July 28, 2023
God is our stronghold!
SUNDAY, JULY 28
WORSHIP
8:15 a.m. | Sanctuary
10:45 a.m. | Sanctuary + Livestream
This Sunday we conclude the Message Series “You are My Witnesses” and sing classic hymns like Beautiful Savior and Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee. Pr. John Stern preaches and Glenn Richter steps in for Kevin McClure on piano. Psalm 27:1-9, 13-14; Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52.
BREAKFAST
9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | Activity Center
Don’t go around hungry, come fill your body and soul with food and conversation.
ADULT BIBLE STUDY
9:30 a.m. | Library + Zoom
Join us this week as we continue our discussion of 1 Samuel. Contact Ruby Cadenhead for more information.
CONVERSATION CAFE
No Meeting This Sunday
Join us when we resume on August 6 for a one-month sprint through the Bible.
NEXTGEN
No NextGen this Sunday, join us next Sunday when Joel returns from the Boundary Waters with tales of big faith, flies, and fish.
FLOWERS
Altar Flowers: Given by Audrey Lunecki in honor of Lydia Perkunas. Happy Birthday to an amazing Mom!!
NEXT SUNDAY!
COLLEGE STUDENT BLESSING
Next Sunday, August 6
8:15 a.m. + 10:45 a.m. Worship | Sanctuary
Whether their first year or last, we’ll bless our college students as they begin their academic year and remind them that they are beautifully and wonderfully made. Contact Megan Getman or Joel Timmons with questions.
Speaking of students, create a ripple of change and click here by August 3 to sponsor backpacks and school supplies for children in Upbring’s foster care program.
GATHER US IN
Next Sunday, August 6
9:45 a.m. | Activity Center
Interested in learning about our community of faith? Grab breakfast, look for our table (hint: we’ll have a sign!), and join us for conversation as we get to know each other and answer questions you may have about life at Shepherd. Please contact Ministry Coordinator Amanda Forsberg, or just come have a seat at the table!
SUNDAY MATINEE MOVIE
Next Sunday, August 6
12:15 p.m. | Room 205
Spend a lazy Sunday afternoon sitting on a couch in a cool, dimly lit room watching a documentary on Dorothy Day. Sounds good doesn’t it? Lunch and popcorn provided. Contact Pr. Tom.
EVENTS
Check the calendars on Realm or the website for more details on these events, plus a complete list of additional events including Yoga, Pickleball, Choir and Bells, PALS, and Bread for All.
LATE RISERS BIBLE STUDY
Wednesday, August 2
10:00 a.m. | Library + Zoom
Great discussions of the Good Book! Contact Pr. Lauren with questions.
EARLY RISERS BIBLE STUDY
Wednesdays, August 9, 16, 30
7:30 a.m. | Zoom
Start your day off on the right foot. Bring your coffee and meet us online. Contact Pr. Tom for Zoom info.
BLESSING OF THE BACKPACKS
Sunday, August 13
8:15 a.m. + 10:45 a.m. Worship | Sanctuary
Students, teachers, and school staff bring your backpack, school bag, or lunch box to worship and we will bless them. You’ll get a handy dandy tag for proof (no worries if you forget your pack…you’ll get a tag anyway and the blessing will travel with you regardless!). Contact Megan Getman or Joel Timmons with questions.
Speaking of backpacks, create a ripple of change and click here by August 3 to sponsor a backpack and school supplies for children in Upbring’s foster care program.
STAY COOL!
Indoor Exercise
We have two great options to get out of the heat while you stay fit – Pickleball (Sat, Tue, or Thu) and Yoga (Tues).
A MONTH OF BLESSINGS
In the month of August, we will be looking for intersections between new beginnings and our faith with the message series “BLESSINGS and BEGINNINGS.” Come give support, love, and encouragement as we bless the remarkable journey of our students, the independence of new drivers, and the collective strength of our congregation:
August 6 – College Student Blessing
August 13 – Backpack Blessing
August 20 – New Driver Blessing
August 27 – Congregation Blessing
CHARIS UPDATE
The United Nations Human Rights Director, Volker Turk, in his address to the UN Council on May 3 said; “Haiti is dangling over an abyss”.
The anarchy of the country with no effective government and gangs running rampant has deeply impacted millions of lives in the most impoverished country in the world. Please take a moment to read the CHARIS Ministry in Haiti newsletter to more fully understand the situation.
Yet CHARIS continues to grow. A new food bank has opened, and a new medical clinic has started with two doctors and seven nurses. Our help is needed more than ever! Our August Mission focus is CHARIS and the harvest of ministry they are doing in Haiti, saving the lives of thousands and providing worship and education for our Haitian brothers and sisters in Christ. Please pray about how you might respond. Thank you.
GIVING AND SERVING
“Gratitude flows from the recognition that who we are and what we have are gifts to be received and shared.”—Henri Nouwen
FINISH WELL, START STRONG!
Our personal relationship with God is the foundation for all other relationships…including money. The money we give to support our missions and ministries has a direct and indirect impact on the lives of people, including ourselves. To make sharing God’s Love our aim, our generosity to God is a sign of our love for others. It is that simple and that important!
- As we move toward the end of our Fiscal Year (Aug. 31st) it is our hope and desire that we will finish well and start strong in the new Fiscal year. Please look over your financial statement to see where your status for your giving thus far. If you have questions, please contact our Finance Controller, Kevin Marlow.
PLEDGES, GIFTS, AND DONATIONS
Giving online is a great way to stay current with your pledge or to set up a recurring gift. Thank you for your continued support of our missions and ministries.
BREAD FOR ALL
Keep the cans coming this summer. Stomachs get hungry year-round, and with the kids home from school there are even more mouths to feed. Thank you for your endless support! Contact Weldon Allison.
UPBRING BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE
Ends August 3
Create a ripple of change and click here by August 3 to sponsor backpacks and school supplies for children in Upbring’s foster care program. Your support empowers children to thrive academically and beyond.
SERVING
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!
PRAYERS
In need of prayer? Please contact a pastor to be put on the prayer list.
We pray for Rodney Varner, Nancy Etzler, and Margaret McQuiston.
We pray for family and friends of Shepherd members: Krista Bowers, niece of Herb and Kathy Palmer; and Stirling Johnson, granddaughter of Sylvia & Curtis Johnson.
We pray in celebration of the birth of Carter Anniston Jones, daughter of Ryan and Katie Jones, sister of Addison. We pray for Carter and her family as they grow in new life together.
We give thanks for the witness of the saints who have gone before us in faith and now rest in eternal life, especially Kim Jackson, daughter of Dee and Robert Jackson. We pray for Dee and family, as they grieve this loss. Give comfort and peace to those who mourn, and a sure trust in the promise of resurrection life.
O God, we pray for our youth and adults heading home from the Boundary Waters trip today. We thank you for their experience in your creation, and we pray for a safe journey on this final leg home.
Merciful and Loving God, as war and violence rage in Ukraine and other parts of the world, we pray that leaders of the world will practice peace-making, bringing together people of every tribe and race under the umbrella of your amazing grace.
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!
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.
*Prayers for family and friends are listed for 2 weeks unless we are notified otherwise.