Shepherd’s Closet, a ministry of Gathering Place Mission, 305 White St., Weissport, celebrated its one-year anniversary on Saturday with prayer, music and refreshments.

Ted Leininger opened the program with several selections on the trumpet, and Seth Shumaker played piano. Loretta Oswald led everyone in prayer, and Anita Wisler led the Pledge of Allegiance. Martha Moyer and her daughter, Virginia, sang the national anthem and “God Bless America.”

Noah Glaush, a Boy Scout from Troop 58, Slatington, held up an American flag for the festivities.

State Rep. Doyle Heffley cut the ribbon in celebration of the event. Heffley shared that he attended church at this same building as a child and was confirmed there, and that his family were the custodians of the church.

“I want to thank you for all that you are doing here with the mission,” Heffley said. “It is an honor to be here, and thank you for all the work that you do. As we see, time and time again, the best help for those in need is from a faith-based mission that they know they can rely on to provide that foundation of caring for the community.”

Loretta Oswald, a volunteer with Gathering Place Mission and Shepherd’s Closet, explained how the mission started.

In 2014, the church on White Street in Weissport had closed, and a group of people came together and bought the building with the purpose of keeping it a building to serve God and the local people, and formed Gathering Place Mission. The mission has been working with Family Promise and, during the pandemic, took meals to those from Family Promise who were being housed at area hotels.

Shepherd’s Closet is open the second Saturday and the third Wednesday of each month. The mission also operates a food pantry, plus they hold a free takeout meal on the fourth Saturday of each month from 4 to 5:30 p.m. For assistance, to donate or more information, visit gatheringplacemission.com.