Eblast 5/29

Eblast 5/29

Congratulations! 
Congrats to all our Graduates. Good luck on your next steps in life.    ~ Pr. Jamie Vannoy

THRIVE: Equipping a Vibrant Church Together   
Good Shepherd’s support of the Southern Ohio Synod’s THRIVE! Campaign is amazing. Church Council endorsed a $9.000 goal for the THRIVE! contributions. 
Council boldly tithed $4,300 to be used for challenge grants to encourage giving. 
The GSLC Leadership was extended a $2000 Matching Grant Challenge.
100% of our Church Council and Commissioners chose to pledge.
Our GSLC Leadership pledged $13,000!
That $13,000 more than met the Matching Grant Challenge!
That’s $15,000 for the THRIVE! campaign already pledged. 
Now the congregation has a $2,300 Challenge Grant!
It is our goal to have 40 families give to the campaign. 
What amazing results will we be able to share next week?
THRIVE! brochures and INTENT forms are available in the Narthex if you need one. 
Intent forms are being gathered through Friday, June 3.
If you have an INTENT form completed, please place it in the offering plate or bring it to the church office. 
Gifts are being given in faith, hope and love!
May God’s blessings fill our hearts to overflowing. 
Here is the THRIVE! Brochure:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/17Dh4rDoKEG0ME6qqbo2Q4QUN53JAFqcs/view?usp=sharing
Here is the video link to begin the Mission Moment this week Thrive! Campaign Goal 5https://youtu.be/bBNliPOLwtQ

WORSHIP

Parking Lot Communion will be offered on the 3rd Sunday of the month from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pmJune 19 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

Save the Date!  Delco Park Worship Service 
On Sunday, July 31 is our annual picnic!  This year we will gather at Delco Park at 10:30 am (located at 1700 Delco Park Dr. in Kettering).  After the service we will share a carry-in picnic.

OUTREACH AND SERVICES   

Outreach Updates 
I am pleased to announce that $2459.50 was raised from the “In Lieu of Lilies” offerings. This amount is being sent to Matthew:25 Ministries for Ukraine Relief.
In addition, a $1500 donation is being sent to Lutheran Outdoor Ministries of Ohio (LOMO). GSLC financially supports the following outreach ministries, on a regular basis, as well: We Care Arts, Jeremiah’s Letter, 4 local food pantries, Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University, Amazing Grace Day Camp, and National ELCA.
I thank you all for your continued support of these important outreach ministries. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.
Lisa Connelly, Outreach Commissioner

Food Pantry News  
Your generous donations for the month of April totaled a huge 564 items – the best month since the SOUPER BOWL. Thanks for your continued faithfulness to this important ministry. A trunk full of food, hygiene, and clothing items was also delivered to Jeremiah’s Letter. 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

Graduation Weekend – May 28/29, 2022 
This weekend we honor all graduates and pray God’s blessings on their continued journeys. Members of the congregation are invited to remember their own milestones in life or to honor a special graduate with a gift to the GSLC Scholarship Fund. Gifts may be cash or checks made out to GSLC with Scholarship Fund in the memo line. Please place gifts in the pew envelopes and mark it for the SCHOLARSHIP FUND. This is a gracious way to “pay it forward” and give thanks for the blessings of education in each of our lives.
We are especially pleased to recognize Samuel Bennett who is graduating from Wittenberg University with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Music.
We are especially pleased to recognize Peter Connelly who is graduating from UD with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Marketing major. He will be moving over to Columbus afterwards as he has accepted a job at an advertising agency.  The official title is Client Development Representative, primarily reaching out to businesses to bring them aboard for advertising work, at Kreber.

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 have completed this year’s Sunday morning learning events. Please watch for dates when classes resume in the fall. 

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!
Looking for a change of pace to bring hope and wonder to your summer Sundays? Consider some lively conversations about God’s people recorded in God’s Word. Join the Sunday discussions! It’s easy to participate from wherever you are. Click the Zoom link and find folks who are listening, questioning, exploring, and discovering that God loves us on our journeys!
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. Use this season of 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 – SUMMER sessions June 15, July 20, August 17
Summer brings a change in pace to our lives. This summer the Bible study in the Gather Magazine will use the concept of quilting to explore rest, renewal, and Christian community. Whether or not you are a quilter, consider joining us for these times to discover how the pieces of our lives within out communities are bound together in Christ. Crafted in Christ: A Summer of rest and renewal by Rev. Katie Hines-Shah

Griefshare
Loss of a Spouse
Saturday, June 4
10:00 am – Noon
Good Shepherd Fellowship Lounge
Facilitators:  Kathy Seim and Pam Bauser

If you have lost a spouse, please join us. If someone you know has lost a spouse, please invite them to join us.  This single session is for anyone who has experienced the loss of a spouse. Come be with others who understand your loss and the depth of your pain as no one else can. The loss may be recent or long ago. The opportunity to gather with others who know is the gift that carries God’s love to all who join.   

MISCELLANEOUS

Celebrate! THRIVE! Campaign Shared Success
Time to thank God for the gifts we share! Food and drinks provided. TACO BAR and FIXINGS Ground meat or shredded chicken Cheese, lettuce, salsa, and guacamole Optional: Bring a favorite dish! Salad, side or dessert to share.
When: Pentecost Sunday June 5, 2022
Time: Noon (right after 10:30 am worship)
Where: Good Shepherd Fellowship Hall
Please find the flyer for this event by clicking HERE

Stewardship Snippets – May 29, 2022
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, “Here am I; send me.” – Isaiah 6:8
When were you first aware of God calling you to deeper faith and service? Was it through the voice and wisdom of a beloved elder or through the witness of a treasured ancestor? Steward these stories carefully and pass them on to the generations to come in the name of the Triune God.

Offerings for last week:  $1838.70
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 World Hunger  Click here.

A Note from Bishop Dillahunt
Dear Southern Ohio Synod Congregations,
We have received a few reports that individuals, congregations, and ministries have received emails and text messages, seeming to be from Bishop Dillahunt, requesting that gift cards be purchased in large amounts.  These emails are not from Bishop Dillahunt or any member of the Southern Ohio Synod staff. As a reminder, your bishop and staff will never email you, requesting for you to purchase gift cards or to give money to us personally.
If you receive these emails or text messages, please:
1) Do not engage
2) Report as spam with your email and cell phone provider
3) Delete the email and block the phone number
Continue to be wise media users!
In Christ,  Bishop Dillahunt

COMMUNITY EVENTS AND NOTICES

WELCA Dayton Conference Gathering 
St. John’s Lutheran Church in Ingomar at 2139 Enterprise Road, West Alexandria will be holding this year’s Dayton Spring Gathering titled “I Love to Tell the Story” on June 4, 2022 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. All are invited to come and enjoy a pleasant informal afternoon sharing “Faith Stories, or God Moments”.  Enjoy your time together with conversation and good fellowship with light refreshments.  There will be updates from the Synod office and opportunities to volunteer.  Questions? Contact Marcie at (937) 974-8894.

Ladies of Longford – Contemporary Celtic Band
Irish Dancers – Celtic Catharsis
Tuesday, June 7 at 7:00 pm
Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University at 2199 East Main Street, Columbus, OH 43209. www.capital.edu/trinity (614) 236-6131
Free Parking and Freewill offering.
Ladies of Longford is an exciting, all women, contemporary Celtic band offering fresh new arrangements of centuries old traditional Irish and Scottish melodies.  They are known for their beautiful harmonies and excellent musicianship.  Under the direction of Hilda Doyle, vocals/guitar, the ensemble includes Heather Doyle Fraser, vocals/djembe (drum); Stephanie Doyle, vocals/bass/ Elizabeth Blickenstaff, fiddle.  This will be an evening to remember.

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.

The Age and Wisdom Concert – The Centerville Community Chorus
Sunday, June 12 at 3:00 pm
Epiphany Lutheran Church at 10551 Sheehan Rd.
There will be a free concert with food included, any donations are welcome.
Featuring Songs by: The Beach Boys, Tim Minchin, Pete Seeger, Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, Burt Bacharach, Alanis Morissette, Joni Mitchell, Marc Shaiman, The Fifth Dimension, The Alan Parson’s Project, Alan Menkin, Rogers and Hammerstein, and more!

Dione Parker Bennett – Soprano
This Little Light of Mine – An evening of songs and stories.
Tuesday, June 14 at 7:00 pm
Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University at 2199 East Main Street, Columbus, OH 43209. www.capital.edu/trinity (614) 236-6131 
Free Parking and Freewill offering.
Professor Dione Parker Bennett brings music to life in a new way.  Well known to Central Ohio audiences and beyond, Professor Dione Parker Bennett will entertain with the theme This Little Light of Mine – including a variety of music, and Spirituals that speak of light, life, love, and laughter.  Known for her work with Opera Project Columbus, as teacher and performer at Capital University and Ohio Christian University, Dr. Bennett, with accompanist Edward Bak, will entertain with beautiful music and thought provoking song.  Come early for good seating.