From Online Encouragement to In-Person Community

At the peak of the pandemic, finding community and fellowship within a congregation was challenging. Churches across the country were forced to modernize how they used social media, with the contrasts between tradition and adaptation becoming apparent. Though the pandemic experience was often full of anxiety, there were also positive outcomes that helped broaden the trajectory of outreach beyond the traditional church setting. Throughout the pandemic, Good Shepherd was able to host events and minister to the community beyond Sundays, creating a more multifaceted identity for the type of church Good Shepherd aspires to be. Music Mondays have been a big part of that shift.

As technology became the only way to truly experience community at Good Shepherd, Music Mondays were born. Director of Worship and Music Jared Stellmacher pondered what could be done to foster community in ways that Good Shepherd had excelled pre-pandemic. Jared thought of ways Good Shepherd could share musical social media posts, inspired by a friend from another church who shared music videos from their congregation. Jared believed a similar concept at Good Shepherd could bring back a lost sense of joy into people’s lives and help sustain them throughout the week.

As the idea began to gain momentum, Jared recruited musicians for his project. They would meet in the Madison sanctuary to record short videos on his phone, sharing a love for music online each Monday with all who wanted to listen. Though the pandemic surged on, support for this Monday trend grew exponentially. While still recording online, Jared began thinking about ways Music Mondays could continue in a post-pandemic setting. He began to think about new ways that could bring people together and to church.

When Good Shepherd began gathering for outdoor in-person events in 2021, Music Mondays went from online-only videos to live gatherings on the front lawn of the Madison campus. The events became more than just music. They provided a way for those in the area to enjoy time outside while also interacting with members of the congregation at Good Shepherd. As Music Mondays continued, Rick Thomas saw the event as an opportunity for the Holy COW (Church on Wheels) to provide meals for those in attendance. Since then, thanks to a grant from the Good Shepherd Foundation, Music Mondays now have the resources to reach the Good Shepherd community and beyond. This June kicks off the third season of in-person Music Mondays, and there’s growing excitement about what the summer has in store.

As the new season of Music Mondays begins, Jared is looking forward to all the food, fellowship, and live music he expects people will enjoy on Good Shepherd’s front lawn in Madison. This event is a wonderful way to kick off your week and is a fun and easy access point to get to know all kinds of people – in a setting where everyone is welcome. We hope you are excited for the first Music Monday tonight. Thanks to the Good Shepherd Foundation, as well as Jared Stellmacher and Rick Thomas, for their efforts to bring this new Good Shepherd tradition to life!

Full 2023 Music Monday Schedule