Mission & Outreach

2022 Mission and Outreach Team Annual Report

Our congregation has a heartfelt understanding of ministry beyond our church walls.  We support a variety of local and global ministries.  Good Shepherd members realize that our brothers and sisters are not just the people we meet every day, but also people we may never meet.

                  - Following is a review of our ministries in 2022 -

Feed My Starving Children (FMSC):  This was GSLC’s ninth year participating in FMSC, an organization that feeds God’s hungry children around the world. The 2022 MobilePack was held the first week in October. Over 2,836 volunteers from the Green Bay area packed 614,520 meals at the Community Church in Howard. This was enough to feed 1,683 children for an entire year. The meals were sent to Liberia and Ghana, both in West Africa. Our church collected $3,636.84 to donate toward the meals. Tammy Rusch is on the FMSC Board, representing GSLC as one of the eleven partner churches in the Green Bay area.

Operation Christmas Child (OCC):  This was our eighth year of participating in this ministry which sends gifts to children around the world in December. There were about 20 shoeboxes filled with gifts donated by GSLC members. The OCC organization also includes messages and lessons about Jesus before sending the boxes. The boxes were shipped to Namibia and Zambia in Africa and also Suriname in South America. Our supply of empty OCC shoeboxes in storage has now been used, so it was decided to discontinue this ministry for 2023.

Ecumenical Partnership for Housing (EPH):  GSLC is responsible for managing and maintaining The Matthew House, purchased through EPH, which provides a home for a family experiencing homelessness. Since September of 2022, a mother and her two year old son have been living there. GSLC has sponsored The Matthew House since 2014 and we have helped 12 families over these past eight years. Shirley and Ron Kocha continue to maintain the home and are appreciative of donations and prayers. Volunteers are often needed to help with ongoing maintenance and cleaning when a family moves out. Tarra Gallagher is our EPH Board member, representing GSLC at monthly meetings and keeping our church informed. This was our eighth year of being involved in EPH.

Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive:  For the past seven years, GSLC has participated in this hygiene drive which is sponsored by “The Family” 91.5 FM radio station during February and March. By March of 2022 the donation boxes in church were overflowing! All donations were given to local crisis agencies, including the area shelters.

Days for Girls:  This nonprofit organization sews feminine hygiene kits for young girls in countries who would otherwise miss school during their monthly periods. GSLC has been involved in the local chapter for five years. Since its beginning in NE Wisconsin, Titletown Days For Girls reached a milestone this year with 10,000 kits completed. The kits are sent to girls and young women all over the world. Some of the latest destinations for the kits include Tanzania, Pakistan, and Madagascar. Lois Appel leads this ministry.

Christmas Gifting Tree:  During November to early December, a Christmas tree in the Narthex was decorated with ornaments that labeled gift ideas needed by families for their children in the area. These donated gifts were given to The Giving Tree in Howard. Good Shepherd had many gifts donated which were part of The Giving Tree's Annual Holiday Store. These gifts, along with others donated in our area, helped to spread Christmas cheer to more than 600 children in our community. Sadie Johnsen is our liaison with The Giving Tree and organizes this ministry. 

Salvation Army:  During 2022 volunteering to serve a meal as a group at The Salvation Army on Union Court was put “on hold” for the second year due to continued concerns with the pandemic. Participation by individuals was an option and opportunities to volunteer were regularly included in the weekly Chronicles.

Neighborhood Fest:  Mission and Outreach was instrumental  in planning the Neighborhood Fest on September 11th as an outreach ministry to celebrate GSLC’s 50th Anniversary. About 2,500 postcards were mailed to nearby neighbors inviting them to the event and a large banner was posted in front of the church opening up our worship service, lunch and activities to the community. A brat fry was organized by the Scout Troops and a food truck was available, as well. Activities included a bounce house, balloon art, face painting, games, and God’s Work-Our Hands service projects.

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Thank you to all who have helped make these Mission & Outreach ministries possible by volunteering your time, donating, and praying.  Your efforts have helped GSLC make a difference in the lives of many—young & old, near & far, all of God’s children.

If you are interested in helping with any of these ministries during 2023 and/or would like to join our team and/or have ideas for future ministries that you would like to discuss, please contact one of us on this team. We welcome new faces and new ideas!

The 2022 Mission & Outreach Team – Lois Appel, Sara Fielder, Tarra Gallagher, Sadie Johnsen, Shirley Kocha, Diane Lenz, Sue Riemer, Tammy Rusch

 Through the following ministries, we connect people with opportunities to serve just as Christ has called us to do.