Janice Robbins, a deacon at Church of the Good Shepherd, recently retired after serving since 2007. She began teaching at St. Nicholas School in the 70s, working as assistant headmaster before serving as chaplain at the school.
Called to the ministry, she graduated from Sewanee and was ordained in 2001. She began her deacon career at St. Francis of Assisi in Ooltewah alongside her husband, The Rev. Buckley Robbins.
Appointed to Church of the Good Shepherd in 2007 by the bishop, Janice focused on the outreach ministries of the church. There are many outreach ministries at GSC, including Family Promise, Fairyland School “snack packs,” St. John’s School in Haiti, the Salvation Army’s Christmas Angel Tree, outreach grants, and East Side Elementary School.
Bena Devaney said, “I got to know Janice really well when Good Shepherd started a partnership with East Side Elementary, where we volunteered together for years, and she became quite a special mentor to me. She taught me much about the Episcopal faith, but more about faith in people. She truly loves serving others and modeled for me how to do that with kindness, respect, and a great sense of humor. I will miss working closely with Janice at East Side Elementary but now have gained a cherished friend.”
Sandy Skorput, director of Good Shepherd School, explained that although Janice is a deacon, she is a vocational deacon, which is voluntary. Janice is the one who gives the Good Shepherd family an occasional boost and tries to “keep them on track” as a mentor and cheerleader! She and the church’s priest, Robert Childers, came to Good Shepherd at the same time and have not only helped each other immensely but have become great friends.
Robert said, “Janice has been our deacon since just after I began at Good Shepherd, which was August 2007. She was a very wise friend to me, always ready to listen and give me advice and counsel when I asked. As a deacon, she helped us to always keep our focus on the presence of the church out in the world, reminding us not to focus on ourselves too much. She loved what she did and loved the people she was called to serve. I will miss her laughter and her wisdom.”
The church hosted a retirement reception to honor its beloved deacon, which gave her many friends, co-workers, and parishioners a chance to tell her what she has meant to them. Janice intends to relax, read, and catch up with her children, Mandy Bohner and Hannah Logan, who live here, and stepdaughters Anna Halpin and Sarah Shapard, who live in Oregon, and her eight grandchildren.
Sandy said that Janice, with her strength, wisdom, and always present humor, will be missed terribly. “She will leave a big hole in our Good Shepherd family, and she will be missed!”
Yes, Janice will be missed at Good Shepherd, but cheers to many more years of just enjoying life after giving so much to others!
by Gwin Tugman
Called to the ministry, she graduated from Sewanee and was ordained in 2001. She began her deacon career at St. Francis of Assisi in Ooltewah alongside her husband, The Rev. Buckley Robbins.
Appointed to Church of the Good Shepherd in 2007 by the bishop, Janice focused on the outreach ministries of the church. There are many outreach ministries at GSC, including Family Promise, Fairyland School “snack packs,” St. John’s School in Haiti, the Salvation Army’s Christmas Angel Tree, outreach grants, and East Side Elementary School.
Bena Devaney said, “I got to know Janice really well when Good Shepherd started a partnership with East Side Elementary, where we volunteered together for years, and she became quite a special mentor to me. She taught me much about the Episcopal faith, but more about faith in people. She truly loves serving others and modeled for me how to do that with kindness, respect, and a great sense of humor. I will miss working closely with Janice at East Side Elementary but now have gained a cherished friend.”
Sandy Skorput, director of Good Shepherd School, explained that although Janice is a deacon, she is a vocational deacon, which is voluntary. Janice is the one who gives the Good Shepherd family an occasional boost and tries to “keep them on track” as a mentor and cheerleader! She and the church’s priest, Robert Childers, came to Good Shepherd at the same time and have not only helped each other immensely but have become great friends.
Robert said, “Janice has been our deacon since just after I began at Good Shepherd, which was August 2007. She was a very wise friend to me, always ready to listen and give me advice and counsel when I asked. As a deacon, she helped us to always keep our focus on the presence of the church out in the world, reminding us not to focus on ourselves too much. She loved what she did and loved the people she was called to serve. I will miss her laughter and her wisdom.”
The church hosted a retirement reception to honor its beloved deacon, which gave her many friends, co-workers, and parishioners a chance to tell her what she has meant to them. Janice intends to relax, read, and catch up with her children, Mandy Bohner and Hannah Logan, who live here, and stepdaughters Anna Halpin and Sarah Shapard, who live in Oregon, and her eight grandchildren.
Sandy said that Janice, with her strength, wisdom, and always present humor, will be missed terribly. “She will leave a big hole in our Good Shepherd family, and she will be missed!”
Yes, Janice will be missed at Good Shepherd, but cheers to many more years of just enjoying life after giving so much to others!
by Gwin Tugman
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