Thursday, December 21, 2023

Update from Good Shepherd (December 21, 2023)

Greetings!

REGULAR SCHEDULE 
          Sunday School -- Sundays at 9:00 AM (resumes January 7).
          Adult Bible Class -- Sundays at 9:00 AM (resumes January 7).
          Divine Service -- Sundays at 10:00 AM.
          Bible Matters will resume on Wednesday, January 10.
          For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.

CHRISTMAS SERVICES
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service -- December 24 at 7:00 PM
Christmas Day Festival Service -- December 25 at 10:00 AM

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.

ADULT BIBLE CLASS
          We are studying the Scriptures to see how they describe the End Times so that we can face it with both comfort and confidence, and so that we will not be distracted by false teachings and promises. The schedule is below. 
               01 / 07 -- The Judgment
               01 / 14 -- Millennialism (a 1,000 year reign of Jesus)
               01 / 21 -- Dispensationalism (Rapture and Tribulation)
               01 / 28 -- The Present Life in Light of Jesus’ Future Coming 
           We will not have class on December 24 and 31.  
          Classes are Sundays at 9:00 AM.

PEERING INTO 2024

Through the Bible in a Year – A schedule for reading through your entire Bible in a year (you will read all four Gospels twice) can be found here.  This is an aggressive schedule.  If you desire a less aggressive schedule, speak with Pastor Schroeder.

Private Confession & Absolution – Private Confession & Absolution will be available without an appointment on Saturday, January 6 from 10:00 AM – Noon.

Offering Envelopes – The 2024 offerings envelopes should be placed in your church mailbox by Sunday, December 24. In the event that you do not have envelopes or a church mailbox (mistakes happen), please speak to Pastor Schroeder.
Offerings may also be given by electronic transfer of funds. If you prefer this method to using the envelopes, speak to Terry Barber or David Kirvan to arrange this.

Bible Information Class – A Bible Information Class is scheduled to begin on Monday, January 15.  It will run 7:00 – 8:30 PM and cover the core teachings of the Bible.  A schedule will be released soon.

Bible Matters to resume – On Wednesday, January 10, we will resume Bible Matters.  We will take up the topic of End Times which we have been covering on Sunday mornings.  This schedule, however, will be an abbreviated version of Sunday’s Adult Bible Class.

New Members from Lola Park Lutheran Church (Redford) – Lola Park Lutheran Church will be conducting its final service on Sunday, December 31.  After that, the members of Lola Park will be transferring to area WELS congregations.  Good Shepherd is likely to receive a number of these people as members here.  Strive to make them feel welcome, as it can be a traumatic experience to have one’s home church close.

POINTSETTIAS FOR CHRISTMAS

          Poinsettias will be used to decorate the church for Christmas but can be taken home anytime following the Christmas Eve service. The cost for each plant is $7.00. Payment can be made to “Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.”

DIVINE CALL RECEIVED
          On Sunday, November 19, Pastor Schroeder received a Divine Call to serve at Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wautoma, Wisconsin (about 90 miles north of Madison). Over the next several weeks, Pastor Schroeder will have discussions with members of both congregations and other advisors to determine where he would serve in God’s kingdom as seems best to him.  You can find letters which explain the calling process here.
          Your prayers and words of encouragement are welcome.

CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS (December)

>    We will begin having a fund drive for the purchase of a new LED sign for the church.  Based on feedback from our congregation, we will pursue a two-sided sign that will face east and west, focused on traffic on 9 Mile Road.  Estimates are about $22,000 for such a sign.  We are planning for this fund raising campaign to run through June and then to assess when we might be able to install the sign.

>    New Members from Lola Park Lutheran Church (Redford) – Lola Park Lutheran Church will be conducting its final service on Sunday, December 31.  After that, the members of Lola Park will be transferring to area WELS congregations.  Good Shepherd is likely to receive a number of these people as members here.  Strive to make them feel welcome, as it can be a traumatic experience to have one’s home church close.

>    We have drafted a tentative schedule of events for 2024.  Some events will involve more planning than others in order to make them more appealing and beneficial to our guests—for example, our Easter for Kids event on March 23 which will be here sooner than it seems.  Look for opportunities to plan, prepare, and participate in upcoming events.  The 2024 schedule of events will be posted on the church bulletin board.


GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE
          Services are uploaded to YouTube each week. Feel free to share the videos. Here is the service from Sunday, December 10: Good Shepherd Novi, Divine Service, December 10, 2023 (youtube.com)

BAD WEATHER POLICY FOR SERVICES AT GOOD SHEPHERD
          We will always have services as scheduled at Good Shepherd. Since I live across the parking lot, I can get to the church no matter how bad the weather gets. Even if the service is just me and my family, we will be here. For everyone else, please use your God-given common sense to determine whether or not you will get on the road to attend any service when the weather is bad. We don't want anyone to risk his or her life to be here. But if you do venture out, the scheduled service will take place. It may be only a handful with a cappella singing and/or spoken liturgy, but we will be here.
          Bible Classes and meetings may be canceled due to weather. Check your email regarding announcements to see if any of those scheduled events are canceled. If there is no email about it, it is not canceled. But again, use common sense to determine if you can make it, and call the pastor to let him know if you will not be coming.

REGULAR OFFICE HOURS
          The pastor will try to maintain regular office hours are Monday – Thursday, 9:00 AM - Noon. To ensure the pastor’s availability, it is best to make an appointment. He is available by phone or text (248-719-5218). You may also email (welsnovi@aol.com), but the response may be slower. 

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!

In Christ,
Pastor Schroeder

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REGULAR SCHEDULE
DIVINE SERVICES are on Sundays at 10:00 AM
Sunday School -- Sundays at 9:00 AM (resumes January 7)
Adult Bible Class -- Sundays at 9:00 AM (resumes January 7)
Bible Matters will resume on Wednesday, January 10 at 6:30 PM.

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org

PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG
www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com 

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