The Rev. Eleanor Applewhite Terry
Gospel and Reflections for the First Sunday After Christmas, Dec 31, 2023
2023-12-31 Gospel & Reflections, Rev Ellie Terry, Rector
The Rev. Eleanor Applewhite Terry
Christmas Eve Candlelight Eucharist with Special Music
2023-12-24 Gospel & Sermon, Rev Ellie Terry, Rector
Confirmation Class Starts in January
Good Shepherd and Trinity Episcopal Church in Concord are collaborating in the final preparation of confirmands for their confirmation on February 10, 2024 at Good Shepherd. The weekly classes will be split between the two churches. Please contact Rev, Ellie as soon as possible of you have not already signed up. Pizza will be provided at all meetings except the actual Confirmation. The full schedule appears below.
January 7 12-2pm at Good Shepherd - Chapters 1 and 2
January 21 12-2pm at Good Shepherd - Chapters 3 and 4 NOTE: No Class on January 14
January 28 12-2pm at Trinity in Concord - Chapters 5 and 6
February 4 12-2pm at Trinity in Concord - Chapters 7 and 8
Friday February 9 Time TBD Chapter 9 and Zoom with Bishop
Saturday February 10 10am at Good Shepherd Confirmation Liturgy
December 2023 Shepherd's Staff
Read the latest issue of the Shepherd’s staff to learn about all the ways you can experience the hope and peace of Advent and upcoming opportunities to get involved in local mission outreach
A Word from the Fold
December 2023 edition of the Shepherd's Staff
“God created human beings, nothuman doings!” I’m not sure where this phrase first originated, but a priest friend of mine is fond of saying it. For me, it’s a great reminder of who I am as we head into the season of Advent.
I love Advent. — At least, I love what it is supposed to be like in an ideal world: a time of simplicity and quiet. A time of hopeful, peaceful waiting. A time of stillness and rest as we linger in the pregnant darkness anticipating the birth of the Savior who will bring peace and hope to our weary world.
Yet, the reality of my own life... as a priest, a mother of three teenagers, a spouse, a daughter of aging parents... means Advent is often far from simple and quiet. And the burdens of the world right now, the violence erupting in the Holy Land, the ongoing war in Ukraine, the floods in Somalia, unrest in our own country, the not-yet-over impact of COVID, the looming election in a bitterly divided country... none of this makes for an easy inner peace!
I know from my pastoral care for you that many in our parish are hurting. Some are facing the first holiday season after the death of a loved one. Others are making the transition to a new home. Some are facing layoffs and work transitions. There are frightening health diagnoses among us, and mental health challenges to address. And there is the pressure to Do All The Things to be ready for Christmas.
Advent is often seen as the counterbalance for a busy December. — A reminder to simply be, rather than do. A time to light candles and breathe deeply. To read a bit more of Scripture and say an extra prayer. To go on retreat, perhaps, or attend an Advent study group so that we can focus on God, and the coming of Christ, rather than on our own burdens. The irony, of course, is that observing a holy Advent often means adding more to our schedules rather than doing less.
We want to provide a corrective to that at Good Shepherd this year. So instead of a weekly Advent program after church, or a series of evening gatherings, or a retreat day to squeeze into a jam-packed month, we invite you to experience the fullness of Advent through our regular Sunday morning worship. Each of the four Sundays of Advent will offer a different way to engage with God’s Word and an opportunity to observe a holy and meditative Advent. We’ll have Eucharist, of course, but instead of a sermon, we’ll connect with God through healing prayer on 1 Advent, through visual images and meditation on 2 Advent, through breath and non-verbal prayer on 3 Advent, and through voice and music on 4 Advent. Our hope is that for these four Sundays, as we step aside from the secular pre-Christmas chaos and offer our burdens to God, we might make room in our hearts for the hope that Advent awakens.
Ellen, Ken, and I look forward to worshiping with you this Advent. Come, Lord Jesus!
+Rev. Ellie
Successful food drive for the Acton Food Pantry
221 food items which were delivered to the Acton Food Pantry this week thanks to Good Shepherd parishioners
Thank you for the tremendous support we received for the food drive for the Acton Food Pantry. It was a huge success! We have donated over 221 food items which were delivered to the Acton Food Pantry this week. We had so much food that we needed a truck!
It has been wonderful to participate in the food drive. Helping our community and involving our children in this important work has also been fulfilling and eye opening for them. Working as a team has made this volunteer work possible and the added bonus is getting to know other parishioners in our community. My sons were already asking when the next drive will be!
-Kristen
We so appreciate the opportunity to grow relationships and make a meaningful impact for our community! It was such a collaborative and flexible way as working moms to participate in such an important ministry - the support structure was amazing! My daughter, Angela said, ‘It’s good to know I am helping those in need.’
-Kim
This outpouring of generosity will undoubtedly help a great many of our neighbors in Acton and Boxborough. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and care during this season of giving.
The Rev. Ken Schmidt
Gospel and Sermon for the Twenty-sixth Sunday After Pentecost, Nov 26, 2023
2023-11-26 Gospel & Sermon, Rev. Ken Schmidt, Deacon
23-11-26 Stewardship message with Ed Moore
Stewardship message
Stewardship message with Ed Moore
The Rev. Eleanor Applewhite Terry
Gospel and Sermon for the Twenty-fifth Sunday After Pentecost, Nov 19, 2023
2023-11-19 Gospel & Sermon, Rev Ellie Terry, Rector
Made New in the Power of the Spirit, Let Us Offer All We Are!
Submit your pledge by November 26, Ingathering Sunday
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As Advent approaches and we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ once again, many of us may reflect upon the joys and challenges of the year that is also coming to a close. This year has brought many wondrous happenings at the Church of the Good Shepherd. The children were back together on the first and third Sundays of each month, the Men’s Group enjoyed fellowship on Saturday mornings, we packed 10,000 meal kits for distribution in the Philippines via Rise Against Hunger, we focused on ways to care for the planet and worked to incorporate changes – small and large – to protect God’s creation, and a delegation travelled again to our sister community of El Ocotillo, El Salvador, renewing our connection with beloved friends in that community.
The common thread through all of this (and many other happenings, too numerous to name) is our Christian community. In worship we come together at the altar, each with our own backgrounds and experiences, yet each seeking God’s love, forgiveness, and guidance. The beautiful words of the Episcopal Eucharist are uttered each week. Lovely music surrounds us. After services, we gather for fellowship in the Parish Hall. Church is the one place in our lives where we come together across generations and across our differences, with a common understanding that we are all loved and special to God. In this shared belief and faith, we extend that same love to one another, appreciating the uniqueness of each of us. This is truly something to be cherished and supported.
As Rev. Ellie said in a recent sermon, “This is where we can imagine a different future for our children, for our earth, for our community. Where we hear Scriptures that challenge us to love deeply and live differently. This is where we experience God in prayer, in song, in sacrament, stretching our image of God as we learn to pray and sing and receive grace in both cherished and sometimes new ways. -Where all our voices are welcome, all our differences are honored, all our bumbling, fearful, hesitant, questioning attempts to love and follow Jesus are appreciated. We come here in our brokenness, in our joy, in our sorrow, in our anger, in gratitude, knowing that God sees our true selves and loves us, even so. It really is extraordinary, this church of ours!” November is the time when we commit to the financial support of the Church of the Good Shepherd for the coming calendar year. We will be focusing on the experience of Stewardship during the month of Thanksgiving, culminating on Ingathering Sunday, November 26. Please prayerfully consider your pledge to support our church community during 2024. You may submit your pledge intention online , or complete the form mailed to you and mail it or place it in the offertory plate any Sunday this month.
In grateful prayer,
Lydia Tolley, Stewardship 2024