Arimatheans

This ministry is based on the Gospel of Mark, where Joseph of Arimathea took responsibility for the burial of Jesus. At Good Shepherd we are dedicated to see to our brothers and sisters on their way to Eternity.  Parishioners band together to form the Arimatheans and attend all funeral Masses for Parishioners in order to show their support for families and to pray for our deceased brothers and sisters. We are a group of volunteers that come together to support our families and friends during this time of sorrow by honoring their loved one in death.  There are no meetings, no dues, simply the gift of love and the ability to attend a few services a year to comfort the family of the deceased and see our brother or sister Home by filling a few pews and lending our voices in prayer.  This is a work of charity and mercy, and is a way to accompany our community and share the Love of Christ with them.

Adults over 18 years old welcome. Parishioners are welcome to join and attend any Mass convenient to their schedule.

Please contact Kathy Nuspl, 717-695-0035,  for more information.

You may also contact the Parish office for more information.

Art and Environment Team

The key to beauty is God Himself. All beauty in the created world is from Him. Anything in life that we know to be beautiful: a sunset, a relationship, the ocean swelling, or the Redwood forest is an echo of God’s beauty embedded in His creation. We strive to create a beautiful environment in our worship space that glorifies and honors God. His Majesty is amplified by our hands and hearts.

We take great care in maintaining the sacred space of our church,  but also strive to create a welcoming atmosphere throughout the building and on the grounds where we continue to love God.  Each of the liturgical season is celebrated with the decor that reflects our Church Life. Additionally, special events are held to mark our Catholic traditions. We gather as the beautification and special events team and collaborate our time and talents to create a special place for our faith family to gather and worship together.

Please contact Jen Miller, 717-980-3605 for more information.

Caring Team

To care for parishioners dealing with medical issues by providing meals and transportation as needed. Serving others is a form of expressing our faith in and to God. We were never meant to do life alone. We need the love and care of others, as much as we are needed by others in the same ways.

Our objective is to enhance our parishioners’ well-being while they are recovering from an illness, medical procedure, or hospital stay. Our team works with parishioners directly to organize a manageable schedule of meal delivery.

 

Coffee and Conversation

We are welcoming people who want to extend friendship and fellowship with our community and be living examples of how the love of Christ can accomplish all things.

Coffee and Conversation meets on Tuesday mornings at 9:00 am in the Social Hall of Good Shepherd Church. Our ministry is simple-enjoy the company of each other and know that you are valuable and loved. We encourage conversation while enjoying a warm cup of coffee and a pastry. This is the perfect place to pause our hurried lives and connect with friends or make new ones!

Adults over 18 years old welcome.

 

Compassionate Friends

When a child dies, at any age, the family suffers intense pain and may feel hopeless and isolated. The Compassionate Friends provides highly personal comfort, hope, and support to every family experiencing the death of a son or a daughter, a brother or a sister, or a grandchild, and helps others better assist the grieving family.

We need not walk alone. We are The Compassionate Friends. We reach out to each other with love, with understanding, and with hope. The children we mourn have died at all ages and from many different causes, but our love for them unites us. Your pain becomes my pain, just as your hope becomes my hope. We come together from all walks of life, from many different circumstances. We are a unique family because we represent many races, creeds, and relationships. We are young, and we are old. Some of us are far along in our grief, but others still feel a grief so fresh and so intensely painful that they feel helpless and see no hope. Some of us have found our faith to be a source of strength, while some of us are struggling to find answers. Some of us are angry, filled with guilt or in deep depression, while others radiate an inner peace. But whatever pain we bring to this gathering of The Compassionate Friends, it is pain we will share, just as we share with each other our love for the children who have died. We are all seeking and struggling to build a future for ourselves, but we are committed to building a future together. We reach out to each other in love to share the pain as well as the joy, share the anger as well as the peace, share the faith as well as the doubts, and help each other to grieve as well as to grow. We Need Not Walk Alone. We Are The Compassionate Friends. ©2016 The Compassionate Friends

Good Shepherd hosts a chapter every fourth Tuesday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in our Parish Hall.

 

Council of Catholic Women

All women of the parish, 18 and older, are members of the CCW.

CCW’s mission statement is “To support, empower and educate all Catholic women in spirituality, leadership and service; to inspire and promote Gospel values”.

For more information on the Council of Catholic Women please visit their website, https://hdccw.webs.com/

PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL

God of heavenly wisdom, you have given us Mary, Mother of Jesus, to be our guide and counselor.

Grant that we may always seek her motherly help in this life, and so enjoy her blessed presence in the life to come.

O Mother of Good Counsel, Patroness of the National Council of Catholic Women, intercede for us, that we may be wise,

courageous, and loving leaders of the Church. Help us, dear mother, to know the mind of Jesus, your son.

May the Holy Spirit fill us with the reverence for God’s creation and compassion for all God’s children.

May our labors of love on earth enhance the reign of God, and may God’s gifts of faith and living hope

prepare us for the fullness of the world to come. Amen.

Daily Rosary

Divine Mercy

Eucharistic Adoration

Adoration is the first attitude of man acknowledging that he is a creature before his Creator. It exalts the greatness of the Lord who made us and the almighty power of the Savior who sets us free from evil. Adoration is homage of the spirit to the “King of Glory,”respectful silence in the presence of the “ever greater” God. Adoration of the thrice-holy and sovereign God of love blends with humility and gives assurance to our supplications.” (CCC 2628)

The importance of Eucharistic Adoration is shown in the fact that the Church has a ritual that regulates it: the Rite of Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction. This is an extension of the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament which occurs in every Mass: “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.” Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament flows from the sacrifice of the Mass and serves to deepen our hunger for Communion with Christ and the rest of the Church.  The Rite concludes with the ordained minister blessing the faithful with the Blessed Sacrament.

Holy hours are the Roman Catholic devotional tradition of spending an hour in Eucharistic Adoration in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. The bishops have created a variety of holy hours that focus our prayer to Jesus Christ on peace, life, vocations, and other topics that are at the heart of the life of the Church and the world.

 

Fish Fry

This organization of volunteers raises funds that support the many other activities and ministries that serve Good Shepherd Church. By sharing a meal with each other, we are able to connect with our families and friends in the community and build relationships that exemplify our faith in Christ, in the dignity of work, and the humility of sharing and caring for His people.

The Fish Fry Lenten Dinner organization was implemented in 2019 at Good Shepherd Church. This group of volunteers plan, organize, cook, and serve the community every Friday evening in Lent with a meatless and Fish option dinner. The ministry has many opportunities for everyone to serve the Lord by serving His people. There are committees that are set-up to manage the many tasks required for this evening dinner. Historically, we have provided as many as 600 meals on average each Friday night during Lent.

Adults over 18 years old welcome.

Youth Ministry welcome.

 

Healthcare Ministry

Our Parish Health and Wellness Committee encourages individual’s physical, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being in the context of their relationship to God, family, and neighbor. With the help of volunteer nurses and medical professionals, the committee seeks to develop varied creative ways to address needs and identify resources to nurture health, wellness, and healing.

With the help of volunteer nurses and medical professionals, the committee seeks to develop varied creative ways to address needs and identify resources to nurture health, wellness, and healing.

Adults over 18 years old welcome.

 

Heart of Mary

The mission of the ministry, Heart of Mary, is to glorify God and to become instruments of the Holy Spirit through a balanced program of prayer and service. Mary is the primary matriarchal figure of scripture, and she played an essential role in Christ’s incarnation, giving birth to the savior of mankind. Her love and care for her son, the son of God, serves as a great example for us today.

This ministry focuses on cultivating a spiritual lifestyle where Christ is the center of our lives. We are a small group of women who have a devotion to Our Blessed Mother and continue to discover the powerful and loving intercession of Mary. We are a group that uses prayer and the rosary to enhance our faith and want to grow in faith to adore and glorify Christ Jesus. We look to Mary to help us encounter her son, Jesus.

Women over 18 years old welcome.

 

Helping Hands

Helping Hands Ministry is a volunteer group responsible for preparing and serving a funeral luncheon for the families of a deceased parishioner.  This service is available to the families of parishioners at no charge.  Donations are accepted to fund and support the ministry.

The objective of the ministry is to provide hospitality to those families that are grieving the loss of a loved one within our community. The Helping Hands ministry offers an opportunity for family and friends to gather and share a meal together following the funeral mass and burial.

The Good Shepherd Helping Hands ministry provides for parishioners only, and has a set menu. The ministry will coordinate with their members to provide all of the food and beverages that will be needed. Donations of hot casseroles, cold casseroles, and desserts are arranged within the members, and volunteers are rotated as luncheons progress throughout the year. Volunteers are contacted using a phone tree to coordinate this process. There are also set-up, serve, and clean-up committees. Luncheons are served in the Parish Hall C.

Adults over 18 years old welcome.

 

Knights of Columbus

The Knights of Columbus Good Shepherd Council 10685 is a fraternal organization of Catholic gentlemen 18 years and older who are registered members of the Good Shepherd Parish. Examples of activities sponsored by the Good Shepherd Council include Parish dinners, the Parish Easter Egg Hunt and kid’s basketball free-throw competitions.

For more information on the Knights of Columbus Council 10685 please visit their website, http://kofc10685.org/

Media and Broadcasting

To be a bridge for our homebound parishioners and others to stay connected to the Mass and our Parish community.

The Media and Broadcasting organization was created in 2019 when it became necessary to bring the Word of God to His people through the internet. Live streaming of Mass was an opportunity to reunite our faith family when circumstances were challenging. Good Shepherd equipped itself with the necessary tools and training to bring mass back into people’s homes. Parish life and the domestic church are essential elements to maintain our relationship with God.

The objective of this organization is to be able to deliver God’s most sacred message of the Mass to those that are not physically able to attend. We are looking for volunteers to help with this mission. Daily and Sunday Mass at 9:30 am are live streamed for anyone to view.

Adults over 18 years old welcome.

 

Mental Health Support Group

This ministry is guided by the abundance of love that Christ provides for all of his children, and through prayer and compassion, we hope to encourage and support each other with that same gentle compassion.

Good Shepherd Parish offers a monthly prayer group for individuals and family members who struggle with mental health concerns. This ministry utilizes a system that prioritizes Christ-centered care, trust, respect, confidentiality, and compassion to uplift and support those in need.

This ministry meets on the second Tuesday of each month in the Parish Hall C, from 6:30 pm. to 8:00 pm.

Adults over 18 years old welcome.

 

Music Ministry

Music Ministry has a threefold mission: One, to musically offer/present Christ to the listener, Two, to sing music that accurately reflects the word of God, and Three, to spiritually encourage an encounter with the Holy Spirit.

The purpose of the adult choir is to add beauty and solemnity to the liturgy and to assist in the singing of hymns with the congregation. Practice is once a week from September through June. The choir usually sings at the 9:30 am Mass on Sundays and at special liturgies.

 

Panera Bread Group

The Panera Bread Group ministry are people of the parish with varied gifts and abilities (and disabilities) who link arms and receive God’s joy in helping others. We gather together to provide outreach in our community to answer God’s call to serve the poor and hungry.

Our group organizes to collect Panera Bread Company’s “end of day Doughnation” every Wednesday and Friday evening at close of business at Panera Bread Company, located at the Camp Hill Mall at 8:45 pm. Once we pick up the donated food items, we reassemble these products for distribution to either Saint Francis Soup Kitchen (Thursday morning) or Bethesda Mission (Wednesday or Friday night) in the church kitchen.

We are looking to welcome new volunteers to be part of our team. Our objective is to engage in our community the principles of servitude to be examples of Christ and care for those in our reach that are in need with love and dignity. Christ was not a bystander. Likewise, we are compelled by our faith to connect and share in one of the corporal acts of Mercy: feed the hungry.

Adults over 18 years old welcome.

 

Parish Retreat

The Good Shepherd Parish Retreat provides an opportunity for parishioners to seek a place of peace, rest, pilgrimage, illumination, and closeness to God to promote right relationships with God, with each other and with Creation, especially through spiritual development. Our team and staff commit ourselves to meet and collaborate with people wherever they may be in their spiritual life, and offer them the resources and contemplative atmosphere to foster spiritual recharge.

The Parish Retreat team is looking for men and women who are interested in experiencing the love and presence of God, and to create relationships with each other that mirror the love of Christ in an environment that fosters time away from the demands of daily life.

Each year at Good Shepherd we host an in-house 1 day event for Women and an in-house  1 day event for Men.  The days begin at 8:00 am and concludes at 6:00 pm.  The theme of these retreat dates changes each year.

Adults over 18 years old welcome.

 

Pastoral Care of the Sick

Pray and Play

Prayer Shawl Ministry

The prayer shawl ministry provides an opportunity for our community to look after our faith family in times of great joy and great sorrow. Through our compassion, we look to serve others with a gift from the labors of love we extend to a family member in need.

This group of talented individuals create a variety of knitted or crocheted items such as car seat blankets for newborn babies or newly baptized babies in our community, and prayer shawl throws and lap robes for people who are facing illness or are homebound. Each article that is created, is crafted with love and prayers for those anticipated to receive the gift.

The vision is to unite faithful servants with these talents to share their love of God with each other and with our community. We want to celebrate the joy and comfort those in need.

Our objective is to be able to collaborate with other ministries within our community that work to support each other and proclaim God.

All are welcome who knit or crochet and pray.

 

Safety and Security

Scouting

Girl Scout Programs

Girl Scouting builds knowledge and self-confidence in young girls in grades K through 12 through the earning of various badges, signs and awards. Friendships and sensitivity to others are developed by learning to respect the needs, feelings and rights of others when making decisions and setting goals. Most importantly, they learn how to contribute to society in the spirit of faith and love. Our Girl Scouting programs are sponsored by the Parish Council of Catholic Women and include Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors.

For more information contact Director of Student Ministry, Helen Kantes, 717-980-3606, hkantes@thegoodshep.org.

Senior Adult Ministry

This ministry works to exemplify and glorify Christ Jesus, by the love we display, the joy we radiate, and the passion we demonstrate in and amongst our parish and community. We identify senior adults who are 55 years and older and encourage their participation in events at the church where we draw upon each other’s talents, skills, and experiences.

The Senior Adults Ministry (SAM) collaborates with other ministries in our parish. Hosted events are designed to engage and build our community to serve each other and glorify God. SAM’s approach is to reach senior adults to enhance their lives, encourage them to grow in the Lord, and to challenge them to serve the Lord with all of their heart, mind, soul and strength. This ministry brings together the senior members for lunch, learning, and laughs!

Senior Adults 55 years and older.

 

Salt + Light

To respond to the social needs of today by focusing on Jesus’ words:  “Whatsoever you do for the least of My people, you do unto Me”.

Catholic Social Teaching is one of the best-kept secrets in the Catholic Church. Our Parish Salt + Light Committee works to promote the social teachings of the Catholic Church through prayer, education, and action, preserving and fostering the dignity of human life at every stage, and reaching out to members of the parish, surrounding community, and beyond. It provides opportunities for parishioners to respond to the social needs of today.

This committee is looking for volunteers that would like to live out their baptismal call to love God and love others by studying the seven themes of Catholic social teaching derived from God’s teaching in the Bible, and take action to care for life and dignity of all people, strengthen and build families, and participate in other ministries that care for the most vulnerable among us.

Adults over 18 years old welcome.

 

That Man Is You

Vocations Committee

The Parish Vocations Committee, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, strives to promote and encourage religious vocations within our Parish community and families, and to foster an atmosphere of respect for priests and religious through prayer, awareness, invitation, and support.

To motivate and encourage men and women through priestly and religious calling. To recognize, visit, and support seminarians and those who respond to religious life. To pray the rosary and the Vocation Prayer.

 

Young Adult Ministry

To encourage young adults to be followers of Jesus, who love God and love people by challenging them to pursue Jesus, live in community, and be bold and courageous.

We want to provide opportunities to deepen faith and build relationships-whether you are starting college, starting a family, or anywhere in between. The Young Adults Ministry (YAM) wants to come alongside you to help propel you forward in your faith. Our vision is to create an environment where you experience community, encounter God, and strengthen each other as servants of Christ.

We want to help young adults with their Faith, answer their questions and support each other on their path. To build a faith family, we support each other in finding unique gifts and passions that have been endowed upon them by God. YAM exists to help young adults live out their callings/vocations in ways that help build community and share the love of Christ with them, and help each other grow as servant leaders who use the model of accompaniment as they engage in acts of service, justice, and peace in our community. Good Shepherd hosts special Young Adult opportunities to get connected including brunches after Sunday Mass, Wings and Wisdom nights, and other social events that inspire fellowship and faith.

Adults in their twenties and thirties.