All New Monthly Multi-Generational Misson Sundays

This fall we will see a redesign of the monthly New Eu(charist) For All Ages worship. The “New Eu”, as it was known, provided the congregation with the opportunity to worship all together and encouraged the young people to serve as ushers, greeters, and lectors. There was also a “carpet time” children’s message for the youngest members. At its inception about 7 years ago, this worship format was well received, though lately it seems that the NewEu has needed an upgrade.

This summer, I’ve been working with members of the the Mission Outreach Committee about ways to highlight the various ministries that our parish supports. Together we have re-imagined the “New Eu” to be a Multi-generational Mission Sunday. The 1st Sunday of the month will feature a different mission of the parish in the sermon and/or with invited speakers from one of the organizations supported by CGS. Young people will continue to have opportunities to serve during the worship and where possible will be paired with an older member of the parish in that task.

We are very excited to announce that the Sunday school will also be connected to the Mission Sundays through age appropriate projects featuring the local food pantry, the CROP Hunger Walk, the Lowell Transitional Living Center, Esperanza Academy, and our companion community in El Ocotillo, El Salvador. In addition to Bible lessons, the children will study issues connected with each mission - from hunger on a local and global scale to homelessness, from building relationships to understanding the concept of accompaniment with versus charity for others.

Chuba Udokwu will be our first presenter on Sunday, September 15 at both the 8am and 10am services. He will share his personal experience with the CROP Hunger Walk organization. The Sunday School will also participate by making a banner that they will present at worship and carry in the CROP Hunger Walk on Sunday, October 20 in Concord.

Our first Multi-Gen Mission Sunday will be October 6 and will include a Blessing of the Animals in recognition of St. Francis of Assisi. Also as part of that Mission Service, we will welcome back Jeanne Rikkers, Cristosal’s Director of the Center for Research and Learning to share with us some of the collaborative work she is doing with communities in El Salvador.

I hope you will plan to join us as we celebrate the work of many in our congregation who give of their time and talent to a variety of organizations.

We are grateful for these ministries, and we look forward to hearing about some of them in this exciting new program year.

Melissa

September update from the Rector Search Committee

The Rector Search Committee has been working faithfully and steadily since last spring. Our group is made up of people from both the 8 AM and the 10 AM services. We range from relative newcomers to seasoned parishioners. But most importantly, we are committed to being open to the Spirit in all that we do. We are almost finished with one of the biggest steps in the process, namely writing the Parish Profile. This is an important part of the process, as we want to give prospective candidates an accurate sense of who we are as a community, and how we try to live out the Gospel beyond the Sunday Services. The next step will be to have the document published on the diocesan website and nationally. Then when applications start to come in, we will begin to review them and move towards interviewing candidates. Our hope is to begin interviewing by the New Year.

We are very hopeful and confident that the Spirit will lead the right person here. It is very important to the entire group that the whole parish feels included in the process. To accomplish that we had a parish wide meeting and have recently put up posters on which people could add their input on such topics as why Good Shepherd is important to them, and where they see this parish going in the future. If you have any comments or questions, please contact us.

The committee includes: Chris O’Leary, chair, Elgin Summerfelt, Rafael Pupo, Tom Hoch, Ellen Harland, Bev Ridpath, Deb Flint-Baum, Kristen Bates, Wendy Feddersen and Neal Ogle. Please continue to keep the committee in your prayers as we move forward in this process.

For the committee,

Ellen Harland

The newest issue of the Shepherd's Staff!

A Word from the Fold

September 2019 edition of the Seasonal Shepherd's Staff

Dear Friends in Christ,

I hope you all have had a terrific summer enjoying some carefree relaxing days with family and friends. I’m chuckling a bit as I write this thinking about how we look forward all winter and spring to the lazy days of summer and sometimes they are anything but. After shuffling kids to and from camp, and organizing visits with relatives and friends near and far, and mapping out vacation plans, these summer days often wind up busier than the rest of the year. I think however, that it’s the change in routine that we long for; eating meals outside, walks on the beach and hikes in the mountains, longer daylight hours, and get aways to vacation homes. Regardless of how you’ve enjoyed this summer, I pray you found some space to stop for a moment and reconnect with God, taking in the beauty of the natural world around us.

Today I am grateful for cooler temperatures and even for the clouds hanging over Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island which is where I am as I write this “word from the fold.” This place is a source of relaxation and rejuvenation for our family in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life. And I am thankful for the time away after a busy summer of planning and preparing for the new program year at Good Shepherd!

While the search committee has been busy writing the church profile, I’ve been meeting with the Wardens, the Vestry, Mission Outreach and Christian Education members getting things ready for the September kick-off. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone at our Re-gathering Sunday celebrations taking place on September 15. This is the day that church school begins and worship will be followed by an ice cream social!

There are lots of opportunities to get involved here at Good Shepherd. I hope you’ll visit our Ministry Fair on Sunday, September 29 after both services and find a way that you can plug in and share your gifts and talents. This year’s fair will feature sign ups for the various service ministries within the church from altar guild to lector ministry, from choir to coffee hour host, and lots more. You will find in this edition of the Shepherd Staff an article about the new Multi-Generational Mission Sunday and how we are working to integrate the Church School with our Outreach Ministries.

Enjoy these waning days of summer! I look forward to welcoming you all in September as we continue in our journey of faith finding ways to walk in love and in service to the Lord.

Faithfully,

Melissa

A resolution asking the Diocese to be a Safe Haven

You likely heard the news that last week, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at their Churchwide Assembly (i.e. General Convention), adopted a resolution that, among other things declared the ELCA to be a sanctuary denomination. Many people are asking what does this mean?

The following is an excerpt from a statement released by the ELCA: "Our call to love our neighbor is central to our faith. In our baptismal covenant we promise to strive for peace and justice in all the world. One of the ways we live out this vow is through our commitment to welcoming the stranger. With this declaration, we publicly state that walking alongside refugees and immigrants is a matter of faith." Read the full article here.

You may be asking what does this have to do us at Church of the Good Shepherd? While the ELCA is the first to make this declaration for the whole denomination, there are several Episcopal Dioceses in the U.S. that have also taken similar action. The Dioceses of Washington, New Jersey and North Carolina to name three.

As such, the CGS Vestry is writing a resolution to request that the Episcopal Diocese in Massachusetts be made a safe haven. This Resolution will be submitted to the Diocese for consideration by the Resolution Committee with the goal that it will be put forward at the Diocesan Convention on Nov. 2. The Resolution must be submitted according to the format of the Diocese and by the September 5 deadline.

To be clear, this is a Resolution asking the Diocese to be a Safe Haven. This means that individual congregations within the Diocese will be free to determine what being a safe haven means for their particular community. There is no specific action being dictated to any congregation with regard to their participation.

The reason for this Resolution is to put forth a call to the Church as a whole, and the Diocese in particular, to take a moral stand. As people of God who seek to live according to the teaching of God's Son, Jesus Christ, our faith requires us to act. For in our Baptism and Confirmation, we promise to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being."

Moreover, it's important to understand that this resolution is not asking congregations to hide or harbor anyone in their churches, nor is it about breaking the law. The actions that this resolution will encourage are generic to finding ways to accompany our sisters and brothers in faith to live safely. Ways that congregations can help include providing resources from purchasing school supplies for children in a congregation to providing prayers and pastoral care, to name a few.

If this resolution passes at General Convention, we will host parish-wide conversations in order to discern what shape this will take for CGS. For now, a resolution committee is being formed to get the document in the required format to submit to the Diocese. If you have questions, please contact us.

The Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Dear Friends,

It has been such an emotional week in the aftermath of last weekend's acts of violence and the loss of so many innocent lives. As an antidote to the on-going media coverage, I offer you this video of the Prayer of St. Francis sung by Angelina of the Catholic network EWTN. Also known as the Peace Prayer, the words are very familiar as we have sung this in worship at Good Shepherd.

- Melissa

The Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Make me a channel of your peace,
Where there is hatred let me bring your love,
Where there is injury your pardon Lord,
And where there's doubt true faith in you.

Make me a channel of your peace,
Where there's despair in life, let me bring hope,
Where there is darkness, only light,
And where there's sadness, ever joy.

O Master grant that I may never seek,
So much to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
In giving of ourselves that we receive.
And in dying that we're born to eternal life.

O Master grant that I may never seek,
So much to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
And to love as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
In giving of ourselves that we receive.
And in dying that we're born to eternal life.

Make me a channel of your peace.

Praying the Daily Office

At the conclusion of my sermon on Sunday, I said that Jesus' message to Martha and Mary are relevant for us today in that it is time to let worry and distraction about the "many things" fall by the wayside. I also suggested that perhaps we might hear Jesus' words to Martha for ourselves, not as a rebuke, but as an invitation to step off the treadmill of life, even for just a few minutes a day, to savor Jesus' presence in our lives, and to catch a glimpse of that one and only thing needed, which is to know the love of God for you and for all people.

One way that you might seek to rest in Jesus' presence is in the practice of praying the Daily Office which includes Morning, Noon, and Evening Prayer. You can find the liturgy for these prayers in the Book of Common Prayer in the section entitled The Daily Office. One of the ways I've found to be helpful is to listen to an audio version of the prayers. If you are interested, here's the audio link. Another resource for reading the office on your own can be found here.

It would be great to pause three times a day for prayer, however, I realize that most people don't have the bandwidth for that. I would suggest starting with one of the prayers and commit to practicing it for a month. It's a wonderful way to connect with God at the start, mid-point, or end of the day to be grounded in the love of God and to remember that which is vital for life, God's immeasurable love for us made known in the person and work of God's Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Blessings,

Melissa

Update on the rector search

The Search Committee continues to work hard preparing the parish profile, and has made good progress over the summer months. The Committee has decided to adopt the Strategic Visioning work that was done by the parish last year as a way of structuring the profile, and the document contains sections on each of our core values - Caring Community of Faith, Engaging Outreach, Compelling Worship. This structure has proven to be very helpful in our work.

All but one section of the profile has been drafted, and almost all have undergone an initial review and edit by the Committee. We have asked Danielle Reese to help us with a "pre-layout editorial review" prior to having our Layout Team, headed by Margaret Geanisis, select pictures, choose fonts and design the final document. I can tell you that we have seen the initial design for the first few pages and it looks tremendous! It will be a compelling and attractive introduction of Good Shepherd to prospective rectors!

In terms of timing, I expect that we will spend the rest of the summer finalizing the profile, which is about what we expected. We'll share the document with the vestry in September, and are planning to publish the profile by the end of September.

From the publication of the Parish Profile through until the end of the process, our work will be highly confidential to protect potential candidates.

Our goal continues to be that we will call a new rector in the spring, which will allow them to sell their home in the peak season and relocate to Acton well before the beginning of the new school year, if either of those is a consideration.

One of the design suggestions from Margaret and team is that we adorn the profile with quotes from parishioners. This approach has been used effectively in previous profile documents. To that end, you will see posters in the church starting this weekend on which you can write a short statement that reflects how you feel about Good Shepherd and our church family. We'll have several posters, each of which will have a separate theme, and you are invited to write something associated with that theme.

If you will not be at church, please write to any of us on the committee with your thoughts and reflections on what makes our church family so special. Think about how you would complete one of the following sentences: "Our church is at its best when ..." or "Good Shepherd is special to me because..." or "In the future, I would love Good Shepherd to ...".

Finally, we all want to thank you for your diligent prayer support. We know that we are wrapped and protected in prayer both when we meet and when we work independently. It is not easy to take something as organic and dynamic as our church family and capture it in a profile document. Please know that it is your prayers and the movement of the Holy Spirit that have allowed us to make the progress that we have.

Welcoming our new Music Minister and Choir Director

It is with great joy that we announce Deborah Colageo as our new Music Minister and Choir Director!

Deborah comes to us with an extensive musical career that spans a lifetime. She began playing piano as a child and at the age of 9 was chosen to accompany her school chorus. She is a gifted organist and additionally has led sectionals with singers. Her talents also include playing keyboard for musical theatre rehearsals and shows. She currently works part-time at Cushing Academy as a collaborative pianist with the Music Director.

She greatly enjoys leading singers and is looking forward to working with the Anthem Choir. Deborah is interested in fostering the musical talents of individual musicians in the parish as well. As a teacher of piano and voice lessons, she loves teaching the technique of music. Deborah loves to learn and develop her craft and to this end has studied with many teachers over the years. Her love of the Lord Jesus, as well as her passion and commitment to sacred and classical music is evidenced by her joyful spirit and desire to encourage and uplift others through her musical gifts.

Deborah's first Sunday at Church of the Good Shepherd will be September 8. Please join me in welcoming Deborah to our faith community!

Job opening: Church School Coordinator

We are seeking a kind, energetic, and organized individual who genuinely enjoys working with children and parents. Our part-time Church School Coordinator will be responsible for fostering and growing a vibrant spiritual formation program for children in Kindergarten through 8th grade and supporting the volunteers who lead the high school youth formation program.

The Coordinator will work for and with the Rector and support the leadership development of parents and volunteers.

The Coordinator will work 10-15 hours per week which includes 3-4 hours on Sunday mornings that can fluctuate depending on coordinator’s schedule and liturgical season. Church School runs from the first or second Sunday after Labor Day through the second or third Sunday in June. Ideally, the Coordinator is available from mid-August to mid-June. Salary range $15,000-$18,000 depending on experience. You will be required to be CORI checked and complete a Safe church training before working with children.

Responsibilities

The Church School Coordinator will:

• Maintain a safe, welcoming, and nurturing environment in the church school area and classrooms

• Understand the meaning of the liturgical seasons and teachings of Jesus

• Oversee, administer, maintain and/or (if needed) coordinate the acquisition of Church School curriculum, supplemental materials, and supplies

• Recruit and help to prepare volunteer church members to teach Church School and maintain schedule of volunteer teachers

• Ensure all volunteer teachers complete Safe Church Training and CORI check

• Support volunteer teachers for Sunday mornings including prepping materials, supplies, set-up, etc.

• Plan and collaborate with Rector, parents, and volunteers, special activities such as the Christmas Pageant, Special Communion, Palm Sunday procession, recognition of milestones in the life of the children, etc.

• Communicate regularly with parents via email, the newsletter, weekly bulletins, website, etc.

• Create a modest Church School budget

• Keep accurate records (registration, attendance, offerings, expenses, supplies, etc.)

• Meet with the Rector at regular staff meetings and when necessary

• Provide a written report for the Annual Parish meeting

• Attend Christian Formation Committee meetings when necessary

Qualifications

The ideal candidate is someone who:

• Has a good understanding of the liturgical seasons and Jesus’ teachings

• Is Christian (Episcopalian preferred)

• Maintains a joyful and positive rapport with children, parents, and volunteers

• Has experience working in a church setting

• Has elementary teaching and/or childhood development and/or classroom management experience

• Has experience working with children of many ages, varying learning styles and abilities, and is inclusive and welcoming of all children

• Is mature, responsible, organized, friendly, warm, and engaging

• Is able to work independently and collaboratively

• Has strong communication and interpersonal skills

• Has an Associate degree or similar experience

• Completes a CORI check and Safe Church training (offered on site)

To apply

Email cover letter and resume to: admin@goodshepherdacton.org

Good Shepherd summer schedule begins Sunday, June 30th

The summer worship schedule will commence on Sunday, June 30th. We will continue to have our 8:00AM Rite II Holy Eucharist, with the second HE service beginning at 9:30AM through September 1st. Childcare will be available during the 9:30 service. The fall schedule will resume on Sunday, September 8th, with services at 8:00AM and 10AM.