Welcome to our Ministries website! For more information about Good Shepherd:
The Parish Family/Life Committee works to make Good Shepherd a vibrant Christian community and loving extended family for parishioners. The Committee nourishes the bonds within our Parish family by organizing community development programs, social activities and special events that unify parishioners, build fellowship and inspire sharing ourselves in Christ.
Interested in volunteering? Please contact Mike Zalno (Chair) or our ministry leaders below for more information!
Contact: None/Open
This Ministry arranges for the set up and decoration of the Parish Christmas tree. The Ministry also plans a simple Parish Family Tree Trimming & Caroling Party before Christmas to decorate the tree.
Contact: Cella Fickes
This new Ministry is for those who are in the process of a divorce, are recently divorced or have been divorced for years. Discussion topics are chosen for each session. People from the Diocese and local area are invited. Attendees will help shape the future direction of the group.
Meetings are held on the last Sunday/month @ 6:00 PM in Agape Hall.
Contact: Nancy Coulter Dennis
The Easter Egg Hunt is an annual event that takes place on the Church grounds the morning of Holy Saturday (the day before Easter Sunday). This Ministry makes arrangements for the candy, prizes and treats for the social that follows the hunt. They're also in charge of stuffing eggs ahead of the event.
Volunteers work from ~8:30-noon to set up, run and clean up after the hunt.
Contacts: Margi McGinnis & Donna Poorman
This Ministry provides support and assistance to parishioners who have lost a loved one. After meeting with Father Jozef, the family may request that Funeral Repast organize a gathering in Agape Hall.
The Funeral Repast Ministry understands that this is a challenging time for families, so they seek to provide a smooth and respectful event. Based on the discussions with the family, the Ministry will work with the Church staff to set up Agape Hall and coordinate with the caterer. The specifics for an event may vary depending on the caterer chosen and any specific requests from the family.
Contact: Cella Fickes
The newly-formed Grief Group Ministry offers a space and support for grief and faith-sharing. Facilitated by Jennifer Schueter, a licensed Funeral Director at Haky/Georgianna Centre County Funeral Home, and Parish staff member Cella Fickes, the group follows the GriefShare.org curriculum for gatherings.
Ideally, group sizes will be 10-15 people/session. Gatherings are not just limited to Good Shepherd parishioners; participants are encouraged to bring friends/family as well.
Meetings are held on the last Tuesday/month @ 6:00 PM.
Contact: Fran Moorman
Gardening volunteers are needed for the flower beds in the Church parking lot islands. The Ministry strives to minimize maintenance costs and chemical use. They aim to use plant material that's not attractive to deer-browsing, tolerates summer conditions with minimal watering and tolerates winter salt-spreading, while also creating an aesthetically-pleasing and colorful landscape.
Volunteers are asked to weed, deadhead, etc. the parking lot island they adopt at least once per month over the growing season. Volunteers are free to experiment with plant material or simply maintain the plants that are present.
Contact: None/Open
To celebrate the anniversary of the Parish -- which began on July 14, 1989 -- the Church of the Good Shepherd holds an annual Parish Picnic on a Sunday afternoon in July (as close to the 14th as possible). This Ministry organizes the Picnic as a source of Parish fellowship and fun!
The organization of the event includes publicity, setup and cleanup. The main entrée is purchased by the Parish and the attending Parish families bring side dishes, salads, beverages and desserts.
This Ministry also organizes activities for children and families to enhance the social interaction and relationship building of the Parish.
Contact: Barb Purdum
The Parish Safety Committee was established in 2019 to comply with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s recommendation that all houses of worship develop a basic plan to address four categories of emergencies: Medical Emergencies, Fires, Natural Disasters and Acts of Violence.
This Committee has done much to comply with these recommendations. Their goal is to continue efforts to provide a safe haven for parishioners to gather and worship.
This Ministry seeks volunteers who have an interest in the welfare and safety of the people in our Church. They also welcome anyone with experience in the safety and healthcare (or related) fields.