eVOICE for January 2, 2025



GOOD SHEPHERD EPISCOPAL CHURCH



The Second Sunday after Christmas

Epiphany Sunday

January 5, 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

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Manantial de Vida celebrated the incoming New Year Tuesday evening with a joyful service in the sanctuary! We are so blessed to have them worshiping our Savior with us along with the Seventh Day Adventist congregation. Together we are serving our community and witnessing to God in Loving Our Neighbor!! 

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 508-924-2778. If you have any questions contact Lynette Clark at 301-357-1726. 

Food Drive Collection, Saturday, January 4, 11am

January 8, 12:30 LUNCH BUNCH- Come celebrate the new year with us at the January lunch bunch next Wednesday, January 8th, at 12:30. We will be meeting in the Education Wing (old church). Bring a favorite dish to enjoy and share.

From the Worship Team: 

We are hard at work to make sure that worship at Good Shepherd is both beautiful and meaningful. There are several ways you can let us know how we’re doing, share ideas about what would make worship more fulfilling for you, or ask us questions:

• Come to a worship team meeting. Email Linda (mahlerlindal@gmail.com) for the Zoom link.
• Use this online form to give written feedback: bit.ly/GSECworshipfeedback. We see your comment as soon as you post it. 
• Talk to one of us at church on Sunday.

The conversation continues.… Ray, George, Debbie, Linda and Lynn

MESSAGE FROM SENIOR WARDEN

We at Good Shepherd have been truly blessed with the advent of the Evergreen Montessori School in our old building. Evergreen is an exceptional non-profit Montessori school for ages 2-9 encompassing Toddler, Preschool and Elementary (through Grade 3) high quality education programs. They have been leasing space in churches for 60 years now and are looking forward to partnering with us (and we with them!) for the long term (the initial lease period is 20 years!). One of the biggest advantages is that we will not have to bear any of the cost to renovate the old building. Plans for this renovation will be undertaken soon and shared with you. The intention is for renovation to be completed in time for the 2026 school year. While construction will impact the use of the old building until then, it will not impede our use of the sanctuary or offices or the parking lot so we and our sister congregations will be fully able to continue our worship services. We have already been using the narthex for many of our hospitality gatherings and will continue to do so. Evergreen is also very comfortable and experienced with sharing space after its operating hours so once completed we will resume the use of the newly renovated space on weeknights and weekends. We will be engaging with all our current partners (SDA, Manantial de Vida, Panda Camp, Wordplay, Boy Scouts and parking lot users) to manage the impact of the renovation. Importantly our mission completely aligns with Evergreen’s in championing diversity, equality and inclusivity for our community and its children. Together we will be a community of love and learning. 

Special thanks go to you, our congregation, for our successful Giving Campaign this year!! It is a testament to our faith and commitment to God's work in our community. Your generosity coupled with funds from our new lease will bring us the financial stability we need to bring on a new Rector and pay off our mortgage (FINALLY)!! We are also so grateful to Lynn Womack who negotiated such a favorable mortgage for us seven years ago (with 8 years to go) as well as the current and former members of the finance committee, counters, recorders, authorized bank users, Lyn Hutcheson, Megan Kennedy and countless others who give their time to keep us going!! It takes a Parish to do the Work of the Good Shepherd!!

GOOD SHEPHERD EPISCOPAL CHURCH

818 UNIVERSITY BLVD. WEST, SILVER SPRING, MD 20901

Quick Links: GS website GS facebook Episcopal Diocese

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