Although we can still not gather in person as members of the Church of the Good Shepherd, it is time to start gathering as a community, beyond our Sunday worship, in whatever method is available. Fortunately, we do have virtual methods to gather, learn, interact, and effectively provide each other that very important sense of community.

We will be having at least one training session on how to utilize the Zoom format offered by our own Matt Johnson, dates to follow. We hope this training helps both group leaders and participants receive the information you need to allow you to have a positive experience.

Once we are all Zoom savvy, we will hopefully, by mid-August, resume and complete Sacred Ground. The participants in each of the three groups will be receiving information regarding your group’s startup date, link etc. We are also going to attempt to include a session 11 where all 3 groups will virtually come together to discuss “what’s next” regarding Anti-Racism.

The Sunday morning Bible Study, normally led by Albert Ervin, will be resuming to allow this enthusiastic group to continue in a virtual format; date not yet determined.

Christian Essentials is a NEW opportunity for small groups to “explore, grow and deepen your relationship with God, neighbor, world and self.” There are 5 different Modules available (you can participate in one or more of these Modules, as you wish), and each module consists of six sessions. The first Module beginning in late September will be “Love God,” and the six sessions consist of Introduction, Worship, Bible Study, Spiritual Practices, Basics of Our Faith, and Stewardship. (In the future we hope to offer the other four Modules, which include Care for Each Other, Serve The World, and more.) The groups are limited to 12 or fewer participants, so there will be 1 or 2 groups depending on how many sign-up. To provide us with this opportunity, four of our members have received training and will be facilitating: Nan Bayless is our lead facilitator, assisted by Britt Myers. The additional facilitators are Mary Palmer and Emily Bondy.

We are also going to have a Virtual Welcome Home — more information will follow on this as we finalize our plans.

I hope that your will find something in these offering that will spark your interest. Please contact me, Mary Palmer, [email protected], if you have interest in leading another Study Group.