Still, Together
Written by Mara Halvorson, Marketing and Communications Specialist
The Together Magazine, created way back in 2011 by the Together Team of Julie Burrows, Rich May, Pastor Deb Samuelson, and Karen Walhof, was a way for stories to be told in a new and creative way.
Fast forward to today, almost 13 years after it first started, over 50 issues of the quarterly magazine have gone to print and ended in the hands of thousands of members and non-members, the number of stories that needed to be told never diminished, even during a Global Pandemic. The COVID-19 Pandemic changed how our world takes in and communicates with each other – it accelerated technological communications in so many ways.
This church has gone through many transitions in the last few years, and there are more to come; these transitions will help shape the future of this church.
At the beginning of this year, a Communication Team (Rich May, Beth Helgen, Emily Kratz, and myself) was formed to help generate ideas surrounding our church’s communication and how to tell the stories we have to share effectively. The Communications Team decided to reshape the Together Magazine in its current form. We asked ourselves, “How can we tell the wonderful stories our congregation has to share more frequently?” thus, Still, Together.
Still, Together is an online version of the Together magazine this congregation so dearly loves. Instead of receiving a magazine 3-4 times a year filled with these stories; a shorter version of this magazine will come more frequently; a story will be published each month right here on the website! These stories will be included in the weekly email on Tuesday, but if you’d like to read these stories when they are posted (the last Thursday of the month), you can click HERE, to be taken to the Still, Together webpage where you can sign up to be added to the email list to receive an email when a story is posted.
I am super excited about the opportunity to spread the Good News and the stories that Good Shepherd has to share.
5 FAREWELL QUESTIONS WITH PASTOR KARL→
On Sunday, May 19 we gathered for worship together and celebrated Pastor Karl Jacobsons last Sunday with us. It was a time of all sorts of emotions – joy, celebration, sadness, tears, and excitement!
I asked Pastor Karl 5 questions about his time here at Good Shepherd, see what he said below!
WHAT ARE THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE GOOD SHEPHERD?
Creative, welcoming, faithful.
WHAT WERE SOME CHALLENGES WE OVERCAME TOGETHER THAT YOU’RE MOST PROUD OF?
Without a doubt moving as we did through the COVID-19 pandemic tops the list. Working to provide not only online worship experiences but various “drive-through/by” opportunities was remarkable. Our staff's creativity and the congregation's sustained engagement were a joy to share during some very difficult days.
WHAT ARE A FEW FUNNY OR MEMORABLE MOMENTS YOU'VE EXPERIENCED DURING YOUR TIME HERE?
The outtakes from our worship recordings are among my favorite memories. The mail carrier constantly dropping mail through the slot in the door on the north side of the sanctuary, right in the middle of recording the sermon: “clang!” Not to mention all of the silly goof-ups that would happen. All of those things made for great memories of joy amid complicated times.
WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT YOUR TIME HERE, WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU'RE LIKE, "YEP, NAILED IT!"?
Two things come to mind. The first would be our series of digital devotions that we called TabLET Talk. That helped keep members of the congregation connected and engaged in sharing our faith. The second would be the men’s Bible study we started. Psalms and Pscotch became a great point of connection, fellowship, and support for folks, and I am proud of that project.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT THE LIFE OF GOOD SHEPHERD?
Good Shepherd is poised for the future, holding firm to its identity as a people of God ready to worship, grow, and serve this community and its partners around the world. I have experienced this congregation’s willingness to experiment with new things, to try, to stumble, to succeed, all with an eye to remembering who and whose we are. Good Shepherd’s future is bright.
We thank Pastor Karl for everything he did for Good Shepherd and wish him well on his new adventure!