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Offering Envelopes Available
When you come to church on Sunday, please check the table across from the church office and pick up your 2017 offering envelopes. When you do get them, please note that your offering envelope number has changed for next year and beyond. We were able to significantly lower the costs for the envelopes by assigning new number. This applies only to those who use the offering envelopes. All those who are giving through the Vanco online giving service or are giving by bank draft do not receive weekly offering envelope and are assigned numbers in an entirely different category.
Please continue to use your current envelopes through December. The new envelopes and numbering system goes into effect on January 1, 2017. Thank so much for your cooperation.
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DECIDING THE FUTURE PATH FOR GOOD SHEPHERD
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Important Dates to Remember
Sun., Nov. 13 at 9:45 a.m. -- Annual Meeting in Parish Hall
Sun. Nov 20 at 9:45 a.m. — Lutheran Denomination Study Report Q&A in Parish Hall
Sun. Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. — Meeting & Q&A with Representatives of ELCA, NALC, and LCMS in Parish Hall
Sun., December 4 at 9:45 a.m. — First vote to consider disaffiliation from ELCA in Parish Hall
Tuesdays, Nov. 15, 22, and 29 at 7:00 p.m. — Sanctuary open for prayer and discernment
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Opportunities for Questions on Lutheran Denomination Study Report
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- November 20 at 9:45 a.m. is your first opportunity to ask questions. The Lutheran Denomination Study Group and Council will be available in the Parish Hall to answer your questions.
- At 6 p.m. on November 20 representatives of the ELCA, NALC, and hopefully the LCMS will meet with us to talk about their respective Lutheran denominations. Council urges you to prayerfully, carefully and deliberately study the report of the Lutheran Denomination Study Group and come prepared to ask your questions to Rev Nathan Yoder of the NALC, N.C. Bishop Tim Smith of the ELCA, and a pastor representing the LCMS. Come prepared with your questions.
- Members of the study group deserve our thanks. The volunteers included Teresa Neely (Chair), Kathy Drumm (Co Chair), Nancy Faulkner, Ron Frazier, Laura Merritt, Ruth Neely, Jason Shoemaker, Tom Wallace, Judy Zander and Camille Jessen (Council Liaison).
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Call to prayer and discernment for our future direction
The sanctuary will be open for prayer and meditation about the momentous decisions before us for three consecutive Tuesday evenings beginning Tuesday, November 15 at 7 p.m. The other dates are Tuesday, November 22 and 29 from 7 p.m. until 8 p.m. The Congregation Council urges you to carefully, prayerfully and deliberately study the documents and to take advantage of these Tuesday opportunities to come together to pray about the future direction of Good Shepherd.
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First Vote to Disaffiliate from the ELCA
The first vote to consider disaffiliating from the ELCA will happen on Sunday, December 4 at 9:45 a.m. in the Parish Hall. A quorum is necessary. The vote must pass by a two-thirds margin to be successful. If this vote is successful, another will be scheduled after a 90 day waiting period; this vote must also pass by a two-thirds margin. If both are successful, the decision to disaffiliate will go to the N.C. Synod Council as the next step in the process. If the first vote does not succeed, a waiting period is imposed before the matter can be reconsidered.
Again, it is critical that all voting members carefully consider the study, attend all the informational meetings, and come prepared to make a decision about the future of Good Shepherd on December 4. Voting members are those who:
- Are confirmed members of Good Shepherd, and
- Have made a contribution of record between January 1, 2015 and October 30, 2016 and
- Have a record of communing between January 1, 2015 and October 30, 2016.
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If you haven’t already, please pick up a bag to fill for the Circle # 5 Thanksgiving in a Bag project. A list of items to include is stapled to each bag along with an envelope for a check for $12 to purchase the meat for the meals. November 20 is the deadline to return the filled bags which will be distributed through the Mount Holly CRO. Let’s help our hungry neighbors to have a good Thanksgiving meal.
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Baptists offer Thanksloving Meal
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Thanksgiving Day from 11 - 2
First Baptist invites all those who will be alone to join them for their annual Thanksloving Feast at the church on Thanksgiving Day between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. If you know of someone who is homebound and would enjoy a meal, please call ahead to First Baptist and a full Thanksgiving meal can be delivered.
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