Welcome to Good Shepherd!
Whether you are new to the area, the United Methodist Church or new to being a Christian, there is something here for you.

We glad you have chosen to spend a few moments discovering our church family. As we describe Good Shepherd to people, we use words like...Belong...Believe...Become.

We are a group of people devoted to showing radical hospitality, having passionate worship, becoming fully devoted followers, serving together in mission, and giving extravagantly. That means we love people where they are no questions asked. Our hope is that all people will feel loved and belong at Good Shepherd.

And once here, we pray that you will meet God and as a result of meeting God, give your lives to Jesus Christ. We want that for you. Come as you are. Check us out. Come home.

And now the 40 days of the Lenten season began as we gathered on Ash Wednesday. This Sunday is the first Sunday of Lent and we will have ashes once again from those who were unable to be there. The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer for Easter through prayer, doing penance, denying the flesh, repentance of sins, almsgiving, and denial of ego. On Ash Wednesday we heard the words of John 3:30 He must increase so I must decrease.

Lent is a time of preparation to encounter Jesus once again in the last days of his life and his triumphant victory over death giving us new eternal life on Easter. To increase Jesus in our lives and let ourselves decrease.

Our main focus during Lent will be based on a new book by Max Lucado, the writer of Before Amen, which everyone found so powerful in the fall. His new book is Jesus: The God Who Knows Our Name. Join us and Max Lucado as he explores the journey, life, and character of Jesus.

pj point : The boat was a tomb to the followers and a cradle to Christ. How could he sleep through the storm? Simple Jesus was in charge of it.

pj point: The struggle here is instead of looking at Jesus’ reaction to their situation, the disciples allowed their situation to dictate their reactions.

pj point: But His gentle rebuke over their lack of faith wasn’t because they didn’t believe Jesus could save them from the storm, but because they struggled to believe He would see them through it. That hits down deep. Are you struggling with that right now?

pj point: Remember even the wind and the waves STILL obey him.

pj point: Max says Peter never would have made that request on the calm sea. Had Christ been crossing a lake that was a smooth as glass Peter would have been like. Woah did you see what Jesus is doing? But I doubt he would have stepped outside the boat. Storms prompt us to take unprecedented and extraordinary journeys.

pj point: Why did he start to sink like a stone? Max says… Because he shifted his attention off Jesus and stared straight toward the squall. Give the storm waters more than attention than the Storm Walker and get ready to do the same.

pj quote: Whether or not storms come like this massive one in front of us we cannot choose or change. But we can decide how to face the storm. Are we going to skirt around it? We try to do that to avoid conflict or chaos. Sometimes it works but not usually for long. Are we going to stare straight into the storm until we are so overwhelmed by it and everything swirling inside of it that we can no survive it? Or are we going to steer straight into the storm with courage knowing that God is in the boat with us?

pj point: Former president Franklin D Roosevelt said Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.

pj point: Courage is always a possibility. Feed your fears and your faith will starve. Feed your faith and your fears will.

pj point: Storms are not optional but fear is. Here are three encouraging truths to remember from my You Version devotion:

First God has power over every storm.
If the wind and waves don’t concern Him, then they shouldn’t frighten you. You might not be able to change your situation, but you can choose to faithfully trust God in the middle of it.

pj point: Second Fixing your eyes on Jesus leads to peace.
Are you looking at the size of the storm, or turning towards the One who can calm it? It’s only by focusing on God, who knows every outcome, that you can navigate any situation with His wisdom and peace.

pj point: Third Jesus is always in your boat.
It’s easy to focus on your fears when you can’t control your future. But thankfully, Jesus knows your future, and He’s always by your side. And, He calls you to live by faith, not by sight.

pj final point: Whenever you find yourself overwhelmed by life, you always have two choices: you can focus on your circumstances, or fix your eyes on Jesus. If you choose to look to Jesus above everything else, you will begin to see that the storms you face are not nearly as powerful as the Savior choosing to walk through the storm alongside you or in your boat when you call upon his name ready to bring peace and still the storm.