Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist

Our vision is to live out the presence of Jesus in a diverse and thriving urban neighborhood.

MISSIONS & SOCIAL OUTREACH

"But what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8b

The Missions and Social Outreach Committee guides the church in the direction of reaching out to help others in our community and world through projects and information.

Attention those who knit or crochet

During December, Touching Little Lives gave 8,135 items through 54 hospitals/agencies and 4 individuals. For more information, see the quarterly newsletter on the Missions & Social Outreach

Touching Little Lives is in desperate need of newborn size hats with good stretch around. Be sure to wash them before giving them to Helen Miller.bulletin board or check out http://www.touchinglittlelives.org/

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE US CENSUS

During the U.S. Census, households will be contacted by mail or telephone and may be visited by a U.S. Census worker who will ask about the number of people living in the house. For information on how the 2010 census works, visit http://2010.census.gov.

RED FLAGS

*The Census Bureau will not contact you by e-mail. Do not respond with any personal information, and never click on a link or open any attachments in an e-mail that is supposedly from the Census Bureau.

*The Census Bureau will never, under any circumstances, ask to enter your home.

*No matter how legitimate a Census worker appears, do not give them your Social Security number, credit card number or banking information. The Census Bureau might ask for general financial information, such as salary range, but it will not ask for detailed financial information.

*Also, Census workers should never solicit money or other donations.

*Tips for Recognizing a Census Bureau Representative

If you are visited by someone from the United States Census Bureau, here are some RECOGNITION TIPS to assure the validity of the field representative.

* Must present an ID Badge which contains: photograph of field representative, U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and expiration date.

* Will provide you with supervisor contact information and/or the regional office phone number for verification, if asked. The Detroit Regional Office covers Ohio.

* Will provide you with a letter from the director of the Census Bureau on U.S. Census Bureau letterhead.

* May be carrying a laptop and/or bag with a Census Bureau logo.

When in doubt, Ohioans should call the Detroit Regional Office for verification at 1-800-432-1495. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Ongoing Projects

Compassionate Assistance Fund

This gives the opportunity for each of us to take ownership of a new method to provide needed funding that can be used at the discretion of the pastor in helping the needy in our community. On each communion Sunday throughout the year, you will find a small envelope inserted in your Sunday Bulletin for your gift.

Hardly a week goes by that our Pastor is not approached by folks in need. Your prayerful gifts are deeply appreciated.

Faith on Eighth

The Church of the Good Shepherd prepares an evening meal the second Thursday of each month for the men at Faith Mission. Because there is no kitchen at Faith on Eighth, we prepare meals and take them to the mission. You can help by preparing food, providing supplies or money for supplies and serving. If you would like to be involved, contact Sue Crawford who is the chairperson for this project.

TLC Visitation

Members of this "Tender Loving Care" group visit shut-ins, people in the hospital or nursing home or anyone needing a visit. This does not replace the pastoral visitation, but is just a "thinking of you" visit to let others know we are thinking of them.

Near Northside Emergency Material Assistance Program

NNEMAP has been operating for the past 40 years, and is served by our church and many others. They serve the needy in their immediate zip code area, including the elderly and the youth. One of our many projects related to this agency is our collection of food. People bring food to the church and place it in a receptacle in the narthex and it is then taken weekly. Our program expands during the summer and fall with the addition of fruits and vegetables from our garden and trees. Our gardener is Rich Mallasch.

Paper Recycling at Good Shepherd

The green and yellow receptacle in front of the church garage is the center of our paper recycling effort and embodys the spirit of our committee. Members of Good Shepherd and the community deposit their recyclable paper 24/7. We have kept many tons of paper out of the landfills, and saved much water, energy and many trees. Keep up the good work!

Touching Little Lives

As of May 1, the Kroger Company has dedicated $5,000,000 to support community efforts where its associates live and work. You can go online and sign up with your Kroger Plus card number and specify “Touching Little Lives” as your charity. The address for this secure web site is http://www.krogercommunityrewards.com. If you do not have internet access, you can ask a friend to help you. Then all you have to do is use your Kroger Plus card and “Touching Little Lives” will benefit. To find out more about “Touching Little Lives” check out their website.

Again, thanks to all of you who regularly make baby hats, receiving blankets, quilts, afghans, etc. Be sure all of been laundered before you give them to Helen Miller.

YWCA FAMILY CENTER UPDATE

The YWCA Family Center is the only “front door” emergency shelter in central Ohio, offering safe accommodations, meals, key support services and childcare to homeless Franklin county families.

Commitment to serve as an innovative center of excellence that transforms people’s lives remains strong; yet, the challenges faced by the families being served continue to grow. The weak economy increases the likelihood of even greater challenges for central Ohio families.

As always, the YWCA appreciates our generous contributions. COGS continues to be a part of the work to transform lives. Recently we had a Diaper Sunday. The church family placed diapers at the altar to be taken to the center. The support of our congregation is greatly appreciated.

COMMUNITY GARDEN

Click here to find out about our Community Garden project.

JOIN THE “BINKY BRIGADE”

The Binky Brigade was started in 2008 by Air Force Staff Sergeant Angela Parker and her mother, Becky Shumaker. The Binky Brigade provides small, cuddly blankets to children of war-torn areas. The blankets are sent to deployed troops for them to distribute to the local children. They are also sent to US military hospitals in Iraq to be distributed to the local children who are being treated there (mostly in the burn unit). This not only provides comfort to children who are witnesses to the perils of war on a daily basis, but also allows our troops to foster a positive relationship with the locals they are trying to protect. For more information check out http://www.binkybrigade.org/

You may help with this worthy cause by making approximately 15 inch square blankets. This size is small enough that an infant can grasp the blanket and carry it with him/her. They can be any fabric and color. You aren't required to use any batting, binding, or particular designs. You can use your imagination and make whatever you want. They have received small quilts with batting, fleece blankets with tied edges, and blankets with two pieces of fabric sewn directly together with no batting. Give your blankets to Helen Miller, Missions and Social Outreach Committee.

Other Projects Supported During the Year

Helping Hands Health and Wellness Center

Health Kits

World Communion Sunday Offering

CROP Walk

Festival of Sharing

Blanket Sunday

NNEMAP Caselot Drive

United Methodist Student Sunday

Christmas Card

New Life United Methodist Church Offering

Human Relations Sunday

Souper Bowl Sunday (Soup for NNEMAP)