Our core values and how we seek to put them into action
- Our motto is:
- Living the Word
- Our mission statement is:
- A people formed by God to be his presence to those around us
The Core Values that define who we are and who we aim to be are:
- We are the body of Christ gathered at Good
Shepherd, Ringwood.
- We seek inspiration and guidance for our mission from Scripture.
- We view Scripture through the lens of the Lutheran Confessions
- We are faithful to and participate in the aims and objectives of the Lutheran Church of Australia.
- We offer our gifts for service to neighbouring Lutheran congregations, the Victorian District, and the General Church.
- We expect conversion, renewal and growth to
take place through God’s Word and Sacraments.
- We recognise that God’s Word, Baptism and Holy Communion are the exclusive means by which the Holy Spirit converts and renews people and grows the Christian church
- All our activities will endeavour to bring people into the presence of Christ in his word and sacraments
- Following Christ’s command, we pray according to God’s promise to give conversion, renewal and growth through word and sacrament
- We recognise that Christ serves his people
through the gift of pastors.
- The public ministry is the office that has been instituted by Christ as a gift to his church for the preaching of the word and the administration of the sacraments.
- We commit to support, encourage and pray for our pastor.
- We regularly gather together to worship God.
- In order to grow in faith, we regularly come into the presence of Christ by hearing God’s word and receiving his sacraments.
- We confess that it is by grace that we are saved.
- We use the holy liturgy as the framework and context for the preaching of the word, baptism and receiving the Lord’s Supper.
- We worship in culturally appropriate language
- We foster and use a variety of musical styles for the liturgy
- We actively participate in worship
- We make disciples of Christ by baptising and
teaching.
- We baptise people who have been properly prepared for the sacrament
- We encourage all the baptised to daily return to their baptism.
- We continue with post-baptismal education in the Scriptures and catechism
- We believe that the Christian home is the context in which the faith is learned and taught.
- Baptised people are fully initiated and discipled in the faith and life of the body of Christ
- We receive those who wish to make a public profession of their baptism through the rite of confirmation as confirmed members of the Lutheran Church
- We invite all people to come to the Lord’s
Table with proper preparation.
- We invite all people to come to the Lord’s Table with proper preparation.
- We believe that they are truly prepared and ready
to receive the body and blood of Christ who
- have been baptised
- believe in Jesus Christ as God and Saviour
- repent of their sins and want God’s forgiveness
- believe that the bread and wine is the true body and blood of Christ
- We invite those who attend our services but are not yet ready to receive the sacrament to come to the Lord’s table to receive a blessing
- We receive those who regularly commune with us as communicant members of our congregation
- We equip those who are baptised to participate
in God’s mission in the world
- The worship of the people of God extends into their life in the world
- All Christians are called
- to fear, love and trust in God
- to pray for themselves and others
- to know that God will bless them as they attend to their particular vocation, and meanwhile
- to witness to God’s love in Christ by pursuing justice and serving others.
- We care for one another in all our needs.
- We believe that pastoral care is an essential function within the body of Christ
- As the body of Christ, our care for one another will extend into care for the wider community
- We are committed to practicing hospitality within our church family and the community
- In this way the wider community will see and experience how we love one another
- We use God’s gifts in his service.
- We accept all spiritual gifts, natural abilities and material resources as gifts from God
- We use these gifts responsibly to serve the Church, the world and ourselves.
- We encourage ecumenical relationships.
- We participate in appropriate ecumenical activities
- We pray for local and universal unity of the church
- We endeavour to know our non-Lutheran Christian brothers and sisters in our community