The following mission and vision statements were approved by our vestry (church board) in May of 2006.   Additionally, near the bottom of the page, you’ll find our covenant, “Incorporating Twelve Habits of Positive Spiritual Growth," which was signed by the majority of our active membership on May 13, 2007. More recently, newer members and those who were not in attendance last spring were given the opportunity to sign in January and at the end of March. Another Covenant Sunday and the Sacrament of Holy Baptism are scheduled for later this year. (Please contact the parish office for details.)

A Statement of Good Shepherd’s Purpose and Vision

The basic mission of the Church is to fulfill the Great Commandment (love God and our neighbor) through the Great Commission (spread the Gospel).

Guided by the purpose of the Church, Good Shepherd exists to:

Bring people to Jesus, develop positive habits of spiritual growth, and glorify God through worship and service.

From this basic statement of our purpose, or mission, comes our vision statement:

To Know Jesus - Follow Jesus - Serve Jesus

To know Jesus: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” (John 10:14) From Jesus’ prayer for his disciples and his future followers (i.e. us) “this is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent—Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3)

Follow Jesus: “So whoever sets aside one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19)

“My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

“If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

Serve Jesus: When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus told him, “Feed my lambs.” Then he said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus told him, “Take care of my sheep.” He said to him a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was deeply hurt that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” So he said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!” Jesus told him, “Feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-19)

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, as you go, disciple all the nations, baptizing . . .teaching . . .” (Matthew 28:18)

“. . . Truly I tell you, in that you did it for one of the least important of these my brothers, you did it for me” (Matthew 25:38)

            Incorporating Twelve Habits of Positive Spiritual Growth

A Statement by the Vestry
Adopted May 2006

Having accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, having been baptized and being in agreement with Good Shepherd’s mission and vision statements and after prayerful consideration; I feel led by the Holy Spirit to promise before God and my brothers and sisters in Christ to honor the following:

In order to build up the body of Christ at Good Shepherd I will:

W       Act in love toward other members – “Now that you have obeyed the truth and have purified your souls to love your brothers sincerely, you must love one another intensely and with a pure heart.”    I Peter 1:22

W       Always speak well of others – “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, quarreling, and slander be put away from you, along with all hatred. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you in Christ.”  Ephesians 4:29 and 31-32

W       Follow the leaders God has placed over me – “Continue to obey your leaders and to be submissive to them, for they watch over your souls as men who will have to give a word of explanation [to God]. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be harmful to you.”  Hebrews 13:17

In order to share in God’s mission at Good Shepherd I will:

W       Pray for Good Shepherd’s growth – “We always thank God for all of you when we mention you in our prayers.”   I Thessalonians 1:2

W       Invite the unchurched to attend – “Then the master told the servant, ‘Go out into the streets and the lanes and make the people come in, so that my house may be full.’”  Luke 14:23

W       Warmly welcome those who visit – “Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ accepted you, for the glory of God.”   Romans 15:7

In order to advance the work of Christ at Good Shepherd I will:

W       Discover my gifts and talents – “As good managers of God’s grace in its various forms, serve one another with the gift each of you has received.”   I Peter 4:10

W       Become equipped to serve by my teachers – “And it is He who gifted some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, and still others to be pastors and teachers, to perfect the saints, to do the work of ministry, and to build up the body of Christ.”  Ephesians 4:11-12

W       By prayer and practice, develop a heart for service – “Do not act out of selfish ambition or conceit, but with humility think of others as being better than yourselves. Do not be concerned about your own interests, but also be concerned about the interests of others. Have the same attitude among yourselves that was also in Christ Jesus.”   Philippians 2:3-5

In order to support the witness of Christ through Good Shepherd I will:

W       Attend faithfully – “And let us continue to consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another even more as you see the day coming nearer.”   Hebrews 10:24-25

W       Live a godly life – “The only thing that matters is that you continue to live as good citizens in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”   Philippians 1:27

W       Give regularly – “The first day of the week, each of you should set aside and save some of your money in proportion to what you have.”   I Corinthians 16:2