Dear Friends and Members of the Church of the Good Shepherd,
We gathered recently to retrace the history of this most blessed parish and heard a story of choices made by faithful and hopeful followers of Christ over the now seventy years of our existence. Those individual and collective choices have led us to where we are now - a thriving church community with a legacy of generosity and service.
The roots of our parish and its legacy go much further back, extending all the way to an encounter on a lakeside and an invitation from a young rabbi to some humble working folks. Jesus planted his church and this parish with the seemingly simple invitation, “Follow me.” Throughout our history, friends and members of this parish have said yes to that invitation by giving generously and sacrificially, by stepping up and serving church and community, and by making hard choices for the mission and ministry of God in and through this parish.
The income and outreach spending numbers for 2025 are yet to come, but those of 2024 are known. $397,131 in income and $132,229 to outreach, a generous and sacrificial gift from you, the people of God, for the ministry and mission of God in this parish and the world.
I have seen and know your love for God and this church. I know your heart for this faith community and the gift that it has been for you. We have individual and collective choices to make about what kind of church we now want to be and what we want to build and leave for those coming after us. For years our choice has been generosity and service. With God’s help, may the same be said for years to come.
With gratitude for your faithfulness and the choice you will make,
Fr. Bill+