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 likeLutheran Campus Ministries and 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. Mens Study Breakfast

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.

A group of women meet for Bible study Thursday mornings at 9:30.

Monthly women's circles are available at various times.

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.