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HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SCHEDULE
We hope you can join us for these special worship services during Holy Week:
Palm Sunday Worship with Holy Communion:
April 14 - 8:00 and 10:30 a.m.
Maundy Thursday Worship with Holy Communion:
April 18 - 7:00 p.m.
Good Friday Worship:
April 19 - 7:00 p.m.
Easter Sunday Worship with Holy Communion:
April 21 - 8:00 and 10:30 a.m., with Breakfast from 8:45 - 10:00 a.m.
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PG'S PEN
Hi! My name is Pastor Graf, "PG" for short, and we've met (I hope). If we haven't met yet, I want you to know I'll be serving LCGS as your Interim Pastor during these months of transition from Pastor Mary Shore's faithful ministry among you until Pastor ??? arrives. How long will that be? I don't know; no one does. But as of now we are on our way together to that point in time.
I'll be using this space from time to time to share some things I think are important about this exciting time of transition.
But right now, as we enter Holy Week, I just want to encourage you to join in the meaningful journey from Palm Sunday, to an Upper Room, a garden, a Cross on a hill, and a tomb. Worship and experience our Lord Jesus and his love that is beyond all understanding with your fellow followers of The Good Shepherd. And when you do, if we haven't met yet, introduce yourself.
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WOMEN OF THE ELCA SPRING GATHERING
The Women of the ELCA are having their Spring Gathering at Living Waters Lutheran Church in Cherokee on
Saturday, April 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. We will carpool from Good Shepherd at 7:00 a.m. or you may choose to drive. Space in the carpool will be limited.
The program includes a short business meeting, bible study, and lunch. Our own Outreach Ministry Coordinator, Kimberly Dunbar, will co-lead the Bible study with Barbara Meyer. The theme is "Called to be Women in Mission."
Offerings will be taken for:
Days For Girls - increasing access to personal feminine care and education.
Vigilante Truth - mission to end sex trafficking in the United States.
Our In-Kind offerings are small laundry detergents for the homeless in Cherokee. Please plan to bring these items with you.
If you would like to attend this event, please register with Barbara Meyer (
[email protected]
or 828-885-5135). The lunch is $8.00 and can be paid to Barbara.
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INTERSECTIONS CLASS
The Intersections Class discusses a variety of topics that connect faith and life. Come s
hare your perspectives and hear from others.
On Sunday, April 14, Heidi Bullock will lead the class. Please join us in Room 6 at 9:30 a.m. for the discussion or come at 9:10 to chat and enjoy refreshments.
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DiGG Class
Striving for justice and peace sounds exhausting, a never ending task. Injustice and strife reflect human existence at its worst. How can we come to experience this vow as a gift rather than a burden? Join us Sunday to discover how working for peace with justice becomes a realized gift of discipleship.
Bill Johnson will lead the discussion.
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FINAL KOINONIA COMMUNITY LENTEN SERVICE
The last service will take place on
Good Friday, April 19, at
Bethel "A" Baptist Church beginning at noon. Rise & Shine will be the highlighted organization, and a luncheon will follow the service.
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EASTER LILIES
If you would like to sponsor a lily ($6 each) to help beautify our sanctuary for Easter and to honor or remember someone, please sign up on the bulletin board. Thank you!
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PLANNING FOR EASTER SUNDAY BRUNCH IS UNDERWAY!
The Fellowship Committee will be hosting the annual Easter Sunday Brunch between the early and late services on April 21. Congregation members are asked to support the brunch by providing breakfast sweets (i.e. coffee cake, muffins, pastries) or fruit for the brunch. Please use the signup sheet on the bulletin board by April 14 to let us know what you plan to bring. Thank you!
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BOOK CLUB
The Book Club will meet at 5:00 p.m. on
Tuesday, April 16, at Barb Jackson's home. The book of the month is
"Where the Crawdad's Sing" by Delia Owen.
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CALL COMMITTEE UPDATE
The Call Committee will have an initial organizational meeting after the second service on April 28. The congregation will be updated on the call process as information is gathered.
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FIRST QUARTER CONTRIBUTION REPORTS
Giving reports for 1st Quarter 2019 are now in mail slots. Please be sure to pick yours up as soon as possible. If you are out of town and need your statement mailed, please contact Jane Madsen at
[email protected]
or 828-489-7667. If your current mailing address is SC or GA, your statement was automatically mailed.
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HIKING CLUB
A group from Good Shepherd will hike in the John's Rock area on
Wednesday, April 24. If you'd like to join them for this two-mile, easy hike, meet at church at 9:30 a.m. No dogs are allowed.
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LIBRARIAN NEEDED
After many years of faithful service, Annette Blum has retired as our church librarian. We give thanks for her dedication to this task. If you love books, maybe this is your calling to become our next church librarian.
The Education Committee wants to work closely with you about any reconsiderations of goals and procedures you or we might think of for the library; training about the current situation will be available to you. If you are interested, please contact Linea Warmke (
[email protected] or 740-707-1822) or Kimberly Dunbar (
[email protected]). Thank you!
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HEARING LOSS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
The next meeting will be on Saturday, April 13, at 1:00 p.m. at Good Shepherd. The room will open at 12:30 p.m. so people can sign in, browse the free literature available, and talk with others. All are welcome.
Our two-part program this month will first feature David Fitzsimmons from the North Carolina
Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing who will explain the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles Hearing loss Determination Form and Stamp/Symbol for the driver's license. This symbol is added to the driver's license of hard of hearing people to alert law enforcement personnel so they are aware of a hearing handicap.
The second part of our program will be
an interactive discussion focusing on Communication Strategies for people with hearing loss and their communication partners. Strategies will be presented and discussion about how they work will be encouraged from everyone attending.
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GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER?
It's not too late to sign up for the next round of "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" which starts in May!
This is such a great way to get to know new church members and learn more about members we've already met. Those who sign up are divided into groups that will get together monthly in May, June, July and August. There is a "convener" assigned for each group who makes the initial contact and serves as the first host. Then each person or couple takes turns being the host.
We welcome singles to sign up either individually or with another single as a couple.
Typically, groups take turns meeting in each other's homes with the host providing the entrée, bread, and beverages, with others in the group providing the appetizer, salad, and dessert. However, groups have the flexibility to decide together whether they want to stick with this tradition or do something different - such as have dinner at a restaurant or meet for brunch or lunch instead of dinner. Making new traditions is highly encouraged! Plus, based on feedback from past participants, we are now providing the option to sign up for groups of 6 or 8 participants.
Please sign up on the bulletin board ASAP to be included in this opportunity to make new friends and connect with existing friends. Groups will be announced in late April/early May. In the meantime, contact Donna Brim ([email protected]) or Marilyn Carlson (884-2756) with any questions.
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COMING SOON AT GOOD SHEPHERD . . .
Sunday, April 14
8:00 a.m. Worship Service (Sanctuary)
9:00 a.m. Coffee Hour (Fellowship Hall)
9:10 a.m. Delving into God's Grace Class (Conference Room)
9:10 a.m. Intersections Class (Room 6)
9:10 a.m. Elementary Children's Sunday School Class (Rooms 3 & 4)
9:10 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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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.
Tynne Karas had successful knee surgery last week. She's currently at Tranysylvania Regional Hospital, but expects to be discharged home this weekend.
Last week, Sue Sena began cancer treatment, which is expected to last for four weeks.
Heidi Bullock has requested prayers for
her colleague, Elizabeth, and Elizabeth's son, Sam.
Carol Larson, friend of Elaine Raynolds, is in hospice care in Minnesota. We pray for Carol and her family at this time.
Dan, friend of Elaine Raynolds, was hospitalized earlier this week after a car accident.
Maree Rankin has been in the hospital for pneumonia.
Darrin Rumph, 12-year old grandson of Don and Jean Rumph, is having open heart surgery in Houston on April 12.
Najah Ferrell, of Avon, Indiana, had been missing since March 15. Sadly, it appears that her remains have been found. Please keep her family and friends, especially her children, in your prayers.
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SERVING THIS SUNDAY
Ministers
......................................................................
The People of Good Shepherd
Interim Pastor
.............................................................................Rev. Dr. Richard Graf
Minister of Music..................................................................................David Gresham
Organist...................................................................................................Vance Reese
Outreach Ministry Coordinator...........................................................Kimberly Dunbar
Children's Ministry Coordinator.............................................................Heather Merritt
Assisting Minister
.........................................................Lauren Weed / Laurie Johnson
Reader
.....................PJ Larson & Caroline Smith / Barb Jackson & Robert McKeown
Ushers.........................
Debbie & Paul Cooper
/
Wayne Drake, Lamar Propst, & Kia Emaus
Acolyte.....................................................................Lauren Weed
/ Raegan Eggleston
Greeters
.....................................Jody & Bob Schuld/ Linda & Terry Moore, &Victor Emaus
Child Care during Sunday School..........................................................Barb Jackson
Elementary Sunday School Teacher...............................................Leigh Ann Stinson
Elementary Sunday School Doorkeepers.........
Raegan Eggleston & Rodney Stinson
Child Care during Worship...................................................................Heather Merritt
Altar Care & Communion Bread...............................................................Kate Reinke
Tellers
.........................................................................Tom Reinke & Nancy Cummins
Doorkeeper of the Day......................................................................Barbara Jackson
Coffee Hour (8:00 a.m.) ......................................Sue Engstrom & Sandy Ostermeier
Coffee Hour (10:30 a.m.)..........................................Karen Anderson, Judy Caldwell,
De & Dave Carlson, Peggy Schneider, & Sheila Swancara
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ASSEMBLY OF LWR KITS THIS SUNDAY
Thanks
to everyone who has given donations toward making personal care kits for Lutheran World Relief during Lent.
These kits will be distributed to people around the world as needed. This
Sunday, April 14
, everyone is invited to help assemble what we've collected into kits during the coffee hours in the Fellowship Hall. Come lend a hand. Thank you!
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MISSION TRIP TO EL PASO
Ellen Dozier will be in El Paso, TX, from April 28 through May 11, providing hospitality through Annunciation House to refugees who are coming from Central America into the USA. M
ore deeply understanding accompaniment as a way of being in community with others is part of our current strategic plan. Through this mission trip, o
ur congregation has the opportunity to accompany Ellen with our prayers, interest in the people she will be serving, and financial support.
Some funds to cover the cost of the trip have been given by the Presbytery of Western North Carolina, but additional funds are needed. Funds received above the cost of the trip will be used to purchase items to provide hospitality to refugees (i.e. food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, diapers, underwear, tote bags). If you would like to contribute, please make your check payable to LCGS and write "El Paso mission" on the memo line.
On April 28, a booklet with Scripture readings, prayers, and other information about immigration will be available to the congregation. On May 19, Ellen will talk about her experiences on this trip during the Sunday School hour in the Fellowship Hall.
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VISIT BY PASTOR KRISTIN ENGSTROM
Thank you to everyone who helped make Pastor Kristin Engstrom's visit to Good Shepherd last Sunday possible. Many people were involved in these efforts, and all are deeply appreciated.
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THE SACRED EARTH WORKSHOP
On
Saturday, April 13, Tom Lewis will lead this workshop that will focus on the question, "How does God use the sacred Earth to transform our spiritual lives?" The event will take place at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Brevard from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and costs $40, including lunch. Visit
www.Center4SpiritualWisdom.org to register and learn more.
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COMMUNITY EVENT TO FOCUS ON
IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE CRISIS
How is the immigration and refugee crisis impacting our Latino neighbors and what can we do to support them?
These and other questions will be the focus of an Immigration and Refugee Information Fair in the parish hall of St. Philips Episcopal Church on Wednesday, April 24, from 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.
After people have had a chance to sign in, have some refreshments, browse the information tables, and take their seats, the program will begin.
Judy Nebrig and Ellen Dozier, both Presbyterians working in solidarity with the people of Guatemala for several decades, will make brief presentations on what's happening at the border today and why young people and families are fleeing Guatemala (as well as Honduras and El Salvador) in such great numbers. They will suggest how we might support groups in Central America that provide job opportunities for youth.
Bobby King, a long time Christian activist who works primarily with refugees, will talk about what's going on with immigration detention at this time. Mark Montgomery of St. Philips will provide an overview of the Community ID card project now underway in Brevard and other parts of the state and nation.
Shoshanna Fried, an immigration lawyer with Pisgah Legal Services, will reflect on the legal challenges facing the immigrant and refugee populations. Several local members of the Latino community in Transylvania County will talk briefly about their experiences.
Episcopal ministers Diane Livingston and Carter Heyward are coordinating the event and will facilitate a brief question and answer period at the end.
Information will be available for people to take home, and sign-up sheets will be available for those who wish to become more involved in various projects.
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CAROLINA CONCERT CHOIR
The Carolina Concert Choir, concluding its 39th season of top-quality choral music, will present a concert on
Saturday, April 13 at 3:00 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Hendersonville. Titled "Music for Royalty," featured works include the Lord Nelson Mass by Haydn, the Coronation Anthems by Handel, and the beautiful Lord Bless You and Keep You by John Rutter. All of these selections were originally intended for royal occasions. The choir and small orchestra will be accompanied by our own organist, Vance Reese. Tickets are available online at
carolinaconcertchoir.org for pickup at the door.
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RISE & SHINE OFFERS "GUEST TUTOR DAYS" AGAIN
Wednesday, April 24, and Thursday, May 2
Rise & Shine invites members of our community to join us in tutoring our scholars so that they can see the great things that are happening in our program. If you are interested in learning more about Rise & Shine, meeting other tutors and scholars, and/or spending a day tutoring, please sign up for one of these tutoring opportunities. Contact Laura Leatherwood (828-506-2480 or
[email protected]) for more information or to sign up.
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ELCA, NC Synod, & LWF News
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SYNOD STORYTELLERS
Here is a story from the NC Synod's series, Synod Storytellers, which illustrates how we are church together. The stories relate to the Synod's vision statement: God calls the NC Synod of the ELCA to cultivate & celebrate vital congregations, identify, equip, and nurture whole & healthy leaders, embrace & engage in collaboration, and proclaim the promise of the resurrection with a prophetic voice.
Vital Congregations: Led by the Spirit
This feature story from the February issue of Living Lutheran includes the story of two NC Synod congregations and how they were led together by the Spirit.
In a changing world, the ELCA is now focusing on congregational vitality, which the ELCA Conference of Bishops described by saying vitality is found in communities of Jesus that nurture life-changing relationships with God, one another and the world. The description is fluid and adaptable to the highly contextual nature of ministry.
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