Category Archives: Volunteer

ELC Grandparent Program Resuming


Are you a Grandparent? Do you have Grandchildren close by? Some of the children at the ELC have that, and some don’t. Good Shepherd has had an “Adopted Grandparent/Grandchild” program for many years, but it was interrupted in 2020 when Covid made its appearance. Now it’s time to start again.

What is an Adopted Grandparent?

  • Someone who shares the love of Jesus with a young child?
  • Someone who stands in the gap for a child who needs more adults in his or her life?
  • Someone who visits the ELC during special events and remembers the little one’s birthday with a card and/or small gift?
  • Someone who calls and prays for a specific family on a regular basis?
  • Someone who invites the child and family to worship and/or special activities at the church?
  • Someone who helps a family make a connection between the ELC and the church?
  • Someone who would like to be blessed by having a young child run to you yelling, “Grandma, Grandpa” when you visit?

We invite you to pray about joining the Adopted Grandparent Program and enjoy the blessings of having a sweet young child be a part of your life.

Stay tuned for more information about how to become a part of this outreach ministry.

Titusville Christmas Parade: volunteers & candy needed

Help and candy are needed for the Titusville Christmas Parade on December 9th. The candy ran out halfway along the route last year. Volunteers are needed to decorate the float as well as to ride on the gloat or walk beside it to hand out candy. PLease contact Rickey Hall or the church office to volunteer or for more information.

The Parade begins at 6 p.m. at Titusville High School. Volunteers should arrive by 5 p.m. at the school. There is no car parking on school grounds; volunteer parking is off campus. See also christmasparadeirc.com (URL in bulletin is incorrect.)

Food Pantry date changes and clarification

The Food Pantry days will change in November and December due to holiday conflicts. The new dates are:

Tuesday, November 5 & 21 and Tuesday, December 5 & 19

Although Bob and Paula Minor are stepping down as leaders of the Food Pantry, they are not leaving the pantry. if anyone wants to serve the community by taking their place, let them or a Food Pantry member know.

Rummage Sale Thank You

Thank you to all who helped make the rummage sale a success. Many volunteers put long hours into sorting, tagging, arranging, boxing, etc. This was truly a joint effort by many, many people. The results were astonishing. Now only was money raised for some special projects, but the community was blessed. Additionally, there was much fellowship and comradery. Good job, church!

Much Candy Needed for Trunk or Treat on 10/19 & 10/21

Good Shepherd is participating in not one, but two Trunk or Treat activities this year. *

WE NEED CANDY!. There is a box (probably not big enough) in the narthex for your donations of bags and bags of candy. Please be generous and bring lots of candy. **

* Oct. 19 at Lowe’s on South Street from 5-7 p.m. and Oct. 21 at Good Shepherd with our famous Haunted Hayride.

** I’m not exaggerating–we need a tremendous amount of candy.

Food Pantry also needs a few good people

Good Shepherd’s Food Pantry is seeking volunteers who have a heart for those in need. If you can spare 4-6 hours each month helping to fill food bags, receive prayer requests and pass them on to Pastor Bruce, maintain the catalogue of family size of those served, and to help them with lists of open jobs, then we have the spot for you.

Those who come for help are treated with the utmost respect and care; the goal is to fill the gap until they are able again to afford to feed their families. See Bob Minor for more information.

A Big Thank You!

Thank you to all who helped with the Good Shepherd Community Unity Picnic on June 10. It was a lot of hard work, but the picnic was a great success.

Also, thanks to Pepsi for donating all the canned drinks.

We are blessed by everyone’s work and generosity.

A huge “Thank You!”

Much thanks to those who worked so hard to improve and beautify the Early Learning Center’s playground and to spread the multiple cubic yards of mulch given us by Lowe’s. Thank you also to Lowe’s for the generous donation.

Easter Needs: Baked goods and easter candy

.Please bring wrapped Easter candy* and baked goods and desserts for the $Easter Breakfast and Egg Hunt on April 9th. The candy must be brought in by Palm Sunday (April 2nd) for egg-stuffing. Filled eggs must be brought in by April 8.

The baked goods may be left in Shepherd’s Hall before Sunrise Worship.

* Pastor requests the candy all be “good stuff.”

Chili Cookoff Fundraiser February 26 after worship

Do you make the best chili ever? If so, bring it to church Feb. 26 and compete against other chili cooks for the title “2023 Best Chili of Good Shepherd.” Sign-up sheet for competitors is in the Narthex.

Everyone else: come join us for a great competition, good fun, and yummy chili. Money raised from voting for the best chili will go towards two new and much-needed computers.

LERT Chainsaw Training Class on Saturday, 01/14/2023

Mark next year’s calendar now for Lutheran Early Response Team (LERT) Basic Chainsaw training class. Date is Saturday, January 14, 2023 at5 Abiding Savior Lutheran Church (9700 W. Newberry Road, Gainesville, FL 32606) from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (

You must have previously completed the LERT basic training class to participate in this class. To be authorized to use a chainsaw on LERT disaster responses as an LCMS LERT Chainsaw Operator, you must attend BOTH the morning classroom lecture and the afternoon “hands-on” session.

Click here for the training information page

Interested in a Community Garden?

There’s been discussion about starting a community garden at Good Shepherd, possibly as an Early Learning Center project with space for church members or as a full community effort with our neighbors. If you have experience with community gardens or gardening in general and are interested in managing or helping, please let Pastor Bruce know.

Organizational meeting for a GSLC Women’s Group

We would like another meeting on Monday, April 11 at 6:30 pm for anyone who couldn’t come to Friday March 4 meeting. It will be in the meeting room in the Sanctuary for all the ladies in the congregation who would like to get a “Women’s group” together. We will talk about things that we can do at church. It will be about an hour long. Please come and help us organize some activities. Contact Shirley Kaiser or the church office for more information. If you have a suggestion for a more convenient day and/or time, please let us know.

Thank you!

A huge thank you to all who helped install the new speakers in the sanctuary on Wednesday, February 16 and to all who helped set up the Hibiscus Show in Shepherd’s Hall on Friday, February 18, and early Saturday, February 19. We are grateful for your hard work.

Updates on Worship and Classes for January 8 & 9

Junior Confirmation class is cancelled for Saturday, January 8th. Class will resume on Saturday, January 15.

Weekly Worship with Communion will resume Sunday, January 9th at 9:30 a.m.

Adult Class will resume Sunday, January 9th after Worship (around 11 a.m. when all the bacon has been eaten.) The topic is The Papacy and the Antichrist.