On a leafy stretch of Jewett Parkway in Buffalo's Parkside neighborhood, the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd has stood since 1888, long before the surrounding streets took shape. The stone and timber complex - centered on the church and the adjoining Jewett Hall - anchors a quiet block that is also within easy reach of the Darwin Martin House, the Buffalo Zoo, and the Burchfield Penney Art Center. Today the congregation is best known for two things: warm, traditional Episcopal worship and a pair of food pantries that draw neighbors from across the 14214, 14215, and 14216 zip codes.
Sunday and Wednesday Worship
Two Sunday Eucharists frame the week. At 8:30 a.m. the spoken service offers a quiet, unaccompanied liturgy for those who prefer stillness. At 10:30 a.m. the full service unfolds with the choir and Director of Music Gail Shepherd, followed by coffee hour in Jewett Hall. On Wednesdays at 6 p.m. the parish gathers for an Ascension-Style Service with music. The Wednesday service is intentionally low-key: come as you are, whether in work clothes or a Sunday best. Sunday School meets from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. during the school year, and Adult Christian Education follows the late service.
The congregation is, in its own words, both Catholic and Protestant, drawing on Scripture, tradition, and reason. Members believe the bread and wine of the Eucharist are truly the Body and Blood of Christ, and the parish practices open communion. Anyone who wishes to receive is welcome to come forward; those who prefer a blessing can cross their arms, and anyone who chooses only the bread or only the cup may do so. The parish also celebrates Baptism at any age, Confirmation, Healing, private Confession, Ordination, and Holy Matrimony, including marriage for same and different gender couples.
A Door Without Exceptions
Inclusivity is the first thing the parish asks visitors to notice. The About page opens with the line, "You are welcome here with no exceptions," and returns to it several times. The congregation teaches that all people are made in God's image and that Jesus welcomed those whom society pushed to the sides. The statement that follows is direct: "Our inclusivity is not an attempt to be trendy or make a political statement. It is living out the promises we made at our Baptisms." Anyone baptized with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is recognized as a full member of the Church, with equal access to every rite, regardless of gender, race, sexual identity, or any other factor.
One Hundred and Thirty-Seven Years on Jewett Parkway
Good Shepherd was planted in 1888, before Parkside existed as a neighborhood, and has served the area ever since. In 2018 the parish merged with Ascension Episcopal Church, and the combined congregation now carries both legacies forward. It sits within the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York and is part of the Episcopal Church, the United States branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, a family of thirty-nine national and regional churches that traces its roots through the Church of England to the early followers of Jesus.
During a pastoral transition, the Rev. Frieda Van Baalen Webb serves as Supply Priest while the parish searches for a new rector. Wardens Dale Cich and Elaine Richau, along with the vestry and the wider congregation, keep ministries running through the season. Worship continues without interruption.
The Ken Perry Food Pantry
The parish's largest outreach is the Ken Perry Food Pantry, named in memory of the food pantry's founder and open every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Jewett Hall. Operating for more than thirty years, it distributes pre-packed bags of food as an emergency resource for households in the 14214, 14215, and 14216 zip codes. Food is supplied primarily through grants from FeedMoreWNY and through other donations. Volunteers staff every distribution, and no paperwork or identification is required at the door.
Pete's Pet Food Pantry
A newer ministry, Pete's Pet Food Pantry was founded by parishioner Pete Dempesy-Sims and operates as an all-volunteer 501(c)(3). Distribution takes place on the first Sunday of each month from 3 to 4 p.m. in Jewett Hall. No paperwork, ID, or proof of need is required, but only one adult per household may receive a bag. Canned cat and dog food, dry cat food, and pet store gift cards are the most-requested items, and donations can be made online or by check. Volunteers are welcome to help pack bags ahead of distribution.
Women's Group and Other Gatherings
The Women's Group meets on the first Saturday of each month from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., rotating between Jewett Hall and members' homes. The format is simple: a prayer, a shared meal, and a book chosen by the group. After reading Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn's "Half the Sky," the women began sponsoring sisters through Women for Women International, a small-group program that connects women in conflict and post-conflict countries with one another. Two Alcoholics Anonymous meetings also meet in the building on Sunday and Wednesday evenings, and the parish works closely with the Parkside Community Association.
The Building and Its Neighborhood
Good Shepherd's campus is more than a sanctuary. Jewett Hall is the busy civic room of the parish - the spot for coffee hour, food pantry lines, ballet rehearsals, AA meetings, and the Women's Group's potlucks. The Festival School of Ballet uses space in the complex, and the Buffalo Gay Men's Chorus has been among the groups that have rehearsed or performed there. The building itself is a piece of the city's history, and online giving options help fund both day-to-day ministry and the upkeep of the structures. Contributions by check may be mailed to the parish office at 96 Jewett Parkway.
Visiting Good Shepherd
The office is open on Thursdays from 8 a.m. to noon, and the best way to reach the parish between those hours is by phone (716-833-1151) or email (officegoodshep@gmail.com). Sunday visitors have two choices: a quiet spoken Eucharist at 8:30 a.m. or the fuller sung service at 10:30 a.m. with coffee and conversation afterward. Wednesday worship at 6 p.m. is a casual alternative for those whose week keeps them busy until the weekend. Whether someone arrives for the liturgy, the food pantry, a ballet rehearsal, or simply to see a Frank Lloyd Wright house down the street, the parish aims to make space for them.