Our Worship
What to expect at a worship service
In worship God is present and at work
Certainly we go to a church service to praise God–to worship him for his great acts of kindness. But as much as a church service is worship it is more God’s service to us. Some within the Lutheran tradition call the church service “Divine Service.” That is because God is at work in the service. Through readings from the Bible, songs which recall Scripture’s truth, the sermon, and sacraments celebrate God is at work. He is at work through his Word strengthening our faith, encouraging us, and transforming our inner attitudes. In order to respond in worship, we first need God to be present and at work.
More timeless than traditional
Our worship services last about an hour and they entirely revolve around Jesus. In worship we sing songs (some old and some new), we confess our sins and receive forgiveness, we pray, we hear God’s word in Scripture readings and in the sermon, and we receive God’s blessing. Our worship follows an order of service that connects us to Christians of long ago while applying Scripture to the people of today.
When you come to worship you might sing a song that was sung by Christians 1500 years ago or a hymn that was sung 500 years ago. A lot has changed in the world between then and now, but one thing hasn’t: people’s need for God’s forgiveness. At Good Shepherd, you will hear the message of God’s forgiveness every Sunday.
Worship for the whole family
We want young people to be a part of the life of the church. Having children be a part of the worship service is incredibly important. In the service they are learning meaningful aspects of Christian life and community. We want them to learn about God next to the people who play the most important role in their growth–their parents.
We don’t offer children’s church, but we do have space available to take your child if needed. With that said, we love the sound of small children. As Jesus himself said, “Let the little children come to me.”
We often celebrate Lord’s Supper and we’ll politely ask you to abstain for now
About every other Sunday we celebrate Lord’s Supper. This sacrament is a gift from God to us. It is also an expression of complete unity and agreement between the people who have committed themselves to membership in this church. That’s why we ask our guests not to participate—yet. We desire that all who visit us will eventually join our congregation in membership. We understand that no one can make that kind of commitment without proper instruction. To help people along that path of commitment we offer classes that, upon completion, open the door to membership in the congregation and participation in the Lord’s Supper.