Good Shepherd celebrated 10 years in our sanctuary with an Old-Fashioned Church Picnic that was so popular Father Richard says it will become an annual event! With free fried chicken, delicious sides and desserts, an opportunity for fellowship and a front row seat to view the GSCC documentary WE ARE we drew a monster crowd of over 800 people! What a blessing that we had a beautiful day and enough food for all! The hall was transformed into the Texas countryside with flying kites, hay bales and sunflowers galore! So many people made this event a success.  We encourage to watch We Are. If you have been a parishioner for 2 years or 20, you will have an emotional response to this film. If you missed the event this year, you will want to mark your calendars for next year.

 

This summer at The Pines has been such a beautiful experience.  It is such a blessing to watch the Holy Spirit reach out to each and every camper and staff member, and bestow God’s overwhelming grace on their hearts.  The heat, long hours, and lack of sleep meet no match to the spiritual satisfaction staff members receive to having the amazing opportunity to spend our summers winning souls over to God’s love.  I encourage each and every parent to allow their kids to spend a week at The Pines, so that the might have the opportunity to make great Catholic friends, have an amazing week of fun, and grow ever deeper in their faith.  Thanks and Gig ‘Em.  Johnny D. 

 

As a counselor at The Pines, you never know the exact thought process of your campers. You minister to such a wide variety of kids depending on what cabin you are put in for the week. I will never forget the experience of being with the youngest group, 7-8 year olds. I had one of the toughest, yet sweetest campers; her name is Vivien. Throughout the whole week I never knew if she was having a good time regardless of how hard I tried, but on Saturday morning when her parents came to pick her up she cried into my shirt saying how much she didn’t want to leave and how much she LOVED The Pines. The Holy Spirit works through our staff in so many different ways. Two weeks after Vivien left I received a letter in the mail saying, “I miss you so much. I’m crying right now. The Pines was the best time I’ve ever had in my whole life.” Who knew the words of an 8 year old could be so affirming. Vivien’s letter is proof that The Pines’ ministry is changing lives of our children even when they go home.

Sally

 

Good Shepherd participated in GRACE’s Feed Our Kids program as part of the Teen Service Week.   With donations from the Women’s Group, The Van Noy family, CRHP groups, the parish staff, the Rosary and Donut group and VBS families, we were able to provide and serve 120 lunches each day.  These donations made it possible to serve these children fun meals like spaghetti and meatballs, chicken nuggets and sno cones without any cost to the church!  Many thanks to all of you who supported this effort.  We look forward to next year and know that we can count on your generosity to make sure the needy children in our area receive a home cooked lunch and love and support from GSCC.

 

Men of the Rosary and Donut Group, Thank you so much for your donations for the Teen Service Week.  Your donations were used to rent a Sno Cone truck to come out to the GRACE:  Feed Our Kids program site at the end of the week.  You can just imagine the excitement on the children's faces when the truck rolled up!  This week was such a success on so many levels and it would not have run so smoothly without your help.  Thank you, again, for your generosity!

His Hands and Feet Teen Service Team

 

 What an exciting ending to such a wonderful week!  The teens were so helpful and we loved having the chance to spend the week with the kids.  I am so impressed with the way Good Shepherd came together to make it all happen……from the Men of R&D, Women’s Group, various CRHP groups, several single families, the parish staff and the huge donation from VBS, along with the service from our devoted teen volunteers!  This was truly a community at work!  So proud to be just a small part of it all!  Your generosity brought much joy!!!  Blessings to you all!