Fall Worship, Forums, & Classes

Worship at 9:30 am, Children & Youth Classes at 11:20 am, Forum at 11:25 am

Enjoy Sunday Morning Worship in Good Shepherd’s beautiful sanctuary at 9:30 am (time change). Forums on a variety of topics will follow hospitality and fellowship at 11:25 am as well as Chidren’s Sunday School (grades Pre-5th) and Youth Discipleship Classes (grades 6th-12th) at 11:20 am. A Children’s Area is located at the front right of the sanctuary (we ask that care givers sit in the adjacent seating area to monitor their children.) A staffed nursery is also available in Room 114 if needed. Hearing assist devices are available from the ushers in the church entry area. A recording of the sermon will be posted on Sunday afternoon on the website home page and on Facebook and YouTube.

Here are the descriptions for our worship liturgies this fall:

Bach & Baroque Liturgy: In this liturgy, we draw upon music associated with one of the great Lutheran composers, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Some of this music was composed by Bach, some of it utilized in his larger compositions, and some he harmonized for hymnals or other collections.

New Life Rising Liturgy: New Life Rising (NLR) is a liturgy led by our NLR ensemble and built to engage all ages in upbeat music and in the resurrection love we find in all our neighbors. Through worship practices, singing, and percussion that turns us toward one another, New Life Rising guides us to praise God with our whole body, mind, and soul!

A Liturgy of Diverse Music for Our Evolving Church: This liturgy is designed to be a blend of old and new musical styles. We look to these diverse styles to invite us into a life of bold faith and unbounded love as we live through these days of change and hope in our church and world.

September 13

9:30 am Worship – Pulling Out All the Stops: The Joy of Organ Music, Holy Communion, Installation of Interim Coordinator of Children and Family Ministry and Interim Coordinator of Youth and Family Ministry, Pastor Carol Tomer preaching (Part 1 of a Three-Week Sermon Series: Stories about Being Christian, Shaped by Scripture and Life) + Garden Party during coffee fellowship, between Worship and the Learning Hour

11:20 am Children’s & Youth Programs – Sunday School (Grades Pre-5th), Youth Discipleship (Grades 6th-12th)

11:25 am Forum – Land Acknowledgements: From Performance to Purpose – led by Jerad Koepp, Wukchumni, Native Student Program Specialist for North Thurston Public Schools, 2022 Washington State teacher of the year

September 20

9:30 am Worship – New Life Rising Liturgy, Renewal of Marriage Vows of Kathy and David Flanagan, Preaching: Daniel Boschee, who is a part of the Good Shepherd community (Part 2 of a Three-Week Sermon Series: Stories about Being Christian, Shaped by Scripture and Life) + Garden Harvest Party immediately following worship during Hospitality & Fellowship

11:20 am Children’s & Youth Programs – Sunday School (Grades Pre-5th), Youth Discipleship (Grades 6th-12th)

11:25 am Forum – Done with Church, Searching for God: The Changing American Landscape – led by Dr. Lynn Hofstad, Good Shepherd Theologian in Residence. This forum is also Session #3 of the Theologian-in-Residence Fall Series:

Religious demographics in the United States have changed drastically in the past 50 years. One result has been the rise of the "nones"--those who select the "none" box for religious affiliation on the General Social Survey. What society changes have led to this shift? Does this mean the US is becoming less religious or abandoning faith? How might congregations adapt to these changes? All of these questions will be addressed in Done with Church, Searching for God: The Changing American Landscape.

September 27

9:30 am Worship – A Liturgy of Diverse Music for Our Evolving Church, Holy Communion, Giving Thanks for Paying Off the Church Mortgage, Pastor Brenda Satrum preaching (Part 3 of a Three-Week Sermon Series: Stories about Being Christian, Shaped by Scripture and Life)

11:20 am Children’s & Youth Programs – Sunday School (Grades Pre-5th), Youth Discipleship (Grades 6th-12th)

11:25 am Forum – A Town Hall Forum – Updates about Good Shepherd’s Journey, led by Congregation Council members

October 4

9:30 am Worship – New Life Rising Liturgy, Holy Communion, Blessing of the Communion Ministers to the Homebound, Preaching: Pastor Dan Wiktorek, Good Shepherd’s Co-Visitation Pastor (Part 1 of 3-week Sermon Series: The Parables of Jesus)

11:20 am Children’s & Youth Programs – Sunday School (Grades Pre-5th), Youth Discipleship (Grades 6th-12th)

11:25 am Forum – Getting to Know Our Newest Visitation Pastor – led by Pastor Diane Darling

October 11

9:30 am Worship – Bach and Baroque Liturgy, Holy Communion, Good Shepherd Choir, Pastor Brenda Satrum preaching (Part 2 of 3-week Sermon Series: The Parables of Jesus)

10:45 am Special Event – Good Shepherd Ministry Fair (see Ministry Fair webpage for details) including the monthly Fair Trade Sales and Koinonia Quilter Fundraiser

11:20 am Children’s & Youth Programs – Sunday School (Grades Pre-5th), Youth Discipleship (Grades 6th-12th)

October 18

9:30 am Worship – A Liturgy of Diverse Music for Our Evolving Church, Holy Communion, Preaching: Pastor Diane Darling, Good Shepherd’s Co-Visitation Pastor (Part 3 of 3-week Sermon Series: The Parables of Jesus)

11:20 am Children’s & Youth Programs – Sunday School (Grades Pre-5th), Youth Discipleship (Grades 6th-12th)

11:25 am Forum – Worship in a World Still Longing for Ritual, Part 1 – led by Pastor Carol Tomer

October 25

9:30 am Worship – Reformation Sunday, Good Shepherd Choir, Blessing of the Quilts for Lutheran World Relief, Welcome of New Members, Pastor Brenda Satrum preaching

11:20 am Children’s & Youth Programs – Sunday School (Grades Pre-5th), Youth Discipleship (Grades 6th-12th)

11:25 am Forum – Worship in a World Still Longing for Ritual, Part 2 – led by Pastor Carol Tomer

November 1

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS – REMEMBER TO SET YOUR CLOCKS BACK 1 HOUR

9:30 am Worship – All Saints Sunday, ELW Festival Liturgy #4 (red hymnal), Holy Communion, Pastor Carol Tomer preaching. At the beginning of worship during the Prelude, all are invited to light candles in the cross, in memory of the saints who have gone before us.

11:20 am Children’s & Youth Programs – Sunday School (Grades Pre-5th), Youth Discipleship (Grades 6th-12th)

11:25 am Forum – Safe Harbor Grief – led by the Care Ministry Team and Dianne Sedivy and Lorna Sheveland. This forum will provide hope and support for healthy grieving through information and community connection.

November 8

9:30 am Worship – Bach & Baroque liturgy, Holy Communion, Blessing of the Communion Ministers to the Homebound, Good Shepherd Choir, Guest Preacher: Rev. Kyle Merkle, Regional Gift Planner, ELCA Foundation

11:20 am Children’s & Youth Programs – Sunday School (Grades Pre-5th), Youth Discipleship (Grades 6th-12th)

11:25 am Forum – Growing in Faith. Giving with Purpose – led by Rev. Kyle Merkle, Regional Gift Planner, ELCA Foundation. Your generosity can make a difference today and for generations to come. Join us to learn about faith-based gift planning options that can help you support the ministries and missions you cherish while creating a meaningful legacy. Explore practical tools, discover new possibilities, and see how thoughtful and faithful planning can turn your values into lasting impact.

November 15

9:30 am Worship – New Life Rising Liturgy, Thanksgiving for Veterans, Pastor Brenda Satrum preaching

11:20 am Children’s & Youth Programs – Sunday School (Grades Pre-5th), Youth Discipleship (Grades 6th-12th)

11:25 am Forum – Traveling the Dementia Journey – led by the Care Ministry Team. We will discuss diagnoses, support for caregivers, and building a dementia friendly community. Two Good Shepherd people will share their stories: Lynn Forrey, caregiver of a loved one on the dementia journey and Mary Douglass, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

November 22

9:30 am Worship – Reign of Christ Sunday, ELW Festival Liturgy #4 (red hymnal), Holy Communion, Good Shepherd Choir, Pastor Carol Tomer preaching

11:20 am Children’s & Youth Programs – Sunday School (Grades Pre-5th), Youth Discipleship (Grades 6th-12th)

11:25 am Forum – Publicly-Engaged Hymn Texts that Form Conscience – led by Shari Shull, ELCA deacon and music minister, who has degrees from Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Trinity Lutheran Seminary.

About the forum: This forum is based on the workshop I offered during the recent conference, “Worship Amid Social Turmoil,” coordinated by the Wild Hope Center for Vocation at PLU. At the conference, we explored how Christian liturgy, sacraments and common prayer orient congregations toward public engagement, justice, peace, and care for creation during times of political and social turmoil. At this forum, we will sing hymns from ELW and All Creation Sings that focus on living out our baptismal promises of renouncing evil, serving Christ in all persons, striving for justice and peace, respecting the dignity of every human being, and cherishing and caring for creation.

Deacon Shari Shull has served as organist/minister of music in Lutheran congregations in Washington & Virginia over the last 50 years. Prior to her retirement in 2025, she served Agnus Dei Lutheran in Gig Harbor for 18 years where she enjoyed playing the Fritts Organ, Opus 47. Shari served on the synodical team that introduced the ELW to the congregations of the Southwestern Washington Synod when our current hymnal was published. She holds degrees from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio.