Welcome to October, Respect Life Month…The Knights of Columbus Council 8669 are having their annual Baby Bottle Drive until the first week in November to support their Culture of Life Projects. Pick up a bottle at the church or call Jim and Nancy Hall at 810-639-2551 for delivery. Please fill bottle with your monetary support. Return the bottle to the drop boxes located by the exits of the church. Thank You!
Dear Good Shepherd Friend —
We will have a St. Francis of Assisi Pet Blessing on Tuesday, Oct. 3, after the 6:30 p.m. Mass!
We are checking in with you to see if you’d be able to donate cookies for refreshments following the blessing.
Fr. Jon said farm animals are welcome, too. Bring your own pets to be blessed!
Animals in cages or carriers can be left in the Family Life Center until after Mass.
Cookie donations can be brought in on Monday during the day, or Tuesday during the day or at the Pet Blessing event!
If it is nice outside we will put all cookies and refreshments on a picnic table!
Thank you for your kindness, (share the news)
Good Shepherd Religious Education
Dear Good Shepherd Families:
Today, 26 children arrived by bus at Good Shepherd from 1:30-2:30 p.m. for their first session of faith formation.
We thank the leadership at Montrose Schools for granting this opportunity for children to learn about God during the daytime. We thank the Knights of Columbus who pay the bus fees all year to make this possible.
We lovingly thank our catechists and aides who devoted their time to preparing the environment and lessons for our littlest believers — Kayla Henige, Connie Tripp, Ann Kaczmarczyk, Laura Priest, Gina Sharpe, Debbie Hamilton, Gloria Polzin, and Lisa Briggs. All of these servants showed God’s love to your children!
A pet blessing will be held after the 6:30 p.m. Mass on Tuesday, Oct. 3. Children can bring their pets to church to receive a blessing in honor of St. Francis of Assisi – patron saint of animals.
See the flyer about the Pet Blessing!
COMING UP: The first Confirmation Class for students will be 9:45 a.m.-11 a.m. in the Youth Room on Sunday, Oct. 1.
Sharing the Good News,
Lisa M. Briggs
Dear Good Shepherd Friend —
Our Level III Atrium is in need of an area rug 12′ x 8′ or 12′ x 9′.
Having a rug in the learning space softens the noise, offers an inviting place for learners to sit, and beautifies the space.
If you happen to have an extra rug or know of anyone who would like to donate this item, it would be wonderful to acquire it by next Tuesday, Sept. 26 —- that is our first day of classes!
Thankful in advance,
Good Shepherd Religious Education
Lisa Marie Briggs
Dear Half-Day Hospitality Supporters (Our priest, Superintendent, school principals, school secretaries, Good Shepherd bakers, Good Shepherd donors of supplies, Good Shepherd on-site volunteers and clean-up crew, parents and participants):
This is a note to thank you for whatever way you helped contribute to the success of the first Half-Day Hospitality event at Good Shepherd Catholic Church last week on Wednesday, Sept. 13.
Our first and highest thanks is to God — for uniting our community to support families, and for pouring grace and blessings on the 30 children and handful of volunteers who remained on-site from noon-5 p.m.
The number one goal was to extend kindness and hospitality to the children who showed up — and offer them time, attention, and a safe, fun place to be after school!
The children were amazing, respectful, fun, enthusiastic, and some said they wanted to stay longer!
Thank you to the brave volunteers who ran stations such as sewing, art, bead-making, checkers, kick ball, soccer, bowling, sidewalk chalk, Michigan map area, and the quiet room.
The entire event was offered to parents at no cost. It was free to parents! It was operated solely on donations. No money was spent! That is a miracle, right!
All of the food, drinks, and supplies were donated!
Thank you to those who provided brownies, cookies, oranges, graham cracker treats, scotcheroos, no-bake cookies, cheese platters, meat platters, Goldfish crackers, lemonade, and the most popular treat of all, Jell-O jigglers!
Things we learned: Kids love to talk and have someone listen, they like learning new skills, and they love to eat!
If you’d like to teach a skill, card game, craft, song, or any other creative hobby, our team would be honored to have your help. We realized we need more adult helpers!
If you’d like to provide a platter of any food item or jug of lemonade for future Half Day Hospitality events, we know the kids would appreciate it. Items can be dropped off at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church office!
Upcoming dates include Friday, Oct. 20, Wednesday, Nov. 8, and Wednesday, Dec. 13.
Thank you again for your generosity.
In The Peace of Christ,
Half-Day Hospitality Team
Good Shepherd will have a Pet and Farm Animal Blessing after Mass on Tuesday, October 3, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. (Keep animals outside, on trailers, on grass — small animals in carriers or cages can be left in the Family Life Center. Fr. will bless the animals outside!)
Don’t have a pet, that’s okay Father will also bless religious items, rosaries, crosses, pictures, as well as other items.
.
Religious Ed News
Dear Good Shepherd Religious Education Family:
Religious Ed Registration Form (print and fill out)
Are you or someone you know seeking a closer relationship with Jesus? Are there questions about the Catholic faith that need to be answered? Or would you like to help others in their journey toward discerning the Catholic faith? Then consider participating in this year’s Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA formerly RCIA)! Classes will be starting soon. If you would like to join us, or have any questions, please call the parish office or Bill or Sherry Stroup at 810-348-6990.
See more information here
Dear Friend,
“Does God know me?”
Not only does God know you, He loves you! He loves you so much that He sent his Son into the world to suffer, and to sacrifice himself, for us. For you! For me! This, my friends, is the greatest love story in history.
But we are broken. We are of perishable body, conflicted soul, in an imperfect world. Jesus, though, gives us a divine remedy that can heal us and put those broken pieces back together: The Holy Eucharist.
Hence, in this year of Eucharistic Revival, I invite you to walk with me on a journey.
This Feast of Corpus Christi, June 12, I will be launching On the Road to Emmaus. This is a new initiative aimed at helping us all to grow in knowledge and, hence, fall more deeply in love with Our Eucharistic Lord.
To sign up for a weekly communication from me containing teaching, inspiration and a challenge, text RTE to 84576 or click here to sign up via e-mail. It’s that simple.
He’s waiting for you. Receive Him into your life. And what was once broken will, in Our Lord, be made whole.
Assuring you of my prayers, I am sincerely yours in Christ,
+ Bishop Earl Boyea
Women from across Michigan are invited to come together to focus on their faith and experience the fellowship of sisterhood in Christ Jesus. Throughout the day, women will be encouraged and inspired to ignite their spirits and grow their faith by hearing from Catholic speakers, engaging in praise and worship music, and celebrating holy Mass with our bishops. The conference will be held at the Lansing Center in Lansing, Michigan on October 21, 2023. For more information visit our website at https://michigancwc.org/