CGS Announcements Archive

Vacation Bible School is on!! Our recently selected date is July 24-25. Experience has taught us, the weekend date allows more children the possibility of participating as well as adults greater flexibility in helping. Many, many thanks to both Wren Blessing who will be our lead instructor and Jennifer Seiger who will lead our music. We're off to a great start!

This year's theme is EGYPT: Joseph's Journey from Prison to Palace. This program is produced by Group Publishing, and we're very, very pleased with it. Group calls this program a "Holy Land Adventure." We will be entering another Biblical world, imagining what it would be like to live in a dusty, bustling, noisy city along the banks of the Nile in ancient Egypt. Children might hear the hubbub about what is happening in Pharaoh's palace. There's been a lot of scuttlebutt about the new guy Pharaoh has put in charge of storing and distributing food! Some even say the former prisoner has the gift of interpreting dreams. Perhaps Joseph himself will appear and explain it for himself. Saturday's event will be held at the church and begin around 10am. We'll finish in about 4 hours. On Sunday, we celebrate! We'll take a journey of our own. More on the "special event" to come.

The time to sign up is now! Please do so as quickly as possible, since materials need to be ordered based on our enrollment, and please consider signing up to help. VBS is very much an all hands on deck event. It takes nearly as many adults as kids to make it happen. Adults are needed for several areas including: arts and crafts, lunch, playground, and shepherds (adults who stay with groups of kids as they travel). Janet Gilliam will accept kids and adult volunteers by phone (831-2003), by e-mail (janet.gilliam@cgs-raleigh.org), or see her on Sundays after a service.

We look forward to hearing from you!

GPS@CGS SUMMER SEMESTER!

"GOD AND GREEN":

A BIBLE STUDY ON CHRISTIAN CARE FOR THE CREATION

SUNDAYS, 9:15-10:15 AM IN ROOM 404, 3^rd Fl, Duncan-Giersch Parish Life Center (Battle Bible Class Room)

Presenter and Facilitator: Bill Bennett

The BP oil rig disaster and the resulting environmental damage in the Gulf of Mexico has pointed to the fragile balance between our economic needs and our ecology. There are all kinds of political opinions arising from this, but what if anything gives Christians the tools we need to make sense of this and respond faithfully? Using THE GREEN BIBLE, a recently published edition of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, we will explore Bible passages which speak to a call to care for creation which is a significant part of the Bible's message. No less than Billy Graham has said: "To drive to extinction something (God) has created is wrong. He has a purpose for everything... We Christians have a responsibility to take the lead in caring for the earth." For more on THE GREEN BIBLE, see: http://greenletterbible.com/index.php

(You will not need a copy of THE GREEN BIBLE to participate in this Bible study. Any edition of the Bible can be used. Copies of the NRSV are available in the classroom.)

6/27 Theme 2: "Finding God" - God is present in and through creation. This means we can better understand the character of God by seeing how God interacts with all of creation. The more we know of God, the more we grow in our love for and connection to God and what God has created. Scriptures explored: Exodus 3:1-6; Psalm 147; John 1:1-5; Colossians 1:15-20; Acts 17:24-28

7/4: Theme 3: "Connected to Creation" - Humanity is part of all creation. We are meant to live in an interconnected, inter-dependent relationship with God and the whole of creation, acting as stewards of creation. And as we care for the earth, the earth cares for us. Scriptures explored: Genesis 2:4-25; Exodus 23:10-13; Leviticus 26:3-26; Revelation 11:15-19; Psalm 65

7/11: Theme 4: "Creation Care as Justice" - Caring for creation is an act of social justice. Because humanity is part of creation, and because we are designed for interdependence with the whole of creation, caring for creation means caring for humanity. Caring for humanity, in turn, demands protecting and restoring creation. Scriptures explored: Micah 6:1-8; Isaiah 58:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Luke 10:25-37; Matthew 25:31-46

7/18: Theme 5: "The Full Impact of Sin" - Creation is harmed by human sin. Because our sin disconnects us from God, it distorts our relationship with God's creation as well. The result is a world out of sync with itself. Scriptures explored: Genesis 3:14-19; Hosea 4:1-3; Ezekiel 34:17-22; Numbers 35:33-34; Romans 8:18-25

7/25 Theme 6: "The New Earth" - The earth and everything in it is included in God's plan of redemption. Creation does not pass away, but is restored and renewed as part of the new heaven and the new earth of God's kingdom.

For scriptural passages on the creation with illustrations, see: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2009/03/Green-Bible-Passages.aspx

"Eating with Jesus": June 25 - 27, 2010!

Download EYC Service & Rafting Weekend Schedule and Release Forms!

Who:  EYC Students (rising 8th-12th graders), friends and chaperones. Currently, our adult leaders are Robyn Nixon, Lisa Patterson and Wren Blessing. We still need two male leaders.

When:  Gather at CGS at 9:15am on Fri., 6/25. Return to CGS at about 8pm on Sun., 6/27.

Where:  We'll be serving at The Shepherd's Table (at CGS) and Anathoth Community Garden (Cedar Grove, NC). We'll stay in rented cabins on Friday and Saturday nights and will raft on the Nolichucky River with "Mountain Adventure Guides."

Why:  A chance for EYC youth and volunteers to serve their neighbors, to learn abut what it means to eat with Jesus, and to enjoy God's creation.

How:  Fill out release forms and return them to CGS with a check on or before 6/20.

Cost:  The actual cost of the trip is $175 per participant. Students who commit to enthusiastically participating in at least three different EYC fundraisers (Locopops sales only count as one) before December 2010 are only required to pay the $75 rafting cost. (Make checks out to CGS, with "EYC Rafting" in the memo line.) Students who cannot commit to helping with three different fundraisers must pay for the entire $175 cost of their trip by June 20.  ** Scholarships are available. See Wren for details. **

YOU ARE INVITED!
First Migrant Ministry Camp Visit

THIS SUNDAY, June 27!

EVERYONE is invited to participate in this ministry! Join us for food, fellowship and fun on the 4^th Sundays of the summer when we dine on the grounds of our adopted migrant camp.  If you can lend a hand organizing donations, setting up the meal tables, helping with Spanish translation during the camp visits, or volunteering in any other capacity, please contact Margaret Park.

Meet in front of the Parish Life Center by 4:50pm.
We leave the church at 5:00 to arrive at the camp around 5:30pm.
Please bring prepared food to share, drinks and folding chairs.
Carpooling encouraged.

Monetary donations are greatly appreciated!  Checks (written to Church of the Good Shepherd and clearly specified for MIGRANT OUTREACH) should be mailed to: Church of the Good Shepherd, MIGRANT OUTREACH MINISTRY121 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27603.  Donations to the migrant ministry that are placed in the Sunday offering should be in a separate envelope clearly marked for MIGRANT OUTREACH.

Contact: Margaret Park, Migrant Ministry coordinator, mpark@pobox.com, 787-5557

Amazing Grace Supper Club -- Saturday, June 26th at 6PM at Ken & Karen Sommerville's!

All are invited to join this Amazing group for dinner on the deck. Grilled meat and beverages will be provided. Please bring a side dish or DESSERT to share. RSVP to Ken & Karen!

June 21-23, "From Manteo to the MDGs: Seeking Mission and Justice in the Anglican Tradition, 1584-2010"

Every three years the three national groups which focus on Episcopal Church History - the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church, the National Episcopal Historians and Archivists, and the Episcopal Women's History Project - combine forces to co-sponsor what's called the Trihistory Conference.  This year from June 21 to 23, the Church of the Good Shepherd and the Diocese of North Carolina will co-host the 2010 Trihistory Conference, "From Manteo to the Millennium Development Goals: Seeking Mission and Justice in the Anglican Tradition."See Conference Brochure.

Three years ago the 2010 conference planners decided to focus on the long continuum of mission and justice work in the Anglican Communion that preceded the Episcopal Church's adoption of the MDGs as a church-wide mission priority in 2006.  Because of the strong support for the MDGs by the Bishop and the Diocese of North Carolina, Raleigh seemed like an ideal site.  Bishop Curry graciously endorsed the plan, and Good Shepherd's clergy and staff offered a warm welcome to this group.

The Rev. Brooks Graebner, Diocesan Historiographer and Secretary of the Historical Society, and Lynn Hoke, Project Archivist for the Diocese, are coordinating the local arrangements.  They report that beginning Monday June 21, the halls of our Parish Life Center will be bustling with historians and archivists from across the country.  The Opening Service begins Monday evening at 6:00, with Bishop Curry as Preacher and Celebrant.  All parishioners are welcome to attend this service.  Tickets for the Wine & Hors d'Oeuvres Reception following the service may be purchased in advance on or before Sunday, June 20, for $25 per person from Lynn Hoke.

In addition to a variety of presentations and workshops, other options include local archives and church tours, a banquet at Saint Augustine's College featuring as keynoter the Rt. Rev. Barbara C. Harris, an African American Episcopal priest who was the first woman elected a Bishop in the Anglican Communion, and a Pauli Murray Heritage Bus Tour to sites in Durham, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough associated with the first African American woman ordained as an Episcopal priest.

History directly connected to the Episcopal Church in North Carolina will be featured in three presentations, "A Distinctive Contribution: The Bishop Tuttle Memorial Training School, 1925-1941," a documentary screening of "Change Comes Knocking: The Story of the North Carolina Fund," and "Walking in ‘Proud Shoes': The Ongoing Significance of the Life and Writings of the Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray, 1910-1985."

The entire conference or selected portions are open to all interested church members.  Full descriptions of all sessions, along with registration and fee information, are available on the conference website: http://www.trihistory.org/.  Of special interest to local history buffs will be four skills workshops: "Introduction to Archives," "Preservation and Conservation Concerns for Archival Collections," "Workshop on Oral History: Some What For's and How To's," and "Writing Parish Histories."  Please feel free to contact Lynn Hoke if you have questions: lynnhoke@bellsouth.net.

June 21-23, "From Manteo to the MDGs: Seeking Mission and Justice in the Anglican Tradition, 1584-2010"

The Rev. Brooks Graebner, Diocesan Historiographer and Secretary of the Historical Society, and Lynn Hoke, Project Archivist for the Diocese, are coordinating the local arrangements.  They report that beginning Monday June 21, the halls of our Parish Life Center will be bustling with historians and archivists from across the country.  The Opening Service begins Monday evening at 6:00, with Bishop Curry as Preacher and Celebrant.  All parishioners are welcome to attend this service.  Tickets for the Wine & Hors d'Oeuvres Reception following the service may be purchased in advance on or before Sunday, June 20, for $25 per person from Lynn Hoke.

Every three years the three national groups which focus on Episcopal Church History - the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church, the National Episcopal Historians and Archivists, and the Episcopal Women's History Project - combine forces to co-sponsor what's called the Trihistory Conference.  This year from June 21 to 23, the Church of the Good Shepherd and the Diocese of North Carolina will co-host the 2010 Trihistory Conference, "From Manteo to the Millennium Development Goals: Seeking Mission and Justice in the Anglican Tradition."See Conference Brochure.

Three years ago the 2010 conference planners decided to focus on the long continuum of mission and justice work in the Anglican Communion that preceded the Episcopal Church's adoption of the MDGs as a church-wide mission priority in 2006.  Because of the strong support for the MDGs by the Bishop and the Diocese of North Carolina, Raleigh seemed like an ideal site.  Bishop Curry graciously endorsed the plan, and Good Shepherd's clergy and staff offered a warm welcome to this group.

GPS@CGS SUMMER SEMESTER - BEGINNING JUNE 20

"GOD AND GREEN":

A BIBLE STUDY ON CHRISTIAN CARE FOR THE CREATION

SUNDAYS, 9:15-10:15 AM IN ROOM 404, 3^rd Fl, Duncan-Giersch Parish Life Center (Battle Bible Class Room), beginning June 20

Presenter and Facilitator: Bill Bennett

The BP oil rig disaster and the resulting environmental damage in the Gulf of Mexico has pointed to the fragile balance between our economic needs and our ecology. There are all kinds of political opinions arising from this, but what if anything gives Christians the tools we need to make sense of this and respond faithfully? Using THE GREEN BIBLE, a recently published edition of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, we will explore Bible passages which speak to a call to care for creation which is a significant part of the Bible's message. No less than Billy Graham has said: "To drive to extinction something (God) has created is wrong. He has a purpose for everything... We Christians have a responsibility to take the lead in caring for the earth." For more on THE GREEN BIBLE, see: http://greenletterbible.com/index.php

(You will not need a copy of THE GREEN BIBLE to participate in this Bible study. Any edition of the Bible can be used. Copies of the NRSV are available in the classroom.)

6/20: Theme 1: "And It Was Good" - God made all things and declared them good. God continues to show love and care for creation throughout human history and for all eternity. Scriptures explored: Genesis 1:1-31, 2:1-4; Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 24:1-2; Job 38-39; Psalm 104

6/27 Theme 2: "Finding God" - God is present in and through creation. This means we can better understand the character of God by seeing how God interacts with all of creation. The more we know of God, the more we grow in our love for and connection to God and what God has created. Scriptures explored: Exodus 3:1-6; Psalm 147; John 1:1-5; Colossians 1:15-20; Acts 17:24-28

7/4: Theme 3: "Connected to Creation" - Humanity is part of all creation. We are meant to live in an interconnected, inter-dependent relationship with God and the whole of creation, acting as stewards of creation. And as we care for the earth, the earth cares for us. Scriptures explored: Genesis 2:4-25; Exodus 23:10-13; Leviticus 26:3-26; Revelation 11:15-19; Psalm 65

7/11: Theme 4: "Creation Care as Justice" - Caring for creation is an act of social justice. Because humanity is part of creation, and because we are designed for interdependence with the whole of creation, caring for creation means caring for humanity. Caring for humanity, in turn, demands protecting and restoring creation. Scriptures explored: Micah 6:1-8; Isaiah 58:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Luke 10:25-37; Matthew 25:31-46

7/18: Theme 5: "The Full Impact of Sin" - Creation is harmed by human sin. Because our sin disconnects us from God, it distorts our relationship with God's creation as well. The result is a world out of sync with itself. Scriptures explored: Genesis 3:14-19; Hosea 4:1-3; Ezekiel 34:17-22; Numbers 35:33-34; Romans 8:18-25

7/25 Theme 6: "The New Earth" - The earth and everything in it is included in God's plan of redemption. Creation does not pass away, but is restored and renewed as part of the new heaven and the new earth of God's kingdom.

For scriptural passages on the creation with illustrations, see: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2009/03/Green-Bible-Passages.aspx

Serve One Another's next "Potluck with a Program" will meet 6:30pm on Friday, June 18, at the home of Van and Gigi Giersch. Gigi will be making chicken enchiladas, and guests are asked to provide side dishes, bread and dessert. Everyone is welcome, so bring a friend. Please let the Gierschs know if you're planning to attend.

Emily Hare was the recipient of a "love offering" from grateful families at Church of the Good Shepherd on May 30, 2010. Emily has been a nursery coordinator for our youngest and most dependent parishioners for the past eight years! Emily is employed for 52 Sundays a year including Easter Day, plus Christmas Eve. She has missed very few days in the course of those years. She has played with our children, read to them, and kept them safe. She makes sure that the toys are safe and that "everyone plays nicely." Her regular attendance has relieved our children from making many adjustments from one sitter to the next. This is a ministry of dedication, and we are greateful.

This love offering will help with expeneses as Emily prepares to marry Chris Sullivan on June 5, 2010, in Burlington, NC. We ask that God blesses them with an abudance of love and strength in all circumstances and that the two of them have many, many happy years together. Emily has our love and gratitude. Best wishes Emily!