Welcome!
The Parish of the Good Shepherd was founded in 1896 and has served
the people of Waban, Newton, and Greater Boston for over 120 years.
Affectionately known as "the High Church of the western Suburbs,"
Good Shepherd preserves a style of worship that exudes much of the
excellence and transcendence of music and liturgy in the Anglican
tradition. 
Good Shepherd is a church that values excellent music, preaching,
Christian Education, and outreach. Whoever you are in life, and
wherever you are in your spiritual journey, we welcome you to be a
part of all that the Good Shepherd has to offer.
As an Episcopal Church, our services may be considered more traditional and ceremonial than many denominations, yet we claim both Catholic and Protestant worship traditions and seek in all we do to worship God in "the beauty of holiness." All baptized Christians regardless of denomination may receive Holy Communion — the body and blood of Jesus, given for the salvation of the whole world.
Worship is at the center of our community at The Parish of the Good Shepherd. Our time together gives us an opportunity to praise and encounter God and our community through the Bread and Wine of one Holy Communion. The atmosphere of our worship is reverent. We celebrate the sacraments of the Church with care and devotion. Worshipers of all ages participate from the pews and the sanctuary. Our preaching is intelligent and practical, inspired by the Bible and our everyday struggles. Our music draws on the best of the classical tradition and is led by accomplished professional and amateur musicians. The service often begins with a procession from back of the church up to the altar, led by the cross accompanied by lit candles. The people carrying the cross and candles we call "acolytes." There are readings from the Hebrew Bible, the Epistles, and the Gospel. The Gospel is read from the nave by an ordained member of the clergy, to symbolize the word of God coming to the people. Following the readings, we have a rich tradition of excellent sermons that tie in the words of the Bible with our lives today. Throughout the year, the Parish of the Good Shepherd follows both The Liturgical Calendar and The Revised Common Lectionary. Our services use The Book of Common Prayer and The Hymnal 1982 and The New Revised Standard Vesion (1989) Bible.
Clergy
The Reverend Dr. Jay Weldon is the twelfth Rector of the Parish
of the Good Shepherd. Fr. Jay began his tenure in the spring of 2016,
having served several churches along the East Coast before coming to Boston.
Fr. Jay was drawn to Good Shepherd because of its legacy of beautiful worship,
emphasis on education for children and youth, and commitment to transformational
outreach projects. Under his leadership, Good Shepherd is engaging in new forms
of worship such as Sunday evening’s Celtic Eucharist — while continuing Good Shepherd's
generations-long commitment to foundational excellence in liturgy, preaching, and music.
Outreach is also at the heart of Good Shepherd's ministry: Good Shepherd supports
St. Stephen's Youth Ministries, the Epiphany School, Boston Healthcare for the Homeless,
Second Step, Newton Food Pantry and its Freedge Collaborative, Flying Kites School and
Girls’ United in Rural Kenya, and the families of the Lincoln Eliot School.
Fr. Jay also oversees Adult Education, Adult Forum, and Tuesday's
weekly Bible Study; he introduced a youth pilgrimage to England
as a part of the youth Confirmation program to learn the roots of
Anglicanism and our tradition.
Previously, as rector of St. Patrick's in Albany, Georgia, he oversaw a period of renewed ministries and outreach and growth. St. Patrick's began international mission work in Azua (Dominican Republic), began its signature ministry called "Food for a Thousand," welcomed an ELCA Lutheran congregation into the full life of the church, and built a new church called by local media "the most beautiful building to come to Albany in fifty years." Before St. Patrick's, he served in assisting roles at Grace Church in New York City and King of Peace Church in Kingsland, Georgia.
Fr. Jay studied at Mercer University's McAfee School of Theology, General Seminary in New York City, and received the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Scripture and Homiletics from Emory University in 2018. He is married to Alison, and together they have two inspiring children, Ella and James. Ella can be found taking part in children's opportunities at Good Shepherd, and she recommends wholeheartedly anything that includes drawing or painting. James can be found climbing on just about anything and sneaking food from Coffee Hour.
E-mail Fr. Jay at rector@goodshepherdnewton.org.
Glossary
