Daylight Savings Time
Don’t Forget! It’s time to FALL BACK. Daylight saving time ends this Sunday at 2:00 am. Remember to set your clocks back one hour before going to bed on Saturday night and give thanks to God for the extra hour of sleep!
All Saints Sunday
There will be a special service for ALL SAINTS on Sunday, November 1 to remember all the saints who went before us to be with the Lord. It is a beautiful service and GSLC highly encourages everyone to come and worship together.
Holy Communion
Good Shepherd will offer Holy Communion once a week for our in person worship every Sunday. We will also continue to offer Holy Communion twice a month on the first and third Sundays from Noon – 1:00 pm in the parking lot.
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 Sunday 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
Offerings for last week
$858.14
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 first lesson, John sees “a great multitude” before he witnesses the opening of the dreaded seventh seal. Amid all the judgment and dread, this Sunday’s reading from Revelation gives God’s people a glimpse of the divine blessing that awaits them. Four angels guard the four corners of the earth, protecting against destructive winds. Judgment will not occur until God’s people are “sealed” (7:1-8). Though God’s people are persecuted now, they will be protected and vindicated by the end of this saga of divine judgement.
John witnesses a great multitude of God’s people standing before the throne of God where God will shelter them by God’s presence. We are given a bifocal heavenly vision (Revelation 7:9-12) followed by its interpretation (7:13-17). Prominent is the vision of a vast multitude “that no one could count” (7:9). (That earlier vison of the twelve tribes as consisting of a mere 144,000 in Revelation 7:4 appears to have been considerably expanded.) This uncountable crowd is “from every nation, tribe, people and language.” Quite a universal, diverse gathering. The stress is on the multi-cultural quality not the selectivity of this heavenly throng.
Interpretation of the vision is given by one of the elders in the usual question-and-answer format of apocalyptic literature. We, like John, cannot understand this wondrous heavenly vision without interpretive help. Members of the throng are those saints who have come out of the great thlipsis (usually translated as “tribulation”) and now are adorned in robes “washed in the blood of the Lamb.” The red blood of the lamb makes the robes white. (An allusion to Isaiah 1:16-18?) “Tribulation” is a word that opens Revelation (1:9) and recurs throughout the book, suggesting that this scripture is meant to encourage the faithful in whatever struggles they were going through.
It’s typical and proper to read this passage from Revelation at funerals. At time of death, as we relish memories of the deceased, it’s good to look ahead to our shared destination. This Sunday our proclamation will refer only briefly to the Revelation text in our celebration of the gift God gives us in our Christian memory, both individual and collective, a gift which includes the book we call Revelation.
Really, all of this Sunday’s scriptures fit that description. All of these texts are gifts from the past, helpful reminders, gifts to us so that we won’t forget what’s most important, a tradition which has been and is being formed by the Spirit.
Stewardship Snippets – November 1, 2020
City Barbecue
Our Youth Fundraiser is back the first Monday of each month! Please come on out and show your support for Good Shepherd’s ongoing youth fundraiser with City Barbecue on Monday, November 2 from 10:30 am to 10:00 pm. The location is at 5 E. Franklin Street, Centerville, OH 45459. GSLC will get 25% of the sales back! If you order online or by phone, just tell them you’re with the fundraiser. Please let any of your friends and family know about this wonderful fundraiser, so they too can give back to our youth! GSLC wants to especially thank you for continuing to support us even when business is slow.
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. 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
GriefShare
GSLC continues to offer GriefShare to our 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’s Mourning to Joy is OPEN to ALL!
Now through Sunday, December 6 from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Topic: GriefShare
Time: SUNDAY 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
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 are open to ALL online. If you haven’t checked any of these out, please consider joining the conversations.
Our YOUTH classes (Kindergarten – 6th grade) are resuming in person on November 1. The WHIRL curriculum is based on the weekly lectionary for the church year that allows our students to connect what they learn in class with what they hear in worship. Karin Linch and Sandy Rosholt are the teachers for our youth classes.
CATECHISM is being offered online this year. Catechism is for our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders in preparation for confirmation, affirming the baptismal promises. If you have an interest in our studies of the Bible, Luther’s Small Catechism, and Lutheran heritage, please contact the church office for more information. Pastor Jamie and Don Bennett teach our catechism classes.
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.
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.
SUNDAY MORNING ADULT BIBLE STUDY
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 8-9.Hear more of God’s love as the Holy Spirit leads the disciples to share the Good News in Samaria and God calls Saul to be a follower of Jesus. If you experience any difficulty connecting, please contact Roger at rebauser@me.com or call 937-299-5186.
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.
Food Pantry Donations
This Sunday, November 1, is FOOD PANTRY SUNDAY. 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 to church for in-person worship 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. 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 useable 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 Good Shepherd members and several very generous neighbors who continue to support this vital ministry with their donations.
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.
NEW Lutheran World Relief Sustainable Development. Click here.
NEW ELCA Global Links. Click here.