We Welcome You to 

The Church of the Good Shepherd 

(Episcopal)

680 Race Brook Road, Orange, Connecticut 06477 •  203-795-6577

ABOUT US

What is the Episcopal Church?

The Episcopal Church is the American branch of the Anglican Communion.  The Anglican Communion is an inheritor of 2000 years of catholic and apostolic tradition dating from Christ himself, rooted in the Church of England. When the Church of England spread throughout the British Empire, sister churches sprang up.

These churches, while autonomous in their governance, are bound together by tradition, Scripture, and the inheritance they have received from the Church of England. They together make up the Anglican Communion, a body headed spiritually by the Archbishop of Canterbury and having some 80 million members, making it the second largest Christian body in the world. 

The Episcopal Church came into existence as an independent denomination after the American Revolution. Today it has between two and three million members in the United States, Mexico, and Central America, all of which are under jurisdiction of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.

A Brief History of 

The Church of the Good Shepherd

In the year 1951 the Bishop of Connecticut, The Right Rev’d Walter H. Gray wanted the Episcopal Church to expand into more communities of Connecticut. The Diocesan Missioner, the Rev’d Donal Greene, knew of several families in Orange - principally Mr. & Mrs. Curtis Henry Thompson - and called them together at 215 Old Tavern Road, the Thompson home, and The Church of the Good Shepherd began.

Refitting the defunct Chapel of the Good Shepherd on Spring Street in the Tyler City section of Orange, a small congregation as assembled. The congregation grew rapidly and, in 1956, 20 acres of land was purchased from Dorothy Pryde. Fr. Donald Greene was followed by Fr. Sherman Beattie, and in 1953 the first Rector was called, the Rev’d Adolph Johnson. The architectural service of Henry Kelley was engaged, and in 1957 the cornerstone was laid. On Palm Sunday 1958 the new building was dedicated. During Fr. Johnson’s tenure the building was erected and the Church School expanded to 120 pupils.

 In 1972 Fr. Johnson retired. On Palm Sunday 1974, the Rev’d Robert Edwin Deming began his rectorship. In 1975 construction was begun on an addition, the Sanctuary was refurbished, the Altar Rail was extended the full width of the church, the balcony was completed and prepared for the Casavant Pipe Organ that was installed in 1984. 

The building and grounds have been kept in good repair, the rectory being rebuilt, and in 2001 the parish celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. As we continue our mission, worship is the first priority of our gathered community and we continue to welcome all in the name of Jesus Christ!

Our webmaster, Bob Reid, can be contacted at rjreid@optonline.net

or by phone during the day at 203-799-8176