News

Announcements — February 17, 2013

IN OUR PRAYERS  Katherine R., having complications from previous surgery; Gerry S., recovering from knee surgery; Cheryl C. and Don H., undergoing treatment for cancer.

THIS WEEK’S DAILY READINGS:
2/17—Numbers 26-30 2/20—Deut. 1-4 2/23—Deut. 8-11
2/18—Numbers 31-33 2/21—Various  2/19—Numbers 34-36
2/22—Deut. 5-7

THANK YOU   I want to thank everyone for their cards, and especially their prayers, at the death of my grandson.  I ask you to please continue to keep me and my family in your prayers during this hard time. ~ Mabel P.

SINGLES GROUP  Interested in being a part of a Singles Group at church?  There will be a meeting today after the late service in the Conference Room.

MIDWEEK LENTEN SERVICES  We are having midweek Lenten services on Wednesdays at 11:00 am and 7:00 pm during the Lenten season.  Portions of the Passion story of Jesus will be read during each service.

WEDNESDAY TIME CHANGES FOR LENT  Band practice will remain at 5:30.  All other classes will begin at 6:00 pm in order to allow everyone to attend the Midweek Lenten services.

RECYCLE YOUR BULLETIN  Under the round table in the narthex we have provided a container that you can put your used bulletin in for recycling.  Thank you. 2012

CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS are ready for you to pick up.  They are on the round table in the narthex.

MISSION WORK TRIP TO MINOT, ND  A mission work trip to Minot, ND to help them with rebuilding after the floods is being planned for June 1-8.  The cost is about $300 per person.  If you would like to have more information, please talk with Pastor.  It is being planned out of Transform Joplin.

ASSISTIVE LISTENING  If you are having a hard time hearing the service, assistive listening devices are available from the ushers.  They work like a transistor radio and you can control the volume.

FLOWER CHART  There are lots of empty dates on the calendar.  If you would like to place flowers at the altar for a special occasion or in memory of someone, please sign the flower chart hanging on the wall next to the water fountain in the hallway.  Simply write your name, phone number, and occasion with the pen provided.

BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS are available in the nurse’s office after each service.  You will be given a small form that can be carried in your wallet which will include medical information and a log of your blood pressure readings.

PRAYER BEARS are in the sanctuary pews and available to be signed out (notebook in narthex) and given to anyone that needs God’s love, comfort, and peace.  We have had reports and words of thanks from folks being blessed by this outreach ministry.

Announcements — February 10, 2013

IN OUR PRAYERS Mabel P., at the accidental death of her grandson; Gerry S., having knee replacement surgery on Wednesday; Cheryl C. and Don H., undergoing treatment for cancer.

THIS WEEK’S DAILY READINGS:
2/10—Numbers 1-4 2/13—Numbers 13-16 2/16—Numbers 21-25
2/11—Numbers 5-8 2/14—Various
2/12—Numbers 9-12 2/15—Numbers 17-20

IT WAS A SUPER SOUPER MONTH! Starting in January through Feb. 3, Souper Bowl Sunday, Good Shepherd donated 493 items to Crosslines of Carthage. You are Super! Thank you.

PLANNING MEETING Interested in helping with VBS this year? Please join us for a planning meeting today after the late service.

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES This Wednesday we begin our journey through Lent with the Ash Wednesday services at 11:00 am and 7:00 pm. We will have the dispensation of ashes during the services for anyone wanting to participate. The season of Lent, which will continue until Easter, has been a part of the church calendar for many, many years. It is a time when we focus on the suffering and death of Jesus and ponder again what it means for our life and salvation.

GUEST PASTOR Pastor Gary Asmus will be leading us in worship for both Ash Wednesday services. This will allow Pastor to be with Gerry the day of her surgery.

MIDWEEK LENTEN SERVICES We will be having midweek Lenten services on Wednesdays, 11:00 am and at 7:00 pm during the Lenten season. Portions of the Passion story of Jesus will be read during each service.

WEDNESDAY TIME CHANGES FOR LENT Band practice will remain at 5:30. All other classes will begin at 6:00 pm in order to allow everyone to attend the Midweek Lenten services.

NO JR CONFIRMATION CLASS this week.

OVER-50 GOOD SHEPHERDS will meet this Thursday evening at 6:00. Put on your game face and come join the fun. Happy Valentine’s Day to you!

CROSSLINES WORK DAY is this Friday beginning at 8:00 am.

SINGLES GROUP Interested in being a part of a Singles Group at church? There will be a meeting next Sunday, Feb. 17, after the late service in the Conference Room.

2012 CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS are ready for you to pick up. They are on the round table in the narthex.

MISSION WORK TRIP TO MINOT, ND A mission work trip to Minot, ND to help them with rebuilding after the floods is being planned for June 1-8. The cost is about $300 per person. If you would like to have more information, please talk with Pastor. It is being planned out of Transform Joplin.

ASSISTIVE LISTENING If you are having a hard time hearing the service, assistive listening devices are available from the ushers. They work like a transistor radio and you can control the volume.

FLOWER CHART There are lots of empty dates on the calendar. If you would like to place flowers at the altar for a special occasion or in memory of someone, please sign the flower chart hanging on the wall next to the water fountain in the hallway. Simply write your name, phone number, and occasion with the pen provided.

BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS are available in the nurse’s office after each service. You will be given a small form that can be carried in your wallet which will include medical information and a log of your blood pressure readings.

PRAYER BEARS are in the sanctuary pews and available to be signed out (notebook in narthex) and given to anyone that needs God’s love, comfort, and peace. We have had reports and words of thanks from folks being blessed by this outreach ministry.

Lent

Wednesday, February 13th, is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Lent is a 40-day season of the church year that runs from Ash Wednesday to Holy Week (which begins March 24 this year). During this time, the Bible readings, hymns, and worship will focus on the ministry, suffering, and death of Jesus Christ.

The 40 days of Lent, not counting Sundays, is to be a time of preparation of our hearts to ponder Jesus’ suffering and death for our salvation. The 40 days parallel the 40 days Jesus was in the wilderness preparing for his formal ministry.

The start of Lent is determined by the date of Easter. Easter changes each year because it is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. This is done to parallel the Jewish lunar calendar and its observance of the Passover. It was during the Passover that Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper for us.

Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of receiving a cross of ashes on the forehead of believers on this first day of Lent. The imposition of ashes is often associated in the Bible with sorrow over sins which is one of the emphasis of Lent. Ash Wednesday also marks the beginning of our Midweek Lenten services held each Wednesday during Lent at 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

The liturgical color for Lent is purple. Purple is used to signify repentance. Lent is a season centered around the confession of our sins, our desire to amend our sinful lives, and God’s willingness to forgive us through the cross of Jesus.

Some Christians give up different things during Lent. This is a long standing practice of some to deny themselves something  during Lent as a way to better understand the sacrifice Jesus made for them. Other Christians will increase their times to worship, to pray, to read the Bible and to meditate. Still others use it as a time of increased charitable giving.

However Lent is observed, it always reminds us that, as the Bible says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:32). But God, in his mercy, sent his son, Jesus, to take our sins upon himself and received our punishment by dying on the cross so that we might be forgiven and granted life in heaven forever with him.

Lent starts Wednesday, February 13, and we will again hold an additional service each Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. This is to give those who do not drive at night or who have evening activities an opportunity to attend the midweek services.

The Ash Wednesday service, which marks the beginning of the Lenten season, will again have the dispensation of ashes and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Portions of the Passion story will be read during each midweek service.

We pray that the addition of this new time for the midweek services will enable more people to attend
these special services and help us focus on the passion of our Lord and its meaning in our lives.

 

Announcements — February 3, 2013

IN OUR PRAYERS Cheryl C. and Don H., undergoing treatment for cancer; Micki B., Katherine R., recovering from surgery;

THIS WEEK’S DAILY READINGS:
2/3—Leviticus 8-10 2/6—Leviticus 18-20 2/9—Leviticus 24-27
2/4—Leviticus 11-15 2/7—Various
2/5—Leviticus 16-17 2/8—Leviticus 21-23

SPECIAL MUSIC COMMITTEE The music committee will meet in the conference room after the late service today.

SOUPER BOWL SUNDAY TODAY Please place your donated items of soup, dried beans or rice in the container in the narthex or the shopping cart in the entry downstairs. Total count before today—301. Everyone wins when we team up to help!

THE THRIVENT CHAPTER MEETING will be Monday, Feb. 4, at First Lutheran Church, Neosho, beginning at 6:30 pm.

THE LWML will meet this Tuesday evening at 6:30 in the Fellowship Hall. Lora Wacker will be the hostess, Gerry Schnackenberg will have the devotion, and the topic will be lead by Nan Borg. Ladies, if you are not a part of this mission group, please consider giving us a visit. You are very welcome.

VBS PLANNING MEETING Interested in helping with VBS this year? You are more than welcome to sit in on the planning meeting set for next Sunday after the late service.

2012 CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS are ready for you to pick up. They are on the round table in the narthex.

LUTHERAN MALARIA INITIATIVE LCMS is helping to diminish the deaths of children by Malaria in Africa through the Lutheran Malaria Initiative. One of the best ways to do this is providing nets to protect the children from mosquito bites. As little as $10 buys a net. You can join in this initiative by putting your donation in the offering plate and marking it Malaria Initiative. Together we will save many lives.

ATTENTION ALL USHERS Please pick up your schedule for 2013. An envelope with your name on it is in a box on the round table in the narthex.

SOUND SYSTEM TECHS NEEDED If you are interested in learning about and helping with the sound system equipment here at the church, please contact the church office.

SOFTBALL SIGNUPS Anyone interested in playing softball, men’s league or co-ed, please use the sign up sheet available on the round table in the narthex.

BIBLE 101 Join the online study about the Bible by going to CPH.org, clicking on Bible Studies and then Bible 101, fill in the user box with goodshepherd@ecarthage.com and put Gslc101# in the password box. You can proceed to each session at your own time and pace. Let us know how it goes.

ASSISTIVE LISTENING If you are having a hard time hearing the service, assistive listening devices are available from the ushers. They work like a transistor radio and you can control the volume.

FLOWER CHART There are lots of empty dates on the calendar. If you would like to place flowers at the altar for a special occasion or in memory of someone, please sign the flower chart hanging on the wall next to the water fountain in the hallway. Simply write your name, phone number, and occasion with the pen provided.

BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS are available in the nurse’s office after each service. You will be given a small form that can be carried in your wallet which will include medical information and a log of your blood pressure readings.

PRAYER BEARS are in the sanctuary pews and available to be signed out (notebook in narthex) and given to anyone that needs God’s love, comfort, and peace. We have had reports and words of thanks from folks being blessed by this outreach ministry.