Weekly Parish News for Thursday, December 18 | | |
Announcements
- Christmas Pageant 12/21
- Alternative Gift Giving
- Christmas Schedule
- White Flag Shelter Nights
- Can you help with First Night?
- Vestry Nominations Due 1/4
- Youth Pilgrimage Info Session - 1/11
- Save the Date- VBS
Worship With Us
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Prayer List
Support Our Parish
- Vision Accomplished Concludes – Thank You!
- Planning Your End-of-Year Giving
Connect With Us
*Change of Schedule: Parish News will be delivered on Tuesday, Dec. 23 and Tuesday, Dec. 30 during the holidays.
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Advent
Advent is a special and busy time in the life of the parish. We hope that each of you will join us and bring friends to the special worship services and fellowship activities this Sunday and throughout December. Visit our Advent page for more info: https://www.cgs-raleigh.org/advent.html
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Advent 4: Christmas Pageant, December 21 at 10:15 AM
We warmly invite you to experience the joy and wonder
of the Christmas season at our annual pageant. Come celebrate the birth of Christ with us through a heartwarming pageant filled with music, laughter, and the true spirit of the season.
This year's intergenerational Christmas Pageant will take place during the 10:15 AM service on Sunday, December 21.
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Alternative Gift Giving
Feeling like you, your family, or your friends already have too much abundance? Do you need a gift idea that transcends clutter?
Here is a thoughtful solution for the season: Alternative Gift Giving (AGG)!
This year, the Outreach Committee is focused on Loving Our Neighbors, supporting proven charities with either a direct CGS connection or those dedicated to serving disadvantaged children and families. Visit our Alternative Gift Giving tables which will be set up in the PLC Lobby after both the 8:00 and 10:15 services on December 14 and 21.
For more information and to see the list of charities your generosity will support, or to make a donation online, please read our blog article: Alternative Gift Giving
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The Parish Office will close on December 24 at 1 PM and re-open on January 5 at 9 AM (except as noted below).
Christmastide Schedule Adjustments
December 24: no noonday Eucharist; Parish Office closes at 1 PM
December 28: no Kids Sunday School or Adult Formation
December 29: Parish Office open 9 AM – 1 PM
December 30: Parish Office open 9 AM – 1 PM; no Bible Study
December 31: no noonday Eucharist
Morning Prayer will be read every weekday (Monday-Friday), except Christmas Day, at 9 AM in the church.
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WHITE FLAG INFO SESSION
On Sunday, December 21, during the 9 AM Adult Formation, we will offer another White Flag Information Session. This is the perfect opportunity for potential volunteers to get a sense of how and why we do this work. If you would like to know more about the Continuum of Care, White Flag Shelters, or our Wake County homeless population, please join us on the 21st.
Volunteers Needed:
If you are ready to help out, we need volunteers this week! Current weather conditions are necessitating more White Flag Alerts.
Here is the signup page for the week of December 15-21: White Flag Signup
If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback that you would like to communicate to this group, please contact Rev. Justin Gabbard.
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Can You Help with First Night?
Again this year, The Church of the Good Shepherd will serve as a venue during Raleigh's First Night celebration on December 31st. Concerts will take place in the church at 7, 8, 9 & 10 PM. We are hoping for a few parishioners to be on hand during the event to welcome folks to our church. If you are able to help, please email David Baggett. Thank you!
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Vestry Nominations Due by January 4
The Parish will elect four new vestry members at the Annual Parish Meeting on January 25 at 10:30 AM. New vestry members will serve a three-year term beginning February 1, 2026. If you would like to serve or know someone who would make a great candidate for vestry, please get a nomination form by CLICKING HERE. Self-nominations are encouraged! Please contact Esther Hall Nominating Committee chair to chat further about serving. Nomination forms must be received by Friday, January 4, 2026.
Read our latest blog article https://www.cgs-raleigh.org/blog/all-about-the-vestry to learn more about the vestry and what it means to serve.
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2027 Youth Pilgrimage Information Session - January 11
The Good Shepherd Youth Ministry Committee is delighted to announce that we are in the beginning stages of planning an overseas Youth Pilgrimage for the summer of 2027. This event will be open to all students who are enrolled in high school during the 2026/2027 school year.
There will be an information session for youth and parents after church on Sunday, January 11, 2026 in the EYC Room. All those interested in learning more about this exciting opportunity are strongly encouraged to attend.
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Save the Date! Vacation Bible School 2026
June 15-18 (Monday-Thursday), 9 AM – 12 Noon
Ages pre-K through 5th grade. (Nursery care will be available for younger children).
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Sunday, December 21
8 AM
8:30 AM - 12 Noon
- Nursery Care Available (infant-4 yo)
9 AM
- Pageant Rehearsal
- Adult Formation
- White Flag Information Session in Room 323
- Bible Study Led by Debbie Moyer in Room 303
10:15 AM
11:30 AM
- Fellowship Time on Sunday, December 21st, will be hosted by the Altar Guild. Please join us after the 10:15 service for snacks and refreshments. Contact Caryl Fuller for more information.
5:30-7:30 PM
- EYC (Episcopal Youth Community)
| | | The Church of the Good Shepherd Prayer List | |
- Catherine and Bob Williams
- JoAnn Kistler and Charles Latimer
- Roy Wright
- Janet Gilliam
- Ralph Sanders
- Pete Taylor
- Martha Bailey
- Janie Ward-Newton
- William Short
- Brinley Harris
- Don Caudill
- Jerry Smith
- Margaret Park
- Lynda Terrell-Rea
- The Rev. Sallie Simpson
- Patricia Harris
- Susie Rahal
- Larry Phearse and Family
- David Lovelace
- Dana Babbs
- Mike Newton-Ward
- Melissa Habel
- Gary Blaettler
- Dennis McKinnie
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- Rose Hoppe
- Bob Kochersberger and Family
- Susan and Jane Jackson and Family
- The Mogilski, Bormann, and Dangerfield Families
- The Ellington Family
- The Stroud Family
- The Wilson Family
- the people of Israel and Palestine
- the people of Ukraine and Russia
- victims of gun violence
- those affected by drought, heat, floods, storms, and fires.
We pray for those who have died, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom, remembering especially Shirley Stroud and Tony Wilson.
And we pray for those who mourn, including the family and friends of Michael Riddle, Al Bass, Smith Lingerfelt, Paul Hoch, The Rev. Janet Watrous, Mary Best, A.B. Swindell, and Peggy Hawks.
In the Diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for Diocese of Costa Rica.
In the Anglican cycle of prayer, we pray for The Anglican Church of Burundi.
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Prayer Requests
The people of The Church of the Good Shepherd are eager to join you in lifting your prayers to God. Please tell us how we can pray with you by clicking here to submit a prayer request.
Prayer requests added to our public prayer list will be refreshed every month; please feel free to resubmit them if you would like them to remain on the prayer list.
| | Altar Flowers from December 14, 2025. Photo by Peter Jezierny. | |
Vision Accomplished Concludes – With A Very Big Thank You!
As 2025 comes to a close, let’s take a moment to reflect on our very successful Vision Accomplished campaign – which concludes at the end of this year. Our gratitude goes to God for the many blessings we have received at The Church of the Good Shepherd, as do our thanks to our amazing parishioners, who answered the call to support of this effort!
When we announced the Vision Accomplished campaign, we set a fundraising goal of $150,000 (commensurate with CGS’s 150th anniversary), to help retire the debt on the Duncan-Giersch Parish Life Center. As you know, we exceeded that goal by nearly $80,000, thanks to the generosity of our congregation. Those additional pledges enabled us to pay off our mortgage early – and provided significant savings in future interest payments. All of the funds received in excess of the amount required to retire the debt are being held in the church’s Trust Fund and designated for upcoming and unbudgeted capital improvements.
Vision Accomplished enabled congregants to fulfill their pledges over a 2-year period, which will close on December 31. We have a few pledges that have not yet been received, so please take a moment to review your status to ensure you are up to date. All pledges received will be used to address the needs of our church.
Once again, thank you, Good Shepherd parishioners – and thanks be to God!
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Planning Your End-of-Year Giving
Some folks have been asking how to ensure end-of-year gifts are properly credited to their 2025 giving contributions, especially since the Parish Office is closed between Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Here are some options for your consideration:
- Make your online contribution by December 31.
- Mail your contribution to the Parish Office (check dated December 31 or earlier & envelope postmarked by December 31).
- Hand-deliver your contribution to the Parish Administrator during Parish Office hours:
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Monday-Thursday, 9 AM - 5 PM (regular office hours thru Tuesday, December 23rd)
- Wednesday, December 24, 9 AM - 1 PM
- Monday, December 29, 9 AM - 1 PM
- Tuesday, December 30, 9 AM - 1 PM
- Place your contribution in the alms basin during worship services on December 24, 25, and 28.
If you are planning to make a stock transfer to the church, please contact Parish Administrator David Baggett (919.831.2018) prior to December 24th for instructions.
If you should have any questions, please contact David Baggett (919.831.2018).
| | | | If you are looking for meaningful ways to serve the parish, please consider the ministries listed below. The contacts listed can provide more information. | | |
Parish Office Hours
Monday-Thursday, 9 AM - 5 PM; Fridays by appointment
Pastoral Care Emergencies
Please call the Pastoral Care Support Line 919.831.2008
Prayer Requests
Please CLICK HERE to submit a prayer request.
Thank you for reading the Parish News.
Announcements and photos to share with our parish family are always welcome!
Please email your contributions to Dana Deaton at cgsnews@cgs-raleigh.org The deadline for newsletter submissions is Wednesday at 2 PM. Thank you! Announcements may be edited for content and space.
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A Friendly Reminder…
Have you moved? Changed your phone number or email address?
If so, please be sure to contact Parish Administrator David Baggett at david.baggett@cgs-raleigh.org or 919.831.2018). Thank you!
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