Greetings!
REGULAR SCHEDULE
Divine Service is Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School is Sundays at 9:00 AM.
Bible Matters meets Wednesdays at 6:30 PM. We will have an overview of the Minor Prophets. A schedule can be found here.
CALENDAR: For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.
PICTORIAL DIRECTORYIf you were not able to make it in to have your photo taken for the directory, photos can be submitted for inclusion in the upcoming directory. Please speak to Terry Barber about these submissions.
CALL FOR NAMES – ALL SAINTS' DAY REMEMBRANCE
Every year, we remember the names of loved ones who have died in the Christian faith, praising God for the mercy he has had upon them and thanking God for preserving them in that saving faith throughout their life. Normally, the names of these departed souls are recalled in a prayer on All Saints' Day, which is November 1. Since Good Shepherd does not have a specific All Saints' Day service, we transfer this prayer and these remembrances to the first Sunday after All Saints Day. This year, that will be November 2.
In addition to members of Good Shepherd who have been called to eternal rest, you may submit the names of your own loved ones who have died in the Christian faith between November 3, 2024 and November 1, 2025. When submitting these names, please include
1. the name of the deceased
2. your name
3. how he/she was related to you
4. the dates of his/her birth and death, if known
All names submitted by Wednesday, October 29 will be submitted in the bulletin. Names may still be submitted as late as Sunday morning but will not be printed in the bulletin. Note: All who were members of Good Shepherd or were served by the pastor are automatically listed.
The prayer which will be spoken on the Sunday of All Saints Day can be found here.
Trunk or Treat will be Sunday, October 26 (3:00 - 5:00 PM).
We still need helpers! Go to this Sign Up Genius form to indicate where you could help.
For any who are helping out on October 26, we will be having a lunch after the service. This allows us to be on site and ready for guests who seem to start coming already at 2:30 PM. Menu items will be determined soon. Bring whatever clothes or costumes you will need and change at church after lunch. Do you need a Good Shepherd T-shirt if you are not wearing a costume? Let us know. Several sizes are still available.
FOOD DRIVE FOR MARRIED STUDENTS AT WISCONSIN LUTHERAN SEMINARY
From now until Sunday, November 2, we will be taking a collection of food and sanitary items from the married students at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Our gifts help to alleviate the expenses of our future pastors, allowing them to potentially enter the ministry debt free. Items which are need most are posted at the bulletin boards in the fellowship hall above the boxes where the collection is being taken. Gifts of money are also welcome. Checks can be made out to Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.
Rev. Martin Loescher who had previously served in Neenah, Wisconsin has accepted the call to serve at Palabra de Vida Lutheran Church in Detroit. We look forward to having him, his wife, and his family come to southeast Michigan as he begins his service to God’s people at Palabra de Vida. As of this writing, there is no known date for his installation.
When a new pastor moves to the congregation which has called him to serve him, it is customary for that congregation to welcome him with a food shower, gift cards, or some other expression of gratitude. While Palabra de Vida is certainly grateful for a new pastor, their resources are limited to express it with material gifts. We would like the congregations in the metro-Detroit area to share that expression of gratitude.
If you would be willing to supply gift cards or gifts of money as part of the welcome for the Loescher family, please submit them to Good Shepherd so that they can be delivered to the Loescher family upon Pastor Loescher’s installation.
175th
Anniversary of the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod)
The WELS was founded in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin in 1850 by five Lutheran pastors.
Since then, it has grown to about 1,200 congregations throughout the USA
and does mission work in about 50 countries.
We thank God for preserving a synod in which the Bible is upheld as God’s
inerrant, inspired word. We should not take
this blessing for granted, as many denominations have chosen to ignore or reject
parts of God’s word, leaving people to wonder what in the Bible is still true and
what is not.
In order to express our gratitude to
the Lord for preserving our synod, and in hopes to see our synod expand its
ministry to the USA and to the world, we will be participating in a thank
offering throughout the month of November.
There will be a collection plate by the ushers’ station. You may also designate an offering (mark it
as “WELS 175”, but payable to Good Shepherd) and put it in the collection plate
with your usual offering.
CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS (October)
> Our projector has not been consistent in projecting. Since it is better than ten years old, we are considering a replacement. We are looking into getting a smart TV with interactive capabilities which allows HDMI input as well as ability to draw with a special, electronic pen.
> Our handicapped accessible entry via push-button should be installed on October 30.
> We plan on adding to our Servant Keeper office management system to allow for texting to large groups, similar to the email blasts, but with texting. When it is ready to go, we will do a test run after church some Sunday.
> We have hired a professional janitorial service.
> A gift was graciously given toward the purchase of a moveable coffee bar. That coffee bar will be purchased soon. We thank the donor for their generosity.
>
We are planning on two congregational
meetings in late November and early December. Our Open Forum on November 23 will present a
recommended budget for the 2026 year, as well as present some plans we hope to
implement in the next year or so. On December
7, we will present a long-term plan for various improvements or maintenance
projects which may need to be done in the next ten years or so. Some projects are necessary; others would be
nice. We welcome feedback to see what
the congregation would support or what alternatives we might consider.
If you were not able to make it in to have your photo taken for the directory, photos can be submitted for inclusion in the upcoming directory. Please speak to Terry Barber about these submissions.
Those who had photos taken will have them sent to them electronically in the coming weeks.
We are hoping for the pictorial directory to be completed by the end of year.
GROWING TOGETHER IN GOD’S WORD
Starting in January, we are going to approach Bible Matters with a different format. We will be reading through a book as a group and meeting to discuss the chapter which was read the previous week. The book we will be working with is entitled, “Your Life Has Meaning: Discovering Your Role in an Epic Story.” This can be purchased in bulk for a discount ($20 each), but we will need to have people let us know if they will be purchasing the book so that we do not overspend on unused books. You can sign up for a book at church. They will be ordered so that you can have a copy by Christmas. Bible Matters will begin our discussion of the book on Wednesday, January 7.
For the most part, the pastor will be observing formal office hours (Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – Noon). Occasionally, duties will take him away from the office during these scheduled times, so you will still want to call or text to confirm any meetings with the pastor (248-719-5218).
INTRODUCTION VIDEO FOR GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH
Here is a video to introduce people to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Novi. Share it as much as you can.
SHARE THIS POST!
We desire as many as possible to rejoice in the Gospel which we proclaim and confess. Share the information from our weekly email blast, links to our web page, and even to the pastor's blog to let others know that we have a space in our congregation for them!
In Christ,
Pastor Schroeder
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GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org
PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG