Church of the Good Shepherd (and El Buen Pastor)

Our Mission Statement:

•Worship is the center of our parish life and forms the spiritual foundation that sustains and strengthens our relationships with God, each other, and our neighbors.

•We believe that we are called to use our talents and resources to serve God by improving the lives of those we meet at our church and in the community.

•We highly value education and the transformative impact that it can have on people’s relationship with God, spiritual health, and quality of life.

•We value all people regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, economic condition, age, gender, marital status, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression and seek to find ways to welcome them to the Lord’s table.

As Kristen Moulton wrote in the Salt Lake Tribune in August 2005 " The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd has been in downtown Ogden since horses and buggies kicked up dust on the town's dirt streets. It was there before Union Station and the store fronts along 25th Street, before The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' tabernacle and temple."

Ogden's first Episcopal priest, Rev. James Lee Gillogly and his wife, came to Ogden in 1870, living for a while in an unused boxcar at Union Station. Within a year, they'd bought the land where Good Shepherd still stands with a donation obtained by Bishop Tuttle from Episcopalians in the eastern U.S. Further generous donors from the East Coast gave nearly $10,000 for the church and its furnishings, including the redwood pews still in use. The church, built in the Gothic style with granite from Mendon in Cache County, was consecrated in February 1875. The church bell dates from 1873. It is still rung almost every day to announce worship. The pulpit, altar, chairs and lectern are original.

Over the years extensions have been made, including a good size basement area, with a semi-commercial kitchen, a classroom and storerooms. The main space has a dining area which can be divided from a carpeted area used as an occasional children's chapel. Above this is a social hall and an office wing which includes a palor and small kitchen. It also has a projector and screen, most often used for Adult forum and to project the church service when needed. Most recently, an education wing was added with two good sized, and well-equipped, classrooms, a nursery with its own restroom, further restrooms, a small conference room and a larger meeting room, which has been converted into a chapel for the growing Latino (El Buen Pastor) congregation, with wood furnishings crafted by church members. At the same time a youth room and a large store room was added at basement level. An elevator was installed, enabling wheelchair users to access all levels.

The original chapel seats up to 140 people. It has a beautiful pipe organ, used at every Sunday service, at festivals, and occasional concerts. The Latino Chapel has around 80 chairs, but can accommodate up to 120 people. It has a piano and a small electric organ. Our worship style is traditional. We enjoy music, and have a small adult choir and a budding children's choir. All ages are encouraged to participate in our church services, and in our various ministries.

Two of the store rooms accomodate the bed and bathroom linens given out by the Shepherd's Fold Ministry on Wednesday mornings to members of the local community moving from homelessness into their own homes. The basement area and kitchen is used regularly by various church groups, and are currently key areas for the children's Vacation Bible School. They are also used on a Wednesday by our Shepherd's Bowl Ministry which serves an average of 150 home cooked meals a week to members of the local community, mostly homeless and low income. Members of the LDS church, and other denominational churches, assist members of Good Shepherd/El Buen Pastor in this ministry. This ministry provides links with and space for, Weber Human Services, Youth Futures (assisting homeless teens), and the Turtle Project, which makes padded, water-resistant vests for the homeless. We hold a small Clergy Pantry, which mainly assists low income households in the congregations, and provides food-to-go bags to indigents requesting help. Narcotics Anonymous meet in the basement on Friday evenings, and La Leche meet in the Nursery every 4th Thursday morning. Good Shepherd has been active in the formation of Family Promise of Ogden, and has been a host church since early 2017. We have an active ECW which offers a number of social events for the church women each year, raises money for charities at home and abroad, knits prayer shawls for those needing comfort, and baby hats for the neonatal units in local hospitals,  and runs a very successful Bazaar each November. We are good at social events, especially those involving food and encouraging greater fellowship.

Good Shepherd was involved in the foundation of both the Lantern House Homeless Shelter and the Youth Impact program, and continues to have strong links with them through the ministry of church members.

Office Hours:
8.00 am - 4.00pm  Monday-Thursday
Summer Hours: 9.00 am - 12 noon