Our new lead pastor and constitution updates.
The Rev. Laura Laughlin, our new Lead Pastor.
The Rev. Laura writes, “My calling in ministry is rooted in God’s love for the world that is exemplified in Jesus Christ. In my ministry, I am passionate about sharing God’s love with all people, the exploration of and growth in faith, the building of community, and the serving of one’s neighbor.”
Laura earned a Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 2016, and a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and English from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, in 2012.
She currently serves as Pastor of Worship and Music at Crown of Glory Lutheran Church in Chaska, Minnesota, a role she began in 2023. Prior to that, she was Pastor of Faith Formation at Crown of Glory from 2019 to 2023. Earlier in her ministry, Laura served as pastor of the Norman-Davenport Lutheran Parish in Kindred, North Dakota, from 2016 to 2019. She also completed her pastoral internship here at Good Shepherd from 2014 to 2015.
Laura’s ministry experience includes several areas of expertise. Preaching is one of her greatest passions, as she enjoys connecting Scripture to everyday life while honoring its original context. Her sermons aim to challenge listeners to reflect on how God may be calling them to live as disciples of Jesus today.
Teaching is another significant focus of her ministry. Laura values opportunities to dive deeper into biblical texts, theology, questions, and doubts with congregations. She finds energy in helping others discover new insights in familiar passages and in creating Bible studies and adult forum presentations.
Worship, music, and the arts also play a central role in her work. Laura has a deep love for Lutheran worship and delights in crafting worship services that incorporate creativity, music, and art. She views worship as a space where people can engage their faith, wrestle with uncertainty, and gather together in word and sacrament.
Laura approaches stewardship as a faithful response to all that God has provided. She emphasizes gratitude and the use of time, talents, and possessions in ways that allow God’s ministry to flourish.
Community building shapes her overall vision for ministry. She sees strong potential in small-group ministries to create relationships and foster belonging within congregations. Grounded in the theology of the cross, Laura focuses on loving and serving neighbors, sharing the good news of God’s love for all people, and discovering and uplifting the gifts of others so that all may feel they belong.
We are excited for Laura to begin her call as our new Lead Pastor here at Good Shepherd.
Updates to our Constitution
When we are driving along in our cars, most of us are not thinking much about the parts that make it go. We might be reminded about the engine because we can hear it, or the transmission because we have to engage it, or the wheels because they need our attention from time to time. Rarely, if ever, do we think of the frame of the car that holds all of these parts together. Without that frame, all those parts cannot work; they cannot hang together.
The constitution of our congregation is a little like that car frame. We may not ever give it much thought, but it is the framework that supports our ministry. It contains a statement of our shared faith and purpose. It defines what membership entails and what powers we have to act together as a congregation. It defines the various roles within the church, including the role of pastor, council members, committee members, and ministry team members. It lays out rules for calling congregational meetings and voting. Some consider this kind of boring stuff, but it is the frame that holds the ministry of Good Shepherd together. Without it, we could not operate.
At the 2025 churchwide assembly of the ELCA, the model constitution used by most member congregations was updated, and the assembly ratified the changes. This provided us with an opportunity not only to align our constitution with the ELCA model constitution, but also to make other changes that better align with how we practice ministry at Good Shepherd. Ron Hovland led this effort, with help from Pastor Peter, Craig Brandt, Walt Polley, and Laura Opsahl.
Here are some of the changes made to the Good Shepherd Constitution:
The biggest change involved the elimination of the Ministry Board we established in 2010. We kept the concept of ministry teams that will be governed by the council through staff liaisons. A ministry team can be formed by a group of lay people, organized around an issue or need in the congregation or community. It must have a designated lay leader and a staff liaison. Council must approve the establishment of a new ministry team and may dissolve a team when it is no longer needed.
We also have simplified our bylaws for the removal of members from the roll.
Most of the other changes have been in updating our constitution to align with the ELCA model, except for the recommendation to require a mutual ministry committee.
These changes will be presented at the annual meeting. There are copies of the proposed constitution on the Good Shepherd website HERE for anyone who would like to review the changes. It is a chance to “look under the hood” and see the frame that makes the ministry at Good Shepherd go.
Written by Pastor Peter Samuelson, Interim Lead Pastor