Online Worship & Holy Communion
While Montgomery County COVID-19 indicators remain on a Level 3 alert at the recommendation of Governor DeWine and Bishop Dillahunt, Good Shepherd will continue to worship as a community online. We offer Holy Communion twice a month on the second and fourth Sundays from Noon – 1:00 pm. Please join us for worship and communion.
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 Sunday Church Service:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodshepherdkettering/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFjr6taytoTncrtHVY9TGQw
Online Worship Information
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
Offerings for last week
$3,616.69
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 Maters.
In this Sunday’s gospel, we are surprised to find Jesus pushed into a debate about Caesar while we in the United States are on the eve of Presidential election. We can’t help but read this episode of Jesus and the question about Caesar’s coin as potentially a Christian statement about the way the followers of Jesus ought to relate to the state. Yet we do so with caution, for there may be differences between living in the economic and military empire of an unprecedented world-power during the brief period of relief from direct war with other major powers (call it a pax) which allows it to divert its attention to the twin projects of extracting wealth from its subjects and imposing its culture, gods, and language upon them and the Roman state in whose occupation Jesus lived.
Of course, Jesus’s critics aren’t really interested in having a debate with Jesus about tax payments. Matthew states clearly that they, “are seeking to entrap him.” (Perhaps there’s a warning here for us preachers who are in danger of being “trapped” by this gospel in our present political context?) Jesus’s critics hope to humiliate him, to draw Jesus into a dangerous discussion in front of God and everybody, to trick him into saying something that might move the governing authorities to move against him.
Eventually, the government did move against Jesus. And those who would attempt to argue that Jesus was mostly concerned with spiritual, soul matters—that he was nonpolitical (whatever that’s supposed to mean)—must come to terms with his death: horrible, government-instituted death on a cross. Something about the teaching and the actions of Jesus attracted the attention and then the murderous actions of the authorities. The cross suggests that, at least in the view of the Department of Public Executions’ Crucifixion Division, Jesus was a trouble maker and a threat to Law and Order (as defined by the Romans and their puppet government in Jerusalem).
In encountering this Sunday’s gospel, I think it important to note that this question about Caesar and his taxes is raised by Jesus’s critics not by Jesus. Considering that Judea was under the iron fist of the Romans, it’s curious that Jesus only rarely comments upon the Roman occupation forces in Judea. Did he consider the Roman occupation to be so dominant that neither he, nor his followers could do anything about the injustice perpetrated by the Romans? That’s unlikely, seeing as Jesus, in the name of the Realm of God, routinely goes head-to-head with demons, religious authorities and others in power. Or does Jesus say so little about Caesar because he considered the imperial government apparatus as of no particular consequence for his mission. The government, whether it be Caesar or Caiaphas, was irrelevant. Nothing could stop him from obeying his Father’s will. (As the events at the end of the gospel—the cross and resurrection—will show.)
Don’t you find it interesting that Jesus turns this question about taxes into a question of worship, a question of what honor and glory we give to Caesar (the state, the governing authorities) and what we offer up to God? Jesus makes no attempt carefully to distinguish what exactly belongs to Caesar and what belongs to God. Perhaps he does so in order to leave each of his disciples to make up their own minds about Caesar and God, but that’s unlikely: Jesus never shows much faith in his disciples’ ability to decide anything for themselves.
Stewardship Snippets – October 18, 2020
I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name.” – Isaiah 45:3 We share God’s abundance through our hands and work, but is still the abundance of God, who loves us and desires good for all creation. How might your hands sharing God’s abundance help point others to Jesus?
Election of Officers
GSLC elected new Officers for the Council Members. You officers for our 2020-2021 fiscal year are: President- Martin Pierce; Vice President- Cindy Grove; Secretary- Jeff Wehmeyer.
Returning to In-person Worship
The leadership has been discussing the possibility of when we can come together for in-person worship again. At this time I’d like to announce that we are aiming to have in-person worship,and a live streaming option, on Sunday, November 1 (All Saints Sunday).
Need a Treasurer
Denise Wilson resigned from being Treasurer after serving faithful and we are in need of a Treasurer. Please pray that we fill this crucial position on the Council will be filled quickly. If you are interested in knowing more information about the position feel free to call the Church Office and ask to speak to Pr. Jamie.
Live Streaming
Our Audio Visual team has been working hard getting our live streaming capabilities up and running. They are now in need of folks to train. If you are willing to help and love being able to volunteer you are the ones we want. (or could say you are the ones we welcome or need) The more volunteers we have the less times you have to do it per month. We will be streaming one service a week and it will be a rotating schedule. Don has assured me it is not difficult, you just have to be able to pay attention!! Please, if you are on the fence about this come and see what it is all about. In other words, no obligation, try before you “buy” in. Any questions contact Don Bennett at don.bennet@goodshepherdkettering.com or call the church at 9237-298-0136. ~ Michele Weyhrauch, Worship Commissioner
Jeremiah’s Letter on October 18
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!
ELCA Disaster Relief Fund
Thank you to those members of the congregation who made donations to Lutheran Disaster Response during the month of September. The funds raised will help those affected by the US Wildfires in the west. With the support of the congregation, $300.00 has been sent to the ELCA.
GriefShare
GSLC continues to offer an active GriefShare support community. If you or someone you know is interested, please be in touch with Pastor Jamie or call Pam Bauser (937-602-8385) or Kathy Seim (936-901-0532). GriefShare is a faith based ministry that combines group discussion, video input from experts and others who know the grief journey, and individual study in the resource book. This ministry is available to all who have experienced the loss of a loved one at any time. Further information and registration is available at https://www.griefshare.org or by calling the GSLC office (937-298-0136).
GriefShare – MOURNING to JOY (13 weeks) is OPEN to ALL!
Sunday, September 13 – Sunday, December 6 from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Spread the word. This is a great time to join the group. Come share in this ministry of healing and hope. It’s easy to join online by going to https://www.griefshare.org, enter the zip code 45429 and select Good Shepherd. Enter your name, phone number and email to register. Contact the church office (937-298-0136), Kathy Seim (937-901-0532) or Pam Bauser (937-602-8385) for more information.
GriefShare will be ONLINE. We are following the same format as in-person sessions. We gather online, share the devotions, watch the video sessions, and discuss. We connect via the same Zoom link each week. Participants will view the videos with the group. We have resource books available for $15.00 that we will deliver to each registrant. The resource book is an essential part of the GriefShare experience. Contact Pastor Jamie, Kathy Seim, or Pam Bauser for more information.
Topic: GriefShare
Time: SUNDAY 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Anyone who registers at www.griefshare.org with an email address will have an access link to all of the video sessions throughout the 13 weeks. This can be helpful to view the materials in the comfort of your home, to watch with family or friends, or to prepare to participate in the weekly discussions. For more information, give Kathy or Pam a call.
Looking ahead:
GriefShare’s – SURVIVING THE HOLIDAYS
NOW ONLINE!
Saturday, October 24, 2020
10:00 am – Noon
This is a ONE TIME session focused on the challenges of facing the holidays without our loved ones. It can be especially helpful to all of us this year as we face the very different holiday season COVID-19 brings. Register at www.griefshare.org with your name and email OR contact the church office (937-298-0136), Kathy Seim (937-901-0532) or Pam Bauser (937-602-8385).
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. Our Bible studies and Sunday morning studies are open to ALL online. If you haven’t checked any of these out, please consider joining the conversations.
Our YOUTH classes have resumed. The WHIRL curriculum is based on the weekly lectionary for the church year that allows the students to connect what they learn in class with what they hear in worship. If you have any questions, please call the church office or contact Pam. Karin Linch and Sandy Rosholt are the teachers for our youth classes.
Questions?? – Please contact Pam Bauser at 937-299-5186.
SATURDAY MORNING BREAKFAST BIBLE STUDY DISCUSSION for ALL
Topic: Lectionary for Sunday worship
Facilitator: Roger Bauser
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Place: comfort of your home – connect online!
Join Zoom Meeting Saturdays at 9:00 a.m.
The Saturday Morning Breakfast Bible Study ONLINE is on Saturday 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 Zoom meeting link to join the conversation. Everyone (ALL ages and genders) is welcome! No prior experience is needed. Each week the study relates to the Scripture lessons for Sunday’s worship. Drop by and learn what’s behind the message on Sunday. If you experience any difficulty connecting, please contact Roger at rebauser@me.com or call 937-299-5186.
Topic: ACTS of the Apostles: a Biblical study on The Book of ACTS!
Facilitator: Roger Bauser
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Place: Comfort of your home – connect online!
Bring your coffee. Have your Bible handy.
COME BE RENEWED by the power of the Holy Spirit! COME LISTEN to God speak to each of us through the Book of ACTS.
This week read and ponder Acts chapters 7 and 8. Hear the history of God’s love for his creation through the words of Steven, the first Christian martyr. We meet ONLINE. The Zoom link, meeting ID and password remain the same. Roger Bauser will serve as the facilitator. ALL are welcome any Sunday you are available.
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 is 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.
**ONLINE GROUP DISCUSSION **
Does Racism Exist in the Church? GSLC Discussions on Racism- Part 2.
In Part 1 of GSLC discussions on Racism, we used the Southern Ohio Synod Statement on Racial Justice as the foundation of our discussions. The third section of the document stated, “As Church together, we ask God to help and guide us in joining Jesus in the restoration of the World.” The statement listed three commitments:
- Commit ourselves to listen to the voices who have been harmed and silenced by racism,
- Commit to listening and sitting with discomfort, and
- Commit to work through local, state, and national advocacy efforts to support public policies that seek justice in our world.
o Synod Council Statement On Racial Justice 2020
Those commitments take us to Part 2 in our discussions.
TOPIC: Racism and Justice and Church
WHEN: Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm – Week THREE 14, 21, 28
WHERE: Online from the comfort of your home
HOW: via ZOOM (This link is for all discussion weeks.)
We are actively learning together, sharing our experiences, watching two videos on YouTube by Phil Vischer (creator of Veggie Tales) and engaging in possibilities to make a difference. The videos are Holy Post: Race in America AND Holy Post: Race in America Part 2, FOUR BIG QUESTIONS. This week we will be watching the second video! We have questions. Phil has questions. Let’s see how they match!
It is not necessary to have attended any prior discussions in order to participate this week. We hope you will be able to join us! WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 at 7:00 p.m.
Food Pantry Donations
Our October 5, Good Shepherd delivery of 356 food items to the Greenmont-Oak Park-Ascension Neighbor to Neighbor Food Pantry was greatly appreciated. In addition to the food items our property commission donated a box of about 50 still very usable light bulbs which had been replaced around our facility with new cost-saving LED bulbs. It was a win-win for Good Shepherd and for the families receiving help from the food pantry. Many thanks to all who continue to support this vital ministry with their donations. With Congress and the President currently unable to reach an agreement on economic assistance for pandemic victims our donations now are more important than ever. If you are coming by church for drive-in communion this Sunday, it would be a great time to drop off a food donation. Or if you prefer, you can send a check, payable to Good Shepherd and marked for food pantry to the office. You can also drop food off during the week by ringing the fellowship hall entry bell and placing items in the donation box immediately inside the door.
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 website, 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.
Lutheran World Relief Sustainable Development. Click here.
ELCA Global Links. Click here.