Category: Ministry News

Thanks to all who have provided Easter Lilies to enhance our worship.

Easter lilies are given to the glory of God in memory of:

• Frederick and loved ones by family
• George by Georgette and family
• Charlotte and Clayton by Georgette and family
• Joanna and Samuel by Georgette and family
• Nancy by Helen
• Carol and David by Helen
• Charles and Edith by Helen
• Janet by Sandra and Leah
• George, Dorothy, and Janice by Doris and Barry
• John, Louise, Charles, Bev, and John P. by Sheldon and Mary Ann
• Sheldon, Sarah, Sandra, Mart, Clo and George by Sheldon and Mary Ann
• Charles, Rose, Christine, and Dorothy by Sheldon and Mary Ann
• Amy by Wilma, Gary, and Matthew
• Catherine by Ray
• Tobias by Ray
• David by Evelyn
• Robert and Sandra by Evelyn
• Caroline R. by Brooke and Libby
• Roger P., Sr. by Brooke and Libby
• W. Brooke by Brooke and Libby
• Jane D. by Brooke and Libby
• Doug by Brooke and Libby
• Rip by Brooke and Libby

Easter lilies are given to the glory of God in honor of:

• Good Shepherd Lutheran Church congregation by Sheldon and Mary Ann
• Children and grandchildren by Evelyn
• Maisy, Maggie and Marti by Brooke and Libby
• Viktoria, Ana and Charlye by Brooke and Libby
• Jayson, Zarek and Codie by Brooke and Libby
• Leaders of Good Shepherd by Brooke and Libby

Last names have been been omitted on web site posting for privacy and security. A list with full names will be provided in print when we are able to return to normal worship and activities.

Holy Week and Easter worship begins this evening at 7:00pm. The video worship services include Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. The three services allow opportunity for remembrance and reflection of the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection.

The worship videos will be available as follows and can be watched anytime after the scheduled time.

• Maundy Thursday – April 9 at 7:00pm
• Good Friday – April 10 at 7:00pm
• Easter Sunday – April 12 at 8:00am

Services can be accessed from our home page at goodshepherdwb.org.

Our worship experience will be different this year but having to stay in our homes allows more time for personal reflection.

Peace of the Lord to you.

I truly miss sharing those words with each of you during Worship. I miss being with each of you on Sunday morning, but it is as it must be for now. I want each of you to know that I pray for our family each and every night looking forward to when we can be together again.

Until then we can be together in spirit. I thank Pastor Poole and Daren Bernecker for producing the wonderful message each Sunday and hope that you will watch as the Holy Week approaches.

This year will be different for sure but our being apart is also our protection. How long this will last is hard to tell but through prayer we will get to the other side.

Thank you to all of you who have mailed in your offerings. I check the mail everyday. Several people have called me about their offerings and I ask that if you are able please send them to the church. Your support is still needed and appreciated.

If you have a special need or questions many have my number or you can call the Church.

Peace of the Lord be with You All!

Guy French

As events with the Covid-19 pandemic unfold we find it necessary to cancel all regular worship services and in person meetings/activities through at least Easter. Video worship services will continue to be available online every Sunday as long as we are able to continue recording them. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday video services will also be available online.

Pastor Wes is available for pastoral care if needed. Please leave a message at the church office (570-824-2991) if you are in need of pastoral care.

Online meetings can be arranged for leadership and ministry teams as needed. Please email Daren Bernecker at darenb@goodshepherdwb.org to set up a meeting.

The CEO Weinberg Food Bank and NA will continue to use our facilities. Please contact those organizations to verify their schedule.

In Christian love continue to uphold one another and the world in thoughts and prayers. Remember that God’s love is everlasting and he is always with us. We will weather this storm together in spirit even though we are physically apart.

Please continue to check back here for future updates. If you are not receiving updates by email you can register to receive them by entering your email in the box under Receive Updates by E-mail.

It was a pleasure to see all of the positive comments from this past Sunday’s video service. We will be posting this Sunday’s service also. The service can be viewed anytime after 8:00am Sunday morning.

As events unfold we find it necessary to continue with online video worship through Easter and possibly longer. We are planning special video services for Holy Week and Easter to enhance the worship experience. The schedule for services available online will be:

• Palm Sunday 8:00am
• Maundy Thursday 7:00pm
• Good Friday 7:00pm
• Easter Sunday 8 :00am

You can watch the services anytime after they are available. We will keep each service available online as long as possible.

As we continue through this unprecedented time we must stay grounded in our faith and continue to pray for all those affected by this virus and everyone in need.

As we continue to keep our social distancing it is important to lift each other up in prayer. I am starting this post as means for anyone to share a prayer need or leave a prayer. Please Submit a prayer need or a prayer in the comments section.

Life as we know it is changing around us. For now we cannot meet in person to worship but we can worship in our homes. At 8:00am tomorrow a video service of word and prayer will be available at goodsheperdwb.org. Log in anytime to view the service lead by Pastor Wes. The service will be able to be viewed on any device you have. Have your Bible ready or go to biblegateway.com to follow along with the readings that will be listed with video.

In accordance with CDC recommendations as the Covid-19 virus emergency evolves we are canceling all church services and church related activities through April 4th. At this time we are planning to resume services on Palm Sunday, April 5th. Easter services will be held according to schedule on April 12th but we will not be serving Easter Breakfast.

We are currently researching options to post an abbreviated video service online. Check back for more updates later this week.

The church office will also be closed during this time however messages can be left at the church if anyone needs pastoral care. Messages will be checked regularly.

Other groups using Good Shepherd Facilities may or may not continue to meet. Please check with your organization’s leaders for updates on non-church related activities.

As always we should to continue to uphold one another, our extended communities, and the world in prayer. Even alone in our homes, we aren’t helpless. Keep praying for all those affected. God is always with us.

Posted on behalf of Pastor Wes Poole and Guy French

The results are in from Good Shepherd’s Youth Souper Bowl collection and the red team pot (neutral) wins. The total raised for Meals on Wheels is $186.75. There were also 82 food items collected for the CEO Weinberg Food Bank.

Three pots were available for donations, one for each team playing in the Super Bowl, plus a pot labeled “The Red Team” for those who could not decide which team they wanted to win.

The donations in each pot were:
$92.00 “Red Team” (Neutral)
$76.51 Chiefs
$18.24 49ers

Thank you to everyone for your support to tackle hunger.

If you missed donating cash or food items we will still be collecting next Sunday. Simply put cash donations in a green envelope marked “souper bowl” or send donations to the church office. The box for food items will still be in the narthex for donations next week.

Good Shepherd welcomes Patrick Wesley Poole to serve as our
congregation’s pastor. We look forward to having Pastor Wes as part of Good Shepherd’s ministry. The gifts he brings will allow Good Shepherd to continue proclaiming the love of Christ through partnership with the members of Good Shepherd.

Pastor Wes received his Master of Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia South Carolina. He also has a Bachelor of Arts in Music/Vocal Performance from Newberry College, Newberry South Carolina. He has served in churches in Florida, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and New York. He also has taught at Wyoming Seminary Preparatory School and Marywood University. He is a member of the Arcadia Chorale Group where he also does chorus and solo work.

Pastor Wes and his family reside in Kingston. He enjoys cooking, science fiction, and collecting guitars.