Education & Youth

Education & Youth Team 2023 Annual Report

Children's Ministry 

The 2023 calendar year has been another one full of excitement and joy for Children’s Ministry at Good Shepherd. Three weeks a month the 30 children enrolled in Sunday School meet in their assigned classrooms and use the Sparkhouse curriculum by age. Then the kids meet all together the first Sunday of every month for an All-Kids event. We have enjoyed many fun events at all-kids, including a service project week, a lesson in puppet ministry, and a fun end of the school year trivia game and ice cream social. We were also able to hold the annual Palm Sunday Easter Egg hunt and First Communion instruction for four students took place in March.

Sunday School is being taught by a team of very generous volunteers including four middle and high school aged youth. The Education Team truly appreciates the generosity and service of the volunteer teachers who allow us to make this ministry a success.

Little Lambs ministry has continued during this school year, which provides a Christian education opportunity for children 0-3 years old and their families once a month during the education hour. Little Lambs has been well attended and enjoyed by around five families.

The beginning of a new school year once again kicked off with God’s Work, Our Hands Sunday, with the students able to participate in a number of volunteer activities. September also brought Bible Sunday, with Bibles gifted to students in 4K, 3rd grade, and 7th grade.

In October we co-hosted a Trunk or Treat event outside at GSLC. It was once again an incredibly successful event this year with around 120+ children attending thanks to the help of our Cub Scout pack also participating. In December we were once again able to put on a Sunday School Christmas program. Students presented the program “The Symbols of Christmas” during worship service.

We are pleased to report that overall, Sunday mornings in the Education wing are full of energy, excitement and love. As we head into the new year, we will look to continue to look forward to the many blessings and opportunities God gives us to learn from and with the youngest members of His flock.

Submitted by

Hallie Langenhorst

Confirmation Ministry at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Serve – Share – Support – Worship – Grow

“Confirmation” is when one affirms the promises made on their behalf in baptism.

“Ministry” is further defined as “the spiritual work of any Christian or group of Christians”.

I am happy to report that Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is indeed performing the work of a group of Christians. Furthermore, Confirmation Ministry is not owned by a single person or committee, but by every member of this congregation.

Witness the fact that the parents of confirmation students, the students themselves, the small group leaders, and the Pastor annually all affix their signatures to a Confirmation Covenant. This Covenant states that ALL these people are committed to the process by which we prepare our students to affirm the promises made on their behalf during baptism. Finally, the congregation also affixed their signatures to the back of this framed document to affirm their support of our confirmation students.

Well done, good and faithful servants!

Throughout the year I have been honored and privileged to be involved with our confirmation students. Thank you, small group leaders and Pastor Jen. It is gratifying and uplifting to share our faith journey with the students. As Forrest Gump might muse: “Wednesday evening confirmation classes are like a box of chocolates”. You just never know what you will unwrap!

This year we added KAHOOT! – a fantastic online learning tool that is used by the Howard-Suamico school district and is in the wheelhouse of our students. It gives us a chance to meet the students on their turf – meaning on their smart phones! Everyone competes to answer the questions as quickly as possible. The quicker the response, the higher the points that you accumulate. It is so much fun to see the competitive juices flowing as the standings are posted after each question.

Our students have had the opportunity to serve our church and the community at large by participating in events such as “Days For Girls” and the annual “Feed My Starving Children Mobile Pack”. During the “Days For Girls” event held in the community room we were able to provide dozens of menstrual health kits for distribution worldwide. During the Mobile Pack held at Community Church our shift packed more than 30,000 meals to be distributed to combat hunger around the globe. Closer to home the beautiful “stained glass” window decorations and Christmas tree ornaments were provided by our students!

Be watching for our students to once again help lead the Lenten services by acting as lectors, assisting ministers and ushers. We LOVE to see our students in action!

Please pray for our 2024 confirmation class as they have an opportunity to meet at Imago Dei Village in February for the annual confirmation retreat. These students are in the home stretch of their three-year journey. They will be designing their stoles, preparing their faith statements, and deciding upon a bible verse that represents their individual faith journey.

In Christ, Jerry Lapinskas – Confirmation Coordinator