ABOUT.
Our Mission
Good Shepherd exists to serve all people in the Corridor and throughout the world with the Gospel in Word and Sacrament by following the Shepherd, nurturing the flock, and seeking the lost sheep.
Who We Are
Welcome to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church! We are one church with two locations in the Corridor. Our Cedar Rapids campus is at 2900 42nd St NE, Cedar Rapids. Our North Liberty campus meets at the North Liberty Community Center at 520 W Cherry St, North Liberty.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, welcomes you, no matter who you are or where you come from—and so do we. We believe that Jesus Christ is the true Savior of all people. By his perfect life, innocent death, and triumphant resurrection, he saves all lost sinners even without our help. Jesus Christ makes us special people, right with God and ready for life! We learn this from the Bible, God’s authentic message of grace and guidance for us. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a curious observer with little religious background, we are delighted to share our worship with you.
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Good Shepherd is a congregation that enjoys having fun together and planning meet-ups and community projects throughout the area. It is a blessing to be able to support each other through daily life - whether that is beginning a career, getting married, starting a family, or seeing our kids off to college. Together we gather around God's word, finding peace in forgiveness and seeing what wisdom he has for us in the different seasons of life. We genuinely enjoy welcoming in our neighbors and getting to know new friends. You are invited to join us!
What We Believe
We believe that Jesus redeemed us, or bought us back, from the guilt of our sin and the slavery of death. By giving his life for us, he released us from that bondage, even though we could offer nothing at all to him. Jesus saved us all because of his grace and not because of any works or any goodness we could have hoped to offer to him.
That message of sheer grace and pure love to us we find in his Word, the completely true and relevant message for our lives. That message is the power of God the Holy Spirit uses to create faith in our hearts, another of his gracious gifts to us, not a decision we make or a work we do for him. Through the waters of baptism, the Holy Spirit forgives sins, creates faith, and saves us. In the Lord's Supper, Jesus is truly present with his body and blood to forgive our sins and assure us of salvation.
Because we are saved by God's grace through faith, we serve not because we have to, but because in thankfulness we want to.
If you have questions about topics, teachings, or modern day issues,
find out more in the Q & A section of our church body's website. >>
We are a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS).
Find out more about what our national church body believes. >>
We are a confessional Lutheran church body. Find out more about the confessions of Lutheranism found in the Book of Concord. >>
CORE VALUES
WORSHIP
We gather together weekly to worship the One True God through prayer, praise, and thanks offerings. God uses the Means of Grace (God’s Word and Sacrament) to create and strengthen our faith. Our liturgical worship uses the Law (to show us our sin) and Gospel (to show us our Savior).
EVANGELISM
Jesus Christ gave us the duty to tell everyone about his death and resurrection. Jesus died on the cross for all people – the rich and poor, churched and unchurched, man, woman, and child. Our goal is to let our light shine in our words and actions to point all people to their forgiveness of sins, new life in Christ, and salvation in heaven.
COMMUNITY
Compelled by Christ’s love, we strive to be involved and visible in the community. We will do our best to display compassion and mercy by helping those in need, hosting family-friendly events, and building relationships to connect people to Christ. We do what we can to demonstrate love for others in everything we do.
FELLOWSHIP
We want to keep God’s flock together. The church family shows our friendship and common beliefs through events inside and outside of the church. Whether it be Bible-focused or just for fun, we try to include everyone. We welcome all who are searching for hope and comfort to join our family and feel our love.
DISCIPLESHIP
Whether new to the faith or a lifelong believer, we seek to grow in both our knowledge of God’s Word and how we live our life according to it. That is why we offer classes, training, and encouragement meant for every chapter of life from cradle to grave. We value teaching Christians how to live sanctified (God-pleasing) lives so that they are equipped to serve Christ to the best of their God-given abilities.
"I was a child when my parents brought me to Good Shepherd, and I've never left. I was confirmed and married at Good Shepherd. My child was baptized, went to school from K-8, was confirmed, and married at Good Shepherd."
Kristie Stevenson, member since 1973
Pictured with her husband, Arnie
Meet Our Team
Pastor
Rev. Lucas Callies
pastor.nl@goodshepherdcorridor.org
920.318.2443
Pastor Callies is the firstborn of Mark and Ruth Callies. He was born on October 26, 1992, and baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Hartford, Wisconsin, on October 31, 1992. He has two younger brothers, Micah and Jeremiah. In May 2007, he was confirmed in the Christian faith at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Brownsville, Wisconsin. After going to high school at Winnebago Lutheran Academy in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin (2007-2011), he went to UW-Platteville for five semesters for engineering. Then he transferred to and graduated from Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota (B.A. 2017) and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin (M. Div. 2021). He has many hobbies such as hunting, fishing, basketball, hiking, board games, but above all he loves disc golfing. And let's not forget his wife, Emily! She is the youngest daughter of Brian and Lori Shank. They were married in St. Joseph, Michigan, on June 22, 2019, at Grace Lutheran Church. Although they have not been blessed with children yet, God has blessed them with a dog, Nala. Pastor Callies is looking forward to spreading the Good News in Cedar Rapids and North Liberty!
Administrative Assistant
Carol Lemke
office@goodshepherdcorridor.org
319.393.5656
Carol, pictured here with her husband Gerhold, has served Good Shepherd as Church Secretary since 2018. She is always ready to welcome visitors to Good Shepherd with a smile!
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Full bio coming soon!
Therapy Dog
Korra the Therapy Dog
The Living Creatures Ministry program utilizes pets owned by members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. These animals participate in regularly scheduled events at Good Shepherd, nursing homes, schools, and other places throughout the Corridor. They also make visits to shut-ins, attend funeral visitations, and more upon request. Therapy animals also respond to crises across the country to provide comfort to people in times of great need.
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Korra would love to share comfort and love with you. Click here to request a visit >>
Pastor
Rev. Billy King
pastor.cr@goodshepherdcorridor.org
608.855.0151
Pastor King was born and raised in St. Paul, MN. Growing up, he attended St. John Lutheran Church and Elementary School and St. Croix Lutheran High School. He received a BA in Language Arts from Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN. He then attended Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS) in Mequon, WI, where he completed his Master in Divinity. During his time at WLS, he served one year as a vicar (intern) in Findlay, OH, and one year as a senior vicar at Wisconsin Luther College.
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During his final year at WLS, he met Laura Krueger, the sister of one of his classmates, and they began dating one month before graduation and Call Day. (That is when graduates are assigned to serve as a pastor of a church.) In 2015, he graduated and was assigned as an associate pastor to St. Paul Lutheran Church and School in Tomah, WI. Laura moved to Tomah in 2017 and launched her business, King's Creatures Animal Training LLC, one month before their wedding! They've been happily married since October 14, 2017.
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After accepting the Call to serve at Good Shepherd here in the Corridor, Pastor King and Laura moved to Cedar Rapids, along with their 3 dogs and 2 cats, in September 2019.
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Pastor King & Laura enjoy kayaking and hiking with their pets, exploring new restaurants, watching their favorite sports teams, and finding new Giant Things to add to their map. They love living in Iowa’s Creative Corridor where Pastor King has been called to spread the Gospel and advance God's Kingdom!
Administrative Assistant
Kayla White
office@goodshepherdcorridor.org
319.393.5656
Kayla was born and grew up in Tucson, Arizona. In 5th grade, her mother married her stepdad who was a naval officer in Oahu, Hawaii. As a Military Brat, she moved all over the country: Hawaii, Wisconsin, Washington state, and finally Rhode Island before leaving home. She has attended several public and private schools, including Shoreland Lutheran High School, and graduated from Evergreen Lutheran High School. She received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN.
Kayla has worked as a substitute in both early childhood and elementary settings, including as a permanent building substitute in the Cedar Rapids Community School District. She also has experience as an academic success coach for Graduation Alliance. Currently, she is a private tutor and works part-time at a childcare center. She loves working with children!
She is married to her high school sweetheart, Tyler, who she met freshman year at Shoreland. They have a son named Gideon, who brings joy and laughs to both of them as he grows! When they married (mid-pandemic), they moved together from Rhode Island to Cedar Rapids, where Tyler is currently employed with Collins Aerospace. They were glad to join the flock of believers here and grow to have many friends!
Kayla enjoys baking with sourdough, walking outside, reading historical fiction, spending time with family and friends, frothy cappuccinos, traveling to new countries, and lifting weights at home. She is happy to serve you and excited to get to know you!