June 24, 2022
Don’t miss the last Contemporary Worship of the summer! There will be no Contemporary Worship in July and August, and join us Sunday as we accompany Paul on his third journey.
calendar
Saturday Contemporary Worship (Last One of Summer)
5:30 p.m. | Sanctuary
Sunday Worship
8:15 a.m. Worship | Sanctuary
10:45 a.m. Worship | Sanctuary + Livestream
Sunday Breakfast for All
9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | Activity Center
Fuel up your tank for the journey by having breakfast with us. Support this ministry and give online anytime by selecting the Fellowship Events/Breakfast Fund.
Sunday Adult Bible Study
9:30 a.m. | Library + Zoom
An in-depth study of the week’s scripture. Contact Ruby Cadenhead for more information.
Stay and Play for Families
THIS SUNDAY
Noon | Activity Center/Solomon’s Porch
Let’s stay connected! Come get together after worship for lunch (provided by us) and enjoy hangout time for kids and parents alike. Contact Pr. Lauren.
this week’s highlights
Check Realm Events or the website calendar for a complete list of events.
Weekly Events
We have lots for you to do this summer! You can get moving with Pickleball and Yoga, crochet and sew with Prayer Shawl or Quilting, volunteer for Bread for All on Mondays, or practice self-care by attending one of our many support groups. Check Realm Events or the website calendar for a complete list of events and contact information for any questions you may have.
Grow Pray Study is Back!
WEEK OF JUNE 27-JULY 2
Paul’s Third Missionary Journey
Fueled by the Spirit, this daily guide enriches our faith as we continue to explore the Life Lessons from the Journey of Paul. Look for an email on Monday with a link to the week’s daily guided prayer, or find it here by scrolling down. You can also find it by going to the website, selecting the “CONNECT” tab in the navigation bar at the top of the page, and then “Grow, Pray, Study” from the pull-down menu.
Race to Jesus
MONDAYS
7:00 p.m. | Larry and Carole Morgan’s Home
Be a part of this weekly gathering facilitated by Carole Morgan to read and discuss the book “Race to Jesus” in which author Dr. Clarence Hill identifies opportunities for building healthier personal and working relationships with others outside of our ethnic groups or any group outside of our comfortable and familiar sphere. Meetings will cover a chapter a week through lively discussions and activities that support what we are reading. Please contact Carole with questions.
Shephills Cancer Support Group
TUESDAY, JUNE 28
6:00pm | Library + Zoom
Getting a cancer diagnosis is tough for those with cancer, their family, and friends. All are invited to come find peer support and resources to help during this difficult time. Join us on Zoom, or attend in person. Contact Sandy Smith, who is also available between meetings to serve individuals and families.
Glacier Adventure Training Days
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29
9:00am | Meet at the Church
Backpacking through Glacier National Park takes a lot of stamina. For those going on this trip, let’s be prepared to be pushed physically and mentally by doing some hiking together beforehand! Contact Youth Director Joel Timmons.
Bread for All Needs Donations!
Donation Bins are out every Saturday + Sunday, and weekdays by ringing the office bell
Donations naturally drop off during summer while so many of us travel, but Bread for All is busier than ever serving those in need-last week 97 households came for non-perishable food and diaper donations. The pantry is in need of dried pinto beans 1lb, canned pinto beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, spaghetti, diapers size 4/5/6, and baby wipes (BFA gives out on average 1500 diapers a week). Please check for expiration dates before giving items. They do not need any more egg cartons or newspaper sleeves. Contact Weldon Allison.
Stand Up – Speak Up! Prayer Vigil for World Refugees
RESCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY, JULY 17
6:30 p.m. | Sanctuary
Save the date for this Vigil, a part of LIRS’ (Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service) annual Stand Up, Speak Up program, which brings together interfaith communities across the country to lift a unified voice to welcome and advocate for immigrants and refugees coming to the United States.
DID YOU KNOW?
Rebecca Guengerich Elected to Chair Synod Leadership Team
Spirituality and Wellness Director Rebecca Guengerich was elected for a 3-year term to chair the Leadership Team of the SouthWest Texas Synod (SWTX Synod). The mission of the team is to care for Rostered Leaders, new Pastoral Candidates, and Lay Leaders of the congregations. The synod wants to increase the focus on lay leadership by creating a program to equip participants to follow their own callings to serve in the community and the specific needs of our church.
Want to know more? Contact Rebecca!
Highlights from SWTX Synod Convention
First, let’s answer the question, “So what exactly is a synod?” Simply put, a synod is a meeting or assembly of church leaders and exists on both regional and national levels. The SWTX Synod is our regional synod and the convention is a gathering of bishops, pastors, and laypeople who are tasked to reach a consensus on important issues.
This year, Rebecca Guengerich represented Shepherd of the Hills as a delegate to the SWTX Synod Convention and brought back news of several new ministries that are being launched. Technicolor Ministries, a new ministry for the LGBTQIA+ community and those that love them, is one such ministry. Read Rebecca’s highlights about the meeting and other exciting new ministries here.
Mariposa Family Learning Center In the News Again!
KXAN featured Mariposa Family Learning Center (A ministry of Austin City Lutherans) on an evening news segment about their work providing free and subsidized daycare in the Montopolis neighborhood. Watch it here and find out more about the “daycare desert” crisis. Stay up to date with what is happening by following Mariposa FLLC on Facebook and Instagram!
New Life Center (A Ministry of Upbring)
A tour is being planned for those interested in visiting and learning more about the New Life Children’s Center in Canyon Lake, a respite for courageous young women between the ages of 11-17, where they begin to grow and heal through in-depth clinical therapy, personal development activities and spiritual care in a safe setting. Contact Kathy Gerhardt if you are interested in joining the tour or have questions about this ministry.
Smiles from Camp Chrysalis
Our campers had an amazing week at Camp Chrysalis! Check our Facebook page for photos of our happy campers.
New on the Website
You can now find the Weekly Connections and Grow Pray Study (GPS) on the website! Go to the homepage (www.ShepHills.org), hover over “CONNECT” in the navigation bar at the top of the page, and select “Newsletters” or “Grow, Pray, Study” from the pull-down menu. We will continue to send a Friday email with a link to the Weekly Connections, and a Monday email with a link to the week’s GPS, but if you miss the emails, or don’t get them, now you can find this information on the website!
Butterfly Center Construction Update
The water line for the fire suppression system, windows, HVAC, framing, and much more are being installed! The project is staying on schedule and excitement is building (no pun intended, haha). Click here and scroll down to see this week’s photos.
ways to give
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.
Serving
Serving is a great way to give back and get to know others in our community. Whether you are interested in serving locally, being part of a global mission, or volunteering to help in a variety of ways on Sundays, we have a place for you! Here are some special opportunities to serve:
BREAD FOR ALL
Austin City Lutherans
Summer is a great time to make time and serve together. Come help organize and set up for Monday afternoons by arriving at noon and staying until 3pm, or arrive at 3-4pm to help distribute food. Or stay for both! This is a perfect activity for families, retirees, or anyone with some spare time and a servant heart. The pantry operates out of Faith Presbyterian Church, 1314 E. Oltorf. Please contact Weldon Allison with all your questions!
Pledges and Gifts
Keeping current with your pledged or regular giving while you travel has never been easier because you can do it all online!
BIBLES FOR HAITI
Benefitting the Ministry of CHARIS
We exceeded our goal of 500 bibles, and will donate 720-ish Bibles to CHARIS – all because of your generosity! Thank you! These bibles are written in Haitian Creole on a third-grade level and will be given out in 5 new villages in the central mountains of Haiti.
prayers of the people
We pray for Sandy Nielsen, Rodney Varner, and Tom Lueders.
God of Compassion,
Our nation and world suffer from a lack of compassion, expressed through hate, violence of words and actions, and walls of exclusion. This is not your intent for creation. It is a sin against you.
May we, as your Church, rise up and speak out against all the hate-filled voices and all the violence done to harm others. May our prayers lead to action, shaping our own attitudes and contributing to a more just and caring society.
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!
*In need of prayer? Please contact a pastor to be put on the prayer list. Prayers for family and friends are listed for 2 weeks, unless we are notified otherwise.