SHEEP BUZZ NEWSLETTER

November 21, 2025

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

Christ the King Sunday

"God's Time"

November 23, 2025

Worship Services

8:30 AM Traditional

10:45 AM Praise

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

Mission Moments

Sunday Readings: click here

Sunday School at 9:45 AM for all ages.

Printed copies of Pastor Karen's sermons are available each Sunday on the Welcome Desk.

You can also watch the 8:30 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.

Council Accolades:

• Those who helped with electronics recycling on November 1… Damon, Hudson & Donna Garges, Mike Dooley, Tom Hebeisen, Matthew & Michelle Provost. 
• Those who helped move and spread mulch around the church property… Scott Panhorst, Jaime Escamilla, Travis Bryan, Jason & Jenny Champion, Steve & Aaron Frink, Craig Stichtenoth, and a "secret mulcher" (there may be other names, as we did not get it finished on the 18th). 
• Those who helped with the Red Cross blood drive on November 1… Cathy Mattocks, Ben Setzer, Al Reynolds, Raelene & Garrett Swordsma, Aaron Frink. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 
• Debra & Rod Radcliff for creating the Good Shepherd scarecrow, which placed 5th overall out of 100 in the downtown Woodstock’s 6th annual Scarecrow Invasion. 
• Jim & Becky Mattocks who are working on a GSLC ‘float’ for the Woodstock holiday parade. 
• Trunk or Treat – Kudos to all 25 participants who decorated and delighted the children in the GSLC parking lot. 
• All those who helped with set-up, serving, and clean-up of our Thanksgiving meal on November 9. Thanks also to those supporting the meal associated with the memorial service on Tuesday

Council Highlights:

• A task force has been formed to seek improved security for GSLC. Quotes from companies are being gathered currently.
• Our giving is running ahead of expenses, currently. We are still looking to fill the Youth and Family Coordinator position, so staff costs are lower as a result.
• Intent cards continue to come in through Consecration Sunday on November 9th. They can still be turned in for those that have not yet done so, including those whose intents are staying the same or who give through Simply Giving or Vanco Mobile Giving.

Semi-Annual Meeting Highlights

• Elected Council members: Ruth Clark, Karen Epstein, Rob Homer, Jason Launders, Chuck Storla, Janice Swinford
• Approved via a second vote the changes to the Good Shepherd constitution. 
• Approved via a single vote, changes to the GSLC Constitution based on the ELCA Model Constitution changes approved by the Churchwide Assembly in August 2025
• Many thanksgivings and accolades.

STEWARDSHIP

Please continue to return your Stewardship intent cards. Please use the offering plate or gold wall slot in the Administration Hallway.

Didn't receive your 26-27 Stewardship packet? All the forms are located on our website.

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS

Place your orders for this year's Christmas poinsettia plants. Plants cost $15 each, and orders are due by November 30th. All submissions must include payment and a form. Checks can be made out to GSLC. Place the form/payment in the offering plate or in the gold wall slot. You can download a form here. Extra forms will be on the welcome desk this Sunday.

TWO OUTREACH CHRISTMAS TREES

The first tree is an Angel Tree to help families at Carmel Elementary. The Angel tree has about 70 angels in the Entryway.

Instructions: Each child has 2 angels on the tree…one angel is marked NEEDS and one angel is marked WANTS. Choose ONE gift from the items listed on the angel, so every child receives 2 gifts from their wish lists. The directions are also listed the back. The angels need to be returned no later than Sunday, December 7th. 

The second tree is a Homeless Veterans Star Tree. The Star tree is located in the Fellowship Hall.

Instructions: Pick one star first, then go out to purchase a gift card from Kroger or Ingles (the amount is up to you), attach the gift card to the star, and write a note on the back. (Example - Merry Christmas or Thank you for your service). These need to be back on the tree no later than Sun., Nov. 30th. 

If you have any questions, see Molly Maher, Cathy Mattocks or Sharron Ryan.

CONTINUING TO FILL THE NEED FOR FOOD

Consider bringing canned foods to our front porch a little more regularly. Think of food items that are more of a meal and have pop tabs instead of the need for can openers. Pick up some extra items and drop them off at any time. Pat and Harry Halverson have graciously offered to pick up extra loads to drop off with MUST during the week if needed.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY

Pastor Karen,

Thanks to GSLC for the special donation of diapers and wipes that was delivered this morning! These items are not cheap and cannot be purchased with food stamps, so they are a special blessing to our clients. 

We appreciate GSLC's long-standing partnership with MUST in so many different ways. Through pastoral changes and the ups and downs of church life the people of the church have been a faithful supporter of MUST and have made a significant difference in the lives of our neighbors in need.

It has been my joy to serve alongside our faithful community partners like GSLC to be the hands and feet of Christ in our community.

Blessings,

Kendall Jones

Community Liaison- Cherokee MUST

If you feel moved to donate beyond what GSLC does, below is a list of local pantries and their wish lists, along with some smaller programs that are also helpful. Additionally, many food banks purchase food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank at substantial discounts, so monetary donations go further. Additionally, if you are a Thrivent member and you have not used your Action Team dollars up for the year, you might want to consider using them in conjunction with the current food insecurity situation.

Link to additional resources

HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS

The church office will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday, Thursday, Nov. 27th, and Friday, Nov. 28th, to allow our staff time with their families.

SUNDAY SERVANT SCHEDULE

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER

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. 

A Sunday Servant schedule sign-up sheet for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Dec. 28th will be coming soon in the Entry Way. Please consider serving during these services.

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

HANGING OF THE GREENS-Saturday, November 29th at 12 PM

Do you like to decorate for the holidays? We are looking for a team of decorators to help transform the sanctuary for the Advent/Christmas season. Many hands make light work for all. If you have 6-8 ft ladders, please bring them along. Please sign up in Fellowship Hall.

ADVENT WEDNESDAY SERVICES

Noon and 7:30 PM, Dec. 3, 10, 17

Luke’s Gospel begins: “In the time of Herod…” This detail may seem minor, but it reveals the fearful world Jesus entered, one filled with rampant oppression, economic disparity, uncertainty, and instability. And yet, throughout the stories of Christ’s birth, the angels deliver a surprising message: “Do not fear.” When Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the magi are each called into God’s story, they do not deny their fears—they move through them. They ask questions, hold fast to courage, trust in good news, and say, “Here I am, Lord.”

Travel with us through Advent as we ask: is it possible to be fearless in a fearful world? Can we acknowledge our fears while also insisting on hope?

This sermon series will be based on Sanctified Art’s Advent 2025 series, What do you fear?

Week 1, December 3

Text: Luke 1:5-13, Lamentations 3:55-57

Theme: We long for God to break in

Week 2, December 10

Text: Matthew 11:1-11, Isaiah 43:19-21

Theme: When we’re running out of hope, God is at work

Week 3, December 17

Text: Luke 1:26-39, Jeremiah 1:4-10

Theme: Even in our fear, we are called forward

DEC. 7th -FAMILY FUN: GINGERBREAD KITS

Join us in making Gingerbread Houses for our Family Fun Activity! We will be serving a pizza lunch before we work together to design and create a holiday tradition! Please sign up to let us know how many people in your family will be attending so that we can have enough gingerbread kits and pizza! See you then!



Date: 12/07/2025 (Sun.) Time: 11:45 AM Location: Fellowship Hall

CHRISTMAS JUBILEE OF LIGHTS PARADE

Good Shepherd will represent our Church in the Woodstock Christmas Jubilee of Lights Parade on Sunday, December 7th. The parade begins at 5:30 and ends at 7:00. Our theme: The Good Shepherd.

Registration is full for the Jubilee of Lights Parade. Thank you to all who've signed up to walk or ride in the parade. If you haven't received parade instructions yet, please see Becky Mattocks. Still want to participate? Come to downtown Woodstock and enjoy the festivities and cheer us on as our float passes by!

Do you have left-over candy from Halloween? Consider donating it for the parade! Let the Church office know.

CHRISTMAS CAROLING

Join us as we give the gift of service and bring Christmas joy, Saturday, December 13th. Meet in Fellowship Hall at 10 AM. We will go out into the community to share the gift of Christmas in music and song with residents at local assisted living facilities and members homes. Afterward we will meet back at church at 11:30 AM for hot cocoa and cookies. Wear your Christmas sweaters and hats! All ages welcome.

Sign up in Fellowship Hall. Please indicate next to your name if you play an instrument and are willing to share your talent.

LADIES NIGHT OUT

Our next event is scheduled for December 16, at 7:00 pm

Tuscanny Italian Restaurant

250 Cinema View,

Woodstock, GA 30189

Please sign up in Fellowship Hall.

WEEKLY BIBLE STUDIES All study groups will break Thanksgiving week.

Word on Wednesday: "Inspired" by Rachel Evans will be our study on Wednesdays, at 10 AM in Fellowship Hall. As always, a Teams option will also be available each week. Email the office or Lori Peters if you need the link.

Lunch and Learn: Wednesdays from 11:30 - 1 PM, bring your lunch and join us. We have recently started a new Bible study titled, "The Marvel & Miracle of Advent." The book is available from Amazon. We will take off the week of Thanksgiving and finish the study at 11 AM on Dec. 3 and Dec. 10th. Then we will be on break until January 7, 2026. Great discussions amongst great people, come and check us out.

Theology On Tap: We will break for the holidays after this last date and resume sometime in January.

Thursday Bible Study:  We study the weekly Lectionary readings that precede each Sunday service. All are welcome, even if you can only attend occasionally. We meet in Fellowship Hall at 10 AM. Holiday schedule: We will meet next on Dec 4, and holiday party Dec. 11 (at 11 am, not 10). No classes Nov. 27th and Dec. 18 - Jan 1.

All classes begin at 9:45 AM Sunday.

Youth Classes

Pre-K & Elementary School - Room 111

Middle School and High School - Downstairs Youth Room

Adult Classes

Men in Mission: We continue to meet on Sundays in room 116, at 9:45 AM. Come and check us out. We are a great group of men doing marvelous things together in fellowship and service. We also meet monthly at Marlow’s Tavern in Woodstock, at 7 PM, usually on the first Monday of the month.

Faith Stories: We just began a new study titled, “The Essential Jesus” by Whitney Kuniholm. The book has 100 readings, split into different sections (the parables of Jesus, the miracles of Jesus, the hard sayings of Jesus, prophecies about a Savior, to name a few). The group will be taking a section at a time (we may take a break and come back later), starting with The Birth of Jesus. Sundays at 9:45 AM. We meet in room 117.

Coffee and Conversation: We are engaged in a study of the book of Matthew. This is from the "Together by Grace" series from Augsburg. We meet in room 118.

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.

CARING FOR CREATION

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

We also recycle all types of METAL near our garage and ELECTRONICS during our Electronic Recycling Drives in April and November. 

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!

HOLIDAY SHOPPING AS BLACK FRIDAY APPROACHES

One of the biggest scams this holiday shopping season is with TEXT LINKS. Do not assume that a link is taking you to the right place. Always confirm that you are on the retailer's dedicated site before making an online purchase through a link. These links are often used to spoof you into giving up your credit card or financial information. If a deal is too good to be true, be wary!!

More Information and Tips from the Federal Trade Commission

DO YOU KNOW OUR AUTHORS?

There are two authors in our midst with recent releases! Chuck Storla has just launched the book, "Murder Two Doors Down" and Barb Bauer has launched the children's book, ages 1st -3rd grade, "Neil the Seal". If interested, the easiest way to purchase is online with these links. These would make great Christmas Gifts! Both authors greatly appreciate Good Shepherd's support!

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.