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2nd Sunday of Advent
| | Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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Next Sunday's Lections
3 Advent | |
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8, 19-28
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Upcoming Events
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Gardening Club
Meets the First Tuesday of every month. Meeing this coming Tuesday, December 6 from 8:00 am to 9:00 am
Taize Candlelit Prayer Services Wednesdays in Advent
6:30 pm in the Chapel
(see article to right)
Order of St Luke the Physician Induction ceremony of associate members into full membership during the 10:30 am service on Sunday, December 11.
Combined Prayer Ministries Meeting Sunday, December 11 in the Library after the 10:30 am service.
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Regularly Scheduled
Worship Services
& Programs | | |
Weekdays
Monday thru Friday
Food Bank
open
10:00 am - noon
Wednesdays
Tabitha's Treasures
10:00 am
in Roberta's Hall
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Morning Prayer
2nd and 4th Wednesdays
in Roberta's Hall
at 12:00 noon
Holy Eucharist
1st, 3rd, and 5th Wednesdays
in Roberta's Hall
at 12:00 noon
Thursdays
Men's Bible Study
7:30 am in the Library
Choir Practice
7:00 pm in the Choir Room
(once per month during the Summer)
Weekends
Saturdays
Holy Eucharist
5:00 p.m.
(Chapel)
Sundays
Holy Eucharist
8:00 a.m.
(Chapel)
Breakfast
9:00 a.m.
(Parish Hall)
Christian Formation
9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Adult program
in Roberta's Hall
Holy Eucharist
10:30 a.m.
(Church)
Sunday School
10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
K thru 4th grade -
Alleluia Chapel Program
in the Children's Chapel
Combined Prayer Ministries
Meeting for Study and Prayer in the Library
The first and third Sunday of each month after the
10:30 service.
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Email Archives
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Previous "Good Shepherd News" emails
More Details Link
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Sermons on iTunes
| | | Sunday sermons are posted on the Good Shepherd website and at the Good Shepherd podcast page in iTunes -
Click Here
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Church of
The Good Shepherd's
Facebook Page
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 Church of the Good ShepherdRevealing Christ's Love Caring for the sheep. Searching for the lost.331 Lake Avenue, Maitland, Florida, 32751407-644-5350 www.goodshepherdmaitland.com
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 "Comfort, O Comfort my people" says your God. Isaiah 40:1 |
Dearly Beloved in Christ,
These are words spoken by God through His prophet Isaiah to a people in exile in Babylon. To a people with whom He had previously pleaded to return to Him, to trust in Him, to obey Him. To a people who had instead consistently turned their backs on Him, who had preferred other gods that were not gods, merely man-made idols. To a people who as a consequence had walked to their own destruction.
Such is the wideness of God's mercy that even after such disloyalty, such disregard, such disobedience, He still speaks tenderly "comfort, o comfort my people ... speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended."
These are words to a people held in captivity in a strange land, but also to a people held captive to sin, to a creation held captive to the effects of sin, and to each one of us held captive in our own personal exiles: grief, unforgiveness, loneliness, fear, unworthiness, guilt, self-doubt ...
He brought the captives out of exile in Babylon through Cyrus of Persia. He released us from the captivity of sin through His Incarnation. He will release the creation from captivity to the effects of the fall when He returns. And He can and will release us from our own personal exiles if we trust in Him, if we turn to Him, if we obey Him. His arm is still mighty to save and His mercy is never-failing.
In the Peace, Grace, and Love of our Lord, Rev'd Sarah+ |
 Christmas Gifts for Homeless Teens This year we hope to provide gifts for the homeless teens of Covenant House through our annual Christmas gift outreach ministry. - and thank you as always for your generosity in caring for those in need.
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Christmas Flowers and Greens  Gifts for the Christmas decorations can be made in memory of loved ones and their names included in a special memorial insert in the Christmas Eve and Christmas bulletins. The form can be picked up in the church, chapel, or parish office or downloaded here We will be "greening" the church and chapel on Sunday, December 18 after the 10:30 am service. We will start in the chapel while the children rehearse in the church. Lunch will be at around 12:30 in the Parish Hall after which we will move to the church to decorate there as we sing some carols.
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 Advent Taize Candlelit Prayer Services
Wednesday Evenings during AdventDecember 7, December 14, December 21 at 6:30 pm. Join us in the Chapel each Wednesday in Advent as we quiet our hearts by spending time in silent prayer; singing the meditative songs of Taize; and hearing the voice of the Lord in his Holy Word. |
Oh Come All Ye Faithful... To a Ministry Appreciation Christmas Party!!!
Jim and Irene Burgess are graciously hosting a Christmas Party on Sunday, December 11th at 5:30 pm for all adults who have participated in the various ministries*
at Good Shepherd over the last year
91 Oakliegh Lane, Maitland PLEASE RSVP to the Parish Office 407 644-5350 Bring your favorite hors d'oeuvre to share!
*Vestry, Staff, Outreach Commission (Food Bank, Fresh Start, etc.), Pastoral Care Commission (LEVs, OSL, Prayer Teams, Tabitha's Treasures, etc.), Worship Commission (Altar Guild, Music Ministry, LEMs, A/V, Ushers, Flower Guild), Hospitality Commission (Breakfast Teams, receptions), Christian Formation Commission (adult Christian education teachers, children's programs teachers), Evangelism Commission (Maitland Arts Festival Parking, Food, Water, etc.), Stewardship Commission (Gardening Group, Chapel Restoration Committee, Rummage Sale, Office volunteers)
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CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE
Click Here
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Vestry Nominations
At the Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, January 22nd, after the 10:30 am service, we will elect 5 members to the vestry (3 to a 3-yr term and 2 to a 2-yr term). The Rector and Treasurer are currently compiling a list of eligible people according to the parish by-laws (article V, Section 3): "The Rector and Treasurer shall establish a list of possible candidates who are eligible in accordance with Canon XVII, Sections 2 and 3 of Canons of the Diocese of Central Florida, as amended Jan. 20, 2000." For more information on National and Diocesan Canons on Vestries, and information on vestry responsibilities taken from publications sponsored by The Episcopal Church click here
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Parish Secretary News
Please welcome Terri Sims as our new Parish Secretary. Terri has been filling Sallie Smith's shoes in a volunteer capacity while Sallie was in hospital and after her discharge while recovering at home. Sallie is doing much better, but still needs our prayers for a complete recovery, and has decided that in order to better facilitate that recovery she needs to step down from her duties as Parish Secretary. She has done an incredible job in that capacity over the last year and a half and I owe her a huge debt of gratitude for all her hard work.
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PARISHIONER PRAYER NEEDS
Mary, Brenda, George, John, Heather, Bob, Karen, Terri, Jack, Cindy, Donna, Abbei, Elizabeth, John, Sallie, Tim, Jim, and Roy
LONG TERM PARISHIONER PRAYER NEEDS
Grover, Ival, Marion, Chet, Stan, Jack, Mike, Suzee, Lillian, Keisha, Jamie, and Jeanie
LONG TERM FRIENDS AND FAMILY PRAYER NEEDS
Fr Dick Grant, Lew, Kailee, Paul, Duncan, Alan
NON-PARISHIONER FRIENDS AND FAMILY PRAYER NEEDS
Doris, Anna, Louise, Karl, Marilyn, Kathy and David, Fred, Keith, Jeff, Kelly, Andrew, Thu, Herb, Kim, Kristina, Christi, Eric, Ruth, Doris, Bob, Paula, Keith, Brent, Debra, Virginia, Robert, Frank, Debbie, Paul, Andy, Pat, Tony, Tom, Don, Megan
MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAMILIES
Zachary Adam Copes, Isaac John Copes, Christopher and Brigitt Kincaid, Justin Moye, Danny Graham, Hugh Darville, Chuck Gitschlag, Rory Patrick Coleman, Dennis Glasgow, Duncan Hanton, William Underhill, Taylor Lee OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS AND SEMINARIAN
Michael and Ryan Guerdan, Lindsey Nicolle, Allen Booker, Robert Borr, Matthew and Sarah Pierce, Robin Campbell, and David Bumsted.
THOSE CELEBRATING THEIR BIRTHDAYS
Rennie Ashcraft, Robert Evans, Matthew Pierce, Sam Wadill
THOSE CELEBRATING THEIR ANNIVERSARIES
THOSE WHO ARE TRAVELING
PRAYER REQUEST LINK: click here for link
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