Rev. Kerstin Hedlund

Associate Pastor

(708) 848-4741
Kerstin@GoodShepherdLC.org

As Good Shepherd searches for a new full time Pastor, Rev. Kerstin Hedlund has been contracted to fill some pastoral duties.

Pastor Kerstin is currently rostered with the Greater Milwaukee Synod. She serves as an Army Reserve chaplain and has a passion for military ministry. She is also a student at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, slowly working through a PhD program. She is on leave from call and enjoys the freedom to invest in family & school. She is grateful for this opportunity to re-engage in parish ministry in a small yet fulfilling way.

Her identified areas of service at Good Shepherd are worship, Sunday School, and Evangelism.

Carl Heine grew up in Seattle, Washington and moved to Illinois with his wife, Pat, and their three children in the mid-80’s. Before coming to Good Shepherd, Carl served four other congregations in a variety of capacities, from organist and music director to youth and Christian education director. He has degrees in music and education, including a PhD in education from the University of Chicago. Most recently, he was the music director at St. Paul Lutheran in Wheaton, IL as well as director of entrepreneurship at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. As a musician, Carl plays an array of instruments, composes sacred choral and instrumental music and enjoys performing all periods and styles. For Carl, music is significant in the life of a congregation—as demonstrated at Good Shepherd—to the extent that it opens ears to the Word and allows voices of all ages and talents to be heard.

The first question I am usually asked is, “What is a deaconess anyway?” The quick answer is that a Lutheran deaconess is a woman who is called, trained and set apart for service. For me, this service is lived out in a congregation setting, currently here at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church as the Director of Christian Education. I did my education/formation at Valparaiso University, a year internship in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and was consecrated as a deaconess in 1999.

My ministry at Good Shepherd focuses on faith education and spiritual growth for all ages. I lead our Sunday School, Confirmation ministry and youth program, coordinate our summer Vacation Bible School, and offer support and resources to our many member-led programs. I am passionate about encouraging others in what God has called them to do and to create opportunities for mentoring between age groups.

What makes my work so great is that I get to do crafts with kids, go bowling with middle schoolers, ride horses with high schoolers and camp with college students. At the same time, I am able to talk with parents about the challenges of parenting today, explore the gift of being a woman of faith with other women, and volunteer at a food bank side by side with people of every generation. I truly love what I do!

Kimberly Adami-Hasegawa

Office Administrator

(708) 848-4741
ChurchOffice@GoodShepherdLC.org

Kimberly has been at Good Shepherd since 2019. Before coming to Good Shepherd, she worked in education, at a stationery shop, and served as a volunteer coordinator for Honor Flight Chicago. In addition to working in the church office, she owns a tiny greeting card company and serves on the board of the Forest Park Community Garden and the Historical Society of Forest Park.

Gail is a lifelong Lutheran and has been a member of Good Shepherd for 30 years and counting. She has served in church leadership in various ways since high school and for most of the time she has been a member at Good Shepherd - on council and as chair of Christian Education and GS Connects through the years. She has spent many years teaching Sunday school, sings in the choir and participates in many activities at church. As council president, she wants to make sure everyone is welcomed into the Good Shepherd community and finds their place here.

Carrie Cook

Church Council Member

I joined Good Shepherd in 2016 with my husband Carson and two children Cortez and Maxwell. My former employment as a social worker greatly informs my extensive volunteer work, with Good Shepherd, New Moms, Hephziba, Oak Park Women's Guild and others. 

Dan Feiertag
John Jackson

Church Co-Treasurers

Richard Sehl began attending Good Shepherd in 2016 and became a member in 2017 along with his husband, Paul Pedersen.  Richard works as a Senior Category Manager at Ulta Beauty where he leads the strategic initiatives, marketing, category financial analysis, consumer insights, and vendor relationships for the skin and specialty services category.   He also serves as the Board President for the 16th Street Theater in Berwyn.  Richard and his husband have been together for 9 years and have 4 cats (Queenie, Stevie, Prince and Blizzard).  He also enjoys quilting, crocheting, knitting, reading, and traveling (especially cruises!). 

Scott White is a recent transplant to Chicago from Lawrence, Kansas and has been a member of Good Shepherd since mid-2022. Scott grew up in the ELCA in Michigan and has been a member of ELCA churches in Michigan, South Dakota, WIsconsin, and Kansas. Over the years, he has worked at church-based summer camps, worked with youth groups, and served on church councils and various other committees. For the past 20 years, he has worked in the renewable energy industry (wind and more recently, solar). In the past year, he worked with GSLC to get solar installed on the church. Scott lives in Forest Park with his wife Stacey. They have two adult sons.

I work with The Community Builders, a non-profit real estate developer that builds and sustains strong communities where people of all incomes can achieve their full potential. Previously, I was with Mercy Housing and ShoreBank. As a member of Good Shepherd since 2005, my areas of interest are in Social Ministry, Christian Education and music. My work with United Power for Action and Justice is in the area of housing development and criminal justice reform. 

Linda Thomas

Church Council Member

Linda Thomas has been a lifelong Lutheran. She attended Community Lutheran Church (name changed after several mergers to United Mission of Christ) in the Austin area of Chicago for over 35 years. She served as the youth program leader for 16 years, did several terms as a council member and at times served as secretary, served as the adult Sunday School teacher and choir. Linda also served as the Synod Assembly delegate as well as the Conference delegate for the ELCA Assembly.  After the church closed, she joined Bethel West Lutheran Church for 7 years. At Bethel, Linda served as an usher member, a choir member for a time and served on church council as secretary.  She retired from AT&T after 30 plus years as a Corporate Analyst. Linda joined Good Shepherd at the end of 2022. She loves tennis, bowling, and playing the game of Dominos with friends and family.

Kristin de Groot 

Christian Education

Our mission is to provide interesting and engaging ways for children and adults to nurture and strengthen their faith journeys while encouraging them to grow in faith, service and fellowship.  The committee meets on the second Tuesday of the month.  We make sure that all of our programs are running smoothly with the necessary volunteers each week.  We discuss upcoming events and how we can help make them happen.  We discuss ways to keep our programs relevant and meaningful for all participants.  We vision about what more we would like to see happen at Good Shepherd.  If you are interested in Christian Education and want to learn more, contact the chairperson, or any of the committee members.

Laura Knitt 

Finance

Our mission is to oversee and provide guidance for the financial life of Good Shepherd Lutheran. The committee meets once a month as scheduled. See the Good Shepherd calendar for upcoming meetings.  If you are interested in Finance and want to learn more, please send us a message using the Volunteer tab.

Marcy Moreno

Evangelism

Our mission is to spread the spirit and words of Christ to all men and all women; to welcome all to worship in our diverse Good Shepherd congregation; to encounter Christ in each person treating all with love, trust and respect; to nourish spiritual growth and encourage, teach and support all who witness and follow Christ's example. 

Joan & Phil Taylor

GS Connects

Our mission is to organize/assist with fellowship events for the congregation to foster connections among members, visitors and our community.  The committee meets approximately once a month as scheduled.  See the Good Shepherd calendar for upcoming meetings.  If you are interested in helping make and foster connections within our church community and want to learn more, contact the Taylors.

Rich Novak 

Property

Our mission is to support Good Shepherd by caring for our physical assets and facilitating their use by members and friends.  The Property Committee meets as scheduled.  See the Good Shepherd calendar for upcoming meetings.  If you are interested in Property and want to learn more, contact the committee chair.

Mark Ledogar

Stewardship

Our mission is to assist and encourage members striving for whole life stewardship, and to plan and conduct the annual Pledge Drive to assist in budgeting for ministries, programs, property maintenance, and staff payroll.   If you are interested in Stewardship and want to learn more, contact the committee chairs.

Lynn Railsback

Worship, Music and The Arts

Our mission is to provide a worship experience for people of all spiritual paths so they are equipped and inspired to practice their faith throughout the week.  We stress the experience of God's love and grace in community, joy and thankfulness, comfort and consolation, provocation and challenge.  The committee meets the second Thursday of each month.  If you are interested in Worship, Music and the Arts and want to learn more, contact the committee chair.

Mary Scherer-Emunds 

Social Ministry

Our mission is to support programs bringing help to members, our community and the world, and to educate Good Shepherd members concerning justice and social welfare issues.  The Social Ministry committee meets as scheduled.  See the Good Shepherd calendar for upcoming meetings.  If you are interested in Social Ministry and want to learn more, contact the committee chair.

Michelle Sukup Jackson 

Sustainability

Our mission is to connect the actions of the Good Shepherd community to the stewardship of God's creation.  We promote sustainability in every aspect of church life, and advocate and demonstrate ideas and technologies that move our community to more sustainable living.  See the Good Shepherd calendar for upcoming meetings.  If you are interested in Sustainability and want to learn more, contact the committee chair.