Good Samaritan News
Livestream links
You can always find the link to next Sunday's livestreamed service on our Watch and Listen page.
From the Minnesota Conference
Emergency Response Donation: Please consider supporting congregations and communities in the Minnesota Conference as we respond to crises and emergencies. Current critical needs are in response to immigration enforcement, with these donations helping to provide assistance for urgent basic needs such as food, housing, transportation, and legal support. Thank you for your support and your generosity.
Support Immigrant Neighbors: Many have asked how they can help support the Minnesota Conference's efforts to serve our immigrant neighbors at this time. If you would like to give financial support, enter your contribution under "Racial Justice Initiatives - Racial Justice: Where Needed Most" and type "immigrant care" in the text box.
Other Ways to Help
During this critical time of need for our neighbors, you can volunteer and donate:
- VEAP - https://veap.org/ways-to-give/
current-crisis-response/ - STEP - https://www.stepslp.org/
- Rent assistance for Stonebridge School families - https://gofund.me/de3f8e709
- Food drive and delivery - https://www.dhhmn.com/
operations - HandsOn Twin Cities - https://www.handsontwincities.org/community-response-action-hub
- Stand with Minnesota - https://www.standwithminnesota.com/
Nursery and Sunday School Help Needed
We need one more volunteer in the Nursery on February 22, March 1, and March 8. Please let Jan know if you can help on any of these Sundays.
We are also at the point where we need a helper in the Sunday School room, a good problem to have! Could you consider giving one Sunday a month to be the helper in Sunday School?
Reach out to Jan for more information or to volunteer for either opportunity at jan@good.org.
Lenten Spiritual Growth Series
In times when change swirls around you, leaving you unstable and unsure, it is good to remember where you have come from in order to focus you for where you are going. In times of trouble and strife, it is good to remember the troubles that you have already overcome. In times of concern, it is good to remember your times of joy. In times like these, it is good to remember who you are.
This Lent, let us remember together. Let us remember our Judeo-Christian faith, our denominational heritage, and our local church lore, so that we can remember that we are God’s own people. Let us remember “in order that we may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
This six-week series begins immediately after Ash Wednesday, February 18, and runs through Holy Week. Classes may be attended either Sunday mornings following worship, or Tuesday mornings at 9:30 a.m.
We have robust enrollment for Tuesday mornings, but the after-worship option needs a good 10-20 more participants to make it dynamic and worthwhile. If you have been considering this memory-rich journey through Lent but haven’t gotten around to signing up yet, please do so now! Go to tinyurl.com/GSRemember for more information and to register. Registration deadline is Tuesday, February 17. Contact Pastor Jim with questions - jim@good.org or 952-452-9396.
Thursday Afternoon Book Group
The next meeting of the Thursday Afternoon Book Group will be on March 12th at 1:00 in the Fireside Room. Our discussion title will be The Rent Collector by Cameron Wright. This novel centers on a Cambodian woman who lives with her family in a municipal dump in Phnom Penh. Please join us for fellowship, discussion and refreshments. Questions: Contact Vicki Dunn, 952-930-3431, victoriadunn@myctl.net.
Feed My Starving Children
Join others from Good Samaritan to pack meals at the Chanhassen FMSC site at 18732 Lake Dr E, Chanhassen, Friday, February 20, from 7:15-8:45 p.m. Sign up with Jane at jame.heimerl@yahoo.com.
Stonebridge Book Fair
Do you remember the excitement of a book fair at your school, getting to pick out a new book of your own choice? Good Samaritan volunteers are organizing this year’s Scholastic Book Sale at Stonebridge School. The sale will be held February 5-12.
We need assistance with set-up and during the sale to help students and parents find books and to check out. JoAnn Knutson will be in the narthex this Sunday to sign up volunteers. We have many volunteer time slots, so please see her on Sunday or contact her at joannknutson@hotmail.com.
We are also still looking for weekly volunteers in the library to help students find and check out books, and for tutoring in reading. Contact JoAnn for more information.
Be a Sunday Morning Greeter!
Help to make people feel welcome and valued when they attend Good Samaritan – be a Greeter! Introverted or extroverted and everyone in between is welcome. Can’t commit to every Sunday? Not a problem. If interested, contact Dave Knutson 612-859-2940 or dhknutson73@gmail.com.
Help Beautify our Worship
Our altar flower signup sheet for Sunday morning worship is looking very empty. Consider signing up!
You can acknowledge an anniversary, honor someone, or provide flowers just because! There are several ways to provide flowers for the altar for all different budgets, including:
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- Have Cindy in the office order an arrangement from Bachman’s for a cost of $65 (or more for a larger arrangement).
- To avoid the $18 delivery fee, order your own arrangement and pick it up yourself.
- Grab a bouquet from your local grocery store (Trader Joe’s has a great selection for lower cost) or farmers market (Fulton Farmers Market meets at Lake Harriet UMC on Saturday mornings).
- Cut flowers and foliage from your own yard.
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When you sign up on the Altar Flowers chart on the Narthex kiosk, Cindy will be in touch with you to discuss what you would like to do. Contact her with questions - cindy@good.org or 952-929-0049.