will be led by Chris Jones.
SENIOR HIGH SUNDAY SCHOOL: will continue
with Micah as it has done the last few weeks. All you tired
Sr. High, get a cup of coffee on your way up to the library,
or Micah will wake you up when you get there!
ELEMENTARY and MIDDLE SCHOOL CATECHESIS: The
rest of Good Shepherd's youth community also will be having
Sunday School as usual. The older ones will continue work
on their boxes (the topics for while I'm gone are: Communion,
The Good Shepherd and The True Vine) and will be more than
able to say their verses to Mrs. Osgood and the other people
filling in. The little ones also will continue work on their
boxes and hear a story and learn a song. REMEMBER,
if you bring a friend, you get a prize.
BIBLE STUDIES: After the Men's and Women's
Bible Studies this Friday and Saturday, most of
the bible studies will be on a three week Hiatus
until we get back. Please
do continue to study and read during this time. Remember,
reading God's Word, studying it, praying through it, meditating
on it, is “rest.” It is nourishment and encouragement and
comfort. So there is never a need to take a break from your
personal daily habit of bible study and prayer. We'll
pick back up after our vacation, hopefully rejuvenated and
ready to go. THE Friday Morning Men's Breakfast
will continue throughout the time we are gone. I believe
Tom Douglas cooks next Friday.
MICAH TOWERY: Congratulations all around!
The Vestry and Micah have entered into a firm and fixed
contract, that Micah, for this coming year, will provide
and organize the Music of Good Shepherd, and develop, implement
and lead a new Youth Ministry. This has long been prayed
for, both by me and Matt, but also by everyone with kids
at Good Shepherd. We're so grateful to God for bringing
Micah to us, for calling him and equipping him to do this
ministry, and for providing the means to hire him. We look
forward to all he is going to do in the months ahead. If
you would like to assist him in anyway (these are both Big
Jobs), please call the church office (723-8032). I am sure
he will also be making his email available shortly. Praise
God!
GOOD SHEPHERD LISTSERVE: I want to again
encourage you to join the Good Shepherd list-serve. A list-serve
is a discussion forum that is generally carried forward
by email. Someone will open a topic by sending an article
or by posing a question to the list. All others subscribed
to the list recieve that article or question by email and
have the opportunity to address the topic and participate
in the general discussion simply by replying to the message.
Your response will automatically be sent to all who are
subscribed to the list.
Isaac Njuko, one of our newer members, hit on the idea of
setting up the list-serve for Good Shepherd after Christian
education one Sunday. He thought it would be a good way
to continue the interesting discussions we have there throughout
the week and a good way pare ourselves for future Christian
ed topic.
If you would like to be included on the discussion list,
please follow this link to subscribe:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/COT_GoodShepherd/join
I
will be participating quite a bit on the list-serve during
my vacation. So if you have any questions about God, theology,
scripture, Christian living, this is a great place to join
and ask.
ICE-CREAM SOCIAL.
DON'T FORGET.
We’re looking at Friday evening August 24th for the
Ice Cream social. It will be outside and there will be music
and hopefully lots of people milling about. The purpose
of this event is both fellowship and evangelism. So, be
sure to invite your friends.
THANK YOU TO THE SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER GROUP: Please
continue to meet and pray while we're gone. God's power
works through your prayers. The results of your prayers
in our worship, fellowship, teaching and preaching are evident
and clear. We are enjoying a period of prosperity and growth...during
the summer. This is unheard of and can only be attributed
to the hand of God working through your prayers.
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 Jonah obeyed
the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was
a very important city—a visit required three days. 4 On
the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed:
"Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." 5 The
Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of
them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.6
When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from
his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with
sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 Then he issued a proclamation
in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his
nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste
anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let man and
beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently
on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.
9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn
from his fierce anger so that we will not perish." 10 When
God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil
ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the
destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3:3-10)
Don't
forget to....BRING A FRIEND TO CHURCH!
Daily Schedule for the week of Sunday July 22nd, 2007
Monday:
pastor's day off
Tuesday
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
9:00 a.m. Tuesday Morning Bible Study
on break until mid-August
6:00 p.m. First Light Bible Study on
break until mid-August
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 On
break until mid-august
Friday
6:30 a.m. Men's Breakfast/Bible Study (still
going)
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
Pastor's sermon prep day
Saturday:
10:00 a.m. Women's Bible Study On
break until mid-August
4:30
p.m. Hebrew Class
Sunday
July 29th, 2007 SUNDAY
MORNING WORSHIP (SEASON OF PENTECOST)
8:00am
Morning Prayer: Guest Preacher and Sermon
9:15-10:15
a.m. Christian Education for All Ages
10:15-10:30
a.m. Prayer in the Library
11:00am
Morning Prayer: Guest Preacher, music, and sermon
God bless you all
In Christ,
Matt+
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