The Shepherd's Voice
What's Happening Today
As We Gather
How then shall we live? What a profound question for Christians to consider midway through Lent! The Lord has shown His mercy to us, forgiven our sins, and delivered us from death. Then what? What is the focus of our lives? The call of the Readings for this Sunday points us to the repentance that bears the good fruit of God’s kingdom. Like trees that have failed to produce good fruit, the Lord has tended us with His Word, with the warning of the Law and the promise of the Gospel. But if the tree remains unfruitful, the tree will have to be cut down. It is a hard word to hear, but God remains merciful, and most of all, He seeks that we bear the good fruits of faith and repentance in our daily lives.
Today’s Readings
O.T. Ezekiel 33:7–20 (The Lord seeks not the death of the sinner but that he live.) https://bible.faithlife.com/bible/ezekiel/33/7-20?_ga=2.105471425.335171898.1647267125-257035986.1643645019&_gac=1.124221944.1643734538.Cj0KCQiA5aWOBhDMARIsAIXLlkfdOLT96f9HFcU-1-sAKWBqMwRD-dwbqKSFXbRjOp91VQPSqiY7usEaAvesEALw_wcB
N. T. 1 Corinthians 10:1–13 (God is faithful; He will not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability.) https://bible.faithlife.com/bible/1-corinthians/10/1-13?_ga=2.105471425.335171898.1647267125-257035986.1643645019&_gac=1.124221944.1643734538.Cj0KCQiA5aWOBhDMARIsAIXLlkfdOLT96f9HFcU-1-sAKWBqMwRD-dwbqKSFXbRjOp91VQPSqiY7usEaAvesEALw_wcB
Gospel Luke 13:1–9 (Unless you repent, you also will perish.) https://bible.faithlife.com/bible/luke/13/1-9?_ga=2.105471425.335171898.1647267125-257035986.1643645019&_gac=1.124221944.1643734538.Cj0KCQiA5aWOBhDMARIsAIXLlkfdOLT96f9HFcU-1-sAKWBqMwRD-dwbqKSFXbRjOp91VQPSqiY7usEaAvesEALw_wcB
Reader Matt Martz
Today’s Altar Flowers are Given to the Glory of God
by Robert and Louise Lusardi in celebration of Anna's birthday.
March Mission of the Month
The beautiful church of St Paul’s Lutheran church in Beecher, IL, stood for the past 150 years in the community as a beacon of the hope in Christ. On 9/19/21 they suffered a devastating loss when the entire church became engulfed in flames. Your thoughts and prayers are very much appreciated at this time as they suffer and grieve this tragic loss. Thank God no one was hurt. The building is gone, but the Church still stands. Thank you for your support. May God bless us all with His comfort as we trust in His guidance for these weeks and months ahead. Thank you and God's blessings!
Worship in the Woods
has resumed on Sundays at 9:00 AM. However, during the winter month of March, we will continue to meet indoors to eliminate the guesswork concerning the weather. It will remain a spoken Service, so we will conclude by 9:30-9:40. It will also be a more "Covid-friendly" Service, the first one of the day, so feel free to wear a mask and maintain social distance. Since we are meeting indoors, we will also be able to have Communion during March. Please join us.
Please Note: Worship in the Woods will not meet on April 3, 10, or 17 see we can all be together for our 70th Anniversary, Palm Sunday, and Easter!
What's Happening Soon
Easter Lilies
Altar Guild is taking orders for Easter Lilies today after the Service. Price is $9, cash only. Lilies may be taken home immediately after the Service on Easter morning.
St Gregory’s Easter Basket Collection
St. Gregory’s is once again collecting Easter Baskets for our clients during our Easter Distribution. You can help us by donating filled baskets for babies, kids or teens. Our Distribution begins April 7th so we would ask that all baskets please be dropped off by April 1st. We are anticipating at least 170 local families with children. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Weekday Bible Study
has moved to Mondays in 2022. Please join us at 4:00 PM in the Fellowship Room. This year, we will be using the various Bible resources we have accumulated at Good Shepherd over the years. Join us for lively and interesting conversation and learning.
Lenten Services
Join us for Lent Wednesday Services at 11:00 AM on March 16, 23, 30, and April 6. Soup Luncheons are not planned for those dates. Please join us as we journey with Jesus to Good Friday and Easter.
Holy Week Services
Join us to remember the events of the final days of Holy Week as Jesus accomplished the salvation of the world. We will gather at 11:00 AM on Holy Thursday, April 14, ant at 11:00 am on Good Friday, April 15. There will be no evening Services. May God bless our commemorations.
On Holy Saturday, we will host another Easter Egg Hunt from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. More information to follow.
Join us on Easter Sunday, April 17, at 9:00 am for a light (continental) breakfast in the Fellowship Room before we head into the sanctuary for our Easter Service. Bagels, pastries, coffee, and juice are on the menu.
Attention Thrivent Members!
Start 2022 on a generous note! If you haven’t already, you can still direct 2021 Choice Dollars. Don’t miss this opportunity to recommend where Thrivent gives back! Contact our call center at 1-800-847-4836 and say “Thrivent Choice” at the prompt. Thank you!
70th Anniversary Service and Celebration
Rsvp is important because the Luncheon will be catered.
Our guest preacher at the Service will be Rev. dale Kaster, Missionary at Prague, and Pastor at Good Shepherd from 1989 to1994.
Price reduction
Jersey Shore Rocks Dementia, originally listed as $50, is now $25.
What's Been Happening
Church Life Photos
We have dedicated one of our bulletin boards to church life and memories. If you have photos of any events or happenings with Good Shepherd then please email them to gsppnj@gmail.com or pop them in the church office mailbox. Thank you!
Remember Our Homebound and Elderly
Please remember our homebound and elderly in prayer or with a card or phone call: Annaliese Benson, Fran McCallum, and Robert Mueller. Contact information is listed on the board in the foyer/Narthex.
This Week at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
In Our Prayers
To add someone to our list, please fill out a pink Prayer Request Form and submit it to Pastor or the Church office. Also, please let us know when we can remove names. Prayer requests submitted without a pink form are removed after one week. If we have removed a name in error, please resubmit the name and accept our apologies. Thank you.
Missionaries:
Rev. Dale and Suzanne Kaster, Prague
Hospitalized: Dorothy Meyer
Under Doctor’s Care:
John Aldarelli, Carlee Allfrey
Alice Blaze, Kieran Dillane
Dolores France, Dale Kaster,
James McCaffrey, Linda McKelvey,
Tammy Pausz, Susan Rentas,
Bernadette Roman, Jenn Shand,
John Shand, Harler Jean Visbeck
Special Needs: Situation in Ukraine, Kim DeAngelo, Ernest Johnson, Joseph Kosmich and family, James McNellis, Robert H. Mueller, the Murray family, Walters family, Charlotte Visbeck, and Zupanc family. All who serve to keep us healthy, fed, and supplied.
Armed Forces: All who serve to keep us safe.
Kate Gruendling Kelly Handy
Jonathan Kaster Matthew Orgill
Mason Remondelli David Schauer
Readings for Next Sunday
Ezekiel 33:7–20 (The Lord seeks not the death of the
sinner but that he live.)
1 Corinthians 10:1–13 (God is faithful; He will not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability.)
Luke 13:1–9 (Unless you repent, you also will perish.)
