Inclusive Church
The Good Shepherd is pleased to be a member of the Inclusive Church Network. https://www.inclusive-church.org/
We are committed to the Inclusive Church statement:
“We believe in an inclusive church – a church which celebrates and affirms every person and does not discriminate.
We will continue to challenge the church where it continues to discriminate against people on grounds of disability, economic power, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, learning disability, mental health, neurodiversity, or sexuality.
We believe in a Church which welcomes and serves all people in the name of Jesus Christ; which is scripturally faithful; which seeks to proclaim the Gospel afresh for each generation; and which, in the power of the Holy Spirit, allows all people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus Christ.”
Eco Church
The Good Shepherd is committed to the Fifth Mark of Mission in the Anglican Church: to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth. We have an active Eco Church team and have achieved a bronze Eco Church Award from A Rocha UK. We are now working towards our silver award. We celebrate the church season on Creationtide (1st September to 4th October) in a significant way, by focusing on an environmental issue, hosting talks and a community art exhibition.
Healing and Pastoral Care
Healing and pastoral care is an important part of church life. We have a healing team that offers individual healing prayer after most 10am Sunday services. They also offer prayer at our monthy Taize for Healing service. We have a ‘Prayer Chain’ for prayer emergencies. Our healing book is for those who need ongoing prayers from our home intercessors. There is a prayer board in church. Home Communion is taken to those members of our church who are housebound and unable to attend in person.
Mission Partners
The Good Shepherd supports a range of charities, both international and local. These are chosen each year at our Parochial Church Meeting (PCC). We aspire to give 10% of our income to charitable causes.
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We currently support Christian Aid, and each year host a big fundraising event (often a Big Breakfast). We also support Embrace the Middle East, The Mission for Seafarers, SEAN International, The Children’s Society and a local homelessness charity Turning Tides. We regularly collect donations for the Shoreham and Adur Community Food Bank. As well as fundraising for these causes, we pray for them and engage with their campaigning work.
‘Friends’ – a social group
A social group for people who would like to make new friends, ‘Friends’ meets on the 1st and 3rd of each month in a local home, with refreshments, chat and games.​​​​​ From 2pm to 4pm. All welcome. Find out more in the weekly church newsletter
Craft Group
We have a women’s craft group that regularly meets in people’s homes for fellowship and creativity. Crafts that are made are often sold at church fayres.
The Crafter’s Shawl Ministry
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The ‘Cogs Crafters’ have been making prayer shawls for over 20 Years. Often during our prayers and sharing, the Holy Spirit nudges us with the name of someone who would benefit from receiving a prayer shawl or blanket. This can be for a variety of reasons, such as illness… to welcome… to comfort... or to celebrate. Other times members of the congregation may share with us someone they feel will benefit from receiving one..
Yarn is chosen and often we find we are led without realising, to a person’s favourite colour. The pattern is very simple and it is very meditative to work and to pray for the person who will receive it as we knit.
When completed, the shawl (or blanket for men) is wrapped in beautiful paper with a strand of the yarn tied around it and accompanied by a card expressing God’s loving care.
Before it is given to the recipient it is blessed by one of our priests during a service with the church family reaching out their hands toward the shawl as they join in the blessing.
Study and Fellowship Groups
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Each year we offer Lent and Advent groups, and the opportunity to study together and deepen our faith journey. These groups are often run in conjunction with St Mary de Haura. See our weekly church newsletter for details.
Choir
Our friendly choir sings each week at our 10am Sunday service and rehearses on a Thursday evening. We sing hymns both traditional and modern. Special items are sung at Christmas and Easter. Sometimes we also have an ‘Occasional choir’ rehearsing during the daytime to add voices at special occasions. Our choir is led by Fiona West.
Worship Band
Once a month, during the all-age Sunday service, our music in church is led by our lively worship band. There are wide range of instruments: piano, accordion, flute, saxophone, guitar, harp, ukulele and more. The worship band is led by Canon Tony Thompson.
​Flower Team
The church always has beautiful displays of flowers. These are arranged by our flower team and change throughout the season. The fresh flowers at the altar are often donated in memory of loved ones. Our flower team is led by Linda Caffyn.
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​St Francis Fund
This is a church charity that supports members of the congregation who are struggling with financial hardship. It gifts small grants to those known to us who are in need. All of this is done in confidence.
