SHEEP BUZZ NEWSLETTER

June 14, 2024

TOMMORROW MORNING

VBS FINAL TRAINING

Saturday, June 15th at 10 AM in Fellowship Hall! This is for all those who have signed up to help with VBS this year and did not attend the session on June 8th. At the meeting, Mel will give a rundown of the schedule, expectations for different positions and a chance for questions. We will also be tie-dying our leader shirts. Need more information? See the e-mail that was sent by Mel, on May 29th. Plan to attend a decorating overhaul on June 16th, following the 10:45 AM service, as we transform our space for the week long event.

GOOD SHEPHERD HAS HIRED A NEW ORGANIST/CHOIR DIRECTOR

We are excited to welcome Chase Petersen on June 19th, as our new Organist/Choir Director. Chase earned his Master of Music in Organ Performance from the Univ of TX at Austin in spring 2023. He has recently been the Organ Scholar at Redeemer in Downtown Atlanta for the past year. Chase will be with us for minimally one year, before going abroad to Germany in the Fall of 2025, to further his organ music education. Chase's new e-mail address at Good Shepherd is music1@gslutheran.org. Chase will be leading the Chancel Choir and the Bell Choirs in the fall of this year. Watch your Sheep Buzz for when those rehearsals will be starting. Be sure to give Chase a big GSLC welcome!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Gay Lyn for leading the music for our 8:30 AM Traditional Worship services. Gay Lyn's last Sunday will be this coming Sunday, June 16th. Please take a moment to thank her for her musical contributions. A basket will be available Sunday morning on the Welcome Desk, if you would like to share a note of thanks with her. We will acknowledge her with thanks during the 8:30 AM service.

SUMMER HOURS

The church office will recognize "summer hours" through Monday, July 29. The office will have staff available "virtually" on Mondays and in-house staff Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

ADDITIONAL HELP IN THE OFFICE IS STILL NEEDED

During VBS week and a few weeks during the summer, while Mel, our Youth and Family Ministry Coordinator is out of her Office Coordinator role, we would like some additional help in the office answering the phones and the door. If you would like to volunteer to serve in this capacity, please sign up using the button below. No experience is necessary.

GSLC CALL COMMITTEE NEWS

The Call Committee met with Pastor Jonathan Hemphill, Assistant to the Bishop, for instructions on how the Call process works.

The Committee then met with Pastor Karen and Craig Stitchenoth (our Council President) to review procedures and timelines.

We have chosen to keep a candle burning on the altar and in our communications as a reminder that we are including the congregation in our prayers while we search for our new pastor. We ask you that you also keep us in your prayers as we proceed. Light a candle at home as a reminder that we are on our way to finding our new pastor.

Our first step as a committee is to create a Mission Site Profile (MSP) that reflects who and what our congregation is about. We will get this information from the Long Range Planning Task Force findings as well as conversations that we have with all of you.

Please feel free to approach any of us with the blue name tags to discuss this process. We’ll be happy to share our progress as much as we can.

JUNE COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

• The Finance Committee will discuss investment possibilities for excess funds from the fiscal year concluding at the end of June
• A question was raised at the semi-annual meeting about GSLC's approach to evangelism. Council discussed and will be looking at more intentional ways of getting GSLC's name into the community, often done most effectively now through our Outreach events. We will also continue to ask visitors how they found us and seek additional ways to purposefully reach out. Those with ideas and the willingness to help are encouraged to speak to a Council member.
• Adopt-a-Room plan for getting the painting inside the education wing and the basement accomplished has been launched. The goal is to have the painting completed by all groups by the end of June.

ACCOLADES

• All those who helped make the June 2nd Semi-annual congregational meeting and lunch a success
• Gay Lyn Ferry for playing organ and piano at the 8:30 AM worship service
• Bell players and all musicians for their contributions to worship
• Sunday School teachers
• Long Range Planning task force for their many hours of work

BEGINNING ON MONDAY | VOLUNTEERS ARRIVE AT 8:15 AM

QUESTIONS? Reach out to Mel at Youthfamministry@gslutheran.org

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HYMN OR PRAISE SONG?

This summer we want to sing some of your favorite songs and hymns. Answer the following questions using the button link below, tell us your favorite (one per person, please) and why it's your favorite. We'll do our best to work them in over the long lazy days of summer.

This week’s favorite hymn or song is “I Love to Tell the Story”, selected by Tracey Homer. “I remember singing it with my Grandma Lou when I was little.” Get some additional commentary on this song in this Sunday's worship bulletin. 

Handmade Card ministry at GSLC

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

Last Day for Father’s Day: We will have a limited number of Father’s Day cards available this month and into June. Do you have a father, husband, son, son-in-law, or grandson that you would like to honor on Father’s Day with a card? Get your card(s) while they are available!

Metal Recycling

Caring for Creation is now recycling scrap metals. Help preserve our Planet.

Drop off your scrap metals in the white 55-gallon drum located at the north side of the garage and we will take it to the Metal Recycler in Woodstock.

Click the button below for more information about what can be recycled.

WE ARE HAVING A PAINT PARTY

Last week during worship announcements, Anna Louise, Scott and Journey informed us of the need to paint the education wing of our building. This Sunday, a sign-up sheet is available in the Entryway. Taking advantage of our members time and talent, we are able to save the church THOUSANDS of dollars. This is what we are asking:

1.   Get a group together to adopt a room(s)/space to paint

a.  Friends/Family

b.  Committee

c.   Small Group or Bible Study Group

d.  Individual

2.   Pick a Room (s) or space and sign-up

3.   Coordinate a time to meet (Write that date and time on the paint can on the sign-up board) Our desire is to coordinate all the painting between Saturday, June 22 - June 30th.

a.   Building is open from 7 AM – 9 PM only. DO NOT go before or past these hours as the church's fire and security alarms are armed which will trigger the alarm and the police to show up.

b.  Office staff can help coordinate groups, if needed

4.   Gather supplies from available cart (just come at your designated time, no need to bring anything ahead of time, Facilities and Maintenance will be purchasing all the supplies ahead of time).

5.   Paint your Room (s) or spaces, make it a party, bring some music, some snacks and HAVE FUN!

Of course if painting isn't your thing, (it's not really Journey's either!) we will accept monetary donations to purchase paint and supplies. Checks can be made out to GSLC with the word "Painting" in the memo line. For Thrivent members, you might also consider setting up a "Thrivent Action Team" around our painting event, 3 members have already done this. Contact the office for further details if you would like to know more about how to do this.

Need some help getting on a painting team? Let the office know you are interested and we can get you set up!

Email the office

PEW TO PULPIT SERMON SERIES

For 5 weeks starting on July 28, Pastor Karen will preach a sermon series inspired by your questions. What have you, in the pew, wanted to hear discussed from the pulpit? Is there a particular question that intrigues you or a piece of scripture that you'd like to see addressed? As you feel called, fill out the form HERE and let us know your question and why the question is of interest. If there is a scripture reference, please include that too. We hope this will be an interesting interlude for all of us this summer and provides an even further connection between the pew and the pulpit.

Yarn Angels will meet at the home of Linda Rowell, on Monday, July 8th, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided.

LADIES NIGHT OUT

The next Ladies Night Out will be on

Tuesday, June 18, at 7:00pm, at:

Izumi Asian Bistro

2035 Towne Lake Parkway, #150

Woodstock, GA 30189

CARING FOR CREATION

We continue our recycling initiatives. We appreciate all help from congregation members to keep these items out of landfills. 

1. ORAL CARE WASTE

2. HEFTY ORANGE ENERGY BAGS: (first Sunday of the month-Please remove labels (see below)

3. BATTERIES: (Size D and smaller) 

4. OLD EYEGLASSES

5. POPTABS

6. PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE BOTTLES

We need to remove labels from these bottles try these methods:

1. Warm the label in the sun
2. Use a hairdryer for heat
3. Put bottle in a glass of very hot water

BRING IN YOUR LADIES CLOTHING

Caring for Creation continues to support the Drake House, collecting SEASONAL, clean and like new donations. Look for the big orange drop-off bin in Fellowship Hall.

MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION

OUTREACH

Thank you so much to all who participated in May's Outreach project for Goshen Valley welcome baskets. Our congregation is incredibly blessed with all that God has given us. It is so wonderful that we share our gifts.

We were able to fill all 5 laundry baskets with a twin comforter, twin sheet set, a pillow, 2 towels and 2 wash cloths, a Bible, a clock radio , hair brush and comb, tooth brush and tooth paste, body wash and a snack. The baskets were overflowing. We had many extras, not enough to complete a welcome basket but 2 large bins to donate extras to start additional baskets.  

A slideshow of the Good Things happening at Good Shepherd!

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

DATES TO REMEMBER

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 Office Coordinator and she can add you to the Prayer Circle group.