GROW by Serving
By Lisa Keimach
Matthew 20:28: "I did not come to be served, but to serve."

Luke 9:48: "Your care for others is the measure of your greatness."

Many of you know well the blessings that come from serving. I pray that you will open your hearts to ways that God calls you to serve, and even more so that you will reap the benefits and blessings that come from doing so.

There are many, many ways to serve the Body of Christ. (That's us! All of us, all Christians, make up the Body of Christ.) Prayerfully consider the following Caring Ministries and see if you are called to step forward and serve in any of these areas. Maybe you have an idea for a caring ministry that you would love to lead. Let me know. If you would like to get involved in any caring ministry, please contact Lisa,

Facilities Work Day
Saturday, June 14, 7 a.m. at GSLC-South
Monthly, our Facilities Team welcomes volunteers to help out with projects around the church campus. Jim Gstoettner and Scott Bacsikin, our Team Leaders, coordinate the work on the second Saturday morning of each month. Please RSVP to the church office at 949-552-1918 if you can help, or just come; we’ll have a job lined up for you!

Father's Day Socks and Underwear Drive for the Homeless
Sunday, June 15.
Honor your father in a special way by making a donation of new socks, T-shirts and underwear for homeless men. Your donations will be delivered to the Orange County Rescue Mission and the Salvation Army emergency homeless shelter in Santa Ana. Please bring these items to worship on Father’s Day, June 15, 2008 and leave them at the Outreach Table.

Feed The Homeless
Sunday, June 15, Dinner at the Salvation Army Emergency Homeless Shelter in Santa Ana
This is a wonderful service opportunity for a group of eight to ten people to provide a hot meal to about 60 homeless men, women and children at the Salvation Army emergency shelter in Santa Ana. This shelter provides a safe, sober place for people to sleep, shower and have meals. Our presence and fellowship at the shelter make a tangible difference to shelter residents and provides a huge blessing to those who serve.

Card Buddies
Do you know someone who could benefit from being uplifted by receiving occasional greeting cards on an ongoing or short-term basis? Card Buddies Ministry would love to send greetings and God's love out in this touching way. Leave names and addresses with Lisa at the Sunday table, or call the church office at (949) 552-1918 x16.

GROW as You Pray

• Matthew 7:7: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened."
• Matthew 21:22: "You can get anything - anything you ask for in prayer - if you believe."
• John 16:24: "Ask using my name, and you will receive, and your cup of joy will overflow!"
• 1 Tim. 2:1: "Here are my directions: Pray much for others."
• Phil. 4:6: "Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything."
• 1 Thess. 5:17: "Pray without ceasing."

Prayer Opportunities

• Congregational Prayer Team is in recess.
• Prayer Chains - to participate, call Lisa, (949) 552-1918 x16.
• Pastoral & Staff Prayer - Tuesday mornings, 7:00-7:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary at GSLC-South - A group of members pray with and for Pastor Jim and Pastor Ryan, and for our church staff.
• Pastoral Prayer - Thursday mornings, 6:40 a.m. in the Sanctuary at GSLC-South - A group of members pray with and for Pastor Mike.
• Prayer Partners - Contact Lisa for more information, (949) 552-1918 x16.

Prayer Resources
Stop by the Sunday information table to check out some books on prayer: Stormie Omartian's series: The Power of a Praying Parent, The Power of a Praying Woman, The Power of a Praying Wife, and The Power of a Praying Husband. And Elizabeth George’s book, A Woman’s Call to Prayer. Get Growing - Get Praying! See you at the information table!

Career Network
Did you know that Career Network information is still available? Wendy Hugstad, who has done informative workshops over the years, is available on an as-needed basis to provide information on career counseling and resume writing. In addition, the Career Network Notebook is again available on the information table with information on job opportunities.

Prayers and Squares Quilt Ministry, Chapter 267
All members of G.S.L.C. needing or wanting special prayers are welcome to request a prayer quilt. Of course the most urgent ones will be presented first, but anyone desiring special prayers and/or blessings is welcome to make your request. Prayer Quilts are provided for all occasions whenever special prayers are said for individuals, families and couples... For times of trouble as well as times of celebration. Prayer requests may be made by filling out the form at the information table, or by contacting the church office, (949) 552-1918.

Prayers and Squares Workshop
The next meeting is June 17. Then we will be in recess until September.
Meets 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each Month, 6-8 pm in the Red Room
Prayers & Squares is an ongoing GSLC ministry where we make quilts for people in need of special prayers. "Can you touch a prayer? Can you feel its warmth or closeness? You can if it’s a prayer quilt." Prayer quilts are like wrapping yourself up in God’s love.

At our workshops, we construct the quilts - sewing, putting on bindings, making labels, cutting, and doing everything it takes to put the quilts together. The workshops are designed for everyone who would like to part of the ministry - there’s plenty to do even if you don’t sew! With each knot that is tied, a silent prayer is said for the individual who requested that particular quilt.

The Red Room will be open at 6 p.m., but Prayers & Squares are open workshops where people can come and go as they please. For more information, please leave a message with the church office for Sue Thompson, (949) 552-1918.

Moms-in-Touch
Do you belong to a Moms-in-Touch group? This is a national organization made up of moms who get together to pray for their children and their children's schools. Most schools in the Irvine district have a Moms-in-Touch group that meets regularly. Contact Lisa for more information, (949) 552-1918 x16, or at the Sunday information table. Watch for a Moms-in-Touch coming soon to our own Good Shepherd Preschool!

The Good Shepherd Foundation
Memorial gifts to the GSLC Foundation are a great way to remember a departed loved one or friend. Just think, in this way you will have given a gift that keeps on giving for the work of Christ at Good Shepherd. The endowment will use only the returns on the investment to support expanded ministry at our church.

A living memorial is also a great way to honor a friend or relative, by giving a gift to the Foundation on the occasion of a significant achievement or milestone.

If all of us would get into the practice of making the Foundation the recipient of our Memorials, we would see a significant growth in the resources for ministry. These are gifts that keep on giving.

Send the gift to the Church and mark it as a memorial to the Foundation. Tell us for whom the gift is given and to whom the acknowledgement should be sent.

Your gift will be recorded in a book of Memorials, to include both those given for departed loved ones, and those living whom you wish to honor.

Think first of Good Shepherd's Foundation, when you want to remember and honor someone special.

What a legacy to leave for the years to come!

GSLC Foundation Makes 2007 Distributions
The GSLC foundations Committee has made four distributions of income from the Foundation Account to various ministries in 2007.

Our first was a $500 gift that allowed our Alpha program to be taken off-campus and conducted in a local community center.

Our second gift of $500 was used to purchase new "Evangelical Lutheran Worship" hymnals for our sanctuary. They were given, "In Memory of all the Saints of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church".

Our third distribution gift was also for $500, to be used on Faith-in-Act!on Sunday, to purchase World Vision AIDS kits for Africa.

Our fourth Foundation distribution of income was a gift of $3,000 toward the purchase of an Aviom System for the Praise Band, which allows each member of the team to adjust his or her own sound monitor, allowing for a better blend of music and less sound distortion.

Your gifts to the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Foundation are adding up! We now have over $100,000 in assets! All income from these funds goes right back into ministry and will year after year.

Thank you for your gifts!

Simply Giving
Even though you may be away, your gifts to God can continue to be consistent and from the first of your income, with the automatic banking feature of "Simply Giving." Please stop by the information stand in the entry of the church at GSLC-South for the simple paperwork to get it started, or call the church office to have it mailed to you, (949) 552-1918.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Foundation
The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Foundation was established to receive gifts and bequests, which are permanently invested. Income from the Foundation is disbursed, annually, to support the mission outreach of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

The Foundation has grown to just over $100,000, primarily from numerous small gifts from the Congregation, and one bequest. During July, in order to further the purpose of the Foundation and with the goal of growing Foundation assets, the Foundation recommended, and the Church Council approved, the investment of $30,000 from Foundation assets in a S&P 500 Index Fund. The investment will be made in three monthly installments of $10,000. The first investment was made during August 2007. Previously, all Foundation assets had been invested in certificates of deposit. Hence, this is the first step in building a diversified portfolio.

In the future, the Foundation will seek authority from the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Council to further diversify the portfolio, possibly to a 60% (equities), 35% (fixed income), 5 % (cash) target allocation portfolio. The Foundation intends to invest assets with a focus on consistent income production and long-term growth.

For further information regarding the Foundation, please contact Pastor Hale or Foundation Chairman Steve Bergh.

Attention, Ralphs and Albertson’s Shoppers
If you have a Ralphs or Albertson’s Club Card, a percentage of what you spend at Ralphs can be automatically donated to GSLC’s children’s and family ministries. To sign up, call the church office, (949) 552-1918, with your Ralphs or Albertson’s Club Card number. Thank you!

Charitable Giving Made Easy Through Beneficiary Designation
Many people leave gifts to Lutheran congregations and institutions through the use of life insurance. Charitable givers aren’t required to give an entire contract, either. Life insurance owners can give a percentage or a specific dollar amount of their life contract proceeds to charity simply by indicating their intentions on their beneficiary designation. If you have specific questions about how this is done, contact your life insurance representative or your life insurance provider.

The Gift of Stocks
The year 2008 may well be an "interesting" time in the stock market! You can actually take advantage of this crazy market, by gifting stock to Good Shepherd. If you have a stock gain, do not sell it. You can arrange for a stock transfer through GSLC’s Vonnie Watson. If you have a stock loss, please sell the stock, then donate the proceeds to Good Shepherd. You may then be able to claim a loss for tax purposes. (Check with your tax or financial advisor.) Gifts of stock can be done at any time of year! Contact Vonnie at (949) 552-1918.

Your Will or Living Trust
Please use the following bequest clause in your will or living trust: "I give and bequeath $_____ (or percentage of estate) to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, a nonprofit Corporation under the Laws of the State of California located in Irvine, California."

Helping Hands
As a ministry to members and our worshiping guests who find themselves in financial crisis, we have established a congregational "Helping Hands" fund. In order to insure the anonymity of those who need some help, Pastor Hale has been given the discretion of offering this "Helping Hand" on behalf of the GSLC Congregation. If you would like to make a one-time contribution to help or wish to make ongoing gifts, just mark your check "Helping Hands."

Thrivent "Giving Plus" Program
Members and guests of Good Shepherd, ages 16 and older, who hold contracts or accounts with Thrivent will be able to donate up to $600 to the GSLC Preschool, and Thrivent will match it 50 cents on the dollar! (A minimum gift of $50 is required.) Forms and matching funds information are available through our GSLC church office, or we can mail you one. [Or more, if there are multiple contract/account holders in your household. Each of you can donate up to $600 and have each matched!] Questions? Donna Duckworth can tell you how you can do this very easily. Her number is (949) 552-1918 x17.

Cars 4 Causes
Do you have an old car, RV boat, or truck and don’t know what to do with it? Consider donating it to Cars 4 Causes - the charity that gives to charities! They offer a unique way for people to donate to their favorite nonprofit organization (hint, hint: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church) by selling your donated vehicle. The proceeds from the sale are then donated to the charity of your choice. Call 1-800-766-CARE for more information, and don’t forget to mention Good Shepherd.

Second Harvest Monthly Service Project
Please join us on any first Thursday of the month to carpool to Orange to serve the community at Second Harvest Food Bank (18 and older). Each time we go, a surprise function awaits us. In the past we have sorted donated food, labeled boxes, assembled food kits, etc. Please contact Mary or John Ward through the church office, (949) 552-1918, for more information and directions.

Devotional Booklets
We have family devotional booklets called Davey and Goliath’s Devotions for Families on the Go, as well as Christ in our Home daily devotional booklets, and The Home Altar for children. Pick them up in the Narthex, at the information table/F.L.O.C.K. registration tables, and in the women’s restroom.

Campbell Soup Labels
Please save your Campbell Soup Labels for the Navajo Lutheran Mission in Arizona. (An intact bar code is important for proper credit.) The labels can be placed on the desk in the narthex or the information table. Thank you!

Pop Tabs
A big thank you to all of you who continue to donate soda pop tabs to the Ronald McDonald House! The tabs benefit families of children who are receiving medical care for serious illnesses. The program assists with the costs of providing housing for the families at the Ronald McDonald House. For more information or to donate tabs, look for the big red-roof box on the Sunday Information table or contact Lisa, (949) 552-1918 x16.

Used Glasses Collection
Did you know that we recycle old glasses? If you have unbroken, complete glasses or prescription sunglasses, please place them in the Narthex or drop them by the information table on your way into church.

Church Bulletin Printing Volunteers Needed
Our volunteers are important in making worship happen each week! They help in the church office for an hour or two on Thursdays. Flexible hours and weeks to suit your schedule. Can you join the team? Please call Donna, (949) 552-1918 x17.

Caring Ministries
Handouts are available at the information table that describe the many opportunities to show God's Love through our Caring Ministries.