Jan 19-26, 2022
Rev. Tom Willetts
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DEVOTION
Two weeks ago, we started our GENEROSITY CHALLENGE realizing that we are created in the image of a loving and generous God. All that we have comes from God and God generously provides for and loves each of us.
Our response to God’s generosity and love is GRATITUDE. This is the first point of our GPS as we journey on our Generosity Challenge. God generously gives and we receive. But it is when we respond to God’s generosity with GRATITUDE that we are healed and restored fully into the image God desires for all of us. Our relationship to God becomes a dialogue, a conversation. PRAYER is the practice of that relationship.
Prayer is simply having a conversation with God. For many church folks the prayers we offer are to ask God to help us – to solve a problem – to provide guidance. We ask and expect God to answer. Conversation, however, means that the two parties are speaking and listening to each other. As a disciple of Jesus, do we ever listen to what God is saying to us? Has God ever asked you to help HIM accomplish something – solve a problem or provide guidance? Prayer is having a conversation with God. Let’s read a scripture about Abraham, who had a long conversation with and listened to God -
Genesis 12:1-4. The Call of Abram
12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people
and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram
was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.
This is the “call story” of Abram, later referred to as Abraham. Abraham became the first PATRIARCH and foundation of three world religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Abraham was not a shining example of ethical purity or religious piety. Read his full story in Genesis 12 – Genesis 25:12. He was a prayerfully willing man who listened to God and followed God’s calling. Abraham was always listening and willingly moving to the next place God told him to go. Genesis 15:6 says, “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” Abraham lived a conversation with God – they both spoke, and they both listened and as Abraham believed and responded to God (FAITH) he was credited as righteous.
Living as a prayerfully willing disciple of Jesus offers us opportunities we cannot image. If all we do is pray our laundry lists to God, hoping for a good outcome we are not accepting that God really created the universe and that we were created in God’s image. We are not “little gods,” but we are grateful servants and disciples of a loving and generous God. We can share love and be generous beyond our own perceptions and expectations if we are willing to be prayerfully willing and believe the Lord.
PRAYER is our guidance in our journey on the Generosity Challenge. If we are not well practiced in prayer all we have to do is start. I promise God is always ready to listen and respond. The growth point is our willingness to listen and respond to God.
The Generosity Challenge Workbook offers this advice.
Begin slowly; don’t commit to spending an hour in prayer every morning. There’s nothing wrong with that, but begin with something realistic. Perhaps to begin, commit to five minutes a day spent in quietness.
Have a concrete plan. Intentionally turn off the music in your car and simply pray. Turn off the TV, and for five to ten minutes sit in silence and pray. If you exercise, decide to exercise without music and use the time to pray. Use your time in the shower of bath as a sacred time of prayer. I am amazed how many people tell me their best prayer time is in the bath or shower.
Begin with a simple prayer: Thank you, God… OR … God, what do you want me to do?
And then willingly listen in silence.
Throughout the next week, you’ll be guided by the P of your “GPS.” The following daily challenges will prepare you for the final stage: being sealed by faith.
If you would like guided prayers or to research other prayer resources, we recommend studying Lectio Divina or Centering Prayer.
From The Generosity Challenge, 28 days of Gratitude, Prayer and Faith, by Scott McKenzie and Kristine Miller. Abingdon Press / Nashville, TN. 2019. Pg. 50.
Blessings, Pastor Tom
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2022 Good Shepherd UMC Operating Budget
How is the money used in ministry?
This pie chart represents the relationship between the anticipated budgeted expenditures of the various ministry areas of our church for 2022. (Actual expenditures depend on income.)
We spend most of our funds in support of our weekly in-person and online WORSHIP. This includes salaries, music, audio, copyright licenses, and a portion of all building expenses. ($129,750).
The next greatest expense area is ADMINISTRATION. This includes all insurances, equipment leases, financial processing and bookkeeping costs, all I.T., parsonage maintenance expenses, utilities, and fees. ($114,300).
NURTURE / CARE is the third largest expense area. These funds are used for educational purposes for the staff and congregation growth, Sunday School, Small Group Ministries,
Caring Ministries and a portion of salaries related to caring for the congregation. ($105,200).
EVANGELISM / WITNESS is our fourth expense area. All communications expenses, Fellowship expenses, grounds-keeping, advertising and welcoming expenses and salaries related to inviting and welcoming new people to our church. ($61,000)
OUTREACH / MISSIONS receives the least amount in our Operating Budget because it is largely funded by second mile gifts and our response to immediate needs. We do have ongoing commitments and expenses which are in the budget for several area ministries. Our Apportionments and portions of salaries which relate to Outreach & Missions ministries are included. ($43,670)
The Annual MORTGAGE Cost of the church is divided equally across all five ministry areas.
TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSE BUDGET for 2022 is $453,920.
There are FIXED expenses which must be paid. Income affects expenses. We maintain reserves to offset emergency expenses and we maintain a CATASTROPHE Fund. Our CASH RESERVES have been drawn down over the past two years of COVID to pay our bills. We must all give sacrificially to help restore Good Shepherd to our previously healthy financial condition. PLEASE PRINT OUT AND COMPLETE PLEDGE CARD BELOW.
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WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE UMC?
What will happen to my church?
Church Wide Meeting
ALL ARE INVITED.
WEDNESDAY, January 19th at 1 PM.
Rev. Jay Therell from the WCA will offer a presentation about the various proposals to be considered in the upcoming GENERAL CONFERENCE of the UMC. All of the proposals will affect the local church. We need to be aware of the issues and the various proposals and how they will affect Good Shepherd Church. We will face some important decisions in the future and we must have an understanding of the issues and options in order to make our best decision.
The internet, Facebook, editorials, and rumors are not reliable sources of information.
Rev. Jay Therell is very well informed as a former U.M.C. leader in the Florida Conference and now as the Executive Director of the Florida Chapter of the WCA.
All are welcome to attend and bring questions to the meeting. There will be no vote or decision. This is an informational meeting only.
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COVID-19 UPDATE: JANUARY 17, 2022: Posted on FACEBOOK and reprinted.
As of today, Lee Health has:
- 354 COVID-19 patients isolated in our hospitals (inpatient).
- Of these patients, 11 of them are being treated at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.
- This morning, our hospital census was at 94% of staffed operational bed capacity.
- This morning, the census in the intensive care unit was at 90% of staffed operational bed capacity. There were 44 COVID-19 patients in the ICU.
- Lee TeleHealth is currently free and is an easy alternative to avoid longer than normal wait times at urgent care centers. To access Lee Telehealth, download the Lee Health app or visit www.LeeTelehealth.org.
OTHER UPDATES:
Since the first of the year, 30 patients in Lee Health hospitals have lost their battles with the coronavirus, including two yesterday, and 1,292 patients have died from COVID-19 in our hospitals since the start of the pandemic. While the majority of people who get sick will experience less severe symptoms, others may end up hospitalized, in the intensive care unit (ICU), on a ventilator, or pass away. This is particularly true for those with compromised immune systems, older patients, or who are otherwise vulnerable. These extremely negative outcomes are why Lee Health continues to recommend vaccines and boosters, social distancing, and frequent hand washing.
Our hearts are with the families and friends of the nearly 1,300 of our neighbors who have lost their lives to this unrelenting virus.
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Lee Health begins making house calls as facilities fill with COVID patients.
As hospitals continue to fill up and walk-in clinics experience long wait times, some wonder what to do if they need care. Lee Health is providing another option to get what you need.
Lee Health sent a passionate plea urging people to think before coming into its locations as COVID-19 begins to fill its facilities once again. Armando Llechu is the chief of hospital operations at Lee Health. “Our hospitals are again nearing capacity…,” said Llechu.
This message was important for Lee Health to get out that they held a press conference earlier this week to tell how much strain COVID has put on this system. Dr. Larry Antonucci is the CEO of Lee Health. “Our Lee Convenient Cares are also facing very long wait times and an incredible increase in patient demand,” Dr. Antonucci said.
To lighten the load, this health system is now making house calls. They send a team to where you live and offer convenient visits from the comfort of your own home.
Dr. Scott Nygaard is the COO of Lee Health. “Dispatch health is a new service that we have for Lee Health. And you can schedule an appointment where they come to your home in a car. They provide an assessment and service at home,” said Dr. Nygaard.
The prices for these house calls are the same as they would be for an urgent care visit. You can schedule appointments from any of Lee Health’s online platforms. Then, the visits are overseen by a doctor.
“They do a triage, an assessment in your home and can prescribe medical treatment. Or, if you needed to get laboratory testing, you might have to travel someplace else for that. But it’s a home service that really comes direct to your home,” Dr. Nygaard said.
You don’t need a referral to access the service, and calls would cover the same conditions as a walk-in clinic. However, this service is not meant for emergencies.
“We’re asking people to be selective in terms of where they go into go to the right level of care,” said Dr. Nygaard.
This is Lee Health’s newest option. It also offers telehealth visits, which, for now, are free.
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BRING YOUR ITEMS NOW TO DONATE
PLEASE - Put them on the WEST side of the Worship Center on the porch (by the Sanctuary Doors)
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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR AMAZING TREASURES SALE.
Sign up in the Narthex.
also.....
The Big Bake Sale
February 4th & 5th!!
The UMW is hosting a bake sale during the Amazing Treasure Sale and we could use some help.
First - we could use as many donations as possible. Please label your item if they contain nuts. If you want to have them prepackaged for sale that would be great but not necessary.
Second - Thursday afternoon help to prep everything for sale
Third - Sign up to sell baked items on Friday or Saturday.
last but not least give me a call
802-485-8072.
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MEETINGS, DEADLINES, EVENTS & INFORMATION
TWO SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES
9AM & 10:30AM - SUNDAY SCHOOL AT 9AM.
SATURDAY SERVICES - 4:45PM IN THE SANCTUARY
- Thursdays - 9am Handbell Rehearsal - Rm 1 - Worship Center
- Thursdays - 1pm - Ephesians Bible Study - Conf Room A - Ministry Center
- Thursdays - 3pm Choir Rehearsal - Chapel
- Mondays - 9:30am Sewing Group - Room 1 - Worship Center
- Wed., Jan 19th at 1pm CHURCHWIDE MEETING - with WCA speaker, Pastor Jay Therrell
- Mon., Jan 24 - 1pm WOMEN'S BIBLE STUDY - Chapel
- Mon., Jan 24 - 1pm - Finance mtg
- Tues., Jan 25 - 3pm LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETING
- Thurs., Jan 27 -10am Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Grp - Conf B (DATE Changed)
Weekend of 22 & 23 - Children's Home Envelopes will be available for you to pick up - please turn donation in on Jan 29 & 30 for the 5th Sunday's offering for the Florida Children's Home.
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WEEKLY HELPERS NEEDED -
PLEASE Sign up in the Narthex
Saturdays - Greeters/Guides & Psalm Readers, or join the Powerpoint/Sound Booth Team
Sundays - Greeters, Guides, & Psalm Readers for both services - 9am and 10:30. Join the Powerpoint and Sound Booth Team
OFFICE ANGELS call the office and volunteer for any dates we have open. 9am-1pm (we do have flexible hours)
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SUGGESTIONS FOR QUOTES ON MARQUEE
If you have suggestions for the marquee that are biblical & short., we would like to get the congregations participation. Please send your suggestions to Dr. John Michel.
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COMING UP-UMW SOUPER BOWL OF CARING
The collection is the same weekend of the Super Bowl game, which is the second Sunday of February in 2022- FEB 13TH.
Our collection will be given to Harry Chapin Food Bank. More info will be in the February newsletter.
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WOMEN'S STUDY GROUP
The next meeting of the Women’s Study Group is Monday, Jan 24, at 1PM in the Chapel of the Ministry Center. Pastor Lia will be leading the study of Bearing Witness in the Kin-dom. That Monday we will be doing Module 1—Grounded Being.
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CHURCH OFFICE HOURS Mon– Thurs 9am – 2:00pm CLOSED FRIDAYS |
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JOIN US
Online - Sunday Morning on Facebook & YouTube.
Find us at: Facebook.com/goodshepherdumc.org.
OR on YouTube: Good Shepherd UMC NFM. PLEASE press SUBSCRIBE (at no cost or obligation to you) then please share our posts to others we will become easier for others to find.
2022 NEW WORSHIP SCHEDULE ON SUNDAYS
Starting Jan, 2ND, 2022 WE GO TO TWO SERVICES
Sunday Worship at 9am AND Sunday Worship Service 10:30am
Sunday School at 9am
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CHECK OUT OUR
WEBPAGE!
www.goodshepherdumc.org
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If at any time you wish to unsubscribe to our weekly e-newsletter
please call us at 239/543-2686.
Good Shepherd United Methodist Church | 239/543-2686
OFFICE HOURS MON-THUR 9-2PM
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