Newsletter for November 2024! | |
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The Women’s Ministry will continue to have opportunities to gather for events virtually, with some events in person. All are welcome!
The Women’s Ministry email address is womensministry@goserve.net. Send your questions, concerns, and thoughts.
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Your Input Is Welcome!
The Women’s Ministry Team would like to hear from you—the women of Good Shepherd—about activities and events you want offered in 2024. Please send your ideas to Lisa Foecke, President.
Additional members are also invited to join the Planning Team. The team meets via Zoom on the second Wednesday of each month, beginning at 7:45 PM. Interested? Please contact Lisa.
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- Save the Date! The Winter Retreat at Mar-Lu-Ridge will be on February 7–9.
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November 10–Second Sunday Get-Together
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December 15–Annual Cookie Exchange & Carol Singing
- Ways to Serve
Unless otherwise noted, all events are held on Zoom, using the link below. All times are Eastern Daylight Time.
https://zoom.us/j/553298240?pwd=T0Njd3VuSUJITXdNdjVvalFrYlYzZz09
Meeting ID: 553 298 240
Passcode: 16420
To join by phone, call: 301-715-8592
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Renew and Refresh!
Be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Ephesians 4:23
Rest and relaxation often come at a premium for women today. The perfect opportunity to do so is coming up at the Winter Retreat! This weekend at the Ridge Inn Conference Center at Mar-Lu-Ridge on February 7-9, promises to renew your spirit. Enjoy fellowship, favorite activities, chef-prepared meals, relaxation, and meaningful workshops and worship. Watch for upcoming details.
Please contact the womensministry@goserve.net with questions or to volunteer.
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November
Please join the Women's Ministry on Sunday, November 10, after the 11:30 AM service for a light soup lunch and time for fellowship. Following lunch, you can help put together clothing packs for women who have been victims of violence, as well as bags and cards of cheer for some women in our congregation. All women are welcome!
December
The annual Christmas Cookie Exchange and Carol Sing-Along will be on Sunday, December 15, after the 11:30 AM service. Please note that this is the third Sunday of the month due to Good Shepherd's Annual Meeting taking place on Sunday, December 8. While participants are invited to bring goodies for a Cookie Exchange, you do not need to bring cookies to enjoy the event. It should be a fun event for all, with singing beloved Christmas carols. A light lunch and hot beverages will be provided.
January
The Women's Ministry is looking for ideas for a fun social event, concert, play, or other activity in the beginning of January for the monthly get-together. It does not need to take place on the second Sunday. All ideas are welcome!
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Regularly Scheduled Events
(please use the Zoom link above)
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Sisters in Grace–Contact is Jeanne Wernly
Thursdays on Zoom, 9:30–11:30 AM
October 31—Beginning a new study: “The Beatitudes”
November 7—“The Beatitudes”
November 14—“The Beatitudes”
November 21—Meeting in person- Thanksgiving Celebration
November 28—No Meeting – Thanksgiving Day
December—We will be starting an Advent Study
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Thursday Evening Study–Led by Elise Bowman
Thursdays on Zoom at 7:00 PM.
We will continue the study of Ephesians using the "God's Word for Today" series through Concordia Publishing House.
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Friday Evening Bible Study–Led by Heidi Mann and Lisa Foecke
Fridays on Zoom at 7:00 PM.
We will continue with Session Three: "Receiving grace: A study of Ephesians" by the Rev. Heidi Haverkamp—Gather Magazine.
A new study for Advent will begin in December. This is a perfect time to join for a shorter study!
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Tuesday Night Book Club–Led by Beth Cole
Fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM.
Beth suggests participants buy used books from Thrift or Abe books online, as few are on the shelves at our county libraries yet.
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The November Zoom book discussion will be held December 3—to avoid the Thanksgiving holiday. Out There: The Wildest Stories from Outside Magazine were written by various authors. These stories deal with outside adventures, competitions, or even animals.
Questions may be directed to Beth Cole at womensministry@goserve.net.
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Upcoming 2025 Book Club Events
January 28 (Zoom)
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Published April 2022, this is Garmus's debut novel. It tells the story of Elizabeth Zott, who becomes a beloved cooking show host in 1960s Southern California after being fired as a chemist four years earlier.
February 25 (Zoom)
The Price of Children: Stolen Lives in a Land without Choice by Maria Laurino. Investigative journalist Maria Laurino details the shocking story of mothers and children deceived and exploited as directed by the highest levels of the Vatican. There was a recent 60 Minutes on this book.
March 25
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri. Sometimes the best thing about book club is that it prompts us to read things that we might otherwise turn away from. There are parts of the world that are in crisis, and it can be hard to know how to help. One thing we can do is to bear witness to the stories of those who have had to flee, to try to understand what they have been through.
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Resettlement of Good Shepherd’s Afghan family in Frederick–Good Shepherd continues to support the Sidiqi family with housing, health care, transportation, and other areas. Co-leading the Afghan Allies Resettlement Team (AART) are Dennis Luther, Mark Walters, and Meredith Walters. Please contact them to learn more about service opportunities with the family.
Prayer Shawls–Holy Cross Hospital has requested prayer shawls for their patients. This is a tangible way to show God’s love. Questions? Contact Anne May. There’s no deadline for submitting the shawls. The yarn donated for these projects is in the glass-enclosed room across from the main entrance doors in the closet in plastic bins. Please leave completed items at the Donation Center at church in a bag marked for Anne. Each shawl is tagged with a label the church provides to note the origin of the shawl and its creator.
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Holy Crafting Ministry–Recent projects include making masks, twiddle muffs (sensory therapy tool), hats for nurses, quilts, and more. Please contact Carole Weikert for quilting questions or Anne May for general crafting questions. Thank you—and keep crafting! | |
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Women's Ministry Fall Retreat
Saturday, October 5
In early October, women gathered together for the Women’s Ministry Fall retreat. The theme was "Welcome All" with a focus Bible verse from Romans 15:7, “Accept one another, then just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God."
Melissa Peterson led us in the discussion of what it means to accept one another and if the meaning changes if we use a different translation where it says to welcome one another. We had a wonderful day of worship, discussion, and sharing!
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Leadership Team Calls
The Women's Ministry leadership team meets monthly to plan our events, retreats, and service projects. The next meeting will be Wednesday, November 13, starting at 7:45 PM. Join with the Zoom link at the top of the newsletter. All are welcome!
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Donna Nelson,
Vice President
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More Info
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Are you on the Circle of Sisters Facebook Group? Click here to join.
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Did you know the ELCA has a magazine for women? Gather has inspirational articles, Bible studies, and more. Click here for more info. If you never know what to ask for yourself, a subscription to Gather makes a great gift as well.
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Want to include something in the next email? Contact Lisa Foecke.
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