Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer

Good Shepherd Weekly Update, December 23, 2023

Christmas Schedule

December 24 

11:00am Holy Eucharist service, no Christian Education, or Sunday School. This service will be livestreamed.

3:30pm Pageant rehearsal and warm up

5:00-7:00pm Christmas Pageant*

December 25

11:00am Holy Eucharist **

*The Christmas pageant will not be livestreamed.

**Christmas Day service will be broadcast as audio only.

All livestreams can be accessed here.

Christmas Rest All of the staff will be taking a much-needed break during the week of Dec 25-30, however the office will remain open.  If you need to contact any of the staff, please call the office and leave a message unless there is an emergency.

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

St. Nick Fair  Thank you to everyone who helped with the planning, set up, and execution of another wonderful St. Nick Fair, and a huge thank you to everyone who donated either their time or talents to make the St. Nicholas Fair a success again this year!

If you donated items to sell at the fair, please check the table next to the white board in the parish hall to collect any items that might not have sold by January 7th.

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

Good Shepherd Food Pantry Needs The food pantry is looking a bit sparse!  We could really use donations of the following items:

Spaghetti sauce
Peanut butter
Canned meat (spam, Vienna Sausages, chicken, corned beef etc.)
Ravioli & canned meals
Cereal & instant oatmeal

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.

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: 2 Samuel 7:1-17, Psalm 132: 8-19, Romans 16:25-27, and Luke 1:26-38.

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, Matt preached on John 3:22-30. You can listen to “The Friend of the Bridegroom” here.

You can catch up on older sermons here.

Christian Education This Sunday Matt led a discussion about the Magnificat and Zechariah’s song, both of which are located in Luke 1.

You can catch that class here.

You can find previous classes here.

Tuesday Morning Bible Study continued their study in 1 Samuel. You can access that recording here.

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.

Daily Lectionary, Year I 60 Day Psalter Cycle
Monday December 25Psalm 45
Isa 11.1-10      
Matt 1.18-end
Tuesday December 26Psalm 137
Neh 9.38-ch. 10
John 18.28-end
Wednesday December 27Psalm 139
Neh 11
John 19.1-16a
Thursday December 28Psalm 141-142
Neh 12
John 19.16b-end
Friday December 29Psalm 144
Neh 13
John 20.1-18
Saturday December 30Psalm 146
Mal 1.1-2.16   
John 20.19-end
Sunday December 31Psalm 148
Mal 2.17-ch. 4
John 21
Serving at Good Shepherd December 24, 2023Serving at Good Shepherd December 31, 2023
11am Service
Celebrant: Matt Kennedy
Preacher: Jonathan Groves
Deacon: Warren Musselman
Reader: Scott Pineau
Intercessor: sub
Crucifer: Rowan Kennedy
Acolytes: Elinor Kennedy, Ellie Pineau
Usher: Terry Ray, Ben Manwaring
Tellers: Don Dean, sub
Altar Guild: Christine Osgood (Gold)
Nursery: Team 2: Jaime, Murielle
Shepherds Bowl: Jonathan Groves with Team 4

Christmas Pageant
Celebrant: Matt Kennedy
Preacher: Matt Kennedy
Supporting Clergy: Jonathan Groves
Deacon: Warren Musselman
Intercessor: Jenn Fowler
Crucifer:
Acolytes: Annabeth Hull, Sophia Lane
Usher: Fred Urda, Ben Murphy
8:00am Service
Celebrant: Jonathan Groves
Preacher: Matt Kennedy
Supporting Clergy: Anne Kennedy
Reader: Terry Ray
Usher: Terry Ray
 
10:30 Service
Celebrant: Matt Kennedy
Preacher: Jonathan Groves
Supporting Clergy: Bob Carlson
Reader: Ronnie Murphy
Intercessor: Anne Thompson
Crucifer: Jonah Carlton
Acolytes: Seth Carlton, sub
Usher: Scott Pineau, sub
Tellers: Chris Jones, Bruce Layman
 
Altar Guild: Karen Berman (Gold)
Nursery: Team 3: Sarah, Tal, Silvan
Shepherd’s Bowl: Don Dean with Team 1


The Staff of Church of the Good ShepherdThe Vestry of the Good Shepherd
Rector: Matthew Kennedy
Assistant Rector: Jonathan Groves
Assisting: Anne Kennedy
Director of Operations: Micah Lovell
Director of Music: Michael Berman
Admin. Assistant to Matt Kennedy: Stephanie Warner

Director of Children’s Ministry: Anna Dreher
Janitor: Mr. Mike Roseboom
Senior Warden: Tom Dinnel
Junior Warden: Scott Pineau
Treasurer: Christopher Emmons
Mary Restino
Kariah Manwaring
Christopher Jones
Bill Lane
Sarah Dreher

Have an item for the Update or Announcements?

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

Want more info? Sign up for the email list, and stay current on all things Good Shepherd.