Going Back to Online Worship
With the Covid 19 numbers continuing to rise in Montgomery County, at the recommendation of Gov. DeWine & Bishop Suzanne Dillahunt, we will be moving back to online worship and meetings only beginning this weekend. Until we are out of a level 3, and the counties numbers continue to stay down we will remain doing everything online again. A few important things to note:
– We ARE NOT going back to online worship and meetings because someone at GSLC got sick from re-opening last weekend. We are doing this at the recommendation of the Governor, the Bishop, and respect for each other’s health.
– What time will it be? Since we went to our Summer Schedule time last week we will remain with having worship available to view at 10:30 am on Sunday mornings. So this week worship will be on Sunday at 10:30 am.
– What about Holy Communion? We will continue to offer Holy Communion twice a month, like we did in June, and that will be on the 2nd & 4th Sundays. So this week, being the 2nd Sunday of the month, we will have Holy Communion available in the parking lot from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. Hope to see you there.
– How long will this last? I don’t know. We just have to continue to monitor the Covid 19 numbers and see what the Governor’s recommendations are. I loved seeing your faces and having people respond to my jokes in my message, but I love you not being sick even more. So hopefully our numbers will not continue to rise and it will be safe to gather again relatively soon.
There will be a letter attached to a special eblast early next week with more details on the decision, but please know that we just want to be part of the solution of decreasing these numbers in our county and not be part of the problem. Take care of yourselves, and each other. – Pr. Jamie Vannoy
Online Worship Information
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church will continue doing a video of our church service. Online worship will be available on Sunday at 10:30 am. Come and enjoy GSLC’s service online.
Please use the following links below to connect to the Saturday Church Service:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodshepherdkettering/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFjr6taytoTncrtHVY9TGQw
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church will be doing a Streaming Devotional with Pr. Jamie Vannoy every Wednesday at Noon. We will also be including Read Aloud Stories with Don Bennett every weekday, Monday – Friday, at 2:30 pm. Please come, connect, and enjoy.
Please use the following links below to connect:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodshepherdkettering/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFjr6taytoTncrtHVY9TGQw
Celebrate Communion
Holy Communion will be available from Pr. Jamie twice a month, and that will be on the 2nd & 4th Sundays from 12:00 – 1:00 pm. It will be made available by drive thru.
Let us take a moment to explain:
– You will come in on Kenosha Ave., pull up alongside the sidewalk.
– Then you will be given a communion wafer and juice, packaged together, that you will open and ingest, then you’ll receive a blessing.
– Then you can exit out onto Stroop Rd.
If you are not able to make it to the church and would like to receive Communion at your home, or residence if it’s permitted, then call the office and Pastor will set up a time to come to your home.
– Pr. Jamie will set up a time to come to your home.
– Pr. Jamie will bring Communion to your door. Where you will receive the communion wafer and juice, packaged together, that you will open and ingest; then you’ll receive a blessing.
Offerings for last week: $6,728.17
Attendance for last week: 44 people
Electronic Giving
Don’t forget to send in your weekly tithe/offering to the church at 901 East Stroop Rd, Kettering, OH 45429 or go to our online Electronic Giving:
Electronic Giving Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is now offering the option of electronic giving for regular offerings and special offerings. Giving is done using the company Tithe.ly which is the only one endorsed by the ELCA. There are three ways to give:
1. Via smartphone using the Tithe.ly app (download via the App Store or Google Play)
2. Online at https://tithe.ly/give?c=329631
3. Via the GSLC Website which has a link to the Tithe.ly website to give directly to GSLC
The process to create an account and give is simple because it is tied to a debit or credit card. There is also a processing fee of less than 3% that you can choose to cover if desired. Benefits of Electronic Giving:
1. Ability to give from anywhere including other countries – you only need an internet connection via smartphone or computer.
2. Ability to give 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
3. Ability to choose from a variety of options where your gift goes.
4. Can give more than one gift at a time with the “Add Gift” option.
Questions: Contact Martin Pierce (937) 287-4021 or Denise Wilson (513) 913-0133.
This Week’s Article
This week’s article is by William Willimon @ Ministry Matters.
Paul’s letter to the Romans is a foundational document for the church, a masterpiece of Christian theology to which the church keeps returning in every age and finding new life offered there. This Sunday’s assigned epistle, Romans 8:1-11, is a thick, demanding passage, but one that could bear fruit in this Sunday’s proclamation.
Paul continues to work with a number of ideas that he has brought up earlier in Romans. Typical of much of Pauline thought, Paul works with a series of contrasting notions. In Romans 7:25 Paul compares “mind” and “flesh.” This leads him into a series of dissimilarities: the law of the Spirit and the law of sin and death, death and life, flesh and Spirit, sin and righteousness. The way Paul views Christ is as a contrast between life before Christ and life after Christ. Life in the old world that was ruled by sin and death and life in the new world ruled by Christ.
I think it important to note that when Paul uses the term “flesh” (Greek: sarx) this is best rendered as “from a human point of view,” or “life attached to things in the world,” or “human nature.” There are places where Paul could be taken to indicate by flesh merely the human body, but I think this is missing his point. In today’s lection, Paul’s contrast between flesh and spirit all to be seen as a contrast between our old life before Christ, the life that is in bondage to sin and death, and a new life after Christ, a life lived in freedom and joy before God.
In verses 9-11 Paul celebrates the Christian’s assurance that we live “in the Spirit” and the Spirit (new life in Christ) lives in us. In other words, living in Christ means that the life we are now living is not our own. No longer are we consumed by tireless efforts to work our way toward God; in Christ God has worked God’s way toward us. Living “in the Spirit” is the gift of God to us that the Spirit of God dwells in us.
Christians don’t have to deceive ourselves with false hopes or wishful denial of our finitude because we have a hope which is true, hope based upon who Jesus Christ is and how he loves us.
Now we can live freely, free of anxiety about our captivity to sin and death because “the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you . . . his Spirit that lives in you.” God has brought us, even us, into intimate relationship so that there is now, by the grace of God, a connection between the divine and the human that never existed before. Our morality and finitude (our life “in the flesh”) is now subsumed by an eternally loving God into the resurrection life of Christ, sweeping us up into life “in the Spirit.” There is our hope in life, in death, in life beyond death.
Many of the insights in this Sunday’s proclamation can be found in the last chapter of my new book, Aging: Growing Old in the Church, published earlier this year by Baker Academic.
Stewardship Snippets – July 12, 2020
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. – Romans 8:11. Stewarding our civic freedoms and responsibilities is hard, holy work that seems bigger than our meager resources and knowledge. But God’s very Spirit dwells in us, equips us, goads us, and moves our hearts and feet toward justice for all.
Volunteers Needed
GSLC is looking for volunteers who would be willing to pick up food donations from the Kroger Bakery Department on Dorothy Lane every Monday Morning. If you are interested in volunteering please contact Don Bennett at don.bennett@goodshepherdkettering.com
Volunteer Work
Yes, GSLC is truly honored to have a few outstanding volunteers who help with special projects and the weekly lawn mowing and the grass and shrub trimming; however, as we all know … many hands make light work, so we are looking for additional volunteers to share in the effort and spread out the workload. Additionally, for those who want to stay inside, we have inside projects on the “to-do” list that need to be accomplished this summer as well. Note: All of these projects follow approved State of Ohio Social Distancing rules and could help improve your mindfulness. If you are interested in volunteering and serving GSLC in this capacity, please send an email or call the office @ 937-298-0136, Del @ 937-298-8876 or Wayne @ 937-510-4265.
Jeremiah’s Letter on July 19
The mission of Jeremiah’s Letter is to bring congregations together from the greater Dayton community so that together they can enhance the daily lives of individuals and families of the inner-city who find themselves in need. To help support the works of Jeremiah’s Letter, Good Shepherd will be collecting bath and bedroom linens, personal hygiene products, canned foods and cleaning/laundry supplies. Thank you to all who generously support this ministry!
Food Pantry Donations
In these uncertain times, the Greenmont-Oak Park Neighbor to Neighbor Food Pantry serves an even more vital role in the lives of many Kettering area families. As a congregation, we have supported the pantry with our gifts for many years. As you are shopping in the grocery, please remember these families with a few extra purchases. Even though we are not meeting together, food donations may be dropped off at the church during regular business hours. The collection box will be easily accessible just inside the exterior doors to the fellowship hall. Ring the bell. When the doors are unlocked, go inside and place your food in the collection box. If you want to make a monetary donation, make your check payable to Good Shepherd and marked FOOD PANTRY and send it to or drop it off in the office.
GriefShare Ministry
GRIEFSHARE IS ONLINE for 1 more week!
This valuable resource is available for ANYONE ANYWHERE! View the videos from the comfort of your own home. Join the discussion via Zoom. Invite your friends near and far. The blessing of the internet is that folks don’t have to be close to GSLC to participate. Families can view the videos and share in the discussions among themselves and in our group. Please take advantage of this incredible opportunity to be gathered with others on the journey from mourning to joy.
Our Good Shepherd group meets every SUNDAY at 1:00 pm using Zoom.
We are choosing to view the weekly video with folks starting at Noon. This week’s topic is Heaven.
ANY one interested may contact Kathy Seim 937-901-0532 or Pam Bauser 937-602-8385. We will gladly answer questions. We can help you register. We can help you be ready to Zoom with us. We look forward to extending this accessible opportunity to the GSLC family and friends.
Lifelong Learning
Our ADULT Lifelong Learning Classes are ONLINE! Everyone is welcome! Please contact the church office for the links below to join in the conversations. This is a great time to “zoom” in and discover the quality adult education we have at GSLC. While GSLC is opening for worship, our Bible studies and Sunday morning studies are remaining online. If you haven’t checked any of these out, please consider joining the conversations.
Our YOUTH classes are on vacation until fall.
Questions?? – Please contact Pam Bauser at 937-299-5186.
Topic: We Are CALLED to be GOD’S CHURCH in the World!
Facilitator: Roger Bauser
Time: 9:00 – 10:00 am
Place: Comfort of your home – connect online!
Bring your coffee. Have your Bible handy. We have heard GOD’S CALL! Now we will explore putting our CALL into ACTION!
Our topic is based on Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton’s Bible study available on the ELCA website. During the coming weeks we will explore our call to be CHURCH, our call to be LUTHERAN, our call to be TOGETHER, and our call for the SAKE OF THE WORLD!
Sundays at 9:00 am on Zoom.
THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY for Women
Topic: Finding God Faithful
Facilitator: Paula Bennett
Time: 11:00 am – Noon
Dates: Thursdays, July 9, 26, 23, 30; and August 6
Place: Comfort of your home – connect online.
COME JOIN THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY! If you missed the first week, don’t worry. Just link right in this week. If you need assistance, please reach out to Pam Bauser 937-602-8385.
In the midst of hardship, tragedy, and unanswered questions, it’s difficult to glimpse God at work. How do we hold onto our faith during these times? How do we trust God is working all things for our good and His glory? Over 8 sessions, Paula Bennett will lead the study to trace the path of Joseph’s life in the Book of Genesis to observe how God’s sovereignty reigns, even in our darkest moments.
Learn to recognize when God is working during periods of waiting, trust God’s plan when life doesn’t make sense, and rest in the sufficiency of His presence in every circumstance.
His provision is enough. His presence is constant. His purpose is unstoppable.
THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY for Men
Topic: Lectionary for Sunday worship
Facilitator: Roger Bauser
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Place: comfort of your home – connect online!
The Men’s breakfast Bible Study continues ONLINE on Thursday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Bring your own coffee and breakfast along with your BIBLE.
The focus is on the Lectionary Lessons for the upcoming Sunday. Come join the discussion facilitated by Roger Bauser. Use the following link to join the conversation. If you experience any difficulty, please contact Roger at rebauser@me.com or call 937-299-5186.
AmazonSmile
In 2018, we received $15.95 in donations from AmazonSmile. In 2019 we received $19.64. Would you like to help go over those amounts for 2020? It’s easy to do. Go to our web site, goodshepherdkettering.com, and on the front page on the right side you will see a little graphic labeled amazonsmile. Click on that and follow the directions. Once you’ve done that, instead of going to amazon.com to make an online purchase, go to smile.amazon.com and for every purchase you make, we will get 0.5% of that price donated to us. It’s still Amazon, with all the features of the normal site, we just get a small cut. Over time those 0.5% donations add up. Please consider supporting us in this way. The proceeds go to help with youth events. If you have any questions, please contact Don Bennett.
Counseling Assistance
Good Shepherd is a member of the Covenant Society for Pastoral Counseling of Miami Valley Hospital. Trained and certified counselors are available to congregational members at any time, whether for a crisis or for ongoing help. This service is confidential, and anonymous if you choose. You do not have to go through the pastor or church to access this service. If you have a need simply call (937) 438-3486, tell the staff you are a member of Good Shepherd, our church is part of the Covenant Society for Pastoral Counseling through Premier. Because Good Shepherd is a member the cost to you is one-half of any non-reimbursed portion (for example, through insurance coverage) of the normal charge. For further information on this service you can call the above numbers, or talk to Pastor Jamie.
GSLC Lutheran Youth Corps (LYC)
Gift Card Program Did you know there is a way that you can financially support Good Shepherd at no cost to you? Through the LYC, you can order gift cards from a variety of merchants and restaurants at face value and a portion of each purchase is donated to the church to support youth programs and the First Lutheran Breakfasts. Although the percentage donated to the church may seem small, a few percent of our collective purchases can add up to a significant donation to Good Shepherd over time. Order forms are available in the Narthex. Orders placed on the weekend are normally available for pick up the following week, with the exception of some holiday periods and weeks where we do not reach the minimum threshold for placing an order. Please contact Don Bennett if you have any questions. What a great way to be faithful stewards of our resources!
ELCA NEWS:
ELCA Disability Ministry God’s work. Our hands. Click here.
NEW Lutheran World Relief Sustainable Development. Lasting Promises click here.
ELCA Global Links Global Links: Praying for our world during COVID-19 click here.