August 18, 2023
Join us for worship as we welcome new members and bless new drivers.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 20
WORSHIP-BLESSING OF NEW DRIVERS
8:15 a.m. | Sanctuary
10:45 a.m. | Sanctuary + Livestream
It’s an exciting Sunday as we welcome 15 (!) new members and bless our new drivers. Don’t miss next Sunday’s blessing for the ENTIRE congregation!
ASSISTANT MINISTERS ORIENTATION
9:15 a.m. or 11:45 a.m. | Sanctuary
Whether you’re curious about starting or have done it for years, come to our Assisting Minister Orientation for some helpful pointers from our pastors and digital ministry staff. QUESTIONS? Feel free to talk to Pr. Lauren, Pr. Tom, or Amanda at any time.
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 as we continue our study of the Good Book. This week we will discuss 1 Samuel 23. Contact Ruby Cadenhead for more information.
CONVERSATION CAFE
9:45 p.m. | Room 205
Conversation Cafe ends this Sunday with a study of Revelations. Contact Pr. Tom.
Altar Flowers are given by Milt Nielsen in loving memory of Sandy Nielsen.
Baptismal Flowers are given in celebration of Bill and Sara Dawson’s 40th Wedding Anniversary.
MEET OUR NEW MEMBERS
Please extend a warm ShepHills hello to our newest members. We are so thankful they have decided to be a part of our faith family!
EVENTS
Check the calendars on Realm or the website a complete list of all our events!
FINANCE FORUM ZOOM MEETING
Thursday, August 24
7:00 p.m. | Zoom
This meeting will provide an overview of the proposed fiscal budget for 2023-2024 prior to the Pastoral Call and Congregational Meeting vote to approve on August 27. A reminder email with Zoom links will be sent on Thursday morning. Please contact Bill Dawson with questions.
FAMILY FUN NIGHT
Friday, August 25
6:00 p.m. | Activity Center
Family movie night! Bring your own dinner, we’ll provide drinks and popcorn. Activity Center will be open at 6:00 p.m., the movie will start at 6:30ish. Contact Megan Getman.
ALTAR STEWARD TRAINING
Sunday, August 27
9:45 a.m. | Sanctuary
Whether you’re curious about starting or have done it for years, come learn about being an Altar Steward. QUESTIONS? Feel free to talk to Amanda at any time.
PASTORAL CALL AND CONGREGATION MEETING
Sunday, August 27
Noon | Activity Center
We are excited to gather for our Congregational Meeting (lunch provided) to vote to extend a letter of call to Pr. Lauren Dow Wegner as Senior Pastor of Shepherd of the Hills effective 11/1/2023 and to ratify the Shepherd of the Hills Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Spending Plan (Budget). Contact Bill Dawson with questions. For those needing childcare, please drop your babies and toddlers off in Rm 203 and elementary-aged children in Rm 205. Lunch will be provided for the kiddos upstairs. If you anticipate needing childcare, please contact Megan Getman.
COMING IN SEPTEMBER!
More information will follow, but here is some of what’s planned for September!
HEARD SERIES RETURNS
Wednesdays in September
7:00 p.m. | Room 205
The Welcome & Inclusion Team encourages faithful dialogue around topics that so often divide. In our desire for open conversation as fellow Christians, the Team invites you to another series of Heard: A Conversation with Queer Voices. You may remember the robust conversations we had as a community of faith during the first Heard series in 2021. Come join us for more on Wednesdays throughout September, in person or online. Contact: Joel Timmons.
BREAD FOR ALL DONATION SUNDAYS
Beginning Sunday, September 2
Donation Bins | Gathering Space
Starting in September we will hold an in-gathering of food on the first Sunday of each month in an effort to increase our donations of non-perishable food and diapers. In the meantime, please keep those donations coming this month. Sadly we have more clients than ever. Thank you for your endless support! Contact Weldon Allison.
RALLY DAY
Sunday, September 10
9:45 a.m. | Sanctuary
All Aboard for the start of a fun start to a great ministry year! Everyone is invited for a fun morning of games and introductions as we kick off the year of faith formation and fellowship. We’ll start Sunday’sCool classes the following week. Contact: Megan Getman.
GOD’S WORK, OUR HANDS
Sunday, September 10
Noon | Activity Center
God’s Work, Our Hands is an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) day of service nationwide. The Developing Missions Team will be hosting a light lunch and service activities as an opportunity to celebrate who we are – an ELCA church – freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor. Contact Norma Smith.
LIFETIME LEARNING CLASSES (Community Partner)
September 11 – November 3
Room 205
Registration opens online at noon on Wednesday, August 16. Classes offered at ShepHills will be Our Place in the Cosmos (Wednesday mornings) and Entomology (Friday mornings). Click here for a full listing of courses and descriptions.
SUNDAY’SCOOL BEGINS
Sunday, September 17
9:45 a.m. | Family Ministry Center
Look for a mailer coming soon with all the dates and details!
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!
Let’s wrap up this fiscal year in confidence by finishing strong! If you can contribute additional funds to help us close the gap, we will be in an even stronger postition going into the new fiscal year. If you have questions, please contact our Finance Controller, Kevin Marlow. All gifts should be posted by August 31, whether mailed or online. As always, thank you for your unending generosity in supporting ShepHill’s ministries.
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, a local food pantry run by Austin City Lutherans, is urgently asking for diaper donations. Drop donations at the church on Saturdays from 9-11am (look for bins in the Courtyard and by the office entrance doors), or on Sundays (or any day during office hours if those times don’t work). YOU CAN ALSO ORDER ONLINE and have them delivered directly to the church at 3525 Bee Caves Rd. Austin TX 78746. Thank you for helping a family provide for their child!
#DiaperNeed #EndDiaperNeed #BasicsArentBasic #neighborshelpingneighbors #ELCA #foodpantry #communitycare #communityevent #TipTuesday #transformationtuesday
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, Alexander Rosas, and Janice Benzel.
We pray for family and friends of Shepherd members: Krista Bowers, niece of Herb and Kathy Palmer; Stirling Johnson, granddaughter of Sylvia & Curtis Johnson; Carol Carlos, mother of Sandy Wikelius; Charles Wikelius, brother of Larry Wikelius; Pauline Krc, friend of Terrie Thomas.
We pray for all students in their learning and in their friendships. May all be filled with the assurance of your presence. Lord, give them courage to be water-walkers. We pray for our teachers, counselors, bus drivers, school support staff, administrators, and school board members. Give all the courage to be water-walkers with the knowledge of your presence in all the storms of life.
We pray for Sharon Collins and family on the death of her cousins John Keller and Linda Lovell and for Terrie Thomas and the Austin Community on the death of a dear friend, Mike Young. Give comfort and peace to those who mourn, and a sure trust in the promise of resurrection life.
We pray for all impacted by natural disasters, especially those in Hawaii and our own community affected by wildfires.
We pray for rain and a break from the oppressive heat. Your creation needs moisture to nourish the earth, fill our streams and lakes, and grow food. May we resolve to care for the earth.
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 Rebecca Guengerich to find (or learn more about) 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.