Ministry Partners
Community Partnerships for Greater Impact
Church of the Good Shepherd is proud to partner with local and international organizations and ministries that extend our mission of faith and service into the community.
Food Pantry Support
We provide ongoing support to the FISH Food Pantry of Clarke County through ongoing food and dry goods collection, which are delivered to FISH in Berryville on the last Wednesday of every month, holiday gift baskets, and some of our parishioners volunteer their time at the pantry.
International Outreach: Episcopal Church of Liberia
Over the years we have developed a special relationship with Rev. Fr. Michael Sie of the Episcopal Church of Liberia. Father Michael visits us as often as he can and always leads an inspired, spirit-filled service.
In the summer of 2016 we sent him home with an organ for his church, as well as prayer books, choir and chorister vestments, and other altar guild items. At that time, Michael was leading St. Augustine's Episcopal Church in Barnardsville, Liberia.
International Outreach: Mother Teresa Orphanage in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Good Shepherd Church has been sending donations of school supplies and more to Thomas Edmonds in support of the Sisters of Mother Teresa Orphanage in Kabul. Thomas is a Captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General, stationed in Germany but recently deployed to Afghanistan, where he saw the need to assist the sisters in their good work. Please read more about this ministry in a letter from Thomas below.
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2/9/2018
Editor's Note: Good Shepherd Church and others have been sending donations of school supplies and more to Thomas Edmonds in support of the Sisters of Mother Teresa Orphanage in Kabul. Here Thomas sends his thanks and love with photos of the donations going to the sisters! And we add our thanks to our troops and to the sisters and pray that God will bless them and the children in their care.
Greetings from Afghanistan,
Recently, security has been strict because of the 4 days of attacks
in the area and the threats against us, but don’t worry everyone at RSHQ is safe and spirits are up, so finally, the nuns were able to bring their car on base. They’re so sweet and so small. It was my first time meeting them and they gave me a big bear hug. They love the donations!They do amazing work. They take care of 400 families by giving them food, clothes, and blankets and care for 2,200 children orphaned by the war. They really love their kids and talked about them a lot.
They have a passion for educationand teach kids of all ages, so the coloring books and note pads were a big hit. They speak marvelous English and teach English to the children, as there are better opportunities for English speakers. The nuns especially loved the teddy bears, the little ones love teddy bears!
Your donations filled up their car, you can tell by the picture of the teddy bear squashed against the car window. There was no wasted space! They were so appreciative and kept thanking us for the donations.
They explained that it’s our support that keeps their mission going and keeps their children safe and independent from the corruption and abuse that exist in Kabul. Before they left, we all held hands and said a prayer for us here to keep safe and for our loved ones back home to see their friends and family soon.
On a personal note, I just want to say thank you, your support and donations changed these kids’ lives. The US will be here for a very long time training and advising, but rarely does that touch the everyday Afghan. It’s your charity that reaches the people. You won’t hear about this on the news, but it’s the little acts of kindness that change this country and that will make a kid smile today and to me,
that’s newsworthy.Love you,
TomThomas Edmonds, CPT, JA, U.S. Army
Operation Christmas Child
From 2015 to 2019 we collected and donated items for OCC and worked with young families in the community to create a spirit of community infused by the joy of giving. Our hope is to continue to grow this project to send more Christmas boxes while inviting more of our neighbors to join in.
For 2019, we collected 11 wonderful boxes. You can track them using this tracking ID, FYBDC5116272855, on this page. Please see this page for more information abour Operation Christmas Child.
Thank you for your donations and thoughtfulness!
Our shoebox gifts were shipped to:
Uganda on Sat Dec 14, 2019
Alcoholics Anonymous
We have an active AA group, called The Pine Grove Group, that meets at Good Shepherd weekly on Saturday evenings at 8:30pm, in-person or via Zoom, year round. The Pine Grove Group has been together for many years.
In addition to regularly scheduled meetings, the group has helped with clean up and remodelling of the church property and building.
Drop in, or visit https://aavirginia.org/meetings and search for Bluemont.
Stations of the Cross
One of our young parishioners built a Stations of the Cross nature trail through the woods that surround our church for his Boy Scout Eagle Project.
The effort incorporated iconography that had been previously donated, which the scouts mounted to posts along the pathway, bounded by rope. The trail starts from our lower patio and makes several switch backs as it winds its way up the hill behind the church to the cross where Jesus' crucifixion is remembered.
At the top of the pathway, looking back toward the church, a bench for prayer and contemplation was installed at the station where Jesus' body is laid in the tomb.
At the first staion laminated cards are provided that include opening and closing prayers as well as scriptural narratives for each station. These are available to worshippers and visitors year round.
Interested in Getting Involved?
Reach out to our Church Office for more information on getting involved with our Ministries.