Mark your calendars; it’s time for Small Group Fair 2010! The gym will be full of food, fun, and displays brought to you by your Good Shepherd small groups. We’ll have small group members ready to share information about their activities. So, come on down to the gym and join us for a great time and some yummy snacks. We’ll see you on Sunday, April 18th!

For those interested in helping out @ House of Hope in Haiti, a work team (9) will be going down in April for a week. The group will be patching cement and painting interior walls.  They will tentatively be leaving on April 15th or the 22nd for a week. Costs for airfare and the week's stay is included. Another work team will be going down over Memorial Day for a week.

• Thursday—April 29th—7:30 PM WARTBURG COLLEGE CHOIR CONCERT Premiere 80 voice a cappella choir From Waverly, Iowa
  The internationally acclaimed Wartburg Choir is an ensemble of great tradition and distinction. For nearly three-quarters of a century, the choir has continued to develop a reputation for a cappella choral excellence. The ensemble has received critical international acclaim for its versatility, performing some of the most challenging pieces ever written for choral ensembles. The choir frequently premieres original works by composers around the globe. Choir members are selected by audition and represent nearly all academic disciplines on campus. The choir tours every year and internationally every three years.
• Monday—May 10th—7:30 PM WALDORF COLLEGE WIND SYMPHONY CONCERT 45 piece collegiate band From Forest City, Iowa
  The Waldorf Wind Symphony, originally established as the Waldorf Band after the end of World War II, has won a reputation for excellence, especially in recent years. The Wind Symphony performs literature typical of top collegiate wind groups, from British band classics to the works of newer American, African and Asian composers. The Wind Symphony tours regularly both domestically and internationally, most recently in 2007 to Germany and Austria.  

During Lent we will be having a “Reverse Plate Offering” each weekend. What does this mean? It means that following the collection plate, will be a plate that contains slips of paper with small items needed by various not-for-profit agencies. If you wish, you may pick out a slip of paper and bring that item back the following weekend.

 

 You can obtain Lenten devotionals by:

• entering your email address in the "Join our email list" on the left side of this page.  The will be sent to you daily at that address. 
• picking up hard copies at the Welcome Center.
• viewing all of them online by clicking Lenten Devotions 2010 in the menu on the left side of this page. 

If you're not sure that we have your correct email address, you may call the church office, or contact Julie with your address. When you receive your devotions, we invite you to forward these to your family and friends. If you have any questions, please call the church office at 636-391-6685. 

Our Wednesday program offered to youth in grades 2-5 (PREP) and grades 6-8 (SOS) is focused on  great faith discussions and learning more about the unique gifts we each have to share –  yummy food and fun are included each week as well!   Confirmation Instruction is offered to youth in grades 7 and 8 as part of this program.    Events to look for in March are:
 
March 3           
5-7:20    Confirmation Class / SOS  (early release so families can attend 7:30 Lenten worship service)
5-7:20    PREP Family Night / Spring Fever night (last evening of PREP this session)
  

In June 2010, a group of about 30 high school youth and adults will be spending their time doing community service work to help those in need in the community of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. We will be working with YouthWorks – a non-profit youth missions organization that is focused on creating opportunities for teenagers to learn more about Jesus’ love through mission work.

Monday Night Bible Study - at 7:30pm in Room 108 (excluding the 3rd Monday of each month)

Men’s Bible Study -  Thursdays at 6:15am at the Des Peres Bread Company. The Bible study is titled Becoming a Catalyst: Paul.

Women’s Weekly Bible Study -  titled When Godly People Do Ungodly Things, by Beth Moore.  Bring a lunch, and join us on Thursdays from 12:00 -2:00 p.m. in Room 108. The study will continue through March 18th. 

Are you interested in getting together with a group of people who like to watch movies and talk about them, or read the Bible and talk about its meaning, or get together with people who have similar age children as yours and share parenting ideas and fun activities together? If you are interested, contact Pr. Tom Schoenherr. 

The International Disaster Response of ELCA announced it will immediately commit $250,000 to support response efforts to the earthquake. It will also advance $500,000 in anticipation of additional gifts from ELCA members. You can contribute gifts online at www.ELCA.org/haitiearthquake or call 800-638-3522.

House of Hope in Haiti is expanding their school; presently they offer classes from K-5th but soon they'll be providing Vocational training for adults. Do you know of a company or school that is getting rid of tables, chairs, whiteboards, desks-- any items that could help set up classrooms for children or adults.  A shipping container in St. Louis will be loaded early in May with items to be shipped to Haiti. These items would make a huge difference to this Mission.  

Sunday School students from 2-year-olds to 5th graders will be studying lessons that are based on the readings we hear in worship each Sunday. Look for the SPARK Family Page that will come home with your child from Sunday School each week. These offer ideas for connecting what your family learned on Sunday morning with the rest of your week.

We are embarking on a mission: to see as many new faces in our group as possible! We don't care if you don't come every month, just come once and check us out. This year we are going to meet at members' houses! Future readings include:

Three or four operators are needed to run the worship presentation (PPT or Media Shout Projections) at the 11:00 Worship Service each week on a rotating basis. Training and support would be given in order to help you be as successful as possible in this position. You need no previous computer, projector or software experience in order participate. While it may sound elementary, it does require a mature sense of awareness and attentiveness to what is going on in the service and the ability to think on your feet, especially when things are changed at the last minute. It is a wonderful way for you to serve that requires minimal time and effort - great for those with a busy schedule. Youth are welcome to volunteer for these positions as well.

Save some time for the Sweet Life!
2010 will be here before you know it, so mark your calendars for Friday, February 25 & Saturday, February 26 for the next GSLC Women’s Retreat. We’ll spend our time at the Sweet Life Café, where women savor time with God. You’ll enjoy spiritual time, service, fellowship, fun and of course, food! Look for information on registration coming soon!

Good Shepherd is currently seeking a full-time Director for Learning Ministries.  This individual will be a leader in strengthening the learning ministries of the congregation through educational programs and lay leader support. The Director for Learning Ministries must be a faithful Christian who will work in a team environment, with staff and lay leaders. This person will support and provide spiritual direction for the programs involving children through adults. Knowledge, understanding and acceptance of the Lutheran doctrine is required. Two years of experience, paid or volunteer and a bachelors degree is preferred.

Press release: The owners of #9 Hedgewood Lane approached Good Shepherd last summer and asked if we would be interested in purchasing their property. In December 2008, when the congregation met to approve the property purchase, the property/planning team and the Church Council clearly noted that the purchase of the property was for long-term growth, there were “no immediate plans for development of the property. Our intentions are to be a good neighbor and to keep up the property.”