Story and photo by D.J. Estopinal
On Tuesday, December 11, 2018, the Good Shepherd Church’s, Woman’s Guild held their annual Christmas Party.

Their party started off with our pastor, Rev. Graf offering the Lords blessing before we sat down to eat.

Christmas music played in the background throughout the whole event.

As usual, there was more food than everyone could consume. The Woman’s Guild really out did themselves as usual. The food was absolutely delicious.

After everyone had stuffed themselves with food, several adult games were played to everyone’s amusement. Prizes we given to the winner of each game.
All attendees thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

The Good Shepherd Church’s, Woman’s Guild has been in existence longer than any of their current members can remember. Currently the Woman’s Guild has eleven (11) members on their rolls. They meet at Good Shepherd Church every second Tuesday of each month. Ms. Barbara Mehrtens is their current President.

The Woman’s Guild conducts a bake sale every other month. They also conduct a Stewardship event in which they sell various donated fruit. In addition, once a year they hold a large garage sale. All funds generated from these evens are donated to the Good Shepherd Church’s, General Fund to assist with the budget. This year they also donated money to assist in buying Christmas Presents for the Veterans at the “Southeast Louisiana Veterans Home”.

The Woman’s Guild also holds a Mother’s Day and Christmas Banquet.

If you would like to submit an article or information to be included in the January 2018 edition of the Shepherd's Voice Newsletter, please email your copy to Rev. Graf by noon on Sunday, December 19.

If you are the leader of a church group, committee, task force or other entity, please begin to consider turning in your 2018 written reports for inclusion in the 2018 Annual Report to be distributed at the annual congregational meeting on January 27, 2019. Reports should be emailed to Rev. Graf no later than Monday, January 14, 2019.

Story and photos by D.J. Estopinal
On Sunday, December 9, 2018, Reverend Randall Graf and the Good Shepherd Church Parishioners welcomed into the service of our Lord and its congregation the below six (6) new members to our church.

Also on Sunday, December 9, 2018, Reverend Graf administered the Rite of the Blessing of the Child in the Womb to Sarah Aucoin and her husband Jacob Aucoin.

Mrs. Sarah Aucoin is expecting their first-born child in June of 2019. In attendance with Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Aucoin were Ms. Cindy Rittler, Mr. Kenny Rittler and Mr. Mel Aucoin.

I promised to give background on some of the hymns that we as Christians sing in worship. The hymn I have chosen for December is probably the most well-known Christmas carol in America. On Christmas Eve of this year we will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the writing of the beloved carol “Silent Night.”

Joseph Mohr (1792-1848) was the associate pastor of St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church in Obendorf, Austria. The text he composed was set to music by Franz Gruber (1787-1863). They sang it as a duet with guitar accompaniment because the organ pipes were not cooperating. In 1863 an American Episcopal bishop from Florida, John Freeman Young, translated it into English, and it became a favorite almost immediately.

As we celebrate the coming of the Christ child, let us remember the climax of the carol--
     “Christ the Savior is born!”

Wishing us all the joy and peace of the seasons of Advent and Christmas!

Rinda Coleman
Music Director

By D.J. Estopinal
The Good Shepherd Church’s, Men’s Club announces that they will be conducting a “Super Bowl Football Pool”.

This football pool will have four (4) winners. The winners will be the square that has the score at the end of each of the four (4) quarters of the football game. These four (4) winners will win $250.00 each.

In this Super Bowl Football Pool, each square will cost $20.00. You may purchase as many available blank squares on the football pool poster and you wish.

The football pool sign up poster will be on display in the narthex of the Good Shepherd Church starting on Sunday, December 9, 2018.

If you would like to purchase a square or multiple squares, see or contact Mr. Don Peters. Mr. Peters is running the football pool for the Men’s Club.

If you would like to assist Rev. Graf and serve as a Lector at a Sunday service, please see the December sign-up sheet located on the bulletin board in the narthex. Once you are signed up for a date, Rev. Graf will be certain to give you the readings in advance.

Story by D.J. Estopinal  Photo by Rebecca Estopinal
The Good Shepherd Church Men’s Club has been conducting fund raisers in order to raise needed money for the construction of our new church sign. The two most recent efforts included the Saints Football Pool and the Holiday Raffle.

As we all know, the Saint’s beat the Atlanta Falcons 31 to 17, on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2018.  The winner of our football pool was Mrs. Debbie Volk. Congratulation Debbie!

On Monday night, November 26, 2018, at the scheduled Men’s Club meeting, the four (4) winning tickets were drawn for the recent raffle dedicated to raising funds for our new church sign.
Those winners are:
1. Michael Lott
2. Vanessa Thompson
3.  Bill Sheffield
4.  Pastor Randall Graf
Congratulations to all of the winners!

Good Shepherd Church (GSC) and Metairie Baptist Church (MBC) partnered to provide Thanksgiving baskets to 14 families this year.  Five families were in the community and nine families were students at NO Baptist Theological Seminary. 

MBC purchased the non-perishable items and GSC provided the gift cards and Thanksgiving tablecloths and napkins for the baskets.  Twenty adults and nine children participated in the shopping and delivery of the baskets.
 
Thanks for your donations and support.
 
Helen Brister