February, 2008

The word “Lent” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for the lengthening of days, as spring approaches and death-like winter recedes. In many ways, Lent is easier to focus on than Advent: there is no shopping and gift-giving to distract us. On the other hand, the forty days of Lent can seem like a long time.

Why forty days? Big changes take time. From the rain in Noah’s time, to the Israelites’ wandering in the desert, to Jesus’ time in the desert before his public life, forty has been associated with a time of cleansing, a time to step back and reform our lives so that God is really center.

The theme of this year’s Lenten series is “Living Lent”: the animals tell the story each week. There will be a dialogue reflecting the message of our Lord’s life seen through the animals present during His passion. These services begin with Ash Wednesday on February 6^th at 10:00 AM and 7:30 PM. The 10 AM service will be followed by our annual luncheon celebrating the wisdom and gifts of our members who are 65 or more years young. In addition, our Lenten worship will feature the “Witness to the Faith”, as it is presented by our eighth grade Confirmation students. Please support and encourage them as they affirm the life of Christian love and reflect the wonder and depth of growth!

Lent is the season in the church year in which we prepare for the celebration of life. The new life of spring, the new life of the resurrection. May your journey through the cocoon of Lent lead to the joy and beauty of Easter’s butterfly!

The Wednesday evening Lenten Suppers will begin on Wednesday, February 13^th. Dinner will be served promptly at 6:15 PM. A free will offering will be collected to help support the High School Mission Trip in June. Come out for a light supper and enjoy the friendship and fellowship of your fellow church members before attending the midweek Lenten Services.

Also included in this mailing is the Lenten coin folder designed to help us with the daily disciplines of prayer and penitence. The hope is that these folders provide support for each of us in our growth as followers of Christ during this important season called Lent. All funds received in these folders will be used for our Mission outreach.

The 2008 Flower Chart is posted on the bulletin board outside the church office. Donors may use this opportunity to celebrate anniversaries, weddings and birthdays or in memory of a loved one. The cost of the flowers is $40.00 and checks should be made payable to Good Shepherd Chancel Guild.

We continue to take food to the Worth Food Pantry, because the need continues. February request includes: Sloppy Joe’s, chili, hash, noodles, rice, peanut butter and jelly. Of course, any other items are always appreciated.

The Missions Committee encourages you to read the numerous thank you letters we have received from those ministries we were able to support this past year. The letters are posted on the church bulletin board. We continue to focus our mission efforts on behalf of the many worthwhile efforts of Christian care and service with which we have come in contact. The Committee reminds you that great care is used to insure that our gifts are used for the purposes we intend. We encourage everyone to continue to use their white monthly missions envelope in care of others. Please help us in aiding the relief efforts of our church in support of these needy people. Thank You!

A heartfelt thank you to the Good Shepherd family for your very generous gift of $4,000.00 to Habitat/Project Rehab and for your sponsorship of our recent trip to Biloxi, Mississippi. The Biloxi team was able to raise $1,875.00 for this trip. Thank you Sandra Leach for your beautiful handmade quilt for the raffle and to Pastor Basch and Ron Skoglund for your willingness to get a good dunking during Rally Day. Thank you ladies for the shawls donated to comfort the people of Biloxi, which were received with joy and thanksgiving and thanks to Terry Kunes for the use of “The Great White Van”.

Twenty five adults responded to God's call to be the hands and feet of God. Of course, we faced obstacles along the way, but God was present as He gave us the strength to work on four projects during the week. Members insulated, hung drywall, painted, dug and poured a foundation under an existing house, and came with a ready smile to make breakfast at 4:45 AM for 110 people daily. One of the members, a dentist, worked at the Free Medical/Dental Clinic that was housed in a double wide trailer and performed 95 tooth extractions in five days in primitive conditions. Some of the team were able to witness a house dedi-cation. It was very moving to see this family receive keys to their house after being in a FEMA trailer for two and a half years.

Thank you Good Shepherd family for your generosity in giving us the opportunity, once again, to serve the people of Mississippi. To God be the glory, GREAT things He has done.

Our Tuesday groups are looking forward to many meaningful discussions of faith in the days and weeks ahead. The 9:30 AM Prayer Group is discussing “A Disciple’s Joy” by Mike Foss. The 10:30 AM Class is studying “Luke” and the 4:00 PM group is discussing “Women in the Bible”. We are thankful for the opportunity these groups provide for us to grow in faith and share God’s love with each other, and we invite others to come and join us.

Our Thursday evening class, “Discover-ing the Bible,” meets every Thursday at 7:30 PM with Prayer Partners at 7:00 PM. Come and share the journey!

“Body and Soul,” the men’s group that includes time for recreation and reflection, has become a close group of support and friendship for men in our congregation. The group is open to anyone who wishes to participate in either activity and continues to meet every other Monday starting at 8:00 PM. The meeting dates in February are the 11^th and the 25^th. They are currently discussing a series of DVDs by Rob Bell. Basketball is also played on the “off” Mondays, February 4^th and 18^th.

The "OFF Club" (Over Fifty Five Club) invites you to join us for Mardi Gras on Wednesday, February 20^th beginning at 11:00 AM in Bethany Hall. We will have a fortune teller, select a King and Queen and much more! See how many beads you can collect! There may be a prize! Come and join us for the fun and games.

The Adult Volleyball crowd is always looking for new players. If interested in blowing off a little stress and getting a lot of exercise after the holidays, come and join us on February 8^th and 22^ndat 7:30 PM in the Family Life Center.

The Confirmation Bas-ketball League con-tinues play on Saturday mornings. Games are at 9:00 and 10:00 AM. Team schedules are posted on the bulletin board across from Lori Puttkammer’s office. Please see Ron Skoglund or Pastor Basch if you have any questions about the league.

Our Confirmation students will be playing WhirlyBall on Sunday, February 24^th. The cost for this event is $10/person, which includes court time, lunch, and transportation. We will leave church immediately following the 11:00 AM service and should return back to church by 4:45 PM. Please sign up on the bulletin board for if you will be able to play WhirlyBall. Adults are also needed to drive and participate. Please see Ron if you have any questions.

The High School Basketball League continues play on Tuesday evenings. Games are at 7:00 and 8:00 PM. Team schedules are posted on the bulletin board across from Lori’s office.

There will be a High School Mission Trip Meeting on Sunday, February 24^th from 6:30 – 8:00 PM for all trip participants. Details about this meeting will be mailed to all trip participants before the meeting. Please let Ron know if you will be unable to attend this meeting.

All Mission Trip participants and their parents are encouraged to attend a meeting to discuss the trip, including fundraising plans, on Sunday, February 3^rd at 10:20 AM in the Family Life Center.

Thank you to Bill Johnsen, Trish Nelson, Nicky Oates, and Christy Wright for driving and helping our High School students serve dinner at two of the homeless shelters operated by REST on January 4^th. Thank you also goes to Helga Fuller, Lois Kimeck, and Marie Perry for helping with the food preparations on the day before.

Thinking about clean-ing out your basement, attic, or closets? The annual Garage Sale will be in late April or early May. More details about item drop-offs and pick-ups will be available in the April Parish Paper.

Winterfest Activity Day. . . Nursery 3 year olds thru 1^st Graders are invited to share in a fun activity-themed day on February 9^th. The children will be doing different activities all related to snow and winter. Each child should bring a bag of 25 paper “snowballs”. These should be white wadded up pieces of paper. A frozen popsicle treat will be served as well. Winterfest will be in the FLC from 1:00 – 2:30 PM. Please be sure to sign up on the bulletin board so that we can be properly prepared. Parents…your help is also needed.

February’s Family Fun Night February 1^stat 7:00 PM will be a racing good time! Families will compete as a team to race against time to complete the many activities planned. We will group smaller families together if necessary. After about an hour of racing and fun all will enjoy an ice cream sundae treat. Please sign up on the bulletin board if you plan to attend!

Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies, cupcakes, brownies, fresh baked dessert breads. . .now that your taste buds are awake…the Sunday School children will be hosting a bake sale on February 3^rd in the Narthex between services. The funds raised will support Worth Food Pantry. All of the children are involved; some are making signs, some are helping to sell the baked goods at the table, all Sunday School families are asked to help bake items for the sale, and the 5^th graders will be going shopping for the food items that will be brought to the pantry. Please be sure to stop by the bake sale and fulfill your sweet tooth as well as the Sunday School’s mission to help feed those that are hungry.

Vacation Bible School 2008 Planning…has to begin. We will have a planning meeting on Monday, February 4^th at 7 PM. Anyone interested in helping to brainstorm for the 2008 VBS is welcome to join the meeting.

Fifth Grade Lock In. . . February 29^th – March 1^st . . . The time has come! Our evening will begin at 7:30 PM on February 29 and end on March 1 at 8:30 AM. This year’s lock in will include a mission task. The mission task will be to go grocery shopping, with the money raised from the Sunday School bake sale, and purchase food for the Worth Food Pantry. We will need parent volunteers to help provide transportation to the local Jewel Food Store and back, as well as chaperone a group while shopping. All 5^th grade Sunday School students received their paperwork and permission slips. Please have these permission forms returned to Mrs. Lori by February 24^th.

Send mail to Ron@Good-Shepherd-Church.com with questions or comments about this web site. Last modified: 07/09/08

Send mail to Ron@Good-Shepherd-Church.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 07/09/08