Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Educational Activities

A variety of youth and adult education activities are sponsored at Good Shepherd. They include:

Sunday School - During the academic year, Sunday School is available to children in PreK-5th grade and young adults in 6th-9th grade. Sunday School starts at 10:45 a.m. A variety of volunteer teachers staff the PreK-5th grade class, and Ed Epperly and Jaci Wilkinson teach the 6th-9th grade class.

(For more information about special events, see below)

Youth Events - A variety of activities designed for junior and senior high youth are offered throughout the year.

Adult Forum - Each Sunday morning after worship, adults in the congregation are invited to join together to explore a topic of interest to the congregation, the Church, or the world.

Bible Study - Held on the first Tuesday of each month, this Bible study is offered for Circle leaders and others interested in exploring the Bible.

WELCA/Circles - Women in the congregation are invited to participate in WELCA, Women of the ELCA. WELCA sponsors monthly Circles and periodic large group meetings.

Church Library - The congregation maintains a small library of religious and theological texts, devotional materials, and other church resources available for use by congregation members.

Special Sunday School and Youth Activities

Sunday School Classes Open To All

Sunday School classes at Good Shepherd are open to all children in the Decorah area, ages PreK-9th grade.  Parents or caregivers do not need to be members of Good Shepherd for their children to attend.  If you would like more information about Sunday School, please contact one of the Education Committee members, Jane Suntken (382-5149), Alicia Trout (382-4863), or Kathy Buzza (382-1494).

Classes began Sunday, September 18, with Sunday School running from 10:50-11:30 a.m. (Note the 5 minute change in start time). Snacks for students are available in the classroom from 10:40-10:50 a.m., so students should go directly to their classrooms after worship.  Sunday School music coordinator Gail Judisch will work with the PreK-5th grade students during snack time.  A big shout out to the Good Shepherd Mission Teams for preparing a plate of treats for the students to enjoy in the classroom!

            Students under the guidance of Jane Suntken will create gift bags and tags on October 23 to 
   sell at the WELCA Soup Luncheon and Country Store on November 6. There will be no Sunday School
   on November 6, but some students will help with the sale. 

This year’s PreK-5th grade teachers include Reg and Jeri Laursen, Ruth and Jerry Bruce, Matt and Denise Tapscott, Marty Steele, and Alicia Trout.  Ed Epperly will teach the 6th-9th grade class during the fall, with Jaci Wilkinson teaching in the spring.  Germano Streese will be Ed’s sub this fall, and Ed will sub for Jaci in the spring.


Please Note:  Parents are welcome to come to Sunday School with their children, but once Sunday School has begun, parents who are in the Sunday School room should remain in the room.  Please also mention to your children that once they are in the Sunday School room, they need to stay there until their teachers dismiss the class. This is for both safety and liability reasons.  Thanks for your help on this!


            Bible "Show and Tell" Great Fun!
     Thanks to everyone who shared wonderful personal information about the special Bibles they brought for the Rally Day intergenerational activity in the Fellowship Hall September 11!  Everyone who brought a Bible received an award, a bookmark featuring all the books of the Bible.  Awards included "Newest"--Noah Tapscott; "Largest (and Oldest--1874)"--Justine Lionberger; "Peppiest"--Jutta Anderson for her German "salt and pepper" Bible; "Most Illustrated"--Saer Trout; "Easiest to Carry"--Rowan Trout; "Best Confirmation Bible"--Dave Judisch; "Most Norwegian"--Don Berg; "Most Spanish"--Jean Swiggum; and "Smallest"--Ruth Bruce. Thanks again to Don Berg for emceeing the program!

      Take a look at the Education bulletin board to see some favorite Bible stories of Good Shepherd folks.  If you didn't get a chance to write your favorite Bible story on a paper "Bible", blank ones are on the table in the narthex. Also available on the table is the handout "30 Weeks of Bible Stories for Households of Faith"--please pick one up!


Fall Sunday School Calendar

 

10/2   Sunday School (Reg and Jeri Laursen, PreK-5th grade)

10/9  Sunday School (Reg and Jeri Laursen, PreK-5th grade)

10/16  Sunday School (Reg and Jeri Laursen, PreK-5th grade)

10/23 Gift Bag Project for WELCA Country Store (Jane Suntken, PreK-5th grade) 

10/30  Confirmation Sunday (Reg and Jeri Laursen, PreK-5th grade)

11/6  WELCA Soup Luncheon and Country Store—No Sunday School

11/13   Sunday School (Reg and Jeri Laursen, PreK-5th grade)

11/20   Intergenerational Advent Wreath activity and Stewardship Potluck—No “official” Sunday School

11/27  Sunday School (Reg and Jeri Laursen, PreK-5th grade)  Advent begins

12/4    Christmas Program rehearsal (Amalia Vagts, PreK-12th grade)

12/11  Christmas Program rehearsal (Amalia Vagts, PreK-12th grade)

12/18  Final Christmas Program rehearsal; Sunday School Christmas Program—5 p.m.(Amalia Vagts, PreK-12th)

12/25 Christmas Vacation—No Sunday School

1/1      Christmas Vacation—No Sunday School

1/8      Sunday School (Denise and Matt Tapscott, PreK-5th grade)