NEW TUESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY BEGINNING JULY 5TH

i am n

In northern Iraq, radical Muslims (ISIS) spray-painted the Arabic letter ن, or “n,” on the homes and businesses of Christians. The property owners were publicly identified as Christ-followers and given a choice to convert to Islam, leave, or die. The courageous believers refused to deny their faith, and more than 100,000 fled with little more than the clothes on their backs. This engaging study presents true stories of Christians facing Islamic extremists around the world. Each study includes interviews with persecuted Christians as well as commentary and teaching by leaders from The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) and other leading missions organizations. Following each video testimony is a short study showing God’s eternal perspective in the midst of violence, fear and even death. The six-week Bible study called “i am n” is starting on Tuesday, July 5th at 10 AM, in the Martin Brown Fellowship Hall. We will explore the six themes of sacrifice, courage, joy, perseverance, forgiveness, and faithfulness. You will be inspired to grow deeper in your relationship with Christ and witness with boldness and joy to your friends, family, and co-workers. Please join us! Pastor Ray

Dear Brother Ray and all the Saints at Good Shepherd,

Thank you so much for your prayers and partnership. By God’s grace, our two new mission fields are up and running. We have missionaries Sarah (Iraq) and Hassan (Egypt), both converts from Islam, in Houston, TX and missionaries Nader and Gergette from Kuwait in Bloominton, MN. We are hoping to start Columbus, OH soon. By His grace, two educated, formerly Muslim, Pakistani women wer baptized at St. John, Rochester, MI last week-end. God’s Spirit is working mightily! Thank You!

Rev. Farrukh Khan,

POBLO International

The Good Shepherd Newsletter

July 2016

“Every calamity that sweeps men away is a divine call to repent and a divine warning to escape punishment forever by repenting in time.” - R.C.H. Lenski

Jonah (4:1-2) was angry with God for sparing Nineveh, for he knew that God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. And Jonah did not want that for Nineveh.

Chick-Fil-A made the news again. In 2012 the restaurant chain was the focus of a cultural controversy over their support of traditional marriage. The LGBT community took offense and in their indignation condemned the restaurant as being homophobic. The reason Chick-Fil-A made the news this time was because they lowered their flag to half-mast “as a mark of respect for the victims of the act of hatred and terror perpetrated … in Orlando…”

The tragedy at the tower of Siloam is cited by Jesus as a preface to the parable of a fruitless fig tree. The tower may have been part of a system of fortifications on the walls of the city of Jerusalem near the Pool of Siloam. The resulting deaths may have been workmen employed on the aqueduct that Pilate was building for Jerusalem or they may have been people seeking to use the waters of Siloam for religious rites. We are not told. The deaths, however, are in contrast to how the prophet Isaiah (8:6) used Siloam and its waters as a symbol of the blessings that flow from the Temple. Luke (13:4) writes, “Where the people who were killed when the tower of Siloam worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? Jesus replies “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

It is unbelief that condemns. It is faith in Christ Jesus that saves. The guilt of Sodom was pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease (Ezekiel 16:49). The warning in Luke is not against some form of cruel demise, because for the disciples, Stephen, James, and others of faith who went on to gruesome deaths. The danger is in perishing in death when we could live on in Christ. In Christ, death has no victory and no sting (1Cor 15:55). The message of the Church is that you too can be saved. There is no evil so great that it is unforgivable by Christ. It is not yet too late for us to repent.

Our message is misunderstood by our culture. That Chick-Fil-A showed sympathy toward the Orlando victims should not have been newsworthy.

Grace & Peace, - Curtis

Youth Group

Meets Sunday evenings from 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Service project in support of the McElroy's Lifetree Café - Shalimar

Please join us for breakfast!!

The Lifetree Team will be serving breakfast burritos in the fellowship hall after the 8:00 AM Worship Service and before Sunday School on July 17th. Contributions will be used to aid the McElroy’s in paying their medical expenses.

I am the newest member of the Stewardship Board and as such wanted to share a few thoughts I have regarding Christian Stewardship. Godly and faithful stewardship encompasses more than just money. While it is true that Jesus speaks a great deal about the stewardship of finances, faithful whole like stewardship goes well beyond envelopes and offering plates, budgets and balance sheets.

The broader definition and scope of stewardship is definitely a good thing. The earliest pages of Genesis make it clear that our Lord created us for the purpose of being stewards of His perfect creation. There is no way to read that, in a solely financial manner. In the Garden of Eden there was not any kind of proportional concept of stewardship. Adam and Eve were tasked with the faithful stewardship of all creation. For them to be faithful it took all of their lives.

Stewardship then is not about what the individual decides to do, but rather how the Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens, sanctifies, and keeps that individual in the faith. When the majority of our congregation are caught in the net of thinking that their lives belong to God and not themselves, our ministry will flourish.

Some ways to broaden our net is to build wider relationships with our fellow members. As a newer member of Good Shepherd I have been blessed by the friendliness of our congregation. Praise be to God for this gift. I believe we can build on this blessing by getting involved in several areas of church life. Conducting our worship services involves the work of more than that of our Pastor. Ushers, Altar Guild, Musicians, Lay Readers, and the Audio/Visual technicians all contribute to a meaningful worship service. In addition to Sunday School and Bible Class leaders, the maintenance of our property and sanctuary all require willing workers. Working together in any of these areas of service provides the opportunity to strengthen our connections as members of Christ’s body here on earth. I know that my participation in the Adult Choir and being on the Stewardship Board has enabled me to make connections with fellow members which I cherish, along with contributing my time and talent to the mission of Good Shepherd. ~Ruth Hill – Stewardship Board~

Please remember the church this summer as you leave for vacation. We have been blessed this year and our offerings have been keeping up with our budget!

“A woman was asked what she had been doing the past week, she answered, “On Monday, I ministered to Mexicans in Texas. Tuesday, I preached the gospel in Brazil. Wednesday, I operated on a man in Africa. Thursday, I taught in a mission school in Japan. Friday, I helped establish a church in California. Saturday, I taught seminary classes. Sunday, I distributed Bibles in Korea.” Her friend, thinking her a bit “tetched” asked her to ex-plain. “You see, by dropping monies in my Mite Box daily, I have been able to go to all these places where God the Holy Spirit is working.

As I write this, we have just celebrated Pentecost Sunday. Do you remember how the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and were enabled to share the message of Jesus’ love and salvation to the crowd that surrounded them? As a result of their testimony that day, 3,000 people were brought into a living relationship with their Savior and with one another.

As Lutheran Women in Mission, we, too, can share the message of our Lord’s great love to those around the world. By filling our Mite Boxes, we can fund outreach programs, both within the Gulf States District and around the world. How blessed we are to have this opportunity!” Are you dropping your mites in the box over the summer and remembering to bring them to church on the first Sunday of the month? We do not take a vacation from our mite giving!

Donating those used eye glasses made this happen—this story is from an Indiana LWML woman who was on a five-day eye glass mission trip to Nicaragua in June.

Feeling Like a Kid Again Today we served 110 people and distributed 108 pairs of glasses. Two of those pairs were

given to an elderly gentleman who was so grateful that he told one member that he literally wanted to jump for joy! Years ago he had received a pair of glasses but by now they had so many scratches and scuffs that he was unable to see. He mentioned how it had taken him a year to pay for them. This afternoon when he put on his new glasses he said, “it makes my brain feel like a kid,” because he had not had such clear vision since he was a small child! It is seeing the joy in someone like this that makes theses mission trips so meaningful & invaluable. The collection box for used eye glasses is in the narthex on the counter under the TV. Thank You!

GET READY, SET, RECYCLE! Your LWML is collecting empty inkjet printer cartridges, empty laser printer cartridges, used cell phones, laptops (including power cords) digital cameras, e-Reader, tablets, GPS systems, and Scientific Calculators to redeem for cash. The cash will be used to pay for expenses associated with hosting the LWML’s National Convention to be held in Birmingham in 2019. Just bring your contributions to the Fellowship Hall overflow area and put them in the marked recycling bin. It’s easy and it’s good for the environment,

too. Your LWML thanks you! Bea Daily

Pat Rudolph has graciously accepted to take prayer requests in Louise Gilman’s absence for the summer. If you have a request, please email Pat at beachrudy@cox.net. Please, remember to submit your requests in writing to ensure the proper message is conveyed.

Human Care Board Happenings By Jean Grieve

The Human Care Board has been busy, as usual, ensuring our homebound parishioners know that we are thinking about them and that they are continually in God’s hands as they continue to face their daily battles/struggles. We send them cards with words of encouragement to let them know we are always here and they are never far from our hearts …

Prayers for Our

Sick & Shut-In

Brothers & Sisters

Another part of our outreach is to Sharing and Caring. Thanks to YOU and your generosity, we are able to bring food to those in need on a regular basis. We also assist with Catholic Charities of NWFL.

We recently hosted a very successful Life Line Screening event on 25 May, sponsored by the Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast, in which we had 60 + participants take part in various screenings and annual wellness visits to provide a more in-depth look at their health. Given the amount of people that signed up, we will be bringing this back again next year and hope to have even more of you attend!

On Sunday July 31, 2016 we will be having the Red Cross Bloodmobile right here in the GSLC parking lot! We have not done a blood drive since 2013. The Red Cross will be here from 7:30 AM – 12:30 PM to accommodate blood donors from both services. We plan to invite our friends from next door at Shalimar United Methodist. The more the merrier. In fact, we encourage you to invite your friends and family as well. There will be sign-up sheets available out in the Narthex very soon for you to pick your time slot. Since it is the 5th Sunday of the month, there will be breakfast available as well. So grab a bite to eat before or after you give blood. We cannot let the summer end without having a School Supply Drive before the kids head back to school. More details will be coming out, but start buying those supplies now so you’ll be ready when we place those lists and bins out in the Narthex for those needy schools we decide to support. As always, we appreciate the support and assistance you provide. The kids are definitely grateful and appreciative.

ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR SUMMER!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Fran Chandler 7/1 Harper Jacobs 7/2 Patricia Rudolph 7/6 Paul Wiese 7/6 Doris Day 7/7 Tim Finn 7/9 Al Hemmer 7/11 Iris Muffley 7/11 Carol Panzenhagen 7/11 Ann Lienemann 7/13 J.J. Anderson-Ring 7/14

Violeta Brunner 7/16 Sherry Kruschke 7/18 Silvia Roschen 7/20 Marion Wright 7/21 Jon Anderson 7/24 Don Hudson 7/24 Ray Angerman 7/27 Velma Bill 7/29 Jane Takala 7/29 Ruth Christensen 7/30 Dicke Fallon 7/31

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Tom & Judy Furry 7/2 Gary & Patricia Rudolph 7/5 Jim & Mary Keeler 7/11 Neal & Sarah Riemer 7/15 Rick & Connie Kinsey 7/20 Gary & Susan Bass 7/22 Brian & Anne Carstens 7/30

Happy 60th Anniversary Good Shepherd!

On May 29th, approximately 50 friends and members of Good Shepherd gathered in The Life Tree Café, between services to celebrate our 60 years of being a church family, serving the community, the church at large, and the world through our mission endeavors. The actual anniversary was May 24th.

The Fellowship Committee served cake and coffee, and Bea Daily, church historian, presented a 33-minute video of the first 50 years of Good Shepherd that she assembled for the 50th Anniversary. Many fond memories were brought to light, as the older members reminisced, and the newer members thought we have accomplished a lot in 60 years.

Lifetree Café is a place where people gather for conversations about life and faith in a casual coffeehouse-type setting here at Good Shepherd on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM.

July 5th—“The Art of Loss: How Tragedy Can Transform Your Perspective,” features filmed interviews with two young artists who experienced the loss of a loved one. July 12th—“Laughter Is the Best Medicine,” the benefits of laughter, along with helpful information on humor and health is this week’s featured topic. July 19th—“Child Sex Slaves: America’s Disturbing Secret,” features a filmed interview Pat McCalla, associate director of the documentary Branded, a film educating viewers about child exploitation in North America. July 26th—“True Beauty: Is it Really Only Skin Deep?” features a filmed interview with MeLisa Mounsey, a woman who survived an incident that burned over 95 percent of her body.

August 2nd—“Hope for Gangs: Surprising Stories from the Bloods and Crips,” features exclusive filmed interviews

with several former gang members who share their past experiences and how they escaped the dangerous lifestyle.

Now Showing - July 2016

May Activities (con’t.)

Happy 60th Anniversary Good Shepherd! Great is Thy Faithfulness

Quilts lovingly made by Diana Fallon

Baby quilts raffled at the World’s Greatest Baby Shower by the Board of Outreach

Frank & Kathy Shaw at GSLC’s World’s Greatest

Baby Shower booth

June Activities

Pytlik’s Vow Renewal

Brenda & Steve McElroy

Hand Bells accompanied by Katie Boole, Flutist

VBS - 2016 Story Time!

Getting Into the Word

The Sheep Pen

Games!

Adult

Leaders!