Forgiveness
Apr
2
5:00 PM17:00

Forgiveness

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

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.

View Event →
Easter Egg Hunt
Apr
20
12:00 PM12:00

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!

View Event →
Good Women of Good Shepherd
May
23
to May 25

Good Women of Good Shepherd

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

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+

View Event →

Anglican Prayer Beads Workshop
Mar
27
10:00 AM10:00

Anglican Prayer Beads Workshop

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

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!

View Event →
Anglican Prayer Beads Workshop
Mar
25
1:30 PM13:30

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!

View Event →
Cursillo
Mar
21
to Mar 23

Cursillo

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

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.

View Event →
Anglican Prayer Beads Workshop
Mar
18
1:30 PM13:30

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.

View Event →
Ash Wednesday Service
Mar
5
12:00 PM12:00

Ash Wednesday Service

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

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.

View Event →
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
Mar
4
5:00 PM17:00

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.

View Event →
Daughters of the King
Mar
2
12:30 PM12:30

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.

View Event →
Ann Woodford Guest
Feb
23
12:30 PM12:30

Ann Woodford Guest

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

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.

View Event →
Spaghetti Dinner
Feb
15
5:00 PM17:00

Spaghetti Dinner

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Save the Date, Bring a Date-  In February, we are "Spreading Love
Through Outreach”. Three of our ministries (Parish Life, Greeters, and
Outreach) are joining forces to help raise funds for Outreach & will
host a Spaghetti Dinner in the parish hall at 5:00pm. Come join us on
Saturday, February 15th, for an evening of fellowship, music, wine, a
silent auction and some delicious food- spaghetti and meatballs, garlic
bread, salad and deserts! There is a $10.00 donation per person, payable
by cash or check ONLY.

View Event →
Lord Teach Us to Pray
Feb
10
12:00 PM12:00

Lord Teach Us to Pray

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In this series, we will learn about prayer and how to pray using the Book of Common Prayer and by practicing some of the more commonly used prayer practices of the Christian Church. All who are interested in refreshing their prayer life and all interested in adding some prayer forms to their prayer toolbox are encouraged to participate. We will meet in the nave. At 12pm This gathering is led by Fr. Bill.

January 6 Morning Prayer
January 13 Noonday Prayer
January 20 Evening Prayer
January 27 Compline
February 3 Guided Meditation
February 10 Lectio Divina

View Event →
Souper Bowl Sunday
Feb
9
12:30 PM12:30

Souper Bowl Sunday

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Please come to enjoy a bowl of homemade soup during Coffee Hour after the late service (before the big game)! We will have Vegetable Beef and Tomato Basil Bisque to choose from. There will also be an abundance of saltine crackers.

Please bring with you an offering of dry soup packages (Raman, Knorr, soup bowls, etc…). Please bring packaged food that can be prepared only with boiling water. Kitchen space and equipment is limited at the shelter. These dried soups can be stacked in a cabinet and used as needed quickly, without much fuss, and no extra ingredients. “Soup”er Bowl Sunday was huge success last year! The Hurlbert Johnson Homeless Shelter was most grateful for the soup. We can arrange auditions for anyone interested in helping with the half time show. Questions? Contact Kathy Wright.

View Event →
Feb
9
9:00 AM09:00

Black History Month

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

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.

View Event →
Lord Teach Us to Pray
Feb
3
12:00 PM12:00

Lord Teach Us to Pray

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In this series, we will learn about prayer and how to pray using the Book of Common Prayer and by practicing some of the more commonly used prayer practices of the Christian Church. All who are interested in refreshing their prayer life and all interested in adding some prayer forms to their prayer toolbox are encouraged to participate. We will meet in the nave. At 12pm This gathering is led by Fr. Bill.

January 6 Morning Prayer
January 13 Noonday Prayer
January 20 Evening Prayer
January 27 Compline
February 3 Guided Meditation
February 10 Lectio Divina

View Event →
Lord Teach Us to Pray
Jan
28
12:00 PM12:00

Lord Teach Us to Pray

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In this series, we will learn about prayer and how to pray using the Book of Common Prayer and by practicing some of the more commonly used prayer practices of the Christian Church. All who are interested in refreshing their prayer life and all interested in adding some prayer forms to their prayer toolbox are encouraged to participate. We will meet in the nave. At 12pm This gathering is led by Fr. Bill.

January 6 Morning Prayer
January 13 Noonday Prayer
January 20 Evening Prayer
January 28 TUESDAY Compline
February 3 Guided Meditation
February 10 Lectio Divina

View Event →
Lord Teach Us to Pray
Jan
20
12:00 PM12:00

Lord Teach Us to Pray

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In this series, we will learn about prayer and how to pray using the Book of Common Prayer and by practicing some of the more commonly used prayer practices of the Christian Church. All who are interested in refreshing their prayer life and all interested in adding some prayer forms to their prayer toolbox are encouraged to participate. We will meet in the nave. At 12pm This gathering is led by Fr. Bill.

January 6 Morning Prayer
January 13 Noonday Prayer
January 20 Evening Prayer
January 28 TUESDAY Compline
February 3 Guided Meditation
February 10 Lectio Divina

View Event →
Jan
19
12:00 PM12:00

Voting for Vestry Concludes

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Voting for vestry positions will conclude January 19th. Absentee ballots must be received at the church by 1:00 PM Sunday, January 19, 2025 to be counted. You may send your ballot back via US Mail or hand deliver it. Either way, we must have your ballot by 1:00 PM on Sunday, January 19, 2025 for your vote to be counted.

View Event →
Lord Teach Us to Pray
Jan
13
12:00 PM12:00

Lord Teach Us to Pray

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

In this series, we will learn about prayer and how to pray using the Book of Common Prayer and by practicing some of the more commonly used prayer practices of the Christian Church. All who are interested in refreshing their prayer life and all interested in adding some prayer forms to their prayer toolbox are encouraged to participate. We will meet in the nave. At 12pm This gathering is led by Fr. Bill.

January 6 Morning Prayer
January 13 Noonday Prayer
January 20 Evening Prayer
January 27 Compline
February 3 Guided Meditation
February 10 Lectio Divina

View Event →
Lessons and Carols
Dec
13
2:30 PM14:30

Lessons and Carols

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Join us on Sunday, December 22nd at the 11:00 am service for Christmas Lessons and Carols. In preparation for Christmas Day, we will read, hear, sing, and celebrate God's promise of a savior fulfilled at the birth of Jesus Christ. Our worship that day will be followed by our annual cookie exchange. We invite all to bring cookies to share. See the tables set up in the parish hall that day.

View Event →
Rescheduled Blood Drive
Dec
11
12:30 PM12:30

Rescheduled Blood Drive

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Attention Blood Donors: The Red Cross Blood Drive which was scheduled for September 25th has now been rescheduled for Wednesday, December 11th from 12:30 - 5:30 pm. You may sign up now to donate blood at 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or redcrossblood.org.

View Event →
Dec
7
10:00 AM10:00

Advent Quiet Day

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Our parish is offering women the opportunity to spend some set-aside time in the reflective Advent Quiet Day, December 7th, 10:00-12:00, in the parish hall at church. This will be an opportunity for you to bring Christmas cards you wish to write and get ready for mailing. The morning will be one of quiet, with soft background music and a few meditations shared over the course of the morning. At noon, we will reconfigure the room to share a pot-luck lunch and enjoy the hospitality of the company of each other.

View Event →
Newcomers Lunch
Dec
1
12:30 PM12:30

Newcomers Lunch

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Newcomers lunch- Sunday December 1st at 12:30pm with Father Bill. New church family members are invited to attend this personal welcoming event with Father Bill in the undercroft after second service. Lunch will be provided, please come join us.

View Event →
Creche Display
Dec
1
8:30 AM08:30

Creche Display

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Advent is the season during the Church year when we anticipate the coming of Jesus, as a baby, in a manger. The Arts and Spirituality Ministry would like to celebrate the First Sunday of Advent by offering a creche exhibit in the parish hall of those tableaus normally ‘living’ with parishioners.

Perhaps you have a creche that has special meaning to your family; or perhaps you have one that was a special gift or one that you discovered on a trip that you would like to share with our parish family. Each creche will be labeled with the name of the owner and its origin or special significance. We’d love to have several to exhibit, so please consider lending us your creche for display as we celebrate this special Season.

We will be setting up the parish hall and collecting creche for the exhibit on Saturday, November 30. The parish hall will be open for parishioners to see the display on Sunday morning December 1, from 8:30am through Coffee Hour after the 11:00 service. Each individual creche may be picked up after 1:00pm on Sunday, December 1.

Please contact Joy Fox or Kathy Marcel for more information or if you have a creche you would like to loan for the one-day exhibit. Watch for more details regarding set up in November’s Weekly Highlights.

View Event →
Smoked Turkey Breasts
Nov
28
12:00 PM12:00

Smoked Turkey Breasts

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Wally Figura will be smoking turkey breasts for Thanksgiving! A sign-up sheet will be posted if you would like to order one. They will be 8-10 lbs. You may pick-up on Thanksgiving Day between 12pm-1pm. Price will be $30.00. Please call Wally Figura with any questions.

View Event →
Thanksgiving Dinner
Nov
28
11:00 AM11:00

Thanksgiving Dinner

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

My goodness! It’s almost that time again. Where has the year gone? Time to start remembering and planning!!! Remembering is one of the best parts of Thanksgiving; family, friends, even strangers, one way or another; we have had it all at Good Shepherd.

I remember one Thanksgiving when a woman walked in and asked if she could join us. She seemed unhappy and I was so glad to be able to say “of course, won’t you sit with my husband and me?” She later told us that she had had a very difficult week and just got in the car and started to drive. She saw all the cars parked and came up the hill to see what was going on. This was the first Thanksgiving she had ever had alone. She left a bit lighter in spirit and certainly not hungry with a new understanding about being thankful. I don’t remember her name, she was not from around here; I am so glad she had us in her life for a while and that I had her in my life.

I remember my first Thanksgiving at Good Shepherd. We had been attending Good Shepherd for several years. Then the last of the kids went off to college. Empty nest. I really did not want them coming home in the holiday traffic and they all got invitations to dinner with friends. There was no way the two of us could eat all I wanted to cook. For a couple of years we actually went out to eat. Then we decided to give Good Shepherd a try. Dave Smucker was reigning over the kitchen. The food was great and we had a good time. We helped clean up. Later I asked if I could help cook. Dave set me to work and taught me what was involved. After 2 years he handed the sauce spoon over to me and I started “doing” Thanksgiving at church. I have never regretted it nor enjoyed an afternoon nap more.

It never ever occurred to me that there could be a carry out Thanksgiving Dinner; especially not at church. Covid taught me differently. I think those 2 Thanksgivings were some of the best I have ever celebrated. Mili and I changed the menu slightly, and talked about what kind of packaging we should use and set it up. Because of Covid restrictions we cut down on the kitchen staff. When the pick-up day approached I called for help to package and hand out the meals. I was thinking of 3 or 4 people. The response was overwhelming. 28 people volunteered. When I figured out the people were so hungry for “church” and that’s why so many volunteered I said OK to everyone. I figured if all each of them did was put one meal in an Ingles bag that was OK. We could all have our masks in place and remember to bump fists instead of hug, we could do church. We went to the service that was being broadcast, sat well apart from each other, and were served communion. What a happy day!!

Each year the Good Shepherd Thanksgiving dinner is a joy to prepare and wonderful to attend. The beautiful decorations, the scrumptious deserts, and the smells emanating from the kitchen, make this a wonderful Church Family celebration. We are ready to do it again this year and we need your help!

As always, the Parish Life Ministry will provide the turkey (4 twenty pounders), ham (2 spiral cut), mashed potatoes (25 pounds of potatoes), gravy (gallons), bread dressing (4 large packages of Pepperidge Farm), and a wild rice stuffing. We also will have the usual drinks, including some Wassail Punch (non-alcoholic), and some wine. And last but not least, enough cool whip to top your deserts. We need you to fill out the rest of the meal.

If you plan to attend please sign up and give us an idea of what side dish and/or desert you plan to bring. We really need you to sign up because we need to know how many places to set and if maybe we need yet another turkey. It just makes sense to sign up so we will be well prepared to feed you. When you do sign up, you will have an opportunity to list what you want to bring. This makes sense too. After all, though we are grateful for whatever comes, we really won’t need a dozen green bean casseroles and no pie on the desert table.

We also need help to set up and clean up. We have streamlined the cooking so much that we don’t need as many people doing the cooking during the week. We do need folks to be there greeting attendees, taking food, and slicing pies and cakes; two very important jobs. Sign-up sheets will be in the hallway in a week or so.

Questions? Call or email Mili Arias or Kathy Wright. Numbers and addresses are in the church directory. -Kathy Wright, Mili Arias, and the Parish Life Ministry

View Event →
Ingathering Sunday
Nov
17
9:00 AM09:00

Ingathering Sunday

  • Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Sunday, November 17 is designated as Ingathering Sunday, the day when we will present our pledge and time and talent cards to the Lord for his blessing and multiplying. If possible, please have your pledge and time talent cards returned for that service. We will celebrate that day with a lunch hosted by your vestry. They invite your side food item or dessert to share.

View Event →