No food drive this Saturday, April 24. The next one is Saturday, May 1, 11-12 noon, for Manna Food Center. We will begin collecting for the Diaper Drive on that day, and will continue collecting on the first Saturday of the month. Just bring the diapers to the church, and I will make sure they get to St. John’s Norwood Episcopal Church in Bethesda, who will get them to the site of the diaper drive. The Rev. Anne Derse, Deacon, will coordinate that effort.    
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
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The Luther Rice computer literacy workshop (E.N.J.O.Y.) meets this Friday, April 23, 1-3 pm. The topic will be “How to Be Master of Your Googleverse”, featuring a guest speaker: George Martin, Google Software Engineer. They will have tips on Google Calendar, Gmail, Google Storage, Google Drive, Google Photos, and more. I will be there for sure. Here is the Zoom link.

This Sunday, April 25 will be the last day we will have the Rev. Linda Mahler serving with us at Good Shepherd. As is the way with deacons, she is being posted to St. Thomas Church, Dupont Circle, to be their Deacon. We will all miss Linda. As part of the formation process, deacons are assigned to a parish to train under the current deacon for a period of 6 months. Due to COVID-19, we were fortunate to have Linda with us for a year and four months. We have watched her grow as a Deacon, and reaped the benefit of her intelligence, her outgoing and warm personality, as well as her truly “deaconish” passion for helping the marginalized in our society. It has been a privilege and a pleasure for me personally as well, and I will miss her, as will all here. 
 
For anyone who wishes to give Linda a parting gift, the traditional way is to send a check to her new parish for her Discretionary Fund. Checks should be made payable to St. Thomas Church, with Deacon’s Discretionary Fund on the memo line. Their address is:
        St. Thomas Episcopal Church
1517 18th St. NW,
Washington, DC 20036 
We are grateful to have had you with us, Linda, and wish you Godspeed in your new parish! The Rev. Kathryn McMahon.

Vestry Meeting date changed to Wednesday April 28.

VEGETABLE PLANT SALE COMING MAY 2 Good Shepherd’s annual vegetable plant sale is set for Sunday, May 2 from 1:00-2:30 PM in the church parking lot. We'll have 15 varieties of tomatoes to choose from, as well as select peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, and squash. As always, we’ll have many special varieties suitable for small spaces and container gardens. You can preview this year's catalog here to help plan your selections. We will not be taking advance orders this year - the sale will be first come, first served. Mask-wearing and social distancing will be required. As always, 100% of your donations will go to Good Shepherd. The suggested donation is $1 per plant.

EPPN Action Alerts
Creation Care Series: Wise Stewardship of Land As a church and as a people, our calling to be stewards of God’s creation is inexorably tied to how we use our land. Learn why, how, and then take action. Statement on restoration of funding to UNRWA The Episcopal Church applauds the Biden administration’s decision to restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
 Respond to Our Deradicalization Survey The Office of Government Relations is seeking information on perceptions and existing initiatives within The Episcopal Church on deradicalization, and we ask you to help us by filling out this brief, confidential survey.
To register for Action Alerts go to: episcopalchurch.org/ministries/office-government-relations For any questions or help contact Lynette Clark at 301-357-1726 or ilovegoldens12@gmail.com 

Telephone prayer meeting every Saturday at 9:15 am. The number to call to join the prayer meeting is 508-924-2778. If you have any questions contact Lynette Clark at 301-357-1726. 
SOCIAL OUTREACH
Feed the Globe - Big Globe misses its Sunday visitors.  NOTE: If you can't make it to a food collection, you can mail a check to the church. Make the check out to Good Shepherd and write "Globe" on the memo line. The groups we support through the Globe still need our assistance. These groups are Shepherd's Table, Saint Luke Food Pantry, Center Global, and MUSST. Thank you  

Shepherd's Table Wish List - A way to respond to the needs of Shepherd's Table is through the WISH LIST link on their website:  https://shepherdstable.org.

See an update from MCCH here.
Dear Good Shepherd family, 
Under the guidance and with information from the Bishop and Diocese, your leadership team (Clergy, Wardens, and Vestry) has begun discussions regarding reopening the church building. The Diocese has provided a phased approach to gathering for church worship and building use.

As always I am available to you in Spirit even as it is not possible to be physically together. Remember that my mobile number is 202-491-4340 and my email is rector@gsecmd.org and feel free to be in touch via text, phone or email if you have questions, need someone to pray with or someone to talk to. I am celebrating the Eucharist and discussing the readings on Facebook Live on Wednesdays at 11:30 am.  I encourage you to join these virtual worship opportunities as way of remaining connected to one another and the wider Church. Finally, we continue to provide updates via email and on Good Shepherd's website and Facebook page. (Link Below)
LESSONS AND CALENDAR
Fourth Sunday of Easter
First Lesson: Acts 4:5-12
Psalm: 23
Second Lesson: 1 John 3:16-24
The Gospel: John 10:11-18

The Week of April 25, 2021
Sun 4/25 Virtual Eucharist via Zoom at 10:30 am. Live webcast at 11:15 am @cathedral.org cathedral.org, Manantial de Vida 2:30 pm Church, SDA 7:30 pm
Mon 4/26 GS Troop 22 5:30 pm, SDA 6:30 pm
Tues 4/27 SDA 6:30 pm
Wed 4/28 Virtual HE 11:30 am via Facebook, SDA 6:30 pmVirtual choir practice 7:30 pm, Vestry meeting 7:30 pm via Zoom.
Thur 4/29
Fri 4/30 SDA 6:30 pm,
Sat  5/1 Telephone Prayer Meeting 9:15 am, SDA 9:30 am Church, Food Drive 11:00 am
Sun  5/2 Virtual Eucharist via Zoom at 10:30 am. Live webcast at 11:5 am @cathedral.org, M de Vida, 2:30 pm, SDA Week of Prayer 7:30 pm.
OFFER PRAYERS INTENTIONALLY TO GOD FOR ALL HIS PEOPLE:
John Elliott, Don Schimmel, Norma Anderson, Lisa Mondori, Jackie N (friends of Florence Walters), Marty Jones, Patricia (friends of Lillian Luksenburg).
Zoom Readers:
April 25 Ben Hendricks, Linda Campo
May 2 Lillian Luksenburg, Liz Cocke
May 9 Laura Meissner, Jillian Newby
May 16 Araba Pobee, Florence Walters
May 23 Jasciel Stamp, Deena Groshong
May 30 Greg Wood, Debbie Beebe
Birthdays and Anniversaries:
April 25 - May 1: Monya Hudsick-Obando, Aidan Groshong, Arian Thompson, Joan & Don Lewis, Melissa Garcia & Joe Burckle.
Clergy & Staff
Rector
The Rev. David C. Wacaster
rector@gsecmd.org

Deacon
The Rev. Kathryn McMahon
deacon@gsecmd.org

Organist & Choirmaster
George Drumwright
music@gsecmd.org

Parish Administrator
Lynn Hutcheson
assistant@gsecmd.org
Vestry & Delegates
Senior Warden
Deena Groshong

Junior Warden
Rosemary Addy

Joe Burckle
Boma Fubara
Jose Obando
Lynette Clark
Nina Scott
Vanvisa Sivali
Peter Beyer
Garret Nicholson
Florence Walters

Delegates
Cecily Thorne
Ray Groshong
Counters & Recorders (All serve on a rotating schedule, two counters and one recorder each Sunday)
Counters: 

Ray Battistelli
Frank Desmond
Kirk Franklin 
Becky Parks
Vanvisa Sivali
Lyn Womack
Adrienne Womack
Greg Wood
Jim Woodhams
Allen Wyrick
GOOD SHEPHERD EPISCOPAL CHURCH
818 UNIVERSITY BLVD. WEST SILVER SPRING, MD 20901
gsecmd.org