A Message from the President:

Update on Good Shepherd’s Long Range Planning

An important step in our long range planning was taken on Saturday, March 28, 2009. This was the day the members of Good Shepherd identified several goals to revitalize ministries at Good Shepherd.

Over the past year the Long Range Planning Task Force met regularly to discuss opportunities for enhanced ministries at Good Shepherd. In addition to many contacts made in our community to determine unmet needs, the Task Force also collected much information from our Cottage Meetings, small groups, and informal meetings on ways to enhance our ministries. The result of this effort was a list of “Opportunities for Enhanced Ministry” at Good Shepherd. The “Opportunities” were presented to the Council at its Retreat in January. After discussion and prayer, some changes were made. The final list was distributed to the congregation along with an invitation to join in on the selection of the ministry goals.

On March 28^th, 42 members of the congregation engaged in a facilitated, prayerful, and highly interactive process which culminated in the selection of several goals to guide us forward.

These goals are:

1) Provide Christian education programs and confirmation programs that create disciples,

2) Enhance youth involvement and activities,

3) Encourage spiritual awakening through prayer, bible study, and personal interactions,

4) Greater participation in Mission(s) of the Month, both financially and volunteer hours.

The participants were energized by this effort and the goals identified which will receive additional focus of the congregation! We are very thankful to Pastor Greg Tennermann for guiding us through this process.

The Council and the ministry teams will now study these opportunities, create more specific and measurable objectives for each, promote and encourage support for them, and examine each for budget implications in 2009 and for the next 3 years.

Besides the emphasis on these top priority efforts, there is also excitement over the other ministry opportunities identified in the process. As individual members and the Ministry Teams further explore these opportunities, God’s work through Good Shepherd will continue to produce benefits in many areas.

John Mackey