Grow Your Good
Good Shepherd Episcopal School is an outreach of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. As an inclusive, faith-based community rooted in Episcopal identity, we have a reverence for faith and reason along with a sense of duty to serve others. While we believe it is important to maintain these traditions, we also recognize it is vital to honor all beliefs and backgrounds. This comes from our understanding of what it means to be created as children of God and people in this universe.
To grow with confidence in their own spirituality, everyone needs to feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable and inquisitive—both inside and outside the church environment. For us, Chapel provides the framework for this exploration.
We believe that the ideal of a balanced moral vision will help shape students’ lives and that a good moral foundation will help them find harmony in favorable choices. We are called at all times to live into the formation of people. It is very seldom that we become a part of each other's lives for an extended period of time. So, we strive to model and teach a formative faith that students learn to recognize and trust.
Eucharist
Each month, students in Grades 1–8 gather in the main church for a Holy Eucharist service under the direction of the Rector of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church.
Early Childhood Chapel
Chapel is a time for our little shepherds to sing praise, learn prayers, and wonder about how they can share God's love in the world.
Early Childhood attends chapel twice weekly and incorporates Godly Play into their daily schedule.
Lower School Chapel
The shared disciplines of repetitive prayer, rhythm, and communal speaking allow students to walk in the service of God and promote confidence that extends into leadership outside the chapel.
Lower School chapel gathers each Tuesday through Thursday, where students participate as acolytes, readers, and greeters to promote a sense of service and leadership.
Middle School Chapel
Middle School chapel allows us to recognize our Episcopal identity. Each service is based on the liturgical Book of Common Prayer. It includes music, scripture reading, prayers, and a homily which typically focuses on faith or a character principle.
Middle School chapel services are held daily Monday–Thursday and students participate as readers and acolytes.
The Six Values of our Episcopal Identity
Intellectual Curiosity
Intellectual discipline is the creation of authentic beliefs, values and ideas based on a deep understanding of knowledge and thinking of oneself. Good Shepherd values intellectual discipline, understanding that growth comes from choices with lead us from dependence to independence, to autonomy, to interconnectedness and creativity.
Common Prayer
Common prayer reveals God's grace in the world and in ourselves. Good Shepherd values regular common prayer, understanding together we can give our worries to God, and God's grace is enough.
Welcoming Community
Welcoming communities support its members by coming together to connect and engage around shared goals. Good Shepherd values strong and inclusive communities, honoring voices and perspectives of all its members and creating a sense of belonging. Understanding, learning, and growth happen best in community with others.
Respect for the Dignity of Others
Respect is seeking to understand, protecting the reputation of others, assuming positive intentions, and showing dignity through our words and actions toward self and others. Good Shepherd values people, understanding that dignity is God-given, and all are worthy.
Compassionate Service
Compassionate service supports and nurtures the physical, mental, and emotional health of all. Good Shepherd values lifting up others through empathy and action, understanding we are God's hands, feet, and heart for the world.
Stewardship of Resources
Stewardship calls us to care for the world with intention and respect. At Good Shepherd, we emphasize sustainability, thoughtful use of resources, and a commitment to leaving a positive impact on our environment and communities. We believe in fostering gratitude and responsibility to ensure a better future for all.
At Good Shepherd, we share in life's joys and burdens, fulfilling God's command to love one another. We encourage all members of our community to request prayers or express gratitude through the link below, with chaplain Rev. Stephanie Moncrieff available for support as needed.
