Eblast 5/15

Eblast 5/15

Recycling Bins 
The bins outside in the church parking lot will be removed soon.  Please make sure to find another recycling location for your paper.  Thanks!

Face Masks are Optional 
Masks are not required in our Good Shepherd facilities. Those who choose to wear a mask are welcome to do so. Masks are available in the Narthex. 

THRIVE: Equipping a Vibrant Church Together
The Thrive! Campaign at Good Shepherd and throughout the Southern Ohio Synod is underway.  The base goal for the SOS is to raise $1,200,000 to support the five campaign goals. There is a challenge goal of $2,000,000 to live into the possibilities of vibrant ministries throughout the SOS. To date commitments for over $800,000 of the funds have generously been given to support these valuable goals – that’s 67% of the base goal. Good Shepherd is one of seven congregations currently committed to participating in conducting a THRIVE! Campaign. We have the opportunity to join with others throughout the SOS in giving generously to reach the Thrive! Campaign goals.
Our Council endorsed the goal to raise $9000 to support the ministries outlined in the five campaign goals. Those intentional goals are:
·         Goal 1 – Equipping leaders
·         Goal 2 – Raising up leaders for smaller congregations
·         Goal 3 – Strengthening rostered ministers
·         Goal 4 – Launching new congregations and reaching new people
·         Goal 5 – Enhancing worship practice
Through our understanding of the possibilities, we are asking each member of the congregation to prayerfully consider making a gift – a commitment to the THRIVE! Campaign. Our gifts are our way of participating with others throughout the SOS in being part of God’s work beyond Good Shepherd. These gifts can be offered in installments over the next three years or given in one lump sum. There will be an opportunity to complete the Intent Card during worship on May 21 and 22. Here is the information distributed in worship on May 7-8: click here.
Here is the link to the video to begin the Mission Moment this week for THRIVE! Campaign: Goal 3  https://youtu.be/8vftoyMkVjc 

WORSHIP

Parking Lot Communion will be offered on the 3rd Sunday of the month from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pmMay 15 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

OUTREACH AND SERVICES   

Food Pantry News  
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).

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Amazing Grace Daycamp   
Summer is just around the corner. Soon it will be time for Amazing Grace Daycamp. Circle July 18-22 on your calendars! Those are the important dates to remember.  We will have a team from Lutheran Memorial Camp to lead the programming. We will need lots of volunteers to help with the campers, serve meals, provide support, and house the LMC staff. Hold this important outreach ministry in your prayers.

Graduation Weekend – May 28/29, 2022 
Each spring Good Shepherd honors our graduates from high school, college, and graduate programs. This year our graduate recognition will be the weekend of May 28/29. We need your help identifying this year’s graduates. Please submit the names of those members of your family who are graduating this spring to the church office as soon as possible. This will help us plan for the event. Please indicate the graduate’s full name, the name of school, and the degree earned, including the field of study.  Thank you for helping us gather this information! It is a blessing to honor those graduates who are special to our congregation. 

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! Use the links below to join in the conversations. 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!

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.

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.   

WELCA BIBLE STUDY – WEDNESDAY, MAY 25
This month is a ONE TIME bible study reflecting on the importance of relationships – those modeled in Scripture and those we have known in our lives. Women of faith mentor, support, encourage, and guide us through all the stages of our loves. Invite a friend or neighbor. Come share your stories. How have the women in your life supported your faith walk? Who helps you see the love of God in the day to day routines of life? Who can make a rough time more tolerable? These women and the women of the Bible are important gifts from God. Come join others as we recognize and thank God for the women of faith who surround us. Mark your calendar. Wednesday, May 25 at 10:30 am or 7:30 pm
Across the Generations: One act of welcome can beget another
In the month of May, Gather invites women to consider the value of intergenerational relationships both in Scripture and in our daily lives. Plan to join us as we heard and respond to the stories shared. 
Looking ahead, the June, July, and August Bible studies use the concepts of quilting to explore themes of community and sabbath. Plan to join us for a summer of rest and renewal. 

MISCELLANEOUS

Stewardship Snippets – May 15, 2022
“As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” – John 17:18
Jesus prayerfully sent his disciples into the world knowing the challenges that awaited them. Likewise, our elders steward us into the world with prayer, love, and hope. They know the difficulties that await; yet they send us on as God’s beloved children first and always.

Offerings for last week:  $2,615.00
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  Click here.

COMMUNITY EVENTS AND NOTICES

Good Shepherd is a major sponsor as The Supper Club Returns!
Supper Club, a program started by Fairmont West Unit principal, Jenny Britton, brings adults in the community into the high school to share a meal with students. Supper Club provides the perfect atmosphere for students to connect with adults and practice networking skills. A huge “THANK YOU” to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and to our Craft Fair Chaiman Rich Kellstrom for making this donation possible.  If you are interested or know someone who might be interested in participating in or sponsoring a Supper Club dinner, please contact Jenny Britton at  jenny.britton@ketteringschools.org.

Kettering Block Party
On Wednesday, June 8 from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm located at the Fraze Pavilion the City of Kettering will have a block party.  Enjoy free hot dogs, live music, and a variety of booths featuring City resources and information.  Contact the Volunteer Office with any questions at 937-296-2433.