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.
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 from last Week:
$4,288.28
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 Matters.
Paul writes as someone who has awoken to a new reality, the reality of Christ and his resurrection. Now Paul must rethink everything he thought he knew. One of the things that must be rethought is sin and our relationship to it.
Paul speaks of being “enslaved to sin” (Romans 6:6). In Romans 1, Paul mocks our sin, connecting sin with idolatry, false worship: “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. Therefore, God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served the creation rather than the Creator….” (Romans 1:22-25, NET).
A slave has no agency, no control over his or her own body. The master can do with the slave what the master wants. In Romans, Paul announces that the sinful bondage of humanity has been broken in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Romans 6 opens with a summary of the new reality now that Christ has come. Former slaves of sin are now buried with Christ in baptism. Dead people can’t be slaves. Paul says, “a person who has died has been freed from sin’s power” (Romans 6:7). Though all are prone to sin and stand under God’s judgment (2:1-2, 14-16; 3:9-20), God in Christ shows us mercy and not judgment.
Baptism is nothing less than a dramatic death of the old self, the old world, with the gift of a new self, a new world: “But if we died with Christ, we have faith that we will also live with him. We know that Christ has been raised from the dead and he will never die again. Death no longer has power over him. He died to sin once and for all with his death, but he lives for God with his life. In the same way, you also should consider yourselves dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:8-11).
Freedom, true freedom is a gift of God in Christ: freedom from death (5:12-21), from sin (6:1-23), from the law that fosters sin (7:6-25). Because God has given us this grand freedom, the least we can do is to offer ourselves as grateful gifts (sacrifice) back to God.
Paul bases his appeal to the Romans upon the new reality that in Christ has come to humanity: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1 NRSV). Ethics, human behavior, is grounded in a theological reality.
Now gifts are offered to God that are not the dead bodies of animals but rather our dead-now-alive bodies. This is true worship that is holy and acceptable to God. Mind—a consciousness of the new reality—is related to body—human action on the basis of the nature of the world. Imagination (vision of a new heaven and earth in Christ) is related to daily living (holiness). Those who were once slaves to the ways of the world are now free in Christ.
With his talk of renewing our minds, Paul implies that we ought to wake up and see and embrace our new reality in Christ. How do we gratefully respond to the gift of freedom that is given us? We are called to holiness (1:7), called to worship God rather any humanly created thing (1:18-25). It’s as if Paul is saying, “here is the reality of the world now that Christ has come—now live into the reality.”
Paul appeals to the Romans to get their heads straight. Our baptism was a dying alongside Christ (6:6), burying our old selves (6:4) and rising with Christ as exemplars of God’s righteous justice in action (6:8-18). Can we, in our proclamation of today’s text from Paul, help the congregation think about the new reality that Christ brings and how we ought to live into that reality?
Stewardship Snippets – August 23, 2020
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2. The early Christians did not conform to the world’s standards, and they were known for their love, care, and genuine open community. Let us work to make sure that the future church is not conformed to the culture but rather is faithful to the radical upside-down-inside-out way of Christ.
Open Positions
Are you thinking about opportunities to help with Good Shepherd’s mission? The Church Council is looking to fill 2 positions. They are 3 year terms beginning October 1. Here is a chance to participate in planning and administering Good Shepherd’s ministries and operations. If you have any questions you can contact Dave Seltzer 937-643-9679, Cindy Grove 937-371-5905, Martin Pierce 937-287-4021, or Pastor Jamie 937-248-9996.
QUILTS & KITS “InGathering” OCTOBER 2-3
Good Shepherd is the InGathering location for Southwest/Central Ohio, parts of Northern Kentucky and Indiana. We are the drop-off point for hundreds of boxes filled with Quilts & Kits collected over the past year by churches, groups, and businesses. Our InGathering is a big event that utilizes many hands and good hard work. Volunteer to help, and join us Friday, October 2 and Saturday, October 3 as we work together to fill a semi with gifts that will touch the lives of people around the world. Please contact the church office at (937) 298-0136 if you are willing to volunteer for this wonderful ministry. There will be social distancing guidelines sent to us by LWR that GSLC will use for both days in October.
Water pipe fixed
The water pipe has been fixed at the church so the building is back open for limited use (by staff, to record worship, etc.) Montgomery County is still under a Level 3 Covid19 level so we are still not open for regular use for members or outside groups at this time. We are continuing to monitor the situation and will keep you advised.
Live Streaming
When we put in the sound system a few years ago, we had mentioned the possibility of expanding the system to be able to record videos with it as well. This pandemic has let us know how much people appreciate our worship services online. So with that feedback and the potential of live streaming funerals, weddings, confirmations, and other services that loved ones might not be able to attend in person throughout the year the Council put the AV Team on the task of coming up with a way to live stream events in the sanctuary. So we are looking to invest $6,500 in cameras and software to allow us to live stream events, and we will be upgrading our internet speed to allow us to live stream also but that will be reflected in the Ministry Plan presented at the Annual Meeting. The Memorial Committee has already committed $2,800 toward the project, and we are asking you to consider contributing to this project. We are going to initially pay for this project from the Heritage Fund, and then reimburse the Heritage Fund from your contributions and the Memorial Committee. If you would like to contribute to this project feel free to put a check or cash in an envelope and mark the envelope “Live Streaming Fund” so we will track it.. We are hopeful to have this project up and running by Christmas, what a beautiful time of year to help people feel closer to their church than that special time of year.
First Lutheran Breakfast Donations
For many years, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (GSLC) has provided a hot breakfast meal to the needy in Downtown Dayton, twice monthly at First Lutheran Church. I am extremely grateful for the support our church members have had of this important ministry. Covid-19 has required our church to alter the way we provide meals to First Lutheran guests.
As a result of Covid-19, the meals have changed to “grab and go ” format, which requires several items (for example, hard-boiled eggs, sausage links and bagels/rolls), to be individually placed in ziplock sandwich bags. Currently, GSLC provides 70 pre-packaged meals at each breakfast; therefore, we are using 200+ ziplock sandwich bags with each meal! The cost to prepare these meals is approximately $250 each month.
How can you help? I kindly ask for sandwich- size ziplock bag donations. Please drop off, anytime at church or contact me directly. I will be happy to come to your home and pick up. Monetary donations are also welcomed anytime and are sent directly to church.
Food Pantry Donations
Thank you to all of our Food Pantry Donors. On August 3 we delivered 205 much appreciated food items. If you are planning to come to church for drive-thru communion this week, please remember the needs of the food pantry.This will be a convenient time to drop off non-perishable food to help meet the needs of many hungry families in our area. Your food donations are more important than ever during this trying time of covid-19 restrictions. If you prefer, you can drop off cash or a check payable to Good Shepherd. Someone will be at church to assist you with your donation.
In these uncertain times, the Greenmont-Oak Park Church / Ascension Parish “Neighbor to Neighbor” Food Pantry serves an even more vital role in the lives of many Kettering area families. As a congregation, we have supported the pantry with our gifts for many years. As you are shopping in the grocery, please remember these families with a few extra purchases. Watch your local supermarket for specials to stretch your dollars even further.
Even though we are not meeting together, food donations may also be dropped off at the church during regular business hours.
The collection box is easily accessible just inside the exterior doors to the fellowship hall. Ring the bell. When the doors are unlocked, go inside and place your food in the collection box. If you are not going to the grocery regularly and you want to make a monetary donation, make your check payable to Good Shepherd and marked FOOD PANTRY and send it to or drop it off in the office. The food pantry staff will use your monetary gifts wisely to purchase needed food items.
The collection box will be easily accessible just inside the exterior doors to the fellowship hall. Ring the bell. When the doors are unlocked, go inside and place your food in the collection box. If you are not going to the grocery regularly and you want to make a monetary donation, make your check payable to Good Shepherd and marked FOOD PANTRY and send it to or drop it off in the office. The food pantry staff will use your monetary gifts wisely.
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). We are glad to discuss the benefits of GriefShare. 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.
GriefShare’s – LOSS OF A SPOUSE
Saturday, August 29, 2020
10:00 am – Noon
ONLINE via Zoom
This is NEW! This recent addition to the GriefShare ministry was given as a gift to GSLC from one of our GriefShare participants. This is a one time session focused specifically on the significant impact with the loss of a spouse. If you have lost a spouse or know someone who has, please feel welcome to join our online discussion of the deep grief that losing a life partner brings to the heart and soul. Please contact the church office or Pam Bauser (937-602-8385) or Kathy Seim (937-901-0532) to register. We will make arrangements to bring you the resource booklet that accompanies the program. We will also be glad to assist in making viewing the session online possible.
GriefShare’s – SURVIVING THE HOLIDAYS
Saturday, October 24, 2020
10:00 am – Noon
Currently we plan to gather in person for this special Surviving the Holidays session. Located in the Fellowship Hall (to allow easier social distancing).
GriefShare – MOURNING to JOY (13 weeks)
Sunday, September 13 – Sunday, December 6 from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Plans for in person sessions this fall are pending the safety and welfare of all participants. Watch for more information by Labor Day. If you are interested, please register online or contact the church office. Located in the Fellowship Hall/Lounge (depending on size of group).
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. While GSLC is opening for worship, our Bible studies and Sunday morning studies are remaining online. If you haven’t checked any of these out, please consider joining the conversations.
Our YOUTH classes are on vacation until fall.
Questions?? – Please contact Pam Bauser at 937-299-5186.
Topic: We Are CALLED to be GOD’S CHURCH in the World!
Facilitator: Roger Bauser
Time: 9:00 – 10:00 am
Place: Comfort of your home – connect online!
Bring your coffee. Have your Bible handy. We have heard GOD’S CALL! Now we will explore putting our CALL into ACTION! Our topic is based on Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton’s Bible study available on the ELCA website. During the coming weeks we will explore our call to be CHURCH, our call to be LUTHERAN, our call to be TOGETHER, and our call for the SAKE OF THE WORLD! This session has TWO more weeks – August 23 and 30! Don’t miss the chance to share our call to be Lutheran Together for the Sake of the World!
Sundays at 9:00 am on Zoom
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 continues 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 ***
Come explore ideas on Wednesday evenings
Topic: Does racism exist in the Church?
Facilitator: Becky Cook
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Wednesdays – August 26 and September 2
Place: Comfort of your own home.
Read the Southern Ohio Synod Statement on Racism: Synod Council Statement On RacialJustice 2020 Read online, print this out or call the church office if you would like a copy sent to your home.
What are your thoughts? What does this statement mean for us? How do we respond to the sin of white supremacy? Our country has been engaged and enraged by the death of George Floyd and the events that have followed. How does our faith speak to the hurt and anger expressed? Come listen, learn, and discuss our faith and our place speaking God’s love in a broken world. Join Zoom Discussion on Racism on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
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 web site, 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: NEW
ELCA Disability Ministry God’s work. Our hands. Click here.
NEW Lutheran World Relief Sustainable Development. Click here.
NEW ELCA Global Links Click here.