Abril 2014

Continuing with a blessed Lent Good Shepherd,

My prayer is that this is a blessed Lent for you. I have really enjoyed the soup and bread series that Bill Dunlop and Cliff Perkins are providing about the creeds. If you get a chance, please come on Wednesdays at 5:15 pm. I will lead a conversation about the Sun Prairie Reads book, “Seedfolks”, on the last Wednesday before Holy week. Lots of our church members have or are reading this book. I just finished it, and I absolutely loved it. It’s a quick read with a very powerful message.

Our spring confirmation date will be May 4th at 5:00 pm at St. Francis house on University Avenue in Madison.

We have several people preparing for confirmation along with others from St Dunstan’s. Holy communion class has also started and is meeting on Fridays. There is lots going on at Good Shepherd.

A huge thanks to everyone for pitching in to shrink our budget deficit. Many hands are making a difference. Thank you so much. Thanks as well to all who have filled out the survey for the capital campaign. This is a crucial time for Good Shepherd. Please keep praying for us through this process.

The Sunshine Ball planning is going well!. Thanks to Shirley, Mary, Peter Curran from Sunshine Place, and the committee for all of their hard work. It is going to be a very cool event and a great night for Sun Prairie, for Good Shepherd, and for Sunshine Place.

The desert experience of Lent for me has been very interesting. I feel like I have never been busier, but I am having a good Lenten experience because of my families tradition of giving up something for Lent. I have given up soda, and I can’t tell you how many times I have been offered a soda this Lent. It makes me wonder if am I really being offered more soda or do I drink soda most of time unaware that I am doing it. I think it is the later.

This is why I savor my Lenten time. Lent gives us the chance to become aware of who we are and what we are doing like no other time of the year. It prepares us to savor the smells, tastes, and richness of Easter.

I would ask one more thing for you to ponder as we journey through the last weeks of Lent. I challenge us to think of someone who would be a good fit at Good shepherd, and I ask you to pray for them and for possibly an opportunity to invite them to come visit us. I think we need to be more intentional about asking God to gather the people that are suppose to be part of us. I have never liked “bring a friend to church Sunday” or similar pro- grams. We may pray for who God wants to come be with us, for who would flourish by being here, and that they will be moved to visit us. I believe this could be very powerful. Please consider writing a potential new member’s name on the slip of paper in the narthex, pin it on the cross, and pray for them every day for 14 days. Let’s see who God brings to us and what miracles happen in our midst.

Have a blessed Lent, Good Shepherd.