Preparing for Worship

Sunday, March 25, 2012    

Fifth Sunday in Lent     

Collect

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Readings     

Jeremiah 31:31-34 /  Psalm 51:1-13 / Hebrews 5:5-10 / John 12:20-33    

Services

Others Serving This Sunday

Music     
Hymns  

471, 328, 441 

Click HERE for a link to an online index to the 1982 Hymnal that will allow you to read the texts and listen to the tunes for Sunday's hymns.

Organ   

This is the Good Shepherd Prayer List. Each day at noon, the persons on this list are lifted up in prayer. On Sundays during the Prayers of the People, the Intercessor pauses while we pray aloud or silently for each of those on the prayer list, which is published in the bulletin. You are also invited to add these names to your personal prayer list.  

Our Lenten study on Embracing an Adult Faith: Marcus Borg on What it Means to Be Christian concludes on Wednesday, March 28, with a light soup supper 5:30-6:00 followed by discussion from 6:00-7:00. Questions to think about for this week's session on Community:

What are your memorable experiences of faith-focused or spirit-centered community? What made these experiences so special?

What communities in the Bible stand out for you? What qualities make those particular communities memorable?

Where and how do you experience Christian community today?

What are you looking for that community might offer at this time in your life?

What appreciations do you have for the members of this small group community with whom you have been meeting for five weeks?

Today we bid farewell to Visiting Artist in Residence Henk Linker, as this week he returns to the Netherlands. He has been with us since January 2 and has enriched our daily rehearsals with his expertise and positive enthusiasm. He has also enriched our Sunday services with his extraordinary improvisation skills. Our time has been productive and fruitful and we wish Henk a safe journey back to the Netherlands where he resumes his ecclesiastical and secular music duties. Good Shepherd extends its heartfelt thanks and bon voyage to Henk!

The text of Hymn 471 was inspired by a quotation from the Epistle to the Galatians, entered the Hymnal in 1871 and until The Hymnal 1940 was found among the hymns for Lent and Holy Week. In its present position, this hymn gains greater flexibility in satisfying lectionary needs. The tune  BRESLAU, also known as HERR JESUS CHRIST, MEINS, is found as a folk song "Ich fahr dahin" in the Lochamer Liederbuch dating from the mid 15th century. The tune is found in J.S. Bach's Choralgesänge and Felix Mendelssohn's oratorio St. Paul. The harmonization in our Hymnal is by Mendelssohn.

Hymn 441 also dates from the late 19th century. Widely considered John Bowring's best hymn, "In the cross of Christ I glory" is based on Galatians 6:14. This same scripture also inspired Isaac Watts's hymn "When I survey the wondrous cross." The particular cross that inspired Bowring's hymn is that of the great church of Our Lady of Fatima, perched on the highest hill on the island of Macao, near Hong Kong. All but the west front of the church was destroyed in a revolution. This west wall still stands and crowning the topmost point is the great metal cross, which has survived destruction. It was this cross, blackened with smoke, which inspired John Bowring's hymn. Ithamar Conkey composed Rathbun for use with this text in 1849 when he was organist for Central Baptist Church of Norwich, Connecticut. The tune name honors Conkey's soprano soloist, Mrs. Beria S. Rathbun. 

Louis Vierne was organist of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris from 1900 until his death in 1937, where he died while performing his 1,750th organ recital. Born legally blind, he showed an innate talent for music from age two. He studied and later taught at the Paris Conservatoire, but never became head of the organ department. In large French churches there are usually two organs, one grand-orgue at the west end and a smaller orgue de chœur at the east end near the altar. Messe Solennelle (Solemn Mass) was originally composed for the two organs playing in dialogue, with the smaller orgue de chœur accompanying the choir. The premiere occurred in 1901 in St. Sulpice, Paris, with Vierne and his mentor Charles-Marie Widor performing the two organ parts. The edition used by our choir combines the two organ parts into one. Set in the somber key of C-Sharp Minor, Kyrie Eleison is divided into three sections. The work begins with a forceful organ introduction that softens as the chorus enters, voice by voice. Vierne makes great use of chromatic passages and dynamic shadings in the two iterations of Kyrie eleison. The inner Christe eleison section is more calm and gentle. The second movement of this Mass, Gloria in excelsis, will be heard at the Great Vigil of Easter and on Easter Day.

...that Henk Linker has had a successful three-month sabbatical in the United States and graciously shared his musical talents with us.

...that Rylan Thomas recently won first place in the Kentucky Quad C Scholastic Chess Tournament for students in grades K-3 which qualified him for the Kentucky Chess Association State Individual Champion-ship in Bowling Green, where he tied for 8th place.

April 1

A Skeptic's Guide to Salvation and Atonement

Led by the Rev. Dominic Moore                      

Location: Undercroft

Relationships and Financial Planning
Led by Henk H. Drenth, CFP               

Location: Library

Please use caution if strangers approach you on the church grounds and ask for monetary assistance. Giving money this way bypasses safeguards set up to prevent abuse of your generosity and good intentions. Kindly ask persons making such requests to come back when the church office is open for necessary screening, possible assistance, and referrals as needed.

Our new organ is presently being built at the shop of Goulding & Wood in Indianapolis! This instrument is Opus 50 for that firm. Other significant instruments by this firm include Ball State University, Loyola University Chapel in Chicago, and Christ Church Cathedral in New Orleans. Typically, pipe organs such as this are built and assembled in the shop and then disassembled, transported to location, reassembled, and voiced on site. Click HERE to see photos of construction.

Parts of our present instrument will be re-voiced and used in the new instrument (the 8' Principal, 4' Octave, 16' Subbass, and 4' Schalmey). Those ranks of pipes will be removed from the present instrument in April or May. The entire organ will be removed in mid-June, allowing the space to be prepared for the new instrument. During the Easter season, a team of engineers will make a tone opening in the south quire wall, behind which will be the new Swell division. As with most construction projects, please be advised that this will be somewhat unsightly for a while. We can expect installation and voicing to occur between October and December, with the main organ operable by Christmas 2012. The Antiphonal organ at the west end is expected to be operable by Easter 2013.

Click HERE to see organ project drawings. 

A Helping Hand

Want to do something to help our eastern Kentucky neighbors suffering through the devastating aftermath of recent storms?

A Tornado Relief Fund has been established by the Diocese of Lexington and welcomes contributions. The purpose of this fund is not to duplicate the work of the Red Cross, Kentucky Cares, insurance companies or other agencies, but is intended to fill the gaps as needed to restore people's lives to full functioning.Checks may be mailed to the Diocese of Lexington, P.O. Box 610, Lexington, KY 40588-0610 and designated 'Eastern Kentucky Tornado Relief.' Additionally, gifts may be made via credit card online by visiting the diocesan website and selecting 'Eastern KY Tornado Relief' as the designated fund.

Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) also provides support and a compassionate response to human suffering on behalf of The Episcopal Church of the United States. Click HERE to read about their work and to make a direct donation. 

The youth want to thank the people of Good Shepherd for your support and help during the 30 Hour Famine held March 2-4. More than $5,000 was raised and combined with our federal grant the grand total is $25,000! What a monumental gift to the children of the world. Imagine a world where children live past their 5th birthday, a world where hunger isn't a child's constant companion, and imagine how you helped make that happen.

During the Famine, not only were children outside  our area helped but local children were also impacted through the following service projects: Room in the Inn, Church under the Bridge, Meals on Wheels, Camp Haven, visiting our homebound members, St. Agnes House, Refuge House, St. Timothy's at Barnes Mountain, Florence Crittenton Home, Mayfair Manor Nursing Home, Serving Those who Serve Us, and God's Pantry. The youth experienced simulated life in Guatemala, Haiti, Kenya, Bolivia, and more. They studied the Bible, worshiped in five worship services, and learned about children's lives through videos and presentations.

It isn't too late to be a part of 30 Hour Famine!  Donations are still being accepted that will be matched by a federal grant and save more children. It isn't too early!  Deacon Lauren is looking for volunteers to help shape and make next year's Famine as successful and more powerful than this year's. Please sign up in the Loggia or contact Deacon Lauren.
 
You can also test your knowledge about life around the world (some of the things our young people learned about):
What is the average age in Burundi?
What predator is feared most in Malawi?
Why is turning 5 years of age a big deal in Afghanistan?
What is the average income in Haiti in US dollars per day?

Answers: In Burundi, the average age is 16, where in the United States it is 37.  Mosquitoes are the most feared predator in Malawi because nearly 5.5 million people are infected with malaria every year (which is one in three people in Burundi) and half of all deaths are children under five. In Afghanistan, one in five kids dies before his fifth birthday, where the life expectancy of an adult is only 44. The average income per day in Haiti is $1.25. Families have to feed their entire family and provide shelter, school, healthcare and clothing on that amount.

Want to know more? Want to help? Do the Famine! Sign up today for next year's event.