Thursday, April 9, 2020

Update from Good Shepherd (April 9, 2020)

Greetings!


WORSHIP DURING COVID-19
Services will be broadcast on Facebook Live.  
The schedule for Holy Week is:  
Maundy Thursday – Thursday, April 9 (7:00 PM) 
Good Friday – Friday, April 10 (7:00 PM)
Easter Sunday – Sunday, April 12 (10:00 AM)
Please share our Holy Week schedule and invite friends to tune in to our services.

GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE
         We are now posting our services on YouTube.  When you go to YouTube, do a search for "Good Shepherd Novi" and they should pop up.
The link for Palm Sunday (April 5) is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrxzAvAwbhg
         Bulletins for services can be downloaded from here (scroll down): 
http://goodshepherdnovi.org/worship

ADULT BIBLE CLASS
We will be resuming our series entitled, “Bible Symbols” on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM.
While the Bible is written in clear language, it sometimes uses symbolism to reveal God's word to us.  Such symbolism, while it can be confusing, also serves to illustrate God's mercy and salvation to us.  In order to gain a deeper understanding of God's mercy and salvation, it serves us well to be familiar with the Bible's symbolism and word pictures.
If you happen to have the book, God's Imagery, you can refer to that for each class period.  The chapters that correspond to each session are below.  Although it is not crucial to have for the class, reading the chapter which corresponds to the upcoming class may foster more discussion for the class.  You can order your own copy through Northwestern Publishing House here: https://online.nph.net/gods-imagery.html 
This class will be done on the website Zoom, and there will be sheets emailed to you in advance.  In order to make sure you receive the study guides and to get the password for the Zoom sessions, you will need to register for this class.  Even if you will attend only occasionally, please register.  I am also hoping to record these sessions so that they will be available on demand.
The class schedule will be as follows:
April 15    --     Spring OT Festivals: Symbols of Christ's first coming (Chapter 3)
April 22    --     Fall OT Festivals: Fulfillment of Christ's work (Chapter 4)
April 29    --     The Symbolism of numbers (Chapter 5)
May 6    --     Symbols of the Savior (Chapter 6)
May 13    --     The People of the Lord (Chapter 7)
May 20    --     Apocalyptic Literature (Chapter 8)
May 27    --     Types of Christ (Chapter 18)


CONCERNING THE CORONAVIRUS
        General thoughts regrading the Church, its services, and pastoral care during a health scare such as the coronoavirus, I refer you to some thoughts I had written earlier.  You can find them at my blog here, under the title, "A Pastoral Concern: The Church Militant, Pastoral Care, and the Coronavirus."
        Regarding worship, particularly home devotions and prayer during this time of quarantine, you can refer to this letter which offers encouragement, advice, and resources for worship at home.  
        Home Devotions: A link to provide materials for home devotions and prayers is here.

CONCERNING PASTORAL CARE
        Online Worship:  Besides Facebook Live and YouTube, you can find the pastor's sermons archived on this blog.  You can use the search bar to find a particular date, day of the Church Year, or Scripture reference.
        Person-to-person care: Pastor Schroeder will be in his office to offer private devotions, Holy Absolution, and Holy Communion to members in small groups or to individuals.  You may come in without appointment at these times: Mondays and Thursdays, 8:00 AM - Noon and 6:00 - 9:00 PM.  You may also set up an appointment at any time.  Visits by appointment can be done either at church or at your home.
        In case you contract COVID-19:  Please contact Pastor Schroeder.  He will alert the congregation so that your fellow members may pray for you, and he will keep everyone informed of your condition.  If possible, Pastor Schroeder will visit you during your quarantine.  At the very least, he will keep in contact with you and provide devotional materials.  If you want to ask for intercessions for loved ones, we will certainly remember them in our prayers, too.  If your loved one has no pastor, ask if they would like Pastor Schroeder to visit them.  

PRIVATE COMMUNION DURING HOLY WEEK
Private Communion is available by appointment at any time.
Private Communion is available during Holy Week without appointment at these times:
Thursday, April 9   8:00 AM – Noon
Friday, April 10           8:00 AM – Noon
Saturday, April 11  9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
To limit the risk of contracting COVID-19 as much as possible, please review the protocol we will follow when you come in.  You can see it here.

OFFERINGS
While we may not be meeting for worship, we do have financial obligations to meet.  You may either mail your offering into Good Shepherd, or you can set up your offering to be transferred electronically from your bank.  If you are interested in the automatic transfer of funds for your offering, please contact the church at welsnovi@aol.com .

INTERCESSIONS 
Intercessions that are requested prior to the bulletin’s printing will be included in the bulletin.  Requests may be made prior to the service as well.
>  For Rawland Storm who continues treatment for cancer
   >  For Kevin Spillane, friend of Dan Rauchholz, who suffered a heart attack and will be having a procedure on his heart soon
   >  Supplication during the COVID-19 pandemic

In our prayers....
While we offer up prayers for specific requests in our services, petitions and intercessions can be offered up throughout the week for continued concerns.  Please continue to remember these in your prayers:
>  Josie Shipe, niece of Bob & Susan Shipe, now diagnosed with ataxia,  a degenerative disease of the nervous system
>  Jan Papson, who continues to suffer from the effects of cancer at home

OFFICE HOURS
Office hours at Good Shepherd have adjusted during the COVID-19 quarantine.  Pastor Schroeder will be in the office Mondays and Thursdays, 8:00 AM - Noon and again 6:00-9:00 PM.  Lisa is doing most of her work from home.

DO YOU LIKE US?
Look for Good Shepherd on Facebook.  Then “LIKE” us for updates and other postings.  Be sure to share posts with friends.

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!

God bless you.


In Christ,
Pastor Schroeder
==============================
SUNDAY SCHOOL -- suspended until further notice
ADULT BIBLE CLASS -- Wednesdays at 7:00 PM (via Zoom: registration is necessary)

DIVINE SERVICES -- Sundays at 10:00 AM
 (Facebook Live only)

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE

Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church
41415 W. Nine Mile Road
Novi, Michigan  48375-4306
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