About Good Shepherd Episcopal Church
-
Good Shepherd is an intentionally welcoming and inclusive church, as you will discover as you read further and, hopefully, visit us. In May 2001 we celebrated the 125th anniversary of GoodShepherd's establishment as a congregation in the Episcopal Diocese of California. What many people don't know is that, although Episcopal in worship and denominational affiliation, our congregation considered itself early on as a community church - a notion that has continued to inspire our sense of ministry beyond our own worshiping family. For example, our parish hall served as Belmont's primary meeting hall for most of the 20th Century. Local lore has it a city tax once provided cab service to shuttle local children to Sunday School!
In October '04 we completed major repairs, refurbishing, and improvements to our main church building, which will enable Good Shepherd to provide meaningful worship and hospitality for many years to come. We also recently restored our circa 1910 Good Shepherd stained glass window and saw to the installation of new lighting in our original church building to brighten our worship in that cherished place we now call the 'chapel'. As one would expect,the primary focus at Good Shepherd is in our worship of God, typically the Holy Eucharist (Communion). While grounded in the tradition of the Book of Common Prayer, our worship utilizes a variety of innovative Episcopal worship materials, passing authentic prayers inelegant, contemporary language that represents the voices of today'sseekers. Sunday worship at 11:00 am features a sung service with vocal and organ/piano music in a variety of styles, and our clergy's sermons make meaningful connections between scripture, spirituality, and the joys and challenges of real life. A tradition at Good Shepherd is a yearly outdoor Animal Blessing service where all of God's creatures receive a blessing.
Sunday Worship 'sends us forth' to provide a viable and welcoming presence on the Mid-Peninsula for both our parishioners and the hundreds of children and adults who utilize our facilities every day of every week. We are always ready to welcome new participants. We gather often for an all-parish social event. Good Shepherd hosts a number of weekly 12-step meetings, three annual Alkathons, and provide a regular gathering place for the San Mateo County Friendship Center which serves developmentally disabled adults. The Little Hands Parent-Child Center, a division of the Sequioa Adult School, utilizes a large portion of our buildings throughout the week. We offer facilities for other gatherings of various kinds.
Our friendly, vibrant congregation includes all ages; 'cradle' Episcopalians and converts to the Anglican tradition; straight and gay, married, partnered, and single adults; and children. Newcomers are always welcome to our worshiping community and our blend of traditional and progressive belief.
