Sunday, May 18, 2025
Fifth Sunday of Easter 8:30 AM or 10:00 AM View 10:00 AM online: https://youtube.com/live/zffp0QQvAUc Readings: https://bcp2019.anglicanchurch.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/C32-Sixth-Sunday-of-Easter.pdf
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For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. (1 Corinthians 12:12-20, ESV) Happy Thursday Good Shepherd! I pray that your day is filled with blessing as a member of Christ’s body: the Church. As you go throughout your day, I ask that you reflect on the tremendous honor we have been shown in these scriptures. Christ did not come to save you in isolation. He did not take away your sins in order to leave you stranded by the wayside. Christ came to offer you something greater. He offers you His covenant. When God does this, the covenant offer is attached to a covenant community. That’s what we are at Good Shepherd. Living like a covenant community gives us a bond and a relationship that goes far beyond what we normally think. This is especially a blessing when we consider how different we can all be! It doesn’t matter what our individual talents, interests, or backgrounds are, we are part of His body. In a world that is full of fighting, turmoil, and loneliness, it is a great blessing from God to have the opportunity to gather as a covenant people and bear each other’s burdens. Each of us has a story, and God not only gave us those stories, but also brought them together for a reason. Bodies are made of many parts and pieces, and good books have different chapters and storylines that weave together into a whole. No matter what analogy we want to use, we need each other at Good Shepherd Church. As we journey through our Easter season, and God continues to work new blessings and opportunities into our church life, I ask you to pray for God to reveal how He wants to use you to further build His kingdom. Next Thursday, I’ll be bringing you another short reflection to offer some specific ideas for the types of service we need most in the church. Until then, I pray God’s blessing and favor be upon you. Your Brother in Christ, Ashton Hutchinson Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 1st Corinthians 12:4-7, 11 (ESV)
Happy Thursday Good Shepherd! I pray that you are blessed in the Lord and feel at home in the place He has called you. Last week we talked more generally about the idea of service within the church. In our scripture today, there are two points that I want to highlight specifically in relation to that. First, God grants each of us a manifestation of His Spirit for the common good. This means that the talents, time,gifts, and ideas that God has granted us are for the body of Christ, and specifically for the local church that we are gathered into. It isn’t so much a question of whether God is calling you to use these in service, but where and when. In our context, we have a need for youth workers, choir singers, lectors, altar servers, greeters, and of course our 50th anniversary committee. God is calling you to work for the common good of our church. Ask and you will find a place you can serve. The second point that I want to raise to you today is about empowerment. When I write out all the places we have need of service, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. Don’t be. The same God that has gifted you with unique talents and gifts is the same God that has promised to empower you to use them. Jesus isn’t a cruel taskmaster beating down His bride with a million miles long “honey to do” list and no help to do it. Everything that He has given us to do, He has given us the means to do it. Spend time in prayer, enjoy fellowship with the saints gathered at Good Shepherd, partake of the Sacraments regularly. Do this and God will equip you for whatever He has called you to do in this body. We’ll be back next week with some thoughts about desiring the “higher things” of God, but for now take some time and think about how you can get plugged in right away and work to the glory of God and His kingdom. Your Brother in Christ, Ashton Hutchinson The Easter edition of our church newsletter The Shepherd's Voice News is available for download as a .pdf.
This Sunday is Mothers' Day! This past Sunday, we were blessed by our Women's Guild holding a reception in our of our ladies after our 10:00 AM Holy Eucharist. A great time was had by all!
Reminder: This Sunday is Palm Sunday. Please arrive a few minutes early to church for our 10:00 AM service (no 8:30 AM this week Easter Sunday). Upon arriving, if you wish to participate in the opening procession of our Liturgy of Palms, please gather in the parking lot of Torah Academy, next door to church. At 10:00 AM, we will blessing the palms in that location and then process by song to the church.
If you are unable to process with us, please greet the procession at the time of arrival in the sanctuary and have your palms ready to be lifted high and blessed! Each Friday from 11AM til 1:00 PM
As in previous years, each Friday during Lent, Good Shepherd Church invites you to come enjoy some quiet time with the Lord between the hours of 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. We’ll only break the silence for a quarter hour beginning at 12:15 PM in order to pray The Great Litany. This Friday, April 11, will be our final Lenten Quiet Chapel for the year. We hope you can join us! On Saturday, April 5, we'll have a work day at church from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM. Priorities include cleaning up the prayer garden and taking down an old portable building on the back of the church grounds.
If you are able to help, please do so! For more information, see our Buildings and Grounds manager, Mel Aucion. This Sunday, March 30, 2025, the Louisiana churches in our diocese will gather in Baton Rouge at Holy Cross Anglican Church for an Evening of Prayer and Praise. This is a new concept aimed to bring the four parishes of Louisiana together into what is called a Deanery (a geographical subdivision of a diocese).
The event will begin at 4:00 PM and will conclude with a meal being served. This Sunday's meal is jambalaya and is being provided by Holy Cross. Those from other parishes are encouraged to bring a side dish to share. This Sunday morning at our services, anyone wishing to attend and carpool will be asked to make arrangements, with anyone leaving from our parking lot likely having to so around 2:30 PM to assure being at Holy Cross for the 4:00 PM start time. This event is scheduled to be held each fifth Sunday of the month and will travel giving each parish a chance to serve as host. |
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