For Sunday, May 11, 2008

The Reverend Canon Curtis R. Zimmerman will be away! Curt Zimmerman is away from the parish and will return on Wednesday, May 14. Fr. Alan Mack will again be with us on Sunday mornings. If you have a pastoral emergency please call Linda Bruen at the church office (425-868-2123).

Read a letter from Curt Zimmerman on our first parish conversation June 1, 2008 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm.

Read a letter from Curt Zimmerman on the discernment and call process to hire new staff members.

The Church Office will be closed Monday, May 12 - Friday, May 16! 

Please Join us!

For a Parish Conversation on Sunday, June 1st 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm.  Please set aside the afternoon so that we can gather as a congregation for some reflection and conversation to move forward. 

Healing Prayer Ministry 

If you are interested in the Healing Prayer Ministry please contact Joy Shaw. 

Updated Counter's Schedule

Are You Interested? Counters are those Good Samaritan's who minister to the congregation by contributing half an hour every 6 weeks or so to count offerings after Sunday service. We are updating the schedule for the second half of this year. If you are interested in joining the Counters team please e-mail Colin Elder. A brief training session will be provided. This is a fun way to get to know some new people.

Adopt-A- Road Program

Even though Spring is late this year, it's still important to do our annual Good Sam Adopt A Road spring clean up! This clean up is scheduled for Sunday, May 18th after the 10:00 service. This is a great opportunity to meet fellow parishoners and clean up our immediate environment. In return for our clean up efforts, there is a sign which announces Good Sam as the adoptor of the road! It's great PR and another way in which we send a message about Good Sam into our community. Please mark your calendars! It's a lot of fun.

Sign up for Education for Ministry (EFM)!

Would you like a deeper understanding of the foundations of the Christian tradition and how it fits our modern lives? Do you wish to better understand the context of scripture, the historical perspective, and the varied editors of the sacred books to add even greater meaning (depth) to the words of the Bible? Then EFM may be for you. Education for Ministry (EFM) is a college level class studying the Bible, Church history, and philosophy, plus a chance to develop and apply your personal theology in your daily life. Come...be inspired! Sign up now for a class starting in September. Contact Tina Paul at 425-485-5620. More info at http://www.sewanee.edu/EFM .

On June 8th Tina Paul will be here to talk about EFM and present Cathy Strohl a certificate for completing one year in the EFM program.

Creative Kids Preschool Summer Camp Program!

Creative Kids will be offering a summer camp program this year beginning in July. Enrollment is open to children ages 3-5. The cost for attending camp is $110.00 per child, each week. The hours of operation will be Monday - Thursday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (children will pack their own lunches).

Week I - July 14 - 17
Week II - July 21 - 24
Week III - July 28 - Aug 1
Week IV - Aug 4 - 7
Week V - Aug 11 - 14
Week VI - Aug 18 - 21

The thematic units will be focusing on activities relating to science, art, music, food, fun and more!

Registration will be on a first come basis beginning April 30th. For more information contact Bobbie McCormick, Preschool Director at 425-868-9544.

Wish List . . .
Thanks to an anonymous generous donation, we now have a set of Green Vestments!

We have some one-time needs that you may find interesting and would like to give, possibly as a memorial. For a start, you may be aware that we lack liturgical vestments for the various church seasons. In the past we have depended on our various priests to provide their own seasonal vestments. It would be good to have parish sets of green, red, and white vestments to include stoles and chasubles (the “poncho” vestment worn by the person presiding at Eucharist). Each set will cost between $300 and $600. Having parish vestment sets augmented by the priest’s “wardrobe” will give us variety in our worship. If you’re interested and would like more information, please contact Curt.

Do You Have A Talent? . . .

Do you have a talent as a graphic artist? We have a couple of projects (we think they’re rather simple) where the gifts of a graphic artist could be helpful. If this is something where you might be able to help, please contact Linda Bruen, our parish administrator, or Curt Zimmerman, our priest.

Eucharistic Ministers

We can expand our corps of Eucharistic Ministers — those who administer bread or wine at Eucharistic. The minimum age is 16, and I would particularly welcome our youth in addition to adults. Please let me know of your interest; we will provide the basic training so that you may be licensed by the bishop. Curt+

Pledges for 2008

If you have not turned in your pledge for 2008 yet, there is still time. You will find a form in the pews or contact the office. There is still time to help us plan for the coming year. So far we have $195,000.00 on pledges for 2008. Questions? Please contact Kurt Hamke. Thanks!

A Friendly Reminder

Regular operating expenses for the church continue throughout the year. Contact the office to check your pledge status, and, if it isn’t current, please bring your giving up to date. Thank you!

Hosting Coffee Hour

Hosting a Good Sam coffee hour is a rewarding way to play an important role in fostering fellowship among current parishioners and welcoming newcomers to our church. It’s an easy way to serve in a valuable hospitality ministry, and the time commitment and expense is minimal. If you are willing to host or co-host a coffee hour on a Sunday between July 1 – December 31, 2008, please contact me, Margaret Starkey, or at an upcoming coffee hour (!) to discuss a date that works with your calendar. It's my hope that every Good Sam family will host and/or co-host coffee hour 1 - 2 times per year. THANK YOU!

Altar Guild Seeks New Members

Serving on Altar Guild is an easy, meaningful way to be an integral part of the worship at Good Sam. Altar Guild members are responsible for the care and preparation of the altars, linens, candles and flowers for each worship service. This is not your mother’s Altar Guild; gone are the days of polishing pews, brass, and silver. At Good Sam, the time commitment is minimal, and the reward great. If you are willing and able to serve, please contact Margaret Starkey after the 10:00 service more information.

We now have communion wafers that are wheat, dairy, gluten and corn free available for those who have allergies to those ingredients.
You will find the special communion wafers in a small container on the small table at the back of the sanctuary along with the pita and wine. Please take a wafer for yourself and put it into the bread basket. During communion let the priest know you want the special wafer. Please let Cheryl Trimble know if this is a workable solution or if you have any ideas that would facilitate the process better.

Bishop issues One-for-One Malaria Net Challenge

During his convention address, Bishop Greg Rickel issued a challenge to the diocese: help end malaria by buying enough disease-preventing nets to represent every member of the Diocese of Olympia.

Over 300 million people per year contract malaria, 1 million of whom die, most of them African children. Yet by sleeping under a malaria net, children and adults are protected from the mosquitoes which cause malaria. ERD, through its NetsforLifeSM program, sells these nets for $12—$1 a month, $.25 a week or about $.04 a day—including the cost of distributing the nets, educating each person on how to use the net, and follow-up later to ensure the nets are being used, and used properly. Nets last for five years.

For more information go to: The Diocese of Olympia website.

"The News from Good Samaritan"

Does the Church have your email address?

A lot of Good Samaritan's communication happens by email these days. We now send a weekly email called "The Weekly News from Good Samaritan". This is a weekly newsletter to let everyone know what is going on during the week here at church. If you would like to be included please send your email to Linda Bruen. If you do not access e-mail please let us know that as well just call the office at 425-868-2123.

Submitting Articles for the Sunday Bulletin
Please turn in your articles to the office by Tuesday morning if you want them to be included in that Sunday's Bulletin. Send them to: Linda Bruen
or drop them off in the office. Thank you!

Women's Book Group

The Women's Book Group meets the last Tuesday of the Month at 7:30 pm. Book List for 2007 - 2008.

Men's Book Group

The Men's Book Group meets the last Monday of the Month at 7:30 pm. Book List for 2007 - 2008

The Men’s & Women’s Book Groups Annual Combined Meeting

The Men’s & Women’s Book Groups will meet on Tuesday, May 27th at 7:30 pm: The book groups will hold their annual combined meeting at the Nevins’ home to discuss The Rev. Dr. Jane Maynard’s book “Transfiguring Loss”. Jane will also attend to participate in the discussion. The book can be obtained from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or the Episcopal Bookstore. All men and women of Good Sam are invited to attend.