Faith Milestones

We are a sacramental community that invites everyone to walk together in the calling of Christ for a life of eternal impact. We walk together through the daily moments and every season of our faith. We also celebrate several key moments in our shared discipleship journey.

Sacraments

Sacraments are sacred and holy moments where God is physically present and at work. In the Lutheran tradition, we uphold two sacraments as key parts of an individual's relationship with God.

Baptism
We believe that baptism is a gift from God to all who believe in Him - centered on His love and grace displayed in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the waters of baptism, God washes us clean and claims us as one of His children. At Good Shepherd, we celebrate the baptism of infants as we recognize the important role that parents play in a child’s faith development. We also recognize, and perform, baptisms for our preteens, students, and adults; celebrating God at work in the life of our community.

Holy Communion
Communion is a life-giving gift from God that we receive and celebrate on a weekly basis during worship. We believe that Jesus’ body and blood, which were given for our salvation, are physically present in sacramental union with the bread and the wine.
What We Believe

Baptism

We celebrate both infant and adult baptism recognizing evidence for both in scripture. In both Old and New Testament, new believers come into the family of God through a decision to be baptized and often these new believers would also bring their family members with them to the waters of baptism. We celebrate the grace of God that we experience in the waters of baptism, whether we participate as an child or as an adult.
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Communion Instruction

We believe that the sacrament of communion is one way for us to receive God's love and grace. Anyone who confesses Jesus as Lord and Savior is welcome to receive communion at Good Shepherd. Because this is a theological moment in our worship, we offer formal instruction for children 4th grade and older to understand the personal significance of the Lord's Table.

Interested in Communion Instruction?
Communion Instruction is offered annually in November. Click the link below to contact our Family Life Team about upcoming Communion Instruction.
Contact Family Life

Confirmation

Confirmation is a faith milestone for teenagers to affirm the baptismal promises from their infant baptism. While affirmation of baptism is not a sacrament, the celebration of confirmation is see as a significant moment for students to learn more about their faith and commit to their personal walk with Jesus. Confirmation at Good Shepherd is a year-long experience meant to prepare students 9th grade and older for the affirmation of their baptism.

2025-2026 Schedule
Confirmation starts on September 21, 2025 and will continue throughout the school year with monthly meetings for students and their parents/ guardian(s) on Sunday evenings from 4:30-6:00 pm, ending with the Confirmation service on April 19, 2026. There will be at-home materials for families to complete each month, as well as the Delta retreat in November, a service project, a reflection project in March, and a one-on-one meeting between each student and their small group leader.

Registration is now open for this year’s Confirmation class. Click below to sign up and find more information.
Register for Confirmation

Want to Talk to a Pastor?

Our pastoral team is ready to connect with you about anything related to your faith life, including questions about these milestones. We would love to support and care for you and your family in whatever way we can. Take the first step by reaching out to Elisabeth Lectka, who leads our family ministry teams. 
Email Elisabeth