Enjoy Outdoor Worship Under the Trees Every Sunday at 10 am through September 14!

Welcome to The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd in Olympia, Washington!

It’s Good Shepherd’s mission to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ with all people and to invite them to fullness of faith in God.

Welcoming and hospitality are an important part of who we understand ourselves to be as a community of faith. As in everything else, our model is Jesus. In one of his letters, the Apostle Paul urges his readers to “welcome one another just as Christ has welcomed you.” A contemporary translation reads, “Reach out and welcome one another … Jesus did it, now you do it!”

Several years ago, in an effort to do what Jesus did, our congregation adopted an Affirmation of Welcome:

The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd Welcomes All People:

The poor and the rich, the young and the old
People who are single, married, blessed, divorced, separated, partnered, or widowed
People of all abilities
People of all sexual orientations and gender identities
People of all nations and ethnic backgrounds

No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.

CALENDAR

EVENTS

SERMONS

NEWSLETTERS

BENEVOLENCE

Sermon from Sunday August 31

Katie Kemp preaching

Click on the CC button on the bottom of the video screen to turn on subtitles/closed captions

Video recordings of the Sunday sermon will be posted on Sunday afternoon on the website, Facebook, and YouTube. Video recordings of past sermons can also be found on the Recent Sermons webpage

Recent Sermons

Sunday, September 7

10 am Worship – Holy Communion, Blessing of the Communion Ministers to the Homebound, Guest Preacher: Vicar Anna Czarnik-Neimeyer
- About Today’s Guest Preacher – Anna Czarnik-Neimeyer (she/her) came to love the church by way of outdoor ministry in her home state of Wisconsin. Daughter of a camp director, Anna grew up living and working at camps for 22 years before becoming the national programs coordinator at Holden Village, 2012-13. She currently serves as the Climate Resilience Organizer for Design for Peace, a resource of the SW Washington Synod, which supports congregations as they discern how to repurpose their buildings & land. She is awaiting first call as a Minister of Word and Sacrament (Pastoral ministry), and lives in Tacoma, WA. Anna holds a B.A. in Communications, and an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies synthesizing management, religion, and social justice. She earned her Master of Divinity Degree from Luther Seminary.
Following Worship – Hospitality & Fellowship

A play area next to worship area will be available in for the youngest among us. Please check the weather and dress accordingly as needed. A recording of the sermon will be posted on Sunday afternoon here on the website home page and on Facebook and YouTube.

Upcoming Worship

OUTDOOR WORSHIP THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14

Enjoy Sunday Morning Worship all summer long under a beautiful “cathedral of trees,” and celebrate a season of beauty, welcome, and thanksgiving for the gift of the land and trees that hold us as we gather.

NO 9 AM SUNDAY FORUMS DURING OUTDOOR WORSHIP SEASON

You’re Invited to Summer at Good Shepherd

Outdoor Coffee & Conversation Hour

Every Monday from 10 to 11 am. Meet new friends, as well as connect with old friends over conversation and treats on the front lawn picnic area. Come for coffee and other beverages, donuts, conviviality and conversation.

Garden Harvest Party

Sunday, September 14 after worship. All are invited to the Good Shepherd Garden immediately following worship. We will harvest vegetables that we planted in Spring. No one is too old or too young to help reap our garden produce and ready it to be delivered to the Thurston County Food Bank and its clients.