Face Masks are Optional
Masks are no longer required in the Good Shepherd facilities. The COVID case numbers are trending now. We feel this is a safe option. Those who prefer to wear a mask are welcome to do so.
WORSHIP
Altar Flowers
There will be no Altar Flowers during the Lenten Season. Our first Sunday for flowers is Easter Sunday.
Parking Lot Communion will be offered on the 3rd Sunday of the month from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. March 20 will be the next time we have it.
Worship With Us Online!
Good Shepherd will continue to offer online worship on Sundays and our parking lot Holy Communion on the third Sunday from Noon – 1:00 pm. Please use the following links below to connect online to the Sunday Church Service:
Facebook click here: Facebook
YouTube click here: Youtube
40 Ways to Love God and Your Neighbor
In less than a week, you will begin your journey through the 40 days of Lent. Some of you will fast. Some of you will spend a little more time than usual in prayer and contemplation. But will you allow yourself to truly live what you believe? How about with a Lenten checklist? — 40 ways you can let yourself be challenged to love God and to love that which God has created. You can keep one on your refrigerator to remind yourself to be who you say you are. You can find a copy on the table in the Narthex or click here.
Lent Devotionals
Please join in the Lenten journey A Way in the Wilderness during our mid-week services on Wednesday’s at 7:00 pm online and in person.
DEVOTIONAL: Grace Unbounded
Please join us in a daily devotional for each day from Ash Wednesday to the Resurrection of Our Lord/Vigil of Easter. May the Spirit empower us each day to love God, and to love one another as God has loved us-with grace unbounded! Be sure to pick up one of each of these in the narthex.
Lent Schedule for 2022: “Seeing God’s Grace as We Travel in the Wilderness”
Schedule:
March 23 Mid Week 3 In-Person & Online
Lenten Worship @ GSLC 7:00 pm
March 30 Mid Week 4 In-Person & Online
Lenten Worship @ GSLC 7:00 pm
April 6 Mid Week 5 In-Person & Online
Lenten Worship @ GSLC 7:00 pm
April 14 Maundy Thursday
In-Person & Online
Holy Communion in parking lot before worship from 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm.
Worship 7:00 pm
April 15 Good Friday
In-Person & Online
Worship 7:00 pm
April 16 Easter Vigil
In-Person & Online
Worship 7:00 pm
Palm Sunday
On Palm Sunday, April 10, we will be having one service at 10:30 am. It is a time for all of us to come together as one Body of Christ by celebrating Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week.
OUTREACH AND SERVICES
Jeremiah’s Letter
Sunday, March 20 is Jeremiah’s Letter Sunday. Please consider donating any of the following items to Jeremiah’s Letter: sheets, bath towels, blankets, toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant (full size or trial size), toothpaste, tooth brushes, feminine hygiene products, Depends, razors, shaving cream, denture cleansers and adhesives, backpacks, sleeping bags, broth based soups, canned goods, cereal, laundry or cleaning supplies.
Spring Craft Fair on Saturday, April 30 from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. Over 40 Crafters and Vendors will be set up on the GSLC Campus! Some of our vendors are local favorites and many creative and unique products will be featured! Come out and shop, buy a raffle ticket, and enjoy lunch – this is a fun event with something for everyone. We look forward to seeing you! Craft Show Help Needed Good Shepherd will be having a Spring Craft Show with local vendors. This is a BIG event! We need your help to run the show. To volunteer please contact Rich Kellstrom or sign up in the Narthex.
Food Pantry News
Thank you to all who faithfully continue to support the food pantry with your donations. On March 7, we delivered 350 food items to help support the clients at 4 local food pantries. Next food pantry Sunday is April 3.
The primary food pantry donation bin is in the narthex; so, if you come to church on Sunday morning you can bring your donations and place them there. During the week, you can still place your donations inside the fellowship hall doors. Monetary donations may still be made by placing a check (payable to Good Shepherd with “food pantry” in the memo line) in the offering or mailing it to the church office. The food pantry has told us that the following items are among the most needed and useful for donation: noodles and pastas, cereals, canned fruits and vegetables, kids’ canned pastas, boxed “helper” meals, canned meats, chicken and tuna, instant potatoes, canned soups (Campbell’s Chunky soups or Progresso soups – if on sale – are especially useful because they can be stretched by adding pasta and making a casserole meal).
Easter Lilies
For our Easter season, we are doing “in Lieu of Lilies” again this year. You will be able to make a donation in any amount to honor or remember friends and loved ones. The monies collected will benefit Matthew 25 Ministries. Each week we will place a paper lily on the cross in the Narthex with the name of those you wish to remember this Easter Season. An order form will be available in the Narthex. As members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we believe that God is calling us into the world – together. And with generous, loving hands, we can make a difference. Click here to fill out the form: Easter Lilies
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Financial Peace University
Tell your money where to go instead of wondering where it went! Join our Financial Peace University class and learn to make a budget you’ll actually stick to. We’ll meet at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in the Lounge at 7:00 pm for 9 weeks. Visit fpu.com/1148266 to sign up for our class and start your 14-day free trial of Financial Peace! Classes have already started. Contact Martin Pierce at 937-287-4021 with any questions.
Lifelong Learning
Learn more about God’s Word for us. Join us ONLINE to learn together.
Our ADULT Lifelong Learning Classes are ONLINE. Everyone is welcome! Discover the quality adult education we have at GSLC. Our Bible studies are open to ALL near and far. If you haven’t checked any of these out, please consider this invitation to join us now.
Sunday School for K-8 youth: Our youth will meet in the chapel on Sundays at 9:15 am. ALL youth are welcome!
FRIDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY DISCUSSION for ALL
Topic: Gospel Lectionary Readings for worship
Come on FRIDAY mornings! Bring your own coffee and treats along with your BIBLE. The focus is on the Lectionary Lessons for the upcoming weekend. Come join the discussion facilitated by Roger Bauser. Everyone 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.
Facilitator: Roger Bauser
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
For more information, please contact Roger at rebauser@me.com or call 937-299-5186.
SUNDAY MORNING ADULT BIBLE STUDY
Adult Crossings: God’s Journey with Us!
Facilitator: Roger Bauser
Time: 8:50 am – 9:50 am
Place: Comfort of your own home – connect and discuss with others online!
Life is a journey – one we measure in passages of time, accomplishments, transitions in education and vocation, and relationships. In all circumstances, God journeys with us! The Bible tells us so! The Word of God is filled with powerful stories of God’s presence in the lives of individuals and communities. God keeps the promise to be present in the Bible. God keeps the promise to be present in our lives.
The Adult Crossings explores the Bible through eight core stories: God’s call; the Exodus; Sinai covenant; Promised land; Davidic rule; Jesus’ life; the Cross; Resurrection life. These stories will carry us through Lent and into the Easter season. Use this time to grow your relationship with God as God keeps the promise to journey with you!
The format is online to provide a safe, healthy way to connect. The sessions are designed to allow folks to come to one or all of the conversations.
THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY for Men
Topic: Gospel Lectionary Reading for worship
Facilitator: Roger Bauser
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Place: comfort of your home – connect online!
The Men’s Bible Study is ONLINE on Thursday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Bring your own coffee along with your BIBLE. The focus is on the Lectionary’s Gospel Lesson for the upcoming weekend. Come join the discussion. This is a chance to go deeper before hearing the lessons on Sunday. If you experience any difficulty, please contact Roger at rebauser@me.com or call 937-299-5186.
or: Roger Bauser
Time: 8:50 am – 9:50 am
Place: Comfort of your own home – connect and discuss with others online!
Life is a journey – one we measure in passages of time, accomplishments, transitions in education and vocation, and relationships. In all circumstances, God journeys with us! The Bible tells us so! The Word of God is filled with powerful stories of God’s presence in the lives of individuals and communities. God keeps the promise to be present in the Bible. God keeps the promise to be present in our lives.
The Adult Crossings explores the Bible through eight core stories: God’s call; the Exodus; Sinai covenant; Promised land; Davidic rule; Jesus’ life; the Cross; Resurrection life. These stories will carry us through Lent and into the Easter season. Use this time to grow your relationship with God as God keeps the promise to journey with you!
The format is online to provide a safe, healthy way to connect. The sessions are designed to allow folks to come to one or all of the conversations.
THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY for Men
Topic: Gospel Lectionary Reading for worship
Facilitator: Roger Bauser
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Place: comfort of your home – connect online!
The Men’s Bible Study is ONLINE on Thursday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Bring your own coffee along with your BIBLE. The focus is on the Lectionary’s Gospel Lesson for the upcoming weekend. Come join the discussion. This is a chance to go deeper before hearing the lessons on Sunday. If you experience any difficulty, please contact Roger at rebauser@me.com or call 937-299-5186.
Griefshare
Mourning to Joy – Good Shepherd offers a fall and winter session of GriefShare. This ministry offers biblical, Christ-centered teaching on topics associated with the death of a loved one. The DVD seminar features nationally respected grief experts and real-life personal stories, followed by a small group discussion about the weekly topic and personal grief experiences. Good Shepherd is offering the 13 week GriefShare program in person and online from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm on Sundays.
The winter/spring session is underway. We will continue to offer hybrid class sessions, allowing folks to join us in person or online. Those coming to GSLC will meet in the Lounge. The spring sessions will conclude on Sunday, April 3, 2022.
Registration and more information is available online at www.griefshare.org If you have any questions, contact Kathy Seim (937-901-0532) or Pam Bauser (937-602-8385). If you would like to support this ministry with more than your prayers, please contact Pam Bauser or Kathy Seim.
MISCELLANEOUS
Stewardship Snippets – March 20, 2022
Isaiah 55:2 – Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Stewardship is about making wise choices–choices that promote health, wellbeing, and faithful living. Isaiah asks the right questions and gives good advice.
Offerings for last week: $930.00
The amount reported applies to contributions used towards the annual ministry plan which requires contributions of $5,243 every week.
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 Tithe.ly
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.
CHURCH PROGRAM DONATIONS
AmazonSmile
It’s easy to do. Go to our website for Youth Donations, Good Shepherd Youth Donations, scroll down and 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.
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! Click here to fill out the form: Gift Card Order Form
A PLACE FOR NEWS
ELCA NEWS:
Lutheran Disaster Response. Click here.
Lutheran World Relief. Click here.
ELCA Global Links. Click here.
ELCA World Hunger – 40 Days of Giving. Click here.