By Kevin Greer
Lakeside Communications Manager
A name that is familiar to many Lakesiders is returning for his annual visit, but he has something extra in his itinerary.
Matthew Goetz, son of Rev. Dr. Herb Goetz, former Director of Religious and Educational Programming at Lakeside, will discuss his impressive family legacy during the Lakeside Heritage Society’s Sunday Seminar on July 27 at 1:30 p.m. in Orchestra Hall.
Herb and his wife, Rev. Mary Ann Goetz, were responsible for starting several programs that are still popular, including the Wednesday Picnic in Perry Park, Middle Grade Madness (MGM), God Squad, the Rhein Center and communion at Lakefront Worship Services.
“We have some pretty incredible connections with Lakeside, particularly through much of the programming that continues to be there in force,” Matthew said. “I’m someone who’s really interested in sharing some stories about memories that I have about a place that is just so important to me and my family.”
The God Squad youth ministry for ages 4-9 started in 1994. It had two instructors over the first two years with Mary Ann leading. They were looking for another leader prior to the third season, but this time a person who would provide more stability.
“The only consistency during the first two years was my mother and my father,” Matthew said.
Herb made a hire that put God Squad in a new direction and started a legacy. After listening to a demo tape, he approached Lakesider Chip Richter, a singer/songwriter who, at the time, performed Christian music.
Richter’s goal was to sing and play guitar on any Lakeside stage. Richter was called in for a chat with Herb, but it wasn’t what Richter expected. Herb thought Richter was the right person to take over God Squad and offered him the position.
“I told him, ‘I don’t do music for kids,’” Richter said in a previous interview with the Lakesider newspaper. “He told me, ‘I know, but I think you’ll be great at it.’ He saw something that I didn’t see.”
Richter took the job and has become a community icon, and at the same time, taking God Squad to new heights.
“We certainly hoped for some longevity with Chip, and he was someone who could really build on our foundation,” Matthew said. “It turns out that my father made a really good hiring choice.”
Richter also played a role in helping grow Middle Grade Madness that Herb and Mary Ann started by suggesting John and Bonnie Wilkie run that program. The couple have been at the MGM helm for 21 years.
As with many ministers, Herb was called upon to offer pastoral care and support. One of the more tragic times was following the TWA Flight 800 crash on July 17, 1996, just 12 minutes after taking off from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. All 230 on board died, including Lakesider C. Kirk Rhein Jr.. Herb was there to be with the Rhein family to offer trauma counseling, a pastoral presence, as well as care, support and love.
During that difficult period, there was a desire from Rhein’s parents, Clyde and Sittie, to establish a way of memorializing their son and have his legacy continue through their family and their presence at Lakeside. Epworth Lodge, at the corner of Walnut Avenue and Sixth Street, was a building with potential, but it was used for storage.
After some cooperation between Herb and Bill Meyers, who was a property owner at Lakeside and a general contractor, the push was made to transform the building and rename it the C. Kirk Rhein, Jr. Center for the Living Arts. The center celebrated its 25th Anniversary in August 2024 and offers a wide variety of art, music, dance, theater and craft classes.
“I remember how proud my father and the Rhein family together were of the name,” Matthew said. “That word ‘living’ was particularly important because it recognized the family’s desire to acknowledge that the memory of their son continues to live. It’s really a beautiful story of transformation that takes a horrific trauma and can segue that into something that’s beautiful and constructive and life-giving.”
Matthew began visiting Lakeside in 1991. He was hired by Keith Addy, a former member of the administrative team, to go around and pick up trash in the park. It was his first job.
“I later learned that the envelopes containing $1 that Keith gave me at the end of every week were actually from my father,” Matthew said.
Matthew also worked at shuffleboard, mini golf, Hoover Auditorium and Whistle Stop. He started the bicycle safety program, writing the first curriculum and teaching it for the first few sessions.
To say Matthew is well-rounded is an understatement. He attended Ohio State University for undergrad and studied abroad in England at the Royal Naval Academy, before earning a commission in the U.S. Navy, where he served four years on active duty and six years in the reserves.
He later attended Harvard University to study education. After that, he went to Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, where both his father and grandfather attended. He began his teaching career at international boarding and day schools, followed by taking a position in a public school in Ridgefield, Connecticut, where he currently teaches.
Matthew, a former National Junior Shuffleboard champion, visits Lakeside every year with his daughter. They enjoy playing shuffleboard, going down the slides at the pool, spending time on the waterfront and shopping. Of course, she attends God Squad.
“We do it all,” Matthew said. “I love having ice cream multiple times per day as part of the Lakeside food group. Our days are full from 8 in the morning until 10 at night, every day we’re there. When we get back, we take a vacation from our vacation.”
