Category Archives: General

General

Looking Ahead – Upcoming Events Spring 2026

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Friday, April 17th – Fellowship Friday 

Friday, April 17th – Quiz Bowl 

Friday, May 1st – Spring Fling Gala & Chinese Auction 

Sunday, May 10th – Mother’s Day Breakfast 

Friday, May 15th – Fellowship Friday

Saturday, May 30th – Street Festival

Saturday, June 6th – Pitman Town-Wide Yard Sale, Bake Sale & Indoor Craft Fair

Friday, June 19th  – Fellowship Friday 

Sunday, June 21st – Father’s Day Breakfast 

Sunday, September 13th – Homecoming Sunday, Ministry Fair & Sunday School BBQ 

Friday, September 25th – Spaghetti Supper & “Antiques Roadshow” Antiques Appraisals 

General

Spring Fling fundraiser set for May 1st!

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Our next fundraising event, the Spring Fling, is set for Friday, May 1st, 2026, in the Parish Hall starting at 6:00 pm. This year’s gala theme is â€śPeace, Love & Flower Power!”—so pull out those bell-bottoms, tie-dye shirts, and peace chains, and join us for a night of fun and fellowship as we relive the groovy days of the 1960s while raising money for our “Raise the Roof-Lower the Water” campaign. 

There will be a best-dressed contest, great music, and dancing for those who feel inspired!  

Here’s how you can help:  

1) Sign up to participate! Admission is free, but bringing a dish to share is welcome (keep the brownies clean, lol!).  

2) Donate a gift basket for the Chinese auction.  

3) Contribute unused gift cards, bottles of wine or liquor you won’t drink, or unused gifted items—we’ll use them to create more baskets!  

4) Lend a hand with setup and cleanup.  

Sign-up sheets are in the Parish Hall, and a FlockNote with sign-up links will be sent out shortly after Easter.  

For more information, contact Beth Portocalis at 856-357-3938 or Maria Szalma at 856-905-3663.  

Colorful Retro Illustrative Spring Festival Flyer (Real Estate Flyer)Download
General, Latest News, Service Updates

Lenten + Holy Week Schedule 2026

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Please see below for a schedule of services and events during the Lenten season and Holy Week (March 28th – April 5th):

Ash Wednesday (February 18th):
Ashes at the Red Doors @ 7:00am. We will have a celebration of the Holy Eucharist @ Noon and 7:00pm. We will follow the liturgy for Ash Wednesday as outlined in the Book of Common Prayer, page 264ff. Fr. Dave will be the celebrant and will preach the homily. The service at Noon will be spoken; the service at 7:00pm will be sung.

Stations of the Cross:
Chuck Lezenby will lead Stations of the Cross @ 12:00pm every Friday beginning on Feb. 20th and concluding on Good Friday, Apr. 3rd.

Lenten Study:
Fr. Dave will partner with Chris Johnston to offer a Lenten study based on Walter Wangerin’s devotional class Reliving the Passion. Chris will lead a class that will meet at her home on Mondays @ 10:00AM and Fr. Dave will lead the class that will meet on Sunday morning @ 11:30AM in the church conference room. Classes will begin on Monday, February 23rd and conclude on Monday, March 30th.

The Five Sundays in Lent:

  • Lent # 1 (Feb. 20th & 21st) – Fr. Dave will be the Celebrant and will preach the homily. The services will begin with a recitation of the Great Litany.
  • (Services for Lent #2 through Lent #5 will begin with the Penitential order: Rite Two, BCP, page 351)
  • Lent # 2 (Feb. 28th & Mar. 1st)
  • Lent # 3 (Mar. 7th & 8th)
  • Lent # 4 (Mar. 14th & 15th)
  • Lent # 5 (Mar. 21st & 22nd) – The Adult Choir will present a Lenten cantata at the Sunday morning service.

Holy Week & Easter Sunday:

  • Sunday of the Passion/Palm Sunday (Mar. 28th & 29th) – Fr. Dave will be the Celebrant. We will follow the liturgy for Palm Sunday outlined in the Book of Common Prayer, page 270ff. The liturgy will begin with the Blessing of the Palms, the reading of the Passion Narrative from Matthew’s Gospel, and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The blessed Palms will be distributed to the people prior to the service.
  • Holy Wednesday (Apr. 1st) – There will be a service of Tenebrae @ 7:00pm on Wednesday, April 1st. Deacon Carl and Chuck Lezenby will lead this service.
  • Holy Thursday (Apr. 2nd) – Fr. Dave will be the Celebrant and preach the homily @ 7:00pm on Thursday, April 2nd. We will follow the liturgy for Holy Thursday as outlined in the Book of Common Prayer, page 274ff. The service will include foot washing, the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and the stripping of the altar.
  • Good Friday (Apr. 3rd) – Fr. Dave will be the Celebrant and preach the homily @ 7:00pm on Friday, April 3rd. We will follow the liturgy for Good Friday as outlined in the Book of Common Prayer, page 276ff. Deacon Carl will read the Passion Narrative from John’s Gospel. We will observe the Veneration of the Cross and receive Holy Communion from the reserved sacrament. Jen will play the organ.
  • The Great Easter Vigil (Apr. 4th) – Fr. Dave will be the Celebrant and preach the homily @ 7:00pm on Saturday, April 4th. Deacon Carl will sing the Exusultet, read the Gospel, and set the table. We will follow the liturgy as outlined in the Book of Common Prayer, page 285ff. Jen will play the organ.
  • Easter Sunday (Apr. 5th) – Fr. Dave will be the Celebrant and preach the homily @ 10:00 AM on Sunday, April 5th. After the service, the bell in the courtyard will be rung and the “Flowering of the Cross” ceremony will be observed (weather permitting).
General, Latest News, Service Updates

Advent & Christmas Schedule 2025

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Advent #1 (November 29th and 30th) @ 5:30pm and 10:00AM-

Advent #2 (December 6th & 7th) @ 5:30pm and 10:00AM

Advent #3 (December 13th & 14th) Gaudete Sunday; @ 5:30PM; Christmas Cantata @ the 10:00AM liturgy on Sunday, December 14th)

Advent #4 (December 20th & 21st) @ 5:30pm and 10:00AM (The O Antiphons will be prayed at both services). The “Greening” of the Church will happen immediately following the 10:00AM liturgy.

Christmas Eve (December 24th) The Celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord @ 7:00pm and 10:00PM.

Christmas Morning (December 25th) The Celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord @ 10:00AM

The First Sunday After Christmas (December 27th and 28th) @ 5:30pm and 10:00AM

The Second Sunday After Christmas (January 3rd and 4th, 2026) @ 5:30PM ; The Service of Lessons and Carols with Holy Eucharist @ the 10:00AM liturgy.

General

GOOD SHEPHERD EPISCOPAL CHURCH HOLLY FAIR SET FOR SAT., DECEMBER 6th

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ANNUAL PITMAN CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD “HOLLY FAIR” 
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6th, 2025 from 9:00 am to 3:00 p 

The Good Shepherd Episcopal Church of Pitman is pleased to announce that it will hold its 40th annual “Holly Fair” on Saturday, December 6, 2025 from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. Popular with area residents celebrating the start of the Christmas season, the Holly Fair features 20+ area crafters with a wide array of unique handmade gifts, including home-made crafts created by Church parishioners.

Food abounds in the Good Shepherd Restaurant, featuring homemade soups, sandwiches for breakfast and lunch and more! We will be serving breakfast in the restaurant from 8 – 10 AM, featuring breakfast sandwiches and specialty coffees, teas and ciders by Inclusion Coffee of Elmer. (2) Facebook Lunch will be available from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm and features home-made soups, chicken salad, pulled pork and roast beef sandwiches and platters with potato salad, kid’s meals, and delicious desserts. Take out service is also available serving hot dogs, sodas, soups, and platters. (We will be accepting credit/debit cards for any purchase over $10)

A variety of delicious holiday favorite homemade baked goods will also be offered and our popular cookies by the pound offer is returning!
Bargains galore can be found in the Christmas/Holiday Store, the Grandma’s Attic dollar store & the “More than a Dollar” store featuring new and gently used holiday decorations, household items, jewelry, gifts and trinkets.

The Good Shepherd Choir will be performing throughout the day to entertain you while you shop. With caroling, the smell of soups and baked goods, and the colors of Christmas abounding, you’ll really get into the spirit of the season!

Rumor is a special visitor from the North Pole may be stopping by, and is looking forward to posing for pictures!! Family photos will also be offered.  The St. Nick’s Shop is returning with activities for children and will entertain while adults are browsing and shopping. 

Good Shepherd is conveniently located at 315 Highland Terrace (at Wildwood Avenue) in Pitman, Gloucester County. (Just off State Route 55, County Route 553 and Broadway/Main Street. 

For more information, please visit the Church’s website at Good Shepherd’s Annual Holly Fair  ; email goodshepherdpitman@gmail.com, or call the church office at 856-589-8209.

Good Shepherd also maintains a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GoodShepherdPitman/

MEDIA CONTACT:  Beth Portocalis  856-357-3938

General, Latest News, Service Updates

A Word from your Temporary Shepherd…

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Dear Friends and Partners in ministry! Just a brief note from your Temporary Shepherd to express my sincere gratitude for the warm and generous welcome that you have extended to me and to Susan as we officially began our third Tour of Duty here at Good Shepherd last weekend. It feels really good to be back with you and I am looking forward to the challenges and opportunities we will face together over the next twelve months. I also want to share with you an announcement and a “head’s up”. The announcement concerns the midweek Eucharist. Beginning next week, the service will be held every Tuesday @12:15pm in the Chapel. The “head’s up” concerns the Sunday bulletin. Beginning on Sunday, September 28th, we will no longer be printing the hymns and service music in the bulletin. We are doing this in an effort to save paper and because we have the hymnals in the pews, so we might as well use them! Thanks again for your partnership in this ministry! Please don’t hesitate to call (my cell is 609-444-6706) or stop by the office on Mondays or Tuesdays if you have questions or concerns or if I can be of personal or pastoral assistance in any way. May the good Lord continue to bless and keep us…

Faithfully,

Fr. Dave Snyder+

Brotherhood of St. Andrew, General

Annual Brotherhood of Saint Andrew Luncheon November 24, 2024

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St. Andrew’s Day Luncheon

November 24, 2024

The Brotherhood of Saint Andrew is pleased to invite everyone to a celebratory Luncheon following the Sunday 10AM service. Lunch is on us to thank everyone for their support over the last year.

This year we will be collecting unwrapped toys and clothing for to give to the Pitman Pantry for distribution to our local children. Winter clothing would be especially welcome. Please place the items on the table under the cross in the Parish Hall.

Cash donations would also be gratefully accepted

Thank you from all of us for your continued generosity,

The Brotherhood of Saint Andrew

General, Stewardship

2025 Stewardship Pledge Cards

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Please download the 2025 Pledge Card and type in your information directly. Once completed, print your completed form and mail it via the US Post Office or bring it to church and place it in the collection plate:

Download 2025 pledge card

Church of the Good Shepherd
Attn: 2024 Stewardship
315 Highland Terrace
Pitman, NJ 08071

If you wish to email your pledge card, please send ONLY your pledge card. Email is not a secure method of communication. Do not send your Simply Giving Program Authorization as it contains banking information that can be compromised. If you still wish to email your pledge, please copy the following email address to your mail app and attach the previously completed form.

goodshepherdtreasure@gmail.com 

General, Sunday School Updates

Sunday School 2024/25

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Save the Date: September 8, 2024!

Sunday School is back starting September 8 with a new format. The children will be attending Sunday School after the service (11-11:30 a.m.) while parents/guardians are at Coffee Hour. 

Please follow the link here to sign your children up!

If interested in teaching, please email Liz Foster at emfosternj@gmail.com

Note: The diocese requires all teachers to complete a free, online class called Safe Church Training. Please complete the training by August 18, so we know how many teachers we have and can build an educational and fun program for the children of Good Shepherd.

Enjoy the rest of the summer and see you in September!