By what he says, does, and is, Jesus is Good News to the poor. At Good Shepherd. we take his example of servant ministry to heart, and we strive to live it out in our daily lives. We know that God's Reign of love and justice is broader than the Church, and so we seek to partner with those of other faiths and all people of good will. In virtue of Holy Baptism, we are called to represent Jesus wherever we are, in both word and deed.

Through our different outreach ministries, we strive to meet immediate needs and to remove the root causes of injustice. We also aim to create forms of community that transcend divisions in our society. Locally, our mission reflects our context in Appalachian Ohio. Our ministries have come to cluster around feeding the hungry; sharing God's love with those who are sick, lonely, or in prison; and renewing God's fragile earth. Parishioners and clergy are also deeply involved with the work of several local non¬profits. Internationally, we share the Episcopal Church's commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, simple, achievable goals meant to eliminate the most deadly poverty, and we dedicate at least 0.7% of our budget to achieving these goals, chiefly through Episcopal Relief and Development.

Outlined below are details about some of the outreach ministries of the parish and along with contact information for those who want to get involved. Wherever you are in your journey of faith, we'd like to help you find ways to serve and make a difference.

The Athens County Food pantry began over 25 years ago as an ecumenical ministry serving people in our county who are food insecure. Good Shepherd has been involved from the very beginning. Today, we continue to be a major contributor through donations, volunteers. and board members.

If you would like to volunteer at the food pantry or some other Athens county food assistance project please call Job and Family Services at 1-800-762-3775 and they can point you in the right direction.

Lynn Graham (grahammowery@aol.com) Trains and schedules Acolytes and Lectors.

Sally Spero (s_spero@hotmail.com)

Music for church services and community events. Marsha Reilly, Music Director, (mareilly57@gmail.com)

Anne Braxton (braxton@ohio.edu)

Host (group rotates) for social time following the principal service. Lois Wagner    (loiswgn@gmail.com)

If you are interested in becoming an associate, speak with Sister Faith Margaret, CHS,   (srfmchs@chssisters.org)   who meets with the Associates several times during the year.

The Creation Justice ministry helps educate the parish and broader community on issues of sustainability and environmental justice. This ministry parallels several efforts in other local congregations, which together form the Earth Justice Coalition. In the past, Creation Justice has led our parish and visiting groups on tours of our region’s extractive economy and to examples of a more localized and sustainable future. Actions also include performing energy audits on surrounding homes and churches, assessing our parish’s energy efficiency, and looking into renewable energy sources for our physical plant.

Please contact Dana Carlson     (carlsondana@hotmail.com)

We are excited to announce we have hired Malin Irwin as the new manager of CrossRoads Café. After she receives training on the coffee shop equipment CrossRoads Café will be reopening.

Those wishing to donate altar flowers for the Sunday service on available dates should contact Lynn Graham     (grahammowery@aol.com).

If you have skills for landscaping or property upkeep, please contact Dana for a list of projects. Dana Carlson (carlsondana@hotmail.com)

The Marthas work to support church projects such as the Coats and Winter Gear giveaway, raise funds for special purchases, coordinate and host receptions. David Burton (drabeja02@yahoo.com).

Edit & post E-News, maintain website, and Facebook and Instagram. Many opportunities here. Benjamin South (bsouthtenor@icloud.com) & Ted Foster (fosterth@ohio.edu)

The Outreach Committee helps coordinate and promote all aspects of outreach ministry at Good Shepherd. It is responsible for evaluating new potential programs, for reporting regularly to the Vestry, and for making an annual budget proposal. Meetings are held on the fourth Sunday of odd numbered months (January, March, May, July, September, and November).

All interested persons are welcome!   Please contact
Dana Carlson     (carlsondana@hotmail.com)

This ministry which was begun in the late 1990s was suspended in March 2020 when the pandemic hit. For a while, on Wednesdays we offered a sack lunch from the front porch of the church. Then, in late Fall of 2020, with fewer volunteers to help and wanting to continue this ministry for our community, we placed a small cabinet on the front porch which the teams stock weekly with non-perishable items. All interested persons please contact Anne Walker     (anneuribewalker@gmail.com)

In April 2023, Vestry designated the first Sunday of each month as Sharing Cabinet Sunday. On that Sunday, we encourage parishioners to contribute either financially or with non-perishable items to this important ministry of outreach. Donations are gladly accepted at any time.

For those who enjoying knitting, the group knits prayer shawls, and other items for donation to those who have a need. Lois Wagner    (loiswgn@gmail.com)

The Thrift Shop sells household items, dishes, glasses, flatware, cooking utensils, pots and pans, linens, towels, small appliances, and clothing. Lois Wagner    (loiswgn@gmail.com)

1. To continue to build upon our Episcopalian heritage of worship that is centered in the Eucharist and in the Book of Common Prayer and supported by a strong music program.
   
   
2. To develop programs and provide worship designed to attract young families, their children, college students and other underserved groups.
   
   
3. To revive our historic mission of Campus Ministry by nurturing, sustaining, and invigorating our ministries to university students, faculty, administrators, and others connected with the university.
   
   
4. To learn about and foster the financial stewardship necessary to sustain the operation and mission of the parish.
   
   
5. To encourage and strengthen vestry and other lay ministers who provide consistent and visionary leadership.
   
   
6. To continue to encourage and support existing individual and small group ministries and to work to establish new programs and ministries.