Nov. 7 was a special date for the Church of the Good Shepherd in Washington. It was the seven-year anniversary of the building’s dedication.

Right across from the Susie Gray McConnell Sports Complex on Market Street Extension, the church is in an interesting location. Why? Because it’s in a former house. There is a nursery, kitchen, office, meeting room and bedrooms used as classrooms. But perhaps what’s most interesting about it is its sanctuary.

The Church of the Good Shepherd holds its services in the large, three-car garage on the side of the building.

“When people hear about worshiping in a garage, they imagine grease and hydraulic lifts,” said Jay Martin, pastor.

In reality, the space is comfortable. It has a projector screen, a space for the Praise Band and several paintings. The only obvious reminders that the sanctuary is a garage are the three, large garage doors in the back.

The church family takes pride in those doors. Martin’s children have told him that if the church expands, they “never want to lose the garage doors.” The doors are a physical representation of the “open-door policy” that seems to define the Church of the Good Shepherd. All people are welcome, no matter what their denominations or backgrounds. Of his own initial experience, Martin said, “The sense of welcome was immediate. … It’s a place where you can be transparent.”

“We’re very much a ‘come-as-you-are’ church,” Martin said.

There is no set dress code, and services (while no less reverent) are not rigidly structured. Martin said it’s a different experience – not necessarily better or worse – from when he was the pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Washington.

“It’s conversational. I went from preaching typed, 22-minute sermons to preaching off note cards and expecting interruptions,” Martin said. “I’m loving it!”

“We’re a church with a tremendous belief in prayer,” said Martin.

The church’s prayer ministry is important to the congregation, he said. The Church of the Good Shepherd is “very much a place that believes in the power of the miraculous,” Martin said, and that’s because many of its members have stories about how they have seen the healing hand of prayer at work in their lives. Some members have lost their jobs, been divorced, battled with addictions, suffer from sicknesses and are dealing with financial struggles.

In these trying times, the church has turned to prayer to help with these problems, and its members believe they’ve seen a difference in many cases, Martin said. The church has a bottle of oil for anointing people, and those people may sit in a chair in front of the congregation, which is then invited to come up and pray for them. It’s hands-on and supportive, according to Martin.

Martin said there are typically between 50 to 70 people at Sunday services, but there’s no set membership. People are free to come and go as they please. The church celebrates this freedom, but Martin said he sees many people choosing to stay with the church.

“We’re seeing a lot of full seats,” he said.

Martin believes that “any church needs to be not just inwardly focused, but outwardly focused, too, or it’ll stagnate.” That’s why the Church of the Good Shepherd tries to be involved in the community, he said. They’ve been involved with the Let the Kids Play Free program and also hosted events for Young Life. Martin is particularly proud and excited about the church’s work with a program called Young Lives. Young Lives is a ministry for teenage mothers. It strives to provide physical (in the form of diapers, clothes and other supplies), emotional and spiritual support for these mothers and their children and help them grow in a Christian environment. Martin said he and the church look forward to new and continued opportunities ahead with programs like those.

“It’s a real servant-oriented church,” Martin said.

Speaking on churches in general, Martin believes, “The building is not sacred unless the Spirit is present in the people.” He is certain this is the case with the Church of the Good Shepherd. From the power of its prayer, to its impact on the community, to the hearts of its congregation, the church seems to have proved this, Martin said.

“I feel like everyone (in the congregation) is called to ministry,” he said.

The Church of the Good Shepherd is located at 2425 N. Market St. in Washington.