300 UNION AVENUE, SOMERVILLE, NJ 08876 Main Phone: 908.685.1660
A member of the NJ Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA)
Small Group Ministries
Teams Enabling Ministry

Our Good Shepherd family comes together in various ways to make ministry happen both within and outside the congregation, sharing our talents and resources for the good of the church and others. Below is information on these small groups, what they do, and when they meet. Please join and share your God-given skills with others.
Education and Growth in Faith
Time: Various times
Location: Various Locations
There are many opportunities offered to enrich the knowledge of faith (Forums, Bible Studies, Book Discussions).
Adult Forum meets on Sundays at 9:45 during Sunday Church School and covers topics that are always interesting. Discussion is encouraged! If you have not yet been to an adult forum, please join us. Recent discussions include "Serving God by Serving Others", "Reclaiming the 'L' Word" by Kelley Fryer, "Martyrs of the 21st Century", a series on Handel's Messiah, Dieterich Bonhoeffer & Raoul Wallenberg, "Bible Studies on the Beatitudes & Minor Prophets", and "Understanding Islam".
Thursday Bible Study at 10:00 AM - members meet in each others' homes. This group is self-led and selects its course of study.
Wednesday Bible Study at 1:00 PM - members meet in church for lunch and Bible study. This group is self-led and selects course of study.
Wednesday and Sunday evening studies are offered periodically and have included both short and long term courses, such as a 5-session class on "The Augsburg Confession", a 24-session program on "Connections" increasing understanding God in everyday life, Lenten study based on the Gospel of Mark.
Book Discussions have included "Tuesdays with Morrie", "The DaVinci Code" and "20 Hot Potatoes Christians Are Afraid to Touch". We aslo discussed "The Rapture Exposed", a look at the "Left Behind" series.
Especially for Families
Growth for families are provided through a variety of events and workshops, such as Advent Events, Easter Egg Hunts, Super Saturday Workshops and Parenting courses.
For more information please contact the church office.
Crafteers
Time: Every Wednesday 9:30 AM
Location: Good Shepherd
Crafteers meet on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 for those interested and capable of doing crafts and needlework. They make gifts, banners and other appropriate things for use in and around the church and as gifts for members for Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations and Weddings.
Shepherd Stitchers
Time: 1st and 3rd Mondays 7:30 pm & 3rd Tuesday 1 pm
Location: Good Shepherd
This group meets on the 1st and 3rd Mondays at 7:30 pm and the 3rd Tuesday at 1:00 pm. They make quilts for children in the homeless program, for Lyons Veterans Hospital and for foreign missions.
For more information please contact the church office.
Lunch Bunch
Time: 12:30 PM - Once a month
Location: Good Shepherd
This is an informal gathering of members and friends who are around the area - at home or at work - during the day and wish to get together for lunch and fellowship occasionally. Everyone brings their own lunch.
LMM - Lutheran Men in Mission
Time: 1st and 3rd Saturdays
Location: Luther Hall
LMM meets on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month from mid-September through June. Each meeting begins with a great breakfast during which we share in Christian fellowship. This is followed by a Christian-based discussion period.
LMM participates in several service projects, such as Habitat for Humanity, sponsoring a child in El Salvador, and coordinating the collection of Christmas toys for children of inmates of the Somerset County Jail.
Men of all ages are welcome.
For more information please contact the church office.
Little Lights (Formerly "M.O.M.S.")
Time: Thursdays from 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM (subject to change)
Location: Luther Hall
We’re a Playgroup for Young Children and Their Caregivers. Our Mission
is sharing God’s Love with one another and with our world through Play,
Fellowship, Creative Expression, Service, and Exploration.
We meet on a weekly basis. In an effort to include more families, we meet
on some weekends and evenings in addition to meeting on Thursday
mornings. Our children are currently ages 0-6, and our grown-ups
include moms, dads, and grandparents. We welcome church members
and non-members alike!
We have various activities including arts and crafts, Chapel Time with Miss Linda, backyard barbecues, and trips to local parks, zoos, indoor playgrounds, and museums. A favorite annual outing is hiking through the wild bluebells at Duke Island Park mid-spring. We’ve done various service projects and plan to do more service by participating in outreach in a local nursing home.
For more information please contact the church office.
Music, Choirs, Liturgical Dance, and Drama
Time: Thursday evenings and alternate between services
Location: Good Shepherd
A Festival Choir augments the Senior Choir for the seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter with four rehearsals before season. Special programs like a Messiah concert, Christmas or Easter Cantata are offered.
Volunteers provide chancel dramas, dialogue and dramatic interpretation of Bible readings during worship service. Musical instrument players support festival worship services. In the past, members have shared their talents with us includng brass, string, wind and percussion instruments. Special music presentations afford music witness during Sunday Services.
For more information please contact the church office.
Pilgrimages and Retreats
Time:
Location:
A pilgrimage is a journey of faith. This year an intergenerational group will journey on a Pilgrimage to Holden Village, a Lutheran retreat and renewal center in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State.
Past experiences have included trips to Williamsburg, VA in 2005, Washington, DC in 2004, Bethlehem, PA, St. John's Cathedral in NYC, Shaker communities in New England, and a Pilgrimage to the Oberammergau passion play in Germany.
Good Shepherd has offered a variety of retreats, including;
* Men's Retreat 2007 "Connections" at Crossroads with Pastor Mark Kraii
* Men's Retreat 2006 with Pastor Scott Schantzenbach
* Woman's Retreat"Prepare Your Heart" in 2006
* Annual church family weekend retreat at Camp Koinonia in New York state.
In July 2000, 27 people experienced the "Passion Pilgrimage". They traveled to many historic cities in Germany (many the sites for events during the reformation), Siloah (a youth camp the church supports), mission centers, cathedrals and churches.
The highlight was attending the Passion Play, held in Oberammergau every ten years since 1634. It was a day to be remembered.
In 2003, 30 women gathered at the Fellowship Deaconry in Liberty Corners for a retreat on Peace. Past themes included "He Choose the Nails", "Come to the Table" and in 2006 "Prepare Your Heart" This year' theme, "Fill Your Cup with Joy" is based on the book, "The Cup of Our Life" by Joyce Rupp.
For more information please contact the church office.
Sixty Plussers
Time: 2nd Wednesday of the month September to June
Location: Good Shepherd
Members of the congregation who are 60 years of age and older are invited to meet for Christian fellowship. Speakers from within the congregation share their experiences, travels and talents, as well as speakers and programs from the community and the church synod. Organized day trips visit local historic sites, gardens and places of interest.
Sixty Plussers volunteer in many areas, in both the church and community. They support the Food Bank Network of Somerset County through food purchases.
For more information please contact the church office.
Support Groups
Time: Various
Location: Various
We seek to support those who are experiencing difficulties in a variety of life situations. Groups meet to give and receive support in a Christian setting with persons sharing similar life circumstances. It is open to both members and others in the community. Past groups have included those suffering loss of a loved one, job loss, parenting, and families with members suffering from depression. Where there is a need, support will be offered. Currently, Parenting your Parents meets on the 2nd Sunday of the month during the education hour. The Military Service Support Group sends cards and packages to our service personnel overseas and provides support for famiiles with deployed members.
For more information please contact the church office.
WELCA - Women of the ELCA
Women of the ELCA is the name given in the greater church for ministry to women by women and for women. At Good Shepherd, we have provided two paths for our women - Those who wish to meet during the day can join the “Friends of Lydia” women’s group while those who prefer to meet in the evening can join the “Daughters of Eve” women’s group. (Eve meetins in the ‘evening’ - Get it?)
Daughters of Eve Women’s Group
Time: Tuesday evenings at 7:30 PM - once per month
Location: Varies (generally someone’s home)
Daughters of Eve started as a WELCA off-shoot called “Transitions” focused on women experiencing empty nest syndrome, career changes, retirement, menopause, and/or caring for aging parents. It has now expanded to include all women seeking fellowship and growth along with other women of faith. All women of the church are invited to come monthly to DoE.
Discussions are wide-ranging to address needs of the group, such as women's health issues, exercise, healing, adult children, depression, caring for aging parents, etc.
For more information please contact the church office.
Friends of Lydia Women’s Group
Time: afternoon’s - once per month
Location: Good Shepherd
Our other WELCA group has renamed itself “Friends of Lydia” to honor one of the women cited by Paul in the New Testament. All women of the church are invited to come monthly to Good Shepherd. This program offers educational, social and inspirational activities appealing to women and gives women as a group an opportunity to participate in the work of the wider church.
Programs have included: Bible study, discussions on handling depression, discrimination, welcoming newcomers, flower arranging. Worldwide projects are supported through the national headquarters and members prepared health kits for Lutheran World Relief. WELCA has participated in the World Day of Prayer with other churches in the area.
For more information please contact the church office.
Sisters of Ruth Women’s Group
Time: afternoon’s - once per month
Location: Good Shepherd
Our third WELCA group has renamed itself “Sisters of Sarah” to honor the wife of Abraham. All women of the church are invited to come monthly to Good Shepherd. This program offers educational, social and inspirational activities appealing to women and gives women as a group an opportunity to participate in the work of the wider church.
Programs have included: Bible study, discussions on handling depression, discrimination, welcoming newcomers, flower arranging. Worldwide projects are supported through the national headquarters and members prepared health kits for Lutheran World Relief. WELCA has participated in the World Day of Prayer with other churches in the area.
For more information please contact the church office.
