Sunday School
St. Paul instructed parents to bring up children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Sunday School at Good Shepherd provides important assistance in this process by teaching children the Biblical account of God’s saving action as it is centered in Jesus Christ. Sunday School also seeks to teach and reinforce the texts of the Catechism (the Ten Commandments, Apostles’ Creed, Lord’s Prayer and the biblical institution texts of Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution and the Lord’s Supper).
Good Shepherd offers classes for “Parents and Two’s,” Preschool/Kindergarten, First to Second grades, Third to Fifth grades, Junior High, and High School. The “Parent’s and Two’s” class is for parents and their child as children begin the process of learning about Jesus Christ and parents receive help in learning how to raise their children in the faith. Classes begin at 9:00 a.m. and the Sunday School opening is held in each classroom using Morning Prayer from the Small Catechism. Children practice singing in the choir room on a rotating schedule as part of the Sunday School hour. The Sunday School children sing in the Divine Service at regular intervals during the school year.
Youth Book Gifts at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Our Lord gave His baptismal mandate to His Church when He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). With these words Jesus taught us that the process of making a disciple involves two parts: baptism and teaching. Most of the children in our congregation receive Holy Baptism as infants or as young children. That is the first part of our Lord’s mandate. However, then the process of the second half of the mandate begins as we teach our children the faith. This process of catechesis (instruction) takes place at home and at church.
In order to assist in this Christian formation at home and church Good Shepherd gives age appropriate books at several stages in a child’s maturation. As a child enters the Parents and Two’s class, the child receives a copy of the board book Things I See in Church. This book contains pictures and a brief phrase that describes what God is doing through these items we see at church. When the child enters the Pre-school/Kindergarten class he/she receives the Follow and Do book set which illustrates each of the parts of the Small Catechism for young children. When a child enters First Grade, he/she receives a copy of My First Catechism. This illustrated book contains the text of the Small Catechism along with a Bible story that relates to each item in the Catechism. When a child enters Third Grade he/she receives the Holy Bible (English Standard Version). This is the same translation used in the lectionary in the Divine Service and serves as the standard translation used in catechesis. Each of these three gifts corresponds to the time when a child enters a new Sunday school class group. When a child enters Seventh Grade and begins Junior Catechesis, he/she receives Lutheran Service Book. Along with the Bible and the catechetical materials that Pastor Surburg has written, this serves as the basic text for catechesis since it contains The Small Catechism, the three ecumenical creeds, the liturgy of the Divine Service and the Rite of Baptism. Finally, High School youth participating in Bible Class receive a subscription to Higher Things, a magazine for Lutheran youth.