A Note from Our Head Elder

Are you as Smart as a Confirmand?

Preparing for the confirmation questioning, I was reminded of the game show that went off the air in 2015 “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?” On April 2, the Elders met with the confirmation class for this year and quizzed then on what they know. Pastor Bill teaches this material year after year and is well versed in the material. For the rest of us, including some of the confirmation class, we may not know the material as well as we once did. Fortunately for us we had a printed list of questions and answers.

Some of the questions we asked come from Luther’s small catechism. If you look at each section of the catechism it starts with “As the head of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household.” The Elders and the Pastor are there to assist the family and their students learn the faith.

My copy of the catechism contains over 300 questions. I have been at churches where we ask the students these questions during the worship service, all 300, and hold each student accountable to answer from the text. At Good Shepherd we ask the questions for general spiritual understanding in a public forum with the Elders and teachers for the class along with their parents. Each student is expected to know all of the answers.

In reflecting and getting ready for the questioning, I found myself not being able to respond as the text would have me respond for each question I am looking at. Okay, I know the “answers,” just not the memorized answer from the text anymore. In the same way, when the students have memorized the text of the catechism and explained the meaning, we can be assured that the students understand what they are saying.

As we think back to our own education on what it means to be a Lutheran Christian, I am convinced that memorization is important to cement the knowledge for the questioning. And, the lifelong practice of being in the church and coming regularly to worship is what brings that head knowledge to our heart. Many times after confirmation is complete our young people (no different from my confirmation in 1973) fall away and do not have the opportunity to put into practice what they memorized or have learned.

My prayer for this confirmation class is that beyond the memorization and the sermonettes, God will touch their hearts and they will become active participants in the life of this church. I am looking forward to the confirmation service on May 7. See you there.

Glen Leavens, Head Elder

Step It Up and Walk for Life!

STEP IT UP and WALK For LIFE:  Saturday, April 29, 2017 – 9:30 am Registration – 10 am Walk

Two Walk Locations – Pioneer Park, Covington, KY & Pendleton County Fairgrounds, Falmouth, KY

Your support for the New Hope Center provides information and compassionate assistance to men, women and students in Northern Kentucky.  New Hope offers comprehensive, positive alternatives to abortion and their services are free!  Refreshments and hot dog cookout after the Walk.  Come out and support a great cause for LIFE!

OWLS

On April 4, OWLS will be getting together for fellowship and devotion at 12:00 noon. We would also like to invite anyone in the congregation who would like to join us on our trip to the ark. Just bring something to share for a pot luck luncheon and don’t forget your item for our food pantry here at the church. Also, bring your calendars so that we can schedule our trip to the ark which is being planned for the end of April or the first part of May. See you there!

Sunday School Mission Projects!

A portion of the weekly Sunday School offerings are designated for Sunday School Missions. The Sunday School students at Good Shepherd have chosen three worthy mission projects:

1) Let the Children Come to Me Project provides Sunday School materials for children in Southeast Asia. These funds will go toward writing and translating a Lutheran Sunday school program for Southeast Asians in countries such as Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia.

2) Juan 3:16 provides Bible Storybooks for Spanish-speaking children. These funds will be used to provide families in countries like the Dominican Republic, Peru and Mexico with their own copy of A Child's Garden of Bible Stories written in the Spanish language. 

3) Mobile Food Pantry - The Mobile Pantry Program directly serves clients in areas of high need in an effort to supplement other hunger-relief agencies in that area. Through a Mobile Pantry, food is distributed to clients in pre-packed boxes or through a farmer’s market-style distribution where clients choose to take what they need.

Below are photos of our Sunday School students!

LWML Spring Rally!

The LWML Spring Rally is “going to the dogs!”... Comfort Dogs, that is!  The program will be presented by dog handlers from Atonement Lutheran Church in Columbus, OH.  Their first dog, a soft, fuzzy, friendly English Cream Golden Retriever, is kept very busy traveling to stressful situations where people need the unconditional love, comfort, and compassion only our God can provide. After the program and light refreshments, the yearly business meeting of the Cincinnati Zone will follow.

The Rally will be Sunday, April 30, and will be at 2:00 p.m. (1:45 registration starts).  It will be held at St. Mark’s Lutheran and all women and their guests are welcome. See you there!