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1 Advent
| | Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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Next Sunday
2nd Advent
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Canticle 16
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6
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Upcoming Events
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Wednesday, December 5
Taize Service 6:30 pm in the Chapel
Sunday, December 9 Pageant narrators' rehearsal - Children's Choir rehearsal - Choir Rm
Wednesday, December 12 Taize Service 6:30 pm in the Chapel
Sunday, December 16 Pageant narrators' rehearsal - Church
Silent Nativity rehearsal - Church
Children's Choir rehearsal - Choir Rm
Wednesday, December 19 Taize Service 6:30 pm in the Chapel
Saturday, December 22 - 10:00 am
Pageant Dress Rehearsal - Church
Childrens Choir Rehearsal - Church
Sunday, December 23 Greening of the Church and Chapel
after the 10:30 am service
Monday, December 24 Christmas Eve Family Service with Pageant and Childrens Choir 5:00 pm in the Church
Feast of the Holy Nativity - with carols and incense in the Church
10:30 pm Musical Medley
11:00 pm Midnight Mass
Tuesday, December 25 Christmas Day Feast of the Holy Nativity - Holy Eucharist, Rite 1 in the Chapel at 9:30 am
DIOCESAN NEWS
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Regularly Scheduled
Worship Services
& Programs | | |
Weekdays
Monday thru Friday
Food Bank
open
10:00 am - noon
Wednesdays
Tabitha's Treasures
10:30 am
in Roberta's Hall
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Noonday Prayer
at noon in Roberta's Hall on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Wednesdays of the month
Holy Eucharist
at noon in Roberta's Hall on the 1st Wednesdays
Thursdays
Choir Practice 7:00 pm in the Choir Room
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)
Order of St Luke
1st and 3rd Sundays at 12:00 noon in the Prayer Ministry Room
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Junior Warden's Suggestion Box
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 Scroll down to the bottom of the page
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Email Archives
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Previous "Good Shepherd News" emails
More Details Link
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Sermons on Website
& iTunes
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Sermons on Website -
Click Here
Good Shepherd podcast page in iTunes -
Click Here
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Church of
The Good Shepherd's
Facebook Page
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Dearly Beloved in Christ,
Hope. A sure hope. Not a pie-in-the-sky, airy-fairy hope. But a substantial, rugged, enduring hope. That is one of the marks of the Christian life.
The "reason for the season" is not only the birth of the Christ child - it is that - but it is so much more. This first coming that we celebrate - this first "advent" - means that we can firmly place our hope in the promise of the second coming - the second "advent."
The Gospel reading for the first Sunday in Advent (Luke 21:25-36) throws us headlong, not into preparations for the re-enactment of the first coming of baby Jesus, but into visions of his long-awaited return: "distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and waves." Since the Fall the earth has not been free from earthquakes, catastrophic volcanic eruptions, droughts, floods, etc., and mankind has never been free of wars. Those who try and interpret the "signs" would find themselves hard-pressed to find a time in history when these events were not occurring. Paul said: "We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies." (Romans 8:22)
The first coming meant that sin and death lost their power over those who welcome the Christ-child in. The second coming means that sin and death will be completely eradicated, heaven and earth will pass away, and there will be a new heaven and a new earth. Take heart "the Son of Man" will return "with power and great glory" and although for some there will be "fear and foreboding" the Lord tells us "stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."
We live between the "advents." Because of the first we live expectantly with the certain, steadfast hope of the second. And that living is to be done prayerfully and with abounding love the one for the other (1 Thess 3:12) for "all the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies." (Psalm 25:9)
In the Peace, Grace, and Love of our Lord,
Rev'd Sarah+
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ADVENT TAIZE SERVICES
 Join us for these beautifully contemplative 30 minute services at 6:30 pm on Wednesday evenings in Advent (December 5, December 12, December 19) as we quiet our hearts in the peace-filled, candlelit Chapel in preparation for the celebration of the birth of the Prince of Peace.
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MINISTRY APPRECIATION CHRISTMAS PARTY
at The Burgess' Sunday, December 9, 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Jim and Irene have once again graciously offered to host a Christmas Party for everyone involved in a ministry at Good Shepherd - that's a lot of people! We don't have the staff or time to send out individual invitations but if you have been involved in ANY ministry over the last year please consider yourself invited. The following is not an exhaustive list, so if your ministry is not listed it doesn't mean you are not invited - if you've helped out in any way you are! If in doubt call Terri at the Church Office 407 644 5350 This is not an exhaustive list: Breakfast Teams, Food Bank, OSL/Prayer Ministry, Music Ministry, Landscape Committee/Workdays, Tabitha's Treasures, Fundraisers, Office Volunteers, Hospitality, Vestry, Christian Formation, Pastoral Care, Outreach, Stewardship, Flower Guild, Altar Guild, LEMs, LEVs, Ushers, etc...
PLEASE LET TERRI IN THE PARISH OFFICE KNOW IF YOU WILL BE ATTENDING - 407 644-5350 or terri@goodshepherd-maitland.com
Bring a Dish to Share
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ADVENT SPRUCE UP
A huge "thank you" to Bob Borr, Jr. Warden, and all the faithful who came out to spruce up the church, and Cindy for supplying lunch. Not too sure how many cans of pledge and bottles of glass cleaner we went through, but it smells really good, and looks really good!
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ANGEL TREE MINISTRY
 Drop off date for gifts has been extended to December 9. Thanks so much to all who have purchased gifts already. There are just a few angel tags left in the church and chapel. Please do not wrap the gifts.
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CHILDREN'S PAGEANT & CHOIR REHEARSALS
 Rehearsals will take place on Sundays after the 10:30 am service as follows:
Dec 9: Narrators (Church), Children's Choir (Choir Room)
Dec 16: Narrators, Silent Nativity participants, Children's Choir (Church)
DRESS REHEARSAL - ALL
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22 at 10:00 am in the Church
Rennie Ashcraft and Dari van Hissenhoven are the Coordinators for this year's Pageant.
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MAGNIFY THE LIVING LORD - VOLUME III
Magnify the Living Lord has now been published for two years. Both have been well received so we will be putting together another one this year. In fact, Rev. Sarah has heard from people who were disappointed when both volumes stopped appearing on the website.
The focus for Volume 3 will be on experiences that have increased, in other words, magnified your faith in the living Lord. Have you ever looked at something that was very hard to see with the naked eye and have been amazed at how it appears when magnified? Isn't it astounding how little things can appear when our eyes are better opened to them.
Would you please give some thought about something that may have happened in your life so that your eyes can see them better -- resulting in your faith becoming greater than it had been. Sharing our experiences with others may, in turn, open even more eyes to how the Lord helps each of us on our life's journey. It's wonderful how He can use "little things" in "big ways" to reach us.
In Volume 3 I will be telling how the Lord took my fondness for garage sales to reach out to me. How has He done it for you?
Please let me know in a short writing of no more than two, double-spaced pages. You may e-mail it to me HERE or hand it to me at church. If you don't care to write, I will be glad to write it for you. Call and tell me about it. (407-830-5258)
The deadline will be Feb. 1 (after the holidays) so you will have plenty of time to get it turned in to me.
I would, however, appreciate a call or an e-mail soon to let me know of your intent to participate. That will give me an idea of how many to expect.
Thank you.
Joy Sutton
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Pledge cards and Pledge envelopes
 Many thanks to those who have completed and handed in their pledge cards. Just a reminder that in order to be assigned a pledge envelope a pledge card needs to be completed each year so that the Parish Administrator can enter the required information into the parish database.
You can download a pledge card here: Pledge Card
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 PARISHIONER PRAYER NEEDS
Mary Jo, Deacon Mary Ellen, Deacon Judith, Katiana and Family, The Edmund Family, Danny
LONG TERM PARISHIONER PRAYER NEEDS
Walter, Rufus, Marion, Stan, Suzee, George, Brenda, Mary Jo, Elizabeth, Roy, Millie, Pete, Sue, Marnay, Abbei, Gloria, Althea, Trena, Terri, Sallie, Donna, Lillian, Keisha, Jeanie, Frances, Meg, Joan, Sandy, Ramona, Becky, Ron, Brian, Jakob, Gabe, Kaitlyn, Jim, and Irene
FRIENDS AND FAMILY PRAYER NEEDS
Skip, Irving and Family, Diane, Kristine, Leah, Michael, Lauretta, John, TJ, Jane, Dan, Horace, Brett, Jeffrey, Lacey, Clarissa, Jay
LONG TERM FRIENDS AND FAMILY PRAYER NEEDS
John, Kathy, George, Melina, Billy, Lowell, Charla, Wendy, Shari, Richie, Sonia, Brian, Adam, Deborah, Jennean, Barbara, Daniel, Robert, Tasos, Jason, Kyle, Lew, Paul, Duncan, Alan, Debra, Eden
MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAMLIES
Kevin Waters, Geoffrey Noplis, Zachary Adam Copes, Christopher and Brigitt Kincaid, Justin Moye, Danny Graham, Ronnie Robison, Chuck Gitschlag, Rory Patrick Coleman, Dennis Glasgow, Duncan Hanton, William Underhill, and Taylor Lee
COLLEGE STUDENTS AND SEMINARIAN
Isaac John Copes, Michael and Ryan Guerdan, Lindsey Nicolle, Robert Borr, Matthew and Sarah Pierce, David Bumsted
THOSE CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS
Sam Wadill, Rennie Ashcraft, Robert Evans, Matthew Pierce
THOSE CELEBRATING ANNIVERSARIES
SAFE TRAVEL
Betty and Betsy Campbell
THANKSGIVINGS
Good results for Mary Ellen's tests. Prayers continue.
Continued improvement for Lowell. Prayers continue for complete healing.
For improvement in Pete's health. Prayers continue
For Duncan Hanton's safe return from Afghanistan
For successful surgery and continued healing for George
For the health and baptism of baby Eden and for her mom Natasha
For Michael's successful surgery. Prayers continue for complete healing.
For Irving's healing. Prayers continue for strength.
Online Prayer Request Form
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