Announcements February 6, 2026

“SOUPER” BOWL SUNDAY FOOD DRIVE: FEBRUARY 8

Our Good Shepherd Youth will host their annual food drive for the Food Pantry on Sunday, February 8 after both services. Join the fun as our youth collect canned food donations in a friendly competition between your favorite football teams. Wear your team’s colors to church and show your spirit while supporting a great cause! Youth will be outside the Narthex collecting between the services and after the 10:00 AM service. All donations benefit our Food Pantry. Items needed are: soup, crackers, peanut butter, canned fruit, canned chicken, canned tuna, cereal, pasta and spaghetti sauce, mac and cheese, rice, beans and canned veggies. Let’s tackle hunger together!

BIBLE STUDY WITH CLERGY

February 11 , 11:00 AM

Paul the Apostle has often been read in ways that feel heavy or exclusionary. Join us as we explore his Letter to the Romans with fresh eyes, hearing it as a bold proclamation of God’s grace, liberation, and good news for all. Meets Wednesdays at 11:00 AM in the Parish Hall. 

THEOLOGICAL BOOK STUDY: February 12, 4:00 PM

New year, new book! The Theological Book Group continues a 6-week study of Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus, by Elaine Pagels. Written like a historical mystery, the book explores enduring questions about Jesus—his birth, resurrection, miracles, and lasting influence. Join us for lively conversation Thursdays at 4:00 PM in the library, or via Zoom. Start 2026 with something new! For more information, contact Mary Lou Crifasi in the church office. 

ARTIE’S PARTY SILVER DISCO BALL: FEBRUARY 13

SO MANY WAYS TO GROOVE, GLOW, GIVE!

Get ready to dance to the funky beats and enjoy lots of disco fun! Artie’s Party is Friday, February 13.

All proceeds fund our Outreach Ministries. Tickets for the event ($125), and 50/50 drawing tickets (1 for $5 or 6 for $25) are available today and next Sunday at the Artie’s Party table and may be purchased in the Narthex, online in Realm, or scan the QR code below.

Sponsorships are a great way to support this event and they include tickets!

STAYIN’ ALIVE - $5000* BOOGIE WONDERLAND - $3000* GOOD TIMES - $2000* I’M SO EXCITED - $1000* 

WE ARE FAMILY - $500

Side Hustle tickets available on the night. Choose from: Silent Disco! Enjoy the beats and dance to the music with your own headphones. Ministry Plinko with a Purpose for fun prizes!

The online auction opens Sunday, February 1 and is open to everyone, everywhere! Please scan the QR code on the left to access the site. There are many groovy items available to bid on – all donated by parishioners and our local community! Groove, Click, Bid! 

Our youth group meets every Wednesday, and their time together includes a shared meal. Over the years, that meal has been lovingly provided by families and parishioners. At the same time, we know that cooking for 16–20 teenagers isn’t always realistic.

We’re inviting parishioners to sponsor a youth group dinner for $50. This allows us to order food without straining the budget and ensures our youth are always welcomed at the table. This option supplements parent-hosted dinners and is one more way our community can support our youth.



If you’d like to sponsor a dinner, please contact the church office. Thank you for helping nourish both bodies and community.

Pastoral Message to the Clergy and People

The Feast of Saint Agatha

5 February 2026

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

In recent weeks, many of us have been facing a deepening fear in our congregations, schools, and wider communities.  We fear for the safety of our families and ourselves, our friends, members of our congregations, our fellow South Floridians, and the stability of the world around us.  We fear for our futures as individuals and as communities.  These fears are real and deeply human.  In the Scriptures we read again and again the exhortation “Fear not,” which tells us that God’s people have always known fear and that we are not alone or lacking in faith because of the fears we face.  There are things of which we are rightly afraid.

For many innocent people in our country - so many of whom live in our diverse and multi-cultural, multi-ethnic region of South Florida - fear has become a daily companion.  They live with the possibility of being rounded up, detained, brutalised, and deported - sometimes to places from which they once fled to this country for safety, and sometimes to places they have never known.  Because they are our sisters and brothers in our human family and often also beloved members of our congregations and schools, we cannot help but fear for them as well and be concerned for them.   Their vulnerability exposes the fragility of our own lives and leaves us all in the unsettling position of fearing those whose responsibility it is to keep people safe, but who have become unsafe for so many.   No innocent people should live in fear of those who are charged with our safety and public well-being.

Yet our Christian faith insists that fear cannot have the final word.  The Gospel does not ask us to deny our fear, but to live faithfully even when we are afraid - together.   Just as we are called to love in the midst of suffering, so we are called to love in the midst of fear.  This is the costly love of the cross.   We are called to accompany one another, to remain in community, and to root our lives as much as possible not in fear, but in love.   Perfect love casts out fear, as the Bible says, not by pretending that fear does not exist, but by holding fast to the promise that God is with us, loving us every step of the way.  In that love, in companionship with each other, we can find courage, compassion, and hope for the days ahead.

As the Church, we are called to be present with those who are afraid, to embody compassion, to speak truth with courage, and to bear witness to God’s love in tangible ways.  May we resist isolation, despair, and anger, and instead choose accompaniment, prayer, and faithful action as we walk together in hope.

With love and prayers,

+Peter

"Hear These Words" is a weekly podcast from Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Tequesta, FL hosted by our Rector, Sanford Groff. Each week we discuss the passages of Scripture assigned for the upcoming Sunday according to the Revised Common Lectionary with guests from within the Good Shepherd community and with colleagues from around the nation. Listen to (or watch) episodes each Tuesday at www.GoodShepOnline.org or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

February 22

Families with young children are invited to a Cookie Decorating Party following the 10AM service in the Parish Hall. We'll have cookies, icing, sprinkles, and lots of fun ready for you. Come get creative and make something sweet together - and take your cookie masterpieces home

At Good Shepherd, we know that generosity doesn’t just sustain a budget—it shapes lives, forms faith, and builds a community where love grows.

When you give, you help create a church where welcome is real, worship is vibrant, and people of all ages find belonging. Your gift becomes the seed that helps ministries take root—from Sunday School to pastoral care, from music and liturgy to outreach and fellowship. It nurtures the soil of our shared life by supporting essential staff, maintaining our sacred spaces, and preparing us for growth.

As Scripture reminds us, we are “built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God” (Ephesians 2:22). And at the center of all we build stands Christ—our cornerstone, our strength, our joy.

This year, we invite you to be part of a harvest of hope. By making a pledge, you’re not just giving to a church—you’re helping love take root in every heart we serve.

Join us as we grow something beautiful—together!

Click here for our Children's Ministry Newsletter

A Moment of Gratitude

This month’s Moment of Gratitude was shared by Senior Warden Dan Gilbert, who lifted up Dr. Marilyn Lawrence with deep appreciation for her extraordinary service and spirit. At Good Shepherd, Marilyn has been instrumental in growing our Food Pantry, has faithfully chaired the Outreach Committee, was a long-time School Board member, and is a beloved Artie’s Party aficionado. Her impact extends well beyond our parish. In the wider community, she founded the Jupiter Medical Center Volunteers program and has authored several books, including The History of Good Shepherd. Her career also includes working for a U.S. Senator during her time in Washington, D.C. And, in true Marilyn fashion, she once had a horse named Tequila, because even legends have flair. We give thanks for Marilyn’s vision, generosity, and the joyful imprint she has left on so many lives.

Looking for something specific?

Visit our website! Here are our most visited pages:

Resources: Order Altar Flowers, update your information, request a name tag

Prayer: Links to morning prayer, prayer resources, request prayer for someone

Giving: Make a gift or an estimate of giving, stewardship

Home: Service times, calendar, hours, featured services and opportunities

Outreach: Programs and events, community engagement

Fellowship: Good Guys, Morning Glory, O.W.L.S., Coffee Hour

Children and Families: Sunday School, Youth Group and Family gatherings

There is so much more information to explore! If you have any questions, you are always welcome to give us a call. 561-746-4674

Weekly Announcements post to our Livestream page each Sunday. You will find it HERE.

Good Shepherd Episcopal Church and School

The Rev. Dr. Sanford H. Groff, Jr., Rector

561-746-4674