THE SHEPHERD S FOLD Monthly Edition October 2017 Published monthly by and for the people of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Sapulpa, Oklahoma The mission of Good Shepherd Church is to make disciples by sharing Jesus Christ's love and acceptance with all people. Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which He looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good. Yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are His body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours. What profound words! What a call to action! But this is not a reading from the New Testament and these are not the words of an Apostle. It is a poem attributed to Saint Teresa of Avila, a prominent Spanish mystic in the sixteen century. Canonized in 1622, her books are an integral part of Spanish Renaissance literature as well as Christian meditation practices. I have found that a good place to keep this poem is next to a mirror. Some days I have looked into the mirror and said You can t be serious God! I have arthritis in my hands, my feet always hurt, and I cannot see anything without my glasses. But God isn t concerned with our physical form and abilities, for those vary with each of us. He cares about our spiritual being, our essence, the Christ in us. So when I stop trying to tell God the reasons that I cannot possibly do His work today, I hear his answer: I didn t ask you to move a mountain or change the course of a river. Some days a kind word and a smile for those I meet must be enough or perhaps a phone call to a lonely neighbor or friend. Other days my hands and feet can do more of His work. And I must confess that some days I fail miserably and trust that others are carrying the load. We all need to read the words of Saint Teresa of Avila a second time now, and a third time tomorrow, and again in the days after. More importantly, we must believe that we can make a positive difference in the world. Although as just one person, we cannot stop the violence, or the hunger, or the oppression, we can show Christ s love in the world. God s peace, Sharon All of you together are Christ s body, and each of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27 1
did you know... Good Shepherd is the host location for Cub Scouts from out neighborhood attending Holmes Park school. Joe Faulkner is our liaison and will be glad to answer your questions about the scouts. Kristin Landholt is now marketing her culinary skills. Her label, Thoroughbreads by Kristin, is available by special order. Yummiest pita bread ever!!! The 80 th annual Oklahoma Diocesan Convention will be Nov 2-4 with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry in attendance. Bill and Rynd Barnes are our delegates but some parts of the convention are open to everyone without paying a registration fee. Call Mary for details. Sharon, Joy, and Melissa will be attending the Diocesan sponsored Business & Financial Practices Conference at St. Crispin s on Oct.7 th. Leslie and Maddy are working to update the Good Shepherd website. The ECW Bazaar and Bake Sale is just around the corner Saturday, November 11th. Holy Smokers will be taking orders also. Contact Melissa if you want to help. Mary was Top Chef for the BIOS September lunch. Good Shepherd will celebrate its 116 th anniversary on November 5 th. Mark your calendar now so you won t miss the party. Tai Chi classes resume at Good Shepherd at 10:30 AM on Saturday, October 7th. Nancy Landholt is so considerate. She scheduled her surgery after the Tag Sale and before the Bazaar. What a trooper!! Scott Benson donated and installed new fire extinguishers throughout the church. Clean Up Day was a total success. Flower beds look better, pews are shiny, pantry is organized, we can even walk into the mechanical room and no stickers in the playground.... ECW will meet after service on Sunday, October 1st and Bishop s Committee will meet the following Sunday, October 8th. Ladies Night Out is Thursday, October 5th, 6PM, at LaMargarita. Join the fun. Ted and Jan report they had a great time at the Tri-Parish pot luck hosted by St. Matthews on Sept 16 th. United Thank Offering (UTO) ingathering will be during the months of October and November. Contribution envelopes are on the table in the narthex. Talk to Jane Berger if you have questions. 2
STEWARDSHIP 2018 October will be stewardship month at Good Shepherd, culminating in a blessing of the pledges on Sunday, November 5th. Reflect on these words from Anne Frank: No one has ever become poor by giving. Or these words from Mother Teresa: It s not how much we give, but how much love we put into the giving. So what does stewardship look like in our lives today? Stewardship at Good Shepherd is seen year-round, not just one month of the year. Stewardship of time and talent often looks like the blisters and sweat from a Work Day or the tired backs and swollen feet from any number of fund-raising events. Stewardship can be seen in the faces of the Sunday School teachers or the efforts of those serving as coffee hour hosts. It can be seen behind the rail on any Sunday in the service of the acolytes, lectors and chalice bearers. It can be heard streaming from the organ each Sunday. Stewardship is serving on the Altar Guild and the Bishop s Committee. And the congregation gives generously of its treasure to support its in-house ministries, as well as ministries within the community. But giving of our treasure is also needed to meet operational expenses and ensure the continuation of Good Shepherd. Insurance premiums, utilities, supplies, lawn care, janitorial services, and office expense all are necessary for church operations. Annual pledges allow the Finance Committee to prepare a budget and try to stretch every dollar to meet the ongoing needs of maintaining our church. Let us remember that we are all stewards of the resources, abilities, and opportunities that God has entrusted to our care. We are responsible for how we treat what has been given to us and what we do with it. Every pledge is important. Please return your pledge card before November 5 th. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 Family Fun Night Let s try something new!! In the midst of Work Day and Bazaar and Tag Sale, it s time to have an evening devoted to just FUN!!! No agenda No cost.no fuss or bother. Wednesday, October 18 th, will be the inaugural evening starting at 6PM in the parish hall. Bring your favorite food, your kids, even a movie and/or game if you want. We can talk theology or current events or get caught up on happenings with kids and relatives. Just a fun, family, evening at Good Shepherd. Family Fun Night will be in lieu of Wine and Theology in October. 3
GOOD SHEPHERD PRISON MINISTRY I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Matthew 25:36 Oklahoma has the second-highest incarceration rate in the nation with over 62,000 offenders incarcerated in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections system. Over half are outside prison walls, either on parole or probation or in a community supervision system or on GPS monitoring. Another 1,700 are in county jails awaiting transfer to a state facility. That leaves over 26,000 in a state or private prison or half-way house. Women are the fastest-growing segment of the prison population.. You probably know someone who is in prison, or know someone who has a loved one in prison. How can we, the members of Good Shepherd, possibly make a difference when those numbers are so great? There are several opportunities for you to make a difference. One way is to make a financial contribution to those incarcerated who have a direct connection to our congregation. Each December Good Shepherd collects funds for the prison ministry and then sends the funds, in the manner prescribed by DOC, to the specific accounts of certain people. Those funds can be used to purchase toiletries, or to purchase a pair of tennis shoes, or to purchase food to supplement the meals served in prison. Another way to support the Prison Ministry is through support of New Hope Oklahoma, a nonprofit organization providing services to children with incarcerated parents. New Hope offers after school programs, summer camps, tutors and mentors. In September Good Shepherd filled a table at the annual fund raising luncheon. In January, Sharon will co-teach a cooking class with Rev. Judy Gann. Good Shepherd is also involved in Prison Ministry through its volunteer support for sacramental worship inside correctional facilities. Deacon Nancy Brown and Kathy Cox go to the Eddie Warrior Correctional Center and the Jess Dunn Correctional Center, both in Taft, on the 2 nd Wednesday of every month, taking communion to the prisoners from our reserve sacrament. Ted and Jan Garvin go to the same facilities on the first Wednesday of every month. They lead Evening Prayer, first at the women s prison and then at the men s. Volunteers are definitely needed. As Chair of the Diocesan Commission on Prison Ministries, Deacon Nancy can answer your questions. If you are interested in getting involved, contact her. 4
GET INVOLVED AT GOOD SHEPHERD Chalice Bearers & Lectors: Bill Barnes 918-520-1731 Acolytes: Madelyn Smith 918-710-0901 Altar Guild: Rynd Barnes 918-520-1730 Bishop s Committee: Joy Naifeh, Senior Warden 918-740-1154 Church grounds and buildings: David Gilliland, Junior Warden 918-671-3283 ECW: Candy Naifeh 918-688-0895 Mens Group: Joe Faulkner 918-633-2082 Prayer Chain: Joy Naifeh 918-740-1154 Outreach Ministry: Sharon Moody 918-691-3300 Youth Programs: Melissa Siler 918-629-2916 & Leslie Benson 918-284-8720 Prison Ministry: Deacon Nancy Brown 918-688-2936 Thanksgiving & Christmas: Amanda Hamilton 918-883-0372 & Kay Pritchard 918-260- 3942 Food Pantry: Gloria Wiley 918-633-7152 Music: Kathy Cox 918-706-3225 Contact any of those listed above to volunteer or obtain information. If you have a question that does not fit any particular category, call Mary Smith 918-740-1471 or leave a message at the church office, 918-224-5144. Bishop Committee (Vestry) & Staff Last Year to Serve Vicar The Rev. Nancy Brown Deacon Mary Smith Secretary Sharon Moody Treasure 2018 Joy Naifeh Sr. Warden 2018 David Gilliland Jr. Warden 2019 Jan Garvin Member 2019 Bill Heinen Member 2018 Madelyn Smith Member 2018 Rynd Barnes Member 2019 Mikel Janitz Member 2018 Candy Naifeh Bishop Committee Clerk Next meeting is Sunday October 8, 2017 after service. 5
Bishop s Committee Minutes Sunday July 9, 2017 Attending:, Joy Naifeh, Candy Naifeh, Jan Garvin, Rynd Barnes, Madelyn Smith, Bill Heinen, David Gilliland, Sharon Moody, Mikel Janitz, Meeting was opened with prayer at 12:45pm. Following Motions were made and approved: 1. Previous month s minutes. 2. Previous month s Financials. 3. Sharon Moody will send a letter to remember pledge during the summer months. 4. Food Pantry to close the last Friday of the month since Guts Church distributes Food City wide. 5. Rental of the Parrish Hall to Bio the 3 rd Wednesday of each month for $75 per meeting. Good Shepherd will prepare a lunch for an additional cost. 6. $75.00 Sponsorship of the Sapulpa Arts Committee Reports: Audit Committee will meet Tuesday, July 18 (Rynd Barnes, Melissa Siler, Joe Faulkner, Pat Hare) to finalize the Audit and have it ready for the Bishop Committee to review at the August meeting. It should be sent to the Diocese by the deadline of September. Old Business 1. Exit signs-sharon asked Jim Yeager to do a walk around and give us advice. 2. Cub Scouts -Joe Faulkner advised they will start to meet after school in September. 3. Stewardship-nothing to report. 4. Website-Lesley Benson has been working on it as her time allows. 5. Joy Naifeh has been sending out for thank you, birthdays, thinking of you, etc. 6. Supply Priest are schedule through the September. Cannon Bill will be sending a list to Joy. New Business: 1. Joy shared pictures of Community cabinets that can be build and place outside of Good Shepherd which will have books and can food in which the public could help themselves to. She asked the committee to think about it to further discuss in the August meeting. 2. Sharon asked the committee to also think about how Good Shepherd could help the hungry after the 21 st of each month. 3. Donations for Kid s Closet the month of August will be accepted. Meeting moved to adjourn with closing prayer at 1:25pm. 6
OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS 10/4 - Dan Taylor 10/9 - Evelyn Haught 10/10 - Melissa Siler 10/15 - Bruce Binion 10/15 - Jeff Woodcock 10/15 - Marianne Wright 10/16 - Phillip Main 10/20 - Rev Nancy Brown 10/26 - Jerry Naifeh 10/28 - Sharon Moody 10/31 - Mary Woods October Food Pantry Schedule Oct 6 - GS Youth/Melissa Siler Oct 13 - Gloria Wiley Oct 20 - Jane Berger Oct 29 - Closed As we have done in the past, any emergency need for food will get immediate help on whatever day they call. If you are not able to work on your scheduled day, please find a replacement. ALTAR FLOWERS Altar Flowers are a beautiful way to remember or honor a friend, family member or occasion. The Altar Flower schedule for 2017 is up on the bulletin board in office hallway. Sign up for a Sunday. The cost is $20 for one side or $40 for both. OCTOBER ANNIVERSARIES Ray & Mary Smith 10/5 The Good Shepherd E-prayer Chain If you have a request for prayer or a praise report to share with others, please remember that your brothers and sisters in Christ are only an email away. joynaifeh@sbcglobal.net MILITARY PERONNEL SERVING BOTH AT HOME AND OVERSEAS PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR HEROES EVERYDAY!!! For those in the Armed Forces of our Country Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Dakota Van Meter Terrance Moates Josh Coons Aaron Szewczyk Greg LaBeau Rusty Hageny Barbara & Marcus Hawkins P J Main Robert Fingerhut Roger Haulenbeek Josh Mathew Holloway 7
Worship with us at: Good Shepherd Episcopal Church 1420 East Dewey, Sapulpa, OK 74066 Telephone 918-224-5144 goodshepherdsapulpa@gmail.com goodshepherdsapulpa.org Worship Schedule Sunday Morning 9:30am Sunday School 10:30am Holy Eucharist Good Shepherd Episcopal Church PO Box 335 Sapulpa, OK 74067 Return Service Requested Newsletter for October 2017 8