I pray that … you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.
—Ephesians 3:16-17
At Shepherd of the Cross, we are convinced that faith is built within community. Interconnected, our growth is not only for ourselves, but for the sake of one another in the body of Christ.
For that reason, we intentionally collaborate with our ELCA partners in Muscatine to provide faith formation groups for children, youth, and adults. Some of those groups have been meeting for years, while other groups are newer. In each of these groups, our hope is to meet people where they are at, and together, to explore the richness of God’s abundant grace for us and for our world.
Want to know more? Take a look below to see where you, or your family, might fit in order to continue growing as a disciple of Jesus.
Family Faith Nights
Wednesdays, 6:00 – 7:30 pm @ Grace Lutheran
Meal @ 6:00 pm, Programming @ 6:25 pm
As a part of Shepherd’s collaboration with Grace Lutheran and Zion Lutheran in Muscatine, we offer an opportunity for people of all ages to engage in faith formation through our Family Faith Nights (FFNs). We begin with a meal (provided at no cost, meal menu in calendar). Then, we split into age-appropriate groups.
Elementary Group
Kids grades kindergarten through sixth grade engage in various activities and craft to become more familiar with stories in the Bible. If you have children younger than kindergarten, contact Pastor Aleese to arrange for childcare.
Willing to help teach our kiddos? Sign up to co-teach with another leader.
GIFT (Growing in Faith Together) Group
As a part of youth’s preparation to affirm thier baptism, middle school youth are invited to participate in a two-year sequence that exposes them to basic fundamentals of the Christian faith and an exploration of the Bible. Middle schoolers begin in large group and then spend the remainder of their time in small groups with small group lay leaders.
Big Questions
Big Questions is an adult group (also open to high schoolers) that will explore common, yet complex, questions of faith and life. Examples of questions we’ll consider are: Why do bad things happen? What happens when I die? What is truth and how do I know what is true?
To honor the complexity of the questions named, Big Questions will not offer simple, pat answers. Rather, through instruction, conversation, Scripture, and formative spiritual practices, the intent of Big Questions will be to explore truths that shape our questions and the beliefs we carry, while also leading us to a faith that is more solid and richly personal.
Click below for a more full explanation of this course and to discern if this is a good fit for you. Interested? Sign up online.
Adult Faith Formation Groups
Beyond Family Faith Nights, various adults groups are hosted by Shepherd, Grace, and Zion throughout the week. For more information, contact the primary leader. Click below to download a 1-page summary of the following groups.
Adult Christian Education | Sundays, 10:30 am @ Grace and Zion Lutheran
Though SOTC does not offer adult education on Sunday mornings at SOTC, our partner churches offer an education hour following worship. Members of SOTC, along with community members, are welcome to join the current study at either Grace or Zion. Topic at Grace to begin fall 2023 will focus on the family tree of denominations and topic at Zion to begin fall 2023 will use the resource Making Sense of the Christian Faith.
WELCA (Women of the ELCA) | Second Tuesday/month, 9:30 am @ Grace Lutheran
Discussion follows the Bible Studies published in the Gather magazine, magazine of the Women of the ELCA. Subscription to the magazine not needed to participate.
Men’s Breakfast Bible Study | Wednesdays, 6:30 am @ All-American Diner (2300 Park Avenue Muscatine)
Ecumenical men’s group led by Bob Nicolai and Dick Marr. Topics of Scripture and faith.
Christians Underground | Wednesdays, 12:00 pm @ Geo Johnz Pizza (203 E 2nd Street Muscatine)
Weekly Bible study around the upcoming Sunday’s readings. Led by Pastor Aleese. We meet at Geo Johnz so those who work downtown can join us over their lunch hour.
Women’s Group | Second Saturday/month, 8:30 am @ SOTC Lutheran
Once a month gathering for fellowship and study using the Women of the ELCA study as published in the Gather magazine. Lay led group. As a bonus, we share breakfast together!
Men’s Bible Study | First Saturday/month, 9:00 am @ Grace Lutheran
Discussion on the upcoming Sunday worship readings using the Daily Discipleship resource from the ELCA.