Serve

Faith in Action

In November of 2007, GSLC initiated the first of yearly “Faith In Action” Sunday Mornings. On one dedicated Sunday, hundreds of our members at both worship sites, including our Children’s Ministries, participated in service projects to serve local and global needs. These included assembling Aids Caregiver Kits for those served by World Vision in Africa and Asia. “Meals of Faith” were served at Human Options, the Salvation Army homeless shelter in Santa Ana and the Isaiah House in Santa Ana.

Faith-in-Act!on3  Recap
Good Shepherd’s third annual Faith-in-Action Sunday on November 15, 2009 was marked by a prayerful spirit as compassionate servants worked side by side to be Jesus’ hands and feet to our community and world.  Many people commented that this prayerful spirit set a powerful tone for FIA this year, and we thank the Holy Spirit for working among us during our worship and then inclining our hearts toward service to others!

One of our goals from last year was to invite one other church to do Faith-in-Action with us.  Red Hill Lutheran in Tustin also held a very successful Faith-in-Action Sunday on November 15.  Our prayer is that God would continue to expand our vision for next year.  Perhaps God will lead us to teach other congregations how to host Faith-in-Action Sundays, or perhaps we’ll do larger projects and we can invite our local community to join us. 

Our hope is that Faith-in-Action Sunday would be a catalyst for all our Outreach projects that we do year round – so we hope that you’ll join us!  Remember, while we often focus on “scarcity” and what we don’t have or can’t do, Jesus continually points us to abundance and the abundant life that he brings:  “John 10:10 -- I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.”

What kind of impact are we having through Faith-in-Action?  One way to answer that question is by looking at the numbers.

We’re Growing!  By the numbers…

Faith-in-Act!on 2008

Faith-in-Act!on 2009

Last year we estimated that over 400 people (Adults, Teens and Kids) were involved and gave an estimated 620 volunteer hours on behalf of those in need in our community and world.  Some members even did more than one activity. 

This year we estimated that over 491
(Adults, Teens and Kids) were involved and gave an estimated 750 volunteer hours on behalf of those in need in our community and world.  Some members even stayed and did more than one activity. 

Here is a brief recap of what was accomplished during our 3rd Annual FIA Sunday:

  • 10 volunteers worked with residents from Atria Golden Creek making Christmas cards.
  • 85 volunteers wrote words of encouragement to caregivers, assembled and packed 350 AIDS Caregiver kits.  These World Vision kits are bound for Africa. 
  • 12 volunteers fed approximately 70 people at Isaiah House Homeless Shelter. 
  • 10 volunteers from Northwood put on a meal for 70 people at Salvation Army. 
  • 15 volunteers led a craft for kids, a meal and “dinner music” from our Worship Band for residents at the Orange County Rescue Mission.  This was a joint project with Red Hill Lutheran Church.
  • 8 volunteers put on a lunch for women and children at Human Options Woman’s Shelter.
  • 35 volunteers put together 450 Shepherd’s Tree Ornaments
  • 40 Volunteers baked 65 dozen cookies & another 12 volunteers put together bags of cookies for our volunteer lunch and for all our off-site meals in the community.
  • 43 volunteers put together 500 Comfort Critter Turtles
  • 18 volunteers put together 300 sand scarves for soldiers with plans to assemble close to 1000 in the coming weeks. 
  • 33 volunteers put together 100 Hygiene Kits for Salvation Army Hospitality House
  • 73 volunteers put together 50 Operation Christmas Child Boxes at our Main Campus and 50 at our Northwood Campus.  Between Faith-in-Action and individual members, Good Shepherd delivered 168 boxes!  Wow! 
  • 15 volunteers planted 50 flowers at Canyon View Elementary School. 
  • 13 volunteers organized food for Thanksgiving at Families Forward Warehouse. 
  • 4 Faith-Patrol Volunteers help to sign people up for events on FIA Sunday
  • 12 Saturday Prep Crew Volunteers helped us set up the church and fellowship hall for all our events. 
  • 25 Boy Scouts and Leaders from Troop #5 served us a great BBQ lunch!
  • 40 Youth from Northwood and Main Campus cleaned up the Beach at Corona Del Mar and then stayed and played games on the beach!

Special thanks to all the leaders of these activities.  We could not have done it without you!

Special thanks to our musicians, and music leaders Doug Fischer and Daniel Northington for leading us in such a great worship service at our Main Campus.  We especially thank, Josh Lyon, our Director of Technology, Dan O’Toole and other photographers for capturing our FIA events and putting together our Faith-in-Action 2009 celebration video.   

Special thanks to our Faith-in-Action Leadership Team, Terry Fee, David Dupre, Nancy Perry (Northwood), Cary Spohr, and Shirley Leith.   Without the dedication of these leaders this day would not have been possible.  This was truly a team effort. 

Special thanks to all who gave financially, we received $12,298 in donations from members – far exceeding our goal of $10,000!  Those donations, along with $2100 from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans helped make Faith-in-Action possible.  Thank you so much! Any money that our groups did not spend on their projects will go toward our 4th Annual Faith-in-Action on November 14th, 2010! 

I’m proud that our congregation showed this kind of faith to our community and world. 

Let’s Keep Putting our Faith-in-Action,

Pastor Ryan Warne-McGraw