DONATE

All Are Welcome to Wednesday Evening Gatherings Every Wednesday, 5-7 pm •

Welcome to The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd in Olympia, Washington!

It’s Good Shepherd’s mission to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ with all people and to invite them to fullness of faith in God.

Welcoming and hospitality are an important part of who we understand ourselves to be as a community of faith. As in everything else, our model is Jesus. In one of his letters, the Apostle Paul urges his readers to “welcome one another just as Christ has welcomed you.” A contemporary translation reads, “Reach out and welcome one another … Jesus did it, now you do it!”

Several years ago, in an effort to do what Jesus did, our congregation adopted an Affirmation of Welcome:

The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd Welcomes All People:

The poor and the rich, the young and the old
People who are single, married, blessed, divorced, separated, partnered, or widowed
People of all abilities
People of all sexual orientations and gender identities
People of all nations and ethnic backgrounds

No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.

In-Person Worship

Sermon from April 21, 2024

Pastor Bergen Eickhoff preaching

Recent Sermons

Video recordings of the Sunday sermon will be posted on Sunday afternoon at 3pm here on the website, Facebook, and YouTube

Upcoming Worship at Good Shepherd

Sunday, April 28

9:00 am Learning Hour:

Faith Explorers — Children and youth are invited for a time of sharing in play, faith, and community. Meet in the lower level of the church

Forum — Reflections on Life and Health and Daily Breath, led by Pastor Carol Tomer ** A special invitation to cancer alums to be present for this forum

10:00 am Worship:

Fifth Sunday of Easter, A Service of Healing with Laying on of Hands, Blessing of the Quilts, Pastor Carol Tomer preaching

This will be a special healing service. During this worship service, you will be invited to come up to the front of the sanctuary and sit in chairs. You need not say anything or name the kind of healing you need. You are simply invited to come forward and have a prayer said for you, while hands are laid on your head and arms and shoulders by others in the congregation standing beside or behind you, as we all join in a prayer that will be printed in the worship booklet. We all come to this ritual of prayer for healing as wounded healers, each in our own need and each of us as instruments of healing in the body of Christ for one another. I hope that you will plan to share in this special worship service. For more background about this service, please read this blog post about the service.

Following Worship - Hospitality and Fellowship

Video recordings of the sermon will be posted on Sunday afternoon at 3pm here on the website, Facebook, and YouTube; The weekly Newsletter is posted every Friday at noon

Childcare is available at ALL Worship gatherings!

Wednesday Evening Gatherings

Wednesdays, 5-7 pm

Wednesday evenings begin with Community Meals for all at 5 pm with family and friends to share a meal before the evening’s activities ($1/person suggested donation). Learning actvities for all ages begin at 5:45 pm; Faith In Action (K-6) is a time for fun & fellowship and learning how to love & serve our diverse neighbors; Our Deepest Questions is a discussion group for youth and adults covering the big questions of faith and life from a Lutheran lens and alternates every other week with Confirmation Classes which are intended for youth in 7th grade and above, but open to anyone; The Good Shepherd Choir rehearses at 7 pm and is open to any interested singers regardless of ability or experience.