Shepherd's Heart 6/5/26
Good Shepherd,
Summer brings a substantial shift in energy around Good Shepherd. Some weeks are strangely quiet… and many others are filled with excitement. Most of the time, it’s because kids and students have something special going on.
It fills me with a particular kind of joy when young people gather together in worship and service. There is nothing like a crowd of young voices jumping, dancing, and singing their hearts out to God. Kids and students worship with a kind of unhindered joy that is contagious. I get a front row seat to the many times our youth will be praising together this summer.
Just this week, over 70 middle schoolers and 50 high school and adult leaders spent every night at Good Shepherd as part of our middle school camp, Eternal Impact. Parents coordinated dinners, high schoolers led small groups, students played at church with fishing, baking, show choir, and other activity treks. All week this group learned about what Jesus finished on the cross- the display of God’s love for us, the victory over sin, and the triumph over death. They worshipped with a full band in the chapel for the first time and every single person had a smile on their face after witnessing the joy in this group.
And today, even as this email is being sent, these students and leaders are still at Good Shepherd taking the concepts they’ve learned this week and putting them into action in service. They are doing projects for local mission partners, spreading mulch around the property, and creating tangible ways to love on our home bound members. They are worshipping not just in song but in action for our community.
But our middle schoolers aren’t the only ones with opportunities like Eternal Impact. In just over a week, our high schoolers will travel to Mt Gilead, OH for a week of home repair projects. 9 adults have given up a week of vacation to take 47 students on Workcamp where they will dance the “Get Down” dance and flood the stage for worship. But they’ll also learn what it means to have Jesus illuminate their lives and empower them to shine that light into the community. They will serve with hammers, paint, and presence for this low income area and it is life changing for the residents and students.
Kids 5th grade and younger will have their turn in July when we transform the building into a rainforest wonderland and welcome over 400 kids and countless leaders for VBS, Vacation Bible School at Good Shepherd. VBS is more than a party. It's more than a dizzying amount of activity packed into a few hours. VBS is a chance for kids to encounter real community, that is generous with their time and resources, and joyful in worship! Who wouldn't want to be a part of that?!
One of my favorite parts of VBS is the focus on generosity. Kids spend the morning (or afternoon) at VBS, then go have a lemonade stand in their neighborhood. They do chores willingly, and find incredibly creative ways to raise funds for a cause close to their, and our, hearts.
I get a front row seat to all of this, but I want you all to get to see it too.
As we prepare for all the ways that summer gives us space to help the next generation grow in worship and service, I want you to witness it for yourself.
Plan to linger for lunch after service on Sunday, June 21. Our Workcamp students will be returning from camp and they will be buzzing with stories (“God Sightings”) that they can’t wait to share. Come hear what God is doing within them.
Consider how you can join in to make VBS happen July 13-17. You have heard the stories, you’ve seen the dancing. Come see for yourself what happens when kids encounter Jesus. Check out the leader's registration to see what roles are still available.
The role of the shepherd is not to be the solo observer of beautiful things. It’s to guide the flock so that we experience it together. I love my front row seat to summer in Family Life and I want you to come sit with me. Whether it’s listening to stories or jumping in to serve with them, don’t miss out on getting the glimpses of the Spirit in this next generation. Your faith will be strengthen when you witness the contagious ways they worship and serve.
It's going to be a great Summer.
-Pastor Elisabeth
Summer brings a substantial shift in energy around Good Shepherd. Some weeks are strangely quiet… and many others are filled with excitement. Most of the time, it’s because kids and students have something special going on.
It fills me with a particular kind of joy when young people gather together in worship and service. There is nothing like a crowd of young voices jumping, dancing, and singing their hearts out to God. Kids and students worship with a kind of unhindered joy that is contagious. I get a front row seat to the many times our youth will be praising together this summer.
Just this week, over 70 middle schoolers and 50 high school and adult leaders spent every night at Good Shepherd as part of our middle school camp, Eternal Impact. Parents coordinated dinners, high schoolers led small groups, students played at church with fishing, baking, show choir, and other activity treks. All week this group learned about what Jesus finished on the cross- the display of God’s love for us, the victory over sin, and the triumph over death. They worshipped with a full band in the chapel for the first time and every single person had a smile on their face after witnessing the joy in this group.
And today, even as this email is being sent, these students and leaders are still at Good Shepherd taking the concepts they’ve learned this week and putting them into action in service. They are doing projects for local mission partners, spreading mulch around the property, and creating tangible ways to love on our home bound members. They are worshipping not just in song but in action for our community.
But our middle schoolers aren’t the only ones with opportunities like Eternal Impact. In just over a week, our high schoolers will travel to Mt Gilead, OH for a week of home repair projects. 9 adults have given up a week of vacation to take 47 students on Workcamp where they will dance the “Get Down” dance and flood the stage for worship. But they’ll also learn what it means to have Jesus illuminate their lives and empower them to shine that light into the community. They will serve with hammers, paint, and presence for this low income area and it is life changing for the residents and students.
Kids 5th grade and younger will have their turn in July when we transform the building into a rainforest wonderland and welcome over 400 kids and countless leaders for VBS, Vacation Bible School at Good Shepherd. VBS is more than a party. It's more than a dizzying amount of activity packed into a few hours. VBS is a chance for kids to encounter real community, that is generous with their time and resources, and joyful in worship! Who wouldn't want to be a part of that?!
One of my favorite parts of VBS is the focus on generosity. Kids spend the morning (or afternoon) at VBS, then go have a lemonade stand in their neighborhood. They do chores willingly, and find incredibly creative ways to raise funds for a cause close to their, and our, hearts.
I get a front row seat to all of this, but I want you all to get to see it too.
As we prepare for all the ways that summer gives us space to help the next generation grow in worship and service, I want you to witness it for yourself.
Plan to linger for lunch after service on Sunday, June 21. Our Workcamp students will be returning from camp and they will be buzzing with stories (“God Sightings”) that they can’t wait to share. Come hear what God is doing within them.
Consider how you can join in to make VBS happen July 13-17. You have heard the stories, you’ve seen the dancing. Come see for yourself what happens when kids encounter Jesus. Check out the leader's registration to see what roles are still available.
The role of the shepherd is not to be the solo observer of beautiful things. It’s to guide the flock so that we experience it together. I love my front row seat to summer in Family Life and I want you to come sit with me. Whether it’s listening to stories or jumping in to serve with them, don’t miss out on getting the glimpses of the Spirit in this next generation. Your faith will be strengthen when you witness the contagious ways they worship and serve.
It's going to be a great Summer.
-Pastor Elisabeth