Many of the COGS music programs have weekly practices on Thursday nights during the year - but Thursday night December 29 was different - we gathered at the Gilmour home for an end-of-year potluck and fellowship as shown in the accompanying photos.

On Christmas eve, COGS held two worship services, one at 4 pm and one at 7 pm. The photos below are from parts of both services. The first service ended with a perfectly timed red sunset glow enveloping the Sandia mountains as we sang Silent Night by candlelight. Luminaria welcomed those coming to the later service. There was lots of music - by the Bell Choir, Good Shepherd Singers, Chancel Choir - interspersed with readings from the New Testament read by members of COGS.

During 2011, various groups of ten met over a potluck at member's homes. The last such dinner was held on December 17, 2011.

Each Christmas season, the Forever Young group (age 50 and up) holds a gift exchange and potluck at one of the member's home. This year we had to switch venues at the last minute because our host had a fall and ended up in the hospital. But we soldiered on and had a great time - good food and fun to open a gift and have the person with a higher number take it away - boo hoo! Enjoy the fun below with the photos.

The Chancel Choir performed the Bach cantata Unto us, a child is born in German. They were accompanied by an instrumental ensemble.

This year we have a new Christmas tree and new decorations for the Sanctuary. Here we show members putting up the decorations. [This was taken from an article in the December Staff.

Five new members join the Church of the Good Shepherd on the day that we had our annual Thanksgiving celebration.

A complete Thanks-giving dinner is an annual tradition at COGS - when we give thanks to all who pledged to the church, for our new members who are joining the church, and for all our blessings. We had a full house of at least 100 people which included members, extended family, neighbors and friends. As you can see, there was plenty of good food to be had. At the end of the meal, we had a chance to make crismons, Christmas tree ornaments.

This musical was a superb presentation by the Children's Choir led by Linda Gilmour. The children memorized both their lines and the songs. They spoke clearly so we all understood. There were many humorous lines in the musical which had the congregation laughing. A job well done!

Do you recognize Adam? How about Noah's Ark in front of the animals? Abraham and Sarah? Jacob and the many colored coat?

On Friday November 4 Forever Young had a tour of the Tamarind Institute, a state-of-the-art lithographer known throughout the world for the high quality of their fine art prints. The artist draws one color of his work on a specially treated limestone plate from which prints are made. This process is repeated for each color carefully aligning each printing. A fascinating and exacting process.

Three families with 9 children between them arrived on Sunday October 30th to spend a week at COGS. The youngest child was a 6 week-old baby girl who made a real hit with all of us. More photos added December 2.

We wanted to update you on the Crop Walk. We had 20 walkers (some didn’t make it to the photo shoot.) We raised over $4,000.00! We are so proud of COGS. A special “thank you” to John Palmer for taking the photo.

The Fall Sunday routine has resumed at COGS. Photos capture the Children's breakfast club, an adult education class, the Men's Ensemble singing in Japanese!, Pastor Bill delivering the children's sermon and then the regular sermon, and finally Pastor Bill greeting worshipers as they leave the sanctuary.