Capital Campaign

How does one measure courage and conviction? From the very first days of our existence, Church of the Good Shepherd has been challenged by circumstances that have required an abundance of both. We had the conviction that God wished us to remain in the Episcopal Church at a time when no one had a clue how to accomplish such a thing. Even so, we had the courage to press forward. Every single step along the way, big or small, seemed daunting. And yet, here we are. From Mission to Parish, from a handful on a porch to more than 160 active members, from a candle flicker to a bright beacon of hope, we have made our way, with God’s help. And now, we stand on the threshold of our biggest challenge yet, building a permanent new home for our long-term future.

Building on Blessings – From Joy into Joy is the theme for this, our Capital Campaign. Below you will find information to acquaint you with our building plans, our financial goals, and how each and every member of Good Shepherd can be a part of this new adventure. With conviction, courage, and faith, we take this next step. May God bless us as we go forward.

I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the House of the Lord

--Psalm 122

More than 500 years ago, Martin Luther wrote, “If anyone is to find Christ, one must first find the Church, for that is where Christ is. Now the Church is not brick or stone, but the company of believers.”

Church of the Good Shepherd is in the direct succession of that company of believers. Our lineage comes from the first Anglican settlers in Dorchester County in the 18^th Century, from the first Anglican settlers in the colony in 1670, from the first use of the Book of Common Prayer on Pentecost Sunday, 1549, from the sending of a missionary to Canterbury in 596, and from the Upper Room where, on the night he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus Christ gave us the Sacrament of His Presence, and formed the worshipping community we call church.

Clearly, as Luther reminds us, the Church is more than brick or stone. And yet, sacred spaces are important to the formation of Christian Community. For more than a decade, Church of the Good Shepherd has been in the profoundest sense, community. We have become this, in borrowed or rented places, and in our earliest days, we were community with no particular home at all. So, we know what it is to be pilgrim people. We know what is essential. And having learned that truth through the crucible of experience, we are ready and prepared to build.

We are profoundly grateful to our Architecture Design team, to Chris Karpus, our architect, and to each of our members who has made suggestions throughout the process. And last, but never least, to George and Jane Tupper whose gift of land has made the dream possible.

Phase I, which we embark on through this campaign, will include more than 6000 square feet of space for worship, administration, conference room, choir rehearsal room, nursery, and classrooms. It is a more than gracious and good beginning and will serve our needs well for years to come. At some date in the future, Phase II will begin, which will include a parish hall, kitchen, and places for outreach and community projects. The current design has taken future needs into account, so that the room for phase II is already anticipated in the design of Phase I.

How blessed we are to have reached this place in our journey! May Christ, the Good Shepherd always be our guide. May we always be mindful that there are other sheep, not of this fold. May our doors and hearts always be open to welcome all, to value all, to love all.

Mailing address:

The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd

808 North Cedar Street

Summerville, SC 29483