First Communion Classes

This class is for children in 3rd grade and above who would like to learn more about the Eucharist, whether they have been receiving communion for many years or have never participated in communion. The class will celebrate communion during worship on Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025!

Sign Up Today

Sunday School & Bible Adventures

Sunday Mornings, 9:15-10:15am

Children ages 3 – 6th Grade are invited to attend Sunday School on Sunday mornings, 9:15-10:15am. Learn more & register below – it’s never too late to join the fun!

Register Today

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Campership Corner

Talent Show/Karaoke/Silent Auction

Saturday, February 10

Check out the Campership Page to learn more and donate to the upcoming Silent Auction!

Education at Good Shepherd

Welcome!

At Good Shepherd, learning is a fundamental way in which we strive to grow, nurture, and make disciples in Christ. We see learning as a lifelong process: in every chapter of life, God reveals new aspects of Godself, and our understanding of what it means to be disciples evolves and grows! Click through the descriptions below to find out more about the learning opportunities available at Good Shepherd.

The little ones

The littlest members of our community are learning a lot about what it means to be a disciple simply by being in church with us! We welcome children as worshipers in our congregation, and know that the praise they give to God includes lots of wiggles and whispers in the pews. 

We provide worship bags for kids with fresh content in it each week so that they can engage with their faith in age-appropriate ways while in worship with us. 

And if they (or their caregivers!) need a break from the sanctuary, the Nursery is located right next door to it. We are currently not providing childcare in the nursery on Sunday mornings, but it is always open for caregivers to use.  

Children’s Sunday School (Ages 3 – 4th Grade)

GSLC Sunday School each week from September 15, 2024 to May 2025 for three year olds through grade four at 9:15am. Children begin in worship with their families at 9am, then head upstairs with their teachers after the children’s message. At Sunday School, we begin with a Large Group introduction to the day’s lesson, then break into age-specific classrooms to read the bible story, play games, and make a craft.  

The Sunday School curriculum follows the lectionary, which means that the kids get to engage with the same bible stories their caregivers hear in worship. Our hope is that this fosters conversations about God’s word as a family. 

Bible Adventures (5th & 6th Grade)

“Bible Adventures ” is a class designed for fifth and sixth graders to get a solid grounding in the Old Testament and New Testament before entering confirmation. The two grades are taught together, and the curriculum alternates from year to year between the two testaments. This is a fun, approachable class that not only gives an overview of the Bible, but also gives the kids an opportunity to process their faith lives with peers.  

Bible Adventures meets on Sunday mornings at 9:15 am on the 2nd floor of our building (Bible Adventurers begin in 9am worship with their families, then head upstairs with their teachers following the children’s message). We will also gather on Wednesday evenings during Advent and Lent for additional classes to dive deeper into additional New Testament topics.  

Confirmation (7th Grade & Up)

Confirmation is a two-year program for seventh and eighth graders, and prepares them to take ownership of their baptismal promises by offering an overview of the Bible, of Christian doctrine, and or our Lutheran perspective. Upon completion of the class, students are eligible to be confirmed through a rite called the Affirmation of Baptism during a special Sunday morning service.

Teens at Good Shepherd

Opportunities for fellowship, service, and learning continue with TAGS, our program for teens at Good Shepherd. Monthly meetings from September through June are complemented by social gatherings (like escape rooms and corn mazes) and service opportunities (hosting a Halloween party for the littlest kids in the congregation, participating with a feeding ministry in Northampton). We also serve God and our neighbor through yearly mission trips during the summer. Email TAGS@goodshepherdcares.org for more information!

Camperships

Good Shepherd provides financial support for campers attending Camp Calumet from Good Shepherd and Concordia Lutheran Church. This summer, we helped 19 campers, along with 10 counselors, CITs, youth and adult staff members, experience Calumet and grow in their faith in God and friendships with one another. Learn more about the Campership Fund and how to get involved here.  

Adult Learning

Sunday Adult Forum 

Adult Forum gathers throughout the year in a series format from September – June. 

Weekly Bible Studies 

We have two groups that gather every Monday and Friday at 9:30am. Usually, we’re working through a devotional book together that deepens our understanding of scripture and the life of faith. 

Wednesday Evening Adult Study 

On Wednesday nights during Advent and Lent, there’s a learning opportunity for adults at 6:30pm. Topics range widely, and in the past have included a series on faith and science, the anatomy of worship, racial reconciliation, and Russian Icon painting. These Adult Studies are currently being held in a hybrid format, please contact Kim Canning, Director of Christian Education  at kim.canning@goodshepherdcares.org for more information about these classes. 

Safe Church

Our mission statement – We are growing, nurturing, making disciples in Christ – calls us to create a community of faith where children, youth and adults can participate together in ministry in a safe and secure environment. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is committed to being a safe haven for children and youth and all adults – a place where all persons are protected from any form of exploitation and abuse. We therefore adopt this policy for the protection of everyone and prevention of abuse in our church. Click the links to download PDFs of our policy summary and the full draft of our policy.

Safe Church Policy Summary

Safe Church Policy

Wednesday Evenings at Good Shepherd

During Advent and Lent, Bible Adventures, Confirmation, and Adult Learning classes take place at 6:30pm on Wednesday evenings. Adult Learning meets both in-person and via Zoom as a hybrid class. At 7:30, we end our evening by gathering for an Evening Prayer service. We look forward to these special, seasonal gatherings that bring folks of all ages together in faith formation and worship.

Library

Named in memory of Good Shepherd’s longest-tenured pastor, the Kenneth O. Bean Library houses a diverse collection of spiritual and theological resources that are available to check out and take home! Visit the library, on the second-floor education wing, whenever you come by.

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Catalog