Join Us For Christmas!
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Christmas Eve at 5 pm (Saturday, December 24th): Festive celebration of the Incarnation of our Lord. Candlelight, choir, Holy Communion, children's homily & activities, with reception following.

Christmas Day at 10 am (Sunday, December 25th): Holy Communion, Christmas message from the Pastor, and lots of Christmas hymns.

New Year's Day at 10 am (Sunday, January 1st): Christmas Lessons & Carols. Hear the story of salvation history leading up to the incarnation and sing lots of our favorite carols.
Notice of
Annual Meeting
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 The Annual Meeting of the Church of the Good Shepherd will take place on Sunday, January 29, 2012, at 9 AM in the sanctuary preceding the Eucharistic Service. At the meeting there will be election of officers and vestry members, as well as delegates to convention and the deanery and presentation of committee reports. There was strong support for continuation of the meeting time as in the last couple of years. Using the sanctuary allows for accessibility for all parishioners and the early time allows the dedicated fans not to miss the Superbowl!
Stewardship Corner
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This year's stewardship campaign was co-chaired by Carol Roberts and Charles Bering, with the theme "Our Church Home" with its four walls of Integrity, Spirituality, Gratitude, and Community. As a result of this very effective effort we now have 32 signed pledge cards, including from people who are pledging for the first time this year. Eleven people have increased their pledges. The amount committed in these pledges is $53,000. We know from experience that some people who do not pledge will nevertheless make contributions, and that some additional pledges will come in during the year, so the vestry has budgeted a total of $61,000 in pledge income for the coming year. This will mean we will still most likely run a deficit in 2012, but significantly smaller than this year's deficit. If our Sunday attendance continues to grow as it has in the past year, it is realistic to hope that we may eliminate the deficit by 2013. Many thanks to Carol and Charlie!
Vestry Update
 
The vestry met this month with the Rev. Ed Pease, who is a dioscesan consultant, to discuss the discernment process for Good Shepherd going forward.  As most of you know, Amy is our Priest in Charge, and that position is a temporary one, though she can certainly be called as our permanent Rector.  The consultant assists both the Priest in Charge and the congregation to determine where they are in the life of the church and where they would like to go in the future.  The vestry will appoint a discernment committee in the next few weeks to help with the process. We are hoping to have a good mix of long-time members as well as newer members of the community.  Amy will also work with Ed, to determine where God is calling her to serve- either with us or in some new direction. It is important that everyone understand that there is no dissatisfation with the great work that Amy is doing or any other motive except to insure that we are moving where we are called to go.  If you have any questions or suggestions, please speak to a member of the vestry.
 
-Jeff Migliozzi, Co-Warden
Prayer Partners
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Thank you to all of those who participated in our Prayer Partner program.  This wonderful program paired members of the congregation together to pray for each other daily over the past few months.  This first round of prayer partners ends on Christmas, but round two is already in the works, and will start in mid-January.  Please contact Juliana Duff with any questions or if you are interested in signing up for the next round.
 
Ministry Links
Good Shepherd's Website
The Daily Office

 
Rejoice!
News from Church of the Good Shepherd, Watertown MA  
December 2011

 

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In everything, give thanks.

                        -- I Thessalonians 5: 18

 

I'm sending more Christmas cards this year than last. And here's the reason:

I looked back through my calendar for the year 2011 recently and spent a bit of time remembering events, projects, parties, and conversations I have had along the way this year. I was struck -- and deeply moved -- to call to mind all sorts of people who went out of their way to help, support, encourage, advise, or laugh with me. My life is so much richer and I am such a better person and pastor for it.

 

Everyone is busy these days, right? So the fact that a person told me they would email me a poem, and then did it is wonderful. That someone noticed I looked sad at a meeting and took time to call and check in with me is amazing. That a friend remembered my birthday and sent me an actual, physical card -- through the US Postal Service! -- is occasion for rejoicing.

 

And then I think of all of you and all that has happened in this church in 2011. Abundant gifts of prayer, time, talent, good questions, honest feedback, genuine emotions, elbow grease -- all offered to one another and those in need. Each time, a choice was made to give. Each time, God worked through it.

 

Christmas season is twelve days long. I encourage you to take time on every day of Christmas to express thanks to someone for some particular way in which they have blessed you this year. Be specific. Add a hug. Pick up the phone or put it in the mail -- the US Postal Service! God came to us most radiantly in Jesus, the Christmas Gift. Let us rejoice in that gift and seek to live lives of blessing, reflecting the "glorious beams" from His holy face.

 

-The Rev. Amy McCreath

 

  Property Update 
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Refurbishing of the Tower Door

 

An unnoticed gem of the Church of the Good Shepherd is the tower door, which for many decades was the main entrance into the church! The doors are carved from oak and were imported from Europe - I will tell you the history in the next Rejoice! The doors underwent a major refurbishment over a decade ago, but recently showed signs (again) of desperate need for care. Thanks to excellent preparation by Eric Standberg and a new coat of stain and varnish, they have been restored once again. (An additional coat of varnish will be applied during the next warm weather break.) The words carved in the shields at the top of the door are "I was glad when they said unto me we will go into the house of the Lord." Take a look!

Green Deacon  
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The Gift That Keeps On Giving

 

Alfredo Bartelozzi, Manager of the Watertown Food Pantry, visited our church during Advent to share what the needs are among Watertown residents. As you know the Nichols Avenue Community Garden which CGS was a key leader in starting, has a plot set aside for fresh produce for the food pantry. I loved hearing from the food pantry gardeners how much the recipients of the produce appreciated the fresh vegetables Swiss Chard, Cherry Tomatoes, and Green Beans. The gardeners too were so enlivened by their service to the hungry.

I spoke to Alfredo during coffee hour about the next community garden we are building this spring on the property of Mt. Auburn Cemetery on Grove Street. He said in his jolly way, "Hey send me an e-mail about the specifics of your food pantry plot at Grove Street and I'll round up lots of volunteers for you. In fact my wife would love to help out."

The Vestry focused on Community Gardening last year. The goal stated, "CGS will extend its commitment to community gardening and food issues in the year ahead by... in partnership with the Watertown Community Garden Leadership Team, advocating for an ecumenical gardening plot where food would be grown and donated to the Watertown Food Pantry" .

If one thinks of growing peas in early spring it can be a metaphor for new life in Christ, a Christmas theme. Our Christian community on Russell Avenue is sending out tendrils of support, hope, and structural development and it is bearing much fruit. Those tender peas of early spring bring such delight to the eyes and taste buds. Thank you all for becoming awake to the needs of the hungry and poor in Watertown. Matthew 25:31-40


 -Rev. Louise Forrest 
Contact Information

Amy McCreath- Priest-in-Charge

(617) 924-9420
[email protected] 

 

Linda Lyster- Organist/Choirmaster
(617) 734-3072
[email protected]

Juliana Duff- Intern
(617)771-6225
[email protected] 


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