News for the flock at Good Shepherd

May 2025

International Pot Luck Lunch

Following the Eucharist on Sunday, May 4, 2025, we will share food and fellowship.

Please bring a dish to share with your fellow parishioners. If possible, bring a dish that shows your heritage or a heritage for which you have great appreciation.

And always remember -- you are welcome whether or not you are able to bring a meal.

May 11, 2025

Food Shelf Needs

Summer is approaching and that means the kids will be home from school. Many kids have breakfast and/or lunch at school during the school year. When summer arrives, they and their parents have to fill the gap. The Food Shelf always appreciates receiving healthy snacks during these months. Your donations of snacks or cash are always welcome.

A reminder: The Food Shelf serves residents of the town of Oxford and members of the churches of Oxford whether or not they reside in Oxford. The latter requires that the church member obtain a letter from the church stating their membership. If you need help, let someone know.

Oxford Ecumenical Food Shelf

Vestry News and Updates

Your Vestry met following the Eucharist on Sunday, April 27, 2025.

Work continues on emptying the former rectory building prior to its sale. Items are being sorted and the "keepers" are being transferred to Hodges Hall.
George Krueger advised that a dumpster will be delivered on May 9th. It will be there for 1 week while all the "leftovers" are loaded into it.
Please contact George or Russ Rheault if you are able bodied and can help with loading the dumpster
Furnace and air conditioning unit maintainance is being finalized
Betty Blodgett asked for and received the Vestry's blessing to begin organizing a committee to focus on Social Justice - Immigration concerns. Please see the article below if you are interested in this ministry.

Congratulations on your graduation John Sullivan!!

Remember that your parish family wishes you continued success with your education and that we are available to pray for you should you find you need that support.

Change of Service Noted

We will have Morning Prayer instead of the Eucharist as our service on Sunday, May 25, 2025, which falls in Memorial Day weekend.

Can You Serve Your Parish?

We are in need of greeters. What does a greeter do?

A greeter arrives a little bit early. As parishioners and visitors arrive, the greeter meets them with a smile and welcome. The greeter gives the bulletin to those who arrive. If the person(s) are not familiar, the greeter would introduce him/her self and ask if the visitor has any questions. The frequency of scheduling is typically once per month (or less if we have more volunteers).

It is a simple "job" but really a vital ministry. It is a way for you to help us in our mission to be a welcoming parish family. Check out the list below to find out who to contact.

Also needed: Acolytes, Crucifer, Coffee Hour Hosts

Don't Forget: We Have a Prayer Chain

A Prayer Chain is a group of people who are willing to pray for anyone who is in need of that support. Our prayer chain has both parishioners and friends of parishioners. It is mostly an online ministry.

If you wish the group to pray for yourself or someone you care about, you should email the coordinator with the details. The coordinator will then send the prayer request out to the group. Members of the group will then add the request to their prayers and group members know that all prayer requests are confidential.

If you would like to become a member of the Prayer Chain, please contact the coordinator. All are welcome.

The current coordinator is Betty Blodgett .

Social Justice - Immigration

A parish committee is being formed to determine what we can do to work for social justice with regard to immigration. If we have friends who are not parishioners but care about the abuses and demeaning treatment of immigrants recently occuring, they are also welcome.

When we renew our Baptismal Covenant, as we do in Eastertide and at baptisms that occur in our church, we are asked,

Will you strive for justice and peace among all people,

and respect the dignity of every human being?

Our reply is:

I will, with God's help.

We are a small group and perhaps you feel fear or anxiety over getting involved in such a big issue. It's important to remember that we are not asked to solve the entire issue. We are asked to bear witness; to stand up for those who seem to have no power; to strive for justice and peace; to respect the dignity of all people.

Bishop Fisher recently sent out a message on this very topic. He addressed this fear in his message. Here is a snippet from the message. I encourage you to read the entire message using the link below.

"We, too, must find the courage to do something. This is a deeply spiritual battle between our fear and our compassion, our instinct to hide and our call to do justice. The appalling disregard for the dignity of all human beings is not OK. It is not right. People are disappeared. People are losing their jobs, homes and military benefits. People are told they do not exist, but the power of the resurrection is already at work within the Body of Christ – and within every human body. With Diana Butler Bass I say, “We must form squads of love and make a path through together… no matter how fearsome the mob.”"

To read Bishop Fisher's complete message, use this link:

The Call to Bear Witness - A Word to All the Faithful

If you are interested in helping discern how we, as Good Shepherd Church in Oxford, can bear witness to the injustice, please use this link to email Betty Blodgett or speak with her after the Sunday service. A meeting will be held in mid to late May to begin.