Good Shepherd Update Thursday, January 5th, 2012
Dear Good Shepherd,
Happy New Year! I hope you all are staying warm this week. Here’s your Update!
-Matt T
In this Update:
1. “De-Greening” the Church
2. Potluck Soup Lunch
3. Annual Meeting
4. “Prayer Shawl
5. Food Pantry needs
6. “ICE” - In Case of Emergency
7. Coffee Hour
8. ACW meeting
9. This Week in Christian Education
10. Bible Studies and Mission Groups
11. Discussion Questions
This Sunday, January 8, we will be taking down all of the Christmas decorations and carefully packing them up for next year. Please help us out with this task and then join us for a potluck lunch afterwards.
Pot luck soup lunch: Sunday after the 10:30 service we will have a super soup lunch with a prize for the most favored soup(s) of the day. So bring a soup, salad, bread, rolls or dessert and enjoy lunch together before helping with the un-greening of the church. If you are at church between now and Sunday sign up for what you plan to bring on the sign up sheets downstairs so we know if we need to can fill in any gaps or call Virginia Wetherbee at 748-3577 or e-mail her at timvaweth@juno.com. to let her know what you plan to bring.
The Annual Meeting will be held January 15th. We will be electing new Vestry members, voting on some constitutional changes, reviewing what God has done at Good Shepherd in 2011 and discussing what lies ahead for us in 2012. Please plan on attending. If you lead a ministry, please send in a one paragraph report to Andrea as soon as possible. These reports should include descriptions of what your ministries have accomplished this year and challenges you see in the year ahead. The reports will be included in the Annual Meeting update that will be distributed at the meeting.
The Prayer Shawl Ministry will be having a meeting on Saturday, January 21st. If you have any questions, see Julie Liddle.
My thanks to all of you who have donated to our Food Pantry recently. Your generosity is greatly appreciated! However there is still a need of the following items: Rice, cookies, sugar-free items, peanut butter, spaghetti sauce, fruit & fruit juice, cooking oil, powdered milk, healthy snacks, coffee, tea, cocoa, toilet paper, toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo & conditioner, feminine products, dish soap, laundry detergent, cleaning products, paper towels, napkins, and tissues. Here’s hoping that everyone of you have the happiest of New Years! God Bless you always - CJ Johnson
I.C.E. - In Case of Emergency: On your cellphone, there is an option to list contacts as “ICE” contacts (or “In Case of Emergency” contacts.) This is an important feature on your phone because, in the event of an emergency, those that you list as ICE contacts can give valuable information to EMTs, police, etc. like your medical history and allergies if you are unable to do so. Make sure that you are using this feature, and that your loved ones know about any important medical information in the event that you are in an accident.
Coffee Hour: Thanks to all of those who have helped with coffee hour in the last year. It is an important part of our Sunday morning worship and fellowship time. Please plan on doing your part in the new year by signing up to host a 2012 coffee hour. We need 2-4 families each time to help out with planning the snack, serving and cleaning up so there is a job for each of you to do. The church can help with financial assistance to cover costs for the snacks if you need it. Please sign up for this ministry or speak with Kay Seaman or Virginia Wetherbee for more information.
Anglican Church Women (ACW) have their first meeting of 2012 on Saturday, January 14, 2012. Everyone is invited. We will discussing events for the new year. A potluck lunch will follow, but you don’t need to bring a dish to join us!
Last week’s sermon: preached by Anne entitled, “At the Name of Jesus…”, can be read, heard, or downloaded here.
This week’s sermon: We’ll pick up our series on Jonah in Jonah chapter 3, so please take some time to read it in advance.
This Week in Christian Education This Sunday we will pick up where we left off in Tim Keller’s “Reason for God.” See you there!
Mission Groups: (all mission groups meet in homes and in keeping with our Sunday morning sermon series. You are invited to join the one nearest you.
* Mondays at 6:30pm Lee and Jane Bronson’s Mission Group meets at Darrell and Carolyn Dean’s house at 19 Newton Street in Port Dickinson.
* Tuesdays at 6:00pm Ife’s Mission Group meets at Carrie Moorhead’s house at 5 Hancock Street in Binghamton.
* Wednesdays at 7:00pm Joe Kovac’s Mission Group meets at 108 Allen Street in Johnson City.
* Wednesdays 7pm Bill Woollet’s group meets at Mary Lindsey’s House, 41 Hayes Street in Southeast Binghamton (near the present church.)
Bible Studies (all bible studies meet at the church in the parish hall and each study takes one book at a time and studies verse by verse)
1. Tuesday Morning Bible Study: Tuesdays at 9:00am—presently studying Hosea
2. Thursday Evening Bible Study (for beginners): Thursdays at 6:30pm—presently studying the Book of Acts
3. Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study: Fridays at 6:30am—presently studying the book of Acts. R. Shaller and Darrell are scheduled to cook.
4. Women’s Bible Study: Saturdays at 10:00am—presently studying Revelations
Discussion Questions:
Text: Luke 2:8-21
1. (v.8) It is important to note that shepherds were marginalized from the people and were unable to leave the flock for any reason. Yet, they are the ones visited by the angels and heavenly hosts. Why is their status (or occupation) as shepherds important to the account?
2. (v.13-16) Considering the unusual circumstances, why would the shepherds be excited and eager to find Mary, Joseph and Jesus?
3. Why are people likened to sheep throughout the Bible? How do we act like them? How are our needs similar to theirs?
4. (v.19) Mary treasures the circumstances of her child’s birth and the visiting of the shepherds. Why would she treasure the arrival of strangers to visit her child?
5. (v.20) After visiting, it is implied that the shepherds are deeply moved by their experience with the newborn. So much so, that they praise and glory Jesus by telling others about their encounter with the Savior. How should the shepherds’ experience be similar to ours when we first realize who Jesus truly is?
6. The humility of Christ is a standard for all of us to aim for. Jesus – God incarnate – is born to a poor couple and born in a barn. His birth is only the beginning of Jesus’ humble upbringing and teaching in comparison to the Father. How does the humility of Christ’s life differ than our own?
7. How have you grown or what have you discovered spiritually during this advent (Christmas) season? Has God been speaking to you personally? Share some of your thoughts regarding advent/Christmas this year
Have an item for the Update? Email Matt at matthew.j.tuttle@gmail.com by Monday night.
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