eVOICE for July 30, 2026



GOOD SHEPHERD EPISCOPAL CHURCH



Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

August 2, 2026



We will be celebrating with Transfiguration Church via Zoom at 9:00 am and in-person at Good Shepherd Church at 10:30 am.

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Wear Your Name Tag! As we prepare to welcome our new rector, Sarah, in August, we invite everyone to wear their name tags each Sunday through the end of August. Wearing your name tag will help Sarah learn names and get to know our parish family more quickly. If you don't have a name tag or need a replacement, please let an usher know. Thank you for helping us extend a warm welcome!

School days, school days...just around the corner - A special school announcement is coming from Ana Janckson-Curtis this Sunday. Note that Montgomery County students return to class on August 25th.

Help Us Send Off Our College Students! We have 2 college bound young men and would like to send them off in the fine style to which the GSEC family has become accustomed. If you’d like to participate, you’ll find gift baskets in the narthex where you can place items for either student. Please contribute as you’re able.

Luke Womack (Heading to Syracuse University)

Luke enjoys:

• Chocolates (nut-free, due to allergies), gummy candy, cookies
• Chips (nothing spicy)
• Gift cards: Chipotle, McDonald’s, Dunkin’, 5 Guys, Amazon, Dick’s Sporting Goods
• NASCAR, Formula 1, Buffalo Bills
• Video games and playing cards

Since Luke is headed to Syracuse, warm clothing and other cold-weather or snow-related items would also be appreciated!

Ben Burckle

Ben would enjoy:

• Beef jerky
• Chocolate bars (especially Tony’s Chocolonely)
• Salty snacks (such as Ritz Crackers)

Your kindness and generosity mean so much as we send them off with the love and support of their church family.

Rector Transition Team - The Vestry has created a Transition Team to plan Rev. Sarah's welcoming activities and support her in transitioning to her new ministry at Good Shepherd. The Team currently consists of Ray Battistelli, Liz Cocke, Melissa Garcia, Shaun Hardy, and Lynn Wood. 

Update on Mid-County United Ministries- Mid-County United Ministries (MUM) is one of the social service organizations Good Shepherd supports financially through our weekly Globe collection, as well as through our ongoing Food Drive. Following is an important update from MUM's executive director, Dayna Brown: "MUM is seeing an increasing number of neighbors seeking emergency financial assistance to stay in their apartments and homes and to keep their utilities on. In the last few months, we have also had a number of families coming to us after their utilities were already disconnected. Since the beginning of 2026, we have spent over $20,700 more than last year at the same time and worked with a growing number of partners to address the large rental and utility bills of our neighbors. The impact of our support is significant:

• Over $32,000 helped to prevent 44 households from being evicted.
• Nearly $38,000 prevented 55 households from having their utilities disconnected.
• Utilities were restored to 5 households with $4,250 in assistance."  

To learn more about MUM and how you can help, contact Shaun Hardy or Allen Wyrick from Good Shepherd's Social Ministries Team. We're especially looking for more volunteers to deliver and sort food donations!  

Fall Parish Retreat to Shrine Mont: Our annual parish retreat to Shrine Mont in Orkney Springs, VA will take place the weekend of October 23-25, 2026. "To provide a place apart for rest, devotion, fellowship, learning and education, where all may grow in the grace of God." Come and connect with your Parish family. Celebrate the 58th year we have crossed the river, gone over the mountain to Orkney Springs. Experience the beauty of fall in the Shenandoah Mountains, education and reflection with our Parish. Also, we can hike, read, relax and play! There will be a bonfire SATURDAY night with smores, arts and crafts, and some competitive card games! Please fill out this form to indicate if you are able to join us this year.

Wednesday Bible Study - 11:30 am with Deacon Linda Mahler



Telephone prayer meeting every Thursday at 9:15 am. The number to call to join the prayer meeting is 518-318-5354. If you have any questions contact Lynette Clark at 301-357-1726.

WARDENS' MESSAGE

Welcome to Our New Rector!!!

We have been waiting and praying for this moment, and we are overjoyed that it has arrived. After a thorough and prayerful search, we are thrilled to announce that the Rev. Sarah Akes-Cardwell has accepted our call to serve as your next Rector. We know this community has been patient, and we are so grateful — because that patience has brought us to exactly the right person.

Sarah is joining us as our half-time Rector — a model that is increasingly common in the Episcopal Church and one we believe is a wonderful fit for Good Shepherd at this moment in our life together. In practice, that means Sarah will be with us most Sundays, with one Sunday off per month, and in the office one to two days per week. We’ll share more about office hours and rhythms as her start date approaches. Sarah’s gifts as a preacher, a pastor, and a leader are a wonderful match for this community, and we cannot wait for you to get to know her. Her first Sunday with us will be August 23.

Thanks to the transition team, our meet and greet with Rev. Sarah was a success.  

GOOD SHEPHERD EPISCOPAL CHURCH

818 UNIVERSITY BLVD. WEST, SILVER SPRING, MD 20901

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