Who We Are
We’re a Chicago church by location, but our members come from all parts of Chicagoland and from many walks of life. We are drawn together by our growing faith in and obedience to Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. You’ll find us to be a warm, welcoming, and inviting congregation.
The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd was founded on September 9, 1920. We cooperate and maintain fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), an ethnically and socially diverse denomination. We belong to the central conference of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the ELCA.
We believe that a personal relationship with Jesus changes lives. Once touched by the unconditional love of Jesus, it is natural to celebrate our new life in worship, scripture study, sacrificial giving, and a call to ministry in the neighborhood, the nation, and the world.
Our congregation’s mission is to:
For the love of Christ...For the hope of the World!
Our Sunday gathering centers on Christ’s presence among us. By design, our worship is creative and reverent; sometimes traditional, sometimes contemporary. Our main gathering is on Sundays at 10am. We also offer a "PAWS for Prayer" gathering at 8am Sunday mornings for dogwalkers and their furry friends during the months of July and August.
Come be part of the worship community!
All are invited to encounter God’s love in the activities and in one another here at GS. We are handicapped accessible (call ahead to make arrangements) and we have hearing assisted seating for worship. We believe that God gave us life to enjoy! So you’ll discover that we are a community that enjoys both working and having fun together. We have realized that no one need be alone in the purpose or the work God gives us to do.
No matter your station in life, your successes or disappointments, your questions, your doubts, your past or present; whether a child, teenager, adult or senior, there is a place for you in the community at Good Shepherd…
Our Guiding Principles - Our guiding principles define who we are, who we are not, and whose we are.
1. Jesus is Lord & Savior!
The presence of Jesus is evident in the way we live our lives; we are a family of brothers and sisters with Jesus as our focus and foundation.Jesus the Christ is our Good Shepherd – he make a way for us into the Kingdom of God.
Therefore, what Jesus taught, what Jesus said, what Jesus pointed to is what we as a congregation seek to put first in our decisions, actions, works, and behaviors.
2. Worship and Prayer is central!
A. Jesus is God in human form and comes to us in the act of worship
B. Hearing God’s Word, being claimed by God in the ritual washing of baptism and sharing the Lord’s meal are God’s means of grace to us
C. This is how our relationship with the Holy One is established, lived, grown and shown.
D. Worship & Prayer are how we speak, thank, spend time with, hear from, receive forgiveness, and gather as faithful community.
3. The Bible is our Guide!
1. The Holy Scriptures of the Jewish Old Testament (Tanakh) and the Christian New Testament is what grows faith in us through the testimonies of those before us2. The Bible points to the acts of God, the intention of God and the plan of God to restore the relationship of all creation to itself and to God, through the work of Jesus Christ, God’s son3. The Bible is a living document – inspired when written and inspiring for direction now - the Bible still speaks to matters of faith and life
4. Where the Bible seems contradictory, we use the principle of grace found thoughout scripture and especially in Jesus Christ – we ask, “What would Jesus do? How would Jesus live?”
5. Everyone can Grow!
Growth comes to us by living in a faith-filled community, developing the disciplines of the spiritual path called "The Way,' studying God’s Word, and wrestling with the sinfulness of self.
Methods of growth at GS include:
+ Prayer + Sabbath rest + Study + Healing services
+ Discipling another + Spiritual Direction + Confession
We seek to grow more and more Christ-like in our daily living- walking the walk, not just talking the talk.
6. Everyone can Serve!
4. Everyone has Value! (to be expounded on)Jesus speaks often of loving the Lord with everything we have and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. Sometimes the neighbor is close by, sometimes half way around the world. Jesus did not care about proximity – He cares that we care.
Since we have experienced God’s love in our lives we reach out to others who need to be loved.
In the community – St. Cyprian’s Food Pantry, The Shepherd's Purse, The Sheep’s Pen (children's drop in center), AA-Cellar Dwellars, Leyden Montclare Seniors, and Galewood Montclare Community Organization
In the nation – National Disaster assistance through Lutheran Disaster Relief, Noah's Ark Animal Rescue (from our Pet Blessing); our sister church Peace Lutheran in Slidell, LA
In the world – International Disaster Relief (Tsunami, earthquakes), World Hunger Appeal and our missionary- The Rev.Kevin Jacobsen in Surinam, So. America
Our Pastor
Our Pastor is Chicago born and raised, receiving her education at Lane Tech HS, DePaul and Northeastern IL Univ. and the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. Her name is the Rev. Mary Appelt Graves.
An Administrator of Volunteers for several non-profit agencies prior to her call to ministry, she served on the Lt. Governor’s Steering Committee on Volunteerism (1990-92), as president of the Association of Volunteer Administrators (1989-91), Chicago Coalition for the Homeless member, and a member of both the Ecumenical Cursillo Community of Illinois and Via de Cristo Lutheran Cursillo Community.
Pastor Graves' philosophy of ministry is rooted in the scripture, "to love God with all your heart, your soul, your strength and your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself." It's really that simple! That is why we, at Good Shepherd, root ourselves in the Christian disiciplines of prayer, worship, reading scripture, serving others, building Godly relationships, and givng.