Good Works, Inc.

Hi there! 

 

My name is Sydney Teagarden, and I’m a second-generation staff member here at Good Works. My parents met while working at Good Works over 25 years ago, so I get to see God’s faithfulness to them by bringing me back into this community and connecting me with my now-husband in the same way! 

 

After completing a research internship here during Summer 2022 for my B.A. in Community Development from Covenant College, I came back to Good Works in June 2023 as a full time staff member at the Timothy House. In June 2025, I moved into the Hannah House as the Community Life Coordinator. This mostly means that I am present with & offer hospitality to guests & volunteers & other house members whenever they are here. It also means I do a lot of house laundry!

 

I am passionate about justice and creating safe spaces, especially for people whom our society often overlooks (like those with chronic illnesses and other disabilities) and those who have, like me, been hurt by their church communities. When I’m not passionately talking about how much God cares about us more tenderly than we can ever comprehend, I’m probably crocheting, trying to pet every cat I see, excitedly pointing out a bird, or playing any game I can get my hands on. 

 

I struggle with a number of chronic illnesses, and they make my life much more challenging. However, they also have forced me to ask for help and grace from my community at Good Works, and the grace I have received in my suffering has softened me to the suffering and struggles of others. I feel closer to the heart of Jesus when I sit and mourn with those who mourn, no matter how different we and our lives might be. As I learn how to navigate an unpredictable body & mind, I have learned to rejoice in the little wins that the Lord gives me rather than focusing on how much I’m struggling or “failing.” Thus, by my own lived experience, I see our community making a little bit of Heaven on Earth, creating spaces of grace instead of condemnation. This encourages me more than I can express! I strive to continue to be part of that safe space for others.