January 2010

A SANCTUARY FOR DEALING WITH THE ISSUES OF LIFE....

V ICE of the Good Shepherd1 2 0 7 W I N D I N G W A Y , F R I E N D S W O O D T X 2 8 1 . 4 8 2 . 7 6 3 0

W W W. G S H E P H E R D . N E T

the

Everyone is invited to the

Great HallSunday,

January 36-7:30pm

Presented by the Choir of Good Shepherd

Come to celebrate with dessert, wassail

and apple cider... and 

$ivolity... songs, entertainment, and

dancing! There is rumor of a visiting

Lord and Lady... even a Boar's Head

as in merry Oxford, England every 12th

Night for lo these many centuries since

the earliest days! 

History of 12th Night (according to Wiki)Twelfth Night or Epiphany Eve is a festival in some branches of Christianity marking the coming of the Epiphany, and concluding the Twelve Days of Christmas. It is defined by the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary as "the evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking".

The celebration of Epiphany, the adoration of the Magi, is marked in some cultures by the exchange of gifts, and Twelfth Night, as the eve or vigil of Epiphany, takes on a similar significance to Christmas Eve.

A more recent tradition in some English-speaking countries holds that it is unlucky to leave Christmas decorations hanging after Twelfth Night, a belief originally attached to the festival of Candlemas (2 February).

January 2010

A SANCTUARY FOR DEALING WITH THE ISSUES OF LIFE....

Attention Classics! All Retirees and Seniors invited!

We will be having games and Lunch on on Thursday, January 14th in Sterling Hall. Be there

at 10am for games. Bring a salad!

St. Luke's collected 42 units of blood at our December drive. This brings our total donations for 2009 up to 179 units. This is a lot of people whose lives Good Shepherd has touched. In fact, with a potential three recipients per unit, up to 537 lives may have been saved. All of this is made possible by the donors who lay on the tables and give of their time and blood. Be sure to say “thank you” the next time you see a parishioner with an elastic wrap on their arm.

Thanks to Nancy Dalton and Susan Vaughn for baking cookies for the December drive.

Our next drive is scheduled for Valentine's Day, February 14th 2010. Please plan to give a gift from the heart and donate blood.

Start 2010 off right by joining us for bridge on Friday, January 8 between 7:00 and 7:30. We usually start playing around 7:30 and finish up no later than 10:30. Invite friends and neighbors, players don't have to be Good Shepherd people, we have several who are not. Beginners and advanced players are welcome. We always have people willing to teach beginners or those who played before and need a refresher. Please make bridge at Good Shepherd one of your New Years resolutions, we usually play the second Friday of the month. Call the office for more information 281.482.7630.

The ECW Christmas party was great fun! Enjoying each others company and a terrific evening, despite the nasty weather, was well worth it for all those who attended. The Elf and Santa was definitely one of the memorable hi-lights of the evening, and Sterling Hall was transformed into a beautifully decorated party hall! Our own Len Deprang even had some heart-warming stories to share, plus the waiters were the best ever! Give a shout-out to the four ladies that were Honored Women for 2009 from the Diocese for their hard work and passion for the ministry they are each involved in. Ruth McClelland--Stephen MinistryCandy Brugger--The Shepherd's NookRobbie McDonald--Christian Helping HandsNancy Browning--Good Shepherd EYC Director Stay tuned for meeting announcements and other ECW events in New Year. Yes! We will definitely have another Secret Mug Sister Swap.

Communion Instruction Classes for Lent 2010All baptized Christians are invited to receive

Holy Communion at Good Shepherd, but when a child is baptized, it is the parents who decide when their child can receive the body and blood of Christ. Communion Instruction Classes are offered for both children who are currently receiving Holy Communion and for those who are Baptized, but not yet receiving Holy Communion. Our goal is to offer these classes at 10:35 a.m. for four Sundays in a row in Lent. Please contact Fr. Bob by email: frbob@gshepherd.net, or by phone, 281-538-9594, if you would like to have your child participate in Communion instruction.

Reminder to Meals on Wheels Drivers.....

Good Shepherd has Meals on Wheels Monday, January 4th to Friday, January 8th

January 2010

A SANCTUARY FOR DEALING WITH THE ISSUES OF LIFE....

From the rector...

Some of you are old enough to remember a young Cassius Clay (a boxer for the younger set) proclaiming boldly that he was “the greatest in the world.” Most of us remember thinking as well about how arrogant he was. But, he was right and he believed what he said. He was the greatest in the world – at one particular thing and for a relatively short span of time. We can now appreciate his greatness as we can anyone that is head and shoulders above anyone else in something.

Believing that you are the greatest has something to do with attitude. It’s like a young boy got some baseball equipment for Christmas; a glove, bat, and a genuine baseball. He couldn’t wait to play with it so he went outside to an open field. He imagined he stood at the plate at Minute Maid. “I’m the greatest hitter in the world,” he declared. Then tossed up the baseball and took a mighty swing. “Swoosh”, a miss. Not discouraged at all, he repeated, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world.” He tossed the ball into the air and took another mighty swing. “Swoosh”, another miss. He concentrated yet once again, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world,” and repeated the process with the same result. This time, however, when he picked up the ball he said, “I’m the greatest pitcher in the world.”

The young boy had a great attitude and we should share that same attitude because we are the greatest in the world - at being who we are created to be. The best you can be is the greatest in the world at being exactly what God uniquely created you to be.

Growing up in the early days of television I watched a lot of cartoons and one of my favorite was Popeye. The cartoon character would toot on his pipe and say, “I yam what I yam.” Those are words we could learn from as God adds, “And, that’s exactly what I want.” You are the greatest in the world at being you. So as you stand on the brink of another new year spend some time imagining what it might look like if God were completely in charge of all your choices. Can you imagine the opportunities that would come your way?

God has chosen each one of us as the “greatest in the world” in some way. Each of us is equipped and empowered to achieve something great for all eternity. You have been chosen and empowered by God for greatness. Imagine that!

This is a New Year full of new opportunities beyond what we can ask or imagine. Make a pledge this year to look for them. Resolve to ask God to empower your “greatness.”

Peace in Christ for the New Year, Fr. Jim

Average Sunday attendance is 350 people

Snapshot of Financial Gifts this year

Total Giving YTD:$476,003.Total Budget YTD:$506,033.-$30,018Total Expenses YTD: $501,935Total Budgeted Expenses: $532,108-$30,173

Pledges for 2010$ 396,746 (123)

It’s NEVER too late to turn in your pledge.

January 2010

A SANCTUARY FOR DEALING WITH THE ISSUES OF LIFE....

Say Happy Birthday This Month To: And Happy Anniversary To:

Thanks for the Grand Surprise! I understand that many hands went into my surprise Retirement Party on December 13th. Hopefully, I have thanked the key players, but I didn't want to miss all those who brought food, set up and cleaned up, decorated the tables with my favorite "red roses", gave me huge hugs, and all-in-all, made the day one I won't forget! For those who couldn't make it, I want to say again that many people have thanked me, but I want to thank the people of Good Shepherd for giving me the opportunity to do the work that God called me to do. It was a labor of love! Nancy Browning

Scott & Sheena Blain 1-JanDaniel & Erin Parraz 8-JanHerbert & Veveine McKenzie 10-JanGary & Kathy Symons 19-JanDennis & Cindy Patton 24-JanPaul & Renee Bielski 26-JanDwayne & Katie Lane 27-JanJohn & Carolyn Kanewske 30-Jan

Robert Istre 1-JanSteve Blackmon 2-JanJack Wilson 2-JanKyra Suarez 3-JanAudrey Crues 4-JanKirk Turner 4-JanBob Fry 5-JanPatricia Johnston 5-JanRonnie Vinson 5-JanJasmine Hicks 6-JanBenjamin Lewis 6-JanJohn Toon 6-JanShirley White 7-JanSean Peterson 8-JanMary Bern Gillespie 10-JanKarla Sterken 11-JanOndree Kuhn 13-JanJay Spencer 13-JanJackie Reed 14-JanCarole Porcher 15-JanJanice Vinson 15-JanLisa Lewis 17-JanCharleen Magliolo 17-JanCarol Wilson 17-JanPhillip Hicks 18-JanMary Sterling 18-JanDebi Stilwell 18-JanDorothy Ellison 19-JanLindsey Everett 19-JanPat Tinsley 19-JanSusie Credeur 20-JanZachary Lewis 20-JanCarolyn Carhart 21-JanDani Hodge 21-JanJennifer Larimore 21-JanBonnie Lehoski 21-JanSandra Smith 21-JanBrady Abowd 22-JanLillian Swetland 23-JanC.J. Barta 24-JanDavid Denton 25-JanAnne Prosser 25-JanMeghan Moore 26-JanVeveine McKenzie 27-JanGay Smither 28-JanSandy Burchsted 30-JanNoah Niday 30-JanMike Smith 31-Jan

Welcome to our newest lamb/member....

Adam Michael Akkerman, new son of Jason and Ruthann, and

baby brother to big sister Madelyn. He arrived just in time for

Christmas on December 15th. Welcome to our world!

GET WELL

And a big get well to Kitty Hart! Hang in there.

We’re praying for you.

January 2010

A SANCTUARY FOR DEALING WITH THE ISSUES OF LIFE....

A Father's Love

Tom Ferazzi is like most parents in that he is committed to ensuring his 13-year-old son, Eric, receives the best education possible to help him become successful in life. For Tom and his wife, Lori, finding the right educational setting for Eric has been a struggle as Eric was born with Down syndrome. Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring chromosomal condition in the United States. One child in every 733 live births has Down syndrome. Today, more than 400,000 people in the U.S. have it.

Tom, Continental's managing director of treasury operations, and his family have been on an educational journey that has often been frustrating. "For several years, we tried to work with the public school system only to fall short on so many occasions," he says. "The system has a tremendous challenge in educating typical children and is often not equipped to deal with children with special needs. We found that our academic expectations for our child were often at odds with the expectations of the public school system."

Though the Ferazzis did find a private school they felt would meet their goals for Eric's education, they were on a waiting list for more than seven years with no true hope that Eric would be able to enroll. The family decided their best hope for Eric was to start the Horizon School. "We decided we needed to control our own fate and open a much-needed school to give our son, and other children with Down syndrome or similar disabilities, the opportunity to reach their full potential," Tom says.

The Ferazzis have been involved with every aspect of the Horizon School, from its initial inception to overseeing the day-to-day operations. The school is housed within Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, a Friendswood, Texas, church that donated both classroom and office space. It opened for its first day of classes August 25.

The first three students at the Horizon School are flourishing in their new environment, and other families have expressed interest in enrolling their children. "The parents of our current students are so grateful for the school and are very excited about the progress they are already seeing in their child's education and social skills," Tom says.

To learn more about the Horizon School, visit thehorizonschooltx.com/thehorizonschool/Home.html.

– Heather Wiederhoeft~~~via Continental Airlines

We’re shakin’ things

up~A New Fifth

Sunday will be taking

a bow on January

31st~That’s our

Annual Parish

Meeting too!Watch the mailbox for more details

the Yin and Yang

Boys against the Girls

The Woo and the Hoo

Ya gotta come

A little childa shining stara stable rude,the door ajar.

Yet in that placeso crude, forlorn,The Hope of all

the world was born.--Anonymous

January 2010

A SANCTUARY FOR DEALING WITH THE ISSUES OF LIFE....

NEWS FROM THE (Brother) HOOD

The Brotherhood of St. Andrew will be selling fire wood this fall. One-eighth(1/8) of a cord (2ft by 2ft by 4ft) will sell for $40. This is very competitive with Kroger and HEB. You may buy any quantity you want. 1/16 of a cord will be $25 and 1/4 of a cord will be $75. If you buy a large quantity we can make arrangements to have it delivered to your home. 1/8 of a cord fits easily into the trunk of your car.

DO YOU HAVE A FIRE PLACE? Love to hear that crispy crackle on a cold autumnal winter (getting

closer to spring) afternoon? Please buy all the wood so I

won’t have to run this ad again.

www.gshepherd.net

The next "Guys Stuff" will be bowling at Clear Lake Lanes. The first annual event will take place on Tuesday evening January 26, 2010. The entry fee will be $10.00 per person except for Bob Reed who is expected to pay $20.00 - the heavy winner in the last two events. Each participant will roll two lines and all the proceeds will presented to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. The Lane's manager asked that refreshments be purchased from the Lanes and not be brought in. They have an assortment of soft drinks, candies, nuts, hot dogs and beer. We will have sign up sheets in the breeze way on Sundays.

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From Faddah Bob The Christmas holidays are upon us. It is a time of joy and laughter for children and yet it can also be

a time when spirits are not so cheery and bright. For many folks the Christmas joy has changed. It could be because the people with whom folks used to share Christmas are no longer around. It could be because they are no longer children at heart and do not have children around them to catch their joyous spirit. Whatever the reason, folks that have the Christmas blues are not alone.

A character, Lt. Randy Disher, on the television show Monk was asked about why he was always happy even when people constantly ridiculed him and made fun of him. His response was that he had seen a sticker on the rear bumper of a car that stated, “Choose Happiness!” He took that sticker’s message to heart and I too believe this is a good way to deal with the Christmas blues. Choose happiness.

Peace, Fr. Bob

January 2010

A SANCTUARY FOR DEALING WITH THE ISSUES OF LIFE....

THE REV. JIM NELSON

RECTOR

THE REV. DR. BOB MOORE

ASSOCIATE RECTOR

SUZY SPENCER

YOUTH MINISTER

GAIL ROE

ORGANIST & CHOIR DIRECTOR

TOAST WILLIAMS

MUSIC MINISTER, CONTEMPORARY

LINDA ANSELL DAY SCHOOL DIRECTOR

MARY SMITH

PARISH ADMINISTRATOR

JOANN HOCKING

ACCOUNTANT

Staff & VestryMembers TermTOM GRACE 2010TBA, Sr. Warden

STEPHANIE DEWOLF 2010KATHLEEN GALLMAN 2008-10

PAUL VEIHMAN 2008-10 KATHLEEN SYMONS 2009-11

STEVE WISEMAN 2009-11BOB THORNBORROW, Jr.Warden 2009-11

DEIDRE HICKS 2009-11MATTHEW STEAKLEY 2010-12

MARY STERLING 2010-12PAT TINSLEY 2010-12

ROBERT WALKER 2010-12

Acolyte Master Hal DeVore Lay Readers, Vergers Jane Flinn Altar Guild Jack Hyland Brotherhood of St. Andrew Paul Viehman Christian Helping Hands Robbie McDonald Ginny Alldridge Choir TBAChristian Education TBACoffee Hosts Pam Christiansen Usher Coordinator Russ Swetland Cursillo Tim Richardson Daughters of the King Dea MartinDay School Linda Ansell Flower Guild Susie Credeur Martha Burns Anne Prosser FWD Comm Prayer Bkfst. Bob Baker Visitor Bags Larry & Nancy Oldroyd Kitchen Crew Paul Veihman Prayer Network Lee Wilcox Episcopal Church Women Trish Johnston

Shepherd’s Nook Candy BruggerStephen Ministry Ruth McClelland Gerry Stacy St. Martha's Guild Grace Petranovich Treasurer Gerry StacyThe Voice Editor, Susie Credeur Meals on Wheels Website Coordinator Matthew Steakley

Sunday Services: 8:00, 9:30, and 11:30AMWednesday Service of Holy Eucharist: 7:00PMOFFICE HOURS and PhonesMON-FRI 9AM-4:30PM 281.482.7630SHEPHERD’S NOOK : Tues, Thurs, Sat: 10 AM—3 PM 281-482-8603 DAY SCHOOL Mon-Fr. 8:30-4:30PM 281.992.1357

Ministry Contacts

GOOD SHEPHERD EPISCOPAL CHURCH JANUARY 2010

Good Shepherd Episcopal Church and School

1207 Winding Way

Friendswood, TX 77546

281.482.7630

Fax 281.482.4307

email us at office@gshepherd.net

Find us on the web www.gshepherd.net

NON-PROFIT ORG. U. S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 10 FRIENDSWOOD, TX 77546

Return Service Requested

Is there something you want to bring to our attention?Do you need some space?

Email me, Susie, for all your newsletter needs.newsletter@gshepherd.net

Celebrating Fifty Years in Community

Inquirer’s Classes begin in January For the Sacrament of Confirmation & Reception – February 21

Inquirer’s Classes are for those who have considered being Confirmed or Received into the Episcopal Church by the Bishop. They are also for anyone wishing to ask questions about Christianity in general and the Episcopal Church in particular. The Inquirer’s Class for teenagers is to run for three Saturdays in January; Jan. 9, 16 & 30 from 10:00 a.m. – Noon in the Jr. E.Y.C. room. The Inquirer’s Class for adults is to be two Saturdays, February 6 and 20, from 9:00 a.m. – Noon in Shepherd’s Hall. Fr. Bob will teach this class, so please let him know if you are interested in Inquirer’s Classes. Bishop Rayford High is scheduled to be at Good Shepherd for Confirmation and Reception on Sunday, February 21, the First Sunday in Lent.

Inquirer’s Classes & Preparation for Confirmation / ReceptionTeenagers: Jan. 9, 16 & 30 from 10:00 a.m. – Noon in the Jr. E.Y.C. Room

Adults: Feb. 6 & 20 from 9:00 a.m. – Noon in Shepherd’s Hall