Outreach ProgramChild Care Center
Our Center welcomes all from whatever background, faith or ethicity. We are a center
of diversity caring for, and educating children of all abilities and needs. The center hosts a Head Start program for children from low-income homes. The facility implemented a program in conjunction with the Center for Developmental Disabilities to care for and teach children with diverse abilities. The children are served nutritious meals and snacks using the parish kitchen. For more information you can visit the Center's web site: www.gsccconline.net You can help support the Child Care Center by donating items on their wish list. The items would bring so much joy to the children and help relieve families financial cost. Please consider making a donation. It can be left in the back of the Church or dropped off at the office. Thank you.Ecumenical Food Pantry
The Ecumenical Food Pantry provides food to those who are experiencing difficult times. The Food Pantry is open every Friday night from 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Clients are referred by area churches and social service agencies in the tri-state area (i.e., Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey). Much of the food is bought at low cost from a food bank in Bethlehem. The remainder is donated by parish members, members of participating churches, and local organizations. Our parish hosts the Food Pantry and is responsible for its administration. Parishioners and area churches assist in disbursing the food.A basket is provided at the rear of the Good Shepherd Church for donations of food for the Food Pantry. Each Sunday at the 10:00 a.m. service, the Food Basket is brought forward during the offertory and placed near the altar.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others in their recovery from alcoholism, meets every Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. in the parish hall.Flea Markets
Our Flea Markets are held in the spring summer and fall, and provide household appliances, decorative items, crafts and collectibles as well as hot and cold food and beverages at affordable prices.Christmas Tea and Craft Fair
The tea is an old parish tradition. It provides a time of fellowship and camaraderie with parish members and nonmembers during the holiday season. Lunch, tea and dessert are served and handmade crafts are sold.Caroling and Concerts
The church schoolteachers, children, and parishioners go Christmas caroling to area nursing homes.
New Hope Campaign
The New Hope Campaign is a capital campaign initiated by the Diocese of Bethlehem which every member of our Parish is invited to join, and which seeks to raise:
Bishop Paul has called each and everyone of us to join in this campaign. Charlie Barebo is the Diocesan chair of the New Hope capital campaign. Read more on the DiocesanLife
Annual Gift Giving Sunday and Moses Basket
The Annual Gift Giving Sunday is traditionally in December. Wrapped gifts for all ages are offered at both services for distribution to the Food Pantry families and through a local charity to needy members of the community. The Moses Basket is kept at the front of the church during the winter, and parishioners provide handmade or store-bought gloves, mittens, hats and scarves to be distributed to children in need.Coat Closet
The Coat Closet was implemented in the winter of 2002-2003 to provide warm coats and jackets to the Food Pantry families. The coats and jackets are accepted donations and are distributed on Friday evenings during Food Pantry operations. Parishioners manage the closet on a voluntary basis.Prison Ministry
Originally set up as a ministry by Betsey Myers in the 1990's, it was resurrected with this ministry in 2003 when Fr. Bill was approached by the Hope program. The Pike County Correctional Facility female inmates participate in a Women's Bible Study that is held every Wednesday evening from 6:30 - 8:30. The study is titled "The Hope program."