Your Good Shepherd Newsletter - February 17, 2019

Here's what's happening at . . . .

Week of February 17, 2019

Worship & Education

WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY

This Sunday, February 17, Rev. Linea Warmke will be our guest preacher and presiding minister. Raegan Eggleston will provide special music at both services, and Joe Smith will provide music at the 10:30 service.

On February 24, Rev. Bill Johnson be our guest preacher and presiding minister.

INTERSECTIONS CLASS

The Intersections Class discusses a variety of topics that connect faith and life during the Sunday School time (9:10 to 10:00 a.m.). The program part of the class runs from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m., but people are welcome to come early and stay late to chat and enjoy refreshments. Please come join us in Room 6 to share your perspectives and hear from others.

On February 17, the class will look at the book Reading the Bible from the Margins by Miguel A. De La Torre. We will reflect on how reading the Bible from the perspective of marginalized people enables us to experience faith more fully.

DiGG CLASS

The Delving into God's Grace class is holding a series of discussions organized by Bill Moore, "The One and the Many: Is this Christianity's biggest tension?" We will try to identify tensions that Christians have felt in the present and the past. Bill is proposing that there is a fundamental similarity among all these tensions between a preference for an individual person, group, or idea, or else for some larger variety or structure. Some of these tensions may block God's grace; some may spread God's grace. On February 17, the class will conclude with a discussion of tensions in the world (such as Christianity's relation to other religions). Please join us!

On February 24, Ellen Dozier will share pictures, stories and reflections about her walk on the Camino de Santiago in October of last year.

WOMEN OF THE ELCA ONE-DAY RETREAT AT LCGS

Love as God Loves: Unconditionally

Speaker: Rev. Shelly Webb, Executive Director of Sharing House

As we learn to love ourselves as God loves us,

we are better able to love others with the heart of God.

S aturday, February 16

Check-In: 9:00 a.m.

Program: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Lunch: 11:30 a.m.

If you haven't already done so, you may register and pay ($10) at the door. Projects completed at the retreat will support various organizations, including Bread of Life and Sharing House.

At Good Shepherd

PASTORAL CARE

Ellen Dozier will be available for any pastoral care needs until an interim pastor is in place. Ellen may be reached at 828-403-3988, 828-862-3995, or [email protected]. You may also reach her through the church office (828-883-3680 or [email protected]).

THANK YOU FROM PASTOR MARY AND HANK

We have been so honored and blessed by the kind words and good wishes of the last few weeks, and Sunday worship as well as the parties after each service were a lovely send-off. Thank you for your love and support over our years together, and for your prayers as we begin our new adventure. Our new address is 4202 N. Main Street, Columbia SC 29203, and our home email addresses are [email protected] (Mary) and [email protected] (Hank). With much love, Pastor Mary and Hank

PASTORAL TRANSITION UPDATE #1

Bishop Tim Smith's representative, Sandra Cline, will meet with the Church Council on February 18 to outline the Call Process and identify a proposed Interim Pastor. Pastoral Transition Update #2 will follow this meeting and provide further details on the Interim Pastor selection process and New Pastor Call Process and approximate schedule.

THANK YOU FROM THE FELLOWSHIP COMMITTEE

Many thanks to everyone who brought food, worked in the kitchen, decorated, and performed in order to make Pastor Mary's last Sunday with Good Shepherd such a success! De Carlson and Aggie Romans

LOST AND FOUND

Please check the lost and found box on the book shelf by the coat rack in the hallway for any items that may be yours. Any items not claimed by February 24 will be donated to SAFE. Thank you.

SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE SUPPER RETURNS!

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, March 5 at 5:00 p.m. After last year's success, the Church Council will once again be cooking for a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, hosted in conjunction with the Fellowship Committee. Please sign up on the bulletin board if you plan to attend, and be sure to check next week's newsletter for more details!

SPELLING BEE

LCGS has a Spelling Bee team! Debbie Cooper, Bill Moore, Julia Kennerly, and Jackie Jenkins will represent the Lutherans at the March 30 Spelling Bee, held at the DFR Room at 5:00 p.m. This is a fundraiser to support the work of the Augustine Literacy Project volunteers working in Brevard schools. We need donors to help with the $250 team registration fee and LOTS of supporters to come cheer for us (tickets are $10). Check out https://www.augustineproject-brevard.org/the-bee for details and plan to attend!

TRIVIA NIGHT

Did you know that Good Shepherd has a trivia team that plays at Dugan's Pub every Tuesday evening from 8:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.? Our team name is Fred & Ethel (Lucy and Desi's neighbors), and we compete against other local teams for a fun evening of food (if you chose to eat there), drink and laughter - lots of laughter. There are nights we do very well and other nights we totally bomb. Win or lose, we always have a good time. If you would be interested in more information about the trivia team, please contact Caroline Smith ( [email protected]) OR just show up!

REMINDER!!

The LCGS Fellowship Committee is sponsoring a "Fabulous Friday Fundraiser Fish Fry on February 22 (Featuring Frank!) in the Fellowship Hall on Fisher Road!"

This Sunday, February 17, is the last day to purchase tickets for the February 22 "Fabulous Friday Fundraiser Fish Fry." Dinner is $10 per person PLUS at least one nonperishable item for Sharing House donated at the door on the day of the dinner. The menu for dinner, which runs from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall, will include fish, fries, mac & cheese, slaw, hush puppies and dessert. See Donna Aiken-Colflesh on Sunday to get your tickets. Contact De Carlson, Leigh Ann Stinson or Donna Aiken-Colflesh with any questions.

COMING SOON AT GOOD SHEPHERD . . .

Sunday, February 17

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

9:00 a.m. Coffee Hour (Fellowship Hall)

9:10 a.m. Delving into God's Grace (DiGG) 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)

11:30 a.m. New Member's Class (Conference Room)

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 is recovering at home after a stay in the hospital.

Rivers Smith will have neck surgery later this month, after sustaining an injury in December.

Marilyn Carlson's neighbors, Jesse Fiorini and his family, are going through an extremely difficult time and would appreciate your prayers for comfort and healing.

Lindsay Batson, daughter of Jamie Lancaster, is experiencing health issues.

Gloria Kidd, Gail Leon's sister, is suffering from a severe flare up of rheumatoid arthritis after being in remission for 17 years.

SERVING THIS SUNDAY

Ministers ......................................................................... The People of Good Shepherd

Guest Preacher and Presiding Minister....................................................Linea Warmke

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

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

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

Children's Ministry Coordinator...............................................................Heather Merritt

Assisting Minister................................................................Jody Schuld / Carolyn Smith

Reader............................................................................Sandy Ostermeier / Joe Smith

Ushers................Lauren & Fred Weed / Frank McConnell, Paul Onnink, & Yuri Emaus

Acolyte..................................................................................... Jody Schuld / Joe Smith

Greeters..... Ginny & Bob Landwehr / Marilyn Carlson, Snookie Henson, Abey Emaus

Child Care During Sunday School..........................................................Heather Merritt

Elementary Sunday School Teachers.....................................................Zia McConnell

Elementary Sunday School Door Person.................................................. Heidi Bullock

Child Care during Worship........................................................................Barb Jackson

Altar Care............................................................................................ Sheila Swancara

Communion Bread......................................................................................Kate Reinke

Tellers.......................................................................Walt Schneider & Marilyn Carlson

Doorkeeper of the Day.............................................................................John Colflesh

Coffee Hour................................................................. Ellen Dozier / Kris & Rik Emaus,

Carolyn Smith, & Snookie Henson

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

World & Community

BREVARD MIDDLE SCHOOL GIVING CLOSET NEEDS

Each of the Transylvania County Schools has a Giving Closet that is supplied with hygiene, clothing, food and sometimes household items that can be given to students when needed. Good Shepherd staff has learned that Brevard Middle School (BMS) has an urgent need for particular items in their Giving Closet: feminine hygiene products (pads and tampons), women's deodorant, and boys' medium underwear and sweatpants. If you can help, please indicate the items you will provide on BMS' Giving Closet page. Then deliver the items to the front office at BMS and inform staff that they should be given to school social worker, Beth Branagan. Thank you!

SOAP COLLECTION FOR THE PHILIPPINES

Florence Nightingale Global Health is collecting bars of soap to send to their friends in the Philippines. As you may know, FNGH, and our own Ann Farash and Paul Onnink in conjunction with them, have been working in partnership with the people of North Samar, who commonly live on less than $2 per day, and cannot afford soap.

Any size bars of soap will be accepted, even the small bars found in hotel rooms. Please drop off your bars of soap in the box on the pew in the commons. The soap will be shipped to the Philippines at the end of March. Thank you!

YAGM SENEGAL UPDATE

Our church supports ELCA programs such as YAGM (Young Adults in Global Mission) and Good Gifts (through our annual Christmas giving tree). Have you ever wondered how those funds are put to use? Perhaps you've heard the phrase that time spent in the mission field can be "life changing" and wondered exactly what that meant. If you'd like to find out more about ELCA YAGM and the work these young people are doing as well as how it affects their lives, please take a few minutes from your busy day and check out the YAGM monthly newsletter and read through some of the blogs written by young adults living for a year in Senegal at yagmsenegal.wixsite.com/blog.

In the most recent newsletter, Pastor Kristin Engstrom details how some of the donations to ELCA Good Gifts were put to practical use in Senegal. In a blog, YAGM Maddie tells how she felt it was important to "listen to God" to discover her call in Senegal. She did not hear a voice from a burning bush, but over time she came to "hear" God in the laughter, encouragement and prayers of her host family and community.

YAGM Andrew writes about how he expected spending time in a new culture would help make him stronger and better prepared to face the world. On a day-to-day basis, however, he struggled to deal with issues such as communication and the feeling that he didn't know what he was doing and wasn't accomplishing anything. His thoughts on these topics are applicable to all of us. We just keep trying and praying, realizing that love is more important than knowing facts and that relationships are more important than productivity.

Another good blog came from Berkley who is a Lutheran YAGM living with a Catholic host family in a community that is 98% Muslim. In Senegal, Christians and Muslims live, work, eat and pray side by side. She states that their differences are not glossed over, but celebrated; and she calls this not just religious tolerance, but religious symbiosis.

Most of us will never spend time in the mission field, but we can learn something from the experiences of these young adults and feel good about supporting the YAGM program.

In Our Community

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TOWN HALL MEETING

Monday, February 18, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Scott Commons, Brevard College

The National Organization for Women, SAFE Transylvania and Progress NC will present this community town hall meeting to bring awareness to the very real problem of domestic violence in our community. All are welcome!

AN EVENING WITH TENNESSEE WILLIAMS

Next week, the Brevard College Theatre Department will present An Evening with Tennessee Williams , an exploration of dominant themes from the playwright's body of work through three plays: This Property is Condemned, The Lady of Larkspur Lotion and scenes from A Streetcar Named Desire. Anthony Zuniga, one of our Brevard College choral scholars, will be in the show. The performances will take place at 7:00 p.m. on February 21 - 23, and at 2:30 p.m. on February 24, in Morrison Playhouse of the Porter Center. Buy tickets here.

ORGAN RECITAL

On Sunday, February 17, at 3:00 p.m., First United Methodist Church will present Dr. Marilyn Keiser in recital. The concert is free, but offerings to support the care of FUMC's organ will be collected and greatly appreciated.

MOMS DEMAND ACTION

This community group will next meet on Tuesday, February 26 , from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Brevard, in the Youth Activity Center room downstairs.

For their first group meeting of 2019, they will discuss the roll-out of their Gun Violence Survivor Network. One of their major survivor outreach projects planned for this year will be a film screening on Saturday, April 20, the 20-year anniversary of the mass shooting at Columbine High School. On February 26, learn how you can help with the event in April. If you can't make the February meeting but want to be involved, please email chapter leader Emily Walthall.