SHEEP BUZZ NEWSLETTER

March 21, 2025

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

EMPTY NESTERS CARTER MUSEUM AND LIBRARY

DATE: Saturday, March 22, 2025 

What: Jimmy Carter Library: From 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

(Preview the museum here: Carter Museum and Library)

Restaurant: Early dinner at Atkins Park Restaurant and Bar (menu) approximately 2:00 pm

Location: 794 N. Highland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta 30306 (They have 3 locations. Please use this address!)

Parking: They have a small amount of free parking located behind the restaurant that can be accessed either off of Greenwood Ave. or St. Charles Ave. There are also paid parking spots behind the restaurant as well. There is street parking on N. Highland, Greenwood and St. Charles.

Please arrange your own carpooling.

If something comes up at the last minute and you aren't able to attend, please contact Karen Yerkes so that we are not waiting for you at the museum.

The next activity will be on Saturday, May 3 to Uhuburg Castle in Helen, GA.

Sunday School | 9:45 AM

All youth classes will meet downstairs. K-5 in B3, 6-8 in B8 and High School will meet in B1.

Faith Stories: Rm 117: Come join us. We will engaged in "Exploring Evangelism this week"

Coffee and Conversation: Rm 118:  Continuing the "Exploring Evangelism" study this week.

Men in Mission: Rm 116: Various topics and discussions just for men.

We will be hosting the "Second Sunday Family Activity" on Sunday, March 23rd at 12 PM for a "Taco Box Lunch" and "Let's Make Art" with Allison Frink. There is no Confirmation class on this Sunday. We hope many of you will attend.

Sign-up below or in Fellowship Hall.

Council Highlights:

• The position of a Shared Youth Coordinator between GSLC and two other churches is posted.
• The Social Justice group has been established and created their charter. The initial meeting had a large attendance.

Accolades:

• All the people who helped make the Installation Service for Pr. Karen special for her, her family and the entire congregation: 

Musicians and singers, notably Chase Peterson, Pam Weinelt and Alan Boda for the prelude to the service

The Fellowship Committee and volunteers who assisted with the meal after the service - Ruth Clark, Pat Freeman, Tammy Frink, Clint Gruwell, Mark and Linda Martin, Sharron Ryan, Monica Smith, Joyce Snow, Karen Weltz, Tom and Mary Wilson, Mark and Karen Yerkes. 

Others that were instrumental in set up and clean up were Aaron and Steve Frink and Gordon Swordsma.

• Holly Jones for taking a lead role in developing the Exploring Evangelism class
•  Holly Jones and Gina Crittenden for relaunching the Social Justice group
• Molly and Chris Maher and Donna Garges for their hard work to prepare for the Hunger Walk as well as Melinda Mundis and the youth for their assistance with the signs

MIDWEEK LENTEN STUDY

Each Wednesday during Lent, we gather at noon and 7:30pm. A simple soup/salad supper will be available before the evening service, beginning at 6:30 PM. (Please consider signing up to bring a soup or help/set up the meal, sign-ups in Fellowship Hall.) Our services will use Vespers: A Service of Evening Prayer by Carla Gioma, a beloved sung liturgy from Good Shepherd’s past. Our reflections each week will focus on the messy middles of our life, inspired by resources from Sanctified Art.

Our Lenten offerings will be contributed to Inspiritus to help with their many efforts in dealing with refugee families.

FUNDRAISER FOR OUR INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICE TRIP

There are colorful envelopes posted in the Fellowship Hall in various denominations. If you are able, kindly take an envelope or two, fill them, and return them to GSLC - either in the offering plate, or place them in the gold slot next to the Bookkeeper's office. Funds raised will help offset costs for the planned intergenerational summer service trip taking place June 15 - 20th. Thank you for your support - we appreciate you!

AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY

Unable to join our GSLC trip? Others from ELCA congregations in Metro Atlanta will be traveling to work at LutherRock from Wednesday May 28th to Saturday May 31st. This area experienced severe damage from Hurricane Helene and has to this point been underserved. If you're interested, please reach out to Mike Dooley for information about how to get involved. This trip is not being coordinated by GSLC but welcomes all adults to join.

TIME FOR EASTER LILIES -Sunday is the final day to order!

Click the form below and print it to order Easter Lilies to decorate the Sanctuary this Easter Season (April 20th). Forms will also be included in this Sunday's bulletins. Checks can be made out to GSLC and placed in offering plate or in the slot outside the Office Coordinator's office. Each plant is $15.

FEEDING HOPE

We continue to collect for the Atlanta Food Bank until March 23rd. Use this link to donate online (look for the Hunger Walk graphic) or place a check made out to GSLC, with "Hunger Walk" in the memo line, in the offering plate or in the wall slot near the Office Coordinator's office.

A few coin boxes are left to fill throughout Lent to support families that struggle paying for school lunches at Carmel Elementary School. Find those boxes in the Entryway. Filled your box already? Place it in the basket in the Entryway.

TWO-CAN SUNDAY-On Repeat

This week we are continuing our drive to FEED HOPE with our food ministry partners. This Sunday we will collect again, but for MUST Ministries. Together we can really make an impact for those around us. Place food donations in barrels on the porch. Thank you.

It was recently stated in the news that local food pantries are witnessing an increase in the number of families relying on these food pantries. Do your part to share God's love and feed hope for others.

THE LUTHERAN COALITION AND HABITAT BUILD

The Lutheran Coalition Website lutheranhabitat.org has been updated with the latest Habitat build information. Use the site for everything you need to know about the current build at 617 Hickory Nut Dr. in Canton and signing up for it.

SUNDAY SERVANT SCHEDULE

MARCH AND APRIL

Please note we have scheduled Sunday Servants for Easter. Take a look at the schedule to confirm if you will be serving.

Direct all updates and changes to the schedule to our Office Coordinator, Alissa at Office@gslutheran.org. Please remember to try to find your own replacements. Thank you.

CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUP

Our next Caregivers Support Group in connection with the Alzheimer's Association is scheduled for Thursday, March 27th, at 1 PM in Fellowship Hall. Anyone in the community who is supporting and/or caring for a loved one experiencing dementia or other long term debilitating issues are invited to attend and become a part of this group.

YARN ANGELS

Yarn Angels will meet at the home of Linda Rowell on April 7th, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided.

Postcards are available on the Welcome Desk to invite a friend or neighbor.

LADIES NIGHT OUT

Ladies Night Out for April will be on April 15th, at 7:00 pm

Keegan's Public House

1085 Buckhead Crossing

Suite 140

Woodstock, GA 30189

Please sign-up in Fellowship Hall.

YOUTH & FAMILY EVENTS

SAVE THE DATE

FOR VBS

June 9 –13,

 9 AM—12 Noon.

Registration will open

May 1st.

 Interested in helping this year? Contact Karin Storla to let her know.

NOW HIRING A YOUTH COORDINATOR

We have a shared Youth Coordinator position open and we're accepting resumes if you know of anyone that might be a good candidate to apply. Please pass them the following link to apply or let them know to reach out to our Personnel Committee with any questions. This will be a shared Youth Coordinator between GSLC, Christ Lutheran Church of Marietta and First United Lutheran Church in Kennesaw. We are looking to have an expanded youth program to incorporate more families together. We plan to have Middle and High School youth join up for service projects, fun youth outings as well as mission trips. We also plan to have joint confirmation classes together as well.  

https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=6a8cbe8612456a00&from=shareddesktop_copy

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. Thank you for your wonderful support of this GSLC ministry.

EASTER CARDS: There are Easter cards available. Look for the bin on our card table in the Fellowship Hall.

NEW: Look in the card bins for LARGE PRINT cards. We now have a few Large Print cards available for your friends and loved ones who have vision problems. They will be distributed throughout the bins, but labeled as Large Print.

We have a new donation supply of HAND PAINTED cards from a local artist. If you enjoyed the hand painted cards previously, check out the new ones in our card bins.

Weekly Bible Studies

Word on Wednesday 10:00 AM Fellowship Hall. We are engaged in the Evangelism study, and will resume the Rachel Evans study again after Easter. As always, both in-person and Teams options are available for our group. Please contact the church office for Teams link.

Wednesday Lunch and Learn: We will meet at 11:00 AM in Mtg. Room. We are into week 3 of the "Exploring Evangelism" study.

Thursday Bible Study:  On March 27th, we will continue our Exploring Evangelism study at 10 AM. Join us anytime.

Theology On Tap: We will break during Lent.

CARING FOR CREATION

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

NEW WAY TO RECYCLE THOSE PLASTIC BAGS

Mostly Mutts Market is accepting plastic bags from various businesses - Target, WalMart, Publix, Kroger, etc. to use at the store. They are also accepting cardboard boxes, flattened or not, as well. Their address is 5505 Bells Ferry Rd. Acworth 30102.  

1. ORAL CARE WASTE

2. HEFTY ORANGE ENERGY BAGS: (First Sunday of 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

MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION

Do you love your church? Consider giving Good Shepherd a 5 Star review on Google. 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.