History of The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd ~ 1904-2025
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Founding Years: 1904 - 1918
Unorganized Mission
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In June 1904, the Rev. William C. Emhardt of the Church of the Ascension, Gloucester City, reported to the Convocation meeting at St. Peter's Church, Clarksboro, New Jersey that there was a need for an Episcopal Church in Berlin, New Jersey. In acknowledging the need, the Dean of the Convocation requested that the Rev. Thomas H. Gordon of St. John's Chews Landing provide ministerial oversight to the new unorganized Mission. The first recorded official ministration states that on Wednesday, August 24, 1904, the Rev. William C. Emhardt baptized two children, but no names or dates of birth were recorded.
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On September 11, 1904, the Rev. Thomas Gordon, as Good Shepherd’s first Vicar, made calls on the Church people in Berlin and arranged for a Church service for September 18, 1904, at 9:00 a.m. in the Brotherhood Hall, located at 103 White Horse Pike, in Berlin. Rev. Gordon celebrated the Holy Communion with twenty-two people present and twelve receiving. Among those present for this first service were Mrs. Bodine, Mrs. Clark, Miss Humphries, Mrs. Karstein, Mrs. Lenz, Mr. & Mrs. Minard, Mrs. Nichols, Mr. & Mrs. Reid, Mrs. Strahain, and Mrs. Westcott. Those parishioners inaugurated the Mission of the Good Shepherd in Berlin, New Jersey and took charge to keep the Mission going. Communion services, officiated by the Rev. Gordon, were subsequently held on October 9, November 13, and December 18 in 1904.
On September 8, 1905, the St. Agnes Guild was organized to raise money to help pay the rent of the Brotherhood Hall and the other expenses of the Mission. On January 14, 1906, the first confirmation class of the Mission, comprising four individuals, was presented by the Rev. William J. Robertson of St. John’s Church Gibbsboro and Rev. Gordon to the Rt. Rev. John Scarborough, Bishop of the Diocese of New Jersey.
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On April 8, 1906, the Mission moved to the second floor of a machine shop in West Berlin. Two children were baptized in this new chapel by Rev. Gordon on April 15, 1906. New Jersey Records indicate that during this period, in at least one instance, the Board of Health closed the Church for excessive wood smoke. As a result of this closure, no services were held on Sunday, January 13, 1907, and Sunday, January 20, 1907.
Rev. Gordon served as the Vicar of Good Shepherd until 1912. He was followed by the Rev. George M. McMullin. On December 17, 1913, a Building Fund was started by the St. Agnes Guild. On September 4, 1915, the first wedding was held at Good Shepherd. Rev. McMullin served until 1916 and was followed by the Rev. Camille Estornell, who served until 1919.
In 1918, the present Church property located at 108 Broad Avenue in Berlin Borough (then Berlin Township) was purchased for $323 from Mr. & Mrs. Eaton. During this time, the Church became an organized Mission under the Canon Laws and Rules and Regulations of the Diocese of New Jersey.
1919 - 1960
Organized Mission, Relocation, and New Buildings
In 1919, the Rev. Roland Ringwalt succeeded Rev. Estornell as Vicar. A Building Committee was organized on April 20, 1921, to discuss ways and means to construct a new Church. In that same year, building plans and the necessary approvals were obtained to facilitate construction of the new Church building on Broad Avenue in Berlin Borough. The total construction cost of the building was $4,600. The cornerstone was dedicated on September 17, 1921. On September 30, 1921, a windstorm partially blew the Church off its foundation, necessitating repairs.
The first service with Holy Communion was held in the new Church at 10:30 a.m. on December 4, 1921. Two children were baptized in the new Church on April 9, 1922. The Church became indebted from the construction of the new building; however, all indebtedness of the Mission was satisfied in full by July 1, 1923. At the February 24, 1924, 3:30 p.m. Evening Prayer, 100 people were in attendance, setting an all-time high for the Mission.
Following Rev. Ringwalt’s departure in 1924, the Rev. Francis J. Chipp became the new Vicar of Good Shepherd that same year. On June 23, 1926, Rev. Chipp officiated the first wedding to be held in the new Church when the Rev. Albert Eastburn and Miss Norma Mossman were united in Holy Matrimony. On April 25, 1934, at a meeting of the St. Agnes Guild, which became the Ladies Guild of the Mission, it was decided that the Services of the Mission would now be held at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays and Church School would be at 10:30 a.m.
In 1934, Mrs. Elizabeth Shaw Wescott, one of the founders and greatest supporters of the Mission, died and left a generous financial legacy to Good Shepherd in trust with the stipulation that the principal would always remain intact and the interest used for the continued benefit of Good Shepherd. That bequest continues to provide support to the Mission's income to this day. Without Mrs. Wescott’s love and dedication to the Good Shepherd, the Mission might very well have not survived to this day.
In 1935, the Rev. Raymond H. Miller succeeded Rev. Chipp as the new Vicar. From 1937 to 1941, the Rev. Lewis C. Morrison assisted Rev. Miller. In 1938, a $200 deposit was paid for the purchase of the adjoining property at 104 West Broad Avenue. The house on the property was renamed the “Elizabeth Wescott Rectory Association” and used as the Vicarage. A sum of $700 was paid to repair the house.
In the latter part of 1939, a bus was hired to transport Sunday School children from Atco, West Berlin, and parts of Berlin. During World War II, twenty-nine men and boys of the Mission proudly served their country. Among those who gave their lives for their country were Frank Blanck, Jr, Henry Burke, and George F. Blaese.
In 1941, upon the departure of Rev. Miller, Rev. Morrison became the new Vicar and served Good Shepherd for almost twenty years. Many of Rev. Morrison's descendants are still active in the Church to this day.
In November 1947, the Suffragan Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Alfred L. Banyard, called a special meeting of the congregation where the Bishop spoke to twelve members who showed up for the meeting about the financial state of the Mission. The Mission was indebted to the Diocese to tune of $451.48 and the income from the Wescott Trust could not cover all expenses. The Bishop was also concerned that the Mission was not progressing and attendance at Services was falling off. At a meeting held at Christ Church Woodbury in December 1947 attended by a delegation from Good Shepherd, the offering collected was turned over to Good Shepherd. That money along with what was already in the Mission treasury was used by Good Shepherd to pay off its debt to the Diocese.
In January 1948, Mr. Charles A. Schaffer, Sr. was asked by Rev. Morrison to serve as Treasurer of the Mission. The Mission ended that year with a balance of $752.41. In 1949, attendance began to fluctuate again but the Mission ended the year in the black.
In April 1950, Canon Green was sent from the Diocese to examine the condition of the Church and Canon Green noted that if the members did not repair the building the Diocese would close the Mission. Subsequently, the interior of the Church was painted, and some repair work was done to the Vicarage. The first official Annual Meeting of Good Shepherd was held in December 1950.
By 1952, there was an increase in activity at the Mission. Sanitary facilities were improved, and much needed repairs were made to the Vicarage. The Mission Committee also made new kneeling benches for the Church. In December 1956, the Rev. William Paul succeeded Rev. Morrison as Vicar.
In 1957, a Men’s Club was organized, and a Spaghetti Supper was held from which the proceeds were used to repair the basement of the Church. The Building Fund that was discontinued sometime after the construction of the Church was re-established with a deposit of $1,435.74. The Rev. William Paul served until January 17, 1960. For the five months immediately following his departure, Services were conducted by Supply Priests of the Diocese.
1961 - 1990
Growth and Expansion
On May 1, 1960, the Rev. Robert J. Sykes was appointed the new Vicar of Good Shepherd. As time passed, it was obvious a new Church building would be required for the growing Mission. By October 1, 1963, the Church Building Fund had a balance of $12,381.97, but construction costs were estimated to be $45,000. In 1964, the men of the Mission painted the Undercroft, built a kitchen bar, and installed a table that was donated by Mr. J. Lane Kenna.
On June 5, 1966, work finally began on the new Church with the staking out of the ground. On June 23, 1966, actual construction work began when the footing was dug, and concrete poured. On June 4, 1967, Rev. Sykes celebrated the first Holy Eucharist in the new Church, which was constructed adjacent (and connected) to the original building. There were close to 200 people present for this Service with over 140 of them being communicants. A gala reception was held in the Undercroft following the Service.
On September 10, 1967, Bishop Banyard visited Good Sheperd to celebrate the laying of the cornerstone and the dedication of the new Church building. The original Church building became the Church Hall and Sunday School room, with the basement serving as the Fellowship Hall.
The Rev. David Somerville served as Vicar from 1968 to 1973. The Rev. Charles Birkby succeeded Rev. Somerville as Vicar in 1973. In 1976, under the direction of Rev. Birkby, a new house and property were purchased for a new Vicarage, which resulted in the demolition of the original Vicarage that was acquired in 1938. The new Vicarage was located at Rich Avenue and Central Avenue and was directly behind the site of the old Vicarage. At the time, Rev. Birkby indicated that the plan was to use a portion of the old Vicarage lot at 104 W. Broad Ave for a “Garden of S. Francis” for the interment of cremation ashes, and the remainder of the lot would be reserved for the eventual expansion of the Church Hall and parking facilities.
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In 1978, the Rev. Myles J. Gill was appointed Vicar of Good Shepherd and served until he retired in 1990. During Rev. Gill’s tenure, there was a huge focus on growing and expanding various programs and ministries at Good Shepherd, many of which continued after his retirement. Notably, an Episcopal Church Women (ECW) Chapter was started, providing a very special service to the Church.
1990 - 2020
Towards Parish Status and then Decline
From 1990 to 2006, the Rev. Paul Van Sant served as Vicar of Good Shepherd. Various programs and projects, some of which started under Rev. Gill, were continued or established. In 1990, the Lay Eucharist Ministry and Lay Readers Program were started under the direction of Rev. Van Sant.
In 1991, a commitment was made to conscientiously work toward becoming an independent parish. With each passing year, this objective appeared attainable. A Mission Statement and a Five-Year Plan were developed during this same year. In 1992, the Mission By-Laws were updated.
An Evangelism Committee and a Stewardship Committee were established to enhance the awareness and growth of the Church within the community. Other groups and programs established during this period included a Women's Prayer Group and the Daughters of the King. ECW, which is comprised of all women members of the church, continued to provide essential services and support to the Church.
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In 1996, a new Five-Year Plan was developed to help Good Shepherd realize its mission of proclaiming and sharing in Christ’s love with its neighbors. A Food Pantry was established in 1996, which provided approximately thirty families per month with basic food necessities. In 1998, Good Shepherd, along with Berlin Baptist Church, Centenary United Methodist Church, and Holy Communion Lutheran Church, came together to form God’s Interfaith Food Table (G.I.F.T.), as a collaborative Food Pantry program to serve needy residents in the wider Berlin Borough and Berlin Township.
Over the ensuing years, in its effort to become an independent parish, Good Shepherd worked to reduce its Diocesan support and increase its income as the budget permitted. The Fundraising Committee continued to work diligently to maintain the financial support of the Mission by hosting events, such as the yearly Church Fair and Chicken Barbecue/Pig Roast, the Haunted House, Socials, and the February Sweetheart Dance. A Blessing of the Bikes (motorcycles) was also introduced, which attracted many motorcyclists who would come to get their motorcycles blessed.
During the mid-1990s, Good Shepherd’s outreach program consisted of late summer fairs on the lawn adjacent to the Church, and floats entered the Berlin 4th of July Parade. A parishioner would dress in a character costume, such as Barney, the Purple Dinosaur, and ride with the children of the church on the float.
In the late 1990s, a bilingual Sunday Eucharist was added to serve the Latino population who had begun to attend Good Shepherd. A parishioner offered free English as a Second Language classes at the Church. Several Latino members took advantage of these classes and started attending regular Sunday services. In 2021, one of the Latina member’s Quinceneara was held at Good Shepherd.
In the 1990s, several projects were completed, including a handicap access ramp to the Church, the replacement of sidewalks, a Church directory with pictures, new robes for the choir, and a Church brochure. During this period, the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey restarted the Cursillo movement. Many parishioners at Good Shepherd participated as candidates or served on-team on the different Cursillo weekends. Three Church members were Rectors for the weekends. Three parishioners were members of the Secretariat, the governing body of Cursillo in New Jersey, holding the positions of president, secretary, and treasurer.
Several children at Good Shepherd were members of Episcopal Youth Council (EYC). A few of the children at Good Shepherd participated in a “Happening Weekend,” the equivalent of an adult Cursillo weekend. They also had an overnight ski trip to the Poconos and attended an overnight camping experience. A highlight for the members of the EYC was attending the Bishop’s Ball at the Cathedral.
Due to Good Shepherd’s improved finances and growing membership, the Church was incorporated as a Parish of the Episcopal Church in Camden County, New Jersey on January 28, 1999, and was filed as a non-profit corporation of New Jersey with the New Jersey State Treasurer on February 3, 1999. Good Shepherd was announced as a Parish of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey at the Annual Diocesan Convention held on March 13, 1999. Consequently, Rev. Van Sant became the first (and to date only) Rector of Good Shepherd. In the Church’s honor of reaching this milestone, a dinner was held at Lucien’s in Berlin.
In 2001, now as an independent Parish, Good Shepherd requested that the Trustees of Church Property in the Diocese of New Jersey, transfer the titles of 101 Rich Ave and 108 W. Broad Ave into the name of the Parish. Good Shepherd sought the transfer to consolidate all the properties into a single lot and title to enable it to begin planning for the design and construction of a new Parish Hall.
Between 2001 and 2003, a Planning Committee was established to determine the steps to be taken to construct the new Parish Hall. By 2003, $5,000 was raised for the new hall. There were site visits to other Episcopal churches to understand how they went about securing funding and constructing new parish halls.
In 2004, the Church celebrated its 100th anniversary. By this time, Good Shepherd started to experience challenges. Several parishioners either left the Church or transferred to other neighboring Episcopal Churches. The Rectory also fell into a state of disrepair. The Church’s finances began to decline, including the investment account that was severely depleted. Good Shepherd again became indebted to the Diocese of New Jersey from which it had secured a loan to assist with general operations.
In 2006, Rev. Van Sant left Good Shepherd, and the Church began using Supply Priests who served under the authority of the Wardens and the Vestry/Mission Committee. In 2007, the Rev. Wayne Smith became Good Shepherd’s first Long-Term Supply Priest. During Rev. Smith’s tenure as priest, membership grew, and parishioner’s enthusiasm increased. In 2010, the Rectory at 101 Rich Ave was sold and the proceeds used to consolidate the vacant lots, retire the debt to the Diocese, and rebuild the savings and investment accounts.
In 2011, Rev. Smith passed away unexpectedly, and he was succeeded by Good Shepherd’s second Long-Term Supply Priest, the Rev. Jonathan Deacon. Rev. Deacon served Good Shepherd until 2015, when he retired due to poor health. The Rev. Wectnick Paul succeeded Rev. Deacon in 2015 and served until December 2019 when he retired. In 2018, due to declining membership, Good Shepherd moved to one service at 9 a.m. Upon the Rev. Wectnick Paul’s departure, services at Good Shepherd were conducted by various Supply Priests.
In 2018, at the direction of the then Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, the Rt. Rev. William Stokes, Good Shepherd and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Clementon, New Jersey were asked to enter a period of discernment to determine the best way forward for the two Churches, both of which were suffering from declining membership and shrinking finances. Among the possibilities were for both Churches to remain separate but share clergy and ministry; one church would close and merge with the other; or both churches would close, and a new Church built. During this time, an air-conditioning unit was installed in the Fellowship Hall.
On November 27, 2019, due to financial constraints and at the suggestion of Bishop Stokes, Good Shepherd requested that the Diocese reclassify the Parish. Effective January 16, 2020, the Diocese reclassified Good Shepherd as a Mission.
2020 - 2025
The New Mission and the Push for Renewal and Growth
On March 18, 2020, because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Bishop Stokes ordered the immediate suspension of all public worship services within the Diocese. Between March 22 and May 3, 2020, no worship services were held at Good Shepherd. During this time, the Church’s Facebook page was reactivated, a YouTube channel was created, the Church website was revamped, and online giving was set up. Good Shepherd began online-only worship services on Sunday, May 3, 2020. The By-Laws were further updated in September 2020.
On April 4, 2021, Easter Sunday, Good Shepherd reopened for in-person worship with restrictions. The live streaming of the services continued and has become a feature of the Church, offering a modern way to reach and engage with the congregation, especially the sick and shut-ins, and beyond.
In May 2021, after more than three years of exploring various affiliation strategies with limited success, Bishop Stokes discontinued the discernment process between Good Shepherd and St. Mary’s Clementon. Bishop Stokes then asked Good Shepherd to consider a possible affiliation with Holy Communion Lutheran Church in Berlin. After an initial meeting with the Bishop, the Wardens of Good Shepherd, and the Pastor and laypersons from Holy Communion, efforts to move the discussion forward were unsuccessful.
Leading up to and during the year-long COVID-19 shutdown, Good Shepherd embarked upon a renewed program of physical transformation of the Church. A new sign was designed and installed in front of the Church. Between 2022 and 2024, with the assistance of grant funding from the Diocese, major remodeling and renovations were done to the interior and exterior of the Church to include new interior walls, windows, lighting, flooring, ceiling, painting, sidewalks, landscaping, furniture, and equipment. Two flower beds were redesigned with the installation of engraved pavers to memorialize former parishioners and other loved ones.
Between 2020 and 2024, various ministries and programs were restarted or established, including the ECW Chapter, the Sunday School program, and the celebration of the Church’s anniversary with a Founders’ Day luncheon. At the annual luncheon, parishioners are recognized for their leadership, faith, and service to the Church and the community. In 2021, the Good Shepherd Scholarship Fund was established to provide financial support to active parishioners pursuing higher education, deacon school, or the seminary.
Between 2020 and 2022, the Fundraising Committee worked to identify some key fundraisers that could provide greater financial support to the Church. A Gift Card Raffle was started in 2020. The Designer Bag Bingo was discontinued in 2022 and replaced with a Basket Auction, which has proven to be highly lucrative. In 2023, a new Church logo was designed, and the By-Laws were amended.
In January 2022, the Rev. Russell Griffin began serving as a Supply Priest. On May 1, 2024, Rev. Griffin became a Long-Term Supply Priest with enhanced responsibilities. On September 29, 2024, the Rt. Rev. Sally French, Bishop of the Diocese of New Jersey, appointed the Rev. Bruce Cecchini as a Deacon at Good Shepherd.
In January 2025, the Mission Committee approved a new Strategic Plan to guide the next phase of the growth and development of the Church through 2029 when Good Shepherd celebrates its 125th anniversary. The three strategic goals of the Plan are to expand and upgrade the physical plant, primarily with the construction of the new Church Hall; to grow the membership and increase the Church’s involvement in ministry and community life; and to increase the financial resources for long-term sustainability. With the blessing of Bishop French, while the official name “Church of the Good Shepherd” remains unchanged, the Church has been rebranded “the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd” to strengthen and bring clarity to its identity.
Architectural drawings for the construction of the new Church Hall were completed in early 2025 and submitted to the Diocese for review and approval.
Compiled by Charles A. Schaffer, Sr., Mildred Hillman, Clara Lutz, Muriel Johnson, Diane Krug, Edna Krug, Regina Listman, Gail Cecchini, Dcn. Bruce Cecchini, and Kevin K.O. Sangster.
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