Events at Good Samaritan

• Vacation Bible Camp – “Road Trip” June 23-27, 2025.  Participants 4 years old – 4th grade.  Youth volunteers 5th grade – 12th grade. You Can NOW Register Online to Participate or Volunteer for VBS!

Donations are still needed!  We need donations of snacks and other items, so please visit https://tinyurl.com/GSVBCDonations and sign up for what you can help with. Many snacks are needed, as well as old license plates for decoration (label with your name to return) and embroidery floss, any color or amount. Contact Jan with questions – jan@good.org.

• Decorating and volunteer training for VBC! This Sunday, June 22, 11:30 a.m. Pizza Lunch Provided. Training will take 45 minutes or so. Decorating should take about 2.5 hours. Please help if you can!
• Adaptive Bible Camp – August 4-7, 2025

We are happy to partner with Eden Prairie UMC this summer for this Vacation Bible Camp. This camp is for children 3.5 years and up who would benefit from support with social, communication, and sensory needs. Embark on an exciting journey with “Road Trip” VBC, based on Joshua 1:9 – “The LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Discover God’s presence everywhere as we explore new places, make new friends, and experience God’s goodness together.

Join the Good Samaritan Pickleball group!

In the winter months, you are welcome to join the players in the Good Samaritan Gym during any of the following sessions.  Registration, including emergency contact information, is required to participate.  Contact Cindy Bergstrom (cindy@good.org) to obtain a registration form.

• Beginner’s lessons: Saturdays – 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. [equipment provided]
• Experienced players: Saturdays – 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. [bring your own paddle; balls are provided]
• General play: Mondays and Thursdays – 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. [bring your own paddle; balls are provided]

Contact Robin Stangis (rstrangis12@gmail.com) with questions about Saturday play, or Ed Hammersten (ehammer@tds.net) with questions about Monday/Thursday play.

While there no formal Pickleball group in summer months, many of the same players informally gather at Yancy Park courts on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:30 – 11:00 a.m.  

A current list of prayer items, along with a short devotional reflection, are sent out weekly to over 100 prayerful supporters.  If you have a prayer of joy, concern, or praise you would like lifted to the Lord, simply send a note to Pastor Jim Beard (Jim@Good.org), Director of Congregational Care, by the end of the day Tuesdays.   Or if you are one who would like to pray for others and be included in these weekly notifications, simply let Pastor Jim know.  You need not be a member of Good Samaritan UMC to be included in this life-giving ministry.

There will be times throughout our lives when hardship and struggles will come.  You need not feel alone when such things occur.  Good Samaritan has three on-going support groups which each meet monthly.  Our Caregivers Support Group is especially for those who provide care to others with long-term illnesses or similar conditions.  Our Compassion Collective offers a safe, supportive space to personally share stories for those going through health struggles and the like.  Finally, Good Samaritan also has an active Caring Ministries Team who stay in contact with those going through difficulties, especially those who may find themselves less able to get to church, are facing long-term recovery or rehab, or who are feeling isolated for whatever reason.  The Lord will never leave your side; Good Samaritan aims to be there for you and your loved ones as well.

Sunday School is available for children and youth age 4 through grade 6.

Sunday School – following Children’s Time in Worship

• Pre-K-6^th Grade, Room 200 with Jan Russell
  This Week: “Lego Summer 2”
• Outdoor worship!  Save the dates for outdoor worship July 27 and August 24.

• ASP Mission Trip Gas Can Fundraiser: Help us fill the tanks of the 7 vans going to Kentucky! The gas can will be in the narthex for you to drop cash or check into on June 22, 29 and July 6.
• Looking ahead:
  • Vacation Bible Camp – “Road Trip” June 23-27, 2025.  Participants 4 years old – 4th grade.
    • Needed: Youth volunteers 5th grade – 12th grade. You Can NOW Register Online to Participate or Volunteer for VBS!
    • Decoration and volunteer training June 22 at 11:30 am. Pizza Lunch Provided. Training will take 45 minutes or so. Decorating should take about 2.5 hours. Please help if you can!
  • Appalachia Service Project Mission Trip – July 12-20, 2025
  • Serve a meal at Simpson Housing Services – Sunday evening, July 27. Breakfast for Dinner! Ages 14 and up can volunteer. If you would like to help, please email jan@good.org.
  • Adaptive Bible Camp – August 4-7, 2025
  • Outdoor Worship – July 27, August 24

Tuesday Bible Study meets every Tuesday morning at 9:30 in the Fireside Room between the second week in September through the first week in May.

Visitors and new members (men and women) are more than welcome.

The 2024 fall season will begin September 10 with the book How Happiness Happens: Finding Lasting Joy in a World of Comparison, Disappointment, and Unmet Expectations by Max Lucado.

Please direct questions to Carol Smith (carolsden@gmail.com), Christina Leenders (christinaleenders@gmail.com), or Mary Stanton (rstanton5@comcast.net).

According to the ASP website, “each year, more than 15,000 volunteers serve with ASP, providing critical repairs for more than 350 families.” Projects can include roofing, flooring, shoring up foundations, digging drainage ditches, making rooms or homes wheel-chair accessible, or other projects that help make homes warmer, safer, and drier. In addition to building and improving homes, ASP is also a relational ministry for both the families we serve as well as those serving.

This ministry is about lifting the spirits of Appalachian families and reminding them that God’s love knows no boundaries. In the process of putting your faith in action, God acts in your heart. And when you change the lives of others, they have a way of changing you.

All students who have completed the 8th grade or higher are invited to serve with families in Central Appalachia. Students who are not members of or otherwise affiliated with Good Samaritan church are also invited to participate in the ASP trip. Bring a friend.

For more information contact Amy Manolis or  Jan Russell.

Good Samaritan’s adult bell choir performs monthly at Sunday Worship Services in addition to playing in festivals and concerts throughout the Twin Cities.

Learn More: Contact Kate Graber at Kate@good.org

Chancel Choir is open to any adult who loves to sing. This choir provides weekly music at most Sunday services. This is a friendly, supportive group where you will be accepted and in addition, your faith will be nurtured.

Learn more: Contact Carey Shunskis at Carey@good.org

Confirmation Class (8th grade and older)

• Historically Confirmation was for students in 9th grade. We are now going to open it up to anyone 8th grade and older. When a student enters 8th grade they will be eligible to register for Confirmation, and they will remain eligible all the way through High school. This way you can choose when the right time for your family is to participate in Confirmation. Maybe that means waiting in order to allow siblings to attend together, maybe that means waiting for an academic year that is less demanding, maybe your student isn’t interested as an 8th grader but will become interested as they get older. Whatever the case may be, we want to make this program more accessible! If you know of a family that would be interested in this program, let Jan know!

Did you know that Good Samaritan has a Good Samaritan Online Community group on Facebook. This group helps serve as a hub of online interaction and information for our community, as well as having special curated content from our staff and Digital Team not available on our Facebook Page. It will be a private, safe, and moderated space. On Sunday, Christian and the Digital Team will have information to help you join our group. We hope you’ll join us in this new ministry of the church as we continue to reach beyond our walls. If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to reach out to CHRISTIAN@GOOD.ORG.

You can signup for the new Good Samaritan Online Community NOW.

Hearts & Hammers is a Twin Cities organization that provides exterior home improvement assistance for senior citizens, disabled adults and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or their surviving spouse so they may continue to live independently. A typical Hearts & Hammers home requires exterior painting, moderate carpentry and landscaping.

This is Good Samaritan’s contemporary music ensemble. This group presents a variety of original songs as well as familiar covers. In addition to performing monthly during a Sunday Worship Service, Homeward Bound also performs at other venues in the community.

Learn More: Contact Brad Carlin

Our Friday Breakfast Group welcomes everyone to the conversation! They meet at Jerry’s (5125 Vernon Ave, Edina) for breakfast at 8:30am on the first and third Fridays of each month. This is a great opportunity for you to come and bring a friend. Contact Brian Boysen with questions.

Calling all Knitters, Quilters and Embroiderers! Work on personal projects while enjoying the company of others

Contact: Carol Smith

Our next meeting will be on Thursday, May 8th at 1:00 in the Fireside Room. Our discussion title is The Guncle by Steven Rowley.  The story centers around a retired sitcom star and gay uncle who unexpectedly becomes the primary guardian for his niece and nephew. We will also vote on titles for next year!

The large, light-filled, and welcoming nursery is staffed by professional childcare workers. Your child can enjoy the nursery while you enrich your soul and mind in worship. The Nursery is on the upper level, steps from our sanctuary.

The Children, Youth and Families Advisory Council provide input into events, programming and the physical space that welcomes our new and existing families. The Council meets quarterly. If you’d like to participate, contact Jan to learn more!