If, just a few weeks ago, you had told me that I didn't have to go to any more meetings where everyone present felt the need to express an opinion on every subject or, that I didn't need to go to some social gathering where I was expected to make small talk with people that I do not know, I would have been a very happy fellow. As Judi Dench said to Geoffrey Palmer, "you don't do chit chat do you?" to which he replied, "I do...

ACTC has been in operation in Towson for more than 30 years, but it actually began before that at the Church of the Holy Comforter. Holy Comforter then got more churches in the area involved and soon needed a space so they moved to a small house near the Calvary Church at 116 Pennsylvania Avenue. Speaking with Suzanne Whitney, the Good Shepherd liaison this year for our Thanksgiving drive, it is amazing all of the services tha...

 “Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.” Proverbs 22:9 

According to St. Vincent de Paul, there are over 750,000 people (one in every 8) in Maryland who are food insecure, meaning they don’t have consistent access to nutritious food. Many of those people live in Baltimore City, where the food insecurity rate of 23% is by far the highest of any jurisdiction the state. 1 in 4 of...

By the time I arrived in Greektown with a carload of boxes and lamps from Lesli’s Drumcastle apartment, her door was open and the moving van full of their furniture and more boxes was on its way.

It had been a four year journey, from our small group meetings at Good Shepherd to discern whether our parish community could even begin to support a refugee family, to this moment of independence. Once that answer was a clear affirmat...

It is a joy to share with you that The Rev. Van Gardner has joined Good Shepherd, part-time as Pastoral Associate & Missioner for Outreach and Community Engagement. A long job-title, but one befitting his gifts and the ways in which he will contribute to the life of our community. As you can read from his bio (below) Van has a lifetime of experience as a priest in our diocese. It was a lunch meeting about seven years ago that...

Oh God of all, at this time of our gradual awakening to the dangers we are imposing on our beautiful Earth, open the hearts and minds of all your children, that we may learn to nurture rather than destroy our planet.--Lorraine R. Schmitz, Earth Prayers from Around the World

If you’re like most Good Shepherd families, most of your waste goes into trash cans and recycling bins. Some of us use a compost bin, too. TerraCycle is an...

My introduction to SLYC (St. Luke’s Youth Center) was serving lunch at Camp Imagination when it was still held at St Luke’s. After lunch was D.E.A.R. – Drop Everything And Read - Time.  I read with a second-grade boy who was really struggling, and my heart went out to him.  Here was a child who was already far behind his grade level, locked up with frustration; would working with a tutor help him open up and enjoy learning to...

On June 23rd, forty-four members of various churches in Maryland, including nine people from the Church of the Good Shepherd, ventured to Louisa, KY to work with the Appalachia Service Project (ASP). We spent a week working on various homes for families who were gracious enough to welcome us into their lives. Group leaders and teens worked together repairing and rebuilding roofs, decks, vinyl siding, adding insulation, digging...

Camp Imagination is a summer camp program started by Amanda Talbot through the youth ministry at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in the Franklin Square neighborhood of Baltimore City. Amanda is a Baltimore City School teacher and has introduced children ages 8 – 13 to the Creative Arts, Writing, Acting, and Positive Personal Achievement. This camp provides a clean, safe, kind atmosphere where children can grow educationally and sp...

Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment. Love one another as I have loved you.” John 13

Peter said, “The Spirit told me to go with them and not make a distinction between them and us.” Acts 11

This is my eighth year serving as rector of The Church of the Good Shepherd.  Hence, my eighth report. One thing I have learned is that it is impossible for me to write the report for the Annual Meeting until I have proclaimed the gospe...