Social Ministry

Kidz Express was founded as part of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church's social ministry in 1997. Kidz Express was a dream of the founders, Warren King and Duane Ehresman, to move forward in faith by providing programs and services that helped build self-esteem in inner city children, exposed children to the larger world around them, modeled the life of Jesus Christ as a guide for daily living, and bridged the gap between the Austin area of Chicago and Oak Park. Kidz Express has evolved into an organization focused on developing mentoring relationships with children from the Quincy and Central neighborhoods within Austin.
To volunteer at Kidz Express please go to: www.kidzexpress.org

When Good Shepherd member Suzanna Collerd joined CPT after college graduation we began learning about this organization. CPT was founded in the Chicago area in 1986 by people who felt that faithfulness to what Jesus taught called us to new forms of public witness, which may include nonviolent direct action.

CPT has teams of trained peacemakers in Israel/Palestine, Iraq, on the Arizona border and in Columbia. Short-term teams (5-14 days) travel to crisis settings to protect human rights, engage in public peace witness and to report to home churches. These short-term teams are open to applicants over age 18.
Web site: www.cpt.org.

From the Caribbean to the northern Atlantic coast of the United States, millions of people have evacuated their homes and communities due to Hurricane Sandy. Strong winds and torrential rains have led to flooding and mass destruction.

We need your help. Donate: https://community.elca.org/HurricaneSandy Through ELCA Disaster Response, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is responding in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy. In the Caribbean, through our global church partnerships, we are providing basic needs such as food, water and shelter. Throughout the United States we are working hand-in-hand with synods and ministry organizations, who are experts at outreach in their communities.