| Weekly
Article
A
Year of Growth
Weekly
Article 12/09/05
by
the Rev. Matt Kennedy
Church
of the Good Shepherd
This
week I wanted to take a bit of a break from theological subjects
and give thanks for the blessings of the year. The following
is excerpted and edited from the Stewardship letters we recently
mailed, but it contained some great news I wanted to share
on the website as well.
Anne
and I along with the entire vestry have been so very encouraged
and thankful for the way you have stepped forward to support
the mission of Good Shepherd through your hands-on hard work;
through your fantastic participation in worship, Christian
education, and bible study; through your prayers; and through
your monetary gifts to the victims of the Tsunami, Hurricanes,
and the Shepherd's Bowl.
Thanks
be to God, we have again seen some wonderful increases and
blessings this year. Take a look at just some of them:
- We welcomed
ten new members, most of whom invited Jesus Christ into
their lives for the first time right here at Good Shepherd.
- The Shepherd's
Bowl now regularly feeds 30
to 40 hungry people each week.
- There
are now five well-attended bible studies each week on top
of the classes offered during our well attended Sunday Morning
Christian education hour.
- Including
all five studies and the various Christian education programs
74% of our active membership now attends a study/fellowship
group on a weekly basis.
- Our average
Sunday attendance is higher than last year, our pledge base
has expanded, our faith has grown deeper.
Good
Shepherd is called to 1. spread the saving message of Jesus
Christ to as many people as possible, 2. raise up and train
believing disciples through teaching, worship, and fellowship,
and to 3. feed the hungry on the south-side.
This
year, I am very happy to report that by the grace and power
of God,
the
mission of Good Shepherd is being fulfilled. The lost are
finding Jesus Christ, the hungry are being fed, believers
are being deepened, strengthened, and nourished.
There
is, of course, more work to do. There are, as you might notice,
plenty of empty pews. There are lots of people outside our
walls hungry for food and hungry for Jesus Christ. There will
never be a time prior to the second coming when a disciple
of Jesus Christ can truthfully say the race is finished.
But
while still far from the finish line, we have progressed far
and well this year and for that we can all be thankful.
Praise
be to the Lord.
Matt+
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