Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

2014 Newsletter

We shall KNOW Jesus as our Lord, GROW in our faith and SHOW Christ’s love to our world.

1215 McKercher Drive Saskatoon, SK S7H 5L9 (306) 477-1313 Email: info@goodshepherdsaskatoon.ca

Pastor Harley Johnson (pastorhj@goodshepherdsaskatoon.ca)

Music Director: Anna Scott Secretary: Jocelyn Harvey www.goodshepherdsaskatoon.ca

WOW-Word of Witness Trusted Memory “Remember the Lord your God, for it is God who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant”. Duet 8:18 The other day I was in a hurry and dashed into the bank to use the automatic teller machine. In my rush I suddenly forgot my password: how embarrassing to go blank at the bank! Having the right card in hand and inserted into the ATM did not give me access to my account: I had to remember the password. Forgetting God’s goodness is even more debilitating than not remembering your password. Remembering God is not some automatic control of all things or as simple as an unlimited line of credit. Rather, remembering God involves responding to the call to come and serve others. Advent, Christmas & New Year all progress and call us to Remember and Rejoice in the gifts of God. Each season has its unique themes and invites us to create new memories. Central to the Biblical witness is to look back to see how faithful God has been. The Old Testament book of Deuteronomy is compressed with advice to “Always Remember” God’s saving admonishment for all people. In the remembering and acknowledgment of God, goodness has greater meaning. May each time we use a password, or any of the personal “time saving’ devices, may we see the occasion to “Remember” our creator. As we remember God we will know we are blessed for today, for the future and for eternity. In our remembering we can move forward and commit to be a blessing to others!

Peace of Christ Pastor Harley Johnson

Parochial Report

Baptisms

Leah Lavonna Harvey-March 23rd

Hans Harley Johnson—April 13th

Blake Dylan Sveinbjornson-May 11th

Heidi Joy Bouchard—May 18th

Luke Layne Healey- June 8th

Aiden Ryan Martin Ens-June 15th

Eli Edison Cannam-June 15th

Holden Jay Forest-June 22nd

Zoe Ella D Tolentino- July 27th

Brielle Ruth Elizabeth Stein-November 2nd

Sophia Lydia Hirschfeld-November 23rd

John Alexander Cashin-November 30th

The Good Shepherd Choir – New Members Welcome!

The Good Shepherd Choir

New Members Welcome!

Rehearsals: Wednesdays 7:30-8:30pm

in the Good Shepherd Sanctuary

Director: Anna Scott

Accompanist: Cheryl Mercier

You are invited to make some music on Wednesday evenings at Good

Shepherd!

6:15 Handbells

7-7:30 Kids Chorus (age 7 and up)

7:30-8:30 Good Shepherd Choir

Weddings

Kirsten Rea & Ryan Boldt-July 4th

Megan Fitzler & Dustin Krueger-June 21st

Hilary Keller & Jeffery Brooks-July 26th

Kelsey Drozdowski & Rohn Meyer-Aug 30th

Funerals

Karen Leugner-March 26

Arne Madsen-July 22nd

Erna Arnestad-August 7th

Valerie Rothenburger-August 11th

Herman Schindel-October 10th

Susan Beliveau-Nov 7th- Hillcrest

Bands: Thanks to the band leaders Angela, Andy, Aaron and Stefan for choosing music and leading worship this fall. Thanks to Nathan Elke- for his continued support for making PowerPoints and running sound on Sunday mornings and all his dedication to making the services run smoothly. Handbells- We have about six consistent ringers and I have recruited a few more for some advent songs. It is fun to direct such a great group of ringers! They did a great job playing Dona Nobis with the choirs at the Remembrance Day service. We plan to play again on Nov. 30th for the service of Carols and Readings and again in December. A big thank you to Karen Harilstad for making the table cloths and fancy table skirt to use when we play! We are still planning on making a memorial/celebration plaque for donations that came in to purchase the handbells. Junior Chorus: We have about 5-8 kids each week at choir and have sung twice so far this year. We are working on advent music and will sing in the upcoming services. Thanks to Angela Friggstad for volunteering to accompany this choir. Good Shepherd Choir: We have around 20 singers each week and continue to work on songs to share with the congregation. The choir did a wonderful job as part of the Remembrance Day service and Reformation Sunday as well. I am happy to work with such a talented, willing group of singers! Also thanks to Cheryl Mercier for accompanying, and Leah Zepick for playing trumpet on Remembrance Day. Nursery Speakers: If you would like to hear the service in the nursery please ask the person on sound to turn the speakers on. Service of Carols and Readings: Nov. 30th: The handbells will be playing carols interspersed with the readings and carols. We are hoping the youth will be reading the lessons. I have also asked some musicians to join with the carols and plan to ask a few others who might be willing to play along. Advent Candle Lighting song: ‘Where the Promise Shines’. There are different readings for each of the weeks of advent. We will start using this on Nov. 30th. Christmas Eve: I am looking for musical contributions for the 6 & 8pm Christmas Eve services. Please contact Harley or Anna if you are willing to contribute.

Once Upon a Starry Night- Sunday school Musical- Dec. 14th

11:00. Thanks to Karena for

working with the Sunday school children to put on another Christmas concert. Here is a

overview of the upcoming concert: “Ten refreshing songs and a heavenly host of irresistible

"stars" bring Once Upon a Starry Night to life. Join General Comet Powell, Big Glow, and

Shooting Star along with shepherds, angels, and wise men as they tell the greatest story ever

told, while discovering God has a special plan for each of His creations.”

Blessings of Advent as the season approaches! Anna

Ladies Bible Study

Ladies of all ages are welcomed to join our short Bible study on Angels. We usually

meet on the 3rd Thursday of each month. Hope to see you there.

Financial Notes

Greetings Good Shepherd Members and Friends: Advent has arrived and with it the excitement of the festivities building up to the celebration of our Saviour’s birth on Christmas Eve. Every Sunday from now until then will have special activities happening in expectation of this special annual event. For those of us charged with being the stewards of the congregation’s finances this is also a time of year with heightened anticipation. Will Good Shepherd’s members come through with the funds required to balance the budget for this year? Last year we fell short by $740. We currently have a shortfall of $5,000 in our operating account. We need YOUR help to bring this account into the black by year-end. Please consider making a special donation to Good Shepherd to wipe out our deficit. Large or small, every dollar will help and will be greatly appreciated. On behalf of CMT, we wish you all the blessings of this wonderful season. In the rush and bustle that we often get caught up in this time of year, take time to pause, and remember the true meaning of why we celebrate Christmas. God’s blessings, Joan Meyer, Treasurer

Remembrance Day

Thank you to all who contributed for the

Remembrance Day ceremony.

Thank you to Hans Grande for provision of

poppies and wreath and also

Lloyd Ulrich for Honor Guard.

Thank you to Hand bells, Jr. and Sr. Choir also

Leah Zepick on trumpet

Eternity for Today Good Shepherd has provided every member household with Lutheran Devotional “Eternity for Today”.

If you are enjoying your daily devotional please let a member of CMT know. For those using other resources and not employing the Eternity for Today, we would also like to not waste our resources in

providing it; please contact Jocelyn if you desire to discontinue subscription. Approximately 90 homes currently use their devotional; Last Quarter of gift begins Jan 2015-to March:

For those desiring to have the series continue we need you to specify- and place order with Good Shepherd prior to January 12th. Cost of an individual subscription shipped to your home will be $12.95 each. If we have orders for more then 75, and shipped to Good Shepherd, our bulk cost is $7.95 each.

Please see sign up in entryway.

Parking Lot

Thanks to Marty and Justin Willick for grading and levelling our parking lots. Great timing in smoothing the surface before freeze up. Advent theme of Prepare the way - make every pot-hole smooth.

New Members Sunday & Transfer Affirmation

Welcome to New Members on November 2- All Saints Sunday. Good Shepherd welcomed the following

members Sally Flodell, Jen Roste, Joel, Will & Issak Burns, Amy Mossing, Gary and Hilda Johnson (and daughters), and Karen Harilstad. Blessings to all as we journey together in the mission of Knowing Jesus

as Lord, growing in Faith, and Showing Christ’s love for the World!

Sunday School Hello to our Good Shepherd Families!

A very warm and sincere “Thank-you” to those of our Good Shepherd Family who so generously

donated to our Good Shepherd Sunday School Program, on our White Envelope Sunday on September

14, 2014. Your donations will help facilitate our program with fun activities for our children so they may

learn to Grow, Know and Show God’s love to the world!

Children continue to contribute weekly to

Ronald MacDonald house with their offerings

Looking forward to the Sunday School concert on December 14th during 11:00 service ‘Once Upon a Starry Night’

H2H- Confirmation

Thanks to the Hostess of our city-wide RAGS + confirmation!

Hannah Sofko & Zach Singer were admirable hosts of our November event

Thanks to Sask Abilities for the loan of 100 wooden pickets! The theme of

communion and shared meal was highlighted by FEAST in paradise and exercise

which Pastor Harley coordinated.

Love, Grow, and Serve by Becoming a Stephen Minister

In the continued Stewardship theme of Fearless Generosity, Matthew 25

14-30 speaks of the Parable of the Talents. Each of us have different

talents, it is how we use them in serving our master. We must be fearless

in being generous of the giving of our talents – be it sharing our time with

those less fortunate, those in crises, sharing our love of Christ with those

who do not know Him…however we choose to be generous in our giving,

we are rewarded seven times seventy and with a “Well done, good and

faithful servant”.

Our City wide Stephen Ministry program continues to grow. Our fall class this year, slated to

start in October was deferred due to a low recruitment. Another recruitment blitz is happening in

the next weeks before Christmas and classes will start immediately in the new year. Concerned

the class will carry into your May move to the cabin? Don’t be! We will ensure your training is

completed before the May long weekend and those summer activities call you away. So

PLEASE prayerfully reconsider your timing…be a Stephen Minister NOW! Applications are

available in the narthex or if you would like more information, please call Fran at 306-974-8718.

To find out how you or someone you know could be matched with a Stephen Minister, talk with

our Stephen Ministry Leader: Fran Seidler. You may also visit this website:

www.stephenministries.org/recruit

Care Group for Adult Men & Women Evening Fellowship new group

Our Monday night Care Group has been meeting for about two months now. Thanks to everyone who attended the presentation from DeeAnn from the Lighthouse at Good Shepherd on October 20, and for everyone that donated items for the Lighthouse. There were approximately 25 people who attend the presentation. DeeAnn toured 15 from Good Shepherd through the Lighthouse on November 17. Our hope is that the Good Shepherd Family will volunteer one night a month to help serve food. They need four people for each meal every day to assist in dishing out the food to 60 to 100 people that are sheltered at the Lighthouse. The time commitment is only an hour--4 to 5 p.m for example--and will give us an opportunity to reach OUT as part of our ministry. There will be sign up sheets on the bulletin board so please consider giving of your time to help the marginalized people of our community. Special Thanks to Jocelyn Harvey for making soup, Ami Johnson for bringing buns and Doris Slind for a fantastic dessert. Their serving hearts are greatly appreciated.

Karen Harlistad

Thank You!

Thank you to Gilchrist’s and Hodgson’s for the donations of Cameras for the church!

Photo Board

Photo News Request

Dear Friends in Christ,

As we approach Christmas, the theme of gifts and joy abound.

One of the gifts that many members and friends of Good Shepherd have

provided a picture for our photo board.

Please consider helping us keep our photo board up to date. Please

submit a recent 4x6 in landscape form (see diagram below) through e-mail to

Jocelyn (Our secretary @ info@goodshepherdsaskatoon.ca) Or please let us

know if you would like a picture taken at the church. Our goal is to have the

board updated by Christmas.

Blessings abound,

Harley Johnson

This is LANDSCAPE…to fit in the board

4x6

Good Shepherd on Facebook – Join our Group!

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church has an active Facebook group. Follow this link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/194172144439/ and ‘request’ to “Join” this group so that you

will receive the updates as they are posted. You can help us by “sharing” our events on your

own page to increase the visibility of our events with your friends. Check us out! Write a post!

“Like” us! It is another way that we can stay connected when we are going in all different

directions.

Have you checked out our new website at www.goodshepherdsaskatoon.ca

We will be working hard to start keeping the website up to date with new

events coming to Good Shepherd. Pl ease use i t as a source of information

Also, use the website to see every Sunday’s Service

on You Tube, click on Worship and follow link.

Good Shepherd upcoming events

Service of Carols and Readings: Nov. 30th

The Sunday school concert will be held on Sunday December 14th at 11:00 a.m.

Blue Christmas…Please join us December 14th at 4:00 p.m for a worship event where we

acknowledge the significance of loss which is part of our journey of faith. Loss may involve the death of a loved one, a change of relationship, health concern or even relocation.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church will hold their AGM on February 1st, 2015.