April 25, 2007

Readings for this Sunday

Acts 9:36-43, Revelation 7:9-17, John 10:22-30

Celebration of Conversations

Come to a celebration Potluck on Sunday, May 20 at Noon (Following Worship)

Celebrate the end of the Congregational Conversation and the beginning of the Visioning Team

The Congregational Conversation which began on February 20 came to a close two months later on Thursday, April 19.  Over 200 people representing about 40 percent of member households participated.  We had our most senior members as well as children as young as 4 participating.  A special thank you goes to Rita Howe who coordinated this huge effort and shepherded it for the past several months.  Through it all we took time to share our stories and backgrounds as well as time to dream of our ministry together here at Good Shepherd Church.  It was a wonderful opportunity to learn from one another, discover more about our backgrounds, and to ultimately “be church” as we gathered.  We will celebrate the end of these conversations with a potluck after the second service on May 20.  We will share a meal together, recap the conversations, and meet our new visioning team.

What is a visioning team?  Glad you asked!  During the conversations everyone was asked the following question, “What would you attempt to do with regard to our ministry at Good Shepherd if you knew that you could not fail?”  As we talked about this question, we began to imagine the possibilities of our life together as a congregation.  The task of the vision team will be to pray, study, lead congregational gatherings, listen, revisit the congregational conversations and ultimately help discern the mission, vision and core values for our congregation.  Jesus told his disciples to “Follow me.”  This team will do the hard work of study, prayer, discussing, listening and helping us to understand where Jesus is leading us and inspire us to go there. 

Between now and then, I look forward to our celebration on May 20!  I’ll see you there.

-Pastor Dave

This Week at Good Shepherd

Wednesday, April 25

9:45am           Stay and Play

1:30pm           Lutheran Woman Today study

5:30pm           Confirmation (End of Year Potluck)

6:15pm           Cherub & Carol Choir

7:00pm           H.S. Youth Group

Thursday, April 26

7:00am           Morning Bible Study

7:00pm           Sisters in Faith

Friday, April 27

4:00pm           Wedding Rehearsal

4:30pm           Confirmation Retreat departs

5:30pm           Rehearsal Dinner (FH)

Saturday, April 28

8:00am           Faith in Motion

9am-noon       Annual Spring Clean-Up Day

3:00pm           Wedding

5:30pm           Worship

Sunday, April 29

8:15 & 10:45am  Worship

9:30am           Education Hour

3:30pm           Confirmation Retreat returns

Monday, April 30

10:30am         Staff Meeting

6:30pm           Celebration Chimes

Tuesday, May 1

7:30am           Men’s Coffee

12:00pm         Prayer Lunch

6:30pm           Jubilation Chimes

Annual Spring Clean-Up Day – April 28

Due to the last minute winter weather, the annual GSLC Spring Outdoor Clean-up Day has been moved to Saturday, April 28 from 9:00 am to 12 pm.  Cleanup projects include raking, trimming, cleaning around scrubs and landscape, spreading bark mulch around the church perimeter and trees, window cleaning, picking up  trash from church grounds, and clean-up of the outdoor worship area.   Please come and help freshen up the Good Shepherd building and grounds.   Come for any or all of this time period.  All help is greatly appreciated

 

Year-End Retreat Details

Are you as excited as I am?  Our retreat to St. Croix state park is this weekend!  Pastor Dave, Mark and the guides have been working hard to bring it all together and load this weekend full.  So there’ll always be something fun to do and something yummy to eat.  If you are unable to attend the retreat please contact Pastor Dave prior to this weekend regarding our makeup session.  Here’s some last minute details.

·         Meeting & Celebration - Wednesday at 6pm

·         Departure - Friday at 4:30pm

·         Return - Sunday around 3:30pm

·         Packing list and other various info available for download at www.gscyouth.com

30 Hour Famine

Congrats to the students who went 30 hours without food and raised over $750 to help fight poverty and hunger world-wide.  Along with matching donations from various organizations the $750 we raised will be worth five times as much.  That’s $3,750 – enough to feed ten children for an entire year.  Also thanks to the adults who helped make the Famine possible and a success: Erik & Michelle Schlicht, McHaley Haeflinger, Randy Sutter, and Beth Krolak.

Summer Mission Trips

Want to spend a week making a difference?  We’ve got two great trips planned for this summer and the time to sign up is now.  Register by getting your $100 deposit into the office.  For more details on either trip visit: www.gscyouth.com

·         Sr. High Mission Trip to St. Louis, MO                                             July 22-27

·         9th Grade Mission Trip to Red Lake Indian Reservation                     July 8-13

Car Wash

Our Spring Car Wash will take place on the morning of May 6th (raindate of May 20) here at Good Shepherd.  Please sign-up on the youth bulletin board if you are a student or a parent that is able to help with this great mission trip fundraising event for our youth.  We NEED a minimum of 12 kids and 12 parents to have the carwash.  The deadline to sign up is Sunday, April 29.  Talk with Mark if you have any questions.

Parents of our 7th and 8th Graders

Come celebrate the last Confirmation of the year on this Wednesday at 6pm.  Bring a dish to share and test your luck as we carry on the great church tradition of pot-luck.  We’ll look back at the year and look forward to our year-end retreat.  Students come for regular confirmation at 5:30pm.

High School Baccalaureate – May 16

There will be a high school baccalaureate service sponsored by the 8 ELCA congregations of Rochester on Wednesday, May 16 at 7pm at Bethel Lutheran Church.  Youth and family specialist Rollie Martinson of Luther Seminary will be the guest preacher.   All high school seniors are invited to attend with their families.   If there are any other students in grades 9-12 who would like to sing in the mass choir, please contact Pastor Dave.   If you have any further questions, please contact the church office

Dorothy Day Volunteer Needed

We are currently seeking an individual to coordinate the quarterly schedule for Good Shepherd members who volunteer to serve at the Dorothy Day House. For more information, or to volunteer, contact Mike in the church office (289-1748) or Sheryl Nassif at 272-3129.

TV Turnoff Week

This week (April 23-29) is world-wide TV Turnoff Week.  The idea is simple: take your  TV, your DVD player, your video iPod, your XBOX 360, your laptop, your PSP, and say goodbye to them all for seven days.  Simple, but not at all easy.  Give it a try.  Like millions of others before you, you’ll be shocked at just how difficult – yet also how life-changing – a week spent unplugged can really be.

Easter Basket Thank You’s

Thirty one Easter baskets filled with your generous donations were distributed by Olmsted County Social Services working with Lutheran Social Services. Thank you notes from recipients are on a table in the narthex.

Tanzania Mission Trip Fundraiser – June 10

The date of the Tanzania mission trip fundraiser golf tournament has been changed from May 20 to June 10 at the Ferndale Golf Course in Rushford.  Cost is $80 per golfer, and includes a prime rib dinner following the tournament.  Tournament organizers are also seeking hole sponsors and people or businesses to donate door prizes. Good Shepherd member Juliane Herder can be contacted for more information at 289-5723.

News from Rainbow School

The end of the year is fast approaching, and we are enjoying learning about and experiencing our themes: Easter, Planting and Growing, and Farm Life!  During the Easter season, we celebrate the certainty that God’s love is always with us and helping us to grow and change with the seasons!  That’s good news!

We have had many seeds, bulbs and even trees growing in the Rainbow School room, and many went home with us…we have a nice terrarium and some plants that Linda Goodman, a Master Gardener, helped us pot.  They are fun to water and care for!  Soon we hope to have some farm animals visit us.

Now that the weather is nicer, we are enjoying some trips to the playgrounds, and we recently got to watch the city workers take down a tree, load it into a truck with a crane, and haul it away.  We can find adventure everywhere!

We are preparing for the ’07-’08 school year, and have filled our M-W-F class; we still have a few openings in our T-Th program, and will start a waiting list, so please call 261-0586 if you are thinking of preschool for your 3-5-year-old next fall.

Rainbow School is hiring a preschool teacher for 3-5-year-olds for the Tuesday-Thursday morning class for the ’07-’08 school year. The job description and application are available online at www.rainbowschool.us or by calling 261-0586.   Beth Krolak, Director

From the Volunteer Coordinator

Funeral Lunch Leader - We have 3 teams of people who help with this important service at GSC and one team needs a leader.  Everything is written down from what to ask the family to how much food to plan.  Please contact Vicky (281-3052) for questions and to sign up.

Communion Supplies Person - There are a few things that we keep on supply for communion preparation and we are looking for a person to watch over them.  Grape juice is one example.  Please call Vicky (281-3052) if you can help.

Outdoor Summer Worship

It's time to plan the 8am outdoor summer worship services. All the people who missed having the outdoor service last year, here is your chance to help make it happen this summer!  Look for the fluorescent pink signup sheet (on the table against the wall) in the narthex.  For each Sunday, we are asking a family to be responsible for setup, ushers, communion setup, communion assistant, and cleanup.   In order to finalize plans, please sign up by May 6.

Interfaith Hospitality Network Week, May 6-13

GSCs week for Interfaith Hospitality Network is May 6-13. A sign up sheet is in the narthex and the schedule is online at goodshepherdchurch.net/ihnsched.html. Currently two families are in the program - a mom and dad with a 4-yr-old and a 2-yr-old, plus the family of Nyebol, Moses, and Emily who were here in March.

Time and Talents

May 5 & 6 is the big weekend when we distribute Time and Talent forms at all worship services.  This is an important way for our congregation to get connected with our many ministries.  Please take note that all forms filled out and returned by May 5-6 will be entered into a drawing for some fabulous prizes.  If you miss the prize deadline, please return your form at worship on May 12-13.

Atmosphere!

Sunday mornings for High School Youth at GSC.  Do you have that nagging feeling that you were created to be more? Come to a weekly time of discussion, food and friends paired with the Bible to dive into what it means to be alive…in God’s atmosphere.  Atmosphere will meet at 9:30am on Sunday mornings in the youth room.

Summer Spanish for Kids

Jump into Spanish in this introductory class and travel around the world!  Your child will have fun with games, stories, songs, and role playing. We will practice greetings, colors, numbers, body parts and much more.  This interactive, fun and educational class will have your child shouting Ole!  Instructors: Minnesota State licensed Spanish instructors Jaclyn Thompson and Rebecca Klein.

Class size:  minimum 6, maximum 12. Classes will be held at Berean Community Church June 4-7 (session 1) and August 13-16 (session 2). 3-5 year olds:  9-9:45AM; 5-7 year olds:  9:45-10:30AM.  This is a child only class; parent must remain on site. Please register before May 15 by sending an email message to Jackie Thompson at jaclynthompson@yahoo.com   Indicate the age of your

child/children and session 1 or 2.  This is a first come, first serve basis. In order to insure your choice of session date, register soon, as classes may fill quickly!  Payment of $35 is due by May 20.  We will honor a sibling discount of $25 for any additional child/children.  Make check payable to  Jaclyn Thompson and send to: 1985 Hart Dr SW, Rochester MN 55902. Any questions, contact Jackie Thompson at 536-4179 or email address above

 

Worship With Us

Saturday – 5:30 pm

Sunday – 8:15 & 10:45am

Education Hour

@ 9:30am
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



God bless your year!

April 25   Luke Schmidt, Sara Suginaka

April 26   Joshua Augustin, Ruth Friedli, Eric Howe

April 27   Rick Turri, Cara Wilson

April 28   Kim Bertram, Katie Carr, Diana Hansen, Tim Gerlesberger

April 29   Alyssa Kolar

April 30   Kathy Dunham, Denise Walser-Kolar

May 1      Jerry Hart

+ For all the members of GSLC, especially: Craig & Jennifer Mann (Ashley, Brittany), Roger & Peggy Marquardt (Aaron, Abby, Emma, Sara), Becky Matheson.

+ For all ELCA congregations in the Southeastern MN Synod, including: St. John in Owatonna, Henrytown Lutheran in Canton, Our Savior’s in Rochester, and Hayward Lutheran in Hayward.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

559 20th Street SW

Rochester, Minnesota 55902

Phone: (507) 289-1748 

Office hours: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm Monday – Friday

E-mail info: gscsecretary@goodshepherdchurch.net

Worship Services (with Holy Communion)

Saturday 5:30 p.m.; Sunday 8:15 & 10:45 a.m.

Staff

Dave Berg, Lead Pastor

Jack Friedli, Pastoral Assistant

Cynthia McLaren, Education & Music Director

Mark Hannan, Youth Director

Mike Thilges. Office Administrator

Vicky Mulvihill, Volunteer Coordinator

Ellen Herder, Roger Harty - Custodians

Happynings Newsletter

Mike Thilges gscsecretary@goodshepherdchurch.net
Newsletter deadline: Mondays by 4:30 pm

Web site

www.goodshepherdchurch.net

   Paul Willemssen, Admin (willemssen@charter.net)