Good Shepherd Update Thursday July 15th, 2010

Dear Good Shepherd,

Since I’ve been spinning my wheels all week cleaning out cupboards and picking up gallons of spilled Cheerios, Matt volunteered to clean and vacuum the house if we all came over here and did the update. We’re quietly wrecking the office for the morning and playing Little House on the Prairie.

We’re in the midst of a highly successful week of Grayson Mirtzi’s Detective School (VBS), with between 40 and 50 kids in attendance each night. The program is running so smoothly and has been so much fun that many children have brought friends on subsequent nights. Thank you to everyone who has been praying through the week and to everyone who has helped in anyway, big and small. I personally am thrilled with how many children have come, how integrated the Gospel is to every aspect of the program, and how carefully thought through everything is from the kitchen, to the games, the story time, puzzles, to how the details of how the children move from station to station. Its so well organized and fun that basically, as a “floater”, I stand around and drink coffee.

Check out the whole update and see you on Sunday!

- Anne

Acolyte Make-Up Practice: There will be a make up practice THIS Sunday, July 18th, for the seven-or-so acolytes who could not make it two Sundays ago.

Good Shepherd Needs Two More Leaders: I am very pleased to say that Jason Delancy stepped forward this week to be Evangelism Coordinator for Good Shepherd. Jason has a deep love and knowledge of the Scriptures and a desire to communicate the saving love of Jesus to just about everyone he meets. Matt and I have every confidence in his understanding of the Gospel, his enthusiasm, and his ability to clearly communicate with those around him. You will be seeing and hearing more from him in the coming weeks.

We are still praying for a Social Outreach Coordinator and Hospitality/Integration Coordinator.

Parish Pantry: The parish pantry has been a great blessing to the church thus far. Many many have been bringing what they can to keep it well stocked, and many have been able to take what they need. We would like, at this point, one person who could keep an eye on the shelves and maintain a running list of what is particularly needed. We are not interested in monitoring who is taking what and how much—(interlude from Matt) in fact the pantry is there for the purpose of allowing people to take whatever they need whenever they need it so monitoring who is taking what and how much is not something that we want anyone to be doing—but rather making it easy to see what is needed for those who wish to contribute. If you like those quiet out of the way jobs this might be the ministry for you! Pray about it and let us know if you’re interested.

Thursday Night Bible Study: There will be Bible study tonight after the Shepherd’s Bowl at 6:30pm. We’re in the Gospel of John chapter 10. All are invited.

Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study: The Men’s Bible Study meets at 6:30am every Friday morning for breakfast and discussion. We will continue in chapter 2 of Revelations. Tom and Brian are cooking.

Women’s Bible Study: (from Carmen) We will continue our study of Isaiah on Saturday at 10AM. Welcome!

Tuesday Morning Bible Study. This is Good Shepherd’s first Bible study. It began 8 years ago and all the other Bible studies grew out of it. This study is led by Chris Vail. It meets every Tuesday morning at 9:00am in the parish hall. Currently this group is working through Acts in an effort to piece together Paul’s missionary journeys before turning to his Letter to the Romans. Ultimately, this group will work through all of the New Testament epistles and letters. All are welcome!

First Light Bible Study: This group meets every Tuesday evening at 6:30pm and is designed for intermediate and advanced students of Scripture. The group takes the time necessary to delve as deeply as possible into the text, learning the art and science of biblical exegesis. Ife Ojetayo leads the group which is currently working its through Acts. All are welcome.

Team Ephesians: is up this week. Ife Ojetayo is captain.

Red Cross Blood Drive--(from Carmen) August 5th 1:30-6:30PM we will again welcome the Red Cross Donor Van to our church. If you are eligible to donate blood, please consider giving this gift of life. Look for a sign-up sheet in the Parish Hall or call the church (607-723-8032) to set up an appointment.

10 Reasons to Give Blood (Red Cross):

10—You get to eat sweets for free.
9—You’ll weigh less - one pint less than when you came in.
8—It’s easy and convenient.
7—It’s something you can spare—-most people have blood to spare…yet there is still not enough to go around.
6—Nobody can ask you to do any heavy lifting as long as you have the bandage on.  You can wear it as long as you like. It is your badge of honor.
5—You will walk a little taller. You will feel good about yourself.
4—You’ll be helping to ensure that blood is there when you or someone you know needs it. (At least one member of our parish requires regular blood transfusions.)
3—It’s something you can do on an equal footing with the rich and famous—blood is something that money cannot buy. And there is no substitute for it.
2—You’ll be someone’s hero—you may give a newborn, a child, a mother or a father, a brother or a sister another chance at life. In fact, you may help to save up to three lives in one donation.
And the number one reason to give blood…by the time you’ve finished reading this list, at least three people will need blood.

Mark Your Calendar: On August 14, there will be a chicken barbeque, flea market, and school supplies giveaway! The flea market will have no clothes, but will have utensils, games, pots and pans, and many other good items.

ACW Lunch Out: Please join us for a pleasant and fun lunch at Cortese on Saturday, July 24. We will met at the Church at 11:30 to carpool! Reservations will be made and separate checks will asked for. Please let Kay Seaman or Pat Chaney if you are attending. Everyone is welcome.

Changes in the Liturgy: For the summer, we’ll be rotating through three different Communion Prayers—a different one each month. The one we have been using, Prayer A, is great and will be a part of the rotation, but the Anglican tradition is a rich and varied one with so many different and good liturgies. So we’ll add Prayer D to our worship, which you can find on page 372 of the Book of Common Prayer, and the Kenyan rite, which can be found in the Kenyan prayerbooks that are all over the place throughout the church…but all three of these liturgies will be printed in the bulletin, too.

Last Sunday’s sermon, “The Good Samaritan,” by Ife, has not yet been posted at the website. Matt is still working on the video.

This Sunday’s Sermon: Matt will be preaching on the account of Jesus’ stay with Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (ESV)

Adult Christian Education: The Thirty Nine Articles: This week we’ll continue discussing the uniquely Protestant and Anglican Articles. Article Six deals with the sufficiency of the bible and the number of books in the bible. If you are wondering why Protestants do not have as many books as Roman Catholics do in their bibles, we’ll talk about why. Article 7 deals with the Old Testament and the levitical law. So why do we keep some of the commands of the Old Testament and not others? What on earth gives us the right to make that distinction. Is there any biblical reason for it? We’ll discuss these questions and more on Sunday between services at 9:15 am in the parish hall. Here are Articles 6 and 7

VI. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation.
Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.
Of the Names and Number of the Canonical Books:

Genesis, The First Book of Samuel, The Book of Esther,
Exodus, The Second Book of Samuel, The Book of Job,
Leviticus, The First Book of Kings, The Psalms,
Numbers, The Second Book of Kings, The Proverbs,
Deuteronomy, The First Book of Chronicles, Ecclesiastes or Preacher,
Joshua, The Second Book of Chronicles, Cantica, or Songs of Solomon,
Judges, The First Book of Esdras, Four Prophets the greater,
Ruth, The Second Book of Esdras, Twelve Prophets the less.

And the other Books (as Hierome saith) the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners; but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine; such are these following:

The Third Book of Esdras, The rest of the Book of Esther,
The Fourth Book of Esdras, The Book of Wisdom,
The Book of Tobias, Jesus the Son of Sirach,
The Book of Judith, Baruch the Prophet,
The Song of the Three Children, The Prayer of Manasses,
The Story of Susanna, The First Book of Maccabees,
Of Bel and the Dragon, The Second Book of Maccabees.

All the Books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive, and account them Canonical.

VII. Of the Old Testament.
The Old Testament is not contrary to the New: for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to Mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and Man, being both God and Man. Wherefore they are not to be heard, which feign that the old Fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the Law given from God by Moses, as touching Ceremonies and Rites, do not bind Christian men, nor the Civil precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any commonwealth; yet notwithstanding, no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the Commandments which are called Moral.

Correction: Last week I wrote that the first five Articles of the 39 Articles are called “catholic” articles because they are held universally by Protestants and Roman Catholics. However, that title can be misleading because it leaves out the fact that there is some dispute about Article 5 “Of the Holy Spirit” between eastern Orthodox churches on the one hand and the Protestant and Roman Catholic churches on the other.  The controversy over the “filioque” clause which adds “and the Son” to the line in the Nicene Creed describing the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son”. The east objects to the inclusion of the filioque for reasons that are described here. So while the first five are commonly described as “catholic”, technically, “catholic” is not a good descriptive for the first 5 Articles since they are not, in fact, held “universally”.

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