Faith Formation
Good Shepherd attracts people from a wide variety of religious backgrounds, along with those who belong to no particular faith tradition. We are home to people who find themselves on various stages of their spiritual journey, whether strongly committed or still seeking. We believe in God as our Creator and Christ as our Savior but, through group Bible study and religious reflection, we allow people the freedom to explore and develop their personal faith so they can grow into unique expressions of God’s love and compassion.
Our Congregation’s Covenant to Care for Creation
As a congregation committed to care for creation, we affirm God’s creation in all its glory and beauty. We acknowledge God as the source of all things. We acknowledge Christ as the redeemer of all things. We acknowledge the Spirit as the sustainer of all things. As a result, we strive to respect all of life as sacred. We accept our vocation as Earth-keepers who care for creation. We accept our responsibility to live justly in relation to our fellow human beings in ways that all creatures may mutually thrive together.
Our covenant includes commitments in the realm of worship, education, buildings and grounds, discipleship at home and at work, and public ministry. We will pursue this mission in a grace-filled manner, seeking to find hope and joy in the commitments and sacrifices these provisions may entail and in the restorations they engender. We seek to let our care for creation be known to others.
Signed by Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Jericho, Vermont Pastoral Council on June 30, 2023
Lutherans Restoring Creation is a grassroots movement promoting care for creation in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. This is accomplished by cultivating a community of dedicated stewards of earth and neighbor who proclaim God’s promise of hope and healing for all. www.LutheransRestoringCreation.org
Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd - Safe Church Policies for Children
1. Supervision:
Adequate supervision is defined as a minimum of two adult volunteers supervising children at all times, with the exception of a trained nursery attendant (see below). One adult must be 21 or older, and the other adult may be 18 or older.
Good Shepherd offers children's sermons, nursery care, Sunday School, youth group and confirmation all led by volunteer members of the congregation who are background-checked. Caregivers are always welcome to participate!
The nursery may be supervised by one paid and trained individual who has attained the age of 13, working as the monitor in the Children’s Nursery when other adults are present in the building (reporting to Pastor or other qualified adult).
In working with middle school and high school youth, at least one adult must have attained the age of 21, AND must be at least 4 years older than the oldest youth in the group.
No unrelated adult with a youth or child alone at any time. (The second adult may be within earshot.) No unrelated teenager with a younger child alone at any time. (An adult may be within earshot.)
2. Transportation:
Proper age-appropriate safety restraints are to be used in all vehicles transporting children and youth.
All adults transporting children and youth will agree to a driving background check. They may be asked to have their license and insurance information on file with the church.
No drivers under the age of 25 are to transport unrelated children and youth on behalf of the church. 3. Volunteers:
All individuals who wish to work with children and youth will be subject to a background check when beginning their time of service and at other times when required by the Pastor. Such background checks are conducted at the church’s expense. A volunteer application and collection of references may also be required.
If staff or volunteers are communicating with youth digitally, a caregiver or Pastor must be CC’ed in all messages. No one-to-one email, phone, or text communications are allowed between adults and minors.
4. Permission Forms:
No child or youth shall participate in an offsite activity without written caregiver permission. Such consent must grant emergency medical care permission to the adult(s) in charge of the event. The adult(s) are to be given contact information for emergencies.
No photographs or other recordings of youth or children are to be shared online or published in any format without the written consent of the caregiver(s). Photographers at church are supervised by the Pastor. Photographers will be required to delete images of unrelated children after submitting them to the church.