While the majority of Good Shepherd's members live in Holmdel and Middletown, the parish role reflects more than twenty different local communities.
Fellowship plays an important role in the lives of the Good Shepherd congregation.
Coffee is provided each Sunday after the 10AM service, helping to promote a
social hour for all to enjoy each others company.
Events are planned throughout the year to provide fun and fellowship for both
young and old. This year started with a Valentine's Day Pot Luck Dinner which
included a fun-filled yet educational project for the children while the adults
sang some old fashioned love songs. Several social events are scattered throughout
the year. An Open House type social event is planned in March. This evening
is split between two homes, providing a four hour time frame for all to come
get better acquainted however long or short the visit might be.
Other scheduled events include an International theme covered dish supper, summer
BBQ, Rally Day - Bring Your Own Picnic Basket celebration, and children's Halloween
party - just to name a few!
The photo at left,
shows one of several tables at a Potluck dinner.
Each year a Christmas
Dinner Party is booked at a local restaurant and/or at the church.
Traditionally, the Lenten season will have a soup supper So come pray with us and get to know us with a cup of coffee sometime!
before Thursday evening worship.
Good Shepherd began as a result of a survey conducted by The Reverend George J. Frank, Jr. during the summer of 1966. After a full summer of surveying nearly 3,000 homes, a nucleus for a congregation seemed assured.
An interest meeting was held on September 15th at Thompson School in Middletown for the purpose of explaining the steps necessary to organize a congregation. At that meeting the tentative name "The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd" was selected.
The first service was held at Thompson School on September 26, 1966. Two weeks later Sunday Church School began. Good Shepherd's organization meeting was held on April 27, 1967 and the organizational worship service took place three days later. Pastor George Frank was called by the congregation to serve as its first pastor effective July 1, 1967. Pastor Frank remained with Good Shepherd for twenty-eight years until his retirement on October 15, 1995.
Pastor Jean Vargo was called to the congregation to serve as a part-time Assistant Pastor beginning in May of 1994. After Pastor Frank's retirement, Pastor Vargo was appointed by the New Jersey Synod to serve as the congregation's Interim Pastor to help facilitate the transition into a new era.
In April of 1996, The Reverend Michael C. Gebhart was called to Good Shepherd
and his Ministry began in July of that year. Pastor Gebhart served until July
30, 2000, and The Reverend Penelope Stechmann served as Interim Pastor until
The Reverend David K. Louder was called in July 2002. Reverend Ed Schmidt served as interim Pastor until the Reverend John Elstad began serving July, 2010.
Our present church site was purchased in November of 1967. A little over a year later, ground
was broken for the building. The dedication service was held on September 14, 1969. Good
Shepherd became self-supporting in January of 1972. Two additional expansion projects have
been completed on the facility, in 1980 and 1991.
