28th Anniversary of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church - LCMS Callao, Virginia December 2009
To
Callao as of 2009 Good Shepherd celebrated
its 28th Anniversary on December 6, 2009, with appropriate ceremonies and (it
was planned) a visit from our Circuit Counselor, the Rev. F. Paul
Liersemann of 1st Lutheran-LCMS, Huntingtown, MD, who was the guest preacher
for the occasion (but recovery from near emergency surgery kept him at home).
The celebration (nonetheless) launched the GS into an active 29th year. During this last year,
the GS Family, in addition to the regular internal worship, Bible study,
fellowship and ministry activities, continued to witness to and serve our community
helped to meet human needs
in Northumberland and Lancaster Counties. The Women of GS continued to support
The Haven Shelter and conducted their local Bibles for the Prison ministry. Workers
with Habitat for Humanity completed another house. Reading Partners and
Hospice ministries continued to provide community support. The seed for Good Shepherd
was planted in 1975, when Peace Lutheran Church-LCMS, King George, VA, received
funds from the Southeastern District (SED)-LCMS to call Rev. Richard J. Finck
as full time Pastor, with the vision of eventually establishing a mission
station “some place farther out on the Northern Neck of Virginia.” The first
service of “The Northern Neck Lutheran Mission” was held September 13, 1981, at
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Warsaw, VA. Pastor Finck, Jon Yagla and Mrs.
Anna Hill served as the Welcoming Committee. Twenty two attended that service. An organizational meeting
was held October 6, 1981, at the home of Larry & Eleanor Schneider of Mt. Holly.
On November 15th a proposed Charter for Good Shepherd’s formation was presented
to and accepted by Peace Congregation. Peace and Good Shepherd were organized
as one Lutheran parish serving the
Northern Neck with one pastor and one budget. Charter Sunday, the official
birthday of Good Shepherd, was held December 6, 1981.
Charter
Members Charter Members still with us in 2009:
Esther Castell
Daugherty
Allene
Hayne Sunday worship services
continued at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Warsaw, with Bible classes and
other congregational activities being held at members’ homes. In 1982, Mrs.
Lillian B. Beasley donated acreage on VA Route 202, two miles west of Callao,
near Hyacinth, for the construction of a church. Her gift of almost 13 acres would
be enough to meet congregational needs for many years. Numerical growth was
slow, but steady as new Lutheran families retired to, or moved into the
Northern Neck. In 1989, planning began
for a multi-purpose facility of 3000 square feet, at an estimated cost of
Pastor Richard J. Finck
served the dual parish of Peace and Good Shepherd until June 2001, when he took
another Call. That year Good Shepherd became independent and began the search
for her own pastor. The Rev. George Finsterle, a retired pastor and member of
the congregation, served as Vacancy Pastor until 2002. On March 3, 2002, Mrs. Doris Croom,
congregational Organist for over twenty years, retired.
In 2003, a Vision &
Planning Committee was formed to assess ministry opportunities. After months
of prayer, visioning and evaluation this committee proposed
formal Vision and Mission & Ministry
Statements, which were adopted in
November 2003, and put forward the resolution to build a 5000 square foot
Fellowship Hall. A Building Committee was formed and plans formally adopted on
April 18, 2004. Ground Breaking for the new Fellowship Hall was conducted September 19, 2004,
with Dedication held September 18, 2005.
In February 2009 a
review of the Vision and Mission & Ministry
GS experienced its first
burglary in May 2009. Fortunately, the break-in caused minimal damage to the
building. Evidence of rifling for valuables was found, but no vandalism. The
only loss was the Church Office computer system. The burglars were very neat:
After discovering that the sealed pledge card envelopes from the altar
contained no money, the torn up evidence was carefully tucked away in the
Sanctuary piano – only to be discovered at the next choir practice. In June the GS Family
recognized Pastor Mike with a surprise celebration of his 40th Ordination
Anniversary. During the year a number
of church outings were conducted by Fellowship Chair Kathey Brodtman that
strengthened GS inner bonds. In June, we hosted the Rappa-hannock District
Youth Choir (RDYC) for an evening community concert. Equipment was dedicated in
June 2008 that allowed the video recording of worship services for member
shut-ins. In November 2009 an expansion of the sanctuary audio/visual
recording system was completed by Dennis Cooper. This advancement made
possible the launching of our Worship Video Outreach Ministry, which now offers
Sunday worship DVDs to shut-ins in the greater Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula area. In September, a separate
Sunday School Hour was added to the weekend schedule and a Senior Sunday
School Class for 5th & 6th Graders created to allow for First Communion and
Confirmation preparations. All this was celebrated with a Rally Day conducted
for the opening of the new church activity year. Church and community veterans
were honored November 15, with a special Sunday. Throughout the year the GS Choir,
under the direction of Kathryn Borders, provided special music for worship.
Their music ministry culminated in our first Christmas Eve multimedia Choir
Cantata Candlelight Service. On Charter Sunday, December 6, 1981, the membership numbered 15.
At its 28th Anniversary on December 6, 2009, the Good
Shepherd Family numbered 83 Baptized and 78 Communicant Members,
with an average Sunday worship attend-ance of 58. To
God be the glory! Church Officers -- 2009-2010 President–Bob Jung Vice President–Willie Woods Treasurer – Richard Hardwick Council Secretary – Deb Sauve Financial Secretary – Betty Cornwell Elders: Dave Bertsch–Head Andy Hall, Bill Horn Charles Newton Evangelism – Dianne Bertsch Christian Education – David Vogel Stewardship – Larry Van Doren Property Chairman - Dennis Sauve
The Good Shepherd Family – “Proclaiming, Serving and Nurturing in
the Gospel of the Lord Jesus in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula of Virginia.” Pastors of Good Shepherd 1981-2001 Rev. Richard J. Finck 2001-2002 Rev. George F. Finsterle 2002-Present Rev. Michael E. Ramming
Easter Was Fun! Marine Museum Outing Pastor’s 40th Ord.
Ann. The RDY Choir Sight & Sound Theater Christmas Outing
From St. John’s
Episcopal
Warsaw, Virginia
1981
– 1992
in deployed ministry. Angel Food Ministry provided low cost food sources to
our six county area. Financial, prayer and moral support continued for an
adopted seminarian. The monthly worship service was held at the Warsaw Nursing
Home. Involvement in Interfaith Service Council
During the year, in keeping with the commitment
made in November 2003, GS remitted 16% (on the way to 20%) of General Offerings
to District and Synod for missions. We experienced once again, that we cannot
out give the Lord. In prayerful confidence, the missions commitment for 2010,
was set at 17% at the November 2009 Voters Meeting.
(signing the original
Charter displayed in the Narthex): Walter
& Allene Haynie, Delphian Hall, Richard Hall, Kenneth & Judy Linn,
Lawrence & Eleanor Schneider, Esther Castell, Lillian Beasley, Jack &
Harriet Ittner, Robert & Iva Petersen, and Harry Dittler.
Richard Hall
Jack Itner
$100,000, to be built with “Laborers for Christ.” Ground Breaking was held July 13, 1991,
and the facility dedicated February 23, 1992. Good Shepherd served the
community with a highly regarded Day Care and Pre-School from 1997 to 1999.
Mrs. Sharon Self was the Program Director. It was closed when the State
expanded no-cost educational programs.
Ms. June
Herbert then assumed this music ministry. In August 2002, Rev. Michael E.
Ramming of Killeen, TX, was Called as the first full time Pastor. “Pastor
Mike” began his ministry on September 1, 2002. In January of 2008, Mrs.
Kathryn Borders became Organist and Choir Director.
Construction was done by volunteer members and friends
of Good Shep-herd. Work was sub-contracted out only for projects that could be
accomplished more cost effectively, or were simply too big for the volunteer
force. During the project General Contractor “Tootie” Cornwell, who created
the blueprints and obtained project permits, observed with a twinkle in his
eye, “Our volunteer workers had an average age of 71.5 years. What wonderful
things age and experience can accomplish with the cooperation of the young!
Statements was completed and an
updated statement adopted. A Mission Festival Sunday was also held that month
which focused on the multiple service and outreach ministries of the GS
Family. In May, Angel Food Ministry became independent under the leadership of
Norm Borders as
Northern Neck Angel Care Ministries so that its services
could be expanded.
VISION
STATEMENT
