A Church That Loves Its Community in Wayzata
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church sits on Shoreline Drive in Wayzata, a few steps from the shore of Lake Minnetonka. Founded in 1954 and now a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America through the Minneapolis Area Synod, the church describes itself with a simple motto: Led by God to love our community. It is an intergenerational church whose members include longtime Lutherans and newcomers exploring faith for the first time, and the welcome extends to anyone who walks through the door.
The building is fully accessible, with an elevator for those who need it, and the people are known for being friendly enough that the pastors know most attendees by name. One longtime member described the congregation as a "just right" mid-sized church - large enough to offer rich programming, small enough to feel like family.
Sunday Mornings That Sound Different Every Week
Worship happens every Sunday at 10:00 am and lasts about an hour. What makes Good Shepherd unusual is that the music changes week to week. Four worship groups rotate through the schedule, so attending four Sundays in a row means hearing four different styles:
- Traditional Lutheran organ liturgy, with classic hymnody and the order of service printed in the bulletin.
- A contemporary band that arranges modern songs in jazz, folk, and bluegrass textures.
- A gospel group that brings fresh arrangements to classic old-time hymns.
- A praise and worship band that leads contemporary songs in a more familiar modern style.
Worship is friendly, inviting, and conversational. Communion is celebrated every week at an open table - anyone of any age or background who wishes to receive it is welcome, with no classes required and no denominational test to pass. A screen in the sanctuary guides first-timers through the order of worship, and the bulletin lists everything that's happening. No one is asked to stand up and introduce themselves; visitors can simply fill out an online connection card if they'd like the pastors to follow up.
Wednesday Nights: Dinner, Worship, and the Rest of the Week
From September through April, the church's second weekly service turns Wednesday evening into the heart of congregational life. The rhythm begins at 5:30 pm with dinner. Families and individuals gather in the Fellowship Hall for a rotating weekly menu at $5 per person or $20 per family. Confirmation students eat together, kids fill the tables, and the room gets loud in the best way.
Worship begins at 6:30 pm and lasts about 45 minutes. The Wednesday service is led by a contemporary band and shares the same lesson and sermon heard the previous Sunday, making it easier for anyone who missed a weekend to catch up. Children are dismissed for Kids' Club after the children's sermon and return for Communion. After the service, the building stays busy:
- Confirmation meets for 7th and 8th graders following worship, beginning around 7:15 pm.
- 5/6 Connect gathers 5th and 6th graders from 7:30 to 8:30 pm for games, ice cream, and conversation.
- In-Betweens, for 4th through 6th graders, runs from 7:15 to 8:15 pm.
- Choirs and bell choir rehearse on Wednesday evenings in their own slots.
On Sunday mornings, coffee, donuts, and other treats are set out before and after the service so visitors have time to linger.
Children, Youth, and Confirmation
Good Shepherd takes seriously the idea that a noisy sanctuary is a sanctuary full of life. Wiggles, cries, and dancing in the aisles are all welcome. For Pre-K through 6th grade, Kids' Club meets during both Sunday worship and Wednesday worship. Kids start the service with their families, are dismissed after the children's sermon for interactive Bible stories, games, activities, and a treat, and return in time for Communion. For younger children there is a play area in the commons and busy bags with books and crayons.
Confirmation is a two-year curriculum open to all current 7th and 8th graders. One year focuses on the Bible and the other on the basics of Christian theology - what we believe about God, how we read scripture, and why. Large-group lessons rotate between the two years, and students are then placed into parent-led small groups that meet each week to share highs and lows and grow together in faith and friendship. Friends, neighbors, and classmates who are not members of the church are welcome to join. The year typically kicks off in mid-September and runs through the end of April, with dinner at 5:30 pm, worship at 6:30 pm, and confirmation immediately afterward.
A Music Ministry With Something for Every Voice
Music is woven into nearly every corner of the church. Janet Jans directs the senior vocal choir, Good Shepherd Singers, which is open to anyone age 12 to 100 and rehearses Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9:00 pm. She also directs Shepherd's Bells, the bell choir, which rehearses Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 pm and is likewise open to singers age 12 to 100.
For younger students, Pastor Sarah Johanson leads Kid's Choir for Pre-K through 5th grade on Wednesday afternoons from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. The kids prepare music for the Christmas and Spring musicals and occasionally sing at Sunday and Wednesday services. The rotating Sunday worship groups - traditional organ, contemporary band, gospel group, and praise and worship band - keep the music fresh week to week, and a team of volunteer teenagers and adults run sound and video behind the scenes.
Small Groups for Every Season of Life
Small groups at Good Shepherd fall into four broad streams.
Disciple-Making Groups focus on growing faith. The Women's Bible Study meets Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am, led by Pastors Derek and Sarah, working through a provided study and digging into scripture.
Community Groups are about in-depth relationships. Mom's Connect gathers twice a month on Sunday evenings around a shared devotional. Freetimers meets the third Thursday of each month for a potluck lunch and games in the Gathering Room. Good Shepherd Scrappers is a laid-back daytime gathering for anyone working on scrapbooking or other craft projects.
Service Groups put hands and hearts to work. Work Crew meets Thursday mornings with Pastor Loren for coffee, rolls, and fellowship, then tackles projects inside and outside the church building. Good Shepherd Quilters gathers Monday mornings in the Gathering Room to make quilts and blankets for WeCAN and others in need.
Youth Groups include Confirmation, 5/6 Connect, In-Betweens, and Kids' Choir, each with its own weekly rhythm described above.
Service Ministry and RibFest
Good Shepherd's call to love its community runs through its Service Ministry. Each month the church supports the Western Communities Action Network, known as WeCAN, by collecting food and personal care items for its Food Project. Donations can be brought to the church and placed in the orange bags across from the office.
Every spring, the church hosts RibFest, a Wednesday-evening BBQ dinner that has become its largest annual fundraiser. Ribs are smoked in the parking lot and served with baked beans, cheesy potatoes, fireman slaw, cornbread, and drinks. Members of the congregation donate all the food so that 100 percent of ticket sales go directly to the youth program. Proceeds fund camp scholarships, mission trips, and reduced participation costs so that more students can take part in service, learning, and faith experiences near and far. Tickets, upgrades, and larger "Half-Rack" or "Full-Rack" pledges are sold in the weeks leading up to the dinner.
Vacation Bible School
Each summer the church offers a half-day Vacation Bible School for children from preschool through 4th grade. The week runs Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to noon and is built around songs, games, arts and crafts, snacks, and a themed adventure. Registration opens in the spring through the church's online forms.
The Peace Garden
Just southwest of the church building, in the wooded area at the edge of the property, sits the Good Shepherd Peace Garden. Following the Christian tradition of interring the remains of members near the place where they worshipped, the garden provides a serene space for meditation, prayer, and services, with durable materials meant to last generations.
The garden offers in-ground interment spaces for the cremated remains of members and their families, with up to two interments per space and a bronze remembrance plaque for each individual. A religious service is held at each interment. A separate Memorial Wall allows members and their families to honor loved ones regardless of where they are interred. The church treats the care of the Peace Garden with the same seriousness as the care of the church building itself.
Pastors, Staff, and Lay Leaders
Good Shepherd is served by two pastors. Pastor Derek Tronsgard and Pastor Sarah Johanson share preaching, teaching, and pastoral care, and Pastor Sarah also directs the children's choir. Emily Graff serves as Director of Children and Community Ministries, overseeing Kids' Club, VBS, and family programming, and also serves as Secretary of the Church Council. Janet Jans directs the senior choir and bell choir. Pastor Loren leads the Work Crew and joins the ministry team.
An elected Church Council, led by President Blake Smith and Vice President Amy Velsor, oversees the work of committees that range from Worship and Music to Youth Ministry, Christian Education, Service Ministry, Women's Ministry, Fellowship, Stewardship, and Property.
What to Expect When You Visit
Come as you are. Some wear jeans, others dress up, and both are equally at home. Coffee, donuts, and fellowship fill the time before and after the Sunday service. Kids of all ages are welcome in worship, and programming for Pre-K through 6th grade is offered during both services. The building is wheelchair accessible, with an elevator for anyone who needs it. Communion is open to anyone who wishes to receive it, including children. No one will ask a visitor to stand up and introduce themselves.
Services are offered every Sunday at 10:00 am and on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm from September through April. A family dinner is served Wednesdays from 5:45 to 6:30 pm, and most evenings also include youth programming, choir rehearsal, or small group gatherings. Services are livestreamed for those who can't be there in person. Online giving, a connection card, a mailing list sign-up, and a prayer request form are all available.