It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
That's what Mr. Rogers used to say during the opening of his daily television
show, and now I know why. Once we move into our new church home we'll have lots
of neighbors - Gary Wickens' drive-by revealed over 1,500 homes within a one
mile radius of the church building! We'll also have a new tool to use to care
for them - the building itself. How will we use it to proclaim the Good News
to our neighbors? What are their needs?
To answer those questions, the Stewardship Committee has laid plans for the
church to canvass the neighborhood, to let folks know we're there and that we
care about them and their needs. We'll need 20 two-person teams to canvass the
whole area, preferably with a man and a woman on each team. Now don't panic
- we're not asking for door-to-door evangelists. We're simply asking you to
go out and meet the neighbors, engage in conversation around three simple questions,
and record the gist fob their responses. Bishop Schleicher will lead a training
session Sunday, June 28 after the service. A kick-off event will occur the next
week, assigning each team a specific location to visit. Sign up sheets to participate
will be on the Activities Table Sundays, June 7, 14, and 21.
This effort would require four to six hours of your time. Teams will work at
any time convenient for them, for any duration or time frame, so long as all
material is turned in by Sunday, July 19. The information you bring back will
become the basis for a leadership retreat later in the year, where we will determine
ways Good Shepherd can become a good neighbor in our new community.
What a great deal - a chance to give something back to Jesus by strolling
around outdoors, in the summertime, just out to meet the neighbors. Trust me
- it's going to be a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
Dennis Willaman, Stewardship Committee Chair
Pastor Jim
Jesus answered, "The first is... 'you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:29-31
From the Shepherd's Song Newsletter -- June 2009
Copyright 2009 by Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Close this window to return to the list of Pastor's Thoughts.
E-mail your comments and questions to Pastor Jim in care of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at gslc@sirus.com.