


Celebrate Independence Day
On Sunday, July 6th immediately following the 11:00 service, Parish Life will be hosting a picnic luncheon in the Parish Hall. The church is providing hot dogs , refreshments, Apple pie and ice cream . Please sign up if you'd like to donate some of your delicious side dishes to go with our hot dogs. *Volunteer sign-up sheet is also located in the Parish Hallway.*

Men's Retreat
Exploring Jesus’ Gospel Teachings - Led by Fr. Francis Michael at Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, GA.
Fr. Francis Michael will lead us in an exploration of the four Gospels, looking specifically at those things Jesus asked us to do, like and love your enemy, do not judge, welcome strangers, be humble, and asking ourselves if we are actually doing any of these things. While this is a silent retreat outside of the conference room, we will have opportunities to gather and share after each conference. The cost is $200. To make your reservation, please call the Monastery, Monday-Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, at 770-760-0959.

Blueberry Festival Help Needed
Our Annual Blueberry Festival, sponsored by the Arts & Spirituality Ministry, is coming July 20, 2025 at 12:15pm! GSEC would like to showcase our very own artists & crafters and we are inviting parishioners to share their talents with us, either by displaying or selling items. All mediums of handmade works are encouraged. Pieces featuring blueberries or the color blue would be festive but any designs are welcomed! All items will either be displayed on tables or stands and nothing will be hung, so size matters! We hope that those of you that create works of art will feature items for our festival– God gave you those gifts to share!!! All proceeds from the Blueberry Festival benefit our Dental Ministry, providing basic dental care for our students without insurance. Please contact Patti Brownlee at 828-517-0070 with you interest/questions.
Game and pizza Night
Save the date for this Parish Life Event and watch for details to come.
Anna Ruby Falls Hike
Save the date for this Parish Life Event and watch for details to come.

Planning for Advent
Attention Good Shepherds: Your Arts and Spirituality Steering Committee has be gun work on preparing a booklet of Meditations for Ad vent. You are invited to submit a avorite poem, photo, scripture or an Advent tradition/memory to the committee to be considered for inclusion in the final pub lication. Watch for detailed submission guidelines in the July newsletter. The deadline for submission is Septem ber 22nd. To get those creative juices flowing, an exam ple of the 2020 Lenten booklet is on display on the hall bulletin board for you to review.
Trunk or Treat on the Square
Save the date for this Parish Life Event and watch for details to come.

Reading Mark
Mondays at 10a.m. June 9-30 in the Library.
The earliest written of the four Gospels, the Gospel according to Mark provides much material found in both Matthew and Luke. Those Gospels borrow heavily from Mark but reorganize and extend that borrowed text to make their own witness to the mission and ministry of God in Jesus Christ.
Mark has been considered lesser than the other Gospels: lesser as a piece of literature, lesser theologically, lesser as a basis for liturgy, lesser as a call to mission. A closer examination of Mark, however, reveals some of its genius and why it is the first among the Gospels. Bring your Bibles as we read Mark and discover some of its riches.
This will be the first in a series of short courses on the four Gospels.

Instructed Eucharist
Instructed Eucharist Sunday June 22 and 29 @ 1:00 PM, in the Nave, Eucharist, the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, is the principal act of worship in our Episcopal tradition. Understanding its structure, component elements, and some of its history and intentions can add depth of meaning and new or renewed spiritual engagement. Eucharist can mean so much more when through a slow and intentional examination you come to see and understand what is being done and why. All are welcome to this experience of instructed Eucharist.

Asheville Tourists
June 27th- Asheville Tourist Baseball Game. Meet in the church parking lot at 3:30 to carpool and/or caravan to the baseball game. Game starts at 6:30. Order your tickets on line at Tourists vs. Bowling Green Hot Rods - MyProVenue™ some of us have purchased tickets in Section BB Row K.

Reading Mark
Mondays at 10a.m. June 9-30 in the Library.
The earliest written of the four Gospels, the Gospel according to Mark provides much material found in both Matthew and Luke. Those Gospels borrow heavily from Mark but reorganize and extend that borrowed text to make their own witness to the mission and ministry of God in Jesus Christ.
Mark has been considered lesser than the other Gospels: lesser as a piece of literature, lesser theologically, lesser as a basis for liturgy, lesser as a call to mission. A closer examination of Mark, however, reveals some of its genius and why it is the first among the Gospels. Bring your Bibles as we read Mark and discover some of its riches.
This will be the first in a series of short courses on the four Gospels.

Instructed Eucharist
Instructed Eucharist Sunday June 22 and 29 @ 1:00 PM, in the Nave, Eucharist, the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, is the principal act of worship in our Episcopal tradition. Understanding its structure, component elements, and some of its history and intentions can add depth of meaning and new or renewed spiritual engagement. Eucharist can mean so much more when through a slow and intentional examination you come to see and understand what is being done and why. All are welcome to this experience of instructed Eucharist.

Pizza and Game Night
June 19th- Pizza and Game night 5:00 in the Parish Hall. Parish Life will provide Pizza, Salad, and drinks. Please sign up so we have the appropriate amount of pizzas ordered. Bring your favorite games and game faces.

Cancer Support Group
On Tuesday, June 17th we are hosting our Cancer Support Group in the Parish Hall at 5pm. We are hoping to offer support to those on the journey of dealing with, surviving, and/or caring for someone with cancer. Bring something to share in thoughts, ideas, and of course some food. Contact Jose Arias by email if you can’t attend in person but would like to be part of the meeting by zoom: jose_m_arias@hotmail.com

Reading Mark
Mondays at 10a.m. June 9-30 in the Library.
The earliest written of the four Gospels, the Gospel according to Mark provides much material found in both Matthew and Luke. Those Gospels borrow heavily from Mark but reorganize and extend that borrowed text to make their own witness to the mission and ministry of God in Jesus Christ.
Mark has been considered lesser than the other Gospels: lesser as a piece of literature, lesser theologically, lesser as a basis for liturgy, lesser as a call to mission. A closer examination of Mark, however, reveals some of its genius and why it is the first among the Gospels. Bring your Bibles as we read Mark and discover some of its riches.
This will be the first in a series of short courses on the four Gospels.

Reading Mark
Mondays at 10a.m. June 9-30 in the Library.
The earliest written of the four Gospels, the Gospel according to Mark provides much material found in both Matthew and Luke. Those Gospels borrow heavily from Mark but reorganize and extend that borrowed text to make their own witness to the mission and ministry of God in Jesus Christ.
Mark has been considered lesser than the other Gospels: lesser as a piece of literature, lesser theologically, lesser as a basis for liturgy, lesser as a call to mission. A closer examination of Mark, however, reveals some of its genius and why it is the first among the Gospels. Bring your Bibles as we read Mark and discover some of its riches.
This will be the first in a series of short courses on the four Gospels.

Roast and Toast
After the 11am service on June 8th, we will be Roasting & Toasting our Music/Choir Director Keith Christensen & Pianist/Accompanist Carol Smucker as they retire! The church will be providing ham & biscuits. We ask that you join us and please, bring something to share. Also, please be thinking of your toasting ideas! If you would like to contribute to a monetary gift to be split equally, please mark your checks “retirement gift.” Let’s thank them for their beautiful gifts to this congregation!


Stamping Class
The Stamping (card making) Class is back by popular demand! It will take place Thursday, June 5th from 12:30 - 4:00p in the Parish Hall. Cost is $15 for 6 handmade cards and all supplies will be furnished. Capacity for 15. Please sign up on the sheet in the Parish Hall hallway or RSVP to Kaye TeRonde at kteronde@gmail.com or Jan Freeman at jansfreeman@gmail.com. Come join us for an afternoon of creativity and fellowship. We plan to offer 2 more classes later this year.

Reading Mark
Mondays at 10a.m. June 9-30 in the Library.
The earliest written of the four Gospels, the Gospel according to Mark provides much material found in both Matthew and Luke. Those Gospels borrow heavily from Mark but reorganize and extend that borrowed text to make their own witness to the mission and ministry of God in Jesus Christ.
Mark has been considered lesser than the other Gospels: lesser as a piece of literature, lesser theologically, lesser as a basis for liturgy, lesser as a call to mission. A closer examination of Mark, however, reveals some of its genius and why it is the first among the Gospels. Bring your Bibles as we read Mark and discover some of its riches.
This will be the first in a series of short courses on the four Gospels.

Good Women of Good Shepherd
Our 2025 Retreat is in the planning. We have space reserved this year at Lake Logan for May 23-25. The focus of our retreat this year is CLAIMING OUR MATURE FAITH. We will be taking a brief look at the work of developmental psychologists Eric Erickson and Jean Piaget to get a feel for the "ages and stages" of human development. Then we will take a more in-depth look at the work of the Rev. John Westerhoff, who applied this approach to faith development.
We have no choice as to whether we age. We do have choice, however, as to whether - how - when - and to what extent we mature. Maturation can be physical, cognitive, emotional, psychological, AND.....in faith. The faith of our childhood is probably not the faith we experience now.
How does faith growth, change, maturation happen? What do we choose to keep? What do we find ourselves letting go? This inquiry will be our focus.. We are a tight-knit and trusting group. I am hopeful that our trust of each other will enable some deep reflection and honest sharing.
A final figure for cost will be determined after we know how many of us will be attending. It should be in the neighborhood of $200. If you want to reserve a spot for yourself for this retreat, please notify Amanda in the office by March 20th. Our space this year is limited to 23 attendees. Once that number has been reserved, there will be a waiting list.
We have a good history of our retreats being an enriching time for those who participate. I hope you will want to join this year's spiritual adventure.
Love from your fellow searcher,
Bev+

Hike and/or Crane Creek Winery
On May 17th, Parish Life is enjoying a hike at Riverwalk Park in Murphy while learning local history, flora, and fauna. We'll meet at church at 9:30am, then carpool or caravan to the parking lot located just past Murphy Elementary School. Sign up if you plan to attend.
THEN…
We are meeting at 4:30pm, for fellowship at Crane Creek Stone House Tasting Room 1040 Crane Creek Rd, Young Harris, GA 30582. Sign up sheet for this as well.

Hymns of Glory
St. Augustine is credited with the quote: “He who sings prays twice.” Mindful of that saying, Good Shepherd’s Arts and Spirituality Ministry will be sponsoring “Hymns of Glory; Songs of Praise,” an evening with organist Jerry Taylor. The program will take place on Wednesday evening, May 14, from 5:00-6:30pm.
The evening will start with a simple meal of sandwich, chips, salad, dessert and beverage, followed by a musical program featuring a selection of favorite hymns. Jerry will be bringing several antique reed organs to accompany the singing. As we sing the hymns, Jerry will share information regarding the history of the musical instruments, as well as information about the hymns and the authors themselves.
There is a sign-up sheet for the program in the information hallway. So that we may prepare for all who are coming, the final sign-up will be Sunday, May 11, 2025. For more information or questions, please contact Betsi Wilson.

Easter Luncheon
Save the date for this Parish Life Event and watch for details to come.

Easter Egg Hunt
Please join us for an Easter Egg Hunt following our 11am service on Easter Sunday, April 20,2025. We plan to start immediately following the service. We will be outside our front door to have the kids follow us to the playground area. We have some eggs that we can use but could use more as well as candy to stuff them with. Any and all contributions are welcome! Our number of children is small and we want to prepare for anyone who will be joining us. We can take donations in the nursery. Please have them to us by Sunday, April 13, so that we can coordinate our time to fill the eggs and get ready for our egg hunt! . Thank you all!

Movie Night
Parish Life Ministry is organizing a movie and dinner at VIP Fieldstone 6 in Hiawassee on Saturday, April 12th. Movie time is 4:20pm. We’ll meet at the theater to see “King of Kings.” Afterwards if anyone is interested, we’ll go across the street for dinner at Marina Station. Join us for some fun and fellow ship!

Attention Icon Writers
St. Francis Catholic Church in Blairsville, GA will host an Icon Writing Class from April 27 - May 2. The instructor is Kara Gillette who studied with Teresa Harrison. There are several spaces available. The cost is $525 per person which includes all supplies and lunch each day. For more information or a registration form please contact Rita Casey via email at rbear11@hotmail.com or by phone at 678-350-3739.

Forgiveness
Lenten Supper Series 2025
Forgiveness
Wednesday in Lent at 5:00 PM
“American culture, which pits self-fulfillment against self-sacrifice, [will] produce revenge or withdrawal as a response to any mistreatment. . . . In such a culture, forgiveness is seen as self-hating, and revenge and anger are considered authentic.” - Tim Keller
“If you believe the gospel – that you are saved by sheer grace and the free forgiveness of God – and you still hold a grudge — at the very least it shows that you are blocking the actual effect of the gospel in your life, or you’re kidding yourself and perhaps you don’t believe the gospel at all.” - Tim Keller
What is the mission of the Church? The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ. So answers the Book of Common Prayer to the question of our mission as members of the body of Christ. We are in the mending, healing, bridge building, reconciliation business.
Saint Paul, in his Second Letter to the Corinthians, makes this missional directive explicit stating that as God has reconciled the world to himself through Christ, we as ambassadors of Christ and bearers of the message of reconciliation are to be reconcilers. Where there is injury we are to seek justice with forgiveness and mercy. In a time when victimhood, grievance, resentment, bullying, revenge, and aggressive language and action have taken over public and private discourse, followers of Christ have much work to do.
March 12 Stories of Forgiving
March 19 The Love, Mercy, and Justice of God
March 26 To Be Forgiven
April 2 To Forgive Others
April 9 The Ministry of Reconciliation
Dinner of soup, salad and bread begins at 5:00 PM. Your donations are welcome.
This course is led by Fr. Bill.

Anglican Prayer Beads Workshop
To follow up on Father Bill’s recent classes entitled, “Lord, Teach Us To Pray,” the Adult Spiritual Formation Ministry and the Arts and Spirituality Ministry will offer two Anglican Prayer Bead Workshops in March. At these workshops you will create your own prayer beads and will learn how to incorporate them into your daily prayer life.
The dates have been RESCHEDULED and are Tuesday, March 25th from 1:30 - 3:30 pm & Thursday, March 27th from 10:00 am - noon. The cost is $10 and includes all supplies and refreshments (a light lunch following the morning session and a tea following the afternoon workshop). The workshops are limited to 15 participants, so check the bulletin board and sign-up!

Anglican Prayer Beads Workshop
To follow up on Father Bill’s recent classes entitled, “Lord, Teach Us To Pray,” the Adult Spiritual Formation Ministry and the Arts and Spirituality Ministry will offer two Anglican Prayer Bead Workshops in March. At these workshops you will create your own prayer beads and will learn how to incorporate them into your daily prayer life.
The dates have been RESCHEDULED and are Tuesday, March 25th from 1:30 - 3:30 pm & Thursday, March 27th from 10:00 am - noon. The cost is $10 and includes all supplies and refreshments (a light lunch following the morning session and a tea following the afternoon workshop). The workshops are limited to 15 participants, so check the bulletin board and sign-up!

Blood Drive
Good Shepherd will host a Red Cross Blood Drive on Monday, March 24th from 12:30 - 5:30pm in the Parish Hall.

Cursillo
Join your fellow cursillistas in a renewal weekend as we live out our 4th Day with prayer, song, and action! We will begin our weekend at the church on March 21st from 4-8, then continue on Saturday, March 22nd. Finally, on Sunday we will join in worship at the 11 am service. If you have any questions, please get in touch with Carolyn or Tom Griffiths or Jane Boritz.

Anglican Prayer Beads Workshop
During January and February, Father Bill offered a series of classes entitled, "Lord, Teach Us To Pray," where he shared how we might pray using the Book of Common Prayer as well as some of the commonly used prayer practices of the Christian Church. The purpose of these classes was to encourage us to strengthen our prayer practices and to refresh our prayer life.
To continue with the theme of enhancing prayer life, the Adult Spiritual Formation and the Arts and Spirituality Ministries will offer two Anglican Prayer Bead Workshops in March. You will have the opportunity to create your own strand of prayer beads and learn how to pray with them to incorporate them into your daily prayer life. The emphasis of the class will be on prayer rather than craft. Father Bill will provide instruction on the use of the prayer beads.
The workshops will be limited to 15 participants each and there will be sign up sheets on the Bulletin Board in the hallway beginning March 2, 2025. The cost will be $10.00 which includes all supplies and refreshments (a light lunch following the morning session and a tea following the afternoon workshop).
The first workshop will be Tuesday, March 18th from 1:30 - 3:30 pm. The second workshop will be Thursday, March 20th from 10:00 am - noon. All participants are asked to bring a small towel to use at your work space. Contact Kathy Wright for further information or if you have questions.

Ash Wednesday Service
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
Tickets for the annual pancake supper on Tuesday, March 4th will be on sale beginning Sunday, February 23. Tickets are $8 each for ages 12+ (or at the Saint Dave Smucker special price of 2 for $20 for adults!), $4 each for ages 0-11. Join us on Tuesday, March 4th 5:00-7:00pm, for pancakes, sausage, apple sauce, coffee and juice as we raise funds to support our Good Shepherd youth ministry.

Daughters of the King
All current members of the Daughters of the King and all interested in learning more about this fellowship of women who support the mission of the church through prayer and service are invited to meet with Fr Bill for lunch in the undercroft on Sunday, March 2nd. This will be an organizational meeting as we move forward restarting and revitalizing the Daughters of the King at Good Shepherd. All interested women are welcome.

Ann Woodford Guest
To recognize and honor Black History Month, we are pleased to display nine posters from the collection of Ann Miller Woodford which provide a history of African Americans in far Western North Carolina. The posters will be on display through the month of February which is designated as National Black History Month.
Ann Woodford - artist, author, community activist, historian and speaker - is a native of Andrews in Cherokee County. She has shared the history of African Americans with groups throughout our region. Ann will be our guest at Coffee Hour on Sunday, February 23rd. Please allow some time to view the poster display in our Parish Hall.