About Good Shepherd · Decherd, Tennessee
Good Shepherd Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Nashville serving the Decherd, Tennessee area and surrounding Franklin County. The parish includes Good Shepherd Catholic Church on an eleven-acre campus at 2021 Decherd Blvd. in Decherd and the mission church of St. Margaret Mary at 9458 Old Alto Hwy. in nearby Alto. It serves over 350 families and offers Mass in both English and Spanish, with a Saturday Vigil and daily weekday Masses.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- Good Shepherd (Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd)
- Rector
- Fr. Anthony Mutuku
- Diocese
- Diocese of Nashville
Why belong here
Good Shepherd Parish welcomes over 350 families across Franklin County with a full weekly schedule of Masses in English and Spanish, weekly Confession, First Friday Adoration, and active ministries for every age and stage of life. Parishioners can serve through the Knights of Columbus, Good Samaritan food pantry, Life Choices pregnancy support, family and youth programs, liturgical ministries, and the G3S safety team. The parish is currently investing in its future through a campus development project, making it an exciting time to join and participate.
Mass times at Good Shepherd
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- First Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
About Good Shepherd Parish
Good Shepherd Parish is a Catholic community of the Diocese of Nashville serving Decherd, Tennessee and surrounding Franklin County. The parish is centered on Good Shepherd Catholic Church, situated on eleven acres at 2021 Decherd Blvd., and includes the mission church of St. Margaret Mary at 9458 Old Alto Hwy. in nearby Alto. More than 350 families belong to the parish, and all are welcome to join in its worship and life.
- Good Shepherd Catholic Church – Decherd (eleven-acre campus)
- St. Margaret Mary Mission Church – Alto
- Serves 350+ families
- Part of the Diocese of Nashville
History
The parish's Catholic roots in Decherd go back to 1908. Over more than a century the community has grown into a multi-site parish with a mission church in Alto. A signature chapter of parish history is the stained glass window project begun in 1996 under then-pastor Father Dexter Brewer, which was completed in 2010. More recently the parish has launched a campus development project to expand and renew its facilities.
- Catholic presence in Decherd dates to 1908
- Stained glass windows initiated fall 1996 by Fr. Dexter Brewer
- First eight panes delivered December 23, 1996
- Final four windows dedicated September 5, 2010
- Proposed Campus Development Project submitted to Diocese in April
Stained Glass Windows
Good Shepherd Church is surrounded by twelve stained glass windows unified by the theme of the Good Shepherd and his flock. Father Dexter Brewer sketched the designs with parishioners; Lumpkin Stained Glass of Huntsville, Alabama fabricated the panes. Funding and installation were done incrementally by a volunteer committee, with the project crossing from Christmas 1996 to its dedication in September 2010.
- Theme: the Good Shepherd and his flock
- Fabricator: Lumpkin Stained Glass, Huntsville, AL
- First panes delivered Dec 23, 1996
- All twelve windows dedicated Sept 5, 2010
Our Staff
Good Shepherd Parish is served by a pastor, a permanent deacon, and a dedicated administrative, formation, and music staff.
- Fr. Anthony Mutuku – Pastor
- Deacon Philip Johnson
- Caroline Woods – Director of Administrative Services
- Kristie McDonald – Administrative Assistant
- Theo Skelton – Bookkeeper
- Patty Davidson – Director of Religious Education & Youth Ministry; Safe Environment Coordinator
- Karla Aguilar – Coordinator of Religious Education
- Brigid Stewart – Music Director
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners are invited to serve the liturgy as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHCs) and Lectors. EMHCs assist the priest at Mass and bring Holy Communion to the sick and homebound; Lectors proclaim the Scripture readings. Training is coordinated through Beth Melton at (931) 327-5753.
- EMHCs assist the priest at Mass and visit the sick/homebound
- Lectors proclaim the readings at Mass
- Training contact: Beth Melton, (931) 327-5753
Family Life Ministry
The Family Life Ministry works to foster community within the parish through family-friendly events and ongoing sub-ministries. Its annual events include a fall Parish Picnic (with the Knights of Columbus cooking the meat) and the Mardi Gras Gala at Monterey Station in Cowan, plus a popular Annual Rummage Sale.
- Parish Picnic (fall potluck)
- Mardi Gras Gala at Monterey Station, Cowan
- Annual Rummage Sale
- Sub-ministries: Young at Heart Social Club; Bereavement Ministry
- Contacts: Su Fernandez (615) 429-0091; Cecelia Schlagheck (931) 636-6390
Hospitality Ministry
The Hospitality Ministry welcomes everyone who enters the doors of the church. Volunteers identify ushers to pass the collection and bring up the gifts, distribute bulletins, tidy the church after Mass, and assist at special events and liturgies.
- Ushers and greeters
- Collection and gift-bearing
- Bulletin distribution
- Church tidy-up after services
- Contact: Marie Robey (931) 968-9105 or the church office
Helping Others & Outreach
Outreach is central to parish life, with strong support for two local ministries: Good Samaritan Ministries of Franklin County (a volunteer-run food and assistance pantry) and Life Choices Pregnancy Support Center (which operates Earn While You Learn and a Baby Boutique). The parish also collects school supplies for Clark Memorial and Decherd Elementary and delivers meals to the homebound through the SCHRA Nutrition Site at the Franklin County Senior Citizens Center.
- Good Samaritan Ministries – 1725 Decherd Blvd., Decherd; (931) 967-9336
- Life Choices Pregnancy Support Center – locations in Winchester, Manchester, and Coalmount
- Contact for Good Samaritan: Caroline (931) 636-2742
- Meals-on-wheels volunteer contact: Gayla Everett, (931) 967-7711
- Parish Spaghetti Dinner (April and November) benefits outreach partners
Good Shepherd Safety and Security (G3S) Ministry
The G3S team trains regularly to provide a welcoming and safe environment at Mass and parish events. The ministry welcomes new members via a QR-code application on the parish website.
- Welcoming-and-safe-environment focus
- Regular training and First Aid preparation
- Contact: Paul Whalen (703) 898-3547 or the church office
Faith Formation & Youth
The parish runs a Religious Education program and Youth Ministry under Director Patty Davidson, with Karla Aguilar coordinating. The program supports sacramental preparation and ongoing faith formation for children and youth.
- Director of Religious Education & Youth Ministry: Patty Davidson
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Karla Aguilar
- Safe Environment Coordinator: Patty Davidson
Campus Development Project
In April the parish presented a proposed Campus Development Project to parishioners after weekend Masses. On April 16 the Parish Council voted unanimously to send the proposal to the Finance Committee, which on April 23 approved submitting it to the Diocese for review. The parish has also begun summer improvement work in the Parish Center starting July 1, with the building closed for at least the month of July while ministries relocate.
- Presented to parishioners April 13–14
- Parish Council unanimous approval: April 16
- Finance Committee approval: April 23
- Submitted to Diocese for review
- Parish Center improvement work begins July 1
Get Involved & Stay Connected
Parishioners can register with the parish, sign up for the email list (prayer requests and announcements), submit Mass intention forms, request homebound Communion, and find answers to common faith questions via the 'Your Questions' page on the parish website. A weekly PDF bulletin, calendar of events, and online giving are also available.
- Parish registration forms at the church office
- Email list for prayer requests and announcements
- Mass Intention form (Prayers of the Faithful)
- Sick or homebound Communion requests
- Online Giving via the parish website
- Weekly PDF bulletin posted on the website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Dexter Brewer1996 (and earlier)
Pastor who initiated the stained glass window project; the first eight panes were delivered on December 23, 1996, and the final four windows were dedicated on September 5, 2010.