What to Expect

Whether you have gone to church for years or whether this is your first time to come to church, we want it to be a comfortable experience for you. The following are a few questions and answers that might help you get a sense of what to expect when you come to Good Shepherd on a Sunday morning for worship. If you have other questions, please let us know so we can support you as you plan for your visit! (info@goodshep.com)

Where should I sit?
Feel free to sit wherever you’d like; there are no special seats (except those in the music area for choir and musicians and the short pew by the front of the church for the pastors). We do have headsets if you are in need of sound amplification. We also have a wheelchair and have a fully accessible building if you are in wheelchair or need handicap accessibility. If you need assistance, an usher will gladly help you.

How do I find my way around?
The front (north) side of the building has a drop-off circle and glass doors. These are the main doors to enter into the lobby or narthex and fellowship center. There is an entrance on the west side of the building, as well, which is the entrance into the school.

If you come in the front doors, often there will be someone to greet you by the welcome stand when you come through the door. Here you will find items to welcome you to Good Shepherd. There is also an information center by the wall under the “Welcome” sign, which has more information for you and a guest register that we hope you will sign. To the RIGHT of the information center, you will see a door to the nursery; this is staffed during worship for children infants through K. 

To the RIGHT of the nursery, you will see the administrative offices and double doors that go to the hallway to the school and restrooms. To your LEFT in the lobby are two entry ways to the worship area. The main Bible Study is also held there or in the gym. 

From 9:00-9:20 is Fellowship Time in the gym, right off the entry area/fellowship center. Please stay and join us; we would love to get to know you! The building is well marked, and if you should need any guidance or direction in finding your way, the greeter is happy to help.

If entering through the back/west end, you will find yourself in the hallway of the school/education wing … the areas described above are all straight ahead down the hall.

What About the Kids?
Kids of all ages are welcome at Good Shepherd. We encourage children and their parents to grow in faith together as they hear God’s word and sing his praise. To keep little minds and hands occupied during worship there are children’s activity bags hanging by the welcome center.

Prior to the start of the sermon on the 2nd and 4th Sundays each month, there is a children’s message and all children are invited to the altar area to listen. The nursery is staffed by volunteers throughout the service.  Should your little one need a break from sitting at any time during the service, you are welcome to make use of the nursery, parent’s room, or entry area, which has speakers to allow you to still be able to listen to the service.

What is Good Shepherd’s practice regarding the Lord’s Supper?
The Lord’s Supper is celebrated on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month. We would ask if you are not a member of our church or one of our sister congregations that you refrain from attending the Lord’s Supper until after you speak with one of our Pastors. For more details regarding what we believe concerning this sacrament, please visit our page on communion practices.

What is meant by “liturgy” or “liturgical church”?
Being a “liturgical church” means that our worship is governed by a progression that focuses the worship on the Word of God and the Sacraments. Also, as a liturgical church our service themes follow the Christian Church Year. The Christian Church Year begins with the Advent-Christmas season in December to focus us on the coming of Jesus; January-February mark the season of Epiphany in which Jesus is revealed as the Son of God; March and April include the seasons of Lent and Easter in which we focus on Christ’s passion and resurrection; and May through November is the season of Pentecost highlighting the work of the Holy Spirit. The church year ends with the season of End Times, preparing us for Christ’s second coming.

If you would like to know more about the different elements that make up the liturgy (or order of service) in a typical worship service, please visit our worship elements page.

What tools are there to guide me through the service?
As you enter the worship area, an usher will hand you a service folder which will guide you through the order of service, Scripture readings, worship songs/hymns, prayers, confession and creeds. There will also be a separate page with the week’s schedule of activities and any announcements. The worship is also led through video screens with printed responses and hymns/songs.

Pastor will speak a word of welcome, followed by the service as laid out for you in the service folder and shown on the screens. If you would like to follow along with the music for any of the hymns or songs there is a red hymnal (Christian Worship) located under the seat in front of you. We may also sing songs printed in the service folder.

Why all the singing?
You may notice that we sing a lot during our worship service. We sing hymns (spiritual songs) to express the joy that we feel in our hearts. Some of the hymns are prayers set to music, asking God to give us his blessings. Others are strictly praise songs, giving thanks to God for who he is and what he has done for us. All of the songs which we sing during worship are chosen to enhance our service and reaffirm the message that we hear. They fit closely with the readings and message of the day to form a common theme.

Will anyone try to involve me or sign me up?
We believe that church membership should be a voluntary thing, and that the most important personal aspect is to trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins and salvation. Individuals need time to evaluate and decide if they wish to become more involved. We will respect that need for time and won’t pressure you to join. But we do encourage you to worship with us again. Visit us on several occasions and make an informed decision for yourselves.

How can I find out more?
There are a few ways to find out more information about us and our church. When you visit us in person, we have an information table near the entryway complete with many brochures on a variety of topics. You can also visit our Resources page, which will provide you with a number of internet resources through our church and agencies with which we are affiliated. You can also request a visit with our Pastor to discuss any other questions you may have.

We pray this information has answered some of the questions you have about worship at Good Shepherd. If you have any other questions or comments about worship, please contact us.