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Shepherd's Voice Newsletter May 1TRANSCRIPT
MAY 1, 2013 VOLUME 31 + NO. 32
grams one of the most suc-cessful in our diocese. It is wonderful to see our church filled with children and youth. It is heart warming to see so many adults taking an active role in the lives of our young people.
So now I have shared how we got to where we are to-day, but what is next for Good Shepherd? We have come amazingly far in six years, but where do we go in the next six years? Do we just maintain the programs that work or do we find new ways to grow and enrich faith? How do we serve our children, youth, families, parents, and the newcomer of tomorrow?
This is where Ministry Ar-chitects comes in. With their help, Good Shepherd can put together a growth plan for the future. We will learn how to get more peo-
In November 2006, I was brought to Good Shepherd to help build a Youth Pro-gram and grow the Chil-dren and Adult Formation Programs. In the last six years, we have started such programs as: The Acolyte Festival, 30 Hour Famine, Be the Church, Youth Group, Mission Trips, Community Service Pro-jects, Living the Good News, Youth Bible Study, Youth Ministry Advisory Board and many Chil-dren's Nights: Bible He-roes; Lent and Advent Classes; Lenten Challeng-es; Advent Wreaths, Ad-vent Calendars, Jesse Tree, Anglican Prayer Beads, St. Nicholas Festival, Saints Day and this year Family Dance and Ice Cream So-cials.
We have tried a Youth Group for children in fourth & fifth grades, an after-school program for
youth and a Saturday Babysitting Day. Together we have improved the Pil-grimage Program, changed the Youth Curriculum, Grew the Youth Confirma-
tion Program, Children's Chapel, Vacation Bible School, increased youth participation in worship and opened two nurseries. I have served as Chaplain for our Day School forming a bridge between the church and the school, increasing their chapel services to 5 a week.
I appreciate the support, time, efforts and help of all who have worked to make our children and youth pro-
Ministry Architects coming to Good Shepherd!
Church Office (859)252-1744 [email protected]
Upcoming Events
Bishop’s Visit ~ Confirmation
May 5
Youth Bonfire & Party
May 5
Office Closed ~
Staff Retreat
May 9
Mother’s Day May 12
Yoga with Jan May 15
Bluegrass
Concert
May 17
Men’s Group
Breakfast
May 18
UTO Spring
Ingathering
May 19
Newcomer’s
Brunch
May 19
Training Choir
at St. Hubert’s
May 19
Daughter’s of
the King
May 19
Senior Lunch
Bunch
May 24
continued on page 2
PAGE 2
ple involved in our minis-tries. Ministry Architects will re-flect back to us what they learned from the listening groups and what the groups heard people saying about our ministries. We will also be able to compare these answers and results with some of the same questions asked around the country and what different churches have
Ministry Architects to visit Good Shepherd
The Choirs wish to thank the following—without whom One Enchanted Evening would not have taken place:
Parishioners of The Church of the Good Shepherd Christ Church Cathedral Grimes Mill Winery Harkness Edwards Vineyards Lexington Pasta Margaret Foster Margaret & Joe Jones Susan Weatherford Barbara Baldwin & Stanley Cox Cherie & Hans Flueck Cooks, Servers, Waiters Set-Up & Clean-Up Crews
A very special thank you to:
Mrs. Mary Ellen Slone, for her tireless efforts in spearheading and obtaining substantial donations of items for the Silent and Live Auctions.
Kakie & Jerrry Hester, for the planning and preparation of the evening’s bountiful and delectable food.
Lee Jenkins, for his leadership in coordinating the gala event.
Thanks to the church staff and volunteers, the choirs and their families, as well as the Rector, Clergy and Vestry of the Church of the Good Shepherd for their dedication and service.
One Enchanted Evening ~ Choir Gala
done to improve their minis-tries. We will hear what we are doing right and what we need to improve on. They will even offer plans for roadblocks we may face along the way.
As Christians, we are all called to nurture faith, help build a strong foundation and reach out beyond
our comfort levels. I hope that you will participate in a listening group on June 7 & 8 and return to hear t h e r e p o r t o n J u n e 1 0 . What will Good Shepherd look like in two years, five years or ten and where will you be in that picture?
In Peace, Deacon Lauren
Mother’s Day Offering
Pink envelopes are available in the pews for donations made in honor a spe-cial woman in your life for Mother’s Day, May 12. All offerings benefit Good Shepherd’s Blessings in a Backpack Program for 60 students at Book-er T. Washington Elementary School. It cost $80 to fill a backpack with food for one child for the whole school year. Make checks payable to Good Shepherd with ―backpack program‖ on the memo line.
PAGE 3 VOLUME 31 + NO. 32
All Diocesan Women are invited to share the good news in word and deed at the Annual Diocesan Women’s Weekend sponsored by the ECW of The Diocese of Lexington. Join us Friday evening, May 17 through Sun-day afternoon. Ladies, join us at the Cathedral Domain and enjoy the meditations led by Bishop Hahn along with wonderful worship, fellowship and music. There will be optional workshops, time for walks, or time for naps too. Come join new friends or old and replenish your spirit in the beauty of God’s wonderful creation. For more information or to register contact Lisa Mills at 859.753.4646 or [email protected]
Diocesan Women’s Weekend ~ Reaching Beyond Ourselves
Good Shepherd Day School Tennis Fundraiser
Habitat for Humanity
Good Shepherd is one of the member churches in what we have named the Coalition of the Willing (C.O.W.). Other mem-ber churches include First Pres-byterian, Second Presbyterian, Christ Church Cathedral and St. Andrew's (whose rector is one of our very own seminarians, Carol
Ruthven). C.O.W. will be sponsoring a Habitat for Humanity build at 352 East Second Street beginning July 10th and lasting approximately 12-14 weeks. The home is being built for Alimata Kumbakisaka and her teenage son and daughter. The family of three is from the Repub-lic of Congo, but fled to Uganda because of war. Alimata currently works at Toyota and when asked about having a house built for her, said, "It will be exciting to own my own home. When I own my own home, I will be at peace." Please help us build a home for this wom-an and her family. Contact Kathleen Eastland at 859.351.1349 or at [email protected] with any questions, requests, ideas.
Spring is here and it's time to get out and exercise! Looking for a fun evening and a way to benefit children at the same time? Then come play for the kids by joining us for the Good Shepherd Day School 1st Annual Tennis Fund-raiser. This is a round robin event on June 15, 2013 at Lexington Tennis Club. All levels of tennis are welcome. Din-ner, soft drinks and welcome bag provided to all participants. Tournament prizes will be awarded and chances to win auction items. Entry forms are available in the parish office. Registrations and fees must be received by May 24, 2013. For more information, contact Kevin or Christy Ellis at 859.256.0042 or [email protected] or [email protected]
Taste of the Bluegrass
On Friday, May 17 the Taste of the Bluegrass will showcase the very best food and drink Central Kentucky has to offer. More than 50 great restau-rants and beverage distributors will be all in one place! Plus, live music and a silent auction. Taste of the Bluegrass is held in Keeneland’s Keene Barn & Entertainment Center, featuring a ―who’s who‖ of restau-rants, caterers, bakeries, beverage purveyors, and guests. Tickets are $75 per person or $125 for the ad-vanced preview package. Tickets are available at Central Bank and all Kroger locations, as well as at God-sPantryFoodBank.org. Contact Susie Basham at [email protected] for more information.
God’s Big Backyard Under the Stars
Vacation Bible School registration is starting now. All children ages 3 and up are invited
to join us June 2-6, 2013 for a week of intense fun, laughter & learning, crafts, games,
music and snacks with Deacon Lauren. VBS begins on Sunday, June 2 from 12:00 – 2:00
p.m. with a potluck lunch at 11:20 a.m. Children will return Monday through Thursday
from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Registration forms are available in the church office or contact
Deacon Lauren at 252-1744.
"The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd...where the Eucharist draws us to the center of Christ's love...and
the Holy Spirit sends us out on God's reconciling Mission...."
This Sunday at Good Shepherd, we will welcome 26 new members into the life of the Episcopal Church here at Good Shepherd.
It will be a joy to welcome Bishop Doug to Good Shepherd and share with him on such a celebratory day. As is true whenever
we confirm, receive, reaffirm or baptize, the whole community will be invited to renew again the vows we make in the Baptismal
Covenant.
Along with affirming the faith given to us in the Apostles' Creed, we also are invited to affirm, with God's help, a willingness to
live a life shaped by formation and fellowship, Eucharist and mission. We are invited to be evangelists of the Gospel, both by
word and deed, to serve all as Christ and to strive for peace and justice among all. While we respond to each question with, "I
will, with God's help", it is vitally important to remember how essential a community of support is in keeping such promises.
Whenever I try to go it alone in the Christian life, I end up quickly discouraged OR can find myself too pleased with my own
piety and judge others too quickly.
It is helpful to remember that the Church speaks of being a body, with many parts, all essential to the well-being of the whole.
So, while we will make individual promises this coming Sunday, we will do so in the presence of a community. It is with this
community that these vows will be kept, the faith will be practiced, healing sought, forgiveness given, God's Mission lived out.
Bishop Doug's presence will remind us that these promises also help us reach beyond Good Shepherd to fellow brothers and
sisters in the Diocese of Lexington and the wider Church, too.
As I mentioned this past Sunday, this is a time when we are being called, according to the wisdom of a three-year old at Good
Shepherd Day School, to "love another one." Each Sunday, new people join us in worship, seeking to find a home in which to
grow. Let us together be that place where the Good Shepherd welcomes sheep from every fold.
Peace,