Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Good Shepherd Lutheran ChurchSharing the Good News throughout the Mat-Su Valley Worship services at 8:30am & 11:00 am 10:00 a.m. Sunday School501 E Bogard Rd, Wasilla AK 99654

Welcome

About Us

Staff and Contacts

Children and Youth

Ministries

Calendar

Media and Downloads

Welcome

Welcome to the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church website. We hope to give you a glimpse of our church community, services provided, and what you can expect to experience when you join us. Each week we gather to celebrate Christs presence in our worship, community, and daily work. We are a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Here at Good Shepherd, all are welcome all the time.
Announcements:Services:Sundays: 8:30 & 11 am Worship Services 10:00 am Sunday SchoolJan 11th: 5-7 pm Confirmation 7:30-9 pm High School YouthJan 13th: High School Retreat

Video: Who is Good Shepherd?

Our Mission Statement:

We are to Praise God and proclaim to all creation, the good news of Life and Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, through Worship (Word and Sacrament), Service, Fellowship, Education, and Stewardship.

About Us What is your church like?We are very much a come as you are church. Our congregation is built up of singles, families, children, youth, young adults and retired seniors. Our church began in the late 70s meeting in the basement of the Wasilla library, and as we have grown, we continue to recognize that along with the many gifts God gives us, our church is built upon a strong community that embraces everybody with open arms.When is Worship?In the summer (from Memorial Day to Labor Day), we have one service at 10:00 a.m., but we would encourage you to join us for a relaxed conversation before the service, and we will be sure to have a pot of coffee brewing for you before you arrive.In the Winter (Labor Day until Memorial Day), we have two services and an hour for Sunday School: * 8:30 Worship * 10:00 Sunday School (preschool-8th grade) * 11:00 WorshipOkay, so what do we believe?Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and the Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe.Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate, through whom everything was made and through whose life, death, and resurrection God fashions a new creation.The proclamation of Gods message to us as both Law and Gospel is the Word of God, revealing judgment and mercy through word and deed, beginning with the Word in creation, continuing in the history of Israel, and centering in all its fullness in the person and work of Jesus Christ.The canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God. Inspired by Gods Spirit speaking through their authors, they record and announce Gods revelation centering in Jesus Christ. Through them Gods Spirit speaks to us to create and sustain Christian faith and fellowship for service in the world.We accept:The canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith, and life.The Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds as true declarations of the faith of this congregation.The Unaltered Augsburg Confession as a true witness to the Gospel, acknowledging as one with it in faith and doctrine all churches that likewise accept the teachings of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession.The other confessional writings in the Book of Concord, namely, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, The Smalcald Articles and the Treatise, the Small Catechism, the Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord, as further valid interpretations of the faith of the Church.We confess the Gospel, recorded in the Holy Scripture and confessed in the ecumenical creeds and Lutheran confessional writings, as the power of God to create and sustain the Church for God’s mission in the world.For more information about our faith beliefs as a Lutheran community at large, please visit the website of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Staff and Contacts

Pastor Duane Hanson Pastor Duane Hanson: duane_goodshepluth.orgGrace and Peace to you, my friends, from our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ.Every annual report I write fills my mind with thanks. I cannot thank you adequately or often enough for your grace shown to me and the fellowship we share. Truly, we have been shaped by grace and called to give thanks.Because time is so valuable and there are so many things to do, I wish to remind you of something very important. Dont forget to say your prayers. Its what I try to do throughout the day still remind my adult kids to do. You may think this will take too much time, but prayer calms our anxiety, focuses our mind, and refreshes our spirit. So, take the time to include in your prayers congregational members, the ministries of Good Shepherd, the Alaska Synod and the National Church. Lift them up with prayers of thanks and support.The Congregational Annual Reports of 2009 are filled with committee goals, requests for help, and financial planning. I know that through these efforts we are connected to God and each other. So take time to review the written reports from our committees, Congregational President, and Staff.Together we are the bearers of Gods grace. Briefly, I will mention some of the additional ministries we support here at Good Shepherd: Pre-School for three and four year olds, Next-Step for 18-21 year old developmentally disabled young adults, the 3rd largest Food Pantry in the state, Community Care serving people with emergency assistance, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts serving 60-80 kids from around the Valley, host site for Home School testing programs and social events, community concerts, visiting high school sport teams, foster children and parent forums, Ukrainian Slavic Church worship and education forums, Trapper Creek Lutheran Fellowship, Valley Christian Conference ministries including Residential Services, Mat-Valley Community Charity Agencies, Turn-a-Leaf, and Day Break Social Services. I may have overlooked some, but you get the picture. Good Shepherd has much to offer. What makes this possible is Gods grace and the incredible number of marvelous volunteers from our congregation. The behind the scene volunteers that set up, clean up, repair and host are fantastic. The office staff, Cindy Knutson and Linda Markus, contributes immensely to coordination and support of all of us. Thank you! We have much to be thankful for and many to remember in prayer.2009 has blessed us with many new families. As they connect with us they too will find areas for service and fellowship. They bring gifts and ideas we need. And, together we will discover Gods grace is shaping us for ministry and renewing the church. 2010 promises to be an exciting year.I can sum up my hope for the New Year and my satisfaction of this past year with one word, Yahoo! Yahoo, we have a Youth Director! I dont mean to suggest that Ian McConnell can walk on water, but filling the youth director position has been a hope we have nurtured for almost two years. In those two years of searching for a youth director, Julie Markus was a fantastic interim director laying solid ground work for developing youth ministry. Filling the youth directors position has set us on the road we hoped to travel in 2008. Although it has taken longer than we expected to staff the Youth Directors position, filling this position begins to meet our goal of providing more intentional ministry to our children and families. The Youth Director position speaks directly to our mission plan of nurture and outreach to the youth and young adults of our congregation, the Valley, and the Alaska Synod. The opportunity is now before us to really get this ministry off the ground with sustained congregational involvement, financial support, and lots of prayer. So, here we go with renewed energy and a creative vision. Its exciting to think of the possibilities before us.In closing, I want to recognize and thank the steady support and willingness of our church council. They have managed some challenging and exciting issues of finance, staffing, education, building use, maintenance, worship, programming, and the related ministries of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. The future, I am sure, will bring some surprises but many of the challenges will be variations of old themes. Our mission to reach out calls us to speak and act creatively with an eye to sustainability. To say our culture is changing is to state the obvious, so exploring creative ways to proclaim the Good News of Jesus, while staying connected and nurturing our congregation is the challenge of parish ministry. Finding new ways of proclaiming the gospel in the 21st century is to open our minds to Gods future. Good Shepherd has long had a reputation for hospitality and welcome. These qualities reflect our understanding of Gods grace for all people. And, it is this central truth of grace that has, and will shape our expression of outreach and congregational life. Together we enter into Gods New Year expecting the surprises of grace and the joys of fellowship to be continued and expanded.

Youth Director Ian McConnell Youth Director Ian McConnell: ian_goodshepluth.orgGreetings to you all!I am so excited about what is happening at Good Shepherd and in this community here in the valley, and am thrilled to join you.Since arriving at Good Shepherd, my over-arching objectives have been to:Evaluate whats been working and where opportunities for development and growth exist.Empower volunteers of all ages in a variety of ways-- children, youth and family ministry will succeed if the entire congregation is involved. Our kids are your kids!Create positive faith-based memories by meeting kids in their own arena. The church must respond to the needs of its people in a relevant way.Offer opportunities for young people to express their own faith and learn from each other.Simplify how we do ministry with young people. The promise we make to each other in baptism dictates that we: -Live among Gods faithful people. -Hear his Word, and share in communion. -Proclaim the Good News through word and deed. -Serve ALL people, as Jesus did, no exceptions. -Strive for peace and justice in the entire world.In light of those objectives, my goals for the coming months and years are to not merely create programs. Ministry to children and youth is an experience of positive, faith-based relationships and the committed participation of the entire congregation. Through offering consistent, weekly opportunities to gather together, planning events that allow for deepening relationships between children, youth, and adults in the congregation, and focusing on the Word (and the Word is love!), my hope is that the children and youth ministries at Good Shepherd would set an example for what it means to be a church that cares for its people and the community while focusing on the main thing: the gifts we are given to share, and the love we learn from Jesus.I cant express how grateful I am to everybody at Good Shepherd for the benevolent welcome I have received. Despite being 3,000 miles from home, I truly feel blessed and fortunate to call you my family. This really is a unique community, and I look forward to creating memories and working with you as one part of the large body of Christ here at Good Shep Luth.Blessings to you!

Office Staff Cindy and Linda Office Staff, Cindy and Linda: office_goodshepluth.orgGood Shepherd Lutheran Church501 E Bogard RdWasilla, Alaska 99654(907) 376-3522 (office phone line)Stop into the office, we'd love to visit with you! There's always a pot of coffee brewing!

Pastor Duane Hanson
Youth Director Ian McConnell
Office Staff Cindy and Linda

Children and Youth

Children and Youth Home gslc camp photo 201

Welcome to the Children

and Youth Home Page!

Here, you will be able to keep up with

what's happening with the various youth

ministries at Good Shepherd Lutheran

Church.

Throughout the year, Good Shepherd hosts

many events for the families in our

congregation and in our community. Each

age group is listed at in the left-hand sidebar

on the site along with information regarding

our Sunday School, Confirmation and High

School programs.

Additionally, any events taking place at Good Shepherd for our young people will be available for viewing on our calendar, which can also be found on this site.

As always, everybody is welcome to join us, all the time. Feel free invite your friends, and contact our Youth Director Ian McConnell with any questions, concerns or great ideas!

Some of our children, youth and young adult leaders at Lutheran Summer Camp 2010

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Sunday School (PreK-6th Grade)

Good Shepherd is proud to have such a lively group of young people, and a great array of teachers for our Sunday School program. Each Sunday during the school year, Sunday School will be held at 10:00 a.m. for an hour between our regular worship services.At Sunday School, we always start with a time of singing (dancing optional!) and worship, then break up into smaller groups for stories from the bible, arts & crafts, and a snack. We draw our Sunday School curriculum from Spark (Activate Faith Series), and shape it to the needs and learning styles of our children.Sunday school classes are broken down into the following age groups:Preschool-Kindergarden1st-6th grades7th & 8th grade (Confirmation Sunday School)If you have any questions about Sunday School curriculum, activities or to become involved in any way, please contact Ian McConnell, our Youth Director.

Attention: May 5th will be the final day of Sunday School until September!

Kindergarden - 2nd Grade

Kindergarden - 2nd Grade Ministries at Good Shepherd

Our goals for the K-2 ministries are to provide a safe and fun environment so that these children may develop friendships with their peers and discover that Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is a good place to be while learning God's Word and the story of Jesus Christ's love for us.

In addition to Sunday School on Sunday mornings between worship, we will hold at least 4 activities throughout the year to help facilitate relationship building, to create positive faith-based memories, and to have a little fun while we're at it!

If you have a child in this age group and would like to get him or her involved, or if you yourself would like to volunteer with this great group, please contact our Youth Director, Ian McConnell.

Additionally, watch for information on upcoming events on the website, in the bulletin, and in our monthly newsletters.

Upcoming Events:

June 25th, 1:00 p.m.

"Motor Home Madness"

Come join us at the Lake Lucille campgrounds!

VBS

June 27th-July 1st

valleyvbs.org

3rd and 4th Grade

3rd - 6th Grade Ministries at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Our goals for the 3rd-6th grade ministries are to inspire God's word to these youngsters while allowing the opportunity to foster and grow relationships with each other in a safe, comfortable and fun environment.

If you have a child in this age group and would like to get him or her involved, or if you yourself would like to volunteer with this great group, please contact our Youth Director, Ian McConnell.

Additionally, watch for information on upcoming events on the website, in the bulletin, and in our monthly newsletters.

Upcoming Events:

June 25th, 1:00 p.m.

"Motor Home Madness"

Come join us at the Lake Lucille campgrounds!

VBS

June 27th-July 1st

valleyvbs.org

5th and 6th Grade

Confirmation (7th and 8th Grade)

Confirmation Ministries at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church: 7th & 8th Grades

Confirmation is a great opportunity for middle school students to dive deeper into their faith journey experience.

We aim to provide opportunities for students to discuss their faith, live out their faith, and to create a community among those who gather.

Students are encouraged to participate in worship (and take regular worship notes), retreats, service projects as well as social events throughout the year.

If you have a youth in middle school and would like for them to be able to explore their faith journey, please contact our Youth Director, Ian McConnell or the office for more information. Or, if you're really daring, stick around for the class and help facilitate these discussions!

Confirmation Sunday: May 22nd

Upcoming Events:

VBS

June 27th-July 1st

valleyvbs.org

High School Youth Group (9th-12th)

During the school year, the High School Youth Group meets each and every Wednesday evening at 7:00 at Good Shepherd. During this time any given week, we may do small bible studies, service projects, play games, or just hang out together.

Feel free to invite a friend-- it's all about community and being together as God's people in the midst of this messy world we live in!

Upcoming Events:June 27th-July 1st: VBSSign up now with Ian to be a small group leader for VBS, to help with Arts & Crafts or singing with the children. This is a great leadership opportunity!July 10th-15th: Youth Group trip to the Kenai PeninsulaJoin us as we travel by motor home to the beautiful Kenai Peninsula! We will take part in some service work in Seward, explore some of the areas around the peninsula and, of course, go whitewater rafting! Contact Ian with any questions.
gslc camp photo 201

Children and Youth Home
Sunday School (PreK-6th Grade)
Kindergarden - 2nd Grade
3rd and 4th Grade
5th and 6th Grade
Confirmation (7th and 8th Grade)

AGAPE*-- "Rejoice"
AGAPE*-- "Do Justice"

Ministries

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The Ministries of Good Shepherd

Preschool MinistryThe Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Preschool continues to have another successful year thanks to support of the G.S.L.C. community and the wonderful teachers and parents devoted to ensure a quality program for our children. We have two teachers, Ms. Christy and Ms. Teresa. Christy Pakala has been with our program for four years and had come to us from the TLC Preschool where she had also taught for many years. Teresa Nelson has brought an abundance of ideas, love and faith to the program. We are offering two 3 year old classes and two four year old classes this year.Valley Christian Conference MinistryValley Christian Conference consists of 11 churches that work in an Ecumenical partnership that continually addresses important needs in our community to make the Valley a better place. Many people work hard behind the scenes to keep these ministries going: The Food Pantry, Treasure Loft, Valley Residential Services, Daybreak Social Services and our inter-church activities including a hymn sing, Easter Sunrise service, two vacation Bible schools, yearly Service of Christian Unity and a volunteer appreciation dinner. We assist these ministries with filling their boards from the membership of our churches, getting volunteers to keep activities going as well as providing oversight to the complicated workings of each individual group. Our latest endeavors include addressing youth needs in our community. We are working together with the anti-substance abuse coalition and strive to strengthen our church youth programs.Men's MinistryThe men met monthly, September through May for a potluck breakfast at 8:00 am on the second Saturday of the month. Meetings included Bible studies, featured speakers, or an activity.Women's Ministry WELCAThe Women of the E.L.C.A. (WELCA) met monthly on the second Saturday of the month at 10:00 am for a potluck luncheon, September through May. All women attending Good Shepherd Lutheran Church are welcome to attend, and bring friends. There are no membership lists or dues. Meetings included Bible studies, featured speakers, or an activity.As a community of women, created in the image of God, called to discipleship in Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves to grow in faith, affirm our gifts, support one another in our calling, engage in ministry and action, and promote healing and wholeness in the church, the society and the world. The Women of the E.L.C.A. (WELCA) meet monthly, September through May. All women attending Good Shepherd Lutheran Church are welcome to attend, and bring friends. There are no membership lists or dues. Meetings included Bible studies led by Tara Wreyford, featured speakers, or an activity. WELCA is committed to providing child care at each meeting to encourage Moms to attend. WELCA is a warm, fun, inspirational group of women supporting each other and important needs in the community. The offering given and fundraisers have provided an opportunity to share with others. The Bible studies encourage faith and wisdom to share the good news of the Gospel.Food Pantry MinistryJesus said “feed my sheep.” The Food Pantry of Wasilla shares 21 years of history, as an outreach of Valley Christian Conference and became incorporated in 1994. The mission of the Food Pantry of Wasilla is to provide persons who reside in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley with needed supplemental food supplies. Food Pantry of Wasilla distributes good to its clients in a manner which gives dignity to all.Last summer, the original space was remodeled to make client choice possible. Now families can decide between green beans and carrots, say “no thanks” to tuna fish and still have a “free choice” shelf…which seldom contains antelope liver! And we’re now helping more families most months than we used to see all year…even though about 60% of the clients come in 3 times per year or fewer. P.L.U.M.E. Ministryan ecumenical ministry whose membership derives from Presbyterian, Lutheran, United Methodist, and Episcopalian churches in the Mat-Su Valley. The goal of PLUME is to develop a series of cell group ministries along a fast-growing 80 mile rural corridor. It will establish cell groups and develop new congregational mission opportunities. It will strengthen the existing ecumenical ministry throughout the Matanuska Susitna Valley and raise up, train, and empower lay leadership for local ministry. Each cell will be encouraged to engage in living out the Gospel within their communities. From the foundation of their shared spiritual life centered in Scripture and prayer, they will be encouraged to think of appropriate ministries they can create and lead in their own communities. PLUME’s first step toward this goal is to gather people from our traditions in outlying areas of the Mat-Su and to ascertain if there is interest in forming a cooperative ministry, or cell group, within their own setting that is missional and mainline. This will be accomplished through the sharing of resources and leadership from among these four participating denominations. Scope of Work Rev. Hicks is specifically exploring the following Mat-Su Outreach (MSO) areas: communities down Knik-Goose Bay Road to Pt. Mackenzie and along the Parks Highway from Houston to Trapper Creek (including Big Lake). This study will include a feasibility assessment of cell group formation in meeting the spiritual needs of congregants of PLUME churches in the MSO. Rev. Hicks will: Prayerfully convene and listen to local groups regarding their needs, hopes and desires for ministry; empower them to develop around spiritual needs Establish relationships and listen to the needs of community leaders in the Mat-Su Outreach (MSO) areas; research the social needs of these areas where PLUME congregants live Explore the feasibility of developing and training lay leadership to further develop and continue the cell work Build communication, mission, education and worship-related bridges/links between these ministries and the local congregations Network and communicate at least monthly with each of the four local sponsoring congregations and the PLUME Steering Committee. Community Care MinistryThe community care ministry at Good Shepherd offers assistance on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. with fuel oil, firewood, pharmaceuticals, medical care, rental assistance, utilities, gas, and other emergency needs. We in no way can impact these needs financially in more than a very modest way. However, these individuals’ needs are desperate and help is deeply appreciated. Thank you to all who generously give to this ministry in whatever way you are able: financially, through prayer, through feeding, and through volunteer efforts. The Public Health Service offered flu shots from Good Shepherd on several occasions. We especially thank those who have partnered with us in this outreach. Lutheran Social Services in Alaska, Turn A Leaf, a Valley Christian Conference joint ministry, provides vouchers through GSLC for clothing and other emergency needs. The Food Bank (also a VCC ministry), which operates from GSLC’s parking lot site, serves many, many in need throughout our community. The Girl Scouts and WELCA gifted us with hygiene packets that were gratefully received. The Wednesday morning Bible study shares their potluck and goodies with whoever chooses to partake. And all who use the facility on Wednesdays share their smiles and encouragement. We are truly a faith family. Numbers do not tell the personal stories, though. There were: families without power in the cold darkness, people who cannot afford gas to go to jobs with decreased hours or to medical appointments or to their children’s schools, homeless who live in tents and need—well, just about everything, those who can’t afford insulin or life-saving antibiotics, and victims of domestic violence trying to find a safe place to live. We are all the human family that Jesus came to offer life and salvation to. And because He has loved us so much, we can love others. Thank you for always keeping the community care outreach in your prayers. Next Step Ministry The Wasilla Next Step program is a program whose goal is to help special needs students ages 18-22 transition from public education to adulthood. The community is our classroom with Good Shepherd giving us a home base to start and end our day. A typical day at Next Step may include vocational training opportunities at local business and agencies, banking and other consumer activities, and teaching healthy recreation and leisure skills. One of the significant benefits of being housed at Good Shepherd is the casual contact we have with the general membership as they come and go through the building each day. I view our partnership with Good Shepherd in the same light, you have been there for us in the beginning and we hope to still be with you for many more years to come. The students watch you, notice your kindness, generosity, and the conduct of your lives. You are modeling the "real world" I hope they carry throughout their lives.An ancient king once said, "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in service of your God". I feel a warmth in my heart as I know your contributions to students with special needs brings smiles from above. Ray HafenScouting Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is the proud sponsor of Boy Scout Troop 300. Troop 300 is a very dynamic scout troop, with a program of high adventure. Its goals are to build character, foster citizenship, and to develop fitness, and they do that with a program of outdoor adventure. The boys in the troop are committed to doing their duty to God and Country, to helping others at all times, and on a personal basis staying physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. The troop’s boy’s range in age from 11 to 17, and in the past year they took the Alaska Railroad and went deep winter camping to Curry, Alaska, an old abandoned town site that was once a busy tourist attraction. In the past year they snowboarded on the slopes of Alyeska in Girdwood, snow machined to Yentna Station on the Yentna River, and sea kayaked Blackstone Bay in Prince William Sound. They stay busy, camping every month of every year. Currently, the troop has over 50 boys in the program, and they meet on Monday nights from 6:30-8:00 pm.

Welcome to the home page for the Ministries of Good Shepherd. We are blessed to be a blessing to our community. Take a look at the various ministries of Good Shepherd, and you will soon discover that our building is indeed a busy place. We believe that church happens every day-- not just during Sunday morning worship. It happens through and to each one of us, and we are called to minister to our neighbors here in the Mat-Su Valley and beyond.

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Calendar

Media and Downloads

Good Shepherd 2010 Slideshow

Online Town Hall Forum hosted by Bishop Mark Hanson

A year at Good Shepherd in review: A picture slideshow!

Donations|
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America|
Good Shep on Facebook Master Page 1