A group from the Church of the Good Shepherd, Norfolk, will visit our friends in Embangweni this summer from July 30th to August 16th. It is our third visit. This trip is part of our continuing wonderful relationships with both St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, the Diocese of Northern Malawi, and the Embangweni School for the Deaf and will continue to strengthen and rejoice in them. Included in our plans with the Church are participating in their worship services and classes in their parish hall. With the school we are continuing to meet with students and faculty, play basketball and work on language skills. There is also a great deal of effort to contribute to build the first secondary school for the Deaf in Malawi. Those traveling to Malawi will be staying and eating all their meals at the Robert Laws Guest House. We have had no problem with illness, food, or safety. Medical shots and passports are needed. Youth and children are welcome with their parents. Group orientation will be part of our endeavor. The greatest gift we bring in such an exchange is ourselves. In that same vein, the Rt. Rev. Fanuel Magangani, Bishop of Northern Malawi, will visit us in Norfolk in early September Also, it is hoped that a family from Mzuzu will be able to visit sometime this summer. Needed now are Cheerful Travelers including a Basketball Coach. The students and community have become great basketball enthusiasts, especially since a court was built at the Deaf School a few years back. Last year Keyon Carter, a player, and Peter Stewart, a professor, both from ODU, made tremendous contributions with their coaching. Ben Blanchard took boom whackers. Others sang, acted, visited, received and gave. Essential for this visit are:

1. Flexible spirit, good health and a sense of humor
2. Knowledge of basketball and a willingness to impart it
3. Openness to work with a Church group no matter one’s own faith persuasion
4. Ability to listen more than talk, learn more than teach, and make friends
5. Cost is the plane ticket- now around $2000 from Norfolk- and $600 additional fees. Some assistance is available.

This is a wonderful trip. Contact Robert Davenport robert@goodshepherdnorfolk.org 423-3230

NEST (Norfolk Emergency Shelter Team) is off to a delicious start! Since the beginning of Good Shepherds involvement with NEST the “A” Team has always kicked off the week with decadent southern fare. A succulent menu of homemade meatloaf, collard greens, and baked apples followed by homemade cake soothes the hunger of the 60 or so homeless guests!

The homeless in Norfolk will be at Good Shepherd through next Wednesday morning. Volunteers are always welcome! Stop from 5:00 p.m. through 7:00 a.m. and roll up your sleeves for a great time!

Thank you for all of your help donating supplies for NEST and decorating lunch bags. I hope the bags will bring a smile to our guests throughout the day.

Elizabeth Hope
Interim Director of Christian Education

The dates for NEST 2012 are February 1st through February 8th. NEST is a coalition of 30 or so churches that rotate in providing warm meals and overnight shelter for those in our community who are homeless. It is not only an important ministry to both our church and community, but also a rewarding and gratifying experience for our many volunteers.

As we are just beginning preparations, there are a multitude of opportunities for you to become involved. We need volunteers for a variety of tasks which can be as simple and short as picking up donuts in the evening, cooking meals, serving meals, cleanup after meals and spending the night at the church. The overnight watch is a great opportunity to get some work or reading done, or it can also serve as an opportunity for some personal downtime and reflection.

You can get a wealth of information from the nest link on the Church of the Good Shepherd website about NEST, volunteer opportunities, job descriptions, etc.

Please consider volunteering some of your precious time and talent for NEST 2012. There are MANY ways to sign up:

1. Sign-up sheet is available in the front of the church at the entrance to the sanctuary.
2. E-mail me directly wddrisk@cox.net
3. Call: 757-418-1533
4. Sign up on the Good Shepherd website

We can also use donations: Monetary donations will help to offset the costs of the food that the church provides. Make a note on the check for NEST 2012. We can also use the following items: Socks, Hats, Gloves, warm Jackets, feminine hygiene products, undergarments female and male, magazines, toiletries and bus tickets which can be purchased at local grocery stores.

Please be generous with your time and talents and help out those in our community that are struggling through difficult times.

Will You Proclaim By Word And Example The Good News Of God In Christ?

9:15 a.m. Memorial Hall

Grab a few items at the store! Search through your pantry!

Listed below are the types of items to bring for the activity Sunday morning.

• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• Lotions
• Lip Balm
• Mouthwash (alcohol-free)
• Hand Wipes
• Dental Floss
• Soap
• Tums
• Pocket Combs
• Brushes
• Chewing gum

EVERYONE CAN HELP. Use this as an opportunity to teach your family about helping those in need and remember how fortunate we really are. We are collecting small toiletries over the next two weeks. Look through your cabinets for the hotel soap you have collected, little bottles of shampoo, and extra toothbrushes from the dentist. When you are in the grocery store throw one or two extra items in your basket each time. When we all help, we will certainly collect a lot of useful items we take for granted.

Elizabeth Hope
Director of Christian Education

The dates for NEST 2012 are February 1st through February 8th. NEST is a coalition of 30 or so churches that rotate in providing warm meals and overnight shelter for those in our community who are homeless. It is not only an important ministry to both our church and community, but also a rewarding and gratifying experience for our many volunteers.

As we are just beginning preparations, there are a multitude of opportunities for you to become involved. We need volunteers for a variety of tasks which can be as simple and short as picking up donuts in the evening, cooking meals, serving meals, cleanup after meals and spending the night at the church. The overnight watch is a great opportunity to get some work or reading done, or it can also serve as an opportunity for some personal downtime and reflection.

You can get a wealth of information from the nest link on the Church of the Good Shepherd website about NEST, volunteer opportunities, job descriptions, etc.

Please consider volunteering some of your precious time and talent for NEST 2012. There are MANY ways to sign up:

1. Sign-up sheet is available in the front of the church at the entrance to the sanctuary.
2. E-mail me directly wddrisk@cox.net
3. Call: 757-418-1533
4. You may even be able to add your name to the appropriate space below and reply back to me.
5. Sign up is also available on the Good Shepherd website (goodshepherdnorfolk.org)

We can also use donations: Monetary donations will help to offset the costs of the food that the church provides. Make a note on the check for NEST 2012. We can also use the following items: Socks, Hats, Gloves, warm Jackets, feminine hygiene products, undergarments female and male, magazines, toiletries and bus tickets which can be purchased at local grocery stores.

Please be generous with your time and talents and help out those in our community that are struggling through difficult times.

It’s difficult to decide who to thank first. Whether it be the kids who kept up the spirit of the trip, Ben being the organizer, or the adults who took time out of their schedules in order to ensure all of our events were conducted timely, efficiently, and safely. With that being said, I would like to thank everyone for a wonderful and memorable weekend. Before this weekend I couldn’t ski. After this weekend, well, I still can’t ski but I’m confident enough to give it another go. Everyone was very supportive and helpful to everyone else’s needs. Each person brought their own experiences, talents, and personalities to this trip making it a realization to most everyone. After speaking to all of the children, adults, and everyone at the Grace Church near wintergreen I would like to remain involved and strengthen the ties I had made over the weekend and contribute my own experiences, talents, and personality. Not to be over repetitive but just one more thank you to everyone from Mission, St. Andrews, and Good Shepard. May more good times be had by all.

Ramone Escalante

*Ramone is in the U.S. Navy and is new to Norfolk and Good Shepherd. He grew up in Chicago. Please say hello and give him a big Good Shepherd welcome!

We have been involved in a lot of Local Outreach in the last few months. Thanksgiving Baskets, Angel Tree, Tucker House and now a HUGE opportunity for all members of the congregation. We are hosting NEST Feb 1st–8th. I encourage everyone to sign up to help the week we host, and I hope you can help prepare ahead of time too.

EVERYONE CAN HELP. Use this as an opportunity to teach your family about helping those in need and how fortunate we really are. We are collecting small toiletries over the next two weeks. Look through your cabinets for the hotel soap you have collected, little bottles of shampoo, and extra toothbrushes from the dentist. When you are in the grocery store throw one or two extra items in your basket each time. When we all help, we will certainly collect a lot of useful items we take for granted.

Then on Sunday, January 22nd, we will gather together during the education hour to make bags for our guests.

Elizabeth Hope
Director of Christian Education

January 12, 2012

The Creole aphorism “Men anpil chay pa lou” means “Many hands lighten the load.” And as The Church of the Good Shepherd proved, we share more than this aphorism with our brothers and sisters in Haiti. In 2011, you contributed $2418.30 toward rebuilding Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port-au-Prince!

Your contributions are helping to rebuild the central pillar of a support system that was once very broad and strong. In a country with a per capita income of $480, The Episcopal Church in Haiti provided education in over 200 schools, medical care through health clinics, and cultural training through the Cathedral music school. The January 2010 earthquake wiped out 70% of the Episcopal Church’s properties in Haiti. But with our help, they are building back.

For making all this possible, special thanks go to Beth Parker for her organizational skills and leadership and to our Rector Robert Davenport for keeping us ever mindful of the needs of others.

The Church of the Good Shepherd joined 488 other parishes and organizations across the country in the Rebuild Our Church in Haiti campaign. For a list of parishes and dioceses across the nation who’ve lent a hand, go to www.episcopalchurch.org/HaitiAppeal.

On this second anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti, I want to personally thank all of you for your generous support of this effort!

Barbara Byers, Diocesan Coordinator

Teach someone in your community how to read by becoming an adult reading tutor. Tidewater Literacy Council is conducting a volunteer Tutor Training Workshop on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm here at Good Shepherd. If you can read, you can help! Please call Tidewater Literacy Council at 393-6459 to register for this tutor training workshop or for more information about the program. Visit them online for an online tutor orientation.

Greetings. This serves as a report that roofing on the building at embangweni church hall commenced today the 8th of August in the year of our lord 2011.

The Rev. & Mrs. Charles Damba

Please plan to be a blood donor on Wednesday, August 31st when Church of the Good Shepherd hosts a Blood Drive in honor of Lee’s Friends – Helping People Live with Cancer—and Lee’s Friends volunteer Brooks Harris. The Blood Drive is from 2 to 7 p.m. Giving blood typically takes just one hour from your day—and only about 15 minutes of that is the actual donation. Your one donation can help save the lives of up to three people. Please take just one hour to give the gift of life!

The Virginian-Pilot recently reported on a trip by former Old Dominion University basketball player Keyon Carter, who accompanied Rev. Robert Davenport and his wife, Lizzy Allen, to visit a school for the deaf in Malawi, an impoverished nation in southeast Africa. Read the article here.