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Week of November 3, 2019

Worship & Education

FALL BACK THIS SUNDAY

Daylight Savings Time ends this Sunday, November 3, at 2:00 a.m. Remember to set your clocks back by an hour before you go to bed Saturday night!

SPECIAL WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY

On Sunday, November 3 , Good Shepherd will remember with thanksgiving loved ones who have died. There will be an opportunity to light candles in remembrance of loved ones during both worship services.

Also at both services, the choir will present Mozart's Missa Brevis, which translates to "short mass." Special guest musicians Mariya Potapova, Andrea Pettigrew and Franklin Keel will provide violin and cello music. Because the mass highlights themes of mercy, grace, faith, and ends with "dona nobis pacem" (grant us peace), it fits nicely into All Saints worship where we will honor the departed and take comfort as we continue our earthly journey.

To honor our choir, we will enjoy a potluck brunch between the services. The congregation is asked to bring dishes to share. Contact Sandra Ostermeier with any questions ( [email protected] ; call or text 828-384-2444).

CLASSES THIS SUNDAY

Sunday School classes begin at 9:10 a.m. Child care is available for children five and younger in the nursery.

Elementary School Children

This Sunday, the class will enjoy brunch, followed by a lesson using the Godly Play approach.

DiGG Class (Delving into God's Goodness)

This class is currently on hiatus. Occasional classes may be scheduled in the future.

Intersections Class

All high school youth who have been confirmed and adults are welcome to attend this class. Through November 10 , the class is discussing the book 8 Habits of Love: Overcome Fear and Transform Your Life . On November 3, we will look at the Habit of Compassion. Even if you haven't read the book, you are welcome to join the class; we will be using a handout with the main points from the chapter.

SECOND TUESDAY WELCA MEETING AND BIBLE STUDY

November 12

Sharing in community at 10:30 a.m.; Bible study at 11:00 a.m.

In our third focus on God's creation, we shall look at new beginnings - new creations, as God continues in steadfast love with the earth and its inhabitants.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 speaks of a New Covenant written on the heart.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 declares that those "in Christ" see the world in a new way; it is a New Creation.
Revelation 21:1- 5 envisions "a new heaven and new earth," "the new Jerusalem."

Join us to consider how this newness is with us now and again, as well as a future hope.

At Good Shepherd

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

The annual Congregational Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, November 17, in the Fellowship Hall following the 10:30 service. Lunch will be provided by the Fellowship Committee. One of the items on the agenda for the meeting will be discussing our revised constitution. The document is posted on Good Shepherd's website, which you can access here.

OUTREACH MINISTRY COORDINATOR REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

Sharing House

I continue to co-lead the journaling and discussion small group at Sharing House twice per month. The group is currently scheduled to meet through the end of the year.

World and Community Committee

To highlight the concept of accompaniment and after discussion with members of the World and Community Committee, I arranged for speakers from non-profits in our community to talk about their services at Good Shepherd's DiGG class (Delving into God's Goodness). The schedule of speakers was as follows: October 6: SAFE, October 13: Crossnore School and Children's Home, October 20: STEP WNC (see article in the In Our Community section for more information about our own Rivers and Carolyn Smith's new home repair and firewood ministry).

Reimagining Health Collaborative (RHC) Team

The RHC Team found out at the end of September that we received the funding we applied for through the NC Synod's Peeler/Casey Funds. We now have $2,475 that will enable us to offer workshops to our congregation on the Companionship Model (accompaniment) and First Aid Mental Health Training in the spring.

We recently received $2,000 from the ELCA Disabilities Ministry that funded the Community Suicide Awareness Training that we coordinated and offered in town last week. Leftover money will go to additional training on trauma and resiliency for team members and others. RHC members are following up with ELCA Disabilities Ministry to try to obtain an additional $5,000 in funding.

Members of our team began offering the Living Compass six-week small group curriculum to our congregation on October 1. This series looks at health holistically, and will run through November 5. Eight people are participating in the group.

Kimberly Dunbar

Outreach Ministry Coordinator

CALL PROCESS UPDATE

The call committee is interviewing additional pastoral candidates as we seek to find our next pastor. Please continue to pray for God's guidance in our search. We thank each of you for your encouragement and prayers.

WANTED! ADVENTUROUS INDIVIDUAL(S)

TO COORDINATE 2020 LYO PARTICIPATION

The Synod has announced that registration is now open for the Lutheran Youth Organization Assembly scheduled for February 21-23 in Greensboro. We do not want our LCGS youth in grades 6 - 12 to miss out on this amazing faith-forming event while we continue the search for a new Children & Youth Ministry Coordinator. Per the Synod announcement, "At this youth-planned and youth-led event, participants spend time with each other in small groups, singing with the band, and growing in faith."

There is an opportunity to share your time and talent in support of our Ministry 2020 objectives by volunteering to lead (or partner with another individual to lead) LCGS efforts to enable our youth to participate in this event. The effort would include determining who among our youth wishes to attend and completing the required registration; estimating and obtaining Council approval for any associated costs; arranging for transportation and chaperones, as needed; and accompanying our participants to the assembly in Greensboro. Please consider how you can support this one-time commitment to our youth ministry and contact the church office ([email protected] or 883-3680) to volunteer or obtain additional information.

COMMUNITY SUICIDE AWARENESS TRAINING

Our Reimagining Health Collaborative Team offered this event to our community on October 24. The training was very well-received, and 35 people from the community and Good Shepherd attended. The presentation aimed to decrease stigma around suicide and offered basic conversational skills around accompanying others who are having thoughts of suicide or are affected by suicide in some other way.

Sadly, the suicide rate in Transylvania County is higher than the state rate, and the rate in our county continues to rise. But there are ways that each of us can support ourselves and those around us.

If you weren't able to attend the training but want to find out more about it, please talk to Kimberly Dunbar in the church office (883-3680 or [email protected]).

CHRISTMAS (AND OTHER CARDS) IN HALLWAY

Everyone is invited to take cards from Good Shepherd's Card Center, located to the right of the mailboxes in the hallway. There are lovely cards for many occasions, including Christmas. Please help yourselves and enjoy brightening other people's days!

CARE OF CREATION

The large brown recycling can (which except for the labeling is identical to a trash can) has been replaced with a small, bright blue recycling tub from the City of Brevard. Look for it on the table in the corner of the fellowship hall near the kitchen. Hopefully this will make it easier to tell where to put recyclables (drinkware with the triangle on the bottom) and where to put trash (dirty napkins and used paper or plastic plates). Thank you for your cooperation.

ASSISTANT TELLER NEEDED IN 2020

We are looking for a new assistant teller starting sometime in 2020. The time commitment is usually two months of the year, and the assigned months are normally about 6 months apart. The assistant opens general giving and pew envelopes, checks all information provided, adds envelope numbers where needed, and stamps the back of all checks for the bank. The process takes about 45-60 minutes immediately following the late service. Training is provided. Please contact Jane Madsen, Financial Secretary, at [email protected] or 828-489-7667, for more information.

FEEDBACK REQUESTED - CHURCH SIGNAGE

You may have noticed that some new, temporary signage has been added around the church building in the past week. This was the result of an initiative by the LCGS Safety and Security Committee to improve signage to 1) make things more welcoming for worship visitors and outside groups that use LCGS for meetings, and 2) to support effective and orderly evacuation in case of emergency. To this end, the temporary signs were put in place on a trial basis to determine whether they are effective and where permanent signage should be added in the future. What do YOU think about the signage locations and content? Please send your feedback directly to Council Vice-President John Colflesh at [email protected] .

COMING SOON AT GOOD SHEPHERD . . .

Sunday, November 3

8:00 a.m. Worship Service (Sanctuary)

9:10 a.m. Sunday School Classes (Education Wing)

9:15 a.m. All Saints Sunday Brunch & Fair Trade Sale (Fellowship Hall)

10:30 a.m. Worship Service (Sanctuary)

11:30 a.m. Fair Trade Sale

Click here to see more upcoming events.

Membership & Evangelism

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.

Nora Johnson has been in the hospital with a virus.

Barbara Meyer's friend, Susan Felice, has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma and has started chemotherapy.

Another friend of Barbara's, Linda Uhler, has lung cancer, which doctors are determining how to treat.

SERVING THIS SUNDAY

Interim Pastor.................................................................................Rev. Dr. Richard Graf

Minister of Music ..................................................................................... David Gresham

Organist ......................................................................................................Vance Reese

Outreach Ministry Coordinator..............................................................Kimberly Dunbar

Assisting Minister ................................................................Lauren Weed / Bill Johnson

Ushers ....... Jody & Bob Schuld, Bonnie Clark / Frank McConnell, Paul Onnink, & Abey Emaus

Acolyte .......................................................................Lauren Weed / Raegan Eggleston

Greeters .............................Lauren & Fred Weed / Marilyn & Larry Fogdall, & Parker Dickens

Child Care during Sunday School...........................................................Debbie Cooper

Elementary Sunday School Teacher...........................................................Heidi Bullock

Elementary School Doorperson...............................................................Heather Merritt

Child Care during Worship ...........................................................................Lisa Busche

Altar Care & Communion Bread .........................................................Suzannee Barrett

Tellers .............................................................................Tom Reinke & Nancy Cummins

Doorkeeper of the Day ..................................................................................Tom Reinke

Coffee Hour........................................................................All Saints Brunch (9:15 a.m.)

Click this link to access upcoming weeks' Sunday Helpers schedules.

World & Community

FAIR TRADE SALE THIS SUNDAY

A fair trade sale will take place this Sunday during both coffee hours in the Fellowship Hall. A variety of chocolate, coffee, tea, nuts, and oil will be on sale. Every purchase helps small-scale farmers around the world. Thank you!

SEEKING 3/4 -1 ACRE WOODLOT

STEP WNC is a non-profit organization that works to provide free home repairs to low income, elderly and/or disabled homeowners in Transylvania, Henderson and Jackson counties. We also have a firewood ministry for home heat. Currently, STEP is seeking a 3/4 acre - 1 acre woodlot to store and process firewood that is accessible by pick-up trucks. STEP WNC is fully insured, and the lot would only be accessed by qualified volunteers of the organization. If you or anyone you know has a lot for rent, contact Carolyn Smith at [email protected]. Thank you!

MISSION PARTNER MEETING AND COLLECTION

FOR LIVING WATERS

On Wednesday, November 13 , a group from Good Shepherd will be in Cherokee for a meeting of mission partners of the Living Waters Lutheran Church. We look forward to this meeting as we continue to develop a relationship with sisters and brothers of Living Waters, and other congregations in the NC Synod and beyond who serve as mission partners.

We would like to take some much needed items for the Food Pantry at Living Waters with us. Lisa Russell, Coordinator of the Food Pantry, says that the two most needed items at this time are toilet paper and dish soap (which is used for dishes, laundry and personal hygiene). If you would like to donate either or both of these items, please bring them to Good Shepherd by Sunday, November 10, and place them in the labeled bins under the mailboxes.

These donations are one small way that we accompany the Living Waters congregation in their ministry to their community.

SNACKS FOR GETTING AHEAD ON DECEMBER 4

Sharing House is seeking help from the community to provide snacks and drinks for their Getting Ahead class on December 4. The class is comprised of 17 people and meets from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Brevard Wesleyan Church. If you'd like to help, please contact Outreach Ministry Coordinator Kimberly Dunbar ([email protected] or 883-3680). Thank you!

Do These Classes Make a Difference?

You may have wondered what difference these Getting Ahead classes actually can make in someone's life. Many of the participants of the journaling and discussion small group that Kimberly has been offering at Sharing House are Getting Ahead graduates, and they've mentioned how helpful the Getting Ahead series was for them and how they appreciated the snacks. Providing refreshments may not seem like a worthwhile thing to do, but it is a meaningful and tangible way to accompany others.

In Our Community

PACK THE PANTRY FOR SHARING HOUSE!

Sharing House will hold their semi-annual Pack the Pantry event on Saturday, November 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can drop off food and monetary donations at the Courthouse Gazebo that day. Volunteers will also be at local grocery stores to accept donations.

ELCA, NC Synod, & LWF News

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE NC BISHOP
The following is a special news release from NC Bishop Tim Smith, dated October 31.

Dear NC Synod,

Over the past year, I have worked alongside my bishop colleagues in Region 9 to utilize our position to address systemic issues facing women rostered ministers. Guided by the work of a core team of women leaders, in May 2019 all Region 9 bishops gathered to begin work on a "Bishops' Relational Agreement for Candidacy, Call Process, and Boundaries." We are thankful that in July 2019 this agreement was adopted and we are eager to share it now with leaders throughout the region. On this day when we celebrate the Reformation, we continue to be reformed in our work alongside women leaders.