June 20, 2007

This Week’s Readings

Isaiah 40:1-5; Galatians 3:23-29; Luke 8:26-39

Good Shepherd – Church of the Month

The Christian Book and Gift Shop, 815 North Broadway, has chosen to feature Good Shepherd Lutheran Church as their ‘Church of the Month’ in July. The benefit to us is two-fold: 1) The publicity they provide allows us to reach out to the community, letting people learn about our church. 2) CB&G will donate back to our church five percent of every personal purchase we make there throughout the month. So be sure to visit the Christian Book and Gift Shop in July – and when you do, tell the sales associate that you attend the ‘Church of the Month’. They will credit our account with five percent of your purchase.

Mission Trip Car Wash Was a Success!

Thank you to all who got their cars washed and donated money to benefit the youth going on mission trips. Thanks to the youth and parents who worked so hard on Sunday. Thanks as well to the Manges’, McHenry’s, Jasperson’s and Schlicht’s for the use of their equipment. A BIG thank you to Thrivent for matching funds that brought our total earnings to $1,202!

Can you help?

During the week of July 8-13, three camp counselors from Good Earth Village will be with us for a lively week of Day Camp! Would your family be willing to host these young people for an evening meal sometime during that week? Give Cynthia a call at 289-1748 to volunteer. Thank you!

Fall Sunday School Teachers

The Education Committee is starting to organize Sunday School classes for the 2007-08 school year. Help is especially needed in some of our upper grades. Beginning this Sunday, there will be a display in the Narthex indicating openings where help is needed. Please consider this opportunity to help our young people grow in faith! Give Cynthia a call at 289-1748 if you have questions.

Are you…

... active in church, but want more?

... itching to put your faith into action and make a difference?

... looking for friends who have a vision like you?

If you answered yes, you should be a part of YSLI! The Youth Servant Leadership Institute is a collaboration between Good Earth Village and our synod where high school youth are selected from across MN to work, to learn, and to play together. These young people gather for one week during the summer and four retreats throughout the year for leadership training. If you’re interested fill out the application (found at www.goodearthvillage.org) or talk with Mark or Emily Howe who participated in YSLI last year.

This Week at Good Shepherd

Wednesday, June 20

11:30am Widow’s Luncheon (Old Country Buffet)

Thursday, June 21

7:00am Morning Bible Study

7:00pm Sisters in Faith

Saturday, June 23

8:00am Faith in Motion

8:00am Scrapbooking Group (FH)

9am-3pm Habitat for Humanity Youth House Work Day

5:30pm Worship

Sunday, June 24

8:00am Outdoor Worship

9:30am Indoor Worship

Monday, June 25

10:30am Staff Meeting

7:00pm Council Meeting

Tuesday, June 26

7:30am Men’s Coffee

9:30am Stay and Play

Summer M & M

If you’re in 6-8^th grade, join us on Wednesdays at noon this summer as we enjoy some incredibly fun activities. Below is a schedule with the times, dates, and activities. Please note that activities with an * require signing up in advance to the date. You can sign-up for an activity on the youth bulletin board just outside of the youth room or by e-mail Mark at gscyouth@goodshepherdchurch.net.

Day Event Time What to bring:

June 20 Bike Riding & Dairy Queen 12-3pm your bike & helmet

June 27 *Color Me Mine mug painting*12-3pm $5 for your mug

July 15 *Sunday Twins Game* 11-5pm $19 & spending money

July 18 X-Box game Day 12-4pm a game/snack to share

Aug 1 Large Screen Movie 12-3pm a snack to share

Aug 15 *Canoeing and swimming* 12-4pm $5, swimsuit & towel

If you’re an adult or high school student and you’d like to come along for any of these activities give Mark a call. He’ll be glad to have you along!!!

trips.

Graduating Seniors

Join us on Sunday, June 24^th at the 9:30am service we honor our High School seniors. Stick around after the service for an informal reception in the Narthex. Please remember our graduates in your prayers and give ‘em a shout out next time you see them. They include:

Jenni Aipperspach, Mackenzie Flaharty, Luke Fluegel, Zackary Friedli, Kirsten Gedicke, Christine Gronseth, Lisa Hansen, Tyler Hansen, Matthew Hoeft, Shelby Husser, Garrett Kolar, Luke Krystosek, Elissa Larson, Robert Laures, Joanna Lipp, Brett Lucas, Kirk McCamish, Andrea McHenry, Katelyn McNeill, Marcus Meldahl, Devan Neuvirth, Cherise Schwartz, Jenny Scuglik, Alexis Swanton, Justin Weber, Kayla Williams and Jenny Wulff.

Habitat for Humanity

This Saturday, June 23^rd, is the first of three Habitat work days of the summer. Come and help start work on Habitat’s second Youth House. We go from 9am to 3pm and lunch is included. You must be 16 years of age to work with Habitat in this capacity. Talk or e-mail Mark if you’re interested in coming.

Best Thing You’ll Do All Summer

It’s not too late to register for one of the most fun things you’ll do all summer... a week of camp at Good Earth Village. For a week of Hiking, Worship, Creek Splashing, Arts and Crafts, Faith-filled Bible studies, Discussions, Team building, Games, Evening Campfire, Hanging out with your cabin mates, and Singing. Pick up a registration form at church or online at www.goodearthvillage.org. Want to find out who else is going and when? Talk with Mark.

May Financial Summary

2007 May Income                    $44,162
2007 May Expenses                 $41,874
2007 May Net Income $2,288
2007 Year-to-date Income       $210,720
2007 Year-to-date Expenses    $211,838
2007 Year-to-date Net Loss    ($1,118)

Time and Talent Prizes

Winners! Remember the drawing from prizes from the Time and Talent Forms? There are still three unclaimed prizes in the church office. If you are one of the prize winners listed below and have not claimed your prize, stop in the church office soon.

Marlene Harnack, Becky & Kent Bruinsma, Carol & Dave Olson, Julia & Curt Accola, Betty & Jan Bergert, Heidi & Gary Meldahl, Hazel & Marvin Scheitel.

Small Group Schedule

June 21 7:00am Morning Bible Study (Conf.)

7:00pm Sisters in Faith (E)

June 23 8:00am Faith in Motion (Hy Vee South)

June 26 7:30am Men’s Coffee (Panera South)
9:30am Stay and Play

Looking for a way to serve the Lord?

Bethesda Upscale Resale needs your help. 100 percent of their profits go to benefit people with developmental disabilities, providing for both their physical and spiritual needs. Volunteering at the resale store is a wonderful way to meet new friends and to make a difference in the lives of people with developmental disabilities. For more information on volunteering, stop by the store or call Marni at 800-783-8926. They are also looking to open one evening a week. Anyone interested in volunteering for this shift should apply.

Bethesda Upscale Resale, 1550 3rd Ave. SE

Store Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10am-5pm

Store Phone: 292-0851

Bishop’s Column

The Spirit Can Be Loud

Way too much commotion…on that first Pentecost I mean. The text speaks of the noise like a rushing wind. And then there were all these people speaking in different languages. Why it says even they were bewildered and perplexed. And these tongues of fire, what a sight that must have been. No wonder the accusation was that they were drunk. Why they were obviously out of control.

So when was the last time you and your congregation were accused of such a sacrilege? When was the last time it got too loud, when others wondered about you, when things obviously were out of control? We could expect such actions from other cultures, those from the Middle-east for example. But emotion and excitement here?

Gerhard von Rad attended a small church in his native Germany. The young pastor was not noted for his skill or preaching, but von Rad would speak of his one great strength. When the pastor read the Bible on Sunday, when he led worship, it was as if he were opening a package that contained a ticking bomb.

What of the Spirit in this season of Pentecost? What of its power to incite and challenge and change? Or do we become so nervous at such a prospect that we come down even harder with law and order. I fear that too often “nice” and “quiet” is the order of the day. I fear that too often we are afraid of losing control of the church, “our church.”

What would happen? What did happen, on that first Pentecost I mean. The text tells us, “and that day about three thousand persons were added.” (Acts 2) What a sight that must have been, what a confusing, loud, messy sight. But what a beautiful sight!

Let the Spirit blow in this Pentecost season and see what happens.

Shalom,
Harold Usgaard
Bishop

Handbell Update

Thanks to many generous donations, Good Shepherd is close to purchasing a set of handbells. So far almost $8000 has been raised, and plans are being put in place to purchase the handbells very soon.

Also, there are still a few Butterbraids left for purchase. (These are a great, easy to prepare breakfast treat!) If interested, please contact Becky Bruinsma.

Potluck for Don and Rhoda Nelson

Don and Rhoda Nelson will be in worship at Good Shepherd on Sunday, July 1. Following the 9:30am service, there will be a brunch in the Fellowship Hall. The Nelson’s look forward to visiting their friends from Good Shepherd.

Confirmation Service Hours

Tenth graders “to be” are only a few months from being confirmed! Many still need service hours. If you are in need of service hours, GSC custodian Ellen Herder has some projects available at the church. If interested, contact Ellen at church (289-1748) or home (289-5723).

Volunteers Needed

Approximately 1,500 to 2,000 blind and visually impaired people from the USA and other nations will attend the 46th annual American Council of the Blind (ACB) convention in Minneapolis. Volunteers are needed at the hotel from Thursday, June 29 through Sunday, July 8. Volunteers are needed at the airport on June 29 & 30 and July 1, 7, & 8. Full details are available at www.nacbancc.org/images/ACBLetter.pdf;

www.nacbancc.org/images/ACBProfile.pdf;

www.nacbancc.org/images/ACBSignup.pdf; and www.nacbancc.org/images/ACBParking.pdf.