Good Shepherd Update Thursday December 1st, 2011
Dear Good Shepherd,
Happy Advent! I hope that you all enjoyed your holiday. This week our Update is shorter than usual, but has important items nonetheless. I’m looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday!
-Matt T
In this Update:
1. ACW Christmas Bazaar and Bake Sale
2. Christmas Pagaent
3. Saratoga Christmas Outreach - Updated
4. Last Sunday’s Sermon
5. This Week in Christian Education
6. Bible Studies and Mission Groups
7. Discussion Questions
The ACW Christmas Bazaar and Christmas Bake Sale will be Saturday, December 10, 2011. Proceeds from this event will go to the Scleroderma Foundation. Holiday decorations and items for the Bazaar can be slightly used. You can bring these items to church starting on Sunday(12/03). This part of the sale will “Buy by Donation” and the baked goods will be priced! Thank you and God bless.
Christmas Pageant: Its that time of year again! Time to get ready for the Christmas Pageant! If you would like in anyway to participate (either in it or helping with it) in this year’s pageant I would like to hear from you. Practices for the Christmas Pageant will be directly after church from November 20th through December 18th and there might be one practice the week before Christmas or on Christmas Eve as needed. November 20th we will choose parts and pass out scripts, so that will be a short but critical day. After that we will run through the whole script at each practice so it is important to be on top of any lines that need to be learned, and to practice songs, if at all possible, through the week. The Pageant will be at 5pm on Christmas Eve. Pray about it, talk to your kids and let me know how you’d like to be involved! -Anne
Christmas Outreach: Again this Christmas we at Good Shepherd have the amazing opportunity to celebrate Christ’s birth by helping those less fortunate than ourselves. 30 needy children from Saratoga Youth Center have provided us with wish lists for Christmas. Please join the Outreach Team in surprising these dear children with some special presents (valued at $15-$20) this holiday. Select a child represented on the Christmas tree on the wall in the Parish Hall. If you have questions, see Carmen.
Last Sunday’s Sermon, “Jonah and the Storm” (Jonah part 3) can be found here.
This Week in Christian Education This Sunday we will be continuing in our series studying Tim Keller’s “Reason for God.” See you there!
Mission Groups: (all mission groups meet in homes and in keeping with our Sunday morning sermon series. You are invited to join the one nearest you.
* Mondays at 6:30pm Lee and Jane Bronson’s Mission Group meets at Darrell and Carolyn Dean’s house at 19 Newton Street in Port Dickinson.
* Tuesdays at 6:00pm Ife’s Mission Group meets at Carrie Moorhead’s house at 5 Hancock Street in Binghamton.
* Wednesdays at 7:00pm Joe Kovac’s Mission Group meets at 108 Allen Street in Johnson City.
* Wednesdays 7pm Bill Woollet’s group meets at Mary Lindsey’s House, 41 Hayes Street in Southeast Binghamton (near the present church.)
Bible Studies (all bible studies meet at the church in the parish hall and each study takes one book at a time and studies verse by verse)
1. Tuesday Morning Bible Study: Tuesdays at 9:00am—presently studying Romans
2. Thursday Evening Bible Study (for beginners): Thursdays at 6:30pm—presently studying the Book of Acts
3. Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study: Fridays at 6:30am—presently studying the book of Acts. All men are invited and welcome. David is scheduled to cook.
4. Women’s Bible Study: Saturdays at 10:00am—presently studying Revelations
Discussion Questions:
Text: Jonah 1:4-16
1. (v.4-5) The account shifts with a storm and Jonah sleeping below deck while everyone on the ship is praying and preparing for the worst. Why is Jonah, a prophet of God, literally sleeping on the job? What’s his problem?
2. (v. 5) The sailors sacrifice their precious cargo in order to spare their lives. How does their attitude and actions differ from that of Jonah’s?
3. Jonah writes his account with an emphasis on direction. Twice already, Jonah has been asked to “arise” or “get up,” while Jonah’s response to it has “going down” and “sinking.” Why does Jonah write in this fashion? What is Jonah trying to say about himself? What is he trying to say about God?
4. (v.10) In the limited interactions Jonah has had with the sailors, he has already told them that we was running away from God. Considering that this isn’t what most people share about themselves in first impressions, what would convince Jonah to share this with the sailors?
5. (v.7–10) After casting lots, Jonah describes who he is and who he worships. The sailors become terrified. Why do they look to him to solve their crisis?
6. (v.11-13) Jonah requests that he’d be thrown overboard, but the sailors refuse his sacrifice at first, only to give-in to it moments later. Discuss some of the thoughts that the sailors might be having at this point in the storm.
7. (v.13-16) God uses Jonah’s stubbornness and disobedience to produce something good – namely to witness God’s power to the sailors. Has there been a time in your life where God made something good from your poor decision?
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