Service

service-clipart

Mission and Outreach begins with service at the local level. LCGS is involved in helping out the community in local programs such as Family Promise (formerly IHN) and Sandwich Ministry.

In addition to local outreach we support the Global Mission through the ELCA. One such project was the ELCA Malaria Campaign.

Through various program areas, the LCGS Women of the ELCA provide services within our church, our community, and even the world.


Read more about LCGS’s outreach programs:

Family Promise

Good Shepherd is part of Family Promise in Billings, made up of 23 congregations helping homeless families achieve and maintain independence. Our congregational partners for hosting weeks are Beth Aaron and St. Patricks.

Click here for more details.

Women of the ELCA (WELCA)

All women at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd (LCGS) are members of the women’s group.  The Good Shepherd Women are also members of the Beartooth Cluster, which is part of the Montana Synod, which is in turn a part of the larger ELCA women’s organization (WELCA).  We currently support nine circles (Bible Studies from the “Gather” magazine) and the Altar Guild (in charge of setting up and organizing communion each week).

The women also have a very active Piecemakers quilters’ group that meets every Tuesday and makes quilts that go to Lutheran World Relief.

The Mission Action committee leads the campaign for school kits and health kits for LWR as well as local schools, baby care kits for LWR, personal care kits for the Rescue Mission, and collecting needed items for Family Services, the women’s and children’s shelter, and the Gateway House (among other agencies in town).

The Good Shepherd Women are the main people responsible for funeral receptions and wedding receptions. We also help stock the kitchen with supplies such as small and large coffee pots, coffee, cookie sheets, cooling racks, pots/pans, etc.

Our annual Bazaar is our main fundraiser.  The majority of the money from the Bazaar fundraiser goes to support local area needs, needs within the church and church community, and some needs at the national and world levels. We also host a Thankoffering service in November each year.

WELCA Circles

The Women of the ELCA (WELCA) sponsors circles (small groups) for women to gather for fellowship and Bible study.

Circles are Bible study groups for women of all ages. The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd currently has nine circles, most meeting once/month (except one that meets every Friday morning before work). Circles meet in the church or in homes or other places in the community. All women are welcome to join these groups.

Most study from the monthly “Gather” magazine. Extra copies of this magazine can be found by the women’s bulletin board near the bathrooms in the narthex. Please feel free to use the magazine for the meeting, then return it so others may be able to explore this same possibility.

A list of the circles (when and where they meet, and a contact person for each) is posted on the women’s bulletin board.  Try out a circle and see what you think!  All women are invited!

If you think you would like to join a circle, let someone in that circle know, and the LCGS Women will give you a free one-year subscription to the “Gather” magazine! Hope to see you there!

Piecemakers Quilters Group

Piecemakers is a quilters group that meets at the church Tuesday mornings at 9 am. Last year, the group assembled more than 400 quilts which were donated to Lutheran World Relief.

Piecemakers' quilts line the sanctuary pews before being sent on Global MissionMay 2015
May 2015May 2015
Sandwich Ministry

People  gather once monthly at the beginning of the Sunday School hour to make sandwiches that will be delivered to the Montana Rescue Mission.  It is a small commitment (usually 20 minutes) that has a huge impact on our local community.

Ever wonder what impact we have on the lives of the homeless and poor in Billings, Montana?  Each month our congregation prepares about 450 sandwiches that are delivered to the Men’s Shelter kitchen.  The Men’s Shelter kitchen provides all meal preparation for not only the Men’s Shelter but also the Family and Children’s Shelter and the Crisis Center.  On an average day, over 200 meals are prepared and served.  So what is the impact our 450 sandwiches?  They become Sunday night dinner and a meal for anyone who comes in hungry. While one of our members was making the delivery a young family walked by. One of the three young daughters tugged at her mom’s shirt and said “Look, Mom they have sandwiches”.  The cook asked if they were hungry and they nodded their heads.  He handed them a partial bag of sandwiches.  That is why we do what we do.

It costs us about $300 each month to purchase the supplies for the sandwiches (peanut butter, jelly, bologna, cheese, and bread). If you would like to make a donation toward this ministry, please put “sandwich ministry” in the memo line of your check or put cash in an envelope and mark the envelope.

Food Bank

Good Shepherd members give regularly to our local Billings Food Bank.

The metal food donation shelf is located outside of the church office and the first weekend of each month is designated as Food Bank Weekend.

Parish Nurses

The Parish nurses group writes newsletter articles, sponsors health fairs, takes blood pressures monthly, and restocks the First Aid kits around the church. We also worked with the Stephen Ministers, and we stepped in to assist with a servant project begun by another nurse to develop working relationships with some people for transportation to/from doctor appointment and/or visitation. We also helped host blood drives

We have written a plan for the ushers of what to do in an emergency, as well as encouraging them to take a CPR course. When there have been emergencies during worship or at other times when the community is gathered, we have informally checked back with the person and/or their family to see if there was anything more that we could do for them.