Blog

For more than a year now, we’ve had to deal with the separation and isolation associated with COVID. Even though it seems that things are beginning to “open up”, we are all still a little cautious. We all want to do the right thing for our own health and safety of others, but it’s been hard. This has been a season of separation and distance. Out of concern for others, we have refrained from visiting …
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This weekend we are observing "Good Shepherd Sunday" as we continue to celebrate the joyous season of Easter! The Gospel for the weekend comes from John chapter 10. We have a special relationship with this portion of God's Word because this is where we receive our church’s name! Jesus said, “I AM The Good Shepherd!” Our church is named after… Jesus! Jesus, the "Good Shepherd" is a treasured phrase His people hold onto dearly. There's no …
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For better or worse, most of us spend a LOT of time on social media. On average, people spend more than two hours a day on Facebook and other platforms! The good news is that social media has allowed people to stay connected with friends and family even through the isolation of the COVID pandemic. One aspect of Facebook is the facial recognition feature that allows you to “tag” your pictures with the name of the …
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 Alleluia, Christ is Risen! Contrary to what many people think, Easter is not just a single day. Christians celebrate the season of Easter which begins on Easter Sunday and continues for seven full weeks. During this time, the church celebrates the Lord’s Resurrection, His appearance to the disciples after Easter, His Ascension into heaven, and the disciples’ anticipation of the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Worship during this time features expressions of joy …
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During Holy Week we focus on the fact that Jesus payed the price for our sins by dying on the cross.  As the week begins on Palm Sunday we join in the joyful shouts of “Hosanna! Save us!” By the end of the week, we recall how Jesus did "save us" as we hear the angry shout of “Crucify!” On Good Friday as Jesus hung on the cross, He showed the full devotion of His love …
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Last Sunday we said goodbye to our church building at 1111 Van Street. Our Good Shepherd family had been worshipping there since 1952. It was a bittersweet yet joyful celebration of God’s goodness and mercy. Pastor Balzer faithfully shared God’s Word as he read Psalm 23 and we were reminded how Jesus is The Good Shepherd who continues to walk with us and shares His “goodness and mercy with us all the days of our …
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It was just about one year ago, when our Good Shepherd family learned a lesson. The lesson was brought to us courtesy of the COVID virus. The lesson? The “church” is NOT the building! THE CHURCH is wherever God’s Word is faithfully proclaimed and the Means of Grace are shared with God’s faithful people! Although some of us may have struggled with not being able to “GO” to church, we know that God’s presence is not …
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Have you ever been betrayed? Maybe you shared something in confidence with a friend and they broke your trust. Perhaps someone who you trusted only just pretended to be a supporter, and it turned out that they were just manipulating you for personal gain. We all have been caught in these situations. It hurts to be betrayed. During Lent we focus on how Jesus was betrayed. We think of how Judas, a dear trusted friend …
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“What is prayer?” When I ask someone that question, the answer that I often get is, “Talking with God.”  That’s a great response! Prayer is having a conversation with God.  SO, how is it that when I ask someone to pray in a group setting, a common response is, “Oh I am not good at praying…out loud!” What? Most of us do OK with talking. Why do MOST of us have a problem with talking …
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