About Us

Pastor’s Annual Report for 2024

Pastor’s Report for 2024

“Know that the LORD is God, our maker to whom we belong;

   we are God’s people and the sheep of God’s pasture.

Enter the gates of the LORD with thanksgiving and the courts with praise;

   give thanks and bless God’s holy name.”       

--Psalm 100:3-4, ELW

Several years ago, during our formal redevelopment process, Good Shepherd discerned its core values:

· SERVE We strive to support our worldwide community in faith and service because Jesus teaches us to love our neighbor.

· SHARE We are called by Jesus to share the Good News so that others may know the transforming power of God’s grace.

·      SUPPORT Together we seek to love and support each other in our joys and sorrows through prayer and service.

·     WORSHIP Because God is forgiving and loving, we are called together to worship joyfully.

· GROW As God’s children, we engage in life-long learning of God’s story so we can grow in faith and be rooted in Jesus. 

These core values continue to guide the leadership of Good Shepherd, and they are at the heart of our decision-making process.

In 2024, the leadership of Good Shepherd focused on our core value of WORSHIP, as we sought to more faithfully live out this value as a community. This discussion was spurred by the changes in how our community has gathered for worship post-COVID. In 2023, 55% of our worshiping community was in-person, and 45% was online. This shift resulted in our worship space feeling empty some Sunday mornings and Monday evenings. This perceived emptiness impacted our sense of community, as well as our confidence in congregational singing.

At the March Congregation Council meeting, the council discussed what they value about worship at Good Shepherd, shared conversations they have had with others who do not worship regularly, and considered what aspects of our worship life should remain and what things we could discontinue.

The conversation then widened in April, when council members each had three one-on-one conversations with members of the congregation or community At the May All-Team meeting, team and committee members were brought into the discussion, as well as Good Shepherd’s staff. At the May and June Congregation Council meetings, the conversations and discernment continued, and at the July meeting, the Congregation Council decided to move to one worship service on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am and an evening worship on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm, staring in September.

Factoring into this decision was our Christian Education ministry, and our core value to GROW in faith. Because of increasing demands on families’ schedules on Sunday mornings, the council sought to condense worship and Sunday school times. And similarly, on Wednesday evenings, confirmation families are encouraged to attend evening worship prior to confirmation class.

We are now four months into this worship schedule change, and the leadership of the congregation has received positive feedback and support from the congregation. We have also seen an increase in our in-person worship attendance in the fall of 2024 compared to the fall of 2023:

·   Sunday morning average worship attendance in the fall of 2023 (8 and 10:30 am worship combined) was 71.9.

·   Monday evening average worship attendance in the fall of 2023 (7 pm worship) was 17.6.

·   Sunday morning average worship attendance in the fall of 2024 (9 am worship) was 77.2.

·   Wednesday evening average worship attendance in the fall of 2024 (6:30 pm worship) was 30.4.

Combining all weekly worship services, our in-person worship attendance has increased from an average 89.5 in the fall of 2023 to 107.6 in the fall of 2024. This is an increase of over 20%.

Along with the changes in our worship times, we have also intentionally made our worship space more welcoming to younger families with the Joyful Noise ministry first introduced by Corey Christenson and our Prayer Ground. Corey Christenson stepped down as the Music Director at the end of July, and thankfully Corey has continued as the Bell Choir Director of the Ringers Jubilate. In September, Robbie Spofford joined our staff as the Music Director and primary Accompanist. Both Corey’s and Robbie’s musical gifts have been a blessing to Good Shepherd during this transition, and they have helped us to once again make a joyful noise to the Lord together, confidently.

During these significant changes, the faithfulness and flexibility of Jerry Lapinskas (our Confirmation Coordinator) and Hallie Langenhorst (our Sunday School Superintendent) have been a gift to our congregation as well. And Robert Schwandt (our Administrative Assistant) has managed all these changes and transitions with good humor and grace. Here at Good Shepherd we are fortunate to have an amazing staff, core volunteers, and lay leaders. Truly, we are here for GOOD.

And, as your Pastor, I am blessed beyond measure to minister with all of you. Your faithfulness—to our shared values and to the mission that God has set before us—is bold witness to the enduring promises of Jesus Christ. Thank you for all that you do in Christ’s name.

In Christ,

Pastor Jen