Author: Donna Wenger

The “official” start of spring, regardless of what the weather is doing outside, is Saturday, March 20th. Spring is about 92 days long! The Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a stormy, mild and wet spring for the Pittsburgh area.

Daylight Savings Time 2021 begins at 2 am on the second Sunday in March, March 14. That means that sometime on Saturday evening our clocks should be set FORWARD one hour. Yes, that also means that we actually lose one hour of sleep! But, we are better able to take advantage of the sun’s natural light and get out and do more in the evenings. As warm weather arrives, wouldn’t it be nice to have more time to enjoy the evening? Let’s hope the weather cooperates!

Try some of these easy ways to help your body adjust to the time change:

1. Let sunlight into your room as soon as you wake up.
2. Don’t drink caffeine after lunch time.
3. Exercise in the morning, afternoon or early evening and not close to bedtime.
4. Dim the lights in your house an hour before bedtime and make your bedroom as dark as you can.
5. Take a bath before bed and add some lavender essential oil.
6. Some herbal teas are known to help relax and destress. Try Lavender, Hops, Catnip, Lemon Balm or Chamomile, but, make sure it is okay with your doctor first!
7. Go to bed 15 to 30 minutes earlier during the week before the time change. If you can’t do that, make sure you don’t miss any sleep that week and get to bed on time!

Hopefully some of these tips will help you ease into the Spring Forward time change!

On Monday, February 8, a pick-up of medical equipment which has been donated to The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church has been scheduled with The Brother’s Brother Foundation. This equipment includes wheel chairs, walkers, canes and adult diapers. These donations “provide our partners with goods that help many projects in developing countries” Brother’s Brother states. This will be the second donation in a few years collected here at Good Shepherd. If you have medical equipment in good condition or unopened supplies that you would like to donate, please call the church office at 412-372-2934. Donations must be made by Thursday, February 4, 2021.

We will not be able to provide gift bags to our homebound members this year for Christmas, SOOOO let’s shower them with Christmas cards! A list of our homebound members is available from Donna, our secretary. It is available as a paper copy or it can be emailed to you. While you are at it, think of some of our other members that could use some Christmas cheer and send them a card too!

Val Corbin has placed a sign by our church driveway entrance which contains FREE masks. She could use some help keeping it supplied. If you can help, there are Joann Fabrics gift cards available in the church office to help purchase supplies. Please call the office if you are interested.

Please wear your mask, limit group activities and stay 6 feet away!

Harvest Sunday was November 22 but we are continuing to collect non-perishable food and personal care items. These items will go to local food banks, restock the pantry at Good Shepherd and, be used to provide food for several families in the Gateway School District. Recently a request was made to the Monroeville Interfaith Ministerium. The Gateway School District asked for food and cold-weather clothing items for families in the district in need. The Service Committee used some of the money in their budget to purchase food and Giant Eagle gift cards. Bags were delivered to Ramsey Elementary on November 17th. Seven additional bags have been assembled and will be taken to University Park Elementary next week. If you have new or gently used hats, gloves, coats or boots that you can part with, we will be collecting those at Good Shepherd too. We will donate those to families in the school district as soon as we get more detailed information. Thank you for all that you do for our neighbors in need!

Did you pick up your Advent wreath making supplies yet? They are available in Fellowship Hall. Here is a picture of what one member did…

Show us what your family has created with your Advent Wreath!

Angel Tree-Every one of the 25 names from our Angel Tree was claimed! We have received some monetary donations that we will use to cover gift requests. Remember to bring your gifts/donations to the church on or before December 6. Service Committee members will be in Fellowship Hall on Sunday, December 6 from 11am until 1pm.

Pick up your FREE Advent wreath kit in the Fellowship Hall – one per household.

Advent is a very special season in the church year.  It is a time of preparation and anticipation for the coming of Christ both in the past in His incarnation as the baby Jesus, but also in the future with His promised second coming as Christ Triumphant. Furthermore, Advent is a time to focus on His present coming to us in the Word and Sacraments. 

The Advent Kit included here will provide you with a way to experience this beautiful season of light in your own home.  The ritual of lighting a new candle each week and sharing God’s word of promise and hope in our Savior, Jesus Christ may make the darker days seem brighter!

The Advent Kit includes 4 Candles, Instructions for Creating your own Wreath and Liturgy to use each week when lighting your candle(s).