Tuesday, April 28
7:00 pm – CLA Circle in Fellowship Hall; Kathy Buzza, Hostess
   (LWR Baby Care Kits will be assembled)

Wednesday, April 29
7:30 am – Men’s Breakfast in Fellowship Hall
4:45 pm – Confirmation
8:00 pm – Band Rehearsal

Thursday, April 30
10:00-11:30 am – Bible Study With Pastor April in Fellowship Hall

Friday, May 1
9:00-10:30 am – WELCA Hosts May Friendship Day in Fellowship Hall
   (See below for more details)

Saturday, May 2
Luther College Spring Fling at Good Shepherd
5:00 pm – Worship Service With Holy Communion

Sunday, May 3
8:45 am – Choir Rehearsal
9:30 am – Worship Service With Holy Communion
10:45 am – Education and Church Forum Committees’ Inter-Generational Event
   “Branches Over Time” – Sharing Favorite Sunday School Memories
   (see below for more details)
7:00 pm – Decorah Chorale Concert – Decorah Lutheran Church
   Good Shepherd members in the Chorale:
   Jason Rausch (Director), Sharon Drew, Joyce Epperly, and Luther Snow

Good Shepherd’s WELCA Hosts May Friendship Day

Friday, May 1, 9:00 – 10:30 am
This year’s theme for Church Women United’s annual spring celebration is “Journey of the Caregiver”. All are welcome to come together to celebrate those who care for the needs of others as well as increase awareness of their needs for support and respite. Good Shepherd’s Heather Cote and Gail Judisch were joined by several area churchwomen in planning this event: Marilyn Holland, Decorah Congregational UCC; Sandy Kittleson, Decorah Lutheran; Sherry Schilling, First United Methodist; and Patti Davis and Joan Schissel, St. Benedict Catholic Parish.

The morning begins with coffee and refreshments and will include sharing information and resources to help caregivers address and cope with their challenges. A short program and presentation by Barbara Labosky, Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging Caregiver Program Coordinator, will close the celebration, The event will be held in the church’s Fellowship Hall, 701 Iowa Avenue. Decorah. For additional information contact Heather Cote, Gail Judisch, or the Church Office, 382-3963.

Good Shepherd’s Inter-Generational Event “Branches Over Time”

Sunday, May 3 (beginning at 10:45 am)
The Church Forum and Education Committees invite all to share favorite Sunday School memories during these inter-generational conversations. Our Sunday School students will pair up with members to exchange stories and capture them on video tape for this oral sharing project, “Branches Over Time”.

Good Shepherd is one of 69 locations participating in the Citywide Garage Sale this weekend.  Led by Congregation President Jim Fritz, a crew of Bob Felde, Jerry Frank, Ed and Elizabeth Kaschins, Jane Kemp, and Dan Raney cleaned out the Annex including the attic.  Some treasures were rediscovered and saved, some for possible repurposing.  New homes were found for the majority of items by the end of the first day.

A team of four upperclass Luther College students in Mark Johns’ Communication and Public Relations class are conducting a Communications Audit of Good Shepherd as a congregation service-learning project for the course. ELCA’s Communication Department describes a Communications Audit as an objective examination of all communications in the congregation – auditory, written, and electronic. The students recently met with Pastor April Ulring Larson plus Jane Kemp and Elizabeth Kaschins, who represent the congregation’s Communications Subcommittee.

At this first visit, the students received samples of our print communications sources, were introduced to our website and social media sites, and guided through the building to view signage, bulletin boards, cubbies and other means of communication. As part of the Audit, details of using our Directory for a random sampling of a small number of members are being worked out. The students are invited and encouraged to attend worship services and fellowship time as well as return to the church on their own. During discussion, we were able to outline the communications challenges we face at present and anticipate in the near future.

The students’ second visit will be in early May when they present their findings to the Council, committees, and interested members. The date and time will be announced; everyone is welcome.

 For the photo: Pastor April, the Luther students, pictured left to right, are Bri Shekels, Anne Wermedal, Jacob Lembezeder, and Melissa Hrdlicka.

A stalwart crew volunteered this past Friday and Saturday to paint the newly refurnished Narthex as well as hallway ceilings and walls.  The traditional Good Shepherd pink morphed into a creamy white with gold accents.  Walls were first washed with TSP and rinsed, holes and cracks were repaired, and all hanging objects removed. Verdi’s opera, Don Carlos, performed by the Metropolitan Opera, inspired the painters to burn through the last hours of Saturday to ready the spaces for weekend services.

Reactions from worshipers on Sunday morning ranged from “gorgeous” and “wonderfully bright” to someone noting that the Nils Kjome sculpture, a figure of the Good Shepherd, could finally “breathe” even though it was hanging in its customary space. Work will continue on Monday until the painting is completed.