WHAT'S HAPPENING AT GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH

Good Morning!

WOW! Hasn't the weather done a great job of helping us adjust to the
time change?? At least it has made it easier to get to the various
functions taking place in and around our church, so come on out and
help spread the good word. Be an example of what a caring, sharing,
place Good Shepherd is.

Here is our report on What's Happening at Good Shepherd Church over
the next few weeks. . . .

1. TODAY-Thur. Mar 15-G2R (Genesis to Revelation) Study meets at 7pm
at Stoughton's

2. Fri. Mar 16-Romeoville Rec Center Open House from 6 to 9pm

3. Fri. Mar 16-Friday Bible Study meets at 7pm at the Valintis home

4. Sat. Mar 17-Church Council Meeting at 8:30am

5. Sat. Mar 17-Preschool Book Fair Open House from 10am to 2pm

6. Sun. Mar 18- Worship at 8:15 and/or 10am (announcements will begin
10 minutes before worship) with Connection Café between services. We
will be giving our completed LWR Kits a prayerful send-off today!

7. Sun. Mar 18-Sunday School at 9:15am for children age 3 to 5th grade

8. Sun. Mar 18-Radical Book Study meets at 4pm at the Suchomel's. For
directions call Debbie at 815-886-0082.

9. Mon. Mar 19-3rd Monday Study will be held at 7pm at the Sanchez
home. (NOTE: Only the 3rd Monday Study will be meeting tonight)

10. Tue. Mar 20-Summer Arts Planning Meeting will be held at 7pm at the church.

11. Wed. Mar 21-Wednesday Bible Study will meet at 6pm for a meal to
be followed by their Lenten Study beginning at 6:30pm

12. Wed. Mar 21-Lenten Worship begins at 8pm at the church

13. Thur. Mar 22-Quarterly Food Pantry Meeting will take place at the
Pantry. T-shirts will be distributed at the meeting.

14. Thur. Mar 22-Deadline to submit Rod and Staff newsletter
information for the April edition

15. Fri. Mar 23-Friday Bible Study Meeting at 7pm at the home of Sheri Valintis

16. Sat. Mar 24-Shepherd's Food Pantry will be open from 9:30-11:30am
at 2 Belmont Dr. (at Rt. 53)

17. Sun. Mar 25- Worship at 8:15 and/or 10am (announcements will begin
10 minutes before worship) with Connection Café between services.

18. Mon. Mar 26-Monday Study meets at 7pm at the Suchomel home

19. Wed. Mar 28- Wednesday Bible Study will meet at 6pm for a meal to
be followed by their Lenten Study beginning at 6:30pm

20. Wed. Mar 28-Lenten Worship begins at 8pm at the church (this is
our last Wed. Lenten Worship)

21. Thur. Mar 29-Long Range Planning Team Forum begins at 6:30pm at
the church. (See information below) All are encouraged to attend!

22. Fri. Mar. 30-Friday Bible Study at 7pm at the Valintis home

Midweek Lenten Study - Join us on Wednesday evenings through March 28
for our midweek Lenten Study, "Radical Renovation: Living a
Cross-Shaped Life." If you didn't sign up for the study, you're
welcome to join us anyway. Please, though, call Renea in the church
office to let us know you'll be joining us. We want to make sure we
have enough materials for everyone.

Book Study - On Sunday, March 18 we'll meet at Suchomel's for our
"Radical" Book Study. We meet from 4-6pm, with a meal to begin our
time together. Don't have the book yet? Contact Renea in the church
office or Pastor Suzanne...we have 3 "extra" copies waiting to be
read.

Recreation Center Open House TOMORROW! - Pastor Suzanne, Jackie
Esquivel, and Pat Hurdle are working together to plan for tomorrows
Recreation Center Open House. If you'd like to help "man" our booth
during the open house - 6:00-9:00pm - please talk to one of them. We
are providing small crafts for the kids along with information about
our church's ministries. This is a great opportunity to spread the
Word!

Preschool Book Fair & Open House Saturday, March 17th, from 10am to
2pm. Come see Clifford, the Big Red Dog (no, we aren't going to dye
him green for St. Patrick's Day!) and his friend, Geronimo! There
will be books for everyone and a chance to tour the preschool. We're
taking enrollment for the next school year as well. Come one, come
all, and bring your friends and cameras as well. All are welcome!

Summer Arts Experience - Pastor Suzanne is coordinating a summer arts
experience for youth in grades 6-12. She is looking for adults who
would be interested in providing resource support, mentoring, and
general oversight of the youth in this program. She is also looking
for adults who have gifts/talents in the arts - theater, music,
painting, sculpting, etc. - who would be interested in sharing these
talents with the youth. If this sounds like something that interests
you, please come to the planning meeting on Tuesday, March 20 at
7:00pm. All are welcome!

Long-Range Planning Team Forum
Don't forget to join the LRPT for their forum Thursday, March 29. It
will go from 6:30-8:30pm. We'll provide a light meal and have
conversation about how things are going with our space, where we're
headed, and brainstorm ideas for growing our church. All are welcome!
Join us!

Pastor Out of Town
Pastor Suzanne will be out of town on retreat on March 30-31. She
will be unavailable during this time. If you have a pastoral
emergency, please contact our Pastoral Assistant, Renea, during office
hours (Friday - 9a-noon), or our Council President, Sue Hattimer.
Thank you.

Recap from last Sunday: Our theme was, "Turning the Tables." We
heard the story of Jesus turning the tables and clearing the temple,
from John 2. We also heard from the apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians,
as he discussed wisdom and foolishness. Pastor Suzanne challenged us
to find ways to "turn the tables" in our world - physically,
spiritually, emotionally, etc.

Preview of this Sunday: This week, our theme will be, "A Master Plan
for a Masterpiece." We'll be looking at both Ephesians 2:1-10 and
John 3:1-21. We'll think about what it means to be "God's
Masterpiece" and how we discern the plan God has for our lives.

Well, this list takes up to the end of March—already! Palm Sunday on
April 1st will begin Holy Week and all the traditions of the Easter
season. Be sure to join us on this journey to the cross.

Peace, hope, joy and love always! I'll be wearing green on Saturday, will you?

Renea Horn Johnson
Pastoral Assistant
Good Shepherd Church