news Good Shepherd This Month

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1 Good Shepherd news Pastor s Message Yesterday I finished reading two books. It was an excellent day. The first book I finished is called Not in God s Name by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. By interpreting stories from the Book of Genesis Rabbi Sacks makes a compelling case that Judaism, Islam, and Christianity must totally and forever renounce all forms of violence as a means to accomplish religious ends. The second book I finished is called Why Liberals Win the Culture Wars by Stephen Prothero who is Professor of Religion at Boston University. In this fascinating book Professor Prothero recalls some of the classic culture wars in American history and comments on some of the current cultural wars and argues that the arc of American society always trends towards inclusion and liberty. This Month 7/4/2016 Church Office Closed for Independence Day 7/8/2016 Faith and Family Night at the Sacramento Rivercats 7/17-7/19 IKON High School Retreat 7/24-7/26 IKON Junior High Retreat 7/31 Mission Sunday Camp Impact Mon-Thurs from 9:00-1:00 These books were a refreshment for both the mind and soul but they also have relevance for my ministry and the ministry we share together. At Good Shepherd we must always be practicing good religion, that is, religion that blesses, heals, and helps. It is time that the entire Christian Church practices an absolute self-discipline of making sure that what is said and done in the name of Jesus results in redemptive blessing, healing, and help-especially for those who have been marginalized by the Church and yes, even towards our enemies. Continued on next page Good Shepherd Lutheran Church * * 1615 Morse Ave, Sacramento, CA *

2 Pastor s Message Continued And taking inspiration from the second book I will continue my personal crusade of leading the American Christian Church out of the cultural wars battlefield and the divisive politics that fuels it and into a deeper allegiance to the vision of the Kingdom of God that Jesus both taught and embodied. If you happen to read either book let me say for the record that I don t agree with everything that is written in them. I don t always agree with everything I say and write and I am the most agreeable person I know. But these mega-themes of redemptive religion and the Christian church free from the captivity of partisan politics will be things I teach, preach, and confess as long as God enables me. In Christ, Pastor Todd Wallace Official Church Acts Baptisms: New Members: Everleigh O Connor 6/26/2016 Venture O Connor 6/26/2016 Curtis & Carolyn Cohn 6/5/2016 William Powell 6/26/2016 From The Council I would like to thank everyone who has already participated in the Give to Grow campaign. We are off to a good start having raised $150,000 of the $350,000 needed to complete the acquisition. Work at the property is progressing at a fair pace. To utilize the building in a more efficient manner, several walls have been removed, lighting has been repaired and upgraded to efficient LED s, painting and carpet is complete. Supports for the deck have been replaced. A deck rail needs to be added and certain sections of the Doug Stewart, Council President ceiling tile require replacement. We hope to complete all necessary work by mid-july. The staff is planning to complete their move into the new building by the first week of August. Plans for the old office building are in progress. If you have suggestions regarding the use of this facility, please contact me. Work on the Arden Way building will not begin until the staff has competed their move, and our Give to Grow financial goal has been achieved. VBS is always a fun and uplifting event for all, and this year was no exception. It is really great to see our campus utilized by these energetic and enthusiastic kids, enjoying their time here, while hearing and learning about our Savior. A thank you to everyone who helped make VBS so meaningful. It was a genuine pleasure to see all those children with their families at our 11:00 service on June 26. On behalf of the Council, I would like to thank Diane Joseph for her many years of service devoted to the Good Shepherd Prayer Chain. It is an important part of our ministry, and Diane s service has long been a key part in that service. Thank you Diane you will be missed. On behalf of the Council, Doug Stewart stewartd@winfirst.com Sunday Services at 7:45 am (Come As You Are), 8:30 am (Classic), and 11:00 am (Contemporary). Fellowship at 9:30 am. Educational Hour from 9:50am-10:45am: Adults (Fireside Room), IKON YOUTH (Youth Room), Kids (GS Kids Room). Library open on Sundays.

3 GS KIDS//VBS 2016 Pray For Our Men and Women in the Military Ryan Baker * Heather Campbell * Joshua Cole * Matthew Cournoyer * Blake Fair * Daniel Harrison * Michael Harrison * Zachary Jensen * Cody Johnstone * Kevin Kirkbride * Alex Kraal * Kiel Lovekin * Cosme Munzo * Michael Nolan * Liam O'Brien * Matthew Sirko * Eamon Turnbull * Nathan Wallace * O.V. MacDonald * Derek Cameron

4 Giving Corner One of the first things I noticed about Good Shepherd is that we are a generous church. It seems to be a wonderful part of our DNA as a congregation that if there is a need we will find a way to meet it. As part of an ongoing effort to coordinate our giving for maximum impact, we have created a Giving Corner. Perhaps you have noticed that each Sunday at the corner between the Welcome Center and the Library, there are tables set up to highlight needs or receive material donations for ministries that we support. On the first Sunday of each month, we collect bagged groceries for the Sierra Arden Food Closet. Our barrel for St John s Program for Real Change is out at least four months of the year, and soon on a more regular basis. Ongoing needs The Giving Corner is located between the Welcome Center and the Library! of our Preschool are announced and you can always drop off Campbell s Soup labels to support the Navajo Mission. And beginning July 10 you will be invited to participate in providing school supplies for our Impact youth which will be presented on Impact Sunday. Starting in next month's newsletter, we will keep you posted on what's needed at the Giving Corner each month. Stop by and check it out soon! In Christ, Sandy Long, Director of Discipleship Good Shepherd is excited to announce that you can now manage your giving online! Our online giving program offers convenience for you and provides donation consistency for our congregation. Simply follow these easy steps: 1) Visit the church website at 2) Click the Give and Serve tab 3) Once at the Giving Site, enter your donation amount. 4) Enter the required donation information using bank account (no cost to you or the church) or debit card information (processing fee charged to the church) 5) You have the option to select password to create a profile that allows you to set up recurring contributions or review past contributions 6) Voila! You have successfully given online!!

5 Good Shepherd Library Featured Books In This House We Giggle by Courtney DeFeo What do indoor picnics and funny face contests have to do with loving Jesus? More than you realize! Each chapter focuses on one virtue that is key for developing your child's character. Along with insights into how this virtue plays out in the nitty-gritty of life. Courtney includes a memory verse, activity ideas, and discussion questions to reinforce the virtue. Find ways to draw your children closer to God through delightful antics like Family Olympics, One Fancy Feast and Light 'Em Up. Capture the hearts of your children through fun, so they experience the goodness of Christ and the joy of following him. The Gift - A Horse, a Boy, and a Miracle of Love by Lauraine Snelling A story of life changing events - a daughter goes off to college, son hasn't spoken a word since his father's death, horse displaying signs of loneliness and the family counselor suggests a pet. This is a story of romance in which a simple advertisement for a horse's companion creates a family bond and sparks unexpected love. (This is an audio book and there are many other audio book selections in your church library. Check them out soon!!) Library Book Review The Centurion's Wife by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke "The Centurion's Wife" is the first in the Acts of Faith series by these two authors. It is the story of Leah, a distantly Jewish servant in Pilate's household at the time of Christ's death, and Alban, a Roman Centurion. Alban and Leah end up in an arrangement to be married after Alban fulfills a duty to Pilate to find out what happened to Jesus' body after his death and resurrection. Caught up in the maelstrom following the death of Jesus, Leah finds herself also engulfed in her own turmoil in facing the prospect of an arranged marriage to Alban, who seems to care for nothing but his own ambitions. Head of the garrison near Galilee, he has been assigned by Palestine's governor to ferret out the truth behind rumors of Jesus's death as a political execution gone awry. This epic drama is threaded with the tale of an unlikely romance and framed with dangers and betrayals from unexpected sources. At its core, The Centurion's Wife unfolds the testing of loyalties between two young people whose inner searchings they cannot express, between their irreconcilable heritages, and ultimately between their humanity and the Divine they yearn to encounter. Reviewed by: Vicki Roda Submission Information Sign up for our weekly by ing your preferred address to Mallory@sactownchurch.com. Submissions to Life Together should be submitted by Wednesday at noon to lifetogether@sactownchurch.com. Submissions to our Monthly Newsletter should be submitted to Shepherdsstaff@sactownchurch.com.

6 impact Insight Girls of Grace Photo Shoot Here s a sneak-peak at our very first professional photo shoot taken on our last day of program in May. This was tons of fun and a special treat for both our 18 neighborhood girls and our female staff. These girls are beautiful on the inside and out and they love the Lord. Like Us on Facebook: At impact Outreach to see much more pictures and updates. New School Supplies Needed!!! Let s continue to be a blessing to others by helping 60 neighborhood youth this summer. This school year, we are asking for tangible donations of NEW school supplies. Here s how it works: 1. Stop by Good Shepherd s GivingCorner off the courtyard on Sunday, July 10 th, 17th or 24th. Look for our Camp Impact banner and big display board; 2. Choose a tag, purchase item(s), and then bring your new school supplies back to the Giving Corner no later than Sun., July 31st; 3. If you have any questions, please contact me directly. Each child will receive a customized backpack filled with your new donated supplies on Sunday, August 7th, at the 11am service. Please join us at this impact Sunday! A 2015 camper receives his backpack and school supplies! With gratitude, Amy E. Smith, impact Outreach Director (916) amy@sactownchurch.com These seven Girls of Grace have all been baptized since 2014! Submission Information Sign up for our weekly by ing your preferred address to Mallory@sactownchurch.com. Submissions to Life Together should be submitted by Wednesday at noon to lifetogether@sactownchurch.com. Submissions to our Monthly Newsletter should be submitted to Shepherdsstaff@sactownchurch.com.

7 Good Shepherd Preschool Hello Friends of the Preschool! The dinosaurs are on the loose here at Good Shepherd. We are learning about those prehistoric giants that ruled the world at one time. So the question was asked, What do you know about dinosaurs? And this is some of the responses: Serenity H. Dinosaurs lived when there was volcanoes. T-Rex has big teeth, and Triceratops has three long horns. Kai They eat meat and some are plant eaters. Some dinosaurs, when they are hungry they fight to see who will win. The one that wins eats meat. Some are carnivores, omnivores and some are plant eaters. People were not around and dinosaurs roamed around when they were very hungry. Michael T-Rex, he eats meat. He looks like a meat eater, he has sharp teeth. The preschool enjoyed a week of Vacation Bible School with the church. It is so nice to help highlight the importance of Christ in our lives. Your church preschool has openings for the fall school year, and we also have some spaces open for the rest of the summertime. If you are able to help, the Giving Corner has a needs board with items for your preschool. Please take a tab and return the item to church on Sunday or during the week at the preschool. Thank you for your continued support. Respectfully, Sandy Oakes, Preschool Director preschool@sactownchurch.com Good Shepherd Lutheran Church * * 1615 Morse Ave, Sacramento, CA *

8 Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 1615 Morse Avenue Sacramento, CA Contact Us Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Morse Avenue Sacramento, CA