The Church of the Good Shepherd

eShepherd's Staff
New & Noteworthy

November 8, 2013

Rector's Reflections

Enriching Thanksgiving - November rings the bell to start the holiday race! Our parish offers wonderful opportunities to grow spiritually at this time of year. We prepare the Thanks-Giving Parish Banquet (11/23) and distribute Thanksgiving Baskets (11/25). New for this year is the chance to enrich Thanksgiving by inviting a child to our tables. This Sunday, we will post names and pictures of 100 children which you can "adopt" for Thanksgiving by donating to their welfare with financial gifts of any amount. I am delighted that El Hogar has provided this opportunity and hope that many of you will feel called to take part.

At our home, we will choose a child, place the picture on our table, and pray for this little orphan. Would this enrich your Thanksgiving?

Blessings, Larry

What to Expect This Sunday

Nave Services: 7:45, 9:15, 11:15am.

10:40a.m. Coffee Social, Education: for all ages

*Please join us at the 9:15 service for the Celebration of New Ministry for Brian Walsh (Minister for Youth Groups and Young Adults) and Randi Hicks Rowe (Formation Minister for Children, Youth and their Families).

Save these dates!

Sun, 11/17, 9:15am - Interactive Service

Sat, 11/23 - Thanks-Giving Parish Banquet

(Working to combine with the Club FM 11/22 event)

Mon, 11/25 - Thanksgiving Basket Drive
Thurs, 11/28 10:30am - Thanksgiving Service

Stewardship Update

As of 11/6, we have received 143 pledges for $473,547.04 with a 6.58% increase from last year. Please prayerfully discern and return your pledge card in response to God's blessings for you and for the work of God's church in 2014!

Community Events

Thanksgiving Basket Sign-up

An annual Thanksgiving tradition at Good Shepherd is to provide complete Thanksgiving turkey dinners for the less fortunate in our community. Sign ups will begin this Sunday, Nov. 10th and continue for the next 2 Sundays, Nov. 17th and 24th. Donations of a filled basket, a partial basket, or cash are welcome.

Click here for the shopping list. Drop off your basket at the church on Monday, Nov 25th between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Volunteers are needed throughout the day to help assemble the baskets and deliver them. If you can help, please add your name to the sign-up list and let us know when you are available to assemble or drive. If you have any questions, call Judy Caddell at 703-999-6226 or email Jan Wilcox at jhwilcox@aol.com.

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null Recruiting for The Good Shepherd Players performance of The Sound of Music continues! Please contact Tom Allen at tallen47@verizon.net) or Carol St. Germain at earthcarol@verizon.net. Help us celebrate our 35th year!

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Calling all Good Shepherd Bakers!

The Bake Sale at last year's Shop the Shepherd was a huge success, thanks to the many terrific cooks at Good Shepherd! We hope you will again bake one of your favorite recipes to donate. Cakes, pies, breads, candies and cookies welcomed. Not a baker but love to make jellies, jams, sauces, pickles or other homemade items? Please do! Variety sells!

Three kitchen workshops are planned to supplement your donations: Tues., Dec. 3 from 1-4pm (Jane Wiedhahn's kitchen), Thurs., Dec. 5 from 1-4pm (Peg Morris' kitchen), Thurs., Dec. 5 from 6:30-9:30 (Sharon Brown's kitchen). We also need help with wrapping and pricing on Sheads Hall on Fri., Dec. 6 from 7-9pm.

Please contact Peggy Morris (peg.morris@verizon.net) to attend a kitchen workshop. Each workshop limited to 6 people. Come join the fun!

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Silent Auction to Benefit Facets

Join us on Saturday, November 16, 2013 for a fun evening to benefit Facets' work to open doors for people in need living in our community. This dinner party and silent auction will be held from 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. at the Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center, 3740 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22030. Join us a a group from COGS to have a great dinner fellowship and the opportunity to support Facets. Contact Richard Holcombe at Jrholc49@cox.net if you are planing to go so we can reserve a COGS table.

To purchase your tickets use this link to the Facets web site.

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Special Diocesan Event: Diocesan Volunteer Day is Saturday, November 16, 2013, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Aquia Church, Stafford, VA. Small workshops with practical offerings for developing disaster relief teams. Contact Kathy Moore for additional information at dskjmoore@yahoo.com or click here.

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Only THREE shopping days left . . .

For you to order Good Shepherd Christmas trees, wreaths, and roping. The Outreach Committee will sell trees, wreaths, and roping on Sunday Nov. 10, 17, and 24 between the services. Again, this year orders for those items will be taken only on those days. Come see us at our order table in the Narthex and/or pick up a flier from the "take home table". Prices are the same as last year and the quality is exceptional. We are also providing an opportunity for you to send a mail-order wreath to family, friends, and business associates. The wreath will be shipped by UPS anywhere in the continental United States in early December. See a sample wreath at the tree sales table.

Please support our Christmas tree/wreath/roping sale which helps fund our Good Shepherd Outreach Projects. For questions, contact Gail Calabrese (gailcalabrese@verizon.net) or 703-425-0961

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Shop the Shepherd Christmas Showcase will be accepting

vendors until December 1st. Small businesses & crafters welcome!

The showcase will be held on Saturday, 7 DEC from 10am - 3pm Cost: $50 + donation of one item for church raffle. To inquire or register, contact Jan Wilcox at jhwilcox@aol.com. Profits benefit Good Shepherd. Please help get the word out!

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Diocesan Prevention of Adult Sexual Misconduct, Abbreviated Course

Good Shepherd will offer the Prevention of Adult Sexual Misconduct, Abbreviated Training, which includes Prevention of Elder Abuse on Saturday, November 9 from 10:30 a.m - 12:30 p.m.

You are required to take this course if you are a

Licensed catechist who teaches adults
Licensed Eucharistic Visitor who take communion to homes, hospitals, and other facilities
Volunteer who teaches adults at times other than Sunday morning (e.g., ESOL teachers)
Vestry member or Warden
Member of a group that performs outside the church or conducts activities in nursing homes, NVTC, or other facilities with adults

Certification is valid for ten years, and this class may be used as a renewal course for the full Prevention of Adult Misconduct certificate. Kathy Moore has been certified by the Diocese to conduct the training. Please register for the class by contacting Kathy at kmooreslp@yahoo.com. The course is open to anyone interested in learning how to prevent adult sexual abuse and/or elder abuse.

Good News at Good Shepherd!

Updates on Recent Community and Stewardship Events

New Orchestra of Washington

Opens 2013-14 Concert Series

The New Orchestra of Washington (NOW) opened the second season of the Good Shepherd Concert Series with a superb program of music from Mozart to 21st Century South American music! The concert featured German artists Sara and Rahel Rilling as soloists in the Mozart Symphonie Concertante, as well as a world premiere by Venezuelan composer Andres Levell enitled Peregrinatio Serpens (The Journey of the Snake). This intense work was commissioned by NOW and received its world premiere on Saturday evening at their opening concert in Washington, DC. The program concluded with two delightful pieces by Mexican composer Arturo Marquez, one of which was conducted by the composer himself. The final work on the program, Danzon No. 2 by Marquez, which has been performed by major orchestras around the world, made the audience feel like dancing as they left the concert! A reception followed the performance. Thanks to all who attended, and all who worked behind the scenes to make this an evening to remember!

A Wonderful Outpouring for Special Treasures Sale!

The Outreach Committee enjoyed a successful Special Treasures Sale on October 19. One parishioner downsized from a house and donated furniture and household items. We also received other gifts and contributions, raising about $4000 for the Compassion Fund. The Outreach Committee thanks all who donated items, provided publicity, prepared and then ran the event. We had fun while giving in many ways from our time, talent and treasure.

The Fall Food Drive in honor of Mary Jane Sommer received 1,321 lbs of food for the relief of those in Fairfax County!

Visit

Good Shepherd on the web at

good-shepherd.net

Church of the

Good Shepherd

9350 Braddock Rd.

Burke VA 22015

703-323-5400

Ministry Opportunities

Help Needed for Thanks-Giving Banquet (11/23). Would you like to donate a cooked Turkey, a pie, or an hors d'oeuvre? Email Rhonda at: offficemanager@good-shepherd.net.

Would you like to help with the "Send a Support Card" for students at college during exams? Email Rhonda at: offficemanager@good-shepherd.net

Elves with pick-up trucks needed to help us load our tree/greenery order at Holy Spirit Church (just down the road on Braddock), transport them and unload them at our lot at COGS. This will be Saturday morning, Nov. 30. If you are an elf who meets our needs, please contact Gail Calabrese at gailcalabrese@verizon.net or 703-425-0961. Thank you!

Youth News

Upcoming Events

Nov 10 - Confirmation Class, Parents vs. Kids Quiz Bowl

Nov 17 - Confirmation Class (Last Class), No Youth Group. All youth group and J2A youth are encouraged to attend the Pilgrimage Retreat Interest Meeting at 6:30pm.

November 24 - Thanksgiving Basket Scavenger Hunt. Meet at church at 2pm. Pick up at 4pm.

November 25 - Youth are encouraged to come help pack and load Thanksgiving Baskets at church after school.

Please e-mail Brian Walsh or call 703-850-5386 with any questions.

Follow the Rector's
Daily Reflections at stoneshout.blogspot.com

Be the prayers of the people

For the sick: Megan Rich, Janet Goldman, Gayle Smith Lacy, Ray Caddell

Before Surgery: Marlene Farmer

For those who will pass this day without food or shelter.

For all on our prayer list linked here, we offer these prayers.

Thank you many times over!

"Stir us up to good works"

For our parish breakfast team last Sunday: Linda Kay (crew chief), Rob & Aidan Rockwood (Cooks), Charlotte Hinkle & Stephen Reith (cooks), Martha Godin (serving line coordinator), Christine Sniegowski (vestry coordinator and cashier).

For Chris and Tamara Gordon's leadership with Club FM (Family Ministry) and all those who took part in "Trunk or Treat,"

For Lois Lightfoot's coordination of the Blood Drive,

For Steve Goldman's excellence in teaching his Sunday Series,

For Keow Essig as our Christian Formation for Children and Youth Chair,

Help us recognize others for their good works! Email your suggestions to the Rector.

Did You Know?

Keow Essig received a special presentation from the parish from the Michael Podesta Collection in thanksgiving for her ministry as Acting Sunday School Coordinator (8/20 through 10/6).

People gave about 35 units for the Fall Blood Drive!

Our parish pictorial directory has been received by LifeTouch and is now in process. We will get the draft back for corrections prior to printing.

We are careful to distribute gluten free wafers to those who request them. We have learned that there is no threat from touching the regular wafers and then the gluten free elements. Please convey any concerns to the rector.

We will celebrate Veteran's Day this Sunday with Veteran's as our 9:15am acolytes.

"Send us out to do the work you have given us to do."

Our Parish Mission and Vision

The Church of the Good Shepherd is a Christ-centered community sharing God's love. We strive to Strengthen Faith, Build Community, Serve Others.