December 22, 2022
Prepare the Way! The birth of our Savior is near…join us on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as we celebrate God’s love all around us!
CHRISTMAS EVE
Music, candles, JOY! Come and worship Christ, the newborn king!
CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP
Saturday, December 24
“God Immanuel in Bethlehem, Austin, Buda, EVERYWHERE!”
Due to cold weather, all worship services will be held in the Sanctuary. Visit www.ShepHills.org/Christmas-Worship for details about each service, and share the link with friends! Come early for 4pm + 6pm and grab a cup of cocoa and coffee by Land of Legends.
4:00 p.m. Sing along with our contemporary worship band while children and families take part in the telling of the nativity story.
6:00 p.m. This worship features Choir, Bells, strings, and brass. You can also watch it on livestream.
8:00 p.m. A traditional Lutheran liturgy is offered, with strings, trumpet, and harp.
10:00 p.m. A quiet service with a blend of traditional and contemporary hymns.
Our Christmas Eve offering will go to support our ministry partner Upbring. 100% of your generosity will go to Upbring’s New Life Center in Canyon Lake and BeReal Program in Austin/San Marcos. Thank you for being a community that cares for God’s children.
Don’t forget to bring your Reverse Advent Calendar food donations for Bread for All!
CHRISTMAS DAY
CHRISTMAS DAY WORSHIP “Come as You Are”
Sunday, December 25
9:30 a.m. | Christmas Breakfast and Fellowship in the Activity Center
10:45 a.m. | Sanctuary Worship
10:45 a.m. | Online rebroadcast of 6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Worship
Come for a beautiful Christmas Day full of carols, a special Christmas video, and the Christmas reflection, “Touch Down!” We will have just ONE worship. Come for breakfast and fellowship at 9:30 a.m.
ALL ARE WELCOME – even in pajamas!
NEW YEAR’S DAY
NEW YEAR’S DAY WORSHIP “Amazing Grace”
Sunday, January 1
8:15 + 10:45 a.m. | Sanctuary Worship
10:45 a.m. | Livestream
Celebrating 250 years of this great hymn.
BREAKFAST
Sunday, January 1
9:15 + 10:15 a.m. | Activity Center
Have breakfast here!
THE WEEK BETWEEN
Check the calendars on Realm or the website to verify when events will meet, or resume.
HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS
Friday, December 23 | 9am-Noon
Monday, December 26 | Closed
Friday, December 30 | 9am-Noon
Monday, January 2 | Closed
If you are in need of assistance, email sheep@shephills.org.
We wish you a wonderful Christmas filled with hope, peace, joy, and love! We look forward to seeing you in the new year as we live out together what we celebrate at Christmas–God’s love all around us!
Love in Christ,
Pr. Lauren, Pr. Tom and Staff
2022 IS COMING TO AN END!
YEAR-END FINANCIAL PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
Here is a reminder about the different ways to give for consideration with your end-of-year tax and financial planning:
Donations via US Credit Card, PayPal or other merchant processors must be made by midnight on December 31 in your time zone (statement must be stamped with a 2022 date) to be eligible for a 2022 tax deduction;
Check envelopes must be postmarked by December 31, 2022 to be eligible for a 2022 tax deduction;
Wires or electronic funds transfers must be sent by December 30, 2022 in order to be eligible for a US 2022 tax deduction (December 30 is the last banking day);
Gifts of Appreciated Stock – Must be transferred out by your broker no later than December 31, 2022. The option of giving of qualified appreciated stock held for over 1 year is becoming more popular. Shepherd maintains a brokerage account where it is very easy to transfer the appreciated stock as a gift. This is beneficial to both Shepherd and the giver as the giver may be able to deduct the appreciated value of the stock and avoid capital gains tax on the gain of the stock.
Gifts from Required Minimum Distributions – For those in a situation that requires minimum distributions from a retirement account (called required minimum distribution or RMD), there is an option called “Qualified Charitable Distribution” or QCD. Individuals turning 72 and those that turned 70 ½ in 2019 should verify they are making the proper RMD and consider the QCD as a possible way of avoiding paying tax on the RMD. The QCD must come directly from the retirement account custodian. If you are giving to Shepherd (or other qualified charities) and taking a RMD directly, please consider the QCD as this could potentially save you in additional taxes.
Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Giving – If you participate with gifts to a DAF, please consider including Shepherd of the Hills as a designee of your DAF gifts. If you are interested in setting up a DAF that may have significant tax benefits, the ELCA Foundation may be a viable option for you. More information about DAF and setting it up is available here. – (www.elca.org/Resources/ELCA-Foundation)
Charitable Remainder Trust – If you have set up a CRT, please consider adding Shepherd of the Hills as a beneficiary of the trust. The CRT is a good option if you want an immediate charitable deduction, but also have a need for an income stream to yourself or another person. It is also a good option if you want to establish one by will to provide for heirs, with the remainder going to charities of your choosing. Please consult your financial adviser regarding setting up a CRT or adding Shepherd of the Hills as a beneficiary.
For assistance in arranging gifts to Shepherd of the Hills, please contact Kevin Marlow, Finance Controller – email – kmarlow@shephills.org or call the office – 512-327-3370. Please consult your financial and tax professionals for further information and any financial or tax advice. The above opportunities are only to suggest some possible alternatives and does not constitute legal, financial or tax advice.
GIVING
Giving is an expression of joy and gratitude for the bounty of God’s goodness! There are so many ways to give-both financially and through serving.
Our Christmas Eve offering will go to support our ministry partner Upbring. 100% of your generosity will go to Upbring’s New Life Center in Canyon Lake and BeReal Program in Austin/San Marcos. Thank you for being a community that cares for God’s children.
PRAYERS
In need of prayer? Please contact a pastor to be put on the prayer list.
Would you like someone to pray alongside you during troubling times? Contact a Stephen Minister who can travel with you on life’s sometimes bumpy road.
We pray for Rodney Varner and Callie Ray Bell.
We pray for family and friends of Shepherd members: Adryana Aldeen, Director of Advancement at Mariposa. Sheila Pharis, Director of Mariposa Family Learning Center.
We pray for the people of Ukraine caught in the middle of war and violence. Our hearts break when women and children are displaced and families torn apart by the evil actions of others. May you break open hearts so that swords may be beat into plowshares, spears into pruning hooks.
We pray for our global ministry partners: Rev. Karen Castillo in Guatemala; Iglesia Luterana Augustina Virgen del Rosario, Aurora 8 de Octubre, Guatemala. We pray for Malcolm and Joy Henderson and the ministry of CHARIS in Haiti.
We pray for our local ministries: Mariposa Family Learning Center, Bread For All and Upbring Ministries.
We pray for our faith community, that we may be a church without walls and live out loud…faithfully!
*Prayers for family and friends are listed for 2 weeks, unless we are notified otherwise.