“Loving as Christ loves, serving as Christ serves.”

Those eight words are everywhere at Good Shepherd Parish in Alexandria. Printed on posters inside the parish lobby, a banner outside the building and in every week’s bulletin, the motto is a reminder for parishioners of who they are and what they are meant to do. More that that, though, the words are embedded in the actions of parishioners, who have made Good Shepherd a parish that is both welcoming and filled with service since its foundation.

Good Shepherd was founded in 1965. In its early years, the church was one multipurpose room that was used for Mass, religious education classes and special events. In 1984, the new church was built with enough room to seat 800 people. A later renovation brought parish offices and classrooms for religious education.

Father Thomas P. Ferguson has been pastor of Good Shepherd since June, but he has been a member of the community since 1978, when his parents became parishioners. While growing up at Good Shepherd, he was involved in youth ministry and served as an altar boy and an extraordinary minister of holy Communion. After he was ordained, he celebrated his first Mass at the parish.

“For me, it’s been a great place to grow up and it’s a great privilege to be the pastor of it now,” Father Ferguson said.

Over the years, he has seen the parish grow tremendously. Back in 1978, the church was home to fewer than 500 families. Today, that number is closer to 3,000 and the population is much more diverse, with a large population of Hispanic parishioners. According to Father Ferguson, the influx of Hispanic parishioners has been beneficial for the Alexandria parish.

“They have such a strong devotional life,” he said. “They’re enriching the life of the parish.”

(Read about how local parishes work to unite Catholics of different cultural backgrounds.)

Father Ferguson believes the mission of Good Shepherd is three-fold.

“What we’re trying to really do is to be the people the Church means for us to be — people who worship, people who hand on our faith to others and who reach out and serve the Lord in the person of those who are most in need among us,” he said.

There are 1,300 children enrolled in the parish religious education program, which has classes 10 times a week and involves approximately 150 volunteers. Last spring, students performed a bilingual Stations of the Cross. This year, they are starting a new tradition — a Christmas pageant.

For adults, there are Bible classes, Scripture study and faith formation programs in both English and Spanish.

(Read about the parish's coordinator of religious education.)

The parish is home to an active youth ministry run by Miguel De Angel, who is also director of young adults ministry.

Groups of youths meet three times a week for formation and at least once a month for social “fun nights” or other regularly scheduled special events, including retreats, lock-ins, a dodgeball tournament or an annual Super Bowl party. De Angel estimates about 65 to 70 youths are involved on a weekly basis, and more come to special events.

Youths are encouraged to attend work camp trips locally through the diocesan Office of Youth Ministry, nationally through outside organizations like Mustard Seed Ministries and internationally to places like Bánica in the Dominican Republic or Jamaica.

In past years, parishioners have attended as many as six work camps through Good Shepherd — four trips organized for middle school and high school students, one trip for college students and another for adults. This year, De Angel expects the parish will have four work camp opportunities.

De Angel hopes all the programs offered will lead young people to have closer relationships with God.

“Ultimately, it’s formation that they may more consciously live out their faith and prayer life and grow with relationship to God,” he said.

The high interest in work camp is just one aspect of the parishwide commitment to service. Other service projects include outreach to local hypothermia shelters, free English classes for recent immigrants and parish committees that make cards or prayer quilts for those in need of comfort.

The parish has a large involvement with United Community Ministries, a local ecumenical group, as well as Good Shepherd Housing, an organization founded by parishioners that helps provide housing for the homeless along the Route 1 corridor.

Paul Seymour has been a parishioner for 38 years. In that time, he’s helped with the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults program, served as an usher and an extraordinary minister of holy Communion and as a volunteer for many projects.

“The volunteerism that exists in this community is incredible,” Seymour said. “It’s great knowing so many things are being done for the homeless, the poor and their children and that it always will be done.”

As much as they serve the outside community, Good Shepherd parishioners also make a point to be kind to each other. As a result, the parish community is friendly and welcoming.

“To me, what makes Good Shepherd special is that even though it has grown quite a bit over the years, there is still a commitment to make every person who comes to the parish feel welcome,” Father Ferguson said. “As a pastor, I hope that everyone who comes to Good Shepherd as a new person today would feel as welcome as we did when we came 33 years ago.”

In keeping with the name, Good Shepherd, he believes the parish is a place where Catholics can come to learn to hear the voice of Jesus and follow Him, and also where those who have been lost can come to rejoin the flock.

“We’re hoping our church will always be a place that is welcoming for those who are searching for Jesus, that they can find that welcome and a place of hospitality where they are reconciled to Him,” he said.

That welcoming atmosphere is felt by both long-term and new parishioners alike.

One parishioner, Dave Timmons, has been at Good Shepherd since 1981.

“I’ve belonged to many parishes, but this is the best parish I’ve ever belonged to,” he said. “To me, it is so open and so welcoming. It’s alive. This parish is alive.”

Quick Facts

Good Shepherd Church

8710 Mt. Vernon Hwy.

Alexandria, Va. 22309

703/780-4055

Pastor: Fr. Thomas P. Ferguson

In residence: Bishop Joseph W. Estabrook,

Fr. Ricardo Martin Pinillos,

Fr. Luis H. Quiñónes

Deacon: Thomas G. White Jr.

Director of faith formation: Joan Sheppard

Coordinator of religious education: Stacy Austin

Hispanic religious education: Marie Purdy and Jorge Salgado

Mass Schedule:

Sat.: 9 a.m., 5 p.m. vigil, 6:30 p.m. vigil (Spanish)

Sun.: 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. (Spanish), 6:30 p.m. (Sept. 12 – May 22)

Weekdays: 9 a.m.

Parishioners: 9,842

Website: gs-cc.org