| Our congregation got its start as a mission
church in 1966, meeting in the Plaza Mall, with 23 members.
The first building; sanctuary and a few classrooms was built
in 1970. A pipe organ was installed in 1979. With a growing
congregation with many children, the educational wing was
built in 1986, providing classrooms, a fellowship hall and a
kitchen.
Stained glass windows, rebuilding and relocating the organ,
renovation of the sanctuary, adding additional classrooms and
meeting rooms and enlarging the lobby was completed in 1997
and dedicated in 1998.
In 2001an area was enclosed
and gave birth to the "Cup Runneth Over
Cafe". The Cafe was built to serve as a social area
before and after the worship services. A place to get a light
snack, coffee, tea, juice and talk with visitors.
At the present we are building a
sanctuary for our GS-soul.com (multi-sensory) worship
along with a children's wing and a new gathering area
while also upgrading other parts of the church. We hope to be in
our new wing by the fall of 2006.
These continuing additions reflect the growth of the congregation and
its ministries. Membership now exceeds 650 with an average
attendance of almost 500!
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| If the Church is to reach non-members, many
searching for meaning to their lives, it must reach them where
they are, and not expect them to necessarily be attracted to
our methods and culture.
The Church of the Good Shepherd has been moving in this
direction. The first step was the formation of small groups we
call Koinonia Groups or K-groups.
Beginning in 1998 different members of our congregation have participated
in the "change" Conference in Ohio learning how one
church is meeting the needs of the unchurched through alternate
forms of study and worship. Our studies led us into our
multi-sensory worship service GS-soul.com, in
March of 2000.
Studies continue on how we can call persons to Christ and
serve them in this fast changing culture, but still minister
to those who feel more comfortable with current forms of
worship.
We began as a
"mission church" and hopefully, we will always be a
"church with a mission"...a church who loves God, worships
together and serves others.
Our church has become a realization due to the
dreamers and doers; the future is limitless!
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