Sunday is a good time to visit but, it's not the only time.

 

Whoever you are and wherever you may be in your own personal spiritual journey, we invite you to join us.

 

Sunday services are at 8:30 am and 11 am. Our services are traditional, with the second service including music. Attendance varies from 30 to 45 at the first service and from 80 to 110 at the second.

 

There is no dress code. Comfortable and casual seem to be the norm. Shorts and suits are equally welcome and sometimes occupy the same pew.

 

Sunday services are based upon ancient Christian traditions and include colorful processions and handsome vestments.

 

Each Sunday service includes readings from holy scripture, a sermon, prayers and the Holy Eucharist, or Communion, in which each person is invited to receive bread and wine because Jesus invited us to do so whenever we gather in His name.

 

Standing or kneeling? Whether to stand or kneel at different times during the service is a question that has perplexed guests and members in Episcopal churches for generations. The short answer is that it doesn’t matter. Whether to stand or kneel is a matter of personal piety and individual preference. Look around you to see what most people seem to do, but notice also that there are others who do exactly the opposite. God doesn’t care. And neither do we.

 

During the week guests are also welcomed on Mondays for Centering Prayer at 7:30 pm in the choir room, Tuesdays for Daily Devotions and Bible Study at 11:15 am in the parish hall, Evening Prayer at 6:30 pm in the chapel, and on Thursdays for Daily Devotions and Bible Study from 11:15 pm to noon in the parish hall. Dress is casual.

 

Spiritual Life

 

Good Shepherd exists to help people grow closer to God.

 

Christianity is a Way to be followed, the Way of Jesus, who was centered in God.

 

As Christians and as Episcopalians, we…

 

• Take the Bible seriously but not necessarily literally

• Value the importance of 2000 years of Christian spiritual tradition

• Prize human reason as a gift from God

 

Because human reason is a gift from God, the willingness to express honest doubts and questions is an important part of the Christian journey, at least in this community.

 

In our effort to draw closer to God, we also seek to practice spiritual disciplines, or “Holy Habits,” because they help sustain our relationship with God. These disciplines include:

 

• Overcoming the spiritual challenge of being possessed by possessions

• Setting aside personal time each day for prayer and study

• Coming together for regular worship as a community

• Engaging in Sabbath time we set aside as necessary for our own spiritual rest and refreshment

 

While these are important aspirations, the human reality is that we are all works in progress, and we all need to help sustain each other with humility, affection and good humor. Being Christian is not complicated: hard perhaps, but not complicated. At its center is Jesus, Whose passion was for God.

 

Child Care

 

Child Care is available in the nursery  on Sundays for infants through preschool from 9:45am through the end of the service. While children are always welcome at worship services, the nursery is staffed by experienced nursery providers who are happy to play with and care for your child as you need them to.

 

The nursery is located on the main floor of the church, down the hallway on the right as you enter the front door. If you would rather just take your children for a stretch break, the service is broadcast live in the parish hall. Feel free to move in and out of the church as best suits you and your children.