We are called gathered and blessed to be a community and instrument of grace for all sheep of the Good Shepherd. | | |
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.
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The First Sunday of Advent
"What Are You Reading?"
November 30, 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 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.
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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.
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CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS
Place your orders for this year's Christmas poinsettia plants. Plants cost $15 each, and orders are due THIS SUNDAY, 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.
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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 by 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 this Sunday, Nov. 30th.
If you have any questions, see Molly Maher, Cathy Mattocks or Sharron Ryan.
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THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF FOOD
We are deeply grateful for the ongoing generosity that allows us to share the gift of food with our neighbors who are hungry. The response to our MUST food barrels on the front porch has been truly overwhelming—thank you for your continued kindness.
As we enter the holiday season, we invite you to consider bringing canned foods a bit more regularly. Meal-style items with pop-top lids are especially helpful. If you’re able, pick up a few extra items and drop them off anytime.
A special thank-you to Pat and Harry Halverson, who have generously offered to deliver additional loads to MUST during the week when needed.
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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
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SUNDAY SERVANT SCHEDULE
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER
Consider serving in a new capacity. We need volunteers to serve in all of our Sunday roles!
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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WEEKLY BIBLE STUDIES
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 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: 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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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
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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!
| | Get More Information Online With These Links | | 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! | | |
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.
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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.
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