THURSDAYS at 1pm - Mysteries of the Bible Study - Conf A

Friday, Jan 27th - 1pm Alzheimer's Caregivers support grp - Conf B (time change this week)

This weekend we will collect your CHILDREN'S HOME offering on Jan 28 & 29th.

Monday, Jan 30th at 1pm - Finance Meeting-Conf B

Monday, Jan 30th at 3pm - Trustees Meeting - Conf B

Tuesday, Jan 31st at 10am - Leadership Team meeting Conf B

By Sunday, February 5^th everyone is asked to have returned a PLEDGE CARD for 2023. This card is a pledge (intention) to support Good Shepherd UMC in 2023. They are valuable because the church is able to prepare and make commitments to vendors, staff and ministry for the coming years. It is valuable to members and attenders because we all have the opportunity to share in the support of our church. We are invited to assess our financial priorities and be stewards of God’s gifts to us all.

I found this devotional reflection and would invite you to read it and the following scriptures this week as you prepare to offer your pledge to Good Shepherd.

What Jesus Did! 'Storing Up' — Matthew 6:19-21

Sunday, March 14, 2021

— Matthew 6:19-21 NLT

Jesus wasn't very big on storing up things. The story of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk. 16:19-31) reminds us how easily we can forget that our blessings come from God's grace and are not something we have gotten on our own. Jesus did not store up things while he was here; he shared them, gave them away, gave them to people in need, and used what he had to bless others. Jesus wants us to confront a couple of crucial questions: What is our treasure and where are we keeping it? Every earthly treasure we have is vulnerable to destruction. Every one of our treasures, except our relationship with God and his people, is temporary. So why do we spend so much time investing in things that will not ultimately satisfy or sustain? Jesus urges us to invest in what is lasting, eternal, and ultimately perfect. If we do, nothing can destroy and nothing can steal our blessed assurance that we will be victorious in Jesus.

O precious LORD, thank you for investing so heavily in me and in the world in which I live. There is no one who can love me like you do. Father, please help me focus my priorities and my thoughts on heavenly things and on placing my treasures in heaven. In Jesus' holy name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings:

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

How is the money used in ministry?

This pie chart represents the relationship between the anticipated budgeted expenditures of the various ministry areas of our church for 2023.

We spend most of our funds on ADMINISTRATION. This includes all insurances, equipment leases, financial processing and bookkeeping costs, all I.T., parsonage maintenance expenses, utilities, and fees. ( $132,751)

WORSHIP is our next highest expense area. This includes salaries, music, audio, copyright licenses, INPERSON and ONLINE and a portion of all building expenses. ($104,812).

NUTURE / CARE is the third largest expense area. These funds are used for educational purposes for the staff and congregational growth, Sunday School, Small Group Ministries, Caring Ministries and a portion of salaries related to caring for the congregation. ($100,255).

EVANGELISM / WITNESS is our fourth expense area. All communications expenses, Fellowship expenses, groundskeeping, advertising and welcoming expenses and salaries related to inviting and welcoming new people to our church. ($70,377)

OUTREACH / MISSIONS receives the least amount in our Operating Budget because it is largely funded by second mile gifts and our response to immediate needs. We do have ongoing commitments and expenses which are in the budget for several area ministries. Our Apportionments and portions of salaries which relate to Outreach & Missions ministries are included. ($82,807)

The Annual MORTGAGE Cost of the church is divided equally across all five ministry areas.

Our annual Trash & Treasure Sale will be here before we know it.

We are accepting donations for our Trash & Treasure sale to be held March 10th & 11th. Please bring items to the church on TUESDAYS after 10am. Bring them around the back of the church and leave them by the container. We will be sorting so please sign up to help.

Items can also be brought anytime (leave stuff at the West Entrance) or by calling the church office to let us know you will be dropping things off. We do have a couple of people with trucks so we can pick up items but if possible bring them to us. We are accepting most items but if you have a question, call the church office at 239-543-2686 between 9am - 3pm Mon thru Thurs. or call Louise Meehan 239-220-0864

JOIN US - Online - Sunday Morning on Facebook & YouTube.

Find us at: Facebook.com/goodshepherdumc.org.

OR on YouTube: Good Shepherd UMC NFM.