There’s always something happening at Good Shepherd.

How do we love deeply, study faithfully, and embrace the LGBTQIA+ community in our walk of faith? Join us for this first meeting of the Rainbow Room Small Group as we dive into books and discussions about faith and LGBTQIA+ inclusion. This group is built on a foundation of grace, mutual respect, and a desire to grow closer to God and each other. Faith and identity are deeply personal, and they are meant to be explored in community. Whether you identify as LGBTQIA+, are an ally, or are simply looking for a safe space to learn and ask questions, you are welcome here. Join us as we explore the beautiful intersection of faith, Scripture, and the LGBTQIA+ experience in a supportive, loving environment. Come exactly as you are.

For the months of June and July, we will be packing meals at Power Packs on Monday mornings instead of Tuesday mornings - one time in June and one time in July. We are looking for 4-5 church volunteers each month. The two Mondays are June 29th and July 27th from 9:00 to 11:00. If you are interested in volunteering, there is a sign up sheet on the Feeding the Spirit bulletin board. We will return to packing meals at Power Packs on Tuesday mornings when school starts again in September.

Take a break from the summer heat and get together with friends and neighbors for a family Ice Cream Social. There will also be activities for children and conversation time for parents. The event goes from 6:30 pm till 8:00 pm. Drop in/out or stay awhile. Rain or shine. It will be held outdoors if weather permits, indoors in All Saints Hall if raining.

The Community Lunch for July will take place at the Taj Mahal Restaurant - 2820 Bennett Avenue in Lancaster. This is part of the monthly Community Lunch series hosted by the Towards Racial Justice Small Group. We share lunch together the 3rd Sunday of every month at a Black or minority-owned restaurant in Lancaster. Mark your calendars and join us for fellowship, great food, and support of our neighbors!

Join the Toward Racial Justice Small Group for this Watch Party in the Martin Luther Room followed by a Zoom discussion on July 27 at 7PM. The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution is a premier 2015 American documentary film that provides a comprehensive look at the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party. Directed and written by acclaimed master documentarian Stanley Nelson Jr., it represents the first feature-length documentary exploring the highly influential and heavily contested cultural and political movement. The film uses rare archival footage alongside firsthand interviews from former party members, FBI informants, journalists, and police officers to unpack the movement's legacy.

Join Senior Shepherds in All Saints Hall for a covered-dish potluck lunch as we welcome a lay leader of the United Methodist church, Susan Grimm McCoy. Susan will talk about her involvement with the Mission to Mama Land and present a slide show featuring the UM orphanage in Sierra Leon. She'll also share Rev. Dorcas Kamanda's "dream come true" of starting a home for children and youth orphaned by the country's Ebola epidemic and Sierra Leone's civil war.

Join the Towards Racial Justice small group for a First Friday event on August 7th. Plan to meet us at “Good Life Ice Cream and Treats” located at 2088 Fruitville Pike at 6:30PM. We can then carpool to PAVAA Gallery and then return for an ice cream social. If you prefer, you can meet us at the gallery at 632 N. Christian St. The Gallery was established by Gerri McCritty, local artist and musician who uses African drums to paint as she performs. PAVAA is a welcoming, safe place for everyone. Please join us!!

Come for the Stroopwafel. Stay for the story. Join us in the Good Shepherd Classroom as Jennie Groff, co-owner of the Lancaster Sweet Shoppe and Stroopies, Inc., shares how faith and entrepreneurship have created opportunities for refugee women seeking a fresh start in Lancaster. Learn how a small business built around a beloved Dutch treat has become a place of belonging, dignity, and hope. Pick up a hot beverage from the Shepherd's Crook Café after worship, then join us for a stroopwafel and a conversation about hospitality, community, and welcoming the stranger. All are welcome. Curiosity is encouraged.

Join us for this FREE "musical journey across the pond" as we begin our 2026-27 concert series by welcoming Rizzetta's Tones. This Celtic Americana band is comprised of two hammer dulcimers, silver flute, high and low whistles, guitar, plus alto and bass melodions. Their repertoire includes music from Ireland, Scotland, and the USA, also drawing from the traditions of many other lands. Forging new arrangements and writing their own material, they present audiences with a pleasing twist while respecting musical traditions. Come and experience a bit of the “old country”.

As a congregation committed to living out the unconditional love and radical hospitality of Jesus, we are called not only to serve our neighbors, but also to recognize Christ in them. Join us in the Good Shepherd Classroom as we welcome advocate and frontline worker Perry Hazeltine for a conversation about the realities facing unsheltered people in Lancaster County and how we can respond with compassion, dignity, and understanding while allowing our own lives and faith to be transformed through these encounters. Together we will explore the spiritual practice of truly seeing those who are often overlooked, building relationships that affirm human worth and strengthen our ability to accompany our neighbors with compassion and respect.

As a congregation, we are in a season of listening, learning, and discerning how we are called to live out Christ’s welcome more fully in our life together. In the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we trust that the Holy Spirit continues to guide the church not only through decisions, but through relationships, stories, and lived experience. Join us in the Good Shepherd Classroom as we share a recorded conversation with Pastor Ted Schneider who has been part of this congregation’s story from the very beginning. In this conversation, you’ll hear reflections on faith, growth, and what it means to follow Jesus more deeply over time.

Join us in All Saints Hall on Sunday, October 18, from 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. as we welcome the Friendship Community Worship Team. This inspiring group of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities shares their faith through music, movement, and sign language. Their joyful presentation of hymns, gospel songs, and praise music is sure to be a blessing. All are welcome!

When we are baptized, we are joined to the body of Christ and to the communion of saints. This is a vast and diverse community of faithful people across generations and around the world. Throughout Christian history, the church has remembered women and men whose lives offer inspiring examples of discipleship, courage, service, and faith. From biblical figures and martyrs to musicians, reformers, theologians, and advocates for justice, the church's calendar introduces us to a remarkable community of faithful witnesses. Many of these witnesses enrich our worship, shape our prayer, and deepen our understanding of Christian discipleship. Why does the church remember figures as diverse as Mary Magdalene, Francis of Assisi, Johann Sebastian Bach, Martin Luther King Jr., and Dietrich Bonhoeffer? Join Pastor Scott in the Good Shepherd Classroom for an exploration of who these saints are, why the church remembers them, and what their stories can teach us about following Jesus today.

Before experiencing Rev. Marilyn Witte’s multimedia Advent concert on November 29, join us for a special conversation during the Adult Education hour on Sunday, November 22nd. Pastor Witte will be exploring the stories, theology, and contemporary themes woven throughout the music. Together we will uncover how Advent hymns and the forces that shaped them speak to both ancient hopes and present-day concerns, inviting us to listen more deeply for God’s promises of hope, peace, joy, and love. We hope this sneak peek will enrich your concert experience as well as your Advent pilgrimage.

Join us for a spectacular afternoon of FREE holiday music-making as we embrace the hymns and music we’ve come to associate with the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love of Advent. Directed by organist and previous Good Shepherd cantor, the Rev. Marilyn Witte, this FREE multimedia concert will feature soloist Amy Yovanovich performing favorites such as “I Wonder as I Wonder” and “O Holy Night." Also featured will be the rich, baritone voice of New Haven, CT resident, Richard Ford. Defined by longing, not triumph, you’ll also hear an impressive Advent choir, instrumentalists, and more as we celebrate a variety of multicultural, multinational settings of hymns “of the season." So mark your calendars. You won’t want to miss this very special afternoon.

Who was Saint Nicholas, and how did a fourth-century bishop become the inspiration for Santa Claus? Although little is known with certainty about Nicholas of Myra, his reputation for generosity, compassion, and care for people in need inspired countless stories that have been shared for centuries. Through these legends, Christians have remembered Nicholas as a faithful witness whose life reflected God's love for neighbors and strangers alike. Join Pastor Scott in the Good Shepherd Classroom as we explore the history, legends, and lasting influence of Saint Nicholas. Together we will discover what we know about the man behind the myth and what his story can teach us about generosity, hospitality, and Christian discipleship today.

Join us for this inspirational FREE afternoon as we welcome "Voices of Freedom", a vibrant gospel choir based at J.P. McCaskey High School. Celebrating over 35 years of music, Voices of Freedom is led by director Colette Stephens and performs in school and local community events. The choir focuses on the African-American roots of gospel music and its influence on American culture.

Celebrating their 23rd season, we will again welcome back the Lancaster British Brass Band for a FREE concert. The 31 players of this terrific ensemble hail from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey and includes among its membership professional solo and ensemble players and music teacher/performers. Lancaster British Brass Band’s music director, Dr. Tina DiMeglio, is a professional educator, conductor, and clarinetist. The band’s varied selections are sure to please a wide range of tastes and interests. You won't want to miss it!