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Naperville's Good Shepherd Church welcomes new senior minister

Good Shepherd Church in Naperville recently named Pastor Tara Beth Leach as its newest senior minister. She is the first woman to be named to the top role of leadership at Good Shepherd.

Leach formerly served on staff at Good Shepherd as a youth minister from 2008-13 and most recently as [astor of Servant Ministry & Missional Life at Christ Church of Oak Brook.

She returns to the role of senior leadership, having previously been senior pastor of First Church of the Nazarene of Pasadena, California. She is a graduate of Olivet Nazarene University (BA) and Northern Theological Seminary (M.Div.). She is the author of Kingdom Culture, Emboldened, Radiant Church, and Forty Days on Being a Six.

Outside of her local church duties, she speaks widely at conferences, retreats, and universities across America on church leadership and women in ministry.

Asked about her journey back to Good Shepherd, Pastor Tara Beth Leach said, "When I first stood on the platform to preach my first sermon nearly 15 years ago, I never imagined that the then 25-year-old would one day lead this church. Over the years, I have referred to Good Shepherd Church as my 'first love'. It is a church with a rich history of passionate worship and missional work both globally and locally. To think that I get to now partner with this beautiful flock on 1310 Shepherd Drive is a dream made reality. Only God could orchestrate such a story. I look forward to many years of living on mission together."

Jackie Froschauer leads as Good Shepherd's council president. Froschauer remarked, "Pastor Tara Beth is a bridge builder. With division in our world, she brings the love of Jesus and loving others to the forefront. Once people are around her, it won't be hard for them to see how warm, relational, and authentic she is and the hope she holds in Jesus. We are overwhelmed with joy to be welcoming back Pastor Tara Beth to Good Shepherd as the lead pastor."

Eager to begin work within the congregation and local community, Pastor Tara Beth Leach, her husband, Jeff, and two sons, Caleb and Noah, are excited to return "home" to Good Shepherd.

Pastor Tara Beth Leach will preach her first sermon as senior minister on Sunday, March 19.

A welcome reception will be held in between services. All are welcome to join Good Shepherd on this special Sunday. Good Shepherd is a multi-venue campus offering two styles of worship: contemporary and traditional. Services are held on Sundays at 9 and 10:30 a.m., in-person and online.

Serving the community since 1979, Good Shepherd actively supports individuals with disabilities, families, and youth through weekly programs and events throughout the year. Locally and globally, Good Shepherd works with mission partners to help create impact through tangible ways of generosity and support.

Good Shepherd Church is a missional, multi-generational, and family-oriented Christian church with roots in the Lutheran tradition and membership in the ELCA. Good Shepherd serves locally in the western Chicago suburbs and beyond. Visit goodshepherd-naperville.org to learn more.

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