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Sunday Morning Zoom Service
Church of the Good Shepherd
Invites you to Sunday Morning Zoom Services at 10AM!
E-mails will be sent out weekly via Flocknote with Zoom login information, service leaflet, and trifold.
In Person Services Canceled
Good evening Church of the Good Shepherd family,
Effective immediately, Church of the Good Shepherd is returning to solely online worship services. We foresee this continuing until sometime in January 2021.
Based on the Health Department information and the recommendation of the Diocese to consider this move, Father Dave, Deacon Carl, Beth and I met to discuss what is prudent based on an overabundance of caution. The number of CoViD cases and the positive test result numbers in Gloucester County is well above the acceptable levels across the nation and state.
Many of you will be disappointed with this decision. Us too. Although this decision bears heavy on the heart, it would be heavier if one of our own got sick or worse due to attending services.
I would ask that you keep Father Dave, Deacon Carl and the Vestry in your prayers as we move again into a period of uncertainty. The Church of the Good Shepherd is here among us and we are strong.
I look forward to the day we can see and enjoy each other’s company again.
Regards,
Senior Warden
Brotherhood of St Andrew “The Cross” November 2020
2021 Fall Stewardship Campaign
Dear Friends and Partners in ministry!
I would like to ask you to take a moment to watch this brief YouTube video entitled The Water Parable. I think it captures the essence of the theme for this year’s annual Fall Stewardship campaign: “Faith-Filled Generosity“. The culmination of our fall campaign will be Sunday, November 22nd (The Feast of Christ the King). Next week we will be sending a link to our new electronic version of the Estimate of Giving card, which we will be asking members of the parish to complete. We will bless and dedicate all 2021 pledge commitments during the liturgy on November 22nd. I also want to remind you that we will be doing a 2021 Stewardship CHALLENGE again this year. A group of anonymous donors in the parish have pledged to give a special challenge gift if 25 members of Good Shepherd either: increase their weekly pledge by $5.00 per week; sign up for Vanco Simply Giving program or pledge for the first time. Last year 48 members of the parish “accepted the challenge“. We hope to exceed that number this year! I want to thank you, in advance, for prayerfully considering your response to the question: “What is God asking me to give, in terms of my Time/Talent and Treasure” in 2021??”. May God bless you and may God bless the decisions you make regarding your Stewardship of Life!
Faithfully,
Fr. Dave Snyder+
Stewardship (The Water Parable)
If you wish, please complete your 2021 Estimate of Giving online here!
“The Second Time Around” with Father Dave
Church Attendance Registration
Please complete this form only if you plan to attend church in person on Sunday, November 1st.
Church Reopening Guide
Dear fellow parishioners,
We are pleased to share with you this guide to how we will safely reopen the Good Shepherd sanctuary for in-person services, starting November 1. There is important information you need to know in there about signing up to attend a service; the mandatory requirements that attendees must follow; and a summary of the steps we’ve taken to ensure everyone’s health and safety. We recognize that not everyone is ready to return, of course, so please be assured that we will continue to provide online services. What a blessing to finally be able to see inside our church building again.
Virtual coffee hour – Ask us anything
After the service this Sunday (October 25), please join members of the Vestry’s reopening committee for a virtual coffee hour. We will be available to answer any of your questions about the reopening plan and anything else you might be wondering about.
Registering through Flocknote
At this time, we anticipate that the Flocknote registration system to sign up to attend services will be open Sunday night before the following weekend’s services. Stay tuned for additional information.
Blessings to all,
Your Vestry
Celebrating the Life of Brad Mott, October 24, 2020
A recording of Bradley Mott’s Funeral service on Saturday October 24 on YouTube.
Reopening Update
Dear fellow parishioners,
The Vestry would like to give you an update on our journey to reopening the church building now that the Diocese has approved our plan.
Father Rick will be leading us in our Sunday services this weekend and next weekend. These services will be on Zoom. He will be conducting the services from the sanctuary and will include readings and Jen playing the organ. This Sunday is Stewardship Sunday, and as a part of the homily we’ll see a short video from Bishop Stokes. We are recording these services, so if you are unable to participate live on Sunday, you will find links to the videos on our website and on our Facebook page and view them at your convenience.
Father Dave is returning
Beginning on the weekend of October 31/November 1, Father Dave Snyder will be returning to Good Shepherd as our interim rector. Father Dave will be continuing Morning Prayer on Tuesday and Thursday mornings (via Zoom only) and offering Eucharist services on Saturday and Sunday.
Our plans to reopen
We will begin in-person services commencing with Father Dave’s first weekend of October 31/November 1. At this time, we are limited to 25% of the building capacity, which means 40 people per service, including the celebrant, organist, ushers, and reader. Stay tuned for more information by early next week about what you need to know about attending in person, but please be assured that we will continue to provide services via Zoom.
We thank Father Rick, Deacon Carl, and Mel Caron for leading us in worship this month, and we are so happy to welcome back Father Dave as our pastoral leader and to open up the sanctuary for in-person services once again.
In his service,
Your Vestry
Bishop Stokes Stewardship Sunday Sermon and Information
Chicago Tribute article in remembrance of Brad Mott
Thanks to Deb Prieto for this link
“The Cross” October 2020 — The Brotherhood of Saint Andrew
Brotherhood of St. Andrew — “The Cross”, September 2020
August 2020 — Brotherhood of St. Andrew — The Cross
July 2020, Brotherhood of St Andrew — The Cross
Brotherhood of Saint Andrew Cross — June 2020
Living the Questions
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St. Andrew’s Cross May 2020
Church Reopening Update
The decision to remain closed to in-person communal worship was made by our bishop in consultation with the best available experts and information. Though painful to us all, the restrictions were made in a spirit of loving sacrifice intended to protect our community and our most vulnerable parishioners.
As we move closer to re-opening, Bishop Stokes has called two special task forces of experts to help guide the diocese into the “new normal.”
Bishop Stokes has appointed the Re-entering, Re-opening and Re-imagining (RRR) Task Force to provide guidance to congregations on how and when to re-open. The Task Force includes approximately 20 members who represent the diversity of congregations in our diocese and bring skills and experience in public health, liturgy, and congregational life. The task force met for the first time this week and issued the following statement:
This team is committed to providing preliminary guidance by June 5th so that parishes may begin the planning process. Each parish will create its own plan and submit it for review to the Task Force. We anticipate that the time it takes each parish to create and implement their plan will vary greatly. While some parishes may be able to resume limited use of their buildings shortly after the release of the guidelines, others may plan to open months later based upon the unique needs, composition, staffing and location of each parish. –The RRR Task Force
A second group–the Learnings and Breakthroughs Task Force–has been formed to look at the lessons we’ve learned during this crisis and how we can keep the good parts happening. We’ve been amazed at the level of community we’ve been able to build online, bringing Christ’s word to people who haven’t been in church in years. We don’t want to lose those aspects when we return to “normal.”
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The above was sent to all churches in the diocese. We will endeavor to follow the guidelines determined by the Diocesan task forces.
Looking forward with hope, certain that we live in God’s blessings,
Mother Susan+
See You All Soon!
