What We Believe
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church believes and teaches:

  • The Bible is the true and inspired word of God.
  • All people are sinners and cannot save themselves.
  • God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to pay in full the price for our sin  and earn eternal life for us through His death on the cross. 
  • Anyone who believes and trusts in Jesus as his Loard and Savior recieves God's gifts of forgiveness and a new life that lasts forever. 
  • Tha Holy Spirit keeps our faith in Christ alive and growing as we read and study God's Word and worship with other believers.
  • When we are filled with the love of Christ, we will share His love with others through our words and actions. 

Pastor Richard Tursic

Richard Ernest Tursic was born on February 6, 1964, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Anton V. and Susan F. Tursic.  He was baptized in April of that year at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Solon, Ohio, and was confirmed in May, 1978 at Valley Lutheran Church, Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting with honors from Indiana University in May, 1986.  After serving as an accountant with a Big 8 firm in downtown Cincinnati, he taught international business in Beijing, China, to senior cadres within the Electronics Ministry.  Having been moved to share his faith on a full-time basis, he entered Concordia Theological Seminary, where he earned his Masters of Divinity degree in May, 1996.  His vicarage was spent at Christ Lutheran Church in Brooksville, Florida.
His first assignment was to the Board for Mission Services for whom he served as a church planter in Taichung, Taiwan (1996-1999) and then as a leadership developer in Mainland, China (1999-2007).  Upon return to the U.S., he served as a visitation and vacancy pastor for St. Paul Lutheran Church in Madisonville, Ohio, and then as an interim pastor for King of Kings Lutheran Church in Mason, Ohio.

Rich met Katherine Laura Helmreich during his studies at Indiana University and the two were married at University Lutheran Church (where they met) on August 20, 1988.  They have been blessed with three children: Andrew, Kelly, and Scott.


Missions

Good Shepherd gives ten percent of our annual offerings to support missions, both locally and worldwide.  Currently, we are supporting missionaries in Cambodia and Togo, Africa, as well as Bible translators in Ghana, West Africa.  Locally, we regularly support United Ministries in Northern Kentucky among others.

We also give to many special missions as the need arises.  Several of these include the Malagasy Lutheran Church, Gideon's, and Kids Church - an outreach ministry at Immanual Lutheran Church in Avondale.


History

Good Shepherd dates back to 1994 when a small group of Lutherans gathered together for home Bible study.  From this core group came the spark to take the first steps to form a new lutheran Church - Missouri Synod congregation in Nothern Kentucky.

Good Shepherd's first publicly advertised Sunday Service was held in September 1995 at the American Legion Hall in Florence.  This same year, a Sunday School was established and the first Christmas Eve Candlelight Service was held.

In 1996, Pastor Gil Duchow was installed as Mission Developer for Good Shepherd and Immauel, Dry Ridge.  Pastor Duchow would later accept Good Shepherd's call to serve as full-time Pastor in 2000.
Through faith, the first step of building our current "church on a hill" was taken when the Ohio District Church Extention Fund Board of Directors purchased four acres and the building on Gunpowder Road for Good Shepherd's worship and educational facility.  Renovation of the building began in 1997, with the first Sunday Service being held there in March.  In 1998, a dedication service was held for Good Shepherd's current facility upon the completion of the sanctuary and the remodeled education and fellowship building.

In 2003, Good Shepherd explored its future vision by establishing a Vision Committee.  This committee reviewed the needs for facilities, outreach, and worship based upon home-based meetings with our members.  Good Shepherd was at a point where, in addition to continuing to build on our strengths in the mission field, it was important to investigate the long term vision of expanding the current facilities to maintain our momentum.  The Vision Committee's study suggested that our church would serve our families better and increase our outreach efforts through the building of additional classrooms and a large fellowship area.

Based upon the results, a Building Committee was formed to organize that vision in light of a propsed building expansion project.  An architect was hired to create a building plan that incorporated the current and future mission needs of Good Shepherd.
In 2005, Good Shepherd celebrated its 10th Anniversary with the theme "In the Shepherd's Footsteps."  Today our membership climbs to over 300 members and has expanded its ministry through Sunday worship, children's Sunday School, adult Bible Studies, youth ministries, family activities and other outreach activities into the community.  Through God's holy grace, our church continues to be growing and following in the Shepherd's footsteps.