Good Shepherd is not a Sunday-only church. What I mean is that, while the foundation of our corporate life together is worship of God on the first day of the week, the buildings on our campus are not dark the other six days. There are many activities happening beyond Sunday. This is healthy, and it signals vibrancy within our congregation. It also means that as you search for ways to deepen your life in Christ, you have many opportunities at Good Shepherd. It’s true that many of these opportunities do happen on Sunday, but not all of them. And this coming program year, as our new retreat house opens, there will be even more classes and events on our parish calendar.
Speaking of which, you can now find the parish events calendar on our website. I encourage you to review these events in conjunction with your own personal calendar and to mark them down. As we move forward with the work God has called us to do, our strengthened bonds of fellowship will enable us to be better conveyors of the Gospel. And so, I hope you will choose to partake of much of what is scheduled for the coming year.
Note, too, the change to adult formation this year. In additional to the weekly Pilgrims in Christ formation classes (it’s not too late to sign up!—contact me if you’re interested), we will offer monthly classes following the 10:30 a.m. Sung Mass on Sundays. Learn more about topics on our website. Presenters include our own parishioner-scholars Ellen Charry, Barry Levis, and Donald McCown, as well as Matthew Glandorf our Organist & Choirmaster and guest presenter Sarah Coakley, a systematic theologian and priest who will be with us in early December.
On Sunday, September 11, children’s formation will resume on the second floor of the retreat house. The usual time will remain the same this year: 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. However, this year, we are adding a separate class for older children and using a new Episcopal curriculum, Weaving God’s Promises, that explores the Bible in more depth, as well as the liturgy and traditions of the Episcopal Church. I’m grateful to Sarah Austen, Margaret Helminska, and Gail McCown, who assist with our children’s formation classes.
Our Main Line Early Music concert series is back for a rich season of concerts. Please note the time change to 3 p.m. We are also moving services of Choral Evensong and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament to 3 p.m. as well. I hope you may come to church in the morning, have a bite to eat for lunch, and then stay for Evensong or a concert.
There will be additional events and formation offerings connected with our new retreat house. Stay tuned for further information, but you will note on the parish events calendar various day retreats and Quiet Days. I should add that many of these events would be excellent opportunities to which you could invite a friend.
God has a vision for this parish, and we are beginning to realize it. This coming program year, we will experience more of this grand vision on the ground. Every day, I give thanks for the countless ways in which God has blessed us at Good Shepherd. I invite you to be a part of this exciting program year ahead!
Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle