news Pastor s Message This Easter come to worship and learn the life-changing power of one word. Hey, I am not going to tell you the word now; this is marketing guys! But I promise you that this is not fake news or empty hype. One true word from God that comes into the core of our being in the power of the Holy Spirit can change everything and I am praying that the Lord will enable me to bring that word. And I am asking you to join me in prayer that the Holy Spirit will be powerfully active in and through our congregation as we enter into Holy Week and the Easter season. OK, here are some hints about what the actual word might be: It is a word that can release people from the debilitating effects of anxiety. It is a word that can help people believe in the goodness of God again. It is a word that can set the course of a young life on a positive trajectory while at the same time bring needed comfort in the face of the realities of aging, sickness and death. It is a word that helps us to both understand and experience the power of the resurrection of Jesus. You need this word and it is meant for you. And someone you know desperately needs to hear this word and they will if you invite them to our Easter services This Easter, come to worship and learn the life-changing power of one word. I look forward to experiencing it with you. Pastor Todd www.sactownchurch.com This Month // 4/1/17 Men s Breakfast @ 7:30AM in Fireside Room 4/2/17 Resume Café @ 9:30AM 4/9/17 Palm Sunday GS Kids Service @ 11:00AM 4/13/17 Holy Thursday Worship Service @ 7:00PM 4/14/17 Good Friday Worship Services @ 11:00AM & 7:00PM 4/14/17 Good Friday Family Experience @ 5:00PM 4/16/17 Easter Sunday Worship Services @ 8:00, 9:30, & 11:00AM Egg Hunt & Carnival @ 10:00AM 4/19/14 GS Senior Adults Bus Trip @ 9:30AM 4/29/17 Larry Moeller Workshop @ 9:15AM 4/30/17 Shepherd s Bells Celebration @ 8:30AM Sunday Services at 7:45 am (30 Minute Service), 8:30 am (Classic), and 11:00 am (Contemporary). Fellowship at 9:30 am. Educational Hour from 10:00am-10:45am: Adults (Fireside Room), IKON YOUTH (Ikon Room 6th-12th grade), Kids (GS Kids Room age 2 thru 5th grade). Library open on Sundays.
From The Council // Thank you! We wanted to hear from you and we did. During the Listening Phase of our Purpose Mapping project, nearly three quarters of our regular attending members responded to the survey, and 74 participated in personal interviews. Your interest was further demonstrated by your attendance at the two summary presentations and the Community Listening panel. Please note these important observations from Kristin Wiersma, our project consultant: We are a healthy and vital congregation We are faith focused in strong worship and study These are powerful affirmations that we will build upon in the next phase of our project. There are also several challenges that need to be addressed. The need for more effective communication is a priority. What s next? Church Council formed a Visioning Team that includes a blend of members, lay leaders and staff representing a cross-section of age ranges and tenure with our Church. The Visioning Team has been asked to create a vision framework based upon feedback you provided and use it to craft a long-term vision for our Church. Our intention is to present a draft vision statement to the congregation on May 21. We will be requesting your input at that time. Any concerns, questions or suggestions you may have are considered to be a critical part of this process. Again, we want to hear from you. Doug Stewart Council President stewartd@winfirst.com New Electronic Giving // Good Shepherd has a new electronic giving service that is quicker and easier to use. You can now give from your phone in seconds using debit card, credit card or directly from your checking or savings account with our new service. TEXT Text the keyword GSGiving to 77977 to get a link to give from your phone* Click the link in the response to make a one-time or recurring gift APP Download Good Shepherd Sacramento from App Store or Google Play Select GIVE to make a gift ONLINE Go to sactownchurch.com Click on the Give & Serve tab Click on Giving Made Easy Make a one-time or recurring gift * Msg & Data rates may apply. For full Terms & Conditions please visit https://pushpay.com/terms. For the Privacy Policy please visit https:// pushpay.com/privacy. For help reply HELP or STOP to cancel.
Purpose Mapping Project Update// PURPOSE MAPPING PHASE II UNDERWAY Our important work together to steward the Good Shepherd ministry into the future is moving into the Discernment Phase. The Listening Phase concluded with an Executive Summary presentation by Project Consultant Kristin Wiersma on March 26 th. The Executive Summary Report is available in the sanctuary lobby, church office and email sent to members on April 1 st. Next steps based on recommendations from the Listening Phase: 1. Create a shared vision reflective of the congregational culture, values and passions, while pushing into areas of courageous witness and action. Council assembled a Vision Team that includes members, lay leaders and staff representing a cross-section of age ranges and tenure with Good Shepherd. Vision Team is tasked with creating a vision framework based upon feedback you provided and use it to develop a long-term vision for our Church. A draft vision statement will be presented to members on May 21 st for prayerful reflection and comment. Contact a Vision Team member at any time throughout this process to ask questions or provide input. Team member contact information is listed below. 2. Devise a healthy and effective leadership system that binds the Council, ministries and volunteers. Council will establish a Leadership Way Point Team to look at various leadership systems and consider how to align them to create a stronger sense of unity, cohesiveness, effectiveness and collaboration. Vision Team Members: Lola Brekke Fjeld, Member (lolbr@aol.com) Dewey Smith, Member (smithdc@bv.com) Audrey Bracchi, Member (abracchi@surewest.net) Michael Gloudeman, Member (gloudeman88@gmail.com) Reymon Hernandez, Member (reymon.hernandez@gmail.com) Gary Incaudo, Deacon (gincaudo@pacbell.net) Doug Stewart, Council President (stewartd@winfirst.com) Tim Taron, Council Secretary (taron.tim@gmail.com) Tammy Wilcox, Council Vice-president (tammy.wilcox@dignityhealth.org) Todd Wallace, Senior Pastor (pastor@sactownchurch.com) Sandy Long, Director of Discipleship (sandy@sactownchurch.com) Elizabeth Shults, Director of Operations (elizabeth@sactownchurch.com) Follow project progress at sactownchurch.com, Events & News, Purpose Mapping. Pray For Our Men and Women in the Military// Ryan Baker * Heather Campbell * Matthew Cournoyer * Blake Fair * Christopher Day * Michael Harrison * Zachary Jensen * Cody Johnstone * Alex Kraal * Cosme Munzo * Joseph Fullerton * * Michael Nolan * Liam O'Brien * Matthew Sirko * Eamon Turnbull * Nathan Wallace * Christian Lucero *
Good Shepherd App Available Now // We are excited to announce the launch of the Good Shepherd App! Our custom App is an incredible resource at your fingertips anytime using your smartphone: CONNECT - submit a prayer request or connect card electronically GIVE - make an offering SERMONS, BIBLE STUDIES, PODCASTS and more EVENTS - calendar for worship and events FACEBOOK - view our posts even if you re not a Facebook user! Download to any smartphone through the App Store or Google Play by searching for Good Shepherd Sacramento. The Good Shepherd App is a new ministry resource made possible by the Good Shepherd Trust Fund. GS Kids// GS KIDS: What We re Up to and How You Can Help What We re Up To: The GS Kids have been very busy in March and will be even BUSIER in April. This past month, we have been observing Lent by 1) Learning about Grace, 2) Praying for each other, and 3) Learning the Easter story from Palm Sunday to The Resurrection. These three Lent focuses have been going on Sunday mornings, Wednesday Nights, and every day on the GS Kids Facebook page! In April, we ll be super-focused on our Palm Sunday Kid s Service at 11:00 AM, where the preschoolers and the GS Kid s Choir will be joining us for palm-waving, songs, and more! This year we are introducing a new Good Friday Family Experience at 5:00 PM on Friday April 14th. This family-style service will be led by Sway Phal and Cathleen Demant and will involve songs, prayers, and a Stations of the Cross Good Friday experience. (Childcare available). Then of course on Easter Sunday we will be holding our annual Egg Hunt and Carnival at a NEW TIME: 10:00 AM. Please invite friends to join you! Egg Hunt for kids 5th grade and younger! Finally, VBS Registration will be up right after Easter! How You Can Help: Serve The GS Kids This Easter We re expecting to have a LOT of Kids for our Easter Carnival this year and we need your help in one of two easy ways! GIVE: We need 500 filled eggs. Please keep an eye out at our giving corner to pick up a tag to bring 50 candy-filled eggs. Please do not include candies with nuts or nut butters. SERVE: Sign up to serve in one of our two Shifts on Easter Sunday under the Give & Serve tab at www.sactownchurch.com Thank you to the IKON Youth and F(4) for committing to serve as our set-up crew! Make VBS For Everyone Looking for a way to support kids in our congregation and community? Consider helping by financially supporting VBS. The mission of VBS at this church is to provide a memorable and awesome experience with Jesus for kids in our congregation and community that is affordable for everyone. In order to make the experience awesome and memorable, we need your support. Please consider donating at our $500, $250, or $100 level for VBS. You can donate as an individual, family, or as a ministry group. If you are interested in donating OR have questions about our VBS expenses or philosophy, please email Cathleen@sactownchurch.com.
Sayers Fund - Michelle s Miracle // We recently launched an appeal in support of Michelle Sayers, a Good Shepherd member all her life and a young lady we know well. We carry so much love in our hearts for her example of how to live Christ-like while suffering under great adversity. Today, almost 5 years since Michelle s intestinal transplant, she needs our financial support to continue the difficult journey to wellness. Please bless the Sayers family with your loving gifts of hope, healing and health. Contribute to the Sayers Fund in the Sunday offering or following the giving prompts to the Sayers Fund on the GIVE page at sactownchurch.com. Sierra Arden Food Closet // March at the food closet started out with lots of excitement for our clients. We have a Feeding America partner agency, Target on Alta Arden, who has provided us with over 150 new pillows to be handed out. Each Wednesday Target participates in the grocery recovery program and we pick up food and nonfood items they no longer wish to sell. These quality pillows were part of that program. Every family has been able to get at least one pillow, and very few declined getting one. Although the number of households served in February was only 157 (short month), we experienced many new neighbors who had never been served before. Our compassion was indeed tested with many of these unusual circumstances. As we look forward to April our needs are for boxed cereal, chili, tuna, hearty soups, ramen, oatmeal, as well as pork and beans. We could use fruit cups and hot chocolate packets for children s bags too. Fresh donated citrus has continued to come in. We thank all our support friends who have shared some wonderful lemons, oranges, and grapefruit. Thank you to the volunteers who put in over 433 hours during February to help to prepare and distribute all the food. Donations are accepted during regular hours Monday through Friday: 9:30 to 11:30 am. Call us at 483-1942 if you have questions or know of anyone in need of food. SPRING RUMMAGE SALE Mark your calendars! The Spring Rummage Sale is scheduled for May 5th and 6th. We will begin setting up and accepting items on Monday, May 1st. Please keep us in mind when cleaning out those closets!
Good Shepherd Preschool // Hello Friends of the Preschool! April showers bring May Flowers. Your preschool celebrates all of God's glorious creation. We are celebrating our Wonderful Savior, too. Coming very soon, Your preschoolers will take part in the Palm Sunday celebration of Jesus' journey into Jerusalem. On Sunday, April 9th during the 11:00 a.m. service we will be sharing a few song with you. Thank you for all that purchased chocolate or gift certificates from our See's Candies Fundraiser. At the time of this publication, I do not know the amount raised. Thank you for all your support. Do you have a hobby or occupation that you would like to share with us? We have had a veterinarian assistant, nurse, chicks, a chicken, a dog to name a few. Just email me at preschool@sactownchurch.com, and we will put you on our calendar. I ask that you continue to pray for your preschool, so that more young people will continue to learn His word and His goodness, and use God as their role model. Thank you, Sandy Oakes, Preschool Director preschool@sactownchurch.com 916-483-0466 Library Book Review// Death and the Life After by Billy Graham This book is not about the hereafter in the sense that it doesn't go into extreme detail as to what life will be like in the hereafter, but rather focuses on the here and now in such a way as to examine our outlook toward that day when we die. Our culture trains us to prepare for almost everything but death. Fear and denial are common human responses to the subject. What awaits us beyond this life? Is it a journey into the unknown, or a glorious, spiritual pilgrimage to eagerly anticipate? In Death and the Life After, Billy Graham answers these questions and more, addressing such complex modern day issues as euthanasia, suicide, and living wills. Find peace, assurance, triumph, and even humor in a subject that is important to everyone. This is not a light read. It offers much food for thought and examination of our current culture. It is well worth the effort to study Graham s thoughts on life and death. Submitted by Vicky Roda The Good Shepherd Library is open on Sunday morning from 9:30AM to 11:00AM Kenya 2017 // If you are interested in joining your church on a mission trip to Kenya, or would like more information, email mallory@sactownchurch.com or fill out the interest form at sactownchurch.com. This is a wonderful opportunity for people of all ages!
Holy Week @ Good Shepherd // Submission Information Sign up for our weekly email by emailing your preferred email address to mallory@sactownchurch.com. Submissions to Church News should be submitted by Wednesday at noon to mallory@sactownchurch.com. Submissions to our Monthly Newsletter should be submitted to newsletter@sactownchurch.com.
Looking Ahead // PARENTS CAFÉ PRESENTS: THE SHACK This 5-week discussion group will be a spiritual conversation around the current movie, The Shack, that is stirring up questions about God, faith, and theology. Join us at 10:00 AM on Sundays in the Arden Meeting Center. All are welcome! REBECCA CIRCLE Rebecca Circle will meet April 10, 2017 at 10:00AM at the home of Norma Beil directions by calling 481-1778. We are continuing with Ray Vander Laan DVD series. All women are welcome to join us! MEN S BREAKFAST All men are welcome to join us on Saturday, April 1 @ 7:30AM, for Men s Breakfast! We will see you in the Fireside room for breakfast and bible study. SHEPHERD S BELLS CELEBRATION SUNDAY Celebrate the Easter Season with music! Listen and enjoy as the handbell choir enhances our worship on Sunday April 30th @ 8:30AM. LARRY MOELLER WORKSHOP Join Larry Moeller here at Good Shepherd on Saturday April 29, 2017 from 9:15AM -11:30AM as he shares insights from his new book, The Query. Sign up @ sactownchurch.com on our Events & News page. GS SENIOR ADULTS BUS TRIP Visit the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front, California National Park on Wednesday, April 19th from 9:30AM to 7:30PM. The cost is $57.50 and includes bus transportation, museum entrance, lunch and dinner. To reserve your seat contact Lyla Hanson at 916-917-5187. Sunday Services at 7:45 am (30 Minute Service), 8:30 am (Classic), and 11:00 am (Contemporary). Fellowship at 9:30 am. Educational Hour from 10:00am-10:45am: Adults (Fireside Room), IKON YOUTH (Ikon Room 6th-12th grade), Kids (GS Kids Room age 2 thru 5th grade). Library open on Sundays.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 1615 Morse Avenue Sacramento, CA 95864 Contact Us Good Shepherd Lutheran Church www.sactownchurch.com 1615 Morse Avenue Sacramento, CA 95864 916-483-0451