SHEEP BUZZ NEWSLETTER

December 26, 2025

 We are called gathered and blessed to be a community and instrument of grace for all sheep of the Good Shepherd.

The First Sunday of Christmas

December 28, 2025

"The Work of Christmas"

Worship Bulletins: 8:30 AM | 10:45 AM | Announcements

Sunday Readings: click here

You can also watch the 10:45 AM service LIVE this week on our Facebook Page. (You do not need an account to view the service). If you join us online, please sign our attendance book.

If you would like to submit an offering, please donate online.

CHRISTMAS WORSHIP

A huge shout out of thanks to all of the worship servants, musicians, singers, bulletin helpers, floral arrangers, and warm wishers of prayers for successful worship services. Our Christmas services were well attended and filled with love and Christmas spirit. We could not have done it without all of your generous help.

GRATITUDE FOR YOUR GENEROSITY

The staff of Good Shepherd would like to thank the congregation for all the generous Christmas gifts this season. We are honored and blessed to be loved by such a wonderful community. Happy New Year!

HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS

The office will be closed Dec. 26, New Year's Eve at noon, New Year's Day, and January 2. Please call before dropping by, as our staff will be working limited hours. Thank you.

Council Officers for 2026:

President - Janice Swinford

Vice President - Karen Epstein

Secretary - Jason Launders

Treasurer - Rob Homer

Financial Secretary - Beverly Stichtenoth (appointed by Council) to be assisted by Sharron Ryan (appointed by Council)

Council Liaisons for 2026:

Fellowship - Mary Wilson

Personnel - Deborah Ezell

Outreach - Ruth Clark

Worship and Music - Chuck Storla

Youth and Family - Karen Epstein and Eva Schwartz

Facilities and Maintenance - Jason Launders

Finance - Rob Homer

Congregational Care - Craig Stichtenoth

Stewardship - Beverly Stichtenoth

New Youth Coordinator intern - Julia Bennet-Polley will start in January

Accolades:

• All those who have responded to the Angel Tree and those who will deliver the gifts collected at church.
• Becky Mattocks for organizing the GSLC involvement in the Woodstock parade.
• The musicians who rang bells during the Woodstock parade.
• Debie and Rod Radcliff and the entire Radcliff family for helping to assemble and decorate the truck and trailer for the Christmas Parade.
• Those who continue to bring food for our neighbors, filling the MUST bins and the shopping cart.
• All the carolers who brought cheer to Sunabella Senior Living and some of our shut-ins.
• The Outreach Committee for organizing our homeless veteran gift card tree and the Angel Tree to support students at Carmel Elementary, plus all who donated.
• Tom Hebeisen, who constantly picks up greeting, welcoming, and ushering responsibilities as needed.
• The Thursday Bible Study class that tagged hundreds of stuffed animals to be given to our ministry partners and our preschool children.
• Karen Yerkes and Tammy Frink for organizing all the Empty Nesters events.
• The counters…. Ruth Clark, Jaimie Escamilla, Bettina Miller, Margaret Mixon, Al Reynolds, Sharron Ryan, Ben Setzer, Bev Stichtenoth, Patrick Swinford, Valerie Whiteman… who tirelessly work after worship to count donations and flower, donut, and poinsettia checks. 
• The Stewardship Committee for planning and overseeing a successful stewardship campaign this Fall.

THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF GENEROSITY

Gift card delivery

There was a special delivery to the Cherokee County Homeless Vets Thrift Shop on Thursday, December 4th.



On behalf of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Molly Maher dropped off 66+ gift cards and 75 new stuffed toys just in time for the Veterans Christmas Party and Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, December 6th.

Viola Ross, the manager of the thrift shop, will help Santa pass out the gift cards and toys to the veterans and their families.  

Pictured are Molly, Viola, and Laura, who is a trusted volunteer at the shop.

The gift cards were donated by members of Good Shepherd in cooperation with the Outreach Committee.

We also delivered stuffed animals to so many organizations this year, including the Humane Society of Cherokee County, the homeless veterans Christmas party, The Encouragement Project, Child's Play Preschool, Carmel Elementary Angel tree recipients, and our own Good Shepherd youth. Thank you to all the helpers who allowed us to spread this cheer around our community.

ANGEL TREE

Carmel Elementary School

A huge shout-out to all of the elves who helped make Christmas a little brighter for some families at Carmel Elementary School. The gifts were delivered to the school this week.

NEW FLOWER AND DONUT SIGN-UP SHEETS

Changes Ahead

The 2026 Flower and Donut sheets are posted in the Administration Hallway. Beginning in 2026, we will be making a change to the Altar Flowers. Altar Guild has purchased new sanctuary vases, along with take-home sleeves, making it easier to take home the flowers or donate. The sleeves will be located in the Sacristy, and the vase will remain in the sanctuary. If you purchased the flowers, they will be available to take following the second service.

On the flower chart, there is now a check box to indicate if you would like to donate the flowers to someone during the week. (This will also be indicated on the flower form.) If you choose to donate them, we have volunteers willing to deliver them to area nursing homes or members who could use a happy gesture from Good Shepherd. The cost for flowers remains $40 for 2026. The price for donuts/snacks also remains at $30. Both require a form to be submitted with a check made out to GSLC with "donuts" or "Flowers" in the memo line or via an online donation through our website.

CARING FOR CREATION - ORANGE BAG RECYCLE

The program has been cancelled

The Caring for Creation Committee will no longer be collecting Orange Bag Recycling on the first Sunday of each month. Cherokee County Recycling Centers located on Blalock Rd. and Hobgood Park will no longer accept Orange Bag recycling after January 1, 2026. However, both sites still offer single-stream recycling, which includes paper such as junk mail, flyers, magazines, and newspapers, cardboard including flattened boxes, #1 and #2 plastics, and metal cans together in one bin, and glass of all colors in a separate bin.

The Orange Bag Recycling of hard-to-recycle plastics was a pilot program, and the processing facility that took these bags will no longer be operating.

We now have an enclosed collection area for metal where members are encouraged to bring metal, including aluminum cans for collection. These metal donations will be exchanged for money back to Good Shepherd.

SUNDAY SERVANT SCHEDULE

DECEMBER & JANUARY

Consider serving in a new capacity. We need volunteers to serve in all of our Sunday roles!

Direct all updates, vacation plans, and changes to the schedule by the 15th of the previous month to Office@gslutheran.org. 

Please remember to try and find your own replacements. Thank you.

MUSIC REHEARSALS

We will return to our normal music rehearsal times beginning the first week of January. Chancel Choir will meet at 7 PM in the Sanctuary on Tuesdays, and Bells will meet at 7 PM in the Sanctuary on Wednesdays.

The Praise Team will meet this Saturday (Dec 27) and next Saturday (Jan 3) at 9 AM and then on Thursday evenings at 7 PM for the remainder of the month, on the dates you are scheduled.

CARGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

Our next caregiver support group will meet on Saturday, January 10th at 2 PM and Thursday, January 22 at 1 PM. If you or someone you know would benefit from this group of caring individuals, please invite them to our meetings. We share lots of resources and information for those struggling with caring for loved ones, especially those with Alzheimer's and dementia.

2026 GSLC CALENDAR MEETING

If you are a Committee Chair or Council Liaison, a small group or study leader, we are hosting our semi-annual calendar meeting on January 14th, at 6 PM in Fellowship Hall. If you can not make the meeting, please submit all your calendar dates to Donna at media@gslutheran.org by Jan. 11th, so we can have a productive meeting that includes everyone’s input.

YARN ANGELS

Yarn Angels will meet on Monday, January 19th, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the home of Jennifer Taylor. Light refreshments will be provided. This is a group of women who love to create beautiful projects with their hands while sharing the bond of friendship. Interested in learning a new skill? Come and join us.

LADIES NIGHT OUT

Our next Ladies Night Out meeting will be January 20th at 7:00pm at

LongHorn Steakhouse

1420 Towne Lake Parkway

Woodstock, GA 30189

Sign up in Fellowship Hall

THEOLOGY ON TAP

We will be meeting at Game Day in Woodstock on January 7th at 6:30 PM.

GREETING CARD MINISTRY

ALL OCCASION handmade greeting cards are available, most for a suggested donation of $2.00 per card. All proceeds support our Good Shepherd Youth Mission Trips. This ministry is being hosted by Molly Maher, Linda Rowell, and Pam Hough.

Available in limited quantity, 2026 DESK CALENDARS!  Check out our new calendars for $7.00 each. These make a very nice and inexpensive gift for yourself or someone special on your holiday gift list! Get them while the supply lasts.

WEEKLY BIBLE STUDIES are all on break until January.

MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION

MORE FREE MONEY FOR GOOD SHEPHERD

Take advantage of free money from both Kroger and Thrivent (if you're a member).

Here is how to do it!

Do you love your church? Consider giving Good Shepherd a 5 Star review on Google and/or Yelp. It helps other know about who we are and what we do!

CHURCH CALENDAR

ONLINE CALENDAR

Use this as a resource for all Good Shepherd Events. Need to add an event? Contact our Media Coordinator and she will get it on the calendar for you.

This is our submission form for you to submit non-urgent prayer concerns. Prayers will be posted to the Prayer Circle, via e-mail, during normal business hours, usually around 3 PM. As always, if you have an urgent prayer request, please contact Pastor by cell or email. 

If you would like to pray for others, as part of our prayer circle, please contact our Media Coordinator and she can add you to the Prayer Circle group.