Children's Formation
The art above and below are from a recent children's formation class, where Rachael Thames reflected with the children on what it means to follow Jesus. One child said that Jesus helps "lock the door to the wrong thing and open the door to the right thing."

What do you think? What does it mean to follow Jesus? How does it transform your life? 


 

 Bishop Gates visits CGS


This photo shows Angelita Caceda with Bishop Gates during his Feb. 1st visitation to CGS. The festive day included a blessing of candles, lots of great music from both our singers and the Haitian Baptist Church choir, and a time for conversation after worship. In his sermon, our Bishop reminded us that we all are "candles" for Christ, blessed each Sunday and sent out to be a blessing in this world.

 

 
Signs of Transformation from the Church of England
Our Lenten theme at CGS is Signs of Transformation. And just as we begin to look for them, the Church of England presents us with a timely transformative mission.

An article in the Guardian, states, "In an unprecedented intervention, the church's bishops have published a joint open letter warning that "our democracy is failing" and attacking the "growing appetite to exploit grievances" and "find scapegoats" in society. They call for "a fresh moral vision of the kind of country we want to be." 

One of the key points in this 52 page letter addresses the question, "Who is my neighbor?" Part of the answer is
that it is the duty of the church to engage in political debate in an attempt to help shape our political culture to be truly democratic, neighbor-ly, and caring. The letter raises the issue of economic inequality
in light of the Biblical tradition warning against too much power falling into too few hands. In response to this the Church is promoting, among other things, a living wage. 

Many members of CGS have been part of this work through Episcopal City Mission. We lobbied for an increase in the minimum wage and the establishment of earned sick time. It is heartening to see the Church of England taking on the work of resurrecting a truly inclusive and caring democracy. Their transformative mission is a sign to us there is a long road ahead, we are not alone on it.

-- Kate Gyllensvard,
ECM representative
 
The New Growing Season is Coming

Even as we continue to shovel out from record snow fall, we are laying plans for a new season of growing food for our neighbors and nurturing a new generation of gardeners at VGS 2015!

CGS helped start Water-town's first community garden in 2011, and since then, we have grown food in a plot there, which we donate to the Watertown Food Pantry. Might you be called to join this team? The commitment is about 1.5 hours a week through the spring and summer, with allow-ances made for vaca-tions, etc. Ponder and pray, and if you have questions, ask Carol Roberts or Pastor Amy.

Help prepare the garden for Vacation Garden School. On May 2,CGS will participate in Watertown Helps Out, a day of town-wide community service, by offering folks a chance to pre-pare a parcel of our parish grounds for Vacation Garden School later in the summer. Mark your calendar and plan to join us, 10 am to noon.
 
Be In Touch
Church of the Good Shepherd: 617-924-9420

The Rev. Amy McCreath: 617-967-7780

Co-Warden Rob Flynn: 617-548-1820

Co-Warden Brad Parsons: 617-501-4539

Organist/Choirmaster Linda Lyster: 617-734-3072

The church office is open on Tuesdays, 9 am to noon, and on Thursdays, noon to 5 pm.



 
Rejoice! 
News from Church of the Good Shepherd, Watertown -- March 2014
Rector's Message

 

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.  

-- Psalm 138:8

 

This Tuesday evening, five adults in our parish who are preparing for baptism or confirmation will meet at SSJE, the Episcopal monastery in Cambridge, to participate in the weekly Community Eucharist. They will stay for a soup supper and conversation with the evening's preacher.

 

I didn't know the Episcopal Church had monks or nuns until 1991. That was the year I went on retreat at Mary's Margin, in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, run by the Community of St. Mary. My first retreat there was life-changing, as I witnessed in the sisters a depth of joy in God I never knew possible.  

 

Brian and I attended a Community Eucharist at SSJE the very first Tuesday after we moved to the Boston area. We had no idea then what a gift it would be to us to receive the ministry of this fellowship. In the years since, we have had monks as spiritual directors, and I have taken several groups on retreat to Emery House, SSJE's rural retreat center. Our children were baptized at the monastery. The brothers supported and advised the ministry at MIT in countless ways while I served as chaplain there. I continue to take retreat days there from time to time. I have also been blessed by time spent at Bethany House of Prayer in Arlington, a ministry offered in partnership with the Sisters of St. Anne, an Episcopal order of nuns.

 

Very few places in our culture offer anything like a model of "steadfastness." How can we comprehend the steadfast love of God for us and for all of creation? For myself, it helps to know fellow Christians who, through their vows, their rhythm of shared prayer, and their humility before the gift and mystery of God's love, give us a glimpse of that steadfastness. It helps to have brothers and sisters in Christ who remind me that the transformation I seek requires of me a quietness, a discipline, a patience I often avoid in my life. 

 

This Lent, as we prepare for Easter by looking for signs of transformation, I offer thanksgiving for the witness and ministry of Episcopal nuns and monks. They give us strength for the journey, and we are blessed to have them right down the road at SSJE and right up the hill at Bethany House of Prayer.

 

Faithfully,

 

(The Rev.) Amy McCreath

Rector

Good Shepherd Families Retreat!


 

While families at Good Shepherd are blessed to commune on Sundays and during other Church events, we have scant opportunities together outside of those times. Making the best of a difficult winter season, families from CGS braved the elements over the weekend of February 7 & 8 to do the unthinkable: ENJOY THE SNOW!! The intrepid clans, joined by our childrens' formation teachers Jaclyn and Rachel, gathered in the heart of New Hampshire's White Mountains for two days of fresh air, fabulous food, and some much needed relaxation by the fire. How nice it was to get away. 


On Saturday afternoon the hearty crew donned snowshoes and crossed the frozen Rocky Branch River, following an old bridle trail up into the White Mountain National Forest. Sssshh, listen to the wind, the birds! Be still. Look at the tracks of the animals. A moose passed not long ago! A fisher-cat scrambled up this bank! Deer were here. A mouse scuttled between these two trees. Take time for quiet, mindful observation. Breathe the cold mountain air. Now back for hot chocolate and a fireside nap. How many times like these do we have in the city? 

Sunday morning we gorged on pancakes and maple syrup, and headed off for another beautiful snowshoe by the river. Legs tired, we returned to the house for a lovely informal, fireside Eucharist, with prayers for healing, hope, and restoration. A quick lunch of leftover chicken and vegetables, and things were packed up. Everyone headed south feeling refreshed and renewed. Let's do it again, soon!


-- Peter Rosenmeier


 Preparing for an informal Eucharist at the CGS family retreat

Holy Week at CGS
 

Each year, the church invites us to return to the story that is at the core of our faith. That story is sometimes called the "paschal mystery." "Paschal" is from "passover," and it refers to Jesus passing over from death to life. "Mystery" here does not mean secret or hidden. Instead it refers to a truth that is beyond our comprehension or full ability to grasp.


 

Please plan ahead to participate fully in our Holy Week observances. More details about each gathering will be coming in the days ahead. 


 

Maundy Thursday (April 2) -- 5:30 pm community dinner, 7:00 pm liturgy with footwashing.

 

Night Watch -- Thursday, 9 pm thru Friday, 7 am. Spend an hour or several hours keeping watch in the church.

 

Good Friday (April 3):

       Mid-day Quiet Observance, noon to 3 pmwith short     

       devotions each hour on the hour

 

               Solemn Good Friday liturgy, 7 pm.

 

Holy Saturday "Greening" of the church & egg dying -- 10 am to noon. Help clean, polish, and otherwise prepare for the greatest night of the church year. Kids of all ages also invited to dye eggs!

 

Holy Saturday (April 4) - Easter Vigil, 7 pm. We remember the history of God's saving work as told in scripture and song, and we announce the Resurrection, loudly and with great joy - Bring a bell! Festive reception following.

 

Easter Day (April 5) - The Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord, with baptisms and an egg hunt - 10 am.

 

Lenten Fasts & Feasts

Fast from judging others; Feast on Christ dwelling in them.

Fast from fear of illness; Feast on the healing power of God.

Fast from the words that pollute; Feast on speech that purifies.

Fast from discontent; Feast on gratitude.

Fast on anger; Feast on patience.

Fast from pessimism; Feast on optimism.

Fast from bitterness; Feast on forgiveness.

Fast from self-concern; Feast on compassion.

Fast from gossip; Feast on purposeful silence.

Fast from problems that overwhelm; Feast on prayers that sustain.

Fast from worry; Feast in faith.

 

-- adapted & revised from the Anglican Digest

 

Shroves on a Snowy Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday was festive and fun, despite the mounds of snow outside! The intrepid band of folks who made it to the parish hall enjoyed tasty flapjacks, buried the alleluia's in the snow, sang their hearts out, and burned the palms after digging out the "holy hibachi" from its snow cave. A good time was had by all. We also raised almost $200 for the Watertown Food Pantry! Thanks to Rob Flynn and Jim Donna, Top Chefs of the night.

Youth Group

On March 22, our joint youth group with Christ Church, Waltham, will visit the brothers of SSJE. The youth will spend an hour touring the monastery and learning about religious life. They will then join the brothers for evening prayer. The afternoon will conclude with a cocoa expedition to Burdick's in Harvard Square! 

God our Father, you see your children growing up in an 
unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways 
give more life than the ways of the world, and that following 
you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to 
take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance 
for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you, 
and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen.                              -- Book of Common Prayer

The Final Word

The Rev. Malcolm Boyd died last week at the age of 91. His 1965 book, "Are You Running with Me, Jesus?" broke open the Episcopal Church's understanding of what prayer can sound like and where God is at work. His commitment to honest engagement with the world, especially those on the margins, challenged the church and transformed lives. An obituary is here.

Where am I running? You know these things I can't understand. It's not that I need to have you tell me.What counts most is just that somebody knows, and it's you. That helps a lot. So I'll follow along, OK? But lead, please. Now I've got to run. Ar you running with me, Jesus? 

- from "Are You Running With Me Jesus?"