the Messenger
APRIL 2008 CHURCH
LOCATION: 1415
W. 7th. St. Frederick,
MD 21702 CHURCH
OFFICE 1501
W. 8th St. Frederick,
MD 21702 SECRETARY: Loretta
Covert (301)
663-3344 PASTORS: Pr.
Ron Reaves (301)
663-9566 Pr.
Gary Bilbie (301)
473-4745 TREASURER: Jean
Van Tassell (301)
846-7736 ORGANIST: Michele
Kimmel (301)
698-9572 CHOIR
DIRECTOR Janet
Rippeon (301)
662-7442 OFFICE: 1501
W. 8TH ST. Frederick,
MD 21702
A PUBLICATION OF GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH
PASTORAL REFLECTIONS: FORGIVENESS AND EASTER
Why did Jesus say: “Love your enemies. Do good to those who
persecute you”? Didn’t he realize this defies worldly logic? Yet God’s ways are
not our ways, I’m reminded by Scripture. I remember when the late Paul John
Paul II visited in prison the man who had shot him during a Vatican parade.
There was this haunting news photograph of the pontiff sitting in the man’s
prison cell, the two facing each other. “So this is where you stay,” the
pontiff remarked. They talked, and in the end they prayed together. It was so
powerful. Perhaps the pontiff knew that forgiveness begins as change in
one’s own inner landscape. There’s no worldly logic in that. It comes from
within the deep and mysterious essence of divine Love.
The continuing miracle of resurrection is a new community―thrown
together by baptism and Spirit with almost unspeakable awareness that Christ is
calling it to changed lives and new human vistas. Jesus’ uncompromising new rule
for life together is “love one another” with “agape” love―God-shaped
love. That’s what happens when we wear the “Christ” imprint upon our hearts.
The world sees it much differently.
The story goes that a woman’s husband had been slipping in and out of a coma
for several months, yet she stayed by his bedside every single day. One day,
when he came to, he motioned for her to come nearer.
As she sat by him, he whispered, eyes full of tears, “You know what? You’ve
been with me all through the bad times. When I got fired, you were there to
support me. When my business failed, you were there. When we lost the house,
you stayed right here. When my health started failing, you were still by my
side. You know what?”
“What dear?” she gently asked, smiling as her heart began to fill with warmth.
“I think you’re bad luck.”
Some people can’t change. As Easter people Christ calling us to see one another
with new eyes. Forgiveness may not be logical, but it is essential where God is
present. Forgiveness holds a community together. It transforms and heals.
One of my favorite writers, Frederick Buechner,
wrote: “Forgiveness is when you set a prisoner free, and then you realize the
prisoner is yourself.”
Faithfully,
Pastor Ron
WORSHIP AND MUSIC NOTES ♪ ♫
by Michele Kimmel
One Lent Event – Thank you to all involved with the success of the One Lent Event which was held on March 5. The planning team members were Pastor Gary Bilbie, Carl Hildebrand, Michele Kimmel, Margarita Lidstrom, Amy Quinn, Lucretia Reaves, Pastor Ron Reaves, and Janet Rippeon. The evening meal featured four homemade soups prepared by Margarita Lidstrom and fresh homemade rolls prepared by Carl Pritchard. The Spiritual IQ (Inner Quest) leaders guided attendees to explore three spiritual questions which helped to deepen their understanding of the role God plays in their daily lives. The concluding worship service was led by Janet Rippeon. Marilyn Ayres led the Kids Get-Together for the evening. Thank you!
Volunteer Opportunities – It takes many
people to help our worship services flow smoothly each week and Good Shepherd
is fortunate to have a large number of parishioners who volunteer their
services in many ways, i.e. altar guild, worship assistants, greeters,
communion prep, etc. Thank you! If you are interested in serving in any way,
please fill out a yellow card (located in the pew racks in the nave or on the
kiosk in the narthex) and place the card in the offering plate. You may also contact Kerri Eyler - 301-845-4553, Michele
Kimmel - 301-698-9572, or Amy Quinn
- 301-865-4408.
Pedals, Pipes and Pizza Event
The Central Maryland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) will present a free workshop to introduce middle and high school students to the pipe organ. The workshop will be held Saturday, April 5 from 10:00 am – 1:30 pm at Calvary United Methodist Church in Frederick, Maryland. There will be lectures and demonstrations by members of the Central Maryland Chapter of the AGO, opportunities for students to play a large, 3-manual pipe organ, and lunch (pizza). Students will also receive information about an organ scholarship program.
Registration forms can be found on the Community News Bulletin Board in the Community Room at Good Shepherd. Registration deadline is Friday, March 28. Event coordinator is John Widmann, 301-846-4781, jwidmann@yahoo.com. Registration forms and additional information may also be obtained from Good Shepherd members Michele Kimmel and Wayne Wold, who both currently serve on the board of the Central Maryland Chapter of the AGO. Pastor Ron Reaves serves as Chapter Chaplain.
―Michele Kimmel
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* MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
April 16TH SENIORS
LUNCH BUNCH -AUCTION
As
you do your spring cleaning please remember to save something nice for our 12 noon April Lunch Bunch auction on the
16th. Please limit to not more than two items. This special spring
event is being coordinated by Charlotte Crum. The more folks
we have, the more fun we have--so IT'S IMPORTANT to invite a friend to come to
our 12 noon monthly pot luck luncheon. This is always a grand
social event, and new friends are always welcome. A discussion
at our next get-together will be needed to decide where the monies will be
allocated. Alma Moore and Charlie Fox always do such a great
job as our auctioneering officials. We hope they will be available to
help us again.
―Carolyn Fishack
Faith Response…
is
everything we do after we say “I believe”!
Everyone
has Spiritual Gifts, special abilities we have been blessed with to encourage
and mentor others on their spiritual journey.
Following the One Lent Event on March 5, a number of people asked about
“Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts,” a tool for individual use in becoming aware
of our special God-given abilities.
Copies are now available in the literature rack in the narthex. Please feel free to take one.
―Nancy Ziem
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Preschool News
Yea! Spring is here
and if you don’t believe it just look in our classrooms. Our teachers do a wonderful job of keeping
their rooms full of color and seasonal decorations.
March came in like a lion with a
wicked wind giving us a chance to finish up with winter crafts and to look
forward to our spring activities. We
celebrated our school spirit with “crazy hair” day and everyone enjoyed green
eggs and ham for St. Patrick’s Day. We
celebrated Easter with chapel time and parties in our classrooms.
We will be hosting a very special program again this
year. “Scales and Tales” is a wildlife education program developed by the
Department of Natural Resources. We will
have programs on April 17 and 18 at 10:45 for morning classes and 12:45 for
afternoon classes. We invite all those who are interested in seeing our native
creatures to join us in the community room.
We will be participating in a Barnes & Noble
fundraiser on Saturday, April 19. Just
mention Good Shepherd Preschool with your purchase and a percentage of the net
sale will be donated to our school.
There will be a story time available at 11:00!
As we look ahead, we are excited for
warm weather to return and our Children’s Garden by the Preschool entrance to
burst into bloom. We will be holding our
spring fundraiser, flowers from
Thanks be
to God!
―Karen Stegman
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Just for YOUth
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