Updated COVID-19 and Masking Policy

Posted on by Rachel B

Good Shepherd Episcopal Church encourages all attendees to stay up to date on all vaccinations, including influenza, COVID-19, and others as appropriate. If you are not feeling well, are recovering from a recent illness, or have recently spent time around someone with an illness, we ask that you consider staying home out of consideration for others. Barring this, we ask that you please wear a mask while indoors. We also encourage mask-wearing for all those who feel more comfortable doing so. Masks are freely available in the back of the church for all who would like them. 

2025 Weekly Announcements (Archival)

Posted on by Rachel B

For archival purposes, here is the list of weekly announcement emails and bulletins from 2025.

Week of December 21, 2025 (Lessons and Carols)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Lessons and Carols readings

Morning service bulletin

Week of November 23, 2025 (Christ the King)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Jeremiah 23:1-6 · Psalm 46 · Colossians 1:11-20 · Luke 23:33-43

Morning service bulletin

Week of October 5, 2025 (Pentecost 17/Feast of St. Francis)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Job 39:1–18 · Psalm 121 · Acts 4:32-35, 5:1-11 · Luke 12:13-21

Morning service bulletin

Week of April 13, 2025 (Palm Sunday)

Weekly announcements email 

The Liturgy of the Palms: Luke 19:28-40 · Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

The Liturgy of the Word: Isaiah 50:4-9a · Philippians 2:5-11 · Luke 22:14-23:56 · Psalm 31:9-16

Morning service bulletin

 

 

A Message from Bishop Austin

Posted on by Rachel B

Since Monday, I’ve been participating in a contemplative prayer retreat with some of my fellow bishops in Schuyler, Nebraska. The time we’ve spent has been meaningful, and I am particularly grateful to have begun this new year focused on prayer—this most essential part of our Christian discipleship that can often fall by the wayside as the concerns and crush of the world mount.

Like many of you, I awoke on January 3 to the shocking and disheartening news that our country invaded Venezuela, forcibly removed their president, and unabashedly stated that the U.S. was going to run the country and control its oil production. For an administration that promised many things, including the end of our involvement in “forever wars,” this action is especially alarming. The fact that our duly elected representatives in Congress had absolutely no involvement in this decision is beyond troubling for such a weighty and consequential action.

I asked myself, “What can I do as a Christian, as an American citizen, and as a child of God who values the hard-won democracy that generations of our forebears bled for, marched for, and sought to perfect?”

I am not so naïve as to believe that my salvation arises through our political system or our elected leaders. I do my best to avoid partisan bluster. I endeavor to refrain from the same dehumanization of those who vote differently from me that I find deplorable when aimed at me.

But there are times that require us to make our ultimate allegiance known, and the combination of this action in Venezuela, repeated attempts to rewrite the history of the January 6 Capitol riot, and yesterday’s murder of Renee Good in Minnesota by ICE agents makes me do so now.

As a follower of the One we know as the Prince of Peace, I see war as one of our worst human failures and must only be considered as a last resort. To actively seek it out, especially when one’s own life is not offered in service to the cause, is reckless, foolish, and decidedly not in line with the teachings of Christ.

The attempts to whitewash the violence and insurrection of January 6, on the day we Western Christians celebrate the last day of Christmas and the arrival of the wise ones at Jesus’ manger is jarring. As Christians, we celebrate the Epiphany, which is about the promises of God extending beyond Jesus’ narrow social context and tribe to enlighten the nations and larger world. And yet, January 6 in our country is now known for division, destruction, and deceit. Such misdirection and schemes are more easily associated with King Herod than with the King of Kings who is the way, the truth, and the life.

And when I see another civilian murdered by an ICE agent on a residential street in Minnesota, and the sickening spin that ensues, I wonder when it will be enough. How many more innocent people will die before we decide to say no more? How many of the freedoms our forebears fought for must be erased before we stand up together and take our own risks for freedom’s sake?

As I said earlier, I’ve chosen to begin this new year with a renewed focus on contemplative prayer. The Bishop of Minnesota, the Rt. Rev. Craig Loya, who now must deal with this crisis in his diocese, as well as the Bishop of Washington, the Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde, who called our country to decency and mercy last year during this season, have been praying here as well.

I ask all of you who read this, regardless of who you vote for, to join us in this renewed focus and to attend to your own prayer lives.

Not as a way of shutting out the world, or disengaging from the hard work ahead of us, but as the surest path to discerning how and when to enact your faith allegiance in the public square.

Through contemplative prayer, each of us comes face to face with two simultaneous truths—we are all beset by fears and the shadow sides of our souls that we’d prefer to ignore or hide AND we are all beloved by God in unfathomable ways that we spend this existence exploring. The more we can attune ourselves to these truths, the more we can both receive and extend grace and perceive when it is time to take the fruits of prayer and convert them into action.

As we move into this Epiphany season, in a time of uncertainty and fear in our country, I pray that you will resist the urge to meet violence with violence, hatred with more hatred, and dehumanization with more dehumanization.

Sink the roots of your heart deep into the rich soil of Jesus’ way, truth, and life and draw from the living water that only he can provide. And most importantly, connect with your siblings in Christ for strength and support and keep reminding one another of “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable,” and then find ways to live that out together.

For the sake of our country, the sake of our planet, and the sake of your very souls.

Yours in Christ,
Austin

2024 Weekly Announcements (Archival)

Posted on by Rachel B

For archival purposes, here is the list of weekly announcement emails and bulletins from 2024.

Week of December 22, 2024 (Advent 4; Lessons & Carols)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: see bulletin below

Morning service bulletin

Week of April 14, 2024 (Easter 3)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Acts 10:34-43 · 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 · Mark 16:1-8 · Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 

Morning service bulletin

Week of April 7, 2024 (Easter 2)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Acts 10:34-43 · 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 · Mark 16:1-8 · Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 

Morning service bulletin

Week of March 24, 2024 (Palm Sunday)

Weekly announcements email 

Liturgy of the Palms: Mark 11:1-11 · Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

Liturgy of the Word: Isaiah 50:4-9a · Philippians 2:5-11 · Mark 14:1-15:47 · Psalm 31:9-16 

Morning service bulletin

Week of February 18, 2024 (Recovery Sunday, Lent 1)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Genesis 9:8-17 · 1 Peter 3:18-22 · Mark 1:9-15 · Psalm 25:1-9 

Morning service bulletin

Week of February 11, 2024 (Last Epiphany)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:1-12 · 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 · Mark 9:2-9 · Psalm 50:1-6 

Morning service bulletin

Week of January 7, 2024 (Epiphany 1)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Genesis 1:1-5 · Acts 19:1-7 · Mark 1:4-11 · Psalm 29 

Morning service bulletin

2023 Weekly Announcements (Archival)

Posted on by Rachel B

For archival purposes, here is the list of weekly announcement emails and bulletins from 2023.

Week of October 29, 2023 (Pentecost 22)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Deuteronomy 34:1-12 · Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17 · 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 · Matthew 22:34-46 

Morning service bulletin

Week of October 1, 2023 (Pentecost 18, St. Francis Day)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Exodus 17:1-7 · Psalm 25:1-8 · Philippians 2:1-13 · Matthew 21:23-32 

Morning service bulletin

Week of September 17, 2023 (Pentecost 16)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Exodus 14:19-31 · Psalm 114 · Romans 14:1-12 · Matthew 18:21-35 

Morning service bulletin

Week of September 10, 2023 (Pentecost 15)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Exodus 12:1-14 · Psalm 149 · Romans 13:8-14 · Matthew 18:15-20 

Morning service bulletin

Week of August 6, 2023 (Transfiguration, Pentecost 10)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Exodus 34:29-35 · 2 Peter 1:13-21 · Luke 9:28-36 · Psalm 99 

Morning service bulletin

Week of April 2, 2023 (Palm Sunday)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Isaiah 50:4-9a · Philippians 2:5-11 · Matthew 26:14-27:66 · Psalm 31:9-16

Morning service bulletin

Week of February 26, 2023 (Lent 1, Recovery Sunday)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 · Romans 5:12-19 · Matthew 4:1-11 · Psalm 32

Morning service bulletin

2022 Weekly Announcements (Archival)

Posted on by Rachel B

For archival purposes, here is the list of weekly announcement emails and bulletins from 2022.

Week of December 25, 2022 (Christmas Day)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: 

Christmas Eve bulletin · Morning service bulletin

Week of December 18, 2022 (Advent 4)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: 

Morning service bulletin

Week of April 24, 2022 (Easter 2)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Acts 5:27-32 · Revelation 1:4-8 · John 20:19-31 · Psalm 150

Morning service bulletin

2021 Weekly Announcements (Archival)

Posted on by Rachel B

For archival purposes, here is the list of weekly announcement emails and bulletins from 2021.

Week of December 12, 2021 (Advent 3, Lessons and Carols)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: readings for Lessons and Carols

Morning service bulletin · Evening service bulletin

Week of November 7, 2021 (All Saints Day)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9 · Psalm 24 · Revelation 21:1-6a · John 11:32-44

Morning service bulletin (Please note: this week’s bulletin will differ slightly from the in-church service. This will be resolved for next week.)

Week of September 12, 2021 (Pentecost 16)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Proverbs 1:20-33 · Psalm 19  · James 3:1-12 · Mark 8:27-38

Morning service bulletin

Week of April 25, 2021 (Earth Day/Easter 4)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Acts 4:5-12 · 1 John 3:16-24 · John 10:11-18· Psalm 23

Morning service bulletin

Week of February 14, 2021 (Epiphany 6)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:1-12 · 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 · Mark 9:2-9 · Psalm 50:1-6

Sunday service bulletin 

Week of February 7, 2021 (Epiphany 5)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Isaiah 40:21-31 · 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 · Mark 1:29-39 · Psalm 147:1-12, 21c

Sunday service bulletin

 

Week of January 10, 2021 (Epiphany 1)

Weekly announcements email 

Lectionary: Genesis 1:1-5 · Acts 19:1-7 · Mark 1:4-11 · Psalm 29

Sunday service bulletin

 

St. Mary Punches the Devil – A Pastoral Letter from the Rev. Molly Haws

Posted on by Rachel B

16 August 2021

Feast of St. Mary the Virgin

Dear Beloved of the Good Shepherd,

West Texas was up 2-0 going into the bottom of the 5th, with the Little League Southwest Regional Championship on the line. Then, quicksand. One error became two, a missed catch at the plate, then an overthrow, another fielding error… by the second out, Louisiana had scored 6 runs. The West Texas coach comes out on the field, where the team waits for him to speak. “Hey, this is a game, guys. A fun game. Just settle down, play the game, have fun out there. Okay?” I love this coach’s attitude. I love how he clearly cares about the players as much as he cares about the game and a little more than he cares about winning. 

I wish it were possible to simply feel better because someone told me to. I wish that all it took to get back to normal was a timely reminder to just settle down and have fun out there.

West Texas got their cabooses kicked, 6-2.

But they’re going to the Little League World Series. The experience of having participated in greatness will stay with them long after the sharp bitter taste of this disappointment has faded to mere memory. 

Many of us have tasted disappointment in these past few weeks. We’ve done everything we were asked, everything we could. We waited. We were patient and faithful and we learned and we made it work, and now it feels a little like… like Team Coronavirus brought the Delta Variant in off the bench in the bottom of the 5th and I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling kinda kicked in the caboose.

We are still in this, beloved. And rather than telling myself to “have fun out there,” I asked myself “what would I like to do right now?” and I came up with three things.

  1. With the blessing of your Bishop’s Committee, I’ve changed my schedule so that I’m now at Good Shepherd on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 10ish – 4ish, with Friday as my day off. 
    • This allows me to be here for the Monday Morning Sandwich Ministry and the Wednesday Noon Eucharist. If you haven’t experienced these weekday offerings yet, I recommend them highly. 
    • I’m available to meet with you in person here at Good Shepherd, or via Zoom or on the phone. Call or text me at 510.672.1376 or drop me an email at findmollyhere@gmail.com to schedule a time.
  2. I am hosting Tuesdays On Zoom, every week at 7pm (click the link in the Good Shepherd Announcements). Stop in and chat. Share a picture or a poem or a joke. Talk about your day and hear about someone else’s. Play “Stump The Priest” (it’s pretty easy, trust me). Even if it’s only for 10 minutes sometime between 7 and 8 pm, I’ll be glad to see/hear you.
  3. Miss seeing folks and chatting after church Sunday morning? Since we can’t have indoor coffee hour in person anyway, let’s bring back Zoom Coffee Hour! I’ll be logged in on my office laptop for the whole service so all the Zoomers can get beverages and come right back, I can join from here, and others can log in as they get home.

So, beloved: what do you dream of doing, now, in this time? What would make the most of this time at Good Shepherd? what spark of creativity or silliness or sustenance needs only a little fanning to shine a light?

Yours in faith,

Molly+

Good Shepherd Re-opening and Re-gathering

Posted on by Rachel B

Dear flock of the Good Shepherd:

The time has come that we are permitted to re-gather, in person, in the church!! Our first Sunday morning in-person service will be on July 4th, at 11 am (and we will also continue to stream online). We will be retaining a few safety guidelines for the immediate future; these may change to be more or less restrictive as we receive further information about the levels of Covid-19 in our area or further instruction from the diocese. We encourage all attendees to take whatever precautions will make them feel most safe, including those that are more stringent than what the church will be requiring.

Please see the below for additional details and instructions:

Masking:
– All congregants are required to wear masks which properly cover their nose and mouth while indoors.
– The congregation is allowed to sing while masked.
– Masks will be provided at doors to the church for those who do not have one.
– Congregants will be asked to use hand sanitizer before entering the church.

Social distancing:
– Social distancing is not required when sitting in the congregation or circling the altar for communion.
– We ask that you refrain from hugging during the peace; you may hug outside later if both involved parties consent, but while in the church please fist- or elbow-bump from your location in the “pews” or use another distanced greeting of your choice.

Vaccinations:
– We will not be asking attendees for proof of vaccination, though we continue to encourage all those who are medically able to get vaccinated.
– The altar party are asked to provide proof of vaccination to the vicar if they will be removing their masks (this is particularly relevant to lay readers, preachers, and choir members).

Communion:
– Congregants may gather round the altar, as is our custom, with masks on.
– Bread may be distributed by the celebrant by hand; the receiver may then remove or lower their mask to consume it.
– Wine will be offered in small individual portions which the receiver may again remove or lower their mask to consume.

Coffee Hour/Outdoor events:
– We will not be resuming Coffee Hour at this time. It will resume at a future date.
– While outdoors, either before or after church or at a church event, individuals who are fully vaccinated may be maskless. Those who are not fully vaccinated are required to wear a mask or to remain six feet distant with a mask off (while eating, for example).
– We ask that you please be mindful and respectful of others’ boundaries and comfort levels around masking, physical contact, and social distancing.

Streaming
– We are in the process of ascertaining and then setting up the most appropriate ways to stream our services online from the church. There may be a bumpy week or two as we get ourselves sorted out, but we appreciate your patience.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Looking forward to sharing physical space again.

Peace,
Good Shepherd Clergy and Bishop’s Committee