Celebrating our 20th anniversary with El Ocotillo
Good Shepherd celebrates its 20th anniversary with El Ocotillo, El Salvador
It's hard to believe that the first delegation from Good Shepherd to El Ocotillo was twenty years ago in 2001!! Some of today's scholarship students weren't born yet.
On Sunday, October 24th, during the morning services, we will celebrate our relationship with this beautiful village in the mountains with music, a video montage, poetry, and prayers. We hope that you can join us in person or via zoom.
Learn more about our relationship with El Ocotillo, El Salvador in this Boston Globe article.
News from the Pastoral Associate for Liturgy and Music
THANK YOU, everyone, for your warm welcome. I’ve been with you for a month now, and I’m so grateful for your good cheer, flexibility, and generous offering of yourselves to our corporate worship. We, the people, the gathered Body of Christ, do the work of liturgy, and it is a blessing to be in it with you!
SINGING WELCOME. Sunday Mornings 9:15-9:45am in the sanctuary. We do some fun physical and vocal warm ups, and go over the music for the 10:00am Eucharist. This is a great way to enliven body and soul, meet people, and learn a bit about how and why we sing at worship. All ages, all voice parts, all levels of choral experience welcome. No need to sign up in advance. Just show up and check it out! Drop in once or come every week. You do need to be fully vaccinated (if over age 12) and wear a mask over your nose and mouth.
MIXED CHOIR REHEARSAL. Thursday Evenings 7:00-8:30pm in the sanctuary. This group is for all voice parts (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), high school age and up. We are just getting this group going, so come and contribute your voice and vision. We’ll be developing our skills as vocal musicians, preparing anthems for the Sunday 10:00am Eucharist, and working toward special musical events. You need to be fully vaccinated and wear a mask over your nose and mouth.
LOOKING FOR PERCUSSION VOLUNTEERS for 10:00am Eucharist on Sunday October 24. Individuals, friend groups, and families welcome. No special experience required. We will be adding drums, shakers, and finger cymbals to the music for our celebration of the 20th anniversary of our relationship with El Ocotillo parish in El Salvador. You just need to come to church at 9:15 am on the 24th.
Ellen Oak
The October 2021 Issue of the Shepherd's Staff
Read the latest issue of the Shepherd’s Staff
Parish Family Picnic with Games
Celebrate Regathering September 12
Celebrate Regathering Sunday September 12
We are excited to announce a Parish Family Picnic on Sunday, September 12 after church after the 10:00am service. This will coincide with our first indoor service (God-willing). We will have a cookout with potluck side dishes, drinks and desserts, with designated food servers to keep us all safe. We are planning fun outdoor games for children and youth. Please mark your calendars and plan to come! Pray for a sunny day!
Use this link to sign up if you would like to help plan, barbecue food, or organize a children's game.
Anti-Racism Book Group Begins Next Week
Anti-Racism Group July 21!
Our anti-racism book group will resume on Wednesday July 21 from 10:00-11:30am for our first discussion of The Church Enslaved: A Spirituality of Racial Reconciliation by Tony Campolo and Michael Battle. All are welcome to join us on Zoom. Please read the first three chapters for our discussion on the 21st. Frequency and dates of future meetings will be determined when we gather for our first session. Please contact Rev. Ellie if you have any questions.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 996 1374 8417
Passcode: 113949
Creation Care
Acton Residents !
The Good Shepherd Vestry, along with Acton Congregational Church, South Acton Church, West Acton Baptist Church, local businesses and organizations, supports this concrete step in lowering Acton's carbon footprint, as one way to participate in the emergency mobilization needed to arrest and reverse climate change.
On Monday June 21, Acton will hold its annual Town Meeting. Please review the BuildingWithCleanEnergy.org website, which answers many questions about these warrant articles.
Strong support will be needed to pass these articles, so Acton residents, please attend Town Meeting to vote for them. If you are able to attend and vote for the Building with Clean Energy articles, please fill out the pledge form on the website.
This step towards clean energy is one we hope other towns represented in our congregation will consider.
Creation Care Environmental Movies
May 23rd!
Movie Night! Movie Night!
The Creation Care Committee has launched a parish-wide, movie night party! In a given month, we will watch the same environmental movie on our own schedule, on the networks we have available at home. At the end of each monthly movie cycle, all are invited to discuss the movie and our responses to it on Zoom.
May’s film is The Story of Plastic.
Discussion Sunday May 23 7:00-8:30pm Zoom Link
You have a choice between 2 film versions. In both films, The Story of Plastic uncovers the ugly truth behind the current global plastic pollution crisis.
· an animated short (4 minutes) (Click here)
· or the documentary for rent on Amazon, on Apple TV, on the subscription DiscoveryGo streaming service and on Xfinity video-on-demand.
Either way, join our discussion, learn about solutions and leave with an action goal for yourself, your family, your faith community or town.