Tucked onto six wooded acres at the corner of North Street SE and Henderson Avenue in Olympia, The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd has anchored its neighborhood since 1957. Rooted in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and recognized as a Reconciling in Christ congregation since 2009, Good Shepherd describes itself with three words: Be Seen, Be Heard, Belong. The mission that gathers these words is to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ with all people and to invite them to fullness of faith in God.
The congregation has grown and changed with the community over nearly seven decades. Worship, learning, fellowship, and outreach flow through a 50,000-square-foot facility that includes a sanctuary, Crary Fellowship Hall, classrooms, and a gym and Gathering Place used for pickleball. Summer Sunday worship moves outdoors under the cathedral of evergreens from July through early September, a signature that has become one of the recognizable rhythms of Good Shepherd's wide welcome.
Three Liturgies for One Sunday
Sunday morning begins at 9:30 am in the sanctuary, followed by coffee and conversation in Crary Fellowship Hall. From there, the morning stretches into Sunday School for preschool through fifth grade at 11:20 am, Youth Discipleship Classes for grades six through twelve at the same hour, and a topical Sunday Forum at 11:25 am. A staffed nursery is available in Room 114 for the youngest children, and a Children's Area at the front right of the sanctuary offers space where caregivers can sit nearby while little ones play. Hearing assist devices are available from the ushers in the entry area. Recordings of the sermon are posted each Sunday afternoon to the church's home page, Facebook, and YouTube.
What makes the sanctuary experience distinctive is the rotation of three distinct liturgies across the year.
- Bach & Baroque Liturgy draws on music associated with Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 to 1750), including music he composed, music he harmonized for hymnals, and music from his larger works.
- New Life Rising Liturgy is led by the New Life Rising ensemble and is built to engage all ages in upbeat music and resurrection love. Percussion, singing, and worship practices turn the congregation toward one another as they praise God with body, mind, and soul.
- A Liturgy of Diverse Music for Our Evolving Church blends old and new musical styles, inviting bold faith and unbounded love through changing days in the church and the world.
Holy Communion is a regular part of these services, and the Good Shepherd Choir lifts its voice on Sundays such as Reformation Sunday in late October and the Bach and Baroque Liturgy Sundays.
A Pastoral Team of Four
Good Shepherd is shepherded by a team of four pastors who share ministry across the congregation. Rev. Carol Tomer serves as Lead Pastor, bringing experience from the International Church of Stockholm, Holden Village in the North Cascades, and 22 years as Lead Pastor of Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Saint Paul. A graduate of Harvard Divinity School and Luther College, Pastor Carol is passionate about the gifts of Christian communities for spiritual and justice-making lives. Rev. Brenda Satrum serves as Pastor of Community Life and Head of Staff and preaches most weeks in the regular rotation. Rev. Dan Wiktorek and Rev. Diane Darling serve as Visitation Ministers, carrying the church's ministry to those who cannot be in the sanctuary on Sunday and bringing communion to the homebound.
Children, Youth, and Families
The Children, Youth, and Family ministries shape faith formation at every stage. Each Sunday begins with a Children's Message at the front of the sanctuary, when the children come forward for prayer and blessing before returning to their families or the Children's Area.
After worship, Sunday School gathers preschool through fifth grade children for snacks, a Bible story, and time for wonder, curiosity, movement, and connection. The classroom is led by Heidi Prince, Interim Coordinator of Children and Family Ministry.
Youth in grades six through twelve meet for Youth Discipleship Classes at 11:20 am in Room 160. The year begins with a three-week introduction called How to Read the Bible, led by Jennie Rowley, Interim Coordinator of Youth and Family Ministry. Parents are welcome to learn alongside their children for that opening series. The classes meet weekly through the program year.
Once a month on a Sunday evening, youth in grades six and above gather for the South Sound Youth Group Activity Night, a collaborative ministry with nearby ELCA congregations that alternates between Good Shepherd and Gloria Dei Lutheran in west Olympia. Each evening includes a free dinner, games like Vampire Tag in the darkened church, small group conversation, and a closing time of contemplative worship. Friends are always welcome.
Music That Carries Worship
Music is not an accessory to worship at Good Shepherd; it is woven through every liturgy. Nickolas Carlson, Director of Music Ministry, leads the Good Shepherd Choir, which rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 pm and sings for special Sundays such as Reformation Sunday and Bach and Baroque Liturgies. The choir welcomes anyone who wants to join, regardless of training or experience, and offers a place to build relationships and deepen faith.
The New Life Rising ensemble leads the contemporary liturgy with percussion and a full-body style of praise. For those drawn to organ music, the sanctuary houses a pipe organ that is featured on Pulling Out All the Stops Sundays such as the opening Sunday of the program year. Volunteers serve in worship as Readers, Crucifers, Book Bearers, Communion Servers, Lead Welcomers, Ushers, and Sound technicians through the Gifts in Worship ministry.
Reconciling in Christ Since 2009
Good Shepherd adopted its Affirmation of Welcome in 2009 and became a Reconciling in Christ congregation, an ELCA designation for congregations committed to LGBTQIA welcome. The Radiant Pride Ministry keeps the welcome visible and active, hosting observances such as Transgender Day of Remembrance and joining Capital City Pride each year. The church's own welcome statement names the breadth of that welcome: the poor and the rich, the young and the old, people who are single, married, blessed, divorced, separated, partnered, or widowed, people of all abilities, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, and people of all nations and ethnic backgrounds. The statement closes with the words, No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.
A Monthly Food and Supply Bank
On the fourth Friday of every month, with November and December shifted to the third Friday, Good Shepherd opens Crary Fellowship Hall as a satellite distribution site of the Thurston County Food Bank. Families drive through the church entrance while volunteers load their vehicles with food supplied by the Food Bank along with hygiene supplies sponsored by the congregation. Each month the bank distributes diapers, wipes, toilet paper, and bar soap, plus a rotating hygiene item such as laundry soap, dish soap, feminine hygiene supplies, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and cleaning supplies. Spanish-speaking volunteers are particularly welcome.
The food bank has grown from serving about 45 families a month in its early years to more than 100, a measure of both rising need and the program's reputation. On average, the partnership distributes nearly 3,860 pounds of food each month. Hygiene supplies costing close to $1,500 per month are funded by donations and by Thrivent Action Grants sought by congregation members. Donations of supplies can be dropped off in Crary Hall Monday through Friday between 9:00 am and 3:30 pm.
Theologian in Residence
Lifelong learning is a long-standing piece of Good Shepherd's identity. Each fall, the congregation hosts a Theologian in Residence whose work shapes adult education across several weeks. The current resident is Dr. Lynn Hofstad, a theologian, educator, and daughter of the congregation, who leads an eight-session series titled Where Did We Get THAT Idea?, exploring how beliefs about God, ourselves, and creation shape our lives and can shape them more powerfully for good. Each session is offered twice, with a light meal served between the two gatherings. Topics in the current series include Beyond the Bearded Man: Picturing the Divine and Done with Church, Searching for God: The Changing American Landscape.
Weekly Bible study continues through the year as well. The Lydia Circle uses the Gather magazine for Bible study, while the Men's Prayer, Bible Study, and Fellowship Group and the Women's Prayer, Bible Study, and Fellowship Group each meet on Zoom to pray and study the lectionary texts in preparation for the coming Sunday. A Women's Book Group reads books with a social justice focus, with selections chosen and led by members. A Knit, Purl & Pray group combines fellowship with handwork.
Sages and the Wider Fellowship of Adults
For older adults, the Sages Ministry offers programming, snacks, and spiritual camaraderie. Sages meets on the second Friday of every other month in Crary Fellowship Hall at 12:30 pm, with a 1:00 pm program start, and is open to anyone regardless of age. Recent gatherings have featured Janet Nazy of the Thurston Climate Action Team speaking on heat illness prevention, Lt. Governor Denny Heck speaking on the responsibilities of his office, and Fire Chief Hillory Flowers of the Olympia Fire Department. The program is named for the wisdom seniors bring to the congregation, and a separate Spiritual Journey of Aging series offers additional space for reflection.
Other adult fellowship flourishes around shared hands and shared tables. The Piece Corp has been quilting at Good Shepherd for more than forty years, meeting every Wednesday at 9:00 am in Crary Hall to make quilts for Lutheran World Relief. Twice a year the group ships its work overseas. The first Wednesday of each month brings a Piece Corp potluck at noon for anyone who wants to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries together. The Koinonia Quilters meet on Thursdays from 1:00 to 3:00 pm to make quilts for baptisms, high school graduates, and Community Youth Services; the group sells small quilted items at a monthly fundraiser to purchase supplies.
On Thursday afternoons, the Pinochle and Card Game Group welcomes anyone who plays or wants to learn. On Saturday mornings, the gym at the south end of the building fills with the sharp pop of pickleball paddles as the Indoor Pickleball group plays from 9:00 to 11:00 am. Once a month, beginners can join a free instruction session. Monday mornings belong to the Coffee Hour, a casual gathering in Crary Fellowship Hall for beverages, treats, and conversation.
Creation Care, Garden, and Quilts
Good Shepherd tends a six-acre campus under a canopy of evergreens, and that landscape shapes ministry. The Climate Shepherds ministry cares for creation through congregational, communal, and individual action, including a solar panel installation and ongoing work to reduce the building's footprint. The Community Garden grows produce for the Thurston County Food Bank; in spring the congregation plants, and after worship each September the Garden Harvest Party brings everyone, regardless of age, out to pull vegetables and prepare them for delivery.
The Care Ministry Team offers prayer, visitation, hospitality, comfort, and a listening ear to those going through difficult times, while Homebound Communion keeps members of the congregation connected to the altar when they cannot attend in person. The Columbarium ministry maintains the Good Shepherd Memorial Garden, a quiet place of remembrance on the grounds.
Becoming a Part of Good Shepherd
Good Shepherd offers a Newcomer Orientation as a two-part gathering for anyone curious about the congregation. The sessions cover the Lutheran expression of the Christian tradition, the life of the community, and the paths toward membership. The next orientation is held in the fall, and anyone interested can speak with a pastor to find out when the next gathering begins. A weekly email newsletter keeps newcomers and longtime members informed about upcoming worship, forums, classes, and special events. Subscriptions are free and available online.
The Ministry Team Fair, held each fall in Crary Fellowship Hall, opens the door wider still. Every ministry team - hospitality, justice, music, building and grounds, worship planning, and more - sets up a station and welcomes newcomers into the work that keeps Good Shepherd running. For those who want to give, the church's secure online donation portal accepts one-time and recurring gifts, Thrivent Choice Dollars can be directed through Thrivent members' accounts, and Fred Meyer Community Rewards shoppers can link their rewards card to Good Shepherd with organization code EA223.
A Six-Acre Campus for the Community
Beyond Sunday morning, Good Shepherd's campus hosts a wider community. The 50,000-square-foot facility includes venues of varying sizes available to rent by registered not-for-profit groups carrying general liability insurance. The same building that fills with voices on Sunday morning welcomes food bank clients on Friday afternoons, quilters on Wednesdays and Thursdays, pickleball players on Saturdays, and the South Sound Youth Group on Sunday evenings. The site also welcomes Whispering Willows Academy, a daycare program joining the campus in the near future.
At the center of it all is the sanctuary, where three liturgies, four pastors, a choir, an organ, and a congregation gather week after week to do God's work in Christ's name for the life of the world.