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Happy Thanksgiving! Please join your Good Shepherd family for a Thanksgiving Potluck in the Narthex at 5 pm Thursday November 27th. Enjoy a time of fellowship, a sharing of thanks, and good food with your fellow parishioners. Look for a signup sheet in the Narthex or email joeburckle@yahoo.com for additional information.
YES it is the start of Advent this Sunday (!!) and The Archdeacon Steve Sealy will be visiting us!! Come celebrate the first Sunday of Advent, meet the Archdeacon and enjoy fellowship at the coffee hour after the service!! Please contact Marca Woodhams if you wish to help with the coffee hour!!
Crossway Community Giving Tree Ready This Sunday - Ready for you to pick a tag, purchase gifts, and return to church on or before Sunday, December 21. Crossway Community is a welcoming housing opportunity, with a Montessori school on site. Housing is in small apartments carved out of a former elementary school. There are common rooms and supportive staff for residents. Rents are based on family income. Our Good Shepherd connection goes back many years, especially during the Christmas season. The staff provides wish lists from the children, Good Shepherd elves do our part, and "Santa" delivers the gifts. Children range from age 2 to age 23. Yes, we support the young adults who are continuing their education!
Guidelines:
1. Choose a tag this Sunday. For those who don't attend in person, Lillian Luksenburg and Lynn Wood can assist you. Please contact us. If you don't have our contact information (email/phone), please contact the office for assistance from Megan. We might also contact you to see if you wish to participate.
2. Purchase the items requested. Lillian and Lynn can assist with suggestions about stores, etc.
3. Return your gifts UNWRAPPED in a bag (festive, if possible) to church on or by Sunday, December 21. PLEASE SECURELY ATTACH THE TAG TO THE BAG.
4. If you shop online, you may, of course, have the purchase(s) delivered to your home. If that doesn't work for you, please contact Lillian Luksenburg. She is willing for her home address to be used as the shipping address. NOTE: The church is clearly not available to receive packages.
5. If you need a personal shopper, please contact Lillian or Lynn for assistance.
SPECIAL NOTE: Some of the requests include sports team apparel, such as the Commanders. Lillian and Lynn have already made some of those sports team purchases to assist and take advantage of timely sales. All you need to do is contact one of us for specifics about cost, etc. if you choose a tag that includes one of these items.
Christmas Cookie Exchange and Ugly Sweater Contest!
On December 21 there will be a coffee hour and Christmas Cookie Exchange! Wear your best and finest ugly Christmas sweater to win the contest!!
Let’s Do Even More to Feed Our Hungry Neighbors- As Charles Dickens so aptly said in A Christmas Carol, “[A] few of us are endeavoring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices.” From now through December 2025, in addition to our regular food collection, Good Shepherd is collecting grocery store gift cards to distribute to federal workers and others who are facing hunger in this holiday season.
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.
Food Drive - We are accepting non-perishable food donations and work with partner organizations like MUM (Midcounty United Ministries) and Luther Rice to ensure that all food donated to Good Shepherd reaches our neighbors in need. Here's how you can help:
· Bring your food donations to Sunday services and place them in the wooden chests at the rear of the sanctuary
· Drop off food on weekdays when the Office is open (currently Wednesdays and Thursdays)
· Drop off food in the plastic bin outside the narthex entrance any time, even when church is closed
With your help we can continue to respond to the words of Jesus that have become the motto of Good Shepherd: Feed my Sheep.
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