Family Ministry

Newsletter

The Church of the Good Shepherd 121 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC

May 3, 2025

Friends,

Greetings from the Church of the Good Shepherd. I write to you on a day that is sacred for me and for my fellows Kentuckian: Derby Day! My daughter, Nora has her stuffies and her hobby horse all ready to watch the Run for the Roses later this evening.

She was equalled excited when I told her we would be visiting a real life horse farm next weekend. Good Shepherd's annual parish picnic, called the Pig Pickin' will be held at Tara Farm in north Raleigh on Saturday, May 10. As you can see, it is a truly majestic setting and we're expecting over 150 to attend. I hope your family will join us.

As you may know, Good Shepherd is in the process of hiring a new Family Minister. Among other duties, this person will be responsible for all our ministries with children and families, including overseeing Sunday School and Godly Play, supervising the nursery, and planning a full calendar of educational, formational, and recreational programs and activities.

For the past few weeks, a handful of CGS parents and teachers have been gathering information from peer churches in our area to help the vestry put together an attractive and competitive job listing. I'm pleasing to report that the first phase of this process is complete and we are hoping to post the opening nationwide in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, Harry Johnson, who is the vestry liaison for Family Ministry, and I have been working together to expand our offering to children and families. We began this spring with morning playdates on the second Saturday of each month. These gatherings will continue throughout the summer. We are also planning "Parents Night Out" events and after-church fellowship opportunities for kids as well as reimagining our designated kids' spaces.

If you would like to be part of this ongoing conversation about the future of Family Ministry at Good Shepherd, I hope you will join us for a Parents' Breakfast on Sunday, May 18 at 9am. We would love to hear your input and feedback.

Now, off to the races!

Your friend in Christ,

The Rev. Justin Gabbard+

Pig Pickin' at Tara Farm

After a yearlong hiatus, the Mike Beard Annual Pig Pickin' returns on Saturday, May 10 from 4-7pm. Featuring smoked pulled pork, field games, live music, and a bounce house for kids, this beloved Good Shepherd tradition is one of our parish's signature fellowship events.

This year, the Pig Pickin' is returning to its ancestral home at Tara Farm, a majestic horse farm owned by the Pugh Family.

Located off Falls of Neuse Raod, next to Ravenscroft School, Tara's reception facility boasts an elegant pavilion, a pond with a sand beach, and all the natural beauty you could ask for.

This is an ideal event for children and families. If you are planning to attend, please get registered as soon as possible so we can plan accordingly.

See you on the fam!

Upcoming Family Events

Staffing Changes at Good Shepherd

 Vacation Bible School 2025

Join us for Vacation Bible School at the Church of the Good Shepherd from June 23-26, 2025.

This year, VBS will take our kids to ancient Egypt where they will meet Joseph and experience the heartbreaking trials, joyous victories, and tear-filled celebrations of this unique Biblical hero.

A typical day at VBS will include storytelling, games, crafts, music and a snack.

VBS will be held each morning from 9am-12pm and is offered to children in pre-K through 5th grade. Children must be at least 3 years old & potty trained to participate in the Pre-K group.

A nursery group is also available for the younger siblings of kids enrolled in our VBS Program and for the children of our VBS volunteers.

There will be an option playdate on on morning of Friday, June 27.

Registration will be open through May 31. Spread the word.