Dear Good Shepherd family,
This Lenten season, our elder board, trustees and pastors will be making some incredibly important decisions about the future of our church, and each of you will play a vital role in shaping that future. But before outlining the ways we’re asking you to get involved, we want to update you on some recent developments.
The reason we’ve been able to call The Chapel of the Good Shepherd “home” for the last several years is because of an agreement we entered into with The General Theological Seminary (GTS) when we relocated from Tribeca in January 2020. Late last year, GTS entered into negotiations with a Christian non-profit to pursue a long- term lease of their property.
This past week, Good Shepherd received notice that in light of this imminent deal, our License agreement with GTS will be terminated. This means that our office, storage and studio spaces must be vacated by June 30th, 2024, and our usage of the Chapel and classrooms for Sunday and Wednesday services will end December 31st, 2024.
While we know that what ultimately makes the Good Shepherd community special is not a place but rather our people, we also recognize that this chapel now feels unspeakably special to so many of you. So if the news of a potential transition stirs in you a sense of deep loss and grief, please know that our leaders join you in this. And yet, we continue to remain hopeful about the future.
We love making our home here at GTS, and it may be possible that we can work with the new non-profit to collaborate and continue our presence here. But if we learn that we must transition, our leadership is already fast at work identifying and assessing potential new venues so that we’re ready for whatever may come.
As details continue to unfold, we are calling on our Good Shepherd family to band together in order to build the strength that our church needs to secure a bright and fruitful future in this city.
There are two specific ways we’re asking you to get involved:
First, you can join us in prayer. Will you join us in specifically asking God to grant us the wisdom and creativity we need to navigate the uncertainty of the days ahead?
Second, you can consider giving generously as you are able. The costs associated with relocating and securing a long term lease on a sufficient venue will be significant, and we’ll need your generosity to increase our financial capacity to make a swift and smooth transition.
The story of Good Shepherd has been the story of God’s consistent grace throughout many seasons, and we are confident that God’s provision will continue unabated in this next chapter as well. We will be sharing updates with you in the days ahead as the situation develops, but if you have specific concerns or questions in the meantime, don’t hesitate to email info@goodshepherdnewyork.com.
Grace and Peace,
Good Shepherd Elders, Trustees and Pastors