Have a Great Day

The first Sunday I heard Pastor PJ & Pastor Glen talk about the "You Matter" cards, I went out to eat that evening.  While pulling up to the drive-thru, I saw the card on my seat.  As I got to the window I saw a younger manager running all over the place that seemed to be making the lady at the window a little anxious. I had planned to pay with coupons.  I looked in my wallet and I took out a $10 bill.  I handed it to the lady at the window with the card and said, "Here is a little something for you and have a great day!" She smiled big as she looked at the card and the $10 and she said, "Thank you!" Today, I took a few more of the "You Matter" cards from church.

Mike P.

Making an Eternal Impact

See if you can count how many beyond stories are included in the testimony below from our Student Ministry Team... 

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Eternal Impact was truly a BEYOND story!

This is a dual ministry where our college and high school students give of their their time planning and leading our 6th-8th grade students during a week in June. Many of our young adults who lead have to take off from work or leave early to make the commitment to be at church every night.

Our 6th-8th graders give up many commitments and invite friends so that they can take the time to grow closer to God. In fact one student who wasn't so excited about attending, loved the first night so much that when their parent told them they would be missing the second evening for their favorite sports practice they actually cried because they didn't want to miss Eternal Impact.

Our church went beyond by supporting student ministries in their efforts to reach out into the community and offer scholarships to students who would not otherwise be able to attend. These were not just offered to students that we know from our church but offered to students who have never attended our church through the help of a community member providing them with a flyer and an invitation to join us. This was probably the only "summer camp" like experience for those students this summer. Some families felt so welcomed by this invitation that they joined us for Vacation Bible School the following week.

Going BEYOND in Student Ministries looks different for each student. Some students gave of their time and talents while others gave by giving up time to previous commitments. Whatever the sacrifice we know that it had an ETERNAL IMPACT.

Lemonade Stand Serves Up Bibles

Going beyond is something people of all ages can do. Paige (9) and Avery (6) were inspired to go beyond at Vacation Bible School (VBS)...

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A collection was taken at VBS this year to buy Bibles for children in Thailand where less than 1% of the population is Christian. Paige and Avery wanted to give the best gift they could give for this wonderful cause. To help raise more money, they decided to set up a lemonade stand. The two girls were able to raise and bring in $79. Each Bible costs $4. So they were able to purchase 20 bibles!

The entire collection from our VBS kids totaled $1691.55. This will provide children in Thailand with 422 Bibles.  Way to go beyond kids!!!

Watch Paige and Avery in action...

   

"You Matter" Cards Go Public

In a recent worship service, we challenged our congregation to go beyond by doing something generous for another person and giving that person a "You Matter" card.  We got our first story back ...

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I drove up to the drive-thru window and placed my order. When I got to the window to pay, I asked to also pay for the guy behind me and asked the barista to hand him the "You Matter" card when she told him his order was paid for. She read the card, smiled, and said OK.

Sue B.

Mission Impact 07-07-15

One way that people from Good Shepherd are going beyond is through mission trips.  These trips allow us the opportunity to make an impact nationally and globally.  Below is an exciting update about what our first Guatemala team was able to provide on their recent trip...

• 30 water filters and 30 water collection systems
• 600 dental varnishes for children
• Lots of pillowcase dresses
• A swing set, picnic tables, book shelves and white boards for schools

Other recent or upcoming mission trips include:

• Pine Ridge Team One & Two
• Week of Hope – Junior High Students 
• Workcamp – High School Students 
• Guatemala Team Two 
• Honduras Team One & Two

To learn more about our mission opportunities, click here: MISSIONS

Outdoors for Worship

This fourth of July our congregation went beyond. The fourth happened to fall on a Saturday. People from the community gather in our parking lot to watch fireworks every year. So we decided to take our Saturday afternoon worship beyond our building out into the parking lot. Many people went beyond with their time and effort to help organize and host this service. Many people went beyond by inviting others to join them for worship.  It was incredible to have 274 people gathered in the parking lot for worship while community members were pulling into the lot for fireworks.

Drive-Thru Double Take

We have opportunities to go beyond everyday in big and small ways.  Read how Heather went beyond in a fast food drive-thru...

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While with my kids at a double line drive-thru, I placed my order and inadvertently pulled forward when it wasn't my turn. The woman behind me was clearly mad at my error. Her actions and words could be seen by us all that she was violently disturbed with us getting ahead of her. God then tugged on my heart to pay for her meal. My first thought was that she didn't deserve that! But I did it out of obedience. I told the drive-thru worker that the woman behind me was having a horrible day, so I was paying the $3 for her hamburger and root beer, and to tell her we hoped she had a better day! The reaction on her face through my rearview mirror was priceless! It made me feel good to be used by God to bring her joy, and my girls were impacted by the huge effect a small step of generosity could have on others.

Heather M.

Toys for Tornado Kids

Thanks to the generosity of our congregation, we are able to host a FUSION program for families with special needs. One of our FUSION students (Lilli) was inspired to go beyond after tornados devastated Fairsdale, IL.  Her grandmother tells the story bellow...

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When we were looking at photos of the damage caused by the tornado that hit Fairdale, Lilli saw a picture of a totally destroyed home and cried, “Those children don’t have any toys!” We talked more about it, and we suggested that she could do something about it. She could have a toy drive! We checked into relief efforts and none of the lists included toys, so Lilli knew that it would be very important to get toys to those children.

She went shopping with $42 dollars of her own money, and while that was a nice start, her mom and nana knew she could use help. We spread the word of Lilli’s Toys for Tornado Kids Drive via social media. Friends from all over sent toys, and some sent money suggesting that Lilli go shopping for the toys for the tornado kids. So Lilli went shopping again, carefully considering each purchase. Women from Tuesday morning Growth Groups also wanted to participate, so many of them brought toys as well.

After gathering a small mountain of toys, her mom, nana, and Lilli drove out to Fairdale to deliver them. Lilli was very somber as we drove into the areas where the damage started to show saying, “It’s awful.” A family we met had 3 girls, one of whom had just celebrated a birthday. Their dad said they were at school so we didn’t get to meet the children, but their dad told us how happy they would be to come home to new toys from thoughtful people who cared about them.

We asked a lady who was working hard to help clean up if she had any children or grandchildren, and would she like to choose some toys for them. She pointed to an exposed basement behind her and said, “That’s my house. But thank you anyway. At least we’re alive.” It was an amazing and extremely humbling experience for all of us.

We took the rest of the toys to a nearby fire department, and the people working the phones and recovery were so proud of Lilli. She got to meet a fire fighter who also thanked her for her work and gave her Two-Thumbs-Up.

Lynn G.

Summer Sports Service Project

Read how Zac and his boys found a way to go beyond with sports...

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When our boys realized that there were kids nearby that didn't have sports equipment they needed this summer, we decided to go beyond and do something about it. Our 4 boys and 10 neighbor kids took flyers around the neighborhood asking for donations of gently used sports equipment, as well as money or new equipment. This last weekend we collected the donations, purchased new equipment, and dropped it off at Hesed House where hopefully it will bring some joy to kids at Hesed House and in that community.

We all experienced the joy of giving and it was best summed up by one 10 year old boy who said "This was really fun. I thought it would be kind of lame, but it was really cool to help out!"

Zac L.

Beyond Song

This song was inspired by Ephesians 3:14-21 and became the anthem for our Beyond journey as a church. God is able to take us beyond our generation, beyond our church, and beyond our wildest imagination! Download the song on iTunes.  All money raised will be used to help our church go beyond.