CGS Announcements Archive

In person sign ups continue through May 9th, in the lobby of the Duncan-Giersch Center replacing the on-line sign up for the pictorial directory.

Session dates are May 19 & 20 and June 1, 2, 11 and 12.  Afternoon and evening appointments are available on the weekdays and on Saturday they will run from morning through late afternoon.  Remember, the sooner you sign up the more appointment options you'll have! Six days of sessions have been spread out over 3 weeks to allow the greatest opportunity to fit into even the busiest schedule.  With so many dates and times to pick from we look forward to everyone being able to participate. 

What is involved?

• You will come to the church for your sitting, which will inlude multiple shots and your choice of several backgrounds.

• Every participating family/person will receive a FREE church directory and a COMPLIMENTARY 8x10 portrait (these can be the same pose or different ones).

• Photography and portrait selection is "one-stop-shopping". It will take place during a single visit.

• During your meeting with the consultant to look at proofs and select your free directory and portrait shots, you will also have the opportunity to purchase additional prints. Sort of like school pictures for adults! They can offer package deals as well as a la carte individual photos and, again, your selections can be the same or different poses. Discounts are available to the over-60 crowd.

Session dates and times are as follows:

Wednesday & Thursday, May 19^th & 20^th from 2:00pm to 9:20pm

Tuesday & Wednesday, June 1^st & 2^nd from 2:00pm to 9:20pm

Friday, June 11^th from 2:00pm to 9:20pm

Saturday, June 12^th from 9:30am to 5:00pm

Questions? Contact Caryl Fuller, cfuller@mjproperties.com

Meeting at 9:15am in Shepherd's Hall, Third Floor, Duncan-Giersch Center

We continue our "Conversations on the Way" by looking at what we as individual Episcopalians believe as we explore the core teachings of our faith and new  interpretations of those teachings. This week, May 9, we'll discuss "The Bible: The Word of God for the People of God." As Episcopalians, we will listen with open hearts and open minds to differing points of view and differing beliefs of class participants as we thoughtfully practice our accepting and affirming faith. Come join us for this week's discusion. Jim Ward will facilitate.

From Janet Gilliam, Director of Children's Ministries 

Attention: this is not a typo! Yes, there was a snowball fight in the three-year old Sunday school class, and it was warm outside!

While Sunday school teachers conversed about children loving the snow this winter, especially snowball fights, Fyl Thompson had a moment of divine genius. Why get wet and cold? And why wait for the icy precipitation when you can have snowball fights all day every day?!? Fyl hand knitted a dozen white softball sized balls and stuffed them with fiberfill. We then said, "Let the games begin..." And so they did. The competition was fierce with running and throwing and laughter and ducking low flying objects. In the end everyone won, because everyone had a great time! God gives us joy in nature, and Fyl simply extended that joy.

Special thanks to Fyl Thompson for her continued love and support of Children's Ministries, and her ingenuity in creating a really, really fun Sunday school class. She loved, and now she's loved back! Thanks, Fyl!

From The Rev. Miriam Saxon 

This past week I had the opportunity to attend a clergy study day with Barbara Brown Taylor, one of my favorite writers and a gifted preacher.  Her topic was "Words That Make God Real," with the added subtitle of "but for whom?"  Basically she talked about the language of faith and how we speak the Christian dialect of a broader language of faith.  She noted that we speak a denominational Christian dialect as well, which in her case and ours is an Episcopalian dialect.  She says that we use essential Christian and (more narrowly) Episcopalian words in ways that we take for granted but which may be a foreign language to those who do not attend an Episcopal church. 

Barbara Brown Taylor's words to the gathered clergy helped me recognize that when we talk about Eucharist and Baptism (and sin and salvation and many other words), we assume that a new person to our faith will share what we mean in using those words, and that is not necessarily so.  For instance, when we talk about "Baptism," we have no way of knowing the image seen by our hearers, especially if that listener was raised in another denomination or never attended a church at all.  She also talked about words that may have atrophied (e.g., charity or purity), or become institutionalized (like stewardship or evangelism), or mainstreamed or kidnapped in a way that alters their meaning (such as covenant, or Heaven, or even Jesus).  Barbara Brown Taylor encouraged us preachers to consider how to reincarnate tired or co-opted words so that they might be more closely tied with hands on experiences of the sacred.  She believes, as do I, that words are important and powerful beyond our grasp at times, and thus keeping our faith alive means we must reinvigorate our language of faith.  One way she suggests we might do that is by using our senses as we consider our faith language.  What is the sound of angels?  What is the taste of hope or the smell of mercy?  By opening our senses perhaps we can reawaken a deeper sensitivity to the words of God.

We're joining the Forum led by Bishop Gregg on May 2 at 9:15am in Shepherd's Hall!

On Sunday, May 9, we continue our "Conversations of the Way" by looking at what we as individual Episcopalians believe as we explore the core teachings of our faith and new interpretations of those teachings. We'll discuss "The Holy Spirit: Breath of New Life." As Episcopalians, we will listen with open hearts and open minds to differing points of view and differing beliefs of class participants as we thoughtfully practice our accepting and affirming faith. Come join us. Pat Austin will facilitate.

Confirmation will be celebrated at Good Shepherd next week on Sunday, May 2, at the 10:30am service with Bishop William O. Gregg.

The Rt. Rev. William O. Gregg will lead a special Adult Christian Formation Forum

in Shepherd's Hall at 9:15am on Sunday, May 2nd!

All are welcome!

Sixteen EYC students and five chaperones returned on Sunday morning, April 18, from their Spring Retreat at Camp Chestnut Ridge in Efland, NC. Over the course of the weekend, students explored what it means to belong to God's family and so to be called in service to God. Highlights from the weekend include a morning spent canoeing (and only two capsized canoes!), a ropes course in which youth hugged trees while suspended forty feet in the air, morning prayer and Bible study, countless games of four-square, volleyball, basketball, s'mores, compline, camfires, and a service of Eucharist. Youth and chaperones braved rustic accommodations and a rainy Saturday night as they grew in friendship with one another and with God. A special thanks to chaperones Larry Seiger, Jonathan Bullock, Cynthia Naef, and Peg Dorer, and thanks to Miriam Saxon for presiding at Communion on Saturday.

• April 23rd-25th Youth Retreat:  I'm excited about the opportunity to spend time at Camp Chestnut Ridge with youth grades 6-12.  We'll have time to get to know one another better, play sports, canoe, do a ropes course, worship, and explore what it means to be called to serve God in the world.  We still need one male chaperone - please consider spending a weekend with us and contact wren.blessing@cgs-raleigh.org or 831-2014 if you can help!  We'll depart from Good Shepherd at 4:30pm on April 23 and return on April 25 in time for the 10:30am Eucharist.

• Summer Plans:  I'm currently making plans for a summer trip for a group of high school age (rising 9-12 grade) EYC students.  I'm curious to know who might be interested in attending and generally when might be a good time to schedule a 4-6 day trip that will include mission work and might include a day-long rafting trip.  Please e-mail or call me with feedback.

• "Freedom Ride:" The diocese is sponsoring a 10 day trip for youth called "Freedom Ride" on July 9-18, 2010, in which participants will explore the complex history of race relations in North Carolina.  Please contact me for more information, or if you'd like to apply.  The application deadline is April 15th.

Meeting in Shepherd's Hall, 3rd floor, Duncan-Giersch Center, at 9:15am

We continue our "Conversations on the Way" by looking at what we as individual Episcopalians believe as we explore the core teachings of our faith and new interpretations of those teachings. We'll use the 'Via Media' ('Middle Way') video series as discussion starters, followed by open discussions of such topics as sin, the Bible, and the incarnation of Jesus. As Episcopalians, we will listen with open hearts and open minds to differing points of view and differing beliefs of class participants as we thoughtfully practice our accepting and affirming faith. This Sunday, we'll introduce the series and discuss the topic "God, Creation, and Us." Some questions we'll consider this week include:

• What does God look like to you? What is your understanding of God?
• Is God really in nature?
• How do you reconcile science and faith?
• Is God's image really in everyone?

Come join us this Sunday as we begin our conversations in this stimulating series. Dr. Jim Ward and Dr. Pat Austin will facilitate these sessions that continue through May 23.