God's Work Your Hands is the annual day of service that all ELCA churches are invited to participate in.  Good Shepherd historically participates with various service projects in the Cincinnati area that spread the love of Christ to our neighbors.  In 2019, GSLC decided to do things a little differently.

Borrowing heavily from Preston Meadows Lutheran Church in TX, Good Shepherd issued checks with blank recipient lines to individuals and families attending worship this weekend of September 7-8, 2019.  The checks amounts ranged from $100 - $500.  Pastor Heidi then asked the congregation to consider the ways they are filled up by helping others.  Maybe that's helping the homeless, or improving literacy, or wildlife conservation.  She encouraged people to follow their passions and use these gifts of grace to help others.  

Over the next couple of weeks, individuals and families discerned how to use the checks and acted.  Stories began coming into Good Shepherd for how these gifts were used and what their impact was.  From a orphanage in Ecuador to a raptor rehabilition organization in Milford, OH, the congregation was sharing the light of Christ with their neighors.

In total, nearly $60,000 was given away to people and organizations around the world.  Some members even matched the gift with their own money to double the impact.  Several news organizations wrote stories about Gods Grace Your Hands, which inspired others to give to organizations as well.

In the end, it's more than just the money.  We hope the program helped inspire others to listen to the way God is encouraging them to act in the world.  We hope that people see that they can be agents of hope everyday.

For more information about the program:

• God's Grace Your Hands website
• Preston Meadows Gives website
• Cincinnati Enquirer news article
• Washington Post news article