Good Shepherd news www.sactownchurch.com This Month // 11/5/16 Men s Breakfast @ 7:30am in Fireside Room. Pastor s Message We all need to find our best way of being an evangelist. Let me get the conversation started by sharing with you my best way of helping people consider a personal relationship with Jesus. As a pastor, I perform many official duties including funerals, memorial services, hospital visits, and weddings. These occasions often give me access to an audience that includes non-believers. Whenever I have this platform I purposefully modify my words and make changes to the way I speak compared to how I speak on Sunday. I use less insider religious language for instance, I don t talk about fellowship certainly not koinonia, but talk instead of hanging out, community, or friendship. I don t talk about getting saved but instead speak joyously of getting connected to Jesus. And when I am speaking to these audiences I often contrast the difference between being religious and having a personal relationship with Jesus. Now if you are reading this and cannot understand why I think this is important or perhaps are getting upset that I am compromising the faith I want you to know that I completely understand your reaction. 11/6/16 Resume Café during Fellowship Hour. 11/6/16 New Members Received @ 11:00. 11/13/16 Annual Meeting @ 12:00 in the sanctuary. 11/15/16 Parents Helping Parents begins @ 7:00 in the Arden Center. 11/17/16 GSSA Gathering @ 11:00. 11/30/16 Advent Family Night @ 5:30. Official Church Acts // Baptisms: Branden James Gable 10/9/2016 Levi Walker Demant We are deeply conditioned religious insiders. Most people are not. Do people have to adopt all of our highly technical, deeply nuanced, and sometimes confusing words and habits before they find new life in Jesus? We all agree that the answer is no. What matters is that people who are not following 10/9/2016 Deaths: Joseph Clancy (Continued on next page) Good Shepherd Lutheran Church * www.sactownchurch.com * 1615 Morse Ave, Sacramento, CA 95864 * 916-483-0451
Pastor s Message Cont. // Jesus start following Jesus. Everything we do and say must be measured by this standard. What are you finding effective in fostering conversations that help people consider a personal relationship with Jesus? What technique of evangelism have you used in the past that seems to no longer work? And finally, and come on, you knew this was coming-when was the last time you spoke to someone who is not following Jesus about the joy of following Him and invited them to start the journey? In Christ s love, Pastor Todd Wallace From The Council // There is a noticeable nip in the morning air, strange creatures in costumes walking door to door, pumpkins and crisp apples in the market. Fall is here. What does this signal to us at Good Shepherd? Time for our annual Congregational meeting! The date set for this Annual Meeting is Sunday, November 13, 12:00 immediately following services in the sanctuary. This meeting is for you as a member, to affirm the 2017 Proposed Budget, the recommended Trust Fund grant requests and the nominated Leadership positions. To accommodate the continued growth of our campus and ministries the 2017 budget includes a 4% increase from 2016. I thank our Director of Operations and the Budget Committee for their discernment that thoughtfully and prayerfully produced a product that is both realistic and transparent. I highly recommend that you take the opportunity to review the 2017 Budget Proposal prior to the Annual Meeting and ask any questions you might have at the informational meeting to be held in the Arden Meeting Center at 10:00 on Sunday November 6. Copies of the Proposed Budget are now available at our church office. It is also a season of Thanksgiving. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Lord for the many blessings he has provided us, including our Pastor for his leadership, our Staff for their incredible work that continues throughout the year, and all our church members, young and not so young that make this church truly special. Looking forward to seeing you November 13th, Doug Stewart Council President stewartd@winfirst.com 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 www.sactownchurch.com 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!!
GS KIDS// Join us for Family Advent Night on Wednesday November 30th fro 5:30-7:00 PM. We will we eating dinner and introducing a family Advent Devotional before processing the sanctuary to light the Christmas Tree. (Followed up hot cocoa and dessert!) We will also be visited by the Elf of the Shelf (played by none other than IKON Director Drew Wademan) for pictures, and holding a "Festive" Sweater contest, so be sure to dress accordingly. We hope you and your family can be part of this amazing night to kick off the Advent Season! Operation Christmas Child// Operation Christmas Child will be collecting on and November 6th to send toys, schools supplies and hygiene products all over the world for Christmas! Stop by the Giving Corner for more information! Sierra Arden Food Closet// During September our food closet served 218 households. That is just about equal to those served in August. Normally we have about 25% of people that are repeaters each month. The goal is to provide each family with food for 3 days of 3 meals per day. Where did the year go? Here we are looking at the Thanksgiving Basket give away. We are expecting to give out baskets to about 350 households. For thanksgiving we will need fruit cocktail, cranberry sauce, and stove top type dressings. We also would like to offer packets of hot chocolate for our children s bags. We are hoping to receive a donation of turkeys or whole chickens. Unfortunately we have no extra freezer space so we cannot receive the meat until Sunday afternoon, November 20 th. Our give away is the 21 st and 22 nd. Our continuing needs are still for boxed cereal, soups, and chili. Since each child receives a special snack bag we always need oatmeal packets, granola bars, and fruit cups for children s bags. Thank you to all who have given us grocery bags. If you have some extra grocery and plastic bags to donate it would still be appreciated. We have been providing laundry soap for 3 loads of clothes to each household that comes to us. This is a great need that you are helping us meet. We also would like to hand out toilet tissue to each family. Donations of toilet paper would assure that we could do that. Thank you to our volunteers who are so faithful in helping to pick up food, helping to prepare it and distribute all the food. We are grateful for new volunteers that have been filling in recently. Many hours are required just to bag rice, oatmeal, bread and dry beans. Donations are accepted during regular hours Monday through Friday: 9:30 to 11:30 am. know of anyone in need of food. Call us at 483-1942 if you have questions or
The Giving Corner// Campbells Soup Labels for Education program is winding down. For a number of years, many of you have faithfully collected Campbell's soup labels to support the Navajo Lutheran Mission. According to the Labels for Education website: As of August 1, 2016, only UPCs with the Labels for Education logo will be accepted and redeemed for points into registered schools bank account. Campbell's has begun the process of removing the logo and expect there will be a limited number of products that contain these labels in stores through August 1, 2017. Once all Labels for Education logos have been removed from the products, UPCs will no longer be accepted. We will continue to keep the Campbell s collection bucket in the Welcome Center until the end of this year and we thank you for so faithfully partnering with this effort to support the Navajo Lutheran Mission. There are many ways to make a difference and your efforts are so appreciated. The Giving Corner is located between the Welcome Center and the Library! ST. JOHN S SHELTER FOR REAL CHANGE St. John's Shelter for Real Change is in need of the following for November: coats for ladies and children, twin sheet sets, and new children's pajamas for a Christmas party. Thank you! 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 * Alex Kraal * Kiel Lovekin * Cosme Munzo* * Michael Nolan * Liam O'Brien * Matthew Sirko * Eamon Turnbull * Nathan Wallace * Library Book Review// BEFORE AMEN By Max Lucado Max Lucado once again writes in an inspirational, easy-to-read fashion. Before Amen is about the power of a simple prayer. We know Jesus apostles had struggles with prayer and the only thing they asked of him was guidance. He demonstrated to them how to have a heartfelt dialogue with God. Lucado calls it a pocket-size prayer. Begin with Father, you are good. Then continue with I need help, heal me and forgive me. They need help. Thank you. In Jesus name, amen. We can talk to God all day in conversation and these requests will each fulfill our needs. This book is an easy read but very powerful. It draws from Biblical examples of intercession. Reviewed by Penny Zacher 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 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.
Parents Helping Parents // Join Jack Lane and parents of all ages for Parents Helping Parents; a group where parents can support one another as they learn to maintain healthy boundaries in their home with kids who are continually pushing the limits. Tuesdays from 7:00 to 8:30 in the Arden Meeting Center beginning November 15th. Email Jack Lane for more information jacklane1950@yahoo.com. Kneeling With Giants // All are welcome for this new Wednesday Night Group! Please join us for a 5 week study based on the book Kneeling with Giants: Learning to Pray with History's Best Teachers. Oct 19 - Nov 16 at 7 pm in the Arden Meeting Center. Sign up at sactownchurch.com. Sermon Discussion Group // Join us on Tuesdays @ 6:30 in the Fireside Room to listen to Sunday s sermon and discuss how to apply each message to our daily lives. All are welcome! Rebecca s Circle // Rebecca Circle will meet at the home of Norma Beil Nov. 14, 2016 at 10:00 a.m., 5618 Haskell Ave., Carmichael, 481-1778. We will continue studying The Path To the Cross, a DVD by Ray VanderLaan. All women are welcome to join us. Men s Breakfast // All men are welcome for breakfast and bible study! Join us the first Saturday of every month in the Fireside Room @ 730. RESUME CAFÉ is on Sunday 11/6 during Fellowship Hour. See you there!
GS Senior Adults// Mark your calendar for the next GS Senior Adults gathering Thursday, November 17 Time: 11:00 a.m. following Bible study Lunch: Please bring a brown bag lunch (water and coffee provided) Featured Topic and Guest: SeniorLink Program by Miguel Alfaro, Program Advocate With the swelling population of senior adults, 286,000 in Sacramento alone, new programs continue to form at a rapid rate to meet the needs of senior adults. Miguel Alfaro, a program Advocate for the SeniorLink program, will give us a snapshot of this program and the Advocates who help seniors explore and evaluate options to live an abundant life in their senior years. SeniorLink, in existence since 1977, is a prevention and early intervention program designed to provide support services to older adults experiencing isolation and/or early signs of depression or anxiety. Upcoming day bus trip leaves from GS parking lot Fascinating Tour of Mare Island and visit to Jelly Belly Factory Tuesday, November 29, 2016 Time: TBD Cost $53 pp Includes bus, museum entrance, guided tour of the historic Mare Island naval base and lunch in the museum. The trip home includes a visit to the Jelly Belly factory. For questions and to reserve your seat, contact Lyla Hanson at 916-917-5187 or email at lylahanson@aol.com The Mare Island Museum is housed in Building 46, a former pipe shop built in 1854. Come on by, bring a friend, and check out GS Senior Adults For more info or questions, please call the church office at (916) 483-0451 or visit the Welcome Center on Sunday mornings The tour visits St. Peter s Chapel, the oldest naval chapel in the United States. The Chapel houses the largest collections of Tiffany glass under one roof represented by the Chapel s 29 exquisite stained-glass windows. http://www.mareislandmuseum.org/venues/ st-peters-chapel/ 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 shepherdsstaff@sactownchurch.com.
Good Shepherd Preschool // Hello Friends of the Preschool We had the busiest month during October. We visited the Fog Willow Pumpkin Farm in Wilton. Had a hayride, brushed sheep, learned about honeybees, pet goats and little pigs, and picked out pumpkins. It was non-stop fun. Our friend Brooklyn brought in Penelope the chicken for Letter C sharing. Penelope was quite friendly and soft to the touch. Then our friend Molly s grandma, brought in her dog, Katie for Letter D. Katie was a well behaved black Labrador. Every week is a different letter of the alphabet. During October, we also had Mr. Steve (Emma s dad) come to visit us. We learned about the duties of a Pet Vet Tech. Mr. Steve s visit was a big hit. We had a wonderful turn out for our Fall Open House. If you missed the open house there will be another in the Spring. A big thank you to all the bakers, sellers and purchasers. Our bake sale raised $503.00. We appreciate the support that is given to your preschool when we have fund raisers. Our next fundraiser will begin towards the middle of this month. We will be selling See s Chocolate for Christmas. Sales will begin on Sunday, November 13 and end Sunday, November 27. Please look for a preschool representative during the Hospitality Hour. Thank you Thrivent Choice Dollar Donors, as of October 6, 2016 you have helped your preschool earn $4,132.00. Also thank you to those who give a designated offering to your preschool. Extra Credit at Raley s and Bel-Air Grocery Store participants we earned $155.64 this quarter. For the 2016 year we earned $552.94. Your kindness and generosity is greatly appreciated. Please continue to spread the word about your church preschool. Respectfully, Sandy Oakes, Director preschool@sactownchurch.com 916-483-0466 Good Shepherd Lutheran Church * www.sactownchurch.com * 1615 Morse Ave, Sacramento, CA 95864 * 916-483-0451
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 1615 Morse Avenue Sacramento, CA 95864 Contact Us Good Shepherd Lutheran Church www.sactownchurch.com Info@sactownchurch.com 1615 Morse Avenue Sacramento, CA 95864 916-483-0451