Informational Sessions & Annual Meeting
This year we will be having our 2 informational sessions before the Annual Meeting in person. The second meeting is Sunday, September 5, at 12:00 pm, following our worship service. These meetings will be recorded and available on YouTube and a private link to that will be sent out the first part of the following week in a special eblast. We will be having our Annual Meeting in person on September 12 at 12:00 pm, following our worship service. That meeting will also be recorded and a private link sent out the following week in a special Eblast. Voting, like normal, will happen after the annual meeting and at all services the following weeks. All of these meetings can be joined remotely via Zoom.
Blessings Shared
GSLC Council received a generous gift of $30,000 from an anonymous donor that is to be divided between Good Shepherd and Trinity Lutheran Seminary @ Capital University. The monies for Trinity will further the mission of forming leaders for Christ’s church at work in the world. More specifically, these dollars will support contextual education, the active engagement of Trinity students, faculty and congregations in ministry. Church Council is looking for your input in choosing how to best invest the monies in our ministries. Monetary gifts can fund specific projects or ministries, pay for general operating expenses, support our facilities, or be the start of something new. The members of Council are asking YOU to prayerfully consider how the congregation might best use this generous gift to glorify God. ALL ideas are welcome! Think in the box. Think OUT of the box. Think about what’s been done. Think about what COULD be done. Share your ideas with Pastor Jamie or any members of Council: Martin Pierce, Cindy Grove, Jeff Weymeyer, Susan Biddle, Jack Steel, Roger Bauser, and Wayne Rosholt. Please share your ideas by September 8 before our September Council meeting.
Face Masks Love your neighbor as yourself. – Mark 12:31
Please wear your mask to keep you and your neighbor safe from the spread of COVID19. Please wear your mask when you are inside the church building. Masks are required for worship at GSLC. GSLC leadership monitors the health advisories for our area. Under the current conditions, health officials recommend wearing a mask indoors for everyone’s safety. This includes people who are fully vaccinated. Given the current rise in COVID19 cases in our area, we are requiring MASKS during worship at GSLC. You may remove your mask for Holy Communion and then put it back on to return to your seat. If you prefer not to wear a mask, please join us for worship online. From the CDC website: To maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission. Montgomery, Greene, Preble, Butler and Warren counties are all areas with substantial transmission from July 21-July 27.
WORSHIP
Saturday Worship Service is BACK!!
GSLC is look forward to serving our congregation again at our Saturday worship service starting Saturday, September 4th at 4:00 pm. We will continue to have Sunday service at 10:30 am on Sunday mornings. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me at 937-510-4264 or by email at micheleweyhrauch6832@hotmail.com With much excitement, Michele Weyhrauch – Worship Commissioner
Parking Lot Communion will be offered on the 3rd Sunday of the month from 12:00 pm -1:00 pm. September 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
Altar Flowers Price Increase
Due to an increase in transportation and difficulty in getting flowers our Altar flowers are increasing to 45 dollars. We have not had an increase in the 8+ years I have been doing this commission. This is a meaningful way to remember a loved one, an anniversary, a birthday etc. If you want to sign up for a week, I have put a new flower chart in the narthex. All you have to do is put a check or money in an envelope drop it in the offering plate and mark it as weekly flowers, or mail it into the office. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at 937-510-4264. Michele Weyhrauch, Worship commissioner
OUTREACH AND SERVICES
Jeremiah’s Letter Sunday, September 19 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, back packs, sleeping bags, broth based soups, canned goods, cereal, laundry or cleaning supplies.
Homework Club
With school having started back up, we are getting ready to also start our Homework Club back up. This program is for 4th and 5th graders at Oakview School. Starting September 7, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm we help them stay on task and finish their homework. We meet in the Lounge and generally have around ten students. If you would like to help the students with their homework or if you would like to provide healthy snacks for them once or twice a week, please contact Don Bennett.
Church Council
The Good Shepherd Church Council is looking to fill four vacant council positions. If you would be interested, please contact Cindy Grove at chippy330@gmail.com or 937-371-5905.
Food Pantry News
The primary food pantry donation bin is back to the narthex; so if you are coming to church on Sunday morning you can bring your donations and place them there. During the week, if you are going by church, you can still place your donations inside the fellowship hall doors as we have been doing. Monetary donations may still be made by placing a check in the offering or mailing it to the church office payable to Good Shepherd with “food pantry” in the memo line. 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).
First Lutheran Breakfast Update
When the weather gets cooler, the First Lutheran Breakfast will return to providing pre-pandemic hot meals indoors. (The anticipated change will be sometime in September or October). In order to continue serving meals twice a month (the first & third Sundays), we will need more people to volunteer. We need a minimum of 5 people, on each Sunday, to prepare and serve the meals. Would you please consider helping with this important mission, which serves approximately 100 guests each time? Please contact Lisa Connelly for further information or to volunteer. Thanks so very much! Sincerely, Lisa Connelly 937-361-9127 lisaaconnelly@yahoo.com
CONTINUING EDUCATION
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 begin meeting in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday, September 12, at 9:00 am. ALL youth are welcome!
FRIDAY MORNING BREAKFAST BIBLE STUDY DISCUSSION for ALL
Topic: Gospel Lectionary Readings for Sunday worship
Come on FRIDAY morning! Bring your own coffee and treats along with your BIBLE. The focus is on the Lectionary Lessons for the upcoming Sunday. 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
Place: comfort of your home – connect online!
For more information, please contact Roger at rebauser@me.com or call 937-299-5186.
SUNDAY MORNING ADULT BIBLE STUDY
Topic: Tough QUESTIONS in Scripture
Facilitator: Roger Bauser
Time: 8:50 am – 9:50 am
Place: comfort of your home – connect online!
The Word of God is not always easy to understand. There are questions in Scripture that can make us scratch our heads much like the disciples did. Join the discussion for two more Sundays as we ponder the questions Scripture poses for our lives.
THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY for Men
Topic: Gospel Lectionary Reading 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 along with your BIBLE. The focus is on the Lectionary’s Gospel Lesson for the upcoming Sunday. 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.
LOOKING AHEAD:
Beginning Sunday, September 26 the Sunday Morning Adult Study will be on the Book of Ephesians.
This fall the WELCA Bible study is “The Gift of the Holy Spirit”. This monthly study published in Gather Magazine will again be offered at 10:30 am and 7:30 pm so women can choose what works best in that month’s schedule.
Griefshare
We are sharing the good news. Once again, Good Shepherd is hosting a fall 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 will offer the 13 week GriefShare program in person and online from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm on Sundays beginning September 12. If you or someone you know is interested, please register online at www.griefshare.org or call the church office. When registering on the GriefShare website, there are two GSLC GriefShare classes listed (one online and one in person) to allow us to offer a hybrid option. Choose the class method you prefer. No prior registration is required for folks coming in person. If you have any questions, contact Kathy Seim (937-901-0532) or Pam Bauser (937-602-8385).
MISCELLANEOUS
September Stewardship Snippets – September 5, 2021
James 2:15 – If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?
For many of us who have more than we need, it’s very hard to follow Jesus’ command to love our neighbor as ourselves. The questions steward/disciples have to ask prayerfully are, “How generous am I, really? Is God calling me to be more generous?”
Offerings for last week: $2,335.00
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!
A PLACE FOR NEWS
Estate Planning and Taxes Event at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church On Saturday, September 18, 2021 at 10:30 am, please join us in the Fellowship Hall for a special educational event at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Controlling and Preserving Your Assets: Basic Estate Planning and Financial Concepts to Reduce Taxes and Transfer Wealth. Bob Emerson, a former Financial Advisor, will discuss the necessary estate documents required and flow of estate assets. We’ve asked Thrivent Financial Advisor Terry Powers to discuss various topics including Tax Efficiency, Roth Conversions, Qualified Charitable Contributions, and Wealth Transfer Efficiency. Light snacks and drinks will be served. Please contact the church office at (937) 298-0136 or office@goodshepherdkettering.com by Noon on Thursday, September 16 to reserve a spot for this important event.
ELCA NEWS:
NEW Lutheran Disaster Response Click here.
NEW Lutheran World Relief Sustainable Development. Click here.
NEW ELCA Global Links. Click here.
COMMUNITY EVENTS AND NOTICES
Dayton WELCA Gathering
Date: September 18, 2021
Time: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Where: Irelan Park Shelter at 4532 Marshall & E David Road in Kettering
Light refreshments and good fellowship. More information to come. Let’s get to being together again.