June 20, 2006
Scripture Readings for Next Sunday
Proper 7/Sunday 12 (June 25)
Job 38:1-11; Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32; 2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Mark 4:35-41
Tithing for a Time Update
Thank
you to each household who participated in our Tithing for a Time program! During the program gifts to the general fund
totaled $56,450 and we were able to make significant progress toward erasing
our budget deficit. The program has officially
come to a close, but as a congregation we need to continue to be aware of our
financial health. We ask that you continue
your regular financial support during these summer months when travels take you
away from home. You can do this by using
the enclosed envelope to send in your gifts, or you can easily and “simply”
make your financial gifts to GSC all year long by signing up for the Simply
Giving program. Contact Mike in the
office for a Simply Giving form at any time throughout the year.
Again,
many thanks to each household that increased their giving during this
program. Each and every gift was
important. Thanks to you we have turned
lemons into lemonade, and are popping and floating in the right direction!
WILD
WEDNESDAYS
Kick-off for Wild Wednesdays here at GSLC will be this Wednesday, June
21, along with the VBS Gang. Come enjoy
some cool ice cream on a hot night, and pick up a schedule of upcoming Wednesday
night events all summer long.
We need your help
Volunteers
are needed on Monday, July 10 to help move Pastor Dave Berg and his family into
their new home in Rochester. Please call
Paul Mainz at 951-1540 if you are able to assist in this time of transition
here at GSLC.
From the Volunteer Coordinator
Parish nurse – After many years of volunteering her time and
talents, Lonnie Fynskov will no longer serve as Parish Nurse. Thanks so much Lonnie for all your dedication
to this ministry! If anyone is
interested in serving as Parish Nurse, please contact Vicky Mulvihill
(281-3052) for more information.
Meal Ministry Coordinator – Many thanks to Hazel Scheitel for serving as the Meal
Ministry Coordinator the past few years!
Our new coordinator is Ginny Burgart (282-0131). Thanks for stepping forward Ginny!
Library Committee – We are looking for data entry help. If you have time to assist, please contact
Paula Freitag at 282-9600.
Building Use Requests
It’s
hard to believe, but it’s already time to think about fall schedules. Renewal forms will be mailed out in July to
groups already using GSLC for their meetings.
If you have a group that would like to reserve the use of the GSLC
building, please pick up a form in the GSLC office or call 289-1748.
Thank You!
A special thank you to the
Arroyo’s (Kelly & Jesse) and the Hanson’s (Weldon & Sarah) for their
donations of grills to GSLC. In addition
to being a great help with this summer’s Wild Wednesday’s, they will also be a
great asset for other activities throughout the year. Thank you to both families for their generous
gift.
Breakfast Bible Study
The Breakfast Bible Study
will resume on Thursday, June 29 at 6:30am, led by Pastor Jack Friedli and
focusing on Philippians. Everyone is
invited to attend the study.
GSLC Landscaping Update
Trees Trees Trees! Please take the time to enjoy the new planting
of the 8' evergreen trees that are adorning the north and southwest perimeter
of the church property. A grateful thank you to Jim Whiting and his
crew for the selection and planting of the trees.
An overview of the entire landscaping project will be displayed soon,
and we look forward to the support of the congregation for this exciting
project.
Landscaping Committee: Keith Lindor, Cindy Tomashek, Shirley
Schumacher, and Diane Carr
Got Canoe?
The youth at GSC would
like to spend a couple hours canoeing after services some Sunday. We’re searching for a couple people who might
lend us their canoe for the day (and even come with us). If you are interested and are canoe endowed
please contact Mark or put your name down on the sheet in the Narthex.
Habitat
Youth United House
Saturday, July 8th
is our day to work on the Youth United House.
Youth United (YU) is a Habitat for
Humanity program that brings together community youth ages 5-25 to fully
sponsor and build a home with a local family. The youth are the leaders,
planners, fundraisers, public relations specialists and builders. The group from GSC (ages 16 and up) will be
working from 9-4pm (lunch included) and you’re invited. Sign-up is required and can be found on the
youth board.
Summer M & M
Our Middle School summer
program starts on Wednesday, June 28th. Come for our 1st Annual Frisbee
Golf Tournament. There will be pizza,
prizes, and we’ll spend a couple minutes going over the schedule for this
summer. Please note that each Wednesday will have its own sign-up sheet on the
youth board. Also, adults are needed
for each Wednesday. If you are an adult
with some free time on a Wednesday and an urge to spend some time with our
youth please contact Mark.
Appalachia Mission Trip
Can you believe it? We leave for Logan, West Virginia in less
than one month! So, the time is upon us
to settle up and get down. You can
settle up by getting your final payment, health form, and covenant into the office. Can you get down with us for our next
meeting? Look for a letter in the mail
and a phone call detailing final arrangements and how much you have left for
your final payment.
Weekly Devotion
“Kid Friendly”
The church could learn a few things from the Milwaukee Brewers. After spending the weekend at Miller Park watching the Twins take two out of three from the home team (Go Twins!), I came away with an appreciation for what sports teams call “the fan experience.” Fan-friendly Miller Park was set up to make you enjoy yourself – even if your team was losing.
What impressed me, most, however, was how “kid-friendly” the park and the team were. In the parking lot in the shadow of the stadium is a miniature version where Little League games are played – or parents and kids can just play catch before the game. There is a park with playground equipment and grass in the middle of the parking lot as well. Inside – more play places for the kids. On Saturday night a group of kids whose parents were serving over seas sang the National Anthem – out of key and wonderful. On Sunday, it was a girls’ chorus. Before the game, there was the “major league moment,” where kids were announced at each position and ran out onto the field. Then the Brewers line-up was announced. They ran out to their positions, autographed a ball for the kids and stayed with them while the National Anthem was sung. Kudos to Brady Clark, the Brewers’ center fielder, who was clearly engaged in a long conversation with the little girl who was center fielder for the night. Do you think she is probably a fan for life?
So, what does this all have to do with youth ministry? Everything. Those kids were made to feel welcome. They had a part in what was going on. Everywhere they looked, they saw something for them. Can we say the same about the church, and especially about worship? We do a great job of having ministries and programs for kids and teens, but when it comes to worship – the big game, they are often left out. I know, kids get restless in worship. They don’t understand it. Teens get bored.
But frankly, a 4-hour blowout of a baseball game can get boring, too – unless you understand the game. Then
there is more to look for than just the score. That, how-
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Weekly Devotion
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ever, requires teaching. We’re
willing to do it with sports. Lots of parents spend hours teaching a kid to
throw a ball, kick a soccer ball, or shoot a puck. But how often do we bother
to teach kids about what’s going on in worship? How many adults really
understand why we do some of the things we do?
Here’s the deal, though, if we
don’t engage our children and youth when they’re young, they’ll grow up and
they still won’t understand or appreciate the game. Jesus says, “Truly I tell
you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never
enter it.”
So, maybe it’s time to take a
lesson from the Milwaukee Brewers and figure out how to create the “fan experience”
at our churches. Are there ways we can help our children and youth feel more
welcome? Can we make worship more family-friendly? Are there “major-leaguers”
in our congregation that we can pair up with our youth to help them learn the
faith? Can we involve children and youth in meaningful ways in worship?
- Jacqui
Thone
Education & Family
Small
Groups - there's still time!
The
small group team is in the process of sifting through the lists of folks who
sign up during May and contacting individuals to set up initial meetings. The following is the list of small groups
that will be kicked off in the next month or two: Crafters (several groups),
Book Club, Care Group, Faith In Motion (several groups)
If you did not get a chance to sign up for one of these
groups and are still interested, please call or email the church and indicate
which small group you are interested in.
Also, there were several small group ideas that did not have enough
individuals for a group. If you are interested
in any of these as well, please contact the church. If we get enough names, a small group will be
started:
Card Group, Food, Fellowship, and Faith, Painting/Art
Golf, "Green Team" - care for the
environment, combined with social justice, Music (both traditional and ethnic)
The small group team asks for your
continued prayers as Good Shepherd start its small group program.
It's Time to Say Farewell
We will be having a farewell brunch potluck following service on Sunday June 25th for Pastor Tom.
Please bring a breakfast or lunch dish to pass. We will meet in the
fellowship hall immediately following service. Anyone who would like to
say a few words may do so. There will also be a dessert reception for
Pastor Tom following the service on Saturday,
June 24th.
Wednesday, June 21
9 am-3 pm GSLC Day Camp
11:30 am Widow’s Lunch (Old Country Buffet)
7:00pm Wild
Wednesdays (w/ VBS children)
Thursday, June 22
9am-3 pm GSLC Day Camp
9:45 am Stay and Play
Friday, June 23
9 am-12 pm GSLC
Day Camp
Saturday, June 24
5:30 pm Worship
6:30 pm Dessert
reception for Pastor Hanson
Sunday, June 25
9:30 am Worship
10:30 am Potluck
farewell for Pastor Hanson
Monday, June 26
7:00 pm Council
Wednesday, June 28
12-3pm Summer M & M Kickoff
Thursday, June 29
6:30am Breakfast Bible Study
9:45 am Stay and
Play
Saturday, July 1
3:00 pm Wilhelm/Aslakson Wedding Rehearsal
5:30 pm Worship
Sunday, July 2
9:30 am Worship
3:00 pm Wilhelm/Aslakson Wedding
+ For all the members of GSLC, especially: Tim and Lonnie Fynskov (Elizabeth, Ben, Lauren),
Bruce and Linda Galloway (Alicia, Nathan), John and Marge Gamm. + For
ELCA congregations in the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, including: People of
Hope in Rochester,
Lunder Lutheran in Twin Lakes, Spring Garden in Cannon Falls and St. Paul in
Meriden.
