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ADULT CLASS THIS SUNDAY
Here is information from Ellen Dozier about this week's Sunday School class. Both adult classes (DiGG and Intersections) will meet together in the Conference Room beginning at 9:10 a.m.
Ellen Dozier will continue sharing her experiences in El Paso Texas working with Annunciation House to provide short term hospitality for refugees coming from Central American countries to the U.S. Everyone - those who attended the class last week as well as all others - are invited to be a part of this class as we look more deeply at the situation on the southwest border of the U.S. as well as some of the root causes that compel people to leave their homes in Central America.
We will consider how God might be calling us to continue our interest and involvement in this border ministry as well as how we might welcome refugees who come to Brevard/Transylvania County. Come to share your questions and concerns, to listen, to learn, to wonder how God's Spirit might be leading us.
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PENTECOST IS JUNE 9
On Pentecost, we will hold one worship service at 10:30 a.m. Before worship, there will be an inter-generational Sunday School time beginning at 9:10 a.m.
To help with the festivities, we need donations of ribbons: solid colors in red, orange, yellow, gold. Pieces need to be at least 5/8" wide and 12" long. Please bring your ribbon donations to the church office and label "for Jackie Jenkins." The Holy Spirit will appreciate it!
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CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED FOR MEMORIAL DAY
On
Monday, May 27, the church office will be closed in observance of Memorial Day.
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CALL PROCESS
Nominations for Pastoral Candidates
The Call Committee welcomes your suggestion of possible candidates for our next pastor. Only a member of the clergy roster of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America may be nominated. All ELCA pastors, with the exception of our interim pastor, are eligible. The Call Committee will take all nominations seriously and share appropriate names with the office of the bishop. If a nominee is from a synod other than North Carolina, our bishop will obtain clearance from the nominee's synod.
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ANNUAL PICNIC SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 23RD!
The annual LCGS picnic will be held Sunday, June 23 at Lake Atagahi Park in Connestee Falls. Worship services that day will take place at Good Shepherd as usual, at 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. The picnic will immediately follow the 10:30 service.
Pulled pork (along with buns and sauce), chicken, lemonade, water, plates, cups, napkins and eating utensils will all be provided. Congregation members are asked to provide BBQ-type family-sized (8 - 10 servings) side dishes/salads and desserts. Also, please feel free to bring other beverages of your choice.
Please sign up on the bulletin board no later than June 17 so that Connestee Falls security can have visitor passes available for everyone. Questions may be directed to Leigh Ann Stinson, De Carlson or Donna Aiken-Colflesh.
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FINANCE NOTES
As part of our effort to improve communications for the congregation, the Council and Finance Committee will be providing periodic updates on our church's finances - not just numbers, but information that shows our stewardship of the monetary resources your giving provides. But first some numbers.
At our congregational meeting in January we reported that our 2018 receipts had been almost $27,000 less than we had budgeted. Fortunately, our expenditures were almost $14,000 under budget, but that means we spent $13,000 more than we received. The good news is that, as of the end of April, our receipts are on target: $170 over budget. Our expenses are substantially below budget, primarily due to the savings related to pastor's salary and benefits. The result is that we have now made up for the deficit left from 2018. That means the Finance Committee and Council will be looking at where we might begin restoring some of the budget lines that were reduced in the 2019 budget. These additional funds will, for example, cover the expense of some exciting, but costly, new teaching aids and curriculum for our children and youth.
Future finance notes will focus not only on where we stand, but also on where we are investing our resources in ministry. Thanks for reading.
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LCGS FACILITIES USE POLICY UPDATED
The LCGS Facilities Use Policy has been revised and was approved by the Church Council at their May 16 meeting. It is now available on our church website, which you can
access here.
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DIRECTORY UPDATES
Good Shepherd staff will soon update our congregational directory. Please give any changes in your contact information to Whitney in the church office (
[email protected]) by June 2. Thank you.
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AAUW BOOK SALE DONATIONS
The yellow AAUW book box in the entry area by the coat rack will be removed after church on June 2.
If you have been intending to drop off books for the AAUW book sale, please do so by June 2. Thank you!
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BATTER UP!
The Fellowship Committee needs your help to determine how many people would be interested in attending the afternoon Asheville Tourists home game on Sunday, July 14. With a group rate and other applicable discounts, the estimated ticket price would be only $10 - $12 per person, and we would carpool from the church parking lot following the 10:30 service coffee hour. It will be a great afternoon of fun and fellowship for LCGS members and guests of all ages! Please sign up on the bulletin board by June 16 if you would like to attend.
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COMING SOON AT GOOD SHEPHERD . . .
Sunday, May 26
8:00 a.m. Worship Service (Sanctuary)
9:00 a.m. Coffee Hour (Fellowship Hall)
9:10 a.m.
Joint DiGG and Intersections Class (Fellowship Hall)
9:10 a.m. Elementary Children's Sunday School Class (Rooms 3 & 4)
9:00 a.m. Nursery/Preschool Class (Room 1)
10:30 a.m. Worship Service (Sanctuary)
11:30 a.m. Coffee Hour (Fellowship Hall)
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CONGRATULATIONS, JOE!
Joe Smith has been selected as the Head Drum Major of the Brevard High School Marching Band for the 2019-2020 school year! He will conduct the home football games as well as all of the band competitions. He is the highest student leader in the marching band, and he will be a sophomore next year. Congratulations, Joe!
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ANNIVERSARIES & BIRTHDAYS
Sheila & John Swancara
..............................................................
June 01
Mary & Hank Shore...................................................................... June 04
Bill & Carol Stone......................................................................... June 07
Michelle & Eric Peterson.............................................................. June 09
Carolyn & Rivers Smith................................................................ June 14
Holly & Mike McCormick.............................................................. June 17
Jim & Annette Blum...................................................................... June 19
Elaine & Carl Ehmann.................................................................. June 22
Jane & Mark Madsen....................................................................
June 25
BIRTHDAYS
Phyllis Wiederaenders
.................................................................. June 01
Buz VanHorne
............................................................................... June 05
Bob Milligan
.................................................................................. June 07
Paul Feste
..................................................................................... June 11
Mary Shore
................................................................................... June 14
Gordon Kimmel
............................................................................. June 18
Sylvia Fougeron
............................................................................ June 19
Zia McConnell
............................................................................... June 19
John Fougeron
.............................................................................. June 21
Cherie Hennig
............................................................................... June 21
Marite Currier
................................................................................ June 24
Parker Dickens
............................................................................. June 26
Elaine Raynolds
............................................................................ June 26
Bill Stone
....................................................................................... June 27
Olivia Patrie
................................................................................... June 28
Bill Moore
....................................................................................... June 29
Tom Brim
........................................................................................ June 30
Marilyn Fogdall
.............................................................................. June 30
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COMMUNITY CARE CORNER
The "Community Care Corner" feature in the weekly newsletter allows us to update you on people for whom we are praying or to submit a new prayer request. If you have an update on someone or a new prayer request to share in the Corner, please email or call the church office ([email protected] or 883-3680) by noon on Thursday.
Marite Currier
will have back surgery on May 28 at Mission Hospital. She will then be in the hospital for several days before moving to a rehab facility.
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SERVING THIS SUNDAY
Interim Pastor...............................................................................Rev. Dr. Richard Graf
Minister of Music
....................................................................................
David Gresham
Guest Organist
.......................................................................................Adelaide Kersh
Outreach Ministry Coordinator.............................................................Kimberly Dunbar
Children's Ministry Coordinator..............................................................Heather Merritt
Assisting Minister
...............................................................Annette Blum / Lorel Durlak
Reader
................................................................................Ellen Dozier / Jane Madsen
Ushers
...............Henry & Darrell Dixon / Frank McConnell, Paul Onnink, & Isa Emaus
Acolyte
......................................................................Annette Blum / Raegan Eggleston
Greeters
........................Fred & Lauren Weed / Jean & Don Rumph, & Parker Dickens
Child Care during Sunday School...........................................................Jackie Jenkins
Elementary Sunday School Teacher.........................................................Barb Jackson
Elementary Sunday School Doorperson.................................................Heather Merritt
Child Care during Worship
......................................................................Heather Merritt
Altar Care.....................................................................................................Barb Meyer
Communion Bread.......................................................................................Kate Reinke
Tellers
...........................................................................Debra Whiteaker & Lorel Durlak
Doorkeeper of the Day..............................................................................John Colflesh
Coffee Hour.......................................................Good Shepherd Fellowship Committee
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NIO FARR (WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER)!
This article was written by Kimberly Dunbar and published through the NC Synod Storyteller's program.
On April 7, Pastor Kristin Engstrom, the ELCA's Coordinator of the Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program in Senegal, visited Good Shepherd, Brevard. This was Pastor Kristin's first visit with us, and we celebrated with African-inspired food and drink at coffee hour. Pastor Kristin preached during worship and presented a slide show and answered questions during our Sunday School time. She emphasized that by supporting her work, our congregation is part of something larger than ourselves.
Addendum:
Kimberly shared this story with Pastor Kristin. Here is her response:
Thank you for sharing this with me! It's wonderful. I have to admit that I almost teared up at the end realizing how impactful what I shared about Senegal was and that it will hopefully help support your strategic goal of engaging in accompaniment as a strategic value.
One of the YAGM who is fasting with her host family for Ramadan just wrote for the YAGM blog about how she's being supported by both Muslims and Christians in her attempt to fast, and her experience of interfaith life here. Even though she doesn't use the phrase, it reminds me of "nio farr" and being in this together: http://yagmsenegal.wixsite.com/blog/single-post/2019/05/21/Learning-from-Example.
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MISSION ENDOWMENT FUND AWARDS GRANTS
The following proposed mission endowment funds grants were approved for a total of $20,000: $4,000 to Sharing House, $3,000 to Meals on Wheels Brevard, $5,000 to Lutheran Partners in Global Mission, $4,000 to the Haven, and $4,000 to the Guatemala micro loan project.
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A NOTE OF THANKS
We are grateful to the Mission Endowment Committee and the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd for your generous grant of $4000.00 to continue the work of the Guatemala Micro Loan Project. This project seeks to help women grow in hope, self esteem and freedom as well as provide economic resources for the women and their families. The $4000.00 grant will make it possible for some women to receive a larger loan and so expand their business.
Mimi Michael and Susan Maveety,
Co-Chairs of the Guatemala Micro Loan Project Task Force,
Guatemala Partnership and Presbyterian Women of
the Presbytery of Western North Carolina
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FAIR TRADE SALE ON JUNE 2
On June 2, a fair trade sale will be held in the Fellowship Hall during both coffee hours. A variety of food items will be for sale, including coffee, tea, olive oil, chocolate and nuts. Each purchase supports the work of small-scale farmers.
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MAY IS FOSTER CARE AWARENESS MONTH
You may have seen signs around town advertising the need for foster parents. Transylvania County
NEEDS
foster parents and respite families. If you or someone you know has been thinking about becoming a licensed foster parent or respite family, please contact Angie Gillespie at 884-1632 to learn more. If you are not able to foster but would like to help, here are some other
current needs
:
- GED tutor needed to help provide one on one assistance for a foster youth
- Gently used or new dryer needed for a foster family
Read the full Family Support Newsletter from the Transylvania County Department of Social Services here. |
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ELCA, NC Synod, & LWF News
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QUESTIONS IN LIFE
In her May column for Living Lutheran
, prompted by her recent visit to Lenoir-Rhyne University, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth takes time to reflect on one of "The Questions"--what is a life worth living?
The good people at Lenoir-Rhyne University's Living Well Center for Vocation and Purpose invited me to address the school on the topic "Lives Worth Living." Yikes! This is one of The Questions in life--right up there with "What is the meaning of life?" and "What is true, beautiful and good?" and "Where do socks go after you put them in the dryer?"
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LUTHERANS GATHER IN PRAYER FOR STUDENT PASTOR
This article by Emily McFarlan Miller from Religious News Service was shared in the NC Synod's most recent newsletter.
Lutherans are speaking out and gathering in prayer after a student pastor at a church in Racine, Wis., was arrested last week by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Betty Rendón, who came to the United States from Colombia, was arrested by ICE on May 8 after her application for asylum was rejected. Rendón is a lay minister in the mainline Evangelical Lutheran Church of America,
according to the denomination's presiding bishop, the Rev. Elizabeth Eaton.
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