This very minute--do you know what time it is?  If you were to give an answer to this question, your answer would be relative.  What is 9:00 am Saturday morning in California is noon in Michigan.  What is 9:00 here is 8:00 an Sunday morning for someone in Australia.  Time is a relative measurement that was created by God to assist the human race.  However, He is timeless.  That is way we have these inspired words:  "With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day" (2 Pet.3:8).    When your "time" on earth is over, unmeasured time will begin.  You will either spend it with your Creator or with Satan.  God wants you to know that "NOW" is the time to receive Him.  If you delay, your choices may be very limited.  "He that believes and is baptized will be save.  He that does not believe will be condemned"  is the eternal message.

     Although November is primarily remembered as a month for Thanksgiving, it is perhaps better remembered as a reminder month that time is running out.  The cold weather we experience tells us summer and fall are over, right?  November, just before December, means the end of the year is approaching.  All these should cause us to pause to think about the end of time.  In fact, in November we have the end of the church year and talk about judgment day and Jesus' coming again.

Don't fall back into a life of sin.  That's lost time.  Don't listen to Satan when he tempts you.  That's lost time.  Don't waste your time in pursuit of worthless/temporary earthly treasures.  That too is lost time.  "Seek you first God's Kingdom and his righteousness".

     An 8-year-old, Danny Dutton of Chula Vista, CA, for his third-grade homework assignment, wrote this.  The Assignment was to explain God.  (I wonder if any of us could do as well?)

     One of God's main jobs is making people.  He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth.  He doesn't make grown-ups, just babies.  I think that's because they are smaller and easier to make.  He leaves teaching them to talk and walk to mothers and fathers.  That way He doesn't have to take up His valuable time.  God's second most important job is listening to prayers.  An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, pray at time beside bedtime and at meals.  God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this.  God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy.  So you shouldn't go wasting His time by going over your Mom and Dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.

     Atheists are people who don't believe in God.  I don't think there are any in Chula Vista.  At least there aren't any who come to our church.

     Because of traffic is so heavy, we have our service later than usual.  We hope you are able to join us.  During that service we take not only a monetary offering, but also a food offering.  The money contributed will be split between our Wisconsin Synod's World Mission Fund and Apache Indians in Whiteriver, Az.  Last year we had 17 bags of food, split equally between Shepherd's Gate and the community dinner.  You are also encouraged to help out at the Livermore community Dinner the next day from 1:00–5:00 at the center on 8th and H streets.  They need servers, dishwashers, and clean-up crew.

     The news from our world missions is a good news/bad news kind of thing.  The good news is that our missions in India, Hong Kong and with the Hmong in the United States are booming.  Many men are studying to be pastors.  There are people pleading with us to send them a pastor.  Adult confirmations and children's baptisms are bringing many souls into Jesus' kingdom.  New countries like Thailand, Pakistan and Malaysia are open for us to proclaim the Gospel.

     The bad news is that we can't send pastors or missionaries to them.  We just don't have any money for it.  In fact, six American missionaries are being withdrawn from the fields (two from Dominican Republic, one from Russia, one from Bulgaria, one from Japan and the World Mission advisor).  Two more may have to come home if things do not improve financially.  Our offerings have not kept up with inflation and the Schwan Foundation (the ice cream/fine meat guys in the greenish Swan home delivery trucis) had to reduce their gifts.  Health insurance and salary increases further hinder our work.
     We pray that God will move our hearts to support our efforts all over the world.  You can see God's hand still at work.  Despite the withdrawals, men in many countries continue to share the Gospel through what's known as'Tent Ministries'.  St Paul made tents part-time and preached the Savior the rest.

     Here's where you can help directly!  Pastor Neng Lor in Sacramento sells firewood to support himself, his wife and their eight children.  In his little spare time, he leads a congregation of about 50 Hmong people.  If we are volunteers who would take a day (Monday thru Saturday) and travel to Sacramento, you could sell wood while Pastor Lor does Kingdom work.  It is not hard.  You wait for customers, tell them the prices, and perhaps help them load their car with their purchase.  If there are no customers, you can stack wood in pallets.  (Sometimes Pastor Lor delivers the wood in his truck.)  That's it!  If you can help (or even want to buy some wood), talk to Pastor Mueller.

Elliott Hutchinson Memorial Update:  Several people have contributed or wish to contribute to the memorial to Pastor and Julie's grandson.    Your gifts can be used in several ways.  Here at Good Shepherd,  Bill Ayers will plant a tree and memorial plaque; 16 new large print Bibles have been purchased; and if we receive more memorials, we will laser-engrave Elliott’s name on the center paver stone at the entrance to church.
     At East Fork, Katie & Ethan have decided to buy an altar and lectern for the chapel at the school (they currently use a table for an altar and a choir stand for the lectern.)  Thank you for your kind words and remembrances!

     At the morning meal, a father had asked the blessing as usual, thanking God for a bountiful provision.  Immediately afterward he began to grumble about the hard times, the poor quality of the food he was forced to eat, and the way it was cooked, etc.
     His little daughter interrupted him.  “Dad,” she began, “God heard what you said in the prayer a little while ago didn’t he?:
     “Certainly,” he replied confidently.
“And did He hear what you said about the bacon and the coffee?”
     “Yeah,” he remarked, not quite so confidently.
     “Then which did God believe Dad?”

SUNDAY SCHOOL/TEEN CLASS is for kids ages 3–15 who want to learn the Bible and the famous Bible stories.  This gives them a base upon which to make decisions that will challenge them as they get older.  Challenges like, how to deal with a bully, what to do when they get into an argument, how to avoid peer pressure, and most importantly, who Jesus is and what He has done for them.  Jesue is the one who left Heaven to sacrrifice himself for us so that by faith, we could go to Heaven one day.  Why not bring your kids?!  In January the kids and adults will be starting a new series called "Walk through the Bible:.  In a simple through videos and teaching, we'll learn how God gave us His Word and what it means for us.  Don't miss it!!

     A mom was concerned about her 2nd grade son Timmy, walking to school alone.  He didn't want to be a 'baby' that had to walk with his mother.  She wanted him to be independent, but she was worried about his safety.
     Then she remembered her neighbor, Shirley Goodnest.  Shirley liked to exercise, taking her baby daughter Marcy with her.  So she asked Shirley to follow behind her son, but at a distance so he wouldn't know he was being followed.  Wanting regular exercise, Shirley agreed.
     The next day Shirley Goodnest and baby Marcy set out behind Timmy.  A block later Timmy met with his friend Billy and they walked the rest of the way to school.  This went on for a couple of weeks.

     The boys begain to notice that Mrs. Goodnest was behind them every morning.  Billy asked Timmy if he knew the lady with the baby.
     "Yeah," Timmy replied, "that's my neighbor Mrs. Goodnest with Marcy."
     Billy was still confused.  "Why does she follow us every morning?"
     "I think it's like this," Timmy explained "every night my mon & dad make me say the 23rd Psalm along with my prayers 'cuz she worries about me so much.  And in the Psalm it says, "Shirley Goodnest and March shall follow me all the days of my life, so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!"
     (I pray, Shirley Goodnest and Marcy be with you everyday too.)

SMALL GROUP BIBLE STUDY is held every other week in homes from Livermore to Discovery Bay to Tracy on Wednesday and Thursday nights.  We're considering beginning another class.  If you'd like to be part of one, tell Pastor.  Two of the groups are going through the Luther Movie now, and the other is examining a topic called "Prepared to Answer".  This looks at some of the tough questions people ask and gives Bible answers to them.
     A new Bible Information Class (the best and most basic of all our Bible Classes) will be starting in January.  Please give it a try!