Christian Education
4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7Impress
them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when
you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9
At Good Shepherd, we take these words of Moses seriously. We provide
many opportunities for God's people to hear God's words, talk about
them and impress them upon their hearts. We have educational
opportunities for people of all ages.
Our educational opportunities include Sunday school for
all ages, adult Bible studies, and women's circles. We also have
special educational programs such as summer's Vacation Bible School.
"Growing in the Shepherd's Grace"
Preschool
Toddlers
up to 2 years old meet in our beautiful nursery in the lower level of
our education wing. During the school year, teachers work with the
toddlers during the Sunday School hour to help them learn that Jesus is
their friend and He loves them.
3-4 year olds through
Kindergartners meet in the lower level of our education wing for an
exciting opening with songs, praises, and prayer before they split into
two groups for their story and craft time. This age group concentrates
on learning about God through Bible stories and memorizing Bible
verses.
1st - 5th Grades
Children in 1st through 5th grades meet on the second floor of the
education wing Sunday mornings for a worship opening with songs and
prayer from 9:45-10a.m. Following the opening, they are dismissed to
classes. Throughout the year there are opportunities for these youth to
gather together for special events. Many of our youth attend a Lutheran camp in the summer.
1st and 2nd graders begin to learn more about the Bible by studying stories in the Old and New Testaments and learning the Ten Commandments.
3rd and 4th graders dig deeper into the Bible as they learn to live the Good News and begin to memorize the Apostles Creed.
5th graders enhance their Bible knowledge as they prepare for confirmation class and learn about the role of worship in Christian life.
6th - 8th graders
use the Sunday School hour to compliment their weekly confirmation
classes using the "Head to the Heart" program. This year they are
studying the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments. These classes take
place on the second floor of the education wing.
In addition, 6th - 8th graders meet regularly for fellowship and service projects.
9th - 12th graders
meet together in a high school youth room on the ground floor of the
education wing. With the guidance of an adult mentor, the youth
generally choose topics to cover in Sunday School that allow them to
share and discover ways to strengthen their faith and practice
Christian living in the modern world. The high school youth plan
regular outings for fun, fellowship, service, and worship. They often
attend youth gatherings together including the Evangelical Lutheran Church's National Youth Gathering.
College students
are important members of the Good Shepherd family. Many of our youth
attend college out of town and receive care packages from member groups
to support them in their studies. Some of our youth are involved in
ministries like Campus Crusade for Christ.
Sunday mornings, college students are invited to return to visit the
high school class or they may choose to participate in adult classes.
Adults at Good Shepherd meet on a regular basis for numerous Bible study opportunities.
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On Monday nights, we are currently doing the Bethel Bible Study series.
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A men's group meets weekly for an early morning Bible Study and breakfast at Bob Evans on Dorothy Lane at 6:30 a.m.
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A group of women meet for Bible study Thursday mornings at 9:30.
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Monthly women's circles are available at various times.
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Sunday morning classes use various approaches including book reviews,
traditional Bible studies, and video studies, all encouraging group
discussion of God's Word applied to everyday life.