Announcements and photos to share with our parish family are always welcome!

Please email your contributions to David Baggett.

The deadline for newsletter submissions is Wednesday at 2 PM. Thank you!

Announcements may be edited for content and space.

Parish Office Hours

Monday-Thursday, 9 AM - 5 PM; Fridays by appointment

Please note: the Parish Office is closed for the Christmas Holiday

until January 2nd at 9 AM, with the following exceptions:

Monday & Tuesday, December 30 & 31 from 9 AM until 1 PM.

Pastoral Care Emergencies

Please call the Pastoral Care Support Line 919.831.2008

Prayer Requests

Please CLICK HERE to submit a prayer request.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26th

Top Of Mind

Parish Office Closed for Christmas Holiday

The Parish Office is currently closed for the Christmas Holiday until January 2nd at 9 AM, with the followin exceptions: Monday & Tuesday, December 30 & 31 from 9 AM until 1 PM.

While the Parish Office is closed,

For Pastoral Care needs, please call the Pastoral Care Support Line 919.831.2008; this number is monitored 24x7.
For any other emergency, please contact Parish Administrator David Baggett or text/call 919.368.1215.

Vestry Nominations Due by January 3!

The Parish will elect four new vestry members at the Annual Parish Meeting on January 26, 2025. New vestry members will serve a three-year term beginning February 1, 2025. If you would like to serve or know someone who would make a great candidate for vestry, please get a nomination form by CLICKING HERE. Self-nominations are encouraged! Please contact Esther Hall Nominating Committee chair to chat further about serving. Nomination forms must be received by Friday, January 3, 2025.

PLEASE CLICK HERE to read more about the vestry and what it means to serve.

Planning Your End-of-Year Giving

To ensure your end-of-year gifts are properly credited to your 2024 giving contributions, please consider the following options for submitting your gifts:

Make your online contribution by December 31.
Mail your contribution to the Parish Office (check dated December 31 or earlier & envelope postmarked by December 31).
Hand-deliver your contribution to the Parish Administrator during Parish Office hours:
Monday, December 30, 9 AM - 1 PM
Tuesday, December 31, 9 AM - 1 PM
Place your contribution in the alms basin during the worship service on Sunday, December 29.

If you should have any questions, please contact David Baggett (919.831.2018).

Help Needed!

Can you help deliver poinsettias on Monday, December 30th to beloved parishioners who are in need a bit of Christmas cheer? If you can help, please contact Molly Propst (919.523.8142)

An Update on Livestreaming

Until further notice, we will not be livestreaming services, but please don't fret! The Sunday 10:15 worship service (and other services, as announced) will be video recorded. The recording will be available for viewing shortly after the service. An email will be sent out with a link to the recording after the recording is available.

Current and past recordings and streams are always available on our CGS YouTube channel (which is also accessible from the parish website). If you have any questions, please contact David Baggett (919.831.2018).

Outreach Opportunity!

Needed: Men's Winter Clothing and More!

Cleaning out your closets? Food Not Bombs is a long-running mutual aid group in need of men's winter clothes and shoes, blankets, hats, gloves, scarves, socks, underwear, sleeping bags, and tents for distribution every Saturday in Moore Square. Items should be clean and in decent condition. Please place your donations in the labeled bins in the PLC foyer during church and Parish Office hours. Contact Bethany Pergerson with any questions! Thanks for helping us spread the warmth!

Wednesday Noonday Eucharist Services

The Wednesday Noonday Eucharist services will return on January 8th.

New Year's Eve, December 31

First Night Raleigh 2024

Again this year, The Church of the Good Shepherd will serve as a welcoming venue for WRAL First Night Raleigh. Here is the concert schedule for Good Shepherd:

Sammy Osmond & The No-Hellers | 7:00, 9:00 PM
Larry and Joe | 8:00, 10:00 PM

Many thanks to Logan Dreifuss and our Campus Security Team, Gerard McNeill, Sheldon Smith, Shirley Sullivan & Brad Strahan, for serving as Good Shepherd hosts this year.

Christmastide

The Church of the Good Shepherd

What's Happening This Sunday

10:15 AM Festival of Christmas Lessons and Carols with Holy Eucharist

Please note: there is no 8 AM worship service this week.

Nursery This Sunday

The nursery will be open and available during the 10:15 AM service but will not be staffed this weekend as our wonderful nursery caregivers enjoy time away with loved ones.

Sunday School and Adult Formation This Sunday

Sunday School for Kids and Adult Formation will resume on Sunday, January 5th.

Keep Reading...Because There's More!

Be sure to see below for more news, including

Info about kids and youth programs and activities
Parish Life
DOK Invitation
Battery Recycling
November Finance Update
Vision Accomplished Update
Opportunities to Serve
Parish Prayer List
News from the Diocese

Please keep reading...more news follows!

A Note to Parents, Grandparents, and Caregivers of

Our Youngest Beloved

Are you receiving emails and updates about childrens activities and events? If not, be sure to CLICK HERE so we're able to be in touch. Thank you!

Let the children come together and grow in faith and friendship!

Sunday School for kids 4-12 years old resumes

Sunday, January 5th at 9 AM!

Episcopal Youth Community

CLICK HERE to read the lasted EYC News, including upcoming activities and events.

Looking Ahead...

2025

Feb. 14-16 - EYC Retreat at the Trinity Center
July 20-26 - EYC Mission Trip

For information about the Episcopal Youth Community at The Church of the Good Shepherd, EMAIL THE REV. JUSTIN GABBARD or give him a call at 859-630-2835.

To receive text messages about upcoming EYC events, CLICK HERE to be added to the list.

Parish Life

To All Ladies of The Church of the Good Shepherd

The Daughters of the King will be hosting a short "get to know us" in January. If you are curious, come, ask questions, and get to know us...what we are about and what we do. The time and date are to be announced shortly. Contact: Mary Jezierny

Battery Recycling Project

The Green Team is collecting batteries in the Parish Life Center lobby to dispose of them properly. To date, we have collected over 50 pounds of used batteries! Thank you and keep up the good work! Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Where do I leave my used batteries? There is a plastic bucket labeled for battery recycling in the lobby just inside the PLC front door. The recommendation we have received for storing used batteries is a non-metal container (preferably cardboard or plastic) in an indoor space at room temperature. The bucket was supplied by Raleigh’s Batteries Plus.
How often are batteries removed? We remove them every week.
What happens to them? The batteries are taken to the Wake Convenience Disposal Site on Deponie Drive and deposited in the large plastic containers marked for battery disposal.
How are used batteries recycled? It depends on the type of battery, but to learn more, please see: How Batteries Get Recycled: The Process Explained | GreenerIdeal

If you have questions about the Battery Recycling Project, please contact Beth Hahn

Ways to Serve

If you are looking for meaningful ways to serve the parish, please consider the ministries listed below. The contacts listed will be excited to provide more information.

Acolytes: David Roten
Altar Guild: Caryl Fuller
Beyond Our Doors: Gerard McNeill
Chalicists: Jennifer Tlusty
Daughters of the King: Mary Jezierny
Flower Deliveries: Lynn Wiss
Flower Guild: Judi Mathis
Lectors: Jennifer Tlusty
Lowes Foods Pick-up: Jan Harris
Livestream: Ed Sharp
Meals on Wheels: Jan Harris
Meal Train: Nan Boyne
Music Ministry (Choirs): Dwayne Holloway
Shepherd's Table: Jan Harris
Ushers: 8 AM Will Barbee; 10:15 AM Harold Ramsey
Wedding Guild: Esther Hall

Parish Finances

PLEASE CLICK HERE for a budget report (through November 30th). Thank you for your faithful financial support of our church and our ministries.

Vision Accomplished

Pledges Made: $242,524.34 (increase from last week: $29.09)
Pledge Payments and Gifts Received: $183,443.19 (increase from last week: $249.09)

Thank you for your generous support of the Vision Accomplished campaign!

Meet Our Partners

Learn More about Good Shepherd's Partners

From The Diocese

Be sure to check out the latest news and information from the Diocese.

The Church of the Good Shepherd Prayer List

Roy Wright; Catherine and Bob Williams; Janet Gilliam; Ralph Sanders; Pete Taylor;

Martha Bailey; Peggy Hawks; Darrell Dennis; Janie Ward-Newton; William Short; Paul Hoch;

Brinley Harris; Don Caudill; Jane Mayhew; Janet Watrous; The students, faculty, and community of St. Augustine’s University; Rebecca Lamb; Bob Kirchgessner; Josephine Placa; Kathy Acton;

Patricia Harris; Amy Proseus; Reginald Fuller; Dawn Downs; Elise Abernathy; The Byrd Family;

The Davidson Family; The McComas Family; The Fuller, Longerbeam, and Spencer Families;

the people of Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon; the people of Ukraine and Russia;

victims of gun violence; and those affected by drought, heat, floods, and storms,

especially those impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, we pray for The Diocese of Botswana.

In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for The Episcopal Church.

The people of The Church of the Good Shepherd are eager to join you in lifting your prayers to God. Please tell us how we can pray with you by CLICKING HERE to submit a prayer request.

Prayer requests added to our public prayer list will be refreshed every month; please feel free to resubmit them if you would like them to remain on the prayer list.