HISTORY OF
Church of the
GOOD SHEPHERD
What do you get when you combine a small group of Episcopalians
with a handful of Lutherans? Chaos, endless bickering, selfish
intolerance? NOT if you are talking about THE CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
in Galax, Virginia.
1. The first and most important thing you get from this
odd couple is a congregation of seamless, loving union. On Sunday it seems
a harmonious Lutheran Church family; the next week it seems a happy Episcopalian
group. But every Sunday the choir, pastor/rector, building, meeting time
and friends next to you are all the same. Only the prayer books change.
The first and third rectors were Episcopalians; the second was a Lutheran.
Even after a year's membership you don't know (or care) who is a member of which
denomination.
2. The second thing you get with this odd couple is a
beautiful, new (in 2005) 4000 square foot house of worship completely paid for.
For such a small group, which began meeting in the offices of realtors and the
Alcohol Control Office less than 30 years ago, this is quite an accomplishment.
But, as comedians say, "You ain't heard nothing yet."
3. The road from office building, to small house, to
wonderful edifice was not a straight road of self-absorbed ambition. There
were many unselfish detours.
A. The first detour was in 1978, one
year after the first mission was organized. With fewer than a dozen
members who were paying visiting clergy with the proceeds of baked goods sales,
this group gathered $40,000 to organize the first Hospice program in the twin
counties (Grayson and Carroll). When the group bought a small house/church
on Center Street in 1982, the dining room became the area's only Hospice office.
B. A second detour began in 1984 when
the upstairs of this Church/Hospice office became a Hostel, the only temporary
home for the homeless within 40 miles. Two years later, having seen the
desperate need for shelter for battered spouses, parentless infants and
children, and even the more elderly homeless, the small congregation chose to
purchase a separate, a larger "Hostel of the Good Shepherd" rather than start a
larger church for themselves.
C. A final detour began in September
2001, when the extended Dunor family/village, which included both Muslims and
Episcopalians, were made fleeing refugees by the civil strife in Liberia.
This 40 plus family group was adopted by the congregation which then also had 40
plus members. Their donations of food, clothing and other basic
necessities didn't just help this family, it literally kept them alive.
The donation of $10,000 dollars over a five year period also enabled the Dunors
to reconstruct their homes when they were able to return to their village.
D. A detour that was avoided was the
detour of control. After the Hospice program was fully functioning, its
operational control was turned over to the local hospital. Once the Hostel
obtained sufficient government funds, control was released. When the
refugee family was on its feet, the financial support ended. As the first
rector said of the Hostel, "we give a hand up, not a hand out." The
congregation loves nothing more than raising a self-sufficient child.
4, At last, in September 2004, while busily supporting
Food For The Poor and the Boys' Home in Covington, VA, the new church building
was begun. The ground breaking was attended by four past and present
clergymen and bishops from both the Episcopal Diocese and the Lutheran Synod.
The days of worshipers being crammed into every room of the small house on
Center St. were almost over.
But this unique congregation of fewer than 60 members, this odd
couple of denominations, isn't finished doing the unexpected. It is now
busy with Gleaning for the World and a second building phase, but it is still
looking for more ways to do selflessly God's work.
Got any ideas?
Care to join us and see them implemented?