Forward Update

Hi! As Communication Director here at Good Shepherd, I want to make sure I take every stop possible to get the word out about all the incredible things that God is up to here in our community!

Within the context of the Forward Generosity Initiative, one of those steps I am committed to is regular updates that will be posted in this section of our website, as well as shared on our other communication channels whenever necessary.

For today, I want to share key results from the Worship Survey we took as a congregation last fall.

The above quote was given in our Worship Survey and I couldn't agree more! The Worship Survey reflected some truths about our congregation and highlighted some key points of feedback. We had 147 total responses, and thank you to the many of you who participated!

• 128 said current service times were "moderate" or "very convenient." 
  • This matters because it means that our current service times (9am & 10:45) are ideal for our community and to change that would create several other challenges for our congregation.
• 116 respondents prefer a spacious worship environment. 
  • This matters because of what has been described as the "worship lid" at Good Shepherd. There's a lot to say about this but in short, when a church has attendance that is at 80% or above the capacity of the worship space, those who are new to a community will tend to feel like the space is full and there is no spot for them. Our church's mission is to invite everyone to walk together in the calling of Christ for a life of Eternal Impact, so we want everyone to feel like there is a space for them at Good Shepherd.
• Many respondents express a strong preference for natural light, artwork, stained glass, and keeping the cross at the center of the worship spaces.
• 130 respondents said that architecture is moderately or very important. 
  • This matters because it reflects our congregation's strong affinity for what our worship spaces look like. Any future development to our worship spaces must reflect that priority.
• 78 respondents want “brightly lit” services compared to 62 who prefer “dimly lit.”
  • This matters because it reflects how our congregation values having choices. Any future development to our worship spaces must reflect that priority.

We'll have plenty more updates to come, including information from our building team, potential timelines for construction, and much more!

We are For The World, For Our Neighbors, and For the worshipping community here at 1310 Shepherd Drive. I'm grateful to be on this journey with each of you as we move Forward toward the future that God has for us here at Good Shepherd.

-Ross Cochran
Executive Communication Director