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Monthly Newsletter for September, 2023
Newsletter Highlights This Month:
To Our GSLC Members . . . After years of emailing our newsletters directly to you, our members, we have found that the newsletters are becoming more and more difficult to send and be received. We are sending a short email with a link to the actual newsletter on the web site. The rules governing emails labeled as "spam" have If you do not open (and click to read) most of the newsletters you receive from now on we will eventually assume that you are not interested in receiving them and may remove you from the email list (we will write to you first) to protect the sending process for everyone else. Please open and click on the link in the email every month to keep up the deliverability of our newsletters. Thank you, Your GSLC newsletter team
New Good Shepherd Web Site
There is a “members only” page for congregation members. The page contains officer and elder contact information as well as "congregation only" content, such as reports, newsletters and bulletins. If you are signed in, the events calendar page includes the schedule for committee meetings. You can register for access to the member page (and enhanced event calendar) on the web site. In addition, the web pages are now more accessible for users with screen reading or other assistive devices. The site pages are “responsive” to the screen size, making them easier to view on tablets, smart phones and other small screens. Check it out! Sermon Series Concludes - Linchpin: Reasons to Believe the Resurrection
The apostle Paul says that the resurrection of Jesus is the event on which our faith stands or falls. But can we test whether the resurrection is true? In this series, we look at evidence for Jesus’ resurrection. Theme Verse: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:17) September 3 Dying for a Life – John 21:15-19
New Sermon Series - Thoughts and Prayers Whenever a tragedy strikes, national leaders will often announce that they are sending what has become a much-maligned offering of “thoughts and prayers.”
In this series, we explore the amazing gift of prayer and why every circumstance – whether it is joyful or tragic – ought to be informed and formed by prayer. September 10 The Privilege of Prayer — Hebrews 4:12-16 Key Question: Does God hear me? September 17 The Power of Prayer — James 5:13-18 Key Question: Does prayer change things? September 24 The Path of Prayer — Matthew 6:9-13 Key Question: How do I pray? October 1 The Problem of Prayer — 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Key Question: What do I do when God says no? October 8 The Priority of Prayer — 1 Thessalonians 5:14-21 Key Question: When should I pray?
Sunday Bible Study Our Sunday (10:45 AM) bible study is The Linchpin: Seven Reasons To Believe Jesus Rose From the Dead, by Thomas Zelt; this study explores the importance and the reality of the Resurrection. Led by Pastor Keith
This Month in Our Prayers Recent Additions: •Jim H.—(Sharon Larson’s cousin)—has serious infection Ongoing prayers: •Bill S.—healing and strength from his injury and illness Additional prayer requests, prayers of thanksgiving, prayers of comfort •Prayers of thanksgiving in celebration of Jack & Susan Huthsing’s 39th wedding anniversary on Sept 1
GSLC Pantry Saturday, September 2nd New Needs • Plastic grocery or reusable cloth bags • Backyard produce Ongoing Needs • Donate $$ • Purchase food & hygiene or paper goods and drop them off at church Monday - Thurs 8:00 am - noon. • Help prep on Friday Help this Saturday morning between 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Notes: Food items that we don’t usually get from S.B. Food Bank, such as: - Peanut Butter, canned soups, tuna/meats, stew, beans, canned veggies, canned fruits - Non-sugary cereal (Ex: Wheat Chex, Cheerios, Raisin Bran), breakfast bars, oatmeal 4) Hygiene and household goods, - Toilet paper, tissues, paper towels, soap, sanitizers, and masks - Toothpaste, floss, toothbrushes (or ask your dentist for a donation ! ) - For our Miscellaneous Table we are collecting individual items such as deodorant, shampoos/conditioners, cleaning supplies, diapers/wipes, male/female personal items...). Perhaps you have extras in your cupboards or can buy some locally. Questions? Contact or see Val Eurman (805) 705-3311 or Cindy (805)680-4686 after church on Sundays. Note: Our partner FoodBank of Santa Barbara County received the Excellence in Service Award at the 2023 South Coast Business & Technology Awards! Here is the link for more details:
Celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday With Us! Good Shepherd Sunday is coming soon! We will be celebrating our 64th anniversary on September 10th!
We will be serving hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and drinks. You are invited to bring a salad or a dessert to share.
The GSLC Memorials & Endowments Committee is Sponsoring a Seminar on Estate Planning Essentials This Month What is the Legacy You Want to Leave? Estate planning can be considered a true gift to your loved ones as it will assist them to carry out your wishes and honor your intentions. Understanding each essential of estate planning can help you make the right decisions that reflect your Christian values and priorities. Brian Boyle FIC, District Representative of Thrivent Financial will 11:30 to 12:00 - lunch will be provided Contact Trisha in the GSLC office - 805 967-1416 - to reserve your seat for lunch and the seminar.
Our Livestream Sunday Services Now Include Closed Captioning
 We livestream our Sunday service at 9:30 am which is able to be viewed around 9:25 for announcements when the service starts. You can also watch it on our website any time after that. We also livestream our Lent, Holy Week and Advent services. All services now include closed captioning. Just look for the CC symbol on the screen (not included on phone screens due to size) and click on it. We suggest that you turn this on for Pastor's announcements and the sermon but leave it off for the liturgy and music as the liturgy and song lyrics are already on the video.
This is a full service - prayers, sermon and music. The liturgy will be provided on the web site as a PDF document, along with a "public" version of the weekly bulletin (no contact information and no weekly giving statement). The recording includes the liturgy and song lyrics superimposed on the video images. You are encouraged to respond to the liturgy and sing along with Adam. Go to: https://gslcms.org/watch.
If you do not have a way to view our GSLC service at home, we have a limited number of Kindle tablets available. These are provided, upon request, with recordings of GSLC's recent church services. These are self-contained touch screen video devices. Please contact Trisha at the office during the week (Monday - Thursday, 8am to noon) at 805 967-1416 for more information about the tablets.
GSLC's Worship Schedule
Sunday worship continues with one service at 9:30 a.m. We alternate two styles of worship. On the 1st and 3rd (and 5th) Sundays the organ will generally lead us in song and the order of service is more traditional liturgy. On the 2nd and 4th Sundays the band will lead us in song and the order of service is a blend of contemporary and traditional form.
Better Read Than Dead Book Club
Reminder: We continue our in-person meetings in the Fireside Room for our monthly book club discussions.
The books chosen for our GSLC “Better Read than Dead” club discussions are below. Join us in reading along! For September 9th meeting: “The Maid” by Nita Prose
Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with
 social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life's complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.
But Molly's orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what's happening, Molly's unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it's too late?
A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart.
For October 14th meeting: “One By One” by Ruth Ware
Getting snowed in at a beautiful, rustic mountain chalet
 doesn’t sound like the worst problem in the world, especially when there’s a breathtaking vista, a cozy fire, and company to keep you warm. But what happens when that company is eight of your coworkers…and you can’t trust any of them?When an off-site company retreat meant to promote mindfulness and collaboration goes utterly wrong when an avalanche hits, the corporate food chain becomes irrelevant and survival trumps togetherness. Come Monday morning, how many members short will the team be?
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Turn of the Key and In a Dark Dark Wood returns with another suspenseful thriller set on a snow-covered mountain.
Jump in! New folks are welcome anytime to read with us and “meet”. Just order/start reading the “next” book in line and give me, Val Eurman, a call at 805-705-3311 or email at
Please Help Us with Livestreaming!
Some of our GSLC members are not able to attend services in person and depend on our video services and watch (mostly live) each week. We are continuing livestreaming the Sunday services and the Wednesday morning meditations plus livestream the midweek Lent and Advent services as before. We have a core of five GSLC members that enter the weekly worship service text, organize the sermon slides, set up the video feed, do the live camera switching for the services and meditations, record the services, etc. every week.
We need your help so we can continue livestreaming all of these services and events. Ideally, you would be able to assist with the Sunday service and/or Wednesday meditation livestreaming once a month, step in if other team members are not available, and perhaps do some of the Lent or Advent evening service livestreaming. No experience needed - we will train you! If you are interested, please contact Dan Barnett (805 729-5993) and/or Fred Barbaria (805 680-0288) for more information. Or, just come and see us in the AV area after the Sunday service. The Craft Auction is Back!! Save the Date - Sunday, November 5, 2023 2:00 p.m.—5:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room It's time to start new craft projects or finish the ones you have! More information to come as we get closer to the auction! Want to Keep Up With the latest GSLC News?
 Our weekly Sunday Bulletin has the latest GSLC news! It's chock full of our prayer list, weekly schedule, basically everything that happens between these newsletters. The "public" newsletter version (no weekly financials) is updated every Sunday morning and is easy to get to - just go to our GSLC Videos page, gslcms.org/watch, and scroll down to and click on "Most recent Sunday Bulletin". It will open or download for you. The full bulletin is available (only) on the GSLC Members Page.
The current Sunday Order of Service is available on the same page.
Portals of Prayer
Please call Trisha and reserve a copy or come by the church office during business hours (Mon-Thurs 8:00 am—12:00 pm) to pick one up!
Church Office Hours Our church office is staffed Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am until noon. Please exercise social distancing if you need to come by, or call 805 967-1416.
Quilting News & Notes Quilting will meet on Wednesdays only from 9:30 a.m. until around 1:00 p.m. in Room 19. We have almost assembled all the quilts that were sewn during the pandemic – thank you Linda, Ruth and Kathy! Some Saturdays will be reserved for “work days” when we can get together and iron, cut and do some general cleaning of the room or accomplish special projects. We will let you know when those Saturdays will be! For now, Wednesdays only (see special note above) and we hope to see you there!
Join Adam for a Musical Meditation
Please join Adam (or an occasional guest artist) in our sanctuary as they explore a variety of hymns and other musical prayers performed on a variety of instruments. The meditation is livestreamed on GSLC's Video Page and available afterwards as a video recording until the next live event. Older meditation videos are archived. The direct link to the Livestreamed / Latest Meditation is https://vimeo.com/event/1154783 . The Meditation Archive Showcase to view prior Meditations is at https://vimeo.com/showcase/7841964.
Holy Communion Offered Holy Communion is offered every week at the 9:30 a.m Sunday worship service and by appointment during the week. Please call the Church Office if you would like to make an appointment to receive the Lord’s Supper.
Most Recent Reported Weekly Offerings— through the 35th Week of 2023 Weekly Ministry Budget $ 6,596.15 Budget, Offerings (Year to Date Total): Budget $ 230,865.25 2023 Year To Date over / under $9,960.51 = -4.31% 2023 Mission Offerings (Year Totals): Dental $4,438.75; Nelson Family $1,375.00; District $665.00; Ukraine $1750.00; Hispanic Mission $300.00 GSLC's On Line Giving Options
You can also make a special one-time donation (through Square) on Good Shepherd's website. For either donation type go to https://gslcms.org/giving and then click on the appropriate donation button. You can specify whether you are donating to the GSLC budget or the Food Distribution program. If you prefer, you can also mail us your offering or drop it off at the church office. IRA Distributions to Charity Are a Permanent Part of Tax Code!! Congress made permanent qualified charitable distributions from individuals. This law permits annual direct transfers to a qualified charity totaling up to $100,000 of tax-deferred IRA savings. Funds distributed to the owner first and then donated do not qualify. This includes the mandatory distributions for IRA owners 70-1/2 years of age and over. This is a benefit to the donor as income taxes on social security benefits can decrease as the distribution is not reported as income for the donor. If the donor no longer itemizes their deductions this is a way to get the benefit of the donation as the IRA distribution is not included in income and thus not subject to income taxes. To make a contribution you must contact your IRA trustee to make a transfer directly to the charity. Should you wish to make a donation to the church have the checks made payable to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and have the check mailed to us directly. Be sure that the check includes your name on the memo line. We will issue a letter of acknowledgement that we have received your donation. Please call David at 805 967-1416 x103 in the accounting office with any questions.
Read Through the Bible in Two Years Let’s read God’s Word together and see the great things God does for us through His Word! Haven’t started yet? It’s ok to jump in any time! September, 2023 01 - Romans 9:1--11:36
Good Shepherd in the World Background: Recently Pastor Paul and Pastor Nelson and his family served Emanuel Lutheran Church, Santa Barbara for 10 ½years. In this new role, Pastor Paul works closely with the Indonesian Christian Lutheran Church and helps train and mentor local pastors and lay leaders. The Need: Pastor Nelson and family need fellow believers to partner with them in this new role.How can we partner with them? First, PRAY. Pray for Paul and Gena as they serve in Indonesia. Pray also for each member of the family as they transition to a new location and culture. Ask God to give them patience and confidence as they learn Bahasa Indonesia, the official language of the country. Pray also that they would be able to establish good relationships with the people around them in their new home. Let us give thanks that the Nelson family is serving in this part of the world. Second, ENCOURAGEMENT. Moving is challenging no matter where you go. Moving to a different country with a different language, different customs, different climate, is exponentially challenging! Birthdays and anniversaries still come around every year. A card or a note of support and encouragement is a meaningful gift that bridges the miles and changes. Third, MONEY. Yes, money. Pastor Nelson is required to raise his own financial support for his family. That’s how he gets “paid.” The Opportunity: This is our opportunity to partner with Pastor and Gena Nelson and support them in their work in Indonesia. Being a partner with Pastor Paul and Gena is one of the ways we can follow our mandate of listening to the voice of our Good Shepherd Jesus and fulfill our mission of “Excite the believers and share the Gospel.” Partnering with Pastor Nelson will be a blessing for us. The Challenge: Will we partner with the Nelsons? Are we up for it? Can we commit to meeting the needs? I hope so! I pray so! Please prayerfully consider how you might meet a need for Pastor Paul and Gena Nelson and family. I know that our Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, can lead usinto a meaningful partnership that will bless Pastor Nelson and his family and the church and people of Indonesia. Please check out the video of Pastor Paul Nelson as he explains his new role as Theological Educator in Indonesia. The video is available on GSLC's web site here If you would like to support Rev. Paul Nelson in his work in Indonesia, please go to lcms.org/nelson or click on the image below:
Talking to Jesus in the Arts Art therapy with the Great Comforter Zoom Session on the Third Saturday of Every Month at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 12:45 pm to 3:30 pm Room 14 "Finding Peace" In the comfort of your home, we will connect with you for a time devoted to hearing God. A way to begin to seek peace is through drawing or painting lines and shapes on paper or canvas while talking to Jesus. A simple way to communicate even if you do not pray or have ever heard God speak to you or not. With Lizzy's guidance, step by step and the We are not trying to create an art form, but rather to get in touch with our hearts in hearing and contemplating what God is saying to us - practicing the presence of God. The movement of drawing or painting allows us to hear, sense or see in areas where we may be blocked or have missed what God is speaking to us. The deadline for sign-up and payment is the Thursday before each session to save your space. Everyone is able to do this; no art experience is required. You may use markers, pastels, colored pencils, or paint, your choice. Ten people limit on Zoom. Zoom suggested a donation $25 - Zelle or Pay Pal. Once you have paid, Lizzy will send you the art supplies and information for you to be ready for class. To sign up, please contact Lizzy at 805-453-0571. Lizzy Savage, Director
Elders Available by Phone and Email Elders assist with our public worship, oversee the spiritual life of members, and offer spiritual and physical support for our Pastor and congregation. Please contact any Elder to share your needs, concerns, and prayer requests. Elder _ Phone ___E-Mail______________ Altar Flowers - New Price, Same Beautiful Flowers!
Church Phone Extension Numbers Please follow the auto attendant menu prompts or dial an extension directly if no one answers. Also, the preschool can be reached through the main church number as well as their direct number (805 967-6101). Office Admin/Trisha: ext 100
One-Stop Publicity! If your GSLC committee or group is making an announcement or planning an event, you can now send ONE email with the details and it will go to those folks editing the Sunday bulletin, church web site articles, web site calendar and monthly newsletter. The Good Shepherd publicity email address is
Staff, Board of Directors and Committee Contacts
You may find the staff contact information either above or on our web site (Staff Contacts) and congregational officer and committee chair contact information here or on the Members Only web page at gslcms.org: Board of Directors President Dave Roman 805 698-4596
Vice-President Andrea Hoelter 805 692-8414 Secretary Michelle Cochran 805 705-7997 Treasurer Dan Barnett 805 729-5993 Member-at-Large (unfilled) Committee Chairs and Group Leaders Elders Chair, Bill Savage 805-845-5265
On Line Event Calendar Our latest calendar is on line here. This link will take you to the "public" event calendar unless you use your member login. To see the entire calendar (with church meetings, etc.), please log in with your member ID. No member ID? Click on "Create an account" on the right hand side of the web page to get started. Your account will be approved and then you can browse the member page contents.  Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and Preschool
380 North Fairview Avenue, Goleta, CA 93117 • 805 967-1416
Not interested any more? Click at the bottom of the email that was sent to you.
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grown to the point that certain common words (like "dollars" and "donate") can cause emails to be labeled as "spam". In addition, your email service provider (Cox, hotmail, etc.) may block or mislabel our newsletters as spam if enough recipients (you!) do not open and "engage with" each email. 
Our updated church web site includes information about our church as well as the many activities available for participation by our congregation members and members of our community. Timely announcements are in the What's News! listings on the home page, and the events calendar lists all kinds of events held at our church (see 
Many people not only question the sincerity of these offerings, but their effectiveness. “Does prayer do anything?” “Does anyone hear?”
There will be a BBQ starting at noon in the patio area. Mark your calendars and plan on worshiping and celebrating as we give thanks and praise to our God and Father through our Good Shepherd Jesus Christ for the many blessings given to us and through us to our community!
present a seminar at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in the Fireside Room on Saturday, September 30, 2023 at 11:30 am.
We need more team members to provide relief and someone to take over when we are not able to do this.
Portals of Prayer devotion booklets for July - September, 2023 are now
Adam Phillips, GSLC's Music Director, provides meditative instrumental and vocal music every Wednesday morning at 10:00 am. 
Good Shepherd has offered electronic donation capabilities (through Vanco) for a while. You now have the ability to sign up directly through Good Shepherd's web site to donate on line (through Vanco) once or on a recurring basis.
The 2023 Flower Chart is now available for signups. If you would like to place flowers on the altar, please sign up on the flower chart in the back of the church or call the church office at (805) 967-1416. One beautiful bouquet is $25. Please make out your check to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (GSLC) and write flowers on the memo line. Mail it to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church or drop it by the Church Office. The office is open Mon-Thurs, 8:00 a.m. to noon.