Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd Ogden Diocese of Utah A Brief Parish Profile The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd is a multi-generational congregation using our gifts to carry out our ministries of worship, fellowship and service which express our spirituality grounded in our faith in God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Overview Like most Episcopal churches in Utah, where Episcopalians form a minority of the population, Good Shepherd is a relatively diverse congregation. Some of our members have lived in Utah or in the Ogden area all their lives; others, probably the majority, are transplants from across the country and the world. We work in a variety of fields: medicine, education, social service, technology, and business, to name a few. We also have a number of Air Force personnel and their families in the congregation. For those whose work has relocated them in Ogden, the church community functions as a second, or extended, family. This family bond is strengthened by the fact that the church has become an energized multi-generational congregation. We have single persons, widows and widowers, retired persons, families with grown children and families with children from toddlers to college age. This diversity explains the variety of ministries in which we are engaged, as the following pages will show. A final ingredient of our diversity is religious. Our members come to the Episcopal Church from many backgrounds, as well as a significant minority of cradle Episcopalians. It is in part to accommodate the divergent needs of our congregation that we celebrate Rite I at our 8:00 service and Rite II, with a full choir, at 10:30. Our congregation numbers approximately 235 households. Average attendance at the 8:00 service is 50 persons, a faithful group comprised largely, but not only, of older and retired parishioners. Average attendance at the 10:30 service is about 110 and includes families with children and members of all ages. While a diverse group, we also share some important commonalities. As the list of professions above suggests, we are a fairly well educated congregation; our average level of education is probably a baccalaureate degree. Liturgically, we draw on the more traditional, "high church" experience of Episcopal worship, appropriated in an open, inclusive, and joyful spirit. We are eucharistically centered and we value the Book of Common Prayer as a central spiritual resource. We are respectful and affirming of a range of beliefs and approaches. We are proud of our church's long history of ministry in downtown Ogden and are strongly committed to continuing it. And our love for one another is a strong bond that connects us. Community Profile The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd is an inner-city church located in the heart of downtown Ogden, Utah. Ogden is a city with an ethnically diverse population of 68,000 people. Its location in Weber County, with a population of 160,000, situates it between the spectacular Wasatch Mountains to the east and the shores of the Great Salt Lake to the west. Thirty-five miles south are the Salt Lake International Airport and Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah. Sunshine and low humidity prevail in our distinctive four-season climate, where the average daily temperature ranges from a high of 63 degrees to a low of 38 degrees. The Rocky Mountains act as a barrier against the southward flow of continental arctic air during the winter. This barrier and the never-freezing Great Salt Lake protect the area from extremely cold temperatures. The Ogden area offers an abundance of recreational and sports opportunities — fishing, hiking, camping, and wildlife watching, to name a few. Majestic Ogden Canyon leads to Pineview Reservoir and three nearby ski resorts. There are public and private golf courses, tennis courts, and gymnasiums. The Ogden River Parkway provides open green space along the Ogden River and includes a paved trail, rose garden, picnic areas, and the Eccles Dinosaur Park. Ogden has a 12,000-seat arena (Dee Events Center), a new Olympic-sized ice arena, new fairgrounds that host rodeos and equestrian events, as well as a full college sports schedule at Weber State University. Ogden is home to the Ogden Raptors, a professional minor-league baseball team. Ogden embraces culture and the arts. The Utah Musical Theater and Weber State University provide the community with theatre, dance, and music performances; art exhibits; and an excellent visiting artist series. The Dee Events Center, the restored Union Station, and the Egyptian Theater regularly offer special cultural events. The Eccles Community Art Center exhibits works of local and nationally renowned artists and sponsors a variety of classes. The Utah Symphony and Ballet West give local performances year round. Historically colorful, Ogden's 25th Street District is a popular area for shopping, dining, and entertainment, and has lately become a popular site for filming of television and movies, including Touched by an Angel, and Everwood. The Ogden City and Weber County School Districts have 42 public elementary schools, 13 junior high schools, and 8 high schools. There are three parochial elementary schools and two parochial high schools. Weber County is the site of the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind, the Ogden-Weber Applied Technology Center, and Weber Stare University. Weber County has excellent health care with 17 physicians per 10,000 residents. There are two hospitals, 23 medical clinics, 296 practicing physicians, 132 practicing dentists, and 13 elder care facilities. Located in Salt Lake County, Primary Children's Medical Center and Shriners Hospital for Children are leaders in pediatric health care. The University of Utah Hospital is a renowned research and teaching hospital. Two major government facilities in our area are Hill Air Force Base and the Ogden Internal Revenue Service Center. Hill Air Force Base employs almost 13,000 civilian and military personnel and has an annual payroll of approximately $500 million. The Ogden Internal Revenue Service Center employs 3,600 people year round and increases the number of employees to 6,400 during the months of January through June. The U.S. Forest Service Intermountain Regional Office is located in Ogden. Major private employers in Weber County include: Autoliv A.S.P., makers of vehicle airbags; McKay-Dee Hospital; Iomega Corporation; and Convergys Corporation. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (L.D.S./Mormon) heavily influences the religious, cultural, and political climate of the area. While there are approximately 30 religious denominations in the community, the population is predominately L.D.S. Because of the strong influence of Mormon culture, non-Mormons feel a need to affiliate with one another. Many newcomers to our state become actively involved in a church community. Since 1874, the Church of the Good Shepherd has maintained a strong presence in this community. Historically, the Episcopal Church in Utah has always played a leading role in community service. It was the Episcopal Church that opened the doors of Utah's first schools, first hospital, and first school of nursing. Our Diocese The boundaries of the Diocese are those of the state, excluding the southeast corner, which is the Navajoland Area Mission, but including Page, Arizona.. The legendary Bishop Daniel Sylvester Tuttle began the work of the Episcopal Church in 1867. The thirty-year-old bishop arrived 20 years after the Mormons. The state of our church in Utah was described by James W. Beless, Jr., in the Utah Historical Quarterly, Winter 1968: “The bishop arrived in Salt Lake City - to find the church organized around a heterogeneous congregation with three women the only confirmed Episcopalians; a mission committee which included a Roman Catholic, a Methodist, and an apostate Mormon; a thriving Sunday school inherited from the Congregationalist chaplain at Camp Douglas; and a newly opened grammar school. A class of eleven awaited the bishop's confirmation. The bishop met with Brigham Young in the latter's office, and Tuttle reported that he was civilly treated, but not asked to call again. Tuttle sought to win the affection, respect, and allegiance of people, whether Gentiles (non-Mormons, in local usage), or apostate Mormons, by contrasting the faith and practice of the Episcopal Church with Mormon doctrine. His style was not to speak against the Mormon Church, but instead, for the Episcopal Church. Bishop Tuttle's practice has generally remained the policy of the nine succeeding bishops. The ministry of the Episcopal Church in Utah is clearly disproportionate to our size. Bishop Tuttle began a health insurance program for miners, the first schools, and the first hospital. St. Mark's Hospital was the only institution of its kind between Denver and San Francisco. Proceeds from the sale of the hospital in the late 1980s have been carefully invested and managed; the fund now exceeds 100 million dollars. That trust fund allows the Diocese to subsidize building programs, clergy placement, and other ministries in many communities. The trust also provides for annual charitable grants to Utah human service agencies. There are 21 congregations and several chapels in Utah. All have seminary-trained clergy, supplemented in many cases by local deacons and priests. The Diocese has a rustic youth camp and conference center located in Big Cottonwood Canyon, approximately 30 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. Many of our members have fond memories of Camp Tuttle. The 10th Bishop of Utah is a Utah native, Carolyn Tanner Irish, elected in 1995. We shared in the pride that came to virtually all Episcopalians at the time of her election as the first woman Bishop in the western states. The Diocese of Utah presents both challenges and opportunities for parish clergy. Even though the Episcopal Church in Utah comprises less than one percent of the state's population, we continue Bishop Tuttle's legacy of expanding parishes, continuing education for our clergy and members, and creating a disproportionate impact for its size in our communities. The Diocese sponsors a significant number of educational opportunities, utilizing clergy and lay members within the Diocese and from the National Church. Our Parish History In 1866, Daniel Sylvester Tuttle was elected to be the Missionary Bishop of Montana, with jurisdiction in the Idaho and Utah Territories. When Bishop Tuttle came through Ogden in 1867, he held two church services in the Ogden Railroad Depot. Fr. James Gillogly was the first priest of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. He and his new bride arrived in Ogden on July 16, 1870. At that time, Ogden was a community of 5,000 people. The new priest found only one communicant in town. The first services held at our present location were held in a tannery building. Bishop Tuttle laid the cornerstone for our present church on April 29, 1874. The funds for our church building were given by John Hamersley in loving memory of his daughter Catherine Hamersley Livingston. The total cost of the building was $9,500. Priests serving at Good Shepherd often traveled to nearby communities to hold services. As the population of northern Utah grew, other Episcopal churches were built. In 1954, Good Shepherd began the task of planning a mission church in nearby Clearfield. Land was purchased in 1960 and construction began on St. Peter's Mission Church building. Stones which had been removed from the entrance to Good Shepherd Parish Hall to allow for the 1956 expansion of the church were built into St. Peter's altar. In 1977, a covenant agreement was made between St. Joseph's Catholic Church and Good Shepherd Episcopal Church. This covenant led to the formation of St. Anne's Center, a homeless shelter in Ogden. Both churches, now joined by other denominations, continue to support this shelter. From the time of its inception, Good Shepherd has actively contributed to the community. The Good Shepherd School was run from 1870 until 1900, when Utah began operating public schools. In 1913, the rector presented a series of Public meetings to "awaken the social consciousness of the community . . . (and) show the community that the church is anxious to serve." Our Sunday school rooms have been used to house the area's first Head-Start Program and to run a Migrant Council Day Care Center. Our building has served as a meeting Place for the Humane Society, Sierra Club, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Narcotics Anonymous. And because of the excellent acoustics of our building, we have hosted many varied musical recitals. The Church of the Good Shepherd is Ogden's oldest building in continuous use. Our building was placed on the Registries of National and State Historic Sites in 1973. Registration as an historic site assures our church building a Protected future. Church Building and Grounds Constructed of gray granite quarried not far from here, our 1874 structure has weathered time and the elements beautifully. Wood trim is in the carpenter gothic style popular during the last half of the 19th century. The steeple contains the original bell and still gives delight to adults and children, especially when it is their turn to ring it. Recently restored to the gable above the vestibule is a Celtic cross. In the beginning there were simple, painted glass windows. These were gradually replaced by beautiful, stained glass designed and built by Connick of Boston. Especially lovely is the large rose window facing the street. The parish hall, named Tuttle Hall, was added in 1916. Sunday school rooms, basement kitchen, and dining hall were built in 1956 and completed the U-shaped structure we know today. A wrought iron fence encloses our present courtyard. Outside the courtyard is a gothic style sign of welcome, listing services. As Good Shepherd grew, remodeling became a necessity. In the 1970s, we completed a major remodeling of Tuttle Hall. The 1980s brought us a beautifully rebuilt 15-rank pipe organ, its tonal quality of the French Romantic style. Other changes included a remodeled sanctuary and the addition of a l ovely columbarium next to the sanctuary. To provide for future work, our church established the Good Shepherd Foundation from which interest monies are used to support an ongoing building maintenance program. The 1990s have been involved in exterior maintenance and repair projects such as the reshingling of the church roof, repair of the steeple and woodwork, and repointing of old granite stonework. All repairs were carefully done to maintain the historic standard of our church. In the last five years, other remodeling projects have been undertaken. A new kitchen was completed and the sacristy was redecorated. The south wing was remodeled with new ceilings; light fixtures; doors; and window, wall and floor coverings. The offices of the rector and secretary were remodeled. The nursery and preschool areas received new carpeting, and air conditioning was added to Tuttle Hall. A recent project has been the installation of a closed circuit television system in Tuttle Hall. In recent years, there have been an increasing number of services when seating in the church has been insufficient for the number of People attending. This system will allow us to accommodate an overflow on such occasions. It will also serve Sunday school teachers and the high school Sunday school class. Liturgy and Worship At Good Shepherd, worship is at the center of parish life. We are blessed with a beautiful worship space, a fine organ, a group of committed choir members, two priests, two deacons, and a cadre of volunteers too numerous to mention. We offer Saturday, Sunday, and mid-week Eucharist. Sunday worship includes a Rite I service and a lively family service utilizing Rite II. There is a weekly Men's Morning Prayer and Breakfast and a Women's Evening Prayer and Dinner. These are opportunities, not only for worship, but also for spiritual community and sharing among the members. Good Shepherd boasts an active Altar Guild that effectively combines work and community with luncheon meetings and sewing days. We have a large group of young people serving as acolytes under the supervision of volunteer directors. A number of parishioners have been trained as Lay Eucharistic Ministers, regularly taking communion to shut-in members of the congregation. Lay readers, Sunday school teachers, ushers, greeters, and counters fill out the Sunday morning volunteer force. Music is an integral part of worship at Good Shepherd. At various times, the musical repertoire has been enhanced with tone chime players, a children's choir, and various instrumentalists. Local Clergy The local clergy program began at Good Shepherd in the 1970s. The program was modeled after one pioneered in Alaska to alleviate a shortage of seminary-trained clergy in rural parishes. The first local priest at Good Shepherd was the Rev. Richard Henthorne, who was ordained in 1976 and continued until his death in 1990. His ordination was followed by that of two deacons: the Rev. Pete Poggemeyer in 1980 and the Rev. Nancy Groshart in 1992. Following in this tradition, the Rev. Claudia Seiter was ordained as a priest in June 2001. She now serves as our Associate Rector. Local clergy at Good Shepherd have historically taken an active role in the life of the parish, functioning in liturgical, homiletical, pastoral, educational, and administrative roles. They preach and assist in the celebration of the Eucharist, Evening Prayer, and other offices as needed; visit the sick and shut-ins; teach adult Sunday school; and serve as liaisons between Good Shepherd and the diocese. Their ministries have been highly regarded by our fulltime clergy and the congregation. Christian Education Educational opportunities are valued and supported at Good Shepherd. Many programs are made possible by volunteer hours contributed by parishioners. Sunday school meets on 35 Sundays throughout the year and involves, on average, 100 individuals per Sunday in Children's, Youth, and a lively Adult Classes. There has been enthusiastic participation in other weekly classes: Tuesday Evening/Thursday Midday Study Group, Confirmation classes and acolyte training are held regularly during the year. Outreach Ministries Outreach is one of the most valued aspects of Good Shepherd's parish life. The perceived importance of this ministry is demonstrated by parishioners, in both time and money spent on outreach. Most parishioners would name it as part of their parish identity. In addition to outreach efforts directly sponsored by Good Shepherd, many of our members are involved as volunteers and board members in a wide array of nonprofit institutions within the community. Youth Impact is an outreach program for youth of diverse religious, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds. The program is open to all youth of the Ogden area, with a focus on the inner-city youth population. This program is designed to develop a sense of respect and responsibility for oneself, for others, and for the community. It provides a safe environment for educational and recreational youth activities. The Church of the Good Shepherd originally provided the building for this program and the director's salary, but since the gracious donation of a building (The Browning Jubilee Center, 2305 Grant Ave. just down the street, ) to the program, it has now moved under the umbrella of the Diocese of Utah. Many members of the parish volunteer their time, talent, and financial support to this program. AA and NA groups also meet at the Browning Jubilee Center regularly. St. Anne's Center, a homeless shelter in Ogden, is supported by Good Shepherd with an annual financial contribution. Many members volunteer at the shelter, serve on the board of directors, and provide needed personal items. Good Shepherd was one of the founding churches of this center. Lay Eucharistic Ministers provide outreach for our parish members who are homebound and unable to attend services at the church. Parish Life and Fellowship The parish of Good Shepherd is a community in which we frequently come together as a Christian family. By gathering together, we stay connected and offer each other love and support, sharing the times of sadness and joy. Good Shepherd youth and adults find togetherness through a myriad of events. The Sunday Coffee Hour, hosted by a different family each week, gives everyone a chance to get to know each other better. Special occasions for socializing are provided by monthly game nights, or soup and a movie at the church. Numerous opportunities for Christian fellowship beyond Sunday school are available for Good Shepherd Youth. On the second and fourth Wednesdays, the Youth-Parent Fellowship meets for dinner and an activity. These alternate between the church one Wednesday and something away from the church on the next. The youth also do service projects, and look forward to the annual “Middle-Earth” party. Episcopal Youth participate in diocesan, provincial, and national youth events, including outings to Camp Tuttle, the Episcopal church camp. Good Shepherdites have dinners and potlucks as frequently as possible. A pancake dinner on Shrove Tuesday and a potluck at the Twining of the Greens are yearly traditions. The beginning and ending of the Sunday school year are also celebrated with a potluck. Utah provides occasion for a variety of outdoor activities. The Spring Swing and the Good Shepherd Open are popular annual events, combining friendship, fun, and maybe even a little golf. These two events are concluded with all-parish picnics. Episcopal Church Women (ECW) is open to all women in the parish. This organization meets quarterly to hold a luncheon meeting/program. Attendance varies from 20 to 60 members. ECW has an active Secret Sister Program, chairs a biannual ingathering of United Thank Offering, and holds a yearly holiday bazaar. Funds raised by ECW are used as financial support for parish and community projects. The Call is the Good Shepherd Church newsletter produced by a volunteer editor and staff. This publication, issued nine times a year, keeps all parishioners updated on church activities. It usually contains announcements, informative articles, entertaining tidbits, a monthly calendar of events, and a lead article written by the rector. The Attic, a nonprofit religious book and gift store, is housed in Good Shepherd. This small one-room store serves the community as a resource for religious items and ships to customers all over the state. It also serves as a gathering place for fellowship and is a medium for church service. Completely run by volunteers, The Attic gives all of its proceeds to the church.
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