eVOICE for April 10, 2025



GOOD SHEPHERD EPISCOPAL CHURCH



Palm Sunday

April 13, 2025

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

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Good Friday service, 12pm on April 18^th-  The Central Montgomery County Churches are collaborating and Good Shepherd will be participating. The in-person service will be held at the Christ Episcopal Church Kensington. Everyone who can come is welcome to attend! 4001 Franklin St., Kensington, MD, 20895.

Schedule of Services for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter

Maundy Thursday, 4/17 7:00 pm

Good Friday, 04/18 7:00 pm

Easter, 4/20, 9:00 am zoom, 10:30 am In-Person

Lenten Adult Education Series- The Lenten Study group will take place on Tuesday nights, 7- 8:30 pm through April 15th. We'll be discussing Bishop Mariann Budde’s book, How We Learn to Be Brave. You are welcome to attend as many of the sessions as you can. In her book, our Bishop provides stories of how she felt God empowered her to undertake steps and actions she might not have considered. Our discussions will explore her stories, when we have felt the same, how we have responded, and what we can learn. What are the journeys and outcomes that have helped us practice our own personal and faith-based bravery? Come and help us explore this fascinating book. To receive the Zoom link for the discussion, even if you have already spoken to one of us in person, please send an email to deacon@gsecmd.org.

Stations of the Cross- Join Deacon Linda for Stations of the Cross on Zoom on Friday evenings during Lent from 7:00-7:30 PM. The remaining date is 4/11. The liturgy for Stations of the Cross is the same each week. Many people find that it is a helpful spiritual practice during Lent. Come as many times as you wish. For more information or to sign up, please email Linda at: deacon@gsecmd.org

Maundy Thursday & Meal In A Bag- We are reviving an old favorite at GSEC - our simple bread and soup supper on Maundy Thursday, April 17, 2025 @ 6pm. It involves a simple meal of a bowl of hot soup, some bread and water. After the meal, we will proceed to the sanctuary for a service involving foot washing and prayers. All GSEC and friends are invited; the meal will be provided to you. Please bring a donation of a bag of groceries (non-perishable foods), or a cash donation or gift card from a local grocery store. Donations will be added to our usual food drive. See Florence Walters for more information.

Easter Sunday Potluck - Plan to bring the whole family for our Easter celebration on April 20! Following the 10:30 service we'll have an Egg Hunt for the little ones on the playground and then a festive, stand-up potluck luncheon in the Narthex. Please bring finger foods, desserts, or drinks to share. For more information contact Shaun Hardy or Allen Wyrick.

Manantial de Vida Apostolic Church will be moving to its own home and larger space in Beltsville at the end of May. They have been with us for over 10 years and are so grateful for our time together! While we are sad to see them go we are thankful that they are growing and have found a place to worship! The good news is a sister congregation has decided to take their place with us!! Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal Casa de Dios will join us in May! We look forward to meeting them and feel blessed to have them with us!!

Heifer Campaign- Heifer International’s goal is to break the cycle of hunger and poverty and create a path to sustainable income for those in need around the world. Last year during Lent Good Shepherd raised $2257.72 for Heifer. Last year Heifer International supported 1.3 million participant households and worked with 31,284 partners including (farmer-owned hubs, cooperatives, NGOs, and others). For Good Shepherd’s 2025 fundraising campaign our goal is to send two gifts of “Joy to the World” ($1500 each). Each gift includes two sheep, four goats, one heifer, and a bundle of seeds, along with training and education. You may join us to support these farmers and collaborations by donating at any time. Please indicate that your contribution is for Heifer International, such as by writing a check to Good Shepherd and indicating “Heifer” on the memo line. Our final ingathering for Heifer this year is on April 27, 2024. Contact is Elisa Elliot at elisa.elliot@verizon.net or 240-688-6994.

Wednesday Bible Study - 11:30 am in-person 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. 

PLANT SALE IS COMING SOON!  Good Shepherd’s annual vegetable plant sale is set for Saturday, May 3 from 1:00-2:30 PM in the church parking lot. This year we'll have more than 20 varieties of tomato and pepper plants to choose from, as well as cucumbers, eggplant, and squash - and of course, Joe Burckle's famous homegrown basil plants! Allen and Shaun will be on hand to offer free gardening advice. All donations benefit Good Shepherd. Cash or checks only, please.

Announcement from the Worship Team- Worship at Good Shepherd has been through many changes in 2024 as we worked with several different supply priests and guest preachers, offered morning prayer and Taize services. The Zoom service we collaborate on with Transfiguration Parish is still going strong. Whatever form our worship has taken, whoever has been present, the Holy Spirit has been with us. Since December 1st, we have been very fortunate to have Reverend Randy Wilkinson with us as our long-term supply priest, offering us very welcome steadiness and stability. In recent weeks, Good Shepherd has also begun live-streaming our in-person worship service. We are working steadily to improve the quality of the recordings so that they can be a resource for our parishioners and others through Facebook.

Columbarium- By now those in the congregation with loved ones in the columbarium will have received letters addressing the fact that the columbarium must be moved temporarily to allow for construction of the new school in the old building. The Memorial committee and the Vestry have discussed how to approach this difficult task with love and the utmost respect. We recognize the sacredness of this space and wish to first and foremost honor those we love and cherish. When the ministry was started the goal was to create a memorial garden where families could be with their loved ones in the beauty of nature and where parishioners could also find rest and solitude for reflection. Unfortunately we were never able to do this for a variety of reasons although it is still a long term goal. In the meantime the Memorial committee (Shaun, Lillian and Sal) are working to renovate and ready the old vesting room in the office hallway to serve as a temporary place for the columbarium. The room will be blessed for this purpose and the transition will be overseen by our clergy. Please let me or the memorial committee know if you have any questions or concerns. With love, Debbie

Senior Warden’s Message

Please accept this prayer from our prayer meeting today:

Dear Creator of All, in this vast and diverse world, we come before you with hearts yearning for unity. We recognize that we are all interconnected, woven together in the fabric of humanity. Yet, we often allow our differences to divide us—differences in culture, belief, and perspective. We ask for your guidance to help us see beyond these divides and to embrace the beauty in our diversity.

Help us to cultivate a spirit of understanding and compassion. May we listen deeply to one another, seeking to understand rather than judge. Let us celebrate our unique stories and experiences, recognizing that each person has something valuable to contribute to the tapestry of life. Teach us to approach one another with open hearts and minds, fostering dialogue that bridges gaps and builds connections. May our commitment to unity inspire us to create spaces where everyone belongs, fostering a sense of community that transcends barriers. In your infinite wisdom, guide us on this journey toward unity. May we be a reflection of your love, shining brightly in a world that so desperately needs it. Together, may we build a future filled with hope, harmony, and understanding. In Jesus' loving name, Amen.

GOOD SHEPHERD EPISCOPAL CHURCH

818 UNIVERSITY BLVD. WEST, SILVER SPRING, MD 20901

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