Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and Day School is located on South Dale Mabry Highway, one of the major thoroughfares in the Tampa area. It occupies one city block in the heart of South Tampa, approximately one mile south of the Florida- Bahamas Synod Office of the Bishop. Approximately twenty years ago, Good Shepherd’s leadership expressed a passion to share the Word with families in the community and opened Good Shepherd Day School catering to children aged 20 months to 5 years old in a phenomenal educational environment. The school quickly grew in popularity and continues to be regarded as one of the best early childhood learning facilities in the Tampa area.
While our Day School remains a strong ministry in our community, the congregation of Good Shepherd has been hit with numerous challenges in the past decade. There has been a significant decrease in membership and this rapidly aging congregation currently has only 70 disciples officially on record. In July, weekly worship attendance was averaging around 12 in-person worshipers with a small handful of worshipers participating online.
A once-thriving congregation of 1,700 members and beacon in our community, Good Shepherd is currently working closely with the Office of the Bishop as a re-development site. In August, Pastor Jerry Nordsiek accepted the call from the Florida-Bahamas Synod to serve as the Mission Re-Developer assigned to Good Shepherd. After just five weeks we are already averaging 35 in-person worshipers, our online presence has grown exponentially, and we are just getting started!
As we begin this work, the challenges in front of us are enormous. Good Shepherd’s facilities are aging and in much need of major repair and renovation to help us become more inviting and – even more important—handicapped accessible for all. We would like to redesign the main entrance and upgrade the bathrooms in the sanctuary. Your contribution to these two projects can assist us in our mission and ministry efforts.
The Florida-Bahamas Synod, our new Pastor Re-developer, and the hard-working
disciples of Good Shepherd are fully committed to re-establishing Good Shepherd as a
mission outpost for the Gospel here in South Tampa, and we welcome your prayers and support.
Thank you for your consideration of this appeal.
Over the years, Mission Partners 100 program has been able to make a difference in our congregations/new developments of the Florida-Bahamas Synod. Over the last two years these congregations have benefit from this wonderful program and a total of $41,398.48 has been raised:
· Zion Lutheran Church, Deerfield Beach -Restore and maintain their facilities.
· Immanuel Lutheran Church, Miami – Roof repairs for their sanctuary.
· The Community, ELCA, Babcock Ranch – Worshipping community building.
· St. John’s Lutheran Church, Jacksonville – Repairing of the facilities & expansion of the food pantry.
Mission Partner 100 (MP100) FAQs
What is MP100?
MP100 is a synod campaign that invites donors to support specific projects for congregations designated by the Office of the Bishop. MP100 recipients are often congregations that have a specific construction or facility need related to their ministry priorities and vision for mission. The vision of MP100 is that if a large group of donors contribute $100 each, the funding available for specific projects increases. MP100 is an example of how we can be ‘church together for the sake of the world’ as the Florida-Bahamas Synod.
How do I contribute?
You can send in a donation to the synod office designated for “MP100”. You can also designate your electronic gift for MP100 through the “Give Now” link on the home page of the web site.
How are recipients chosen?
Each year, MP100 recipients are chosen in consultation between the Directors for Evangelical Mission and the Bishop. The recipient (congregation) is invited to submit a brief description of the target project that is then shared with the donor list.
How do I get onto the donor list?
You may send a note to Yuliet Garcia, Administrative Assistant to the DEMs (yulietg@fbsynod.org), to request an MP100 letter. When you make a donation to MP100, you are automatically added to the list for following years.
Many Ways to Give
First, please give your prayer support, and then select which option works best for you.
Over the years Mission Partners 100 has expanded to include opportunities to give in addition to the central and primary $100 gift for those looking to empower mission development further in special circumstances called Mission Partners Plus.
Through Mission Partners Plus you can provide a second $100 gift:
- To the Mission Partner 100 current appeal!
- Other Developing Ministries
- For Multi-Cultural Development
Go to https://fbsynod.com/ and click “Give Now!”. Designate your gift to one of the 3 MP100 categories:
- MP100 Current Appeal (provides support for specific project identified)
- MP100 Multicultural Development (provides support for any multicultural development ministry)
- MP100 Mission Development (provides support for any mission development ministry)
SPREAD the word about MP100 in your congregation: Speakers are available to come to your congregation and tell the Mission Partners 100 story and invite individuals from your congregation to become partners. E-mail Yuliet Garcia at yulietg@fbsynod.org about your interest to schedule.
