From Fr. Gary: Where is he?

On December 1st, we turn the corner on our three-year lectionary cycle, and begin again reading the Gospel of Matthew. As you probably know, Matthew and Luke’s Gospels provide all we know about the birth and childhood of Jesus. And, since there are some similarities between the two accounts (primarily having to do with the Virgin Mary’s part in the whole story), we often combine the two Gospels’ stories into one narrative. I have no doubt we’ll see that happen in the coming weeks!

The end of all the “birth narratives” comes in the second chapter of Matthew, when we learn that some astrologer/philosophers “from the East” journey to Judea because they were looking to find “the child who [had] been born king of the Jews . . . [They] observed his star at its rising, and [had] come to pay him homage.” I have to wonder WHAT they thought they were going to find. Where were they going to be directed? They expected something “royal” — only such a birth would be accompanied by a heavenly wonder such as the star. Indeed, they went to King Herod to get directions!  It turned out, however, that the King didn’t know the answer! And he had to engage the Magi in the endeavor of finding the “new-born king.”

So off they set, following their astrological charts until the found the “place where the child was.” When they got to the house (Not a manger! This is Matthew!), they went in and found Jesus and Mary, his mother. And they knelt in homage, and brought forth the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Strange gifts, to be sure, but gifts representative of their home; gifts they believed would be appropriate for royalty.

But, you have to wonder what they were thinking when, "having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.” “What manner of royalty was THAT? That was no palace!” you can almost hear the conversation! Now I know that much can be (and has been) made of the imagery in the story, but what makes me pause for a second is the idea that, while they went looking for something particular, they found something quite different. They went looking for the King of the Jews . . . and they found Him. But Jesus turned out to be nothing they expected.

As we make our way through Advent this year, this four-week build-up to Christmas, I wonder what we might have in mind about what we’ll find at the end of our journey? Are we so accustomed to all the stories, all the imagery - even expectations of the Christmas Pageant -that our expectations might keep us from being surprised by a “King of the Jews” who looks nothing like we imagined? And, since he may look like nothing we imagined, might he call us to join in a mission that we can’t imagine as well?

Lord Jesus, be born anew in us this season!

“Love in Service” Stewardship Campaign off to a good start, but . . . we’ve got a ways to go!!

As of 11/25/2019 we have received 122 pledges for $393,162 for an average pledge of $3223. As you may be aware, our goal is 175 pledges for $550,000. We are very pleased with our early results and we anticipate at least 50 more pledges. We thank you for your generosity in supporting the Good Shepherd ministry for our 2020 Stewardship Campaign.

Our Ambassadors will be calling those individuals and families that have not pledged the first week of December as we try to conclude our 2020 Stewardship Campaign by December 16. This will give us time to prepare our budget for 2020 as we move toward our Annual Meeting on January 29, 2020.

Please help us by getting your pledge in as soon as possible.

December offers several special events for Good Shepherd’s children

Advent Liturgy for Children December 1

Advent is a time to prepare our hearts for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. As is our annual tradition, we are going to have an Advent liturgy downstairs in the Children’s area on December 1, during the regular Sunday school time, for all kids age 3 years and up. The only difference this year, is that we will utilize the entire church service time as we explore the meaning of 8 Jesse Tree symbols and the kids will also make a wall hanging of these ornaments to take home.

Youth & Children’s Choir December 15

We are offering a youth & children's choir, on December 15, led by Connie Branton (our Choir Director). Rehearsals are Sundays from 10:20-10:30 on Nov. 17 & 24 and Dec. 1 downstairs during the Sunday school time. We will have one last rehearsal at 9:30 in the Sanctuary on December 15, right before the kids will sing in the service. All kids and youth are welcome!

Christmas Pageant Rehearsals

All children ages 3+ are welcome to join us for Christmas Pageant rehearsals. This will be an exciting and memorable way for children to experience the miracle of the first Christmas. Rehearsals are going to be December 8, 15 and 22 from 11:45-12:45 in the Sanctuary. A light lunch will be provided in the parish hall beforehand for participants. The very talented Suraya Bowermaster will coordinate this year’s pageant. Feel free to contact her with any questions at Suraya.yahaya@gmail.com. Please help us by volunteering to bring a light lunch for our estimated 15 participating children.

The nursery will be open for the 4 pm service on Christmas Eve. Volunteers are needed so we can provide care for our youngest church family and visitors. Please let Rev. Gary know if you are available to care for our littlest ones.

Communion Instruction, save the date and RSVP:

Starting March 1, Elaine Oxenbury is offering a 5-week Communion instruction series during the normal Sunday school class time. It will be presented as part of the 3rd-5th grade Sunday school class but is open to all children pre-k and above. Depending on the ages of the children who will participate (please RSVP), the kids may be divided into 2 age groups for either the entire time or just the second half of Sunday school each week. It will be tailored to the needs of the child and will honor your child’s Communion experience, whether this will be their first-time taking Communion or not. It will be a preparation for the celebration of First Communion or a continuation of the exploration of the meaning of why we celebrate this Sacrament. We will recognize the participants of this class and celebrate with those who will receive their First Communion at the service on April 19 at 10:00. Elaine will be in contact with parents and provide further details. If you have a child who is not in the 3rd-5th grade class, please contact Elaine at oxenburyeg@comcast.net to let her know your desire to have your child join this class. Children don’t need to be baptized to be in the class, but for your child to receive Communion, they will need to be baptized. For more information on being baptized, please contact Rev. Gary.

Sunday school begins at 9:45 every Sunday. As a reminder, there is one Godly Play classroom, for children aged 3 years through 2nd grade. Grades 3, 4 and 5 are using Living the Good News.

An Advent Liturgy downstairs on December 1 (see above) will begin the month for all ages. The Godly Play classroom will have hands on presentations every remaining Sunday in December, led by either Elaine Farrell, Susie Street or myself with either Jackie Algermissen, Emma Blackburn, Kaitie Blackburn, or myself helping. The presentations for this month are as follows:

• December 1st: Advent Liturgy downstairs

• December 8th: Advent 1 and 2 (The Prophets and the Holy Family)

• December 15th: Advent 3 (The Shepherds)

• December 22nd: Advent 4 (The Magi and Jesus’s birth)

• December 29th: The Mystery of Christmas

Elaine Oxenbury is the faithful every week teacher in the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade class. The liturgical teachings (meaning it follows what is being taught in the church service) for December will be:

• Dec. 1: Advent Liturgy downstairs

• Dec. 8: Voice in the Wilderness (We make choices and changes to welcome Jesus into our lives…Matthew 3:1-8 and Isaiah 11:6-9…John the Baptist)

• Dec. 15: The Coming One (We believe Jesus is the promised Messiah…Matthew 11:2-6, James 5:7-8 and Isaiah 35:4-7…Jesus and John the Baptist)

• Dec. 22: God with Us (We celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Savior and ever-present friend...Matthew 1:18-25 and Isaiah 7:10-14…The birth of Jesus Christ)

• Dec. 29: Sheltered by God (Along with all creation, we praise God for making us and taking care of us!...Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23…The escape to Egypt)

Advent Faith Forum begins Sunday, December 1

Our Advent Faith Forum begins Sunday, December 1st, and features a 3-session class addressing the question, “For WHOM are we preparing?” We will use, as a point of departure, The Meaning of Jesus, a book co-written by Anglicans Marcus Borg (former professor of New Testament at Oregon State University) and N.T. Wright (New Testament scholar and retired Bishop of Durham, England). 

The fun thing about the book is that they represent opposite poles of theological understanding, Borg being more progressive and Wright being on the conservative side. Yet they were good friends, and their back-and-forth in the book makes for stimulating reading.

The book, of course, is available through libraries and on-line in all formats: Kindle, Paperback and Hardcover (both new and used.) Let Fr. Gary know if you need a copy. 

Join us on Sunday mornings, from 9:00 - 9:45, on December 1, 15, and 22. (December 8 will be the Vivaldi Bazar!)

Christmas Pageant rehearsals begin Sunday, December 8

Each year at Good Shepherd we invite our children to experience the magic of the first Christmas by participating in the pageant at our 4pm Christmas Eve service. All children are invited to participate. Rehearsals will be December 8, 15, and 22 from 11:45-12:45 in the sanctuary. Light lunch will be provided beforehand for participants - downstairs on December 8 and in the Parish Hall on December 15 and 22.

The very talented Suraya Bowermaster will be coordinating this year’s pageant. Feel free to contact her with any questions at suraya.yahaya@gmail.com

Please help us by volunteering to bring a light lunch for our participants on each of our three rehearsal dates. You can sign up to bring lunch on our website by clicking the button below.

Angel Tree toy donations accepted until December 8

The Good Shepherd tradition of buying Christmas gifts for children in need continues with our annual Angel Tree gift donations to Covenant Cupboard and 32nd Ave. Jubilee Ministry. Toy donations are being accepted through Sunday, December 8, and can be placed unwrapped under the Christmas tree in the Parish Hall. We suggest a $20 toy purchase, in the following categories:

·         Soccer balls

·         Action figures

·         Dolls for younger girls

·         Toys for a toddler

·         Lego kits

·         Craft kits

·         Slime kits

·         Disney Princess toys

·         New or gently used stuffed animals

Sorry no books or board games, thank you!

Join us for Vivaldi “Gloria” & “Viva” Bazaar on Sunday, December 8

Join us Sunday, December 8 for a very special 10 am service featuring The Good Shepherd Choir, guest soloists, orchestra and our new organ presenting Vivaldi’s “Gloria.” As our final fundraiser for the new organ, we will also hold the “Viva” Bazaar from 8 am to noon, where you can purchase arts and craft gifts for the holidays. There will be baked goods, jams & jellies, woodworking, quilts, and other seasonal gifts to purchase.

Colorado Caroling Company to perform “White Christmas Show” Wednesday, December 11 for first Music with a Mission concert

We are kicking off our fifth season of Music with a Mission on Wednesday, December 11th this year with a special holiday performance by Colorado Caroling Company. Just in time for the holidays, you won’t want to miss this talented quartet (including DeeDee Atwood) who will bring to life the music and magic suggested by the classic American film White Christmas. You’ll enjoy the great music of Irving Berlin and other contemporary holiday favorites as you reminisce and dream of a time, just like the ones we used to know. This great holiday event will warm your heart and fill you with Christmas spirit. Our “love offering” for the evening will go to HAAT Force South Metro which serves the homeless.  

This is a great chance for you to invite that special friend or neighbor to our church!

Carols & Cookie Party planned for Friday, December 13

Join us for a fun Christmas celebration as we sing a countdown to our favorite Christmas carols and frost sugar cookies. This will be a great event for all ages! The party will be Friday, December 13 from 6-7:30 pm in the Parish Hall.

We will vote for our favorite Christmas carols on Sunday December 1st and 8th.

Please help us by signing up online to bring a batch of sugar cookies!

Advent Quiet Morning to feature “Way of Love” candles

Our third Advent Quiet Morning is scheduled for December 14 between 9 and noon. In addition to offering a space for quiet reflection and a portable labyrinth, this year’s retreat will include candle stations where participants can make candles featuring the parts of the Way of Love that had become a hallmark of the Episcopal Church since shortly after the consecration of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.

Each Way of Love prayer station asks you to take a piece of the candle and offer a reflection.

Turn: Jesus' constant invitation to us is to turn from sin and death and to walk in abundant Life.
Learn: Jesus' invitation to follow him means that we are called to be his disciples, his students, to learn from him and to put his teaching into practice.
Worship: At the heart of God's mission is a praying church who bear witness to the resurrection by gathering to share the gifts of God with one another.
Pray: Jesus models for us what it looks like to live a life that is perfectly attuned to God. This level of relatedness and awareness can be cultivated when we engage in the practice of prayer on a regular basis.
Bless: Jesus attracted a crowd everywhere he went because he demonstrated a ministry of blessing. To follow Jesus is to seek to be a blessing to other people for no other reason than we have been richly blessed ourselves.
Go: Part of what made Jesus so dangerous was his commitment to cross borders and margins for the sake of the kingdom of God.
Rest: One of the strongest commandments from scripture is the commandment to rest. In a season of endless consumption, the message is we are beloved simply because we are.

The Advent Quiet Morning is an opportunity to do as many or as few activities as you choose. Come at any time after 9am, knowing that the volunteer staff will begin cleaning up at noon.

Register for YES 2020, our youth summer service trip

YES Colorado service trips or EYE (Episcopal Youth Event), are wonderful opportunities for high school youth to continue their journey of faith by exploring beyond their home environments to experience faith with others. Either in service, missions or educational trips, these experiences are life enhancing in so many ways. The relationships built will be with you for many years.

Our next trip will take place July 7-11, 2020 at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). We are now accepting applications to reserve your spot. Forms are available on our website, and will be accepted through January 3, 2020. A $200 deposit must be paid to reserve your spot. Contact Rachel Whipp for questions.

Christmas Service Times

Fifth Sunday in December to feature Lessons & Carols and new beginnings

December 2019 has five Sundays! And, as has been our practice this last year, the fifth Sunday is “something different”. We will, however, not be having Youth Sunday in December for many reasons, but December 29 WILL still be fabulous.

The 7:45 and 10:00 am services will both be the Service of Christmas Lessons and Carols. Neither service will feature a sermon (the clergy get a bit of a rest,) but WILL have a lot of carol singing!

The 6:00 pm will “anticipate” New Year’s Eve, and will focus on “new beginnings.” Again, no sermon, and a lot of singing!

United Thank Offering (UTO) donations being collected in December

For more than 125 years, The United Thank Offering (UTO) has been a ministry of The Episcopal Church for the mission of the whole church.

Through UTO we nurture the habit of giving daily thanks to God. These prayers of thanksgiving start when we recognize and name our many blessings and drop a coin or thanksgiving note into our blue box. It’s a wonderful way to spend a moment with your child or grandchild while they learn the practice of gratitude.

Those who participate in UTO discover that thankfulness leads to generosity. The monies are collected and distributed annually to support innovative mission and ministry throughout The Episcopal Church, including Colorado, and the Anglican Communion. 100% of the donations to UTO are given away.

Blue collection boxes will be available in December to take home – just look for the UTO blue table for the boxes and other materials. For information, contact Karin Elsen, Junior Warden and UTO Diocesan Coordinator, or visit the UTO website: https://episcopalchurch.org/united-thank-offering

Congregational Care Team offers soup, one-on-one visits and Tai Chi

The Congregational Care Ministry committee (Karin Elsen, Jr. Warden, Bev White, The Rev. Sandy Boyd, Greg Bell, Nan Behringer, and Duane Namaksy) continues to work on ways we can all care for each other. Here are upcoming events and information about on-going care in our church. You can always contact us with requests or questions, and to volunteer, at congregationalcare@gshep.org.

The Utility Ministry announces the advent of its Comfort Soup Ministry. We have been stocking one and two-serving containers of homemade soup in our basement freezer which we take to members of the parish on visits. If you are someone who likes to make soup, or doesn’t consume all the soup you make, please consider making some for us! Contact Duane or Nan for details.

The Presence Ministry is having a training program for those of you who want to volunteer your time by being a spiritual presence for congregation members. These spiritual caregivers will provide their time to be with members in time of need. This would include prayer and presence for those members who might be experiencing surgery, illness, loneliness and other needs. The spiritual caregivers will make hospital calls, telephone people in need of contact, and meet one-on-one with persons needing a listening ear and offer support for grieving families. The Presence Ministry Training will be on Jan 11th at 9:30 in the Chapel. Please contact Beverly White if you are interested in attending this training. You can reach Beverly at bevwhite@comcast.net.

The Activity Ministry will host a “Tai Chi Come & See” demonstration by Faith Gregor, a certified tai chi instructor, on January 19, 2020 after the 10:00 a.m. service. This opportunity is open to all – including families and youth. Harvard Medical School reports that there is growing evidence that this mind-body practice, which originated in China as a martial art, has value in treating or preventing many health problems. And you can get started even if you aren't in top shape or the best of health. Look for more details in January.

Comments on the sound of our new organ

Thanks again so much to all who have donated so generously to the fund for our new organ!

I have heard many positive comments from Good Shepherd parishioners regarding the sound quality and variety of sound made available by our new instrument.

I have also heard a few less positive comments about the new instrument, and the Good Shepherd staff is taking those into consideration. I will be experimenting with a less "reedy" sound, to cut down a bit on the organ's intensity of sound.

For anyone who might be experiencing an overbalance of higher sound frequencies, I have been told that turning down a hearing aid (for members who use hearing aids), may alleviate that concern.

Also, I would encourage members to experiment with sitting in different places in the church, until they find the place that works best for them, as the acoustics are not uniform throughout the sanctuary.

We hope to make the new instrument an enjoyable experience for everyone!

Vestry Nominating Committee looking for new Vestry members

Call for Vestry Members!

Following up from our article in last month’s Sheepskin, the Vestry Nominating Committee has drafted the following job description to help guide your discernment in the call to serve in this important leadership role at our church.

As a refresher, Vestry members serve three-year terms, and we are seeking candidates to help grow, lead and bring diverse perspectives and talents to our church governing body. The minimum age to serve on the Vestry is 18 years.

Please prayerfully consider the call to serve, and reach out to Deb Sampson, Kaitlyn Bridgers or Suraya Bowermaster with any questions. Candidacy interests should ideally be finalized by mid-December.

Vestry Job Description:
As a Vestry member, you serve on a governing body which serves the needs of our Parish, its members, and the community at large. Many day-to-day decisions of our Parish are made by the priest/rector, but the Vestry makes high-level decisions such as the approval of expenditures and fund raising, the structure of ministries, and strategic decisions with respect to the mission, vision, and initiatives of the Parish.
1) The Vestry meets once per month, for approximately two hours, and routine attendance at these meetings is expected due to quorum requirements. Attendance can be in person or via phone or online meeting platform.
2) Following the annual meeting where new Vestry members are appointed, the Vestry also attends a weekend retreat at Cathedral Ridge in Woodland Park.
3) Occasional participation may be required in special meetings, additional retreats, trainings, and other church events where the input or visibility of Vestry members is important.
4) Vestry members are also expected to serve as liaisons to the Celebrate, Grow, and Serve teams, or to the administrative stem of the Parish.

In general, the time commitment for a vestry member is approximately three hours per month, which includes time spent at the monthly meeting as well as serving on a special committee.

Vestry membership is for a three-year term. The Vestry is chaired by a Junior Warden and a Senior Warden.

Vestry membership can be demanding at times but is also very rewarding. As a Vestry member, you are expected to model and uphold Episcopal traditions and Christian values, with regular attendance at services and Parish events being encouraged.

A diversity of backgrounds, strengths, spiritual gifts, and career experience can be found in the Vestry and we are seeking to grow this diversity even more, and include members representative of our various communities, ethnic and age groups. While there are generally no universally held traits among the Vestry, service as a Vestry member often requires discernment, a servant’s heart, strategic thinking, teamwork, and the fortitude to participate in difficult decisions with the guidance of Christ Jesus.

Men’s Group meetings in December

In December the Men’s Group will meet on the Saturday mornings of the 7th and the 21st. Note, these dates are earlier than usual as during the month of December our schedule switches to the 1st and 3rd Saturday’s of the month due to the upcoming Christmas holiday.

We’ll meet in the parish hall for a full breakfast on December 7th at 7:30 AM and there again for a light breakfast on December 21st at 7:30 AM. A short program follows breakfast from 8 to 9 AM in the Chapel, with our meetings ending generally at 9 AM.

The topics for December will surround a review/conversation on chapters within the book entitled “An Uncommon Guide to Retirement” written by Jeff Haanen featuring topics relating to finding God’s purpose for the next season of life.

Note, each session stands on its own, so those interested can attend any one of the individual sessions even if you miss one or several meetings. Information relating to the topics covered will be available at the meetings.

Please email me at (roden.pete@gmail.com) if you have any questions or would like to receive any additional information.

Thanks for your interest and look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming meetings!

Snapshot of Good Shepherd’s finances as of October, 2019

A graphic representation of our finances as of October, 2019

From Fr. Gary: Our ambition is to proclaim the Good News!

Towards the end of his letter to the Romans, Paul asserts his authority as an apostle. He notes his pride — but it is pride in the service of God (15.17). He points out how he has proclaimed the gospel (word, deed, signs and wonders by the power of the Holy Spirit - vv. 18-19). And, then he claims that he makes it "his ambition to proclaim the good news." (15.20). To paraphrase another biblical verse “Zeal for God's house had consumed him.” (Ps 69.9 and John 2.17). In short, Paul was “on fire” for the gospel!

“Ambition" and “zeal,” in the Bible, are dangerous emotions! Indeed, in the New Testament, most of the references to “ambition” are cautions against self-promotion!! And Paul uses “zeal” in such a way as to point to his work both on behalf of the gospel as well as his work (before his conversion) to hinder and persecute the gospel! The two parallel emotions—ambition and zeal—clearly are strong . . . and must be channeled in the right direction.

Yet, once the direction has been discovered, channeling zeal and ambition clearly worked wonderfully! “Zeal for God’s house” drove Jesus to cleanse the Temple, to create a space for a new way of being with, and for, God. Paul’s zeal and ambition for spreading the gospel beyond the walls of the synagogues opened the way for Gentiles to reap the benefits of Christ’s work — benefits of which most of us 21st-century Christians are the heirs. It wasn’t always a smooth trip, but charting the course, and summoning the ambition to set out, changed the world.

While we, at Good Shepherd, are just at the beginning stages of recognizing the destination to which we are being summoned, we DO know there is much we can assemble, much good work we can do, many fellow-travelers we can engage. That is why, in my letter to the congregation in the Love in Service stewardship brochure, I adopted that loaded word “ambitious” to describe our budget for 2020. Our “ambition” is to provide the resources that we can use, like Paul, “to proclaim the Good News.” Paul knew that he couldn’t rest content simply trying to convince his Jewish neighbors; he needed to step out into the “neighborhoods” of the Mediterranean world. His example to us is that we, too, cannot rest content simply taking care of our own needs . . . but to extend our “Caring Relationships” for one another to those around us who are starving for such care!

As we look to 2020, as we seek to provide resources to turn our “Love (into) Service,” let us never be ashamed that “Our ambition is to proclaim the Good News!”

Ambitiously,

Fr. Gary+