Good Shepherd Weekly Update, November 25, 2023

Mission Opportunities with Community Health Evangelism (CHE), Nicaragua Join a mission with difference: CHE is a Christian, community-led, Wholistic development ministry – the spiritual and the practical go hand in hand. Join the team going to Nicaragua, February 1st, 2024. There are 4 places left on this team. If you are interested in serving a Children’s CHE program, or doing a sewing project, in a small Nicaraguan village, contact Anne Thompson, thompam02@gmail.com. You will be working with the national and local Children’s CHE leaders, learning about their community, and getting to know the children and their parents. You will enjoy your time with the children doing crafts, skits, related to Scripture, playing games, and having fun. Other members of the team will be working on sewing projects with women and local CHE leaders. You will spend time with the national training team, and learn how CHE participatory learning helps community members study the Bible, define community needs and goals, and determine what resources the community already contains. You don’t speak Spanish? Don’t worry – there will be translators! Come with us!

December 17 Christmas Concert with Brio Vocal Ensemble and Friends! Celebrate the birth of our Savior with music: choral anthems and instrumental pieces, plus congregational carol singing! The concert takes place at 3 p.m. at Endwell United Methodist Church, 3301 Watson Boulevard, Endwell. Free will offering.

Christmas Schedule

December 10

12:30pm Greening of the church

1:00pm Potluck (theme: Holiday Favorites)

December 16

10-3pm St. Nick Fair

December 17

12:30pm Christmas pageant dress rehearsal

December 24 

11:00am Holy Eucharist service, no Christian Education, or Sunday School.

5:00-7:00pm Christmas Pageant

December 25

11:00am Holy Eucharist

Morning prayer, and all bible studies will break on December 22. All bible studies will resume on Jan 2.

Good Shepherd Food Pantry Needs The food pantry is running low on food.  If you are able to grab a few items to help stock the pantry, it would be very helpful and a great way to bless others in need.

This week we could especially use: 

• Noodles and Pasta
• Spaghetti Sauce
• Instant potatoes
• Canned fruit
• Canned Ravioli/meals etc.

2024 Church Directory Info

We are updating our church directory for next year.

If you:

1) would like to have your picture in the directory,

2) have updated information for the directory,

3) and/or would like a hardcopy of the new directory

please email Jonathan at jg.arrowhead@gmail.com.

St. Nicholas Fair The St. Nicholas Fair was such fun last year that we decided to do it all over again this year!  This year, all proceeds will go directly toward funding the purchase of health insurance for the teachers and staff of the Mchungaji Mwema Preschool in Kuwinda.  Please join us on December 16^th for good food, music, shopping, and more to benefit this worthy cause.

Please see Angel Groves for more information, or to find out how you can be involved.

Sunday Worship and Holy Eucharist

The 8am service This service includes readings from the Bible, a sermon, offering, confession, and communion. There is no music during this service. The 8am service is not currently being live-streamed.

The 10:30am service This is a full traditional Anglican Holy Eucharist service, including readings from the Bible, music, a sermon, confession, and communion.  This service is available for livestream on our Facebook page.  You can download a PDF copy of this week’s service bulletin here.

This Sunday’s lectionary readings are: Ezekiel 34:11-20, Psalm 95, Acts 14:8-18, and Matthew 25:31-46.

You’ll also notice that there are links in the offertory section to take you out to two different means of giving electronically. You can give online through Breeze or you can text a donation through Breeze at 607-882-6551. Good Shepherd also has a PayPal account. As always, thank you for your great generosity and kind support.

Catching Up…

Last Sunday’s Sermon Last Sunday, Jon preached on Acts 14:1-7. You can listen to “They Remained for a Long Time” here.

You can catch up on older sermons here.

Christian Education This Sunday we continued our seven week Christian Education series called ‘Marriage, Family, and Other Animals’.

“While we’ll discuss marriage and children a great deal, we’ll also address singleness (wanted or unwanted). In fact we’ve found over the years that everything we tell couples about communication and fighting fairly and basically relating to each other without committing murder applies to every other kind of relationship too. Also, since God so often uses marriage and family as figures for his own character and the way he relates to his people and even within himself, thinking about marriage and family is one way to deepen your understanding of who God is. If you cannot be there in person we’ll be livestreaming from the Good Shepherd Facebook page.”

You can catch that class here.

You can find previous classes here.

Tuesday Morning Bible Study was on vacation this past week. You can find previous classes here.

Preventing Grace Anne and Matt’s Podcast took a break this last week but you can catch up on older episodes here.

The Cranmer Fellows Podcast (CFP) explores pastoral ministry and theology from an Anglican perspective. CFP is a project that Jon and Matt have undertaken in order to 1) encapsulate the pastoral training Matt has given men over the years into an accessible resource and 2) serve as a door to, we pray, a future program to train more people for ministry. Though geared toward the pastor, ministry leader, and pastor-in-training, what Jon and Matt talk about is applicable to all Christians!

Here is a link where you can listen to previous episodes. https://anchor.fm/thecranmerfellowspodcast.

You can subscribe to CFP on all major platforms.

Ongoing Ministries 

Intercessor Ministry Good Shepherd has resumed offering Prayer on the side altar during Communion. On any given Sunday, you may notice a person standing at the side altar rail as you come forward to receive the bread and wine.  That person is part of the Prayer Ministry, people trained to pray for any anxieties or troubles you may have.  If you would like prayer for any reason, please feel free to stop as you pass.

Audio-Video Team Are you a technologically capable person who would like to serve the church with your gifts?  Good Shepherd is adding a volunteer team to run sound and the livestream for the 10:30 Sunday service. If this is a ministry that interests you, please reach out to Micah.

Morning Prayer This group meets online by Zoom at 7am Monday through Friday.  The liturgy and readings are available each day at www.dailyoffice2019.com. Join the parish email list and look for a weekly email invitation in your inbox.

Tuesday Morning Bible Study meets at 9:05am to walk through different books of the bible, verse by verse.  Taught by a member of the pastoral staff in the main room of the parish hall.  This class is currently studying 1 Samuel, and can be viewed in person or online each week by livestream.

Home Groups Home Groups exist to glorify God and build up the church through weekly gatherings where members of Good Shepherd and non-members alike may come to grow in fellowship and discipleship around God’s word.

Most Home Groups have resumed meeting.  You can find information on locations in the paper update.  Please check with your home group host or leader for more info.

Shepherd’s Bowl Community Dinner Good Shepherd offers a free nutritious meal to the people of Good Shepherd and the wider community on Thursday evenings from 5:30-6:30. If you are able, this is a great time to get to know others and enjoy a free and delicious meal.

Thursday Evening Bible Study This is a great place to connect with others and learn more about what God has to say to us through his word.  The class is taught by The Rev. Jon Groves, and they are studying the gospel of Mark.

Friday Morning Men’s Bible Study Each week men gather at 6:30am to share bible study and prayer time together.  Men of any age are welcome to attend.  If you are interested in learning more about this study, please email Pastor Matt, Jonathan Groves, or contact the church office. This class is currently studying the book of Revelation.

Women’s Bible Study meets at 4:30pm on Friday afternoons in the Parish Hall.  Anne Kennedy teaches this study, and they are currently studying the book of Luke. If you’d like to join by zoom, please join the church email list and look for a link in the weekly update email.

Good Shepherd Youth Group The Good Shepherd Youth Group serves young adults by providing an engaging context for them to grow in:
1) Maturity in doctrine
2) Faithfulness to Christ
3) Service to others

Good Shepherd Food Pantry Did you know that Good Shepherd has a member food pantry?  The pantry is a small room off the kitchen and a small basket in the kitchen freezer.  Everyone is welcome to make use of the church pantry regardless of income.  No questions asked.

The food pantry is a great way to directly (and anonymously) help fellow members by donating shelf stable food and frozen items, farm fresh unwashed eggs, and personal hygiene items.

If you are in need, please feel free to make use of the pantry.  If you’d like more information, please see Jenn Fowler.

Have an item for the Update or Announcements?

send an email to gs.binghamton@gmail.com by Monday evening.

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