He brought him outside and said,
"Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them."
Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be."
Genesis 15:5 from this Sunday's Old Testament Reading.

PASTORS' MESSAGE

Dear Good Shepherd,

  What a joy it has been this past week to feel a taste of spring in the air!  Between melting snow, fifty degree temperatures and noticing that the daylight is lasting longer into the evening, it feels like spring cannot be far away.  Of course, there's always a good possibility of snowfall in March, but for this week, it felt like an opportunity to get outside, to breathe in the fresh warm air, to remember that the spring will come.

  The cycle of the seasons and nature itself always have much to teach us.  Whenever we may be feeling stressed or overwhelmed by what is happening in our lives, nature can re-center us and remind us of the patterns of creation, and of God's persistent love and care.  Almost always, we can count on streams and rivers of running water to keep on flowing.  In spring, the plants will begin to grow and the trees will bud.  Whatever has laid dormant for the winter comes alive once more.  This is also the message of Easter, and the message we celebrate every time we gather for worship.  Each Sunday in Lent is like a mini - Easter, where we remember God's promises to us, and how they strengthen and prepare us to do God's work in the world.  With warming days, I hope and pray that each of us can get outside, engage with nature and with God, and receive a reminder of Easter to come.

   And on that note, I lift up one additional request.  When we get to Holy Week at the very end of March, we will have an online Easter Vigil service on Saturday April 4th.  Last year, this included people from Good Shepherd sharing creative interpretations of stories from scripture - and those can still be seen at this link. We are beginning to plan for this service now, and if you would like to share a creative interpretation for Easter Vigil 2021, please let us know! 

In Christ's peace,

Pastor Jeff and Pastor Larson

For more detailed calendar, including events hosted by outside organizations 

IN OTHER NEWS

Adult Forum - Animate: Bible

2/28/21       Grace: Love Is the Bottom Line - Jay Bakker

Join us as we explore how the Bible came to be the Bible as we know it today.  Animate: Bible is an adult faith formation series that explores seven big conversations about the Bible, including the canon, history, testaments, Gospels, genre, interpretation, and grace. Animate Bible uses dynamic videos from seven Christian thought leaders in addition to a creative Bible Journal to help Animate participants delve deeper and reflect on session content.  The Journal provides thought-provoking ideas, beautiful illustrations, and space to write, sketch, and reflect on how they think about the Bible.

Attend the Zoom session to participate in our Bible study.

Use the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89435659701?pwd=M2FXemMvanZmcFYyOUNVKzVPaFpjdz09

Or call         +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

Meeting ID: 894 3565 9701  Passcode: 565162

Jochen Salfeld will facilitate.

Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Reading Group

Wednesday, March 3rd at 8 pm

Are you interested in learning more about anti-racism? Want to find out what you can do about it? Or are you just trying to figure out why racism has become such a big topic?

We'll be reading and discussing the book: So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo.

Order your book today to be a part of this discussion.

Join the RIC Committee via Zoom as we host a weekly book club starting Wednesdays, via Zoom, from 8:00 to 9:00 pm. 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85870975581?pwd=QlVmc1JmNk0vSjN0K2pVcHUwcVgrZz09

Meeting ID: 858 7097 5581

Passcode: 244545

Dial by your location

        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

Meeting ID: 858 7097 5581

Passcode: 244545

TAGS (Teens at Good Shepherd) Meeting on March 7th

If you're a high schooler at GSLC, please join us for a Zoom meeting on March 7th at 7pm! We'll be catching up and brainstorming about some spring events, including a service project on Palm Sunday! Pastor Larson will send out the Zoom link to the TAGS mailing list this week. Not on the list? Email TAGS@goodshepherdcares.org.

Lent Devotions

Please enjoy this year's Lent Devotions. Thank you all who contributed to creating this wonderful devotional.

Click Here for the 2021 Lent Devotions

Lent kits available for pickup

Everyone is invited to pick up a Lent kit!  Our Lent kits will be in clear totes right outside the front doors of the church, and thus available to be picked up at any time.  Our hope is that these kits will help all of us to more intentionally mark the season of Lent in our homes.  There are both household kits and kits for children.  The household kits will include a Lent devotions booklet (written by the people of Good Shepherd), a music resource, ashes that you can use at home on Ash Wednesday, some adult coloring pages, and materials and instructions to create a "Prayer Paper Chain" where each link will have the name of one person from Good Shepherd on it, with the suggestion to pray for that person on that day.  The children's kits will include an activity to "bury the alleluia" to mark the beginning of Lent, as well as craft materials and guides for creating one craft for each Sunday in Lent.  Please spread the word!  If you would like to take one for your neighbors or friends, feel free.  This is one of the easiest ways to invite others to experience a little of our Good Shepherd congregation.  And if for any reason you would like a kit but cannot pick one up at the church, call or email the church office and we'll try to get one to you.

PRAYING TOGETHER 

In Our Prayers 

This week. . . 

PJ Mann, Anne Changaris, Arthur Matson, Susan Rovaldi, Phyllis Taxiera, Kathy Allen, Jen Cinelli, the family of Marie Condit, Kenan George, Tarah Sproul, Vila Makkray, Brian Mulvihill, Cathy Dorey, Jimmy Pritchard, all those affected by addiction, all those affected by mental illness, all military personnel and first responders, for those who have contracted COVID-19.

If you or someone you know would like to be remembered in our prayers, call the church office or email prayercircle@goodshepherdcares.org. Names remain on this list for four weeks. Let us know if you’d like to renew, add, or remove a name.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Pastors Jeff Goodrich & Victoria Larson
183 W. Main St., Westborough, MA 01581 • (508) 366-7095
office@goodshepherdcares.org • www.goodshepherdcares.org

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