Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd

                        Venice, Florida 

 
 
 

Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd
             Venice, Florida 

 

Clergy

Bishop Dabney Smith
Fifth Diocesan Bishop of The Diocese of Southwest Florida
 
After seminary training at Nashotah House in Wisconsin, Dabney became an assistant priest in the diocese of Central Florida. He and his wife eventually moved to Trinity Episcopal in Lousiana where he was rector, but he has said that his return to Florida was a return to home. Bishop Dabney was consecrated as Bishop Coadjutor in 2007, and shortly thereafter, he became our Diocesan Bishop. His goals are clearly laid out for our diocese and we are privileged to serve under his guidance. He is currently headquartered at the diocesan office located at the Dayspring Episcopal Conference Center in Ellenton.
Fr. Joe Hudson
Rector
Fr. Joe grew up in Boulder, Colorado before joining the Marine Corps. He spent four years working in communications with a Top-Secret Clearance stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Okinawa, Japan. He then returned to Colorado where he finished a bachelor’s degree and then master’s degree in Counseling from Denver Seminary. After five years working as a Chemical Dependency Counselor in Wyoming, he joined the pastoral staff of a local Wesleyan Church. He served as a minister in The Wesleyan Church for seventeen years in Wyoming, Montana and Missouri. After leaving The Wesleyan Church in 2011, he joined The Episcopal Church in St. Louis where he spent two years of Clinical Pastoral Education in a hospital in preparation for ministry as a chaplain. Fr. Joe and his wife moved to Venice, Florida in December 2013 where he worked for Tidewell Hospice as a chaplain. For the next six years Fr. Joe served as a chaplain while completing his journey towards The Episcopal priesthood. After finishing a distance learning program at Nashotah House Seminary in Wisconsin, he was ordained to the priesthood January of 2018. Over the years Fr. Joe’s family grew as he and his wife Desiree raised three children; who then blessed the couple with four grandchildren (so far). Fr. Joe began his position as rector of Good Shepherd December 10, 2019.  You may also email Fr. Joe here.

Fr. Robert Miller

Assistant Priest

Fr. Bob was ordained in San Francisco following a background in electronics and physics research at UC Berkeley.  He received degrees in the Philosophy of Religion and in Social Psychology from San Francisco State University and his theological degree from Nashotah Theological Seminary. Fr. Bob served as Director of St. Dorothy's Retreat Center and as Associate Pastor at churches in the San Francisco Bay Area before joining the ecumenical staff of La Casa de Maria Conference Center in Santa Barbara, where he and Margi were wed in 1975.  Fr. Bob served in Honduras from 1979 -1988 to found El Hogar Ministries for abandoned children and to build St.Mary of the Angels Church. Bob retired from Trinity Church in Litchfield, MN and moved to Venice in 2008, when he was assigned by Bishop Smith as Assistant to the Church of the Good Shepherd.

Rev. Michael Kitt

Deacon

Michael was ordained to the diaconate in February 2002 in the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago. Prior to his ordination, Michael created a weekly soup kitchen ministry in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago which lasted 30 years.

After his ordination, Michael served on the Deacons Formation Commission and for six years, chaired the Diocesan Commission on Global Mission which focused on our companion relationship with the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Mexico. Michael traveled to Mexico extensively over an eight year period helping to establish several sustainable parish based businesses and build a water purification system in his sister parish’s community. Michael served on the Cathedral Chapter of St. James in Chicago and as a Director of the Association for Episcopal Deacons. Michael also worked in community organizing advocating for affordable housing, accessible health care and worker rights.

As a bi-vocational clergy, Michael served as CFO for a consulting firm, retiring in December 2015 upon selling the practice. Michael also served as Chaplain of our Episcopal Campus Ministry at Northwestern University retiring in June 2016.

Michael and Stephanie have been married for 37 years. They moved to Venice from Park Ridge, Illinois in June 2017 with Stephanie’s sister Jane Parker who is now living in a group home in Port Charlotte.

 

Staff

Lynn Tabor

Parish Administrator
 
Lynn, a cradle Episcopalian, moved to Florida from Massachusetts with her family in 2005.  They have been attending Good Shepherd since 2009.  Lynn accepted the position of Parish Administrator in August 2015.    

 

BetteAnn Janes

Bookkeeper

BetteAnn, a cradle Episcopalian, has been an active member of Good Shepherd since 2004. She was the administrator for 3 years, and has served as Clerk of the Vestry for 8  years.  BetteAnn has a background in bookkeeping and extensive knowledge of the ACS program she, has been Good Shepherd's Bookkeeper for 7 years.

Chuck Bradley

Choirmaster and Organist

 

Tom Roohr

Sexton
Tom manages the daily upkeep of our facilities including re-setting the parish hall for special events and maintaining the sanctuary in a clean and welcoming manner.  He also alerts the Junior Warden of any potential maintenance problems.  He and his wife, JoAnne, came to us from Hartford, CN.  They both sing in the choir. Tom's number is 860 819-8512 and his email is TR@me.com

 

Vestry

Good Shepherd's Vestry, elected by the general membership, is entrusted with the administration and growth of our church.  Each member heads a commission and keeps that responsibility for two years. These parishioners are "members of a legal board who work in partnership with the Rector to articulate and advance our common vision of God’s call to us in terms of our sense of mission and chosen ministries. It is a calling that includes prayer, silence, watching, listening, open and honest dialogue, and thoughtful decision making."
 
Bob Sawyer
Senior Warden

Bob's role as the Senior Warden is to serve as the lay partner with our rector in articulating the mission and vision of the parish, in managing its day-to-day operations, identifying and nurturing leaders, and empowering members of the congregation to live out the Gospel in their daily lives. Bob can be reached at (413) 244-4341.
 
Bob Clark
Junior Warden and Property Manager

 

As Junior Warden (the people's warden) Bob is responsible for all the property and movable goods belonging to the parish church. No small task!  He oversees repairs, new purchases, security, and special projects.  (941) 786-4731.
Ruth Bruno
Hospitality Commission 
 
There is an abundance of fellowship opportunities at Good Shepherd just waiting for you. We host many dinners, called Food, Fun and Fellowship and love to celebrate the Fourth of July. We customarily present an amazing Tea in the spring. We provide memorial receptions when requested by families.  We have opportunities for new members to gather and get to know us. 
 
Every Sunday, following the  worship service, you are invited to attend a leisurely gathering in our parish hall. With an abundance of food and beverages, it is a time to catch up, to fill up, and to charge up where friends from old and new await

(941) 496-9574

JoAnn Japak
Visitor Care
JoAnn heads the Visitor Care Commission. If you are a first timer to Good Shepherd, you will find new friends quickly, as we invite you to introduce yourself at announement time, and stay after the service to enjoy food and fellowship.
 
Marcel Tabor
Liturgy Commission
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Christine Neal
Missions/Outreach Commission

Parishioners at Good Shepherd are very giving and gifted volunteers and we often participate in fund raising events to support many ministries. Every year our annual goal is to raise $15,000 for our various mission opportunities. Christine heads this ambitious undertaking and also spends her time and energies with our twice a month All Faiths Food Bank distribution to some 175 families in need.  (941) 223-9567

Bob Sawyer
Christian Formation
Bob Sawyer is in charge of scheduling Inquirers, Alpha and Bible classes, Fellowship Flocks, the yearly retreat and any other programs that help the members of Good Shepherd grow in their understanding of what it means to be a Christian in our day.     (413) 244-4341
Sandy Schultz
Pastoral Care Commission
Sandy is in charge of Pastoral Care. She keeps in touch with any parishioners in hospitals, recovery facilities or who are homebound.  She organizes visits from our clergy and makes sure families in need of an extra meal receive that from our Manna Ministry.  (443) 307-1566

Communications Commission
You can stay informed about Good Shepherd Church in many ways.  The bulletin you receive from the ushers as you enter church contains details about the service with readings, prayers and hymns for the day.  An accompanying leaflet lists other information such as schedules, an events calendar, parish office hours, phone numbers to call for information and news about people at Good Shepherd.
 "The Heart of the Shepherd", our weekly email newsblast, and the Sunday sermons can be found on our website.
 
Sally Mock
Clerk of the Vestry
Sally keeps agenda and minute items from any Vestry meetings. She also plans the Vestry Retreat and the Annual Parish meeting.  (941) 786-8002. 
Dave Beall
Finance Commission/Treasurer

Every November and December we conduct our Stewardship Campaign which is a perpetual "Journey to the Tithe". Pledging members, prayerfully consider what they intend to give to the Church at this time for the following year and we build a budget from these commitments. Stewardship is related to outreach to the community within and outside its walls. We help the Church continue on its course to love and serve God with all its heart, mind and soul, and to love its neighbors as itself.

We would like to share with you the joy that comes from such giving. Monies may be directed to the annual Operating fund for its normal operation or an amount may be given to Reserves. (941) 488-7312

Rusty Shelley
Assistant Treasurer

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