Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services has announced its formal merger with Good Shepherd Communities. The decision was reached at a special meeting of Bethesda’s membership. Good Shepherd, which operates in four western states, has been a wholly controlled subsidiary of Bethesda since 2006. The combined organization has 3,000 employees and an annual operating budget of $155 million. The merger will be effective September 1st and will result in a single corporation with a new name.