Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd

Tomorrow's Leaders

Young people are a valuable asset to Good Shepherd's church community. Their enthusiasm, energy and imagination continually support the church and those it serves.

We believe they're not "members in waiting", but rather are already members intimately involved in the life of the congregation. Today's young people serve on the congregation council and have been members of important committees. They are visible as weekly participants in worship, serving as assisting ministers, acolytes, or musicians, and grow in their faith through educational events within and outside the congregation. Each year some of these young men and women attend Lower Susquehanna Synod youth events and return enlivened to serve.

Service Missions

Through the congregation's generous support of annual mission trips, middle school and senior high students can learn about and experience first-hand, living conditions in other areas of the country and the world. On these trips they participate in programs seeking to make improvements in the lives of the people they meet.

A mission trip to Virginia's eastern shore enabled young people to learn about one specific community. The small home repairs they made helped needy residents obtain necessary help that otherwise, they would be unable to receive. They also spent two days participating in a local play time for children of the community. With the help of the mission trip staff, the youth planned the afternoon of activities, which included songs, skits, games, and a lot of bubbles filling the air!

Students have also spent time learning about hunger on a global level through mission trips to the Rutland, Massachusetts farm operated by Heifer International. Accomplished through gifts of animals or farming technique education, the teens learned about Heifer's ministry to provide sustainable agricultural environments to people in other nations. Each youth participated in the daily chores of feeding the farm animals, as well as completed a service project on the farm.

One day was spent in the farm's Global Village, where they lived in shelters similar to what they would find in a specific country, eating a diet also common to that country. Each person returning from the farm learned how hunger continues to be a major problem in the world. But importantly, they also learned how they can be part of the solution.

The youth of Good Shepherd also support families of the congregation through the annual "Breakfast and Babysitting" event each December that helps parents with very young children prepare for Christmas. But its not all work and no play. They also enjoy many social activities throughout the year including winter snow tubing, summer picnics and boating.

Greenfield Summer Day Camp

For the past 16 years the Greenfield Summer Day Camp has provided a safe place for children of the community to spend part of their summer. Well organized and supported by an enthusiastic, trained staff, the day camp offers games, crafts, field trips and well, just plain fun for kids! Contact us today to learn more about the program and how to enroll your child.

FamilyLIFE

FamilyLIFE is a new program at Good Shepherd designed to bring together families in the church and the community for fun and fellowship. A variety of planned activities and the FamilyROOM within the church provide opportunities for both children and their parents and caregivers to gather and socialize. Be sure to check out the FamilyLIFE newsletter to stay up to date on upcoming events.