Education and Events

Bible Study: Join us for an enriching Bible Study every Thursday morning at 9:30 AM at Good Shepherd. Everyone is welcome!

Christ for Kids: The young children of the congregation are invited to participate in the "Christ for Kids" program every Sunday morning at the following times: Sundays 10:30 a.m. at Good Shepherd and during the 11:00 a.m. service at Loving Saviour.

Confirmation Classes: Are held every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Loving Saviour Lutheran Church on Mapleview Drive West. If you have a child of 11/12 years of age and are interested in this program, please contact Pastor Steve at 705-728-3387.

Adult Education Classes: Have you been curious about how many people wrote the Bible or how long it took? Perhaps you would like answers to questions like: "What language was the Bible originally written in?" or "How can sin be defeated?" Pastor Steve's classes are laid back and informal but VERY interesting and informative! So come on, join the class every Tuesday at 7:00 PM at Good Shepherd. These classes are open to everyone but especially to those who are new to Good Shepherd or Loving Saviour and want to become members or are new to knowing the Lord (although He has always known you) PLEASE NOTE: THIS CLASS HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED UNTIL SPRING 2012 - STAY TUNED FOR MORE DETAILS

PLEASE NOTE: There will be only ONE service on the LAST Sunday every month to be held at Loving Saviour

Communion is held on the 1st and 3rd Sundays at Good Shepherd and at Loving Saviour on the 2nd and 4th Sundays

Tuesday Bible Study 7 p.m. at Good Shepherd HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED UNTIL SPRING 2012 - STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS

Thursday Confirmation Class 6:30 p.m. at Loving Saviour (no class for Feb. 9th)

***LWML-Canada Update - Goal met two months ahead of schedule***With only two months left in this triennium (financially it ends March 31) we have completed all of our mission grants. A final grant of $3,683 has been approved from the Mission Opportunity Fund. The money will be used to support mission outreach in Quebec City. While there has been a desire to do outreach in this city for some time, it was only now that God brought together the needed people, money and time. Watch for more details in Tapestry and on our website. May God bless the mites we continue to collect as they support district projects and prepare us for the triennium grants that will be chosen at the convention in Kelowna.

Church Council meeting is Thursday February 9th at 7 p.m. at Good Shepherd.

Men’s Breakfast is Saturday February 11th at Good Shepherd for 9 a.m.

Elder’s Meeting is February 11th immediately following the Men’s Breakfast.

LWML Mary/Martha Meeting is Tuesday Feb. 21st, 7 p.m. at Good Shepherd

Lutheran Hour Ministries is Sunday February 26th We live in a time where there is a seismic shift from Christian to post-Christian culture - Join us in calling our communities and country back to God.

Chocolate, Wine & Roses . . . (Feb 10)

Wondering what to do for Valentine’s Day? How about an evening of Fine Dining and Music at Hernder’s Estate Wines (1607 8^th Avenue St. Catherines / www.hernder.com ), Friday, February 10^th, 2012 @ 6:00pm. Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary presents “Chocolate, Wine & Roses.” Musical presentations by CCMA winner, JUNO nominee and vocalist Tara Lyn Hart. www.TaraLynHart.com. Tickets are $30 each or 2 for $50, for the full event, or $15 each for entertainment only (at 7:30pm). Please contact Linda at the Seminary 905 688-2362 ext. 22 orconcordia@brocku.ca for more details. Reserve your ticket today. Proceeds from the dinner theatre and silent auction go to CLTS, St. Catharines. There will be a silent auction again this year. If you have anything to donate, please bring your items in to the seminary or contact Linda to arrange for pick up. Items should be at the seminary no later than February 3^rd. This may be your last chance to hear Tara Lyn Hart entertain at the seminary’s dinner theatre as Tara will be joining her husband Perry on vicarage this coming year.

Confirmand Retreat . . . (Feb 24-26)

Trinity Lutheran Church in Fisherville is hosting their annual Confirmand Retreat under the theme, “So Now What? The Six Chief Parts and your Life!” Register before February 15^th at $35 per person (after Feb 15^th at $40 per person). Click HERE to see schedule and brochure.

Higher Things Youth Retreat . . . (Mar. 16, 2012)

St. John’s Lutheran Church in Mount Forest is hosting a Higher Things Retreat again this year. Guest Speaker, Rev. William Cwirla, explores the intersection of science and faith. This year’s topic is “Believing in an Age of Skepticism.” Download an info packet at www.lcceastdistrict.ca/events2012.htm or www.higherthings.org/retreats/ucevents.html or register online at www.higherthings.org/retreats . Contact: email Rev. David Saar or call 519-323-4844.

· 'Food Drive Sunday' - We have started a new donation program. The First Sunday of each month is now our food drive Sunday. Please donate non-perishable food for our pantries at Good Shepherd and Loving Saviour on Sunday Feb. 5th and March 4th.

· Bi-weekly Cleaners wanted at Good Shepherd ~ We need volunteers to sign-up and pitch in to beautify our church. Sign-up sheets and duties are posted in the Narthex at both churches.

· Enjoy numbers? Consider serving as a member of our counting team (speak to Kathy Wilson)

· Fellowship Servers Needed ~ What a Joy!! it is sharing fellowship over a cup of coffee after the services. Please sign up to keep the coffee flowing. Sheets are posted by the kitchens.

· Pray for the citizens, survivors, relief workers, missionaries, and families affected by natural disasters and other conflicts worldwide.

We always look for new ideas and fresh teachers to help our Sunday School thrive, so please consider donating your time as a helper or teacher. If you any questions or suggestions or anyone thinking about helping out, please see Delma.

In this powerful booklet you will find interesting comments about how poorly managed anger is the root of many serious physical, social and emotional problems, including poor health, chronic disease, depression, unhappy relationships, violence and crime. Some people are taught that it's wrong to get angry. Others are taught it's their right to get angry! The truth is that everyone gets angry. Anger is a natural feeling that shows you something is wrong and can stir you to action against that which hurts you or others.
Anger can come from frustration, injustice, embarrassment, disappointment, betrayal, grief, stress, fatigue. And there are lots of ways people deal with anger: ignore it, stuff it, withdraw, blame others, explode, escape. Learn productive ways to express your anger, what to say, and how to say it--and what to do when your best efforts at good communication fail. This booklet can be freely downloaded from http://www.lhm.org/projectconnect/booklets.asp. If you wish a printed copy, please speak with Kathy for more information.

· Use your talents God has blessed you with - Serve on a Committee or Council

How can you tell when your culture is “post-Christian”? Let’s check some of the signs.

How many people do you know…

… assume God didn’t create the world from nothing in six days?

… feel heaven and hell are probably imaginary places?

… believe it might not matter whether there’s a God or not?

… have never thought about why they don’t go to church?

There are those who say we now live in a post-Christian culture; there are plenty of reasons to agree with them.

Here’s part of what being the Christian Church in a post-Christian culture looks like (in the USA):

• This year, 50% of churches will not see one person come to faith in Jesus.

• This year, 4,000 churches will close.

• This month, 1,500 pastors will be newly unemployed.

While the above statistics are for the USA, the trends in Canada are similar or perhaps already even more post-Christian.

What does this mean?

Now more than ever, our culture needs rescue…restoration…renewal; and God is calling faithful Christians to the task of sharing the Good News of Jesus—His cross, His resurrection, His eternal promise—with those who don’t know Him.

Join us in responding to the call.

For more than 80 years, Lutheran Hour Ministries has reached out with the Gospel every week through The Lutheran Hour®

radio program. Lutheran Hour Ministries can also help your congregation enhance and energize your witness and outreach with

• MISSION U, a workshop and webinar based witnessing-training system;

• Regional Outreach Conferences (ROCs), local outreach training conferences;

• International Outreach, through ministry centres around the globe;

• Five14, outreach-focused events for teens;

• Men’s NetWork, a program designed to help men re-connect with the life of the church;

• Project Connect, topical booklets for outreach and nurture;

• Daily Devotions, on-line or by e-mail along with special seasonal devotions at Lent and Advent;

• Spanish-language resources, children’s resources and more.

To learn more about working together with Lutheran Hour Ministries to share the Good News of Jesus—with family, neighbors, community and beyond—visit www.LLL.ca or call 1-800-555-6236.

Lutheran Laymen’s League

Lutheran Hour Ministries proclaims God's truth in a world where Satan tries to quiet down, drown out, and shut up the message of hope that we have in Jesus Christ. LHM works to proclaim that message loud and clear all over the world through Christian radio and TV programming for broadcast, as well as Internet and print communications, dramas, music, and outreach materials. For more information, visit www.lhm.org or call 1-800-876-9880, or speak to Larry and Kathy. Receive free Daily Devotions at www.lll.ca Users of Facebook, Twitter and blogs can keep up on happenings by checking out www.lhm.org/intlportal .

Lutheran Church–Canada - Vision: "Vibrant, growing congregations purposefully and joyfully reaching all with the Gospel of Jesus Christ"

A monthly prayer calendar is posted on the District website at http://www.lcceastdistrict.ca/calendar.htm . Each calendar includes daily Bible readings, weekday Psalms and weekday mission prayer requests. Mondays we also pray for the LCC synod; Tuesdays for a District; Wednesdays for a Circuit; Thursdays for a chartered congregation; and Fridays for a Lutheran school. You are encouraged to join us in daily prayer.

Jesus Christ: The Only Man for this Mission

The birth of Jesus Christ into this world was the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a Savior. But the sending of His Son was only the beginning of the Father’s eternal work of redemption. In Jesus Christ: Man On A Mission, Lutheran Hour Ministries’ 2012 Lenten Devotions, the earthly life and ministry of Jesus is brought into sharp focus through the powerful words of the Gospel of Mark.

In LHM’s Advent Devotions we read how God transforms our lives with the everlasting hope that unto us a Savior is born, “who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11b). During Lent, we see the Savior as His life unfolds. Being raised in a carpenter’s shop in Nazareth, Jesus was no stranger to the gritty and demanding life of first-century Judea. At His baptism by John, however, His heavenly mission began.

Teaching with authority, performing inconceivable miracles, commanding nature, showing compassion unlike anyone before or since, Jesus’ life was an exemplar of divine love in action. His disciples, 12 hand-picked followers, watched Him feed huge crowds with tiny amounts of food. They watched Him heal the sick, restore the lame, open blind eyes and deaf ears and raise people from the dead.

And then they saw Him die—violently crucified in a horrific spectacle. Buried in a tomb, their beloved Leader dead and gone, the disciples’ hope seemed lost for good. But three days later in ultimate triumph, God raised His Son from the dead, and His mission was complete.

Follow this Man on a mission, as He conquers the powers of darkness for you—Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of all! Please speak to Kathy for more information on this series.

Five14, LHM's witnessing-training program, offers weekly devotions designed to encourage you in your walk with Christ and teach you to shine His light in the lives of your peers. To receive these weekly devotions, simply email five14@lhm.org to be added to the list of subscribers.

Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) is an organization that works every day to reach out with the Gospel on the frontiers of our un-churched culture - and throughout the world. LHM partners with congregations like ours to equip Christ-followers for everyday witness. On Feb. 5th join us online for LHM Sunday to learn ways that LHM can provide resources and training to support our congregation’s outreach efforts. For information about LHM, visit www.lhm.org/lhmsunday or www.LLL.ca

Tune in Sundays at 8:30 a.m. to CHAM 820/AM radio station or go to www.lutheranhour.ca