On Highland Terrace in Pitman: A Parish Built Around Welcome
The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd sits on the corner of Highland Terrace and Wildwood Avenue in Pitman, New Jersey, in a residential neighborhood of tree-lined streets in a walkable, historic Gloucester County town. The parish's mission statement reads simply: "to know and embrace Jesus Christ and to share God's love with our neighbors as a welcoming community." That welcome is concrete and specific. Good Shepherd practices Open Communion, invites children of any age to the altar at the discretion of their parents, and runs a Sunday School that no longer drops kids off at a classroom door. It brings parents, grandparents, and their children to the same table to learn the Gospel story together, side by side.
For more than a century, Good Shepherd has been part of Pitman's life. Founded in 1907 as a small wooden sanctuary affectionately called "The Little Church in the Wildwood," the parish has grown into a Christ-centered Episcopal congregation rooted in Word and Sacrament, with a strong music program, an active lay leadership, and a calendar of fellowship events that draw both longtime families and newcomers.
From "The Little Church in the Wildwood" to a Century of Stone
Good Shepherd's story begins at the turn of the twentieth century, when Pitman consisted of a great oak grove surrounding a lake, a summer destination served by the Methodist camp meeting known as Pitman Grove (now a registered national historic site). Among the new residents were a band of Episcopalians who attended St. Thomas Church, an eighteenth-century stone structure in neighboring Glassboro. Strict Methodist blue laws kept the trains from stopping in Pitman on Sundays, making the trip to St. Thomas impractical. Twenty-three men and women decided to strike out on their own, obtaining a wooded lot on the corner of Highland Terrace and Wildwood Avenue. No houses existed around the site, so the little wooden sanctuary built among the trees earned its tender nickname.
Father Dubell, a young priest then serving St. Thomas, gave his time to encourage the new mission, officially recognized in 1908. With his enthusiasm, the parish laid a cornerstone on All Saints' Day, 1908, and parishioners sold building stones at five to fifteen dollars depending on prominence of placement. It took two years to put a roof in place before the little frame building inside could be torn down. The parish remained in mission status and in debt until 1941, when the stone sanctuary was consecrated by Fr. Timothy Woodward and Bishop Gardner. Good Shepherd became an independent parish in 1948, and the parish hall was dedicated in 1950.
Growth continued under Fr. Juan Lopez (rector 1954 to 1967), who oversaw an education wing, a new parish office, and new pews in the sanctuary. In 1961, the parish purchased its present pipe organ, a two-manual, twelve-rank tracker instrument of approximately 550 pipes, originally built in 1896 by the Philadelphia firm of Bernard Mudler. Under Fr. Charles DuBois (rector 1968 to 1986) the parish became involved with a new crisis-intervention service called "Contact" and piloted trial services with the new prayer book when it was first introduced.
Three later rectors shaped much of the parish's recent life. The Rev. Dale C. Marta (1987 to 1990) instituted Lenten potluck suppers, Philippians "in the park" studies, Friday Advent sunset services, and a deeper integration of music in worship. The Rev. Patricia Daniels Pierce (1999 to 2014) was a faithful leader whose fifteen-year tenure saw the number of ministries grow from about twenty to more than thirty-five. She supported three active parish leaders as they studied toward ordination to the diaconate. Mother Pat retired in June 2014 with bagpipes, music favorites, and a joyful Eucharist.
The parish marked its centennial in 2007 with yearlong celebrations including a Memorial walkway, a Centennial bell in the courtyard, a Time Capsule, and a beautiful published Centennial history. The Rev. Susan Osborne-Mott was called as the sixteenth rector in 2015, retired in 2020, and was followed by the Rev. Andrew Reinhold (2022 to 2025). The Rev. Dr. David Snyder has returned to Good Shepherd for a third tour of duty as interim rector.
The Two Eucharists: Saturday Evening and Sunday Morning
The Holy Eucharist is celebrated every Saturday evening at 5:30 PM and every Sunday morning at 10:00 AM. Both services are services of Word and Sacrament firmly rooted in the Book of Common Prayer, follow the Revised Common Lectionary, and reflect the mood of the Christian year. The Saturday evening service is a spoken service without choir, organ, or congregational singing, drawing on a variety of approved liturgical resources including Enriching Our Worship and supplemental materials prepared by the Standing Liturgical Commission of the Episcopal Church. The Sunday morning service is a sung service, with the Adult Choir leading hymns, chants, and other liturgical music and presenting an anthem except during the summer months. The order of service adjusts to the liturgical season: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, and the Sundays after Pentecost. The 10:00 AM Sunday service is also livestreamed on YouTube.
Throughout the year the parish adds special liturgical celebrations: Lessons and Carols in Advent, the Great Litany on the First Sunday in Lent, and a Lenten Cantata on the Fifth Sunday in Lent. Ash Wednesday is marked by three services at 7:00 AM, noon, and 7:00 PM. Palm Sunday incorporates a responsive reading of the Passion of our Lord into the 10:00 AM service. Maundy Thursday includes a 7:00 PM Holy Eucharist followed by the stripping of the Altar, often accompanied by the congregation reciting the Great Litany; congregants may then walk the Labyrinth in silent prayer in the Parish Hall. Good Friday brings a 10:00 AM children's Stations of the Cross, a noon-to-three service of Stations, and a 7:00 PM liturgy with the Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion from the reserved sacrament. The Great Vigil of Easter takes place Saturday evening with baptisms when candidates are available. All Saints' Day and All Souls Day each have a 7:00 PM service on November 1 and 2. Ecumenical services are held in Pitman on Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King Day, and World Day of Prayer on a rotating basis among local churches.
An Open Table
Good Shepherd practices Open Communion, an unusual and explicit pastoral commitment. "All are invited to share in the Bread and Wine, the Body and Blood of Christ, at God's Table, the Altar. You are welcome here! If you choose not to receive, you are invited forward for a blessing." The parish explains that many people today are unchurched, that walking through the red doors for the first time can take courage, and that Communion often becomes a gateway experience into the household of God. Children of any age may receive at the discretion of their parents.
For those unable to come to the church because of illness, the priest, a deacon, or a Lay Eucharistic Visitor can bring small portions of the bread and wine consecrated at the parish's altar to their home. Baptisms are scheduled for either the Saturday evening or Sunday morning service, with a pre-baptismal counseling session required; baptisms are especially encouraged at the Great Easter Vigil, the Easter season, the Feast of Pentecost, All Saints, and the Baptism of Our Lord. Confirmation of youth is generally in seventh grade, with adult and confirmation classes offered annually by the priest; confirmation is celebrated at the Bishop's visitation.
The Choir, the Handbells, and a Pipe Organ from 1896
Music holds a central place in the parish's life. The Adult Choir enhances the liturgy by lifting their voices together in song, with rehearsals on Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. New members are always welcome. The Handbell Choir rehearses Thursday evenings from 6:15 to 7:00 PM, and the Children's Choir offers younger members the opportunity to make a joyful noise of their own. Music Director and Organist Jennifer Fisicaro, a lifelong Pitman resident, teaches special education at Kingsway Middle School and has accompanied choirs and played organ at several churches.
The Good Shepherd pipe organ, built in 1896 by the Philadelphia firm of Bernard Mudler, was acquired by the parish in 1961. A two-manual, twelve-rank tracker instrument consisting of approximately 550 pipes, it offers great musical versatility. It was originally part of a collection held by R. B. Whiting of Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, and was assembled in stages so the organist could play from completed ranks while others were being rebuilt. The instrument anchors the sung Sunday morning liturgy and supports special services throughout the year.
Sunday School as a Family Adventure
Good Shepherd has redesigned its Sunday School as a family experience, the centerpiece of a "Cradle to Confirmation" pathway for children. Worship begins at 10:00 AM with families sitting together in church from the start. About fifteen minutes into the service, after the Gospel reading and before the sermon, children ages four to eleven are ushered out with a parent or family member to the Parish Hall. There, for twenty-five minutes, parents and children share a lesson built on the Gospel story everyone just heard in church, with wondering, a project or song, and words to carry home. Children and their grown-ups slip back into the service just before Communion so the whole family is together at the Lord's Table.
Children gather in three age groups (4 to 5, 6 to 8, and 9 to 11), each with a lesson shaped for where they are but built on the same central message, so that on the ride home a kindergartner and a fifth grader have received the same treasure each in a size they can hold. Any loving adult in a child's life (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or family friend) is welcome to be the learning partner, and grown-ups are encouraged to trade off week to week. The design is simple and pastoral: the single greatest influence on a child's faith is watching the people they love take Jesus seriously. Sunday School coordinators Christine Johnston and Kristina Bergman help shepherd this new model.
Two milestones mark the children's path beyond Sunday School. First Communion classes and Confirmation classes are both offered, with youth Confirmation generally taking place in seventh grade and confirmation celebrated at the Bishop's visitation.
Adult Formation: Studying Ephesians
Adults at Good Shepherd gather for in-depth Bible study several times a year. The most recent major study, "By Grace ... A Ten-Week Study of Paul's Letter to the Ephesians," meets both on Sundays and on Mondays. The format is consistent week to week: gathering and opening prayer, ten minutes looking at the text together, twenty-five to thirty minutes of reflection and conversation, then a taking-it-home practice and closing prayer. The ground rules are few and clear: there are no wrong answers, only honest ones, and participants are asked to read the coming week's passage in advance.
Morning Prayer Rite Two is offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays on Zoom, normally held in the Chapel across from the offices. A midweek Holy Eucharist is also celebrated on Tuesdays at 12:15 PM in the Chapel. Throughout the year the parish offers shorter studies, including Lenten studies based on works such as Walter Wangerin's Reliving the Passion, and adult formation opportunities announced through Flocknote.
Fellowship Ministries Around the Parish
Good Shepherd's fellowship ministries meet regularly to develop relationships, learn, serve, and have fun together, with outreach built into many of them.
The Brotherhood of Saint Andrew is an international, evangelical outreach ministry of men within the Anglican Communion. The Good Shepherd chapter brings men together to share discussions of their Christian faith and study the Bible, becoming more active in and supportive of parish ministry.
Caring Hands uses the fruits of its members' hobbies to provide comfort to those in need. The ministry began by knitting and crocheting prayer shawls for anyone facing a serious illness, life crisis, or the loss of a loved one. The shawls are made with prayer for the recipient and have been described as feeling like an embrace of God.
Coffee Hour follows every Sunday service and is a central part of parish life, offering a consistent and welcoming time for connection. It is often where conversations linger, newcomers are welcomed, and relationships begin to take root. Parish meals, seasonal celebrations, and events such as Fellowship Friday (a monthly luncheon open to parishioners and the wider community) strengthen relationships across generations.
The Lending Library has grown from a few tables to six bookshelves groaning with the weight of generously donated books, available for borrowing at the church.
Greeters share the parish's spirit of warm welcome during the Peace each Sunday, with Name Tag services and Welcome Mugs for newcomers.
Women at the Well (also known as the Episcopal Church Women) is a group of women who meet monthly for spiritual growth, prayer, and fellowship. The year is busy with outreach projects, social events, an annual retreat, a soup sale that supports parish life and outreach, and the Nancy Wasilnak Scholarship Fund, which has provided college scholarships to graduating seniors for more than twenty-five years.
The Page Turners Book Group gathers for shared reading and conversation, and the Prayer Warriors and Pray-er Ministry offer ongoing intercessory prayer for those in need within and beyond the parish. The Property Committee is charged with the on-going maintenance and improvements to the church, church grounds, the rectory, and the detached garage.
Pitman Pantry and Outreach Beyond the Walls
Outreach is a major component of several of the parish's ministries. The most direct community partnership is with the Pitman Pantry, an ecumenical ministry of local churches housed in the rear of the First Baptist Church of Pitman. The Pantry provides food to families who are food insecure, with the majority of recipients living in Pitman and no one turned away. While the Pantry receives food from the USDA and the Food Bank of South Jersey, much of its food is donated by local congregations and other friends in the community; financial contributions allow the Pantry to purchase additional items. Good Shepherd volunteers work on even-numbered Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:00 PM, inventorying, shopping, stocking shelves, packing, and distributing food. The Pantry is open Tuesdays 6:00 to 7:00 PM, Wednesdays 4:00 to 5:00 PM, and Thursdays 12:00 to 1:00 PM. It is a great place to introduce young people to the habit of volunteering.
Good Shepherd also partners with Angels Community Outreach, Unforgotten Haven, Camden Christmas, and the Pitman School District. A yearly Red Cross blood drive, hosted by Women at the Well, is another longstanding expression of the parish's outreach.
The Liturgical Team: LEMs, Acolytes, Ushers, Greeters, Prayer Ministers, and the Altar Guild
A team of lay people makes the parish's worship possible each week.
Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEMs) read the Bible lessons, lead the Psalm, pray the Prayers of the People, and assist in serving the consecrated wine. Some give homilies from time to time. There are typically two LEMs assigned to the Sunday morning service and one to the Saturday evening service, plus assignments for special days and occasions. The parish has eighteen LEMs.
Acolytes, the parish's dynamic young people, support the priest and deacon and lend a sense of dignity and reverence to the service. Torch bearers carry the light of Christ, crucifers "lift high the cross," and servers assist in preparing the Communion table. Four acolytes are assigned to the Sunday morning service, and they are also called upon for special occasions.
Ushers welcome members and visitors, hand out service leaflets, take a count of the congregation, carry the gifts of bread and wine to the Altar, prepare the Altar rail and kneelers for Holy Eucharist, call the Sunday School to come in for Communion, guide and assist communicants, and straighten the church following the service. Two ushers serve the Sunday morning service and one serves the Saturday evening service, on a rotating basis.
Prayer Ministers are individuals selected and instructed by the priest to be humble listeners and to pray with congregants during the serving of Holy Communion, standing near the Lady Altar in a semi-private spot.
The Altar Guild, comprised of women and men, ensures that the Altar is prepared for the Eucharist services on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Members see that the correct liturgical color hangings are in place for each season, that the linens are clean and ironed, that flowers are on the Altar, and that the Eucharist bread and wine are placed in the cruets and ciborium. Altar Guild members also serve as Guides for Weddings and Funerals.
The Holly Fair
Good Shepherd's signature community event is the annual Holly Fair, held on the first Saturday in December since 1961. The fair brings together nearly the entire parish in a one-day celebration that draws the wider Pitman community into the life of the church. The day offers a craft show with vendors from Pitman and surrounding communities (including many from the parish itself), the Good Shepherd Restaurant serving breakfast sandwiches and specialty coffees by Inclusion Coffee of Elmer, a sit-down lunch of homemade soups, sandwiches, and chilis, take-out options, a bake shop selling homemade cookies, cakes, pies, and other desserts, Grandma's Attic dollar store and the "More than a Dollar" store, the Saint Nick Shop with free activities for kids (Spin Art, friendship bracelet making, cookie and cupcake decorating), Christmas caroling performances by the Adult Choir, special appearances by Saint Nick, and a family holiday photo opportunity with Santa.
The People in the Pews: Lay Leadership and the Vestry
Good Shepherd is a parish of faithful and joyful doers, with lay ministry leaders for nearly every aspect of parish life. Acolytes (Jeff Bathurst), Altar Guild (Becky Snodgrass), Brotherhood of Saint Andrew (Darrin Buono), Caring Hands (Pat Braidwood), Columbarium (Diane Wall), Endowment Committee (Roger Baker), Good Shepherd Scholarship Fund (Diane Wall), Chalice Bearers and Lectors (Chuck Lezenby), Lending Library (Sue Dixon), Morning Prayer (Chuck Lezenby), Music Ministry (Jennifer Fisicaro), Offering Counters (George Funk), Page Turners Book Group (Pat Braidwood), Pray-er Ministry (Barbara Elliott), Prayer Warriors (Shelly Harris), Publicity (Beth Portocalis), Sunday School (Christine Johnston and Kristina Bergman), Ushers (Roger Baker), Digital Communications and Social Media (Morgan Wall and Beth Portocalis), Women at the Well (Diane Wall, Jenn Harrington, Dana Earley, Lauren Kaltwasser), and the Holly Fair (Beth Portocalis).
The eleven voting members of the Vestry are elected by the congregation at the Annual Meeting each January, with the Senior Warden, Junior Warden, and nine general members serving three-year rotating terms. The Vestry meets monthly with the rector to administer the business of the church, with responsibilities including stewardship and budget development, oversight of daily operations, property decisions and maintenance, and appointment of special committees. The Vestry elects the Clerk and the treasurers, non-voting positions. For 2026 the Senior Warden is Darrin Buono and the Junior Warden is Lee Ensminger; Clerk of the Vestry is Chuck Lezenby, Acting Treasurer Patti Fortney, and Assistant Treasurer George Funk.
Pastoral Care, Weddings, Funerals, and the Columbarium
The parish provides pastoral care across the rhythms of life. Weddings are celebrated in the church for those who wish to have their union blessed by the church and to conform their marriage to the teachings of the church. A ninety-day notice is requested, premarital conferences with the priest are required, and divorced persons may be married in the Episcopal Church with the consent of the Bishop upon application. Weddings can be scheduled throughout the year except during the forty days of Lent.
The parish encourages pre-planning of burial services. Internment of the cremation urn can be in the Church of the Good Shepherd Columbarium housed in the sanctuary or in a family cemetery plot. The Columbarium is overseen by Diane Wall; inquiries about the purchase of space can be directed to the Parish Administrator.
Stewardship, Giving, and Community Partnerships
Good Shepherd's stewardship is framed as a way of being, not merely a budget. "We are blessed with God's great gifts and recognize that our work is to be good stewards of all these gifts: ourselves, each other, our children, our church, our time and talent and treasure, our beautiful earth, all the people upon it, all of it." Recent stewardship campaigns have brought significant growth in pledged giving, reflecting broad participation across the congregation.
There are many ways to give. Weekly worship offering envelopes are available through the Parish Administrator. Many parishioners arrange electronic bill payment through their personal banks. The GivePlus mobile app from Vanco Payment Services enables recurring or one-time contributions. The Simply Giving program provides recurring giving, with forms available from the Parish Administrator or Assistant Treasurer George Funk. Checks payable to The Church of the Good Shepherd may be offered in the plate at worship services or mailed to 315 Highland Terrace, Pitman, NJ 08071. Designated funds include the Nancy Wasilnak Scholarship Fund, the Altar Flower Fund, the Families-In-Need Fund, the Capital Improvement Fund, Memorials, the Dubell Endowment Fund, and the Squirrels' Nest Reserve. The Dubell Endowment Fund also accepts planned gifts through bequests in wills, outright gifts of special assets, and Life Income Gifts such as charitable gift annuities or charitable remainder trusts.
Leadership and Clergy
The interim rector is Father Dave Snyder. An Episcopal priest canonically resident in the Diocese of New Jersey, Fr. Dave celebrated the 38th anniversary of his ordination in June 2024. He was ordained in the Lutheran Church in America in 1986, served parishes in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Maine, and retired as Rector of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Mt. Holly, NJ, in January 2019. He has also served the church for more than a decade as a major gift fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity International and World Vision-USA. This is his third tour of duty at Good Shepherd, having previously served as Interim Rector from 2014 to 2015 and again from 2020 to 2022. He and his wife Susan live in Burlington, NJ, and he currently serves as a Trustee of Doane Academy, an Episcopal day school in Burlington.
The Rev. Carl Dunn serves as Deacon. Born and raised in South Jersey, Deacon Carl received his undergraduate degree from Philadelphia College of Bible and his Masters from Glassboro State College in Education. He spent his professional career in sales and marketing in Christian publishing, photo marketing, and the hobby association. He joined the Episcopal Church in the fall of 2001, served in the choir, on the Vestry, in the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, and as a Lay Eucharistic Minister. He was ordained a Deacon in the Diocese of New Jersey in May 2012 and has served at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Mt. Holly, Grace Church Haddonfield, and now at Good Shepherd in Pitman, where his wife Ellie is also an active member.
Parish life is supported by Sarah Morciglio as Parish Administrator, Maria Szalma as Sexton, and Jennifer Fisicaro as Choir Director and Organist.
The Diocese of New Jersey
Good Shepherd is a parish of the Diocese of New Jersey, part of The Episcopal Church. The diocese frames the Episcopal understanding of God as Trinity, following Jesus Christ and welcoming others to join in that following. The parish practices Open Communion, an expression of that welcome that places the Gospel at the center of its life together and reaches outward into the Pitman community through word and service.
The Campus in Pitman
Good Shepherd's campus reflects both its history and its ongoing life of ministry. The stone sanctuary, with recently restored stained-glass windows and a long history of baptisms, weddings, and funerals, anchors the corner of Highland Terrace and Wildwood Avenue. The Parish Hall, classrooms, and meeting spaces support fellowship, formation, and outreach, and host the Holly Fair each December. A courtyard holds the Centennial bell and a Memorial walkway; the columbarium is housed in the sanctuary. For more than a century, Good Shepherd has been a parish that values strong relationships, active ministry, and a deep sense of belonging. With multigenerational families and new members continuing to shape its life together, the parish continues to listen for God's call and to embrace new opportunities for mission in Pitman and beyond.