Good Shepherd's Ministry continues a tradition of service which began when our parishioners founded the Hospice of the Good Shepherd in Newton many years ago. The Vestry sets aside a major budget item for outreach each year. A committee of parishioners then meets throughout the year to discuss distributing those funds and to decide on grants. The committee also organizes service opportunities and collections for worthy causes.

In deciding which programs to support, we have followed the passions of our parishioners. We support the underprivileged children of the inner city through St. Stephen's Youth Programs and Epiphany School, where we have been volunteering. We also support Stephen's B-SAFE summer program. We cooked and served a quarterly supper at the homeless shelter Rosie's Place for over 25 years. We have supported ministries for AIDS patients, the homeless, and abused women and children. Our young people have also led us. They have been involved in creating snacks that help support the St. Stephen's after school program.

Whether we are making monetary grants or giving time and energy, outreach keeps teaching us how to love our neighbors. Anyone who would like to join the Outreach Committee or get involved in an ongoing or new project should contact the parish office: (617) 244-4028 or office@goodshepherdnewton.org.