April Newsletter

This year, we have been on a journey together here at Church of the Good Shepherd. Our goal? To better understand how God uses the Church united to transform lives and our world. As we’ve been taking this journey, God has been whispering in my ear that it is time for one last change in branding for our youth ministry—that it is time to “come home” to our amazing church family.  While names like Fusion and Rooted Youth Ministry have served their purposes in developing our collective identity, it is finally time to take ownership of our piece in the greater Church of the Good Shepherd congregation. For this reason, we will adopt the name COGS YOUTH, joining Kids4COGS and COGS in Motion by boasting in the congregational identity God has bestowed upon us.

You see, our teenagers have a lot to offer our congregation. Our students have gifts and abilities, fresh outlooks on life and faith, high energy and eager hearts—all to offer in service. They also need willing faith mentors and leaders, selfless servants and comforters, to arise from our congregation and to care for our teens as they wrestle with this messy adventure we call “life.”  So may the youth of our church move forward in service to our congregation, and may members of our congregation step forward to serve the youth, and may we never forget in the midst of all we do, that we are all COGS in God’s Kingdom-building machine called the church.

It is hard to believe, but we are a few short months from graduation!  Here at Church of the Good Shepherd, we take great pride in the hard work our students put into their studies as they grow into God’s purpose for their lives, and we want to celebrate this milestone with you!  If you know of a graduating senior in grad school, college, or high school that should be recognized for this accomplishment, please contact Connor Felty at [email protected] with their name, their graduating school, and what they are doing next.  We will recognize graduates with a gift in each of our three services on May 20.

Youth Night Series: "Identity in God's Family"

"Who am I? What am I here for?"  These are the questions we all wrestle with at one time or another, whether we are 12 or 86. They are also the two questions that God has provided the clearest answers to in Scripture!  "I am chosen by God because of his love!  Now, my life is supposed to serve and glorify God in every way!"  Join us for this April series as we explore King David's identity journey when God calls him to do amazing things!

Sunday School Curriculum: "The God Who Directs His People"

In Grow Zone, our students will be learning about the wonderful life God calls us to live throughout the New Testament letters.  God gives us his Holy Spirit, who in turn helps us battle our own fallen nature and claim the life for which God created us. This month, our students will learn about God's call to be loving (4/8), the Christian's identity as a child of God (4/15), and God's work to unite humanity in his church!

NO COGS YOUTH NIGHT ON APRIL 1 OR APRIL 29

MIDWEEK BIBLE STUDY POSTPONED