Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Gather Joyfully... Grow Spiritually... Go Faithfully...

   
    

Welcome to Our Church

The psalmist wrote, "The Lord is my Shepherd." He continues to describe the beautiful blessings and peace which comes from knowing the Lord as one's shepherd. 

Good Shepherd Lutheran offers what you need most -- the message of free and full forgiveness through Jesus Christ. That good news is at the heart of everything that happens here.  

Our congregation exists to proclaim Christ in our congregation and community, to families and individuals, all for the glory of God.

To find out more about us, feel free to browse this web site, contact us by phone or email, or just stop by! Guests are always welcome at Good Shepherd. Whether you join us for our Sunday morning worship services, one of our Bible studies, or one of our other activities,  we would love to have you join us!

                         Good Shepherd is ...
                             ...a place for Worship
                                ...a place for Fellowship
                                   ...a place for Family
                                       ...a place for Growth                         
                                              ...a place for YOU 

           

Worship Information

 


In person and Live streamed on our Facebook page and Youtube page.

Our Worship

We know that it can be intimidating to walk into an unfamiliar place, especially a church. We want you to know that visitors are always welcome at Good Shepherd. Here are some answers to questions you might have about worship at Good Shepherd.

Worship Times
We worship on Sundays:
From September through Memorial Day:
Bible Study and Treasure Hunt (kids) 9:00am
Worship 10:15am

May 29 through Labor Day:  Worship 9:30am


How should I dress?
On any Sunday at our church, you may see people wearing shoes and heels, jeans and suits, or open collars and ties. When a person dresses out of love for God, the choice of dress (casual or more formal) is acceptable to God ...and us.

What about my kids?
Relax.  God put the wiggles in children.  Don't think you need to suppress that in God's house.  Kids of all ages are welcome at Good Shepherd. We encourage kids and their parents to grow in faith together as they hear God’s word and sing his praise.  We love to have children in our services. 

Some suggestions:

  1. Sit toward the front so it is easier for the little ones to see.  That helps them feel a part of the service.
  2. Quietly point to and explain the parts of the service to them as we proceed.
  3. If your child does become too restless we provide a nursery room. You will be able to watch and hear the service from this kid-friendly area.


Remember, children learn about worship from us.  Help them feel at home in this house of worship.

What is the service like?
We invite you to come and discover the rich ways which we use to worship God. As you enter, you will receive a service folder which allows you to easily follow along with the entire service. We believe that in worship God comes to us through his Word and Sacraments and we respond in prayer and praise. Our services are structured in a way which assures that every week we will hear God’s message of salvation through Jesus. The pastor's sermon is intended to help us see our need for Jesus so that we also see how Jesus fills all our needs. You can watch previous services here.


The Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion)
The Bible tells us that those who take Communion together are to:

  • Recognize that Christ’s true body and blood are present in the Sacrament (1 Cor. 11:29),

  • Examine themselves as Scripture instructs (1 Cor. 11:28), and

  • Be one in faith and belief with the congregation with which they commune (1 Cor. 10:17).

For these reasons, it is our practice that only those who are members of our congregation or a congregation of the WELS join us for Holy Communion. We kindly ask our guests to speak with our pastor about what the Bible teaches about the Lord's Supper before communing with us. 

How about the offering?
The offerings gathered at Good Shepherd Lutheran church go to support the mission and ministry of our congregation in our community and around the world. As a visitor, you may contribute as you wish, but please do not feel obligated to do so. 

 

We give to one another.

 

We don’t come to worship merely as consumers. We gather so that we may be blessings to one another. To encourage one another. To hold each other accountable. To offer a hug to the hurting and a hand to the suffering. To remind each other that we don’t walk alone.

When we gather for worship, it’s a family reunion.
 

Membership

Here are some really important things to consider as you look for a church, (but it might not be what you think):

We are not going to try and convince you that we're a super nice community of people who will quickly become your best friends; to be honest, we just don't know for sure (although we sure hope we do!). But you will always hear the good news of Christ and Him crucified for your sins. Church is where you go to hear and receive the Gospel, first and foremost; the social benefits are secondary. By the way, don't worry, we will never make you stand up and introduce yourself or anything. If you visit, feel free to sit in the back and nobody will bug you. Also, you will be given a worship folder (or program) with everything written out, so you can easily follow along with the worship service.

We are not going to lure you in with a rockin' band. We have a very cool organ, though. Seriously, wait till you hear this thing! We sing hymns that have been time-tested over many centuries; unlike the catchy pop tunes that are being sung by the latest worship celebrities. You will always be singing about God and His Word-not about yourself and your feelings (and that's a very good thing).

Our pastor does not tell lots of funny jokes and compelling personal stories that tug at your heartstrings. That would be a distraction and a hinderance; and that would keep you from hearing from God's Word, which is so much better than the words of any man. We use a liturgical form of worship because it puts parameters on the service so that it's always focused where it belongs-on God, and His Word. If you’ve ever felt like a church service was a show and the pastor was too much like a comedian or motivational speaker, you’ll really appreciate how we try to do things here.

Member:  A part of a whole

What does it mean to be a "member" of Good Shepherd? It does NOT mean...
  • you're part of a"club" (like a Country Club membership)
  • you're automatically "good with God" (just because your name is on a membership list)
  • you've got to pay your dues... or else (like Costco membership)

What does it mean to be a "member" of Good Shepherd? It means...
  • you belong to Christ and are part of his body through baptism. (1 Corinthians 12:13)
  • you share a common belief with the body of believers at Good Shepherd. (Ephesians 4:2-6)
  • you come to worship regularly to receive God's grace and forgiveness in Word and Sacrament. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
  • you are part of a body and you seek to use your unique gifts to serve others. (John 13:34)

Many churches avoid the term "membership" because it may scare people away. We use the word "member" because the Bible speaks of believers in this way! Romans 12:4-5 says, "For just as each of us has one body and many members, and these members to not all have the same function, so in Christ, we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."


 

Picture
The Christian Church is built on the rock of Jesus and his Word. A church is not a building but the people who gather there in the name of Jesus.
  

How does someone become a member?

We are not overly interested in "getting the numbers up," but we are very interested in making disciples. Our pastor will spend a lot of time teaching the Bible to every single person who wants to learn; in fact, in order to be a member you need to go through a detailed Bible study with him. You won't find this kind of careful instruction in many churches anymore.

Be Baptized

Before Jesus ascended into heaven he told his disciples, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..." (Matthew 28:19) All people are born with a deep need for baptism. Christians desire baptism for themselves and their children in order to receive the blessings of forgiveness and the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) which God offers through baptism. 

There is no such thing at "Lutheran" baptism, but only Christian baptism. A person who has been baptized in the name of the Triune God, Father - Son - Holy Spirit, does not need to be baptized again. If you are interested in baptism either for yourself or your child, please contact our pastor and he will be happy to assist you.

Be Catechized

"Catechized" is a big word which means "to be instructed." Jesus not only commanded that his followers be baptized but that they also be taught: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20)

Since membership in a congregation implies that a person believes what that church teaches,  wouldn't it be important that he or she be instructed first in the teachings of that church? For this reason we ask people who are considering membership to enroll and complete our series of instruction classes. Even if after the classes a person decides not to become a member of the congregation, studying God's Word is never a waste of time!

The instruction class is Faith Foundations. This course consists of lessons that answer basic questions like...
  • What makes Christianity different than other religions?
  • What is the Bible and why should I trust it?
  • Why do I really need Jesus?

Topics include:
  • How to be sure you are right with God
  • ​Comparing the Triune God with other gods of the world
  • Creation & evolution - compatibility or conflict
  • Jesus Christ - What he did and what it means for us today
  • How to strengthen your faith
  • Where the Bible comes from and why it is so reliable
  • A Biblical explanation of baptism and holy communion
  • What God says about marriage, husbands and wives
  • The real meaning of judgment day

Contact Us

Email:  gslcalma@gmail.com
Phone: 989-463-3056
Fax:  989-463-8513

About the WELS

Good Shepherd is a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. WELS is the third largest Lutheran church body in North America with over 370,000 members attending 1,300 congregations in 49 states and four provinces of Canada. Headquartered in Waukesha, it carries out mission work in 23 countries around the world. Good Shepherd contributes to the work of WELS with its gifts and offerings.

Additional information about the WELS can be accessed from the button "About the WELS" at the top of this page.

Info/Sign-ups

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Learning

We offer various ways to grow in your faith and faith life;

Moments with our Good Shepherd is a daily written/video devotion lasting about 4 minutes or so.   You can access them on our Facebook page, our Youtube page or our email subscription.  

Our Wisconsin Lutheran Synod provides daily devotions as well.  You can access them here.

In addition, we have weekly Bible studies.  A number of studies for you at home can be accessed from the menu at the top of this page. You may also check out this online Bible study from our WELS.   
We would be happy to help you dig deeper into these saving truths.   Just let us know how we can help.

From cradle to grave, growing in our faith is vitally important.  To this end Good Shepherd provides:

  Sunday School: which we call Treasure Hunt, encouraging the children to hunt for the treasure of God's love as found in the Bible.




  Adult Bible Study: each week prior to the worship service, and during the week as well  
 





   Confirmation Study: to prepare 6-8th graders for becoming communicant members of Good Shepherd.

Find Us

Our church is located at 7400 Begole Rd in Alma, right along US 127.

Click here for directions: 

Pastoral Care

The word "pastor" means "shepherd." Our pastor is here to shepherd people with God's Word. You can view our pastor's weekly sermons here. Below are several ways that our pastor is available for you.

Private Confession and Absolution
Our pastor is called to be a spokesman of God. When a conscience is especially troubled, it is a tremendous blessing to speak with a pastor and to hear from him God's proclamation of forgiveness. 

Pastoral Counseling with God's Word
"Your Word is lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (Psalm 119:105) A pastor is ready to listen and help you apply God's Word to your life.

Baptism
Our pastor would be happy to meet with you to talk about Christian baptism either for yourself or your child. 

Pre-marriage Classes and Weddings
Planning on getting married? If you are interested in building your life together on Christ and on his Word, please contact our pastor. He would love to assist you as you make plans for your wedding day and beyond. We believe that God established marriage as the life long union between a man and a woman. Our pastor's participation in any marriage ceremony is done at his discretion. 

Here to Serve

how can we best assist you?