An Episcopal Presence in Old Downtown Hemet Since 1886
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church has stood at the corner of Acacia and Carmelita in Old Downtown Hemet, California, for more than a century. The first Episcopal service in what was then the Hemet-San Jacinto Valley took place around 1886, when Anglican settlers from the eastern states, Canada, England, and Wales gathered through an active Episcopal Ladies' Guild. In 1903 the congregation was formally recognized as the Mission of the Good Shepherd. Over the following decades the property grew to include a parish hall and the first bell tower in the valley. By 1948 the parish had become a self-supporting church, and when the Diocese of San Diego was formed in 1974, Good Shepherd joined it as a member congregation. Today the church carries the motto "Love makes room for us ALL" and continues to serve as a witness in the Hemet-San Jacinto Valley.
A Building Shaped by the Community
The physical plant tells the story of steady growth. Stained-glass windows were installed in the 1960s, one reportedly purchased with the trading stamps that mid-century households collected at grocery stores. In the 1970s a major expansion nearly tripled the available seating. The building still anchors a residential block of Old Downtown Hemet, with its corner location making it a familiar landmark for neighbors walking past on Acacia and Carmelita.
The Sunday Eucharist at Ten
Good Shepherd gathers each Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for a service of Holy Eucharist, with music and in-person worship. The parish teaches that when the Eucharist is celebrated, Jesus is present in a particular, tangible way, and the congregation hears the Word and shares the bread and wine that has become for them the body and blood of Christ. Christians have done this for nearly two thousand years, the leaders note, "because Jesus commanded us continually to do it."
Visitors sometimes wonder whether they may come to the altar. All baptized Christians are welcome to receive communion at Good Shepherd, whether or not they are Episcopalians or members of the parish. "Christ is the host of this meal. It is not required that you be an Episcopalian, or that you be a member of Good Shepherd." Mother Teresa's words appear alongside this invitation: "Communion with Christ gives us our strength, our joy, and our love."
The service is described as "a traditional service with contemporary relevance," and the rhythms of Episcopal liturgy flow in the order Anglicans have used for centuries. The climax, leaders say, is when the people come to the altar and receive, "thus strengthening our unity with Christ that we may be transformed, as the bread and wine has been transformed."
Love Makes Room for Us All
The church's tagline, "Love makes room for us ALL," is more than a slogan. Good Shepherd names itself "a united body of worshipers enjoying God, loving unconditionally, giving freely, and attracting their neighbors to Jesus." The congregation commits to bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to all it encounters, guided by core values of hospitality, collaboration, faith sharing, and reconciliation. Whether a visitor's faith is well-established, uncertain, or just beginning, they are welcomed into the worship and the community.
The parish belongs to the Episcopal Church and through it to the wider Anglican Communion. Its understanding of Jesus is rooted in scripture, tradition, reason, and experience: Christ is the incarnate Son of God, fully divine and fully human, whose life, death, and resurrection reveal God's love and offer redemption to humanity. The parish emphasizes that the saving grace of Jesus is extended to all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or social status. Baptism and Eucharist are the two great sacraments through which Episcopalians commemorate and share in Christ's saving work.
Good Shepherd also understands itself as a community where questions are welcome. The parish addresses common doubts directly: yes, members are flawed, and they come to church to work on that. The hope is not perfection but steady growth in love.
A Parish that Feeds the Valley
Good Shepherd's longest-running outreach grew out of a single act of vision in 1965. That year the Reverend Roy Shippling, then rector of the parish, established the Valley Community Pantry, now known as the Hemet Community Pantry. According to research done by his son Mike, the pantry may have been the first food pantry in Riverside County and possibly all of Southern California. Today the parish's Food Ministry supports the pantry by providing critical food assistance to residents facing food insecurity, often including fresh produce, dairy, and protein to support healthy diets.
The Homeless Ministry works with Valley Restart, an organization that focuses on individuals and families who want to help themselves and restart their lives. Valley Restart provides emergency shelter, food, and clothing, and is supported by a collaboration of public, private, and religious sectors serving the Hemet-San Jacinto Valley. Good Shepherd backs this work as part of its commitment to loving its neighbors in practical ways.
Ministries for Hands, Hearts, and Voices
The Altar Guild prepares the church and altar for worship - caring for vestments, linens, and hangings, filling candles with oil, and arranging the altar for communion as well as for weddings, funerals, and the High Holy Days around Christmas and Easter. Lay Readers, Crucifers, and Subdeacons lead the congregation in hearing the Word and assisting at the altar. Ushers and Greeters welcome worshipers at the door, help newcomers find their way, and collect the offering during Sunday worship.
Daughters of the King is a lay order for women who are communicants of the Episcopal Church, or who belong to a church in communion with it. Daughters pledge themselves to a life of prayer, service, and evangelism. Their meetings include a check-in, intercessory prayers, a short business portion, and a book study. All women of the parish are members of the Episcopal Church Women, whose gatherings now focus on fellowship and whose fundraising supports ministries both local and global.
Cursillo, offered roughly twice a year, is a retreat method for Episcopalians seeking a deeper walk with Jesus, blending worship, study, prayer, sharing, and good food. The Prayer Shawl Ministry gathers knitters and crocheters who craft shawls and lap robes for those suffering illness, recovering from surgery, or in need of solace. Each finished piece is blessed and given as a token of strength and comfort to its recipient.
Leadership and Music
Good Shepherd is served by Linda as Priest-in-charge. Ed serves as Community Outreach Coordinator. Debbie is Senior Warden, Karen is Junior Warden, Joyce serves as Clerk of the Vestry, and Eddie as Treasurer. Judi, Judy, and Carolyn round out the vestry as members. Linda also directs the music program, and Susan directs the Altar Guild.
Music is part of the Sunday gathering, supporting the liturgy and helping the prayers and Eucharist find their voice. The parish understands music as both a tradition of the wider church and a living ministry of the people who offer it week by week.
Visiting Good Shepherd
Good Shepherd sits at 308 East Acacia Avenue in Hemet, with the parking lot entrance on Carmalita Street between Acacia and Kimball. Sunday worship begins at 10:00 a.m. The parish invites everyone to come as they are. Communion is open to all baptized Christians. The parish office can be reached at 951-929-1152 or parishoffice@goodshepherdhemet.org, and the church maintains a presence on Facebook.
From its earliest days, when settlers from across the English-speaking world formed an Episcopal Ladies' Guild in a California valley, to today's outreach with the Hemet Community Pantry and Valley Restart, Good Shepherd has aimed at the same thing: working for the Kingdom of God through the transformation of its neighborhood with the infinite love of God.