Welcome!
Welcome to Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church! We are located at 4600 S. Poplar St., Casper, WY 82601. Our phone number is (307) 235-3536. Our fax number is (307) 472-2192, and our office e-mail is shephills@vcn.com. Services are held each Sunday at 10 a.m.
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Photo Opportunities
50th Anniversary Church Directory
In keeping with the 50th Anniversary plans this year, we will be updating the church directory. We hope to have as many families as possible in this issue. Our picture taking days/times will be:
- Tuesday, May 18, 1:00—7:30 P.M.
- Wednesday, May 19, 1:00—7:30 P.M.
- Thursday, May 20, 1:00—7:30 P.M.
We will begin scheduling photo appointments for our new directory on Sunday, April 18, and continue through the next four Sundays (April 25, May 2, 9, & 16). Each appointment includes looking at the pictures electronically. Early signup gets the best choice of date and time. Online signup will be possible at certain times, but check beforehand with Mary Kalbfleisch or Lois Feth to avoid double booking for the same time slot. Cannot come on any of those days? There are options; check with Mary K. or Lois F.
Photos will be taken at no cost to you. You will receive a free directory and an 8X10 photo of your choice, and the option to purchase more. If you already have a photo you wish to have in the directory, it must be digital and submitted online. Hard copies taken by another company cannot be used, due to copyright laws. We will be looking for volunteers to help with appointment signups, hosting on the photo days, posting appointments on the computer, and phoning church members to encourage participation. If you feel you can help in any of these areas, please contact Mary K. or Lois F. The company producing our directory, LifeTouch, has a program for feeding the needy in our community. If you bring a non-perishable item to your sitting, you will receive a $5 gift certificate to use toward any pictures you may purchase.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary K. and Lois F.,
Congregational Life Committee
Haiti Relief
Members of this congregation have donated $1,464.50 for relief in Haiti following the worst earthquake to strike the country in at least 200 years. The Session contributed another $1,000 in your name.
According to the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) website, the immediate One Great Hour of Sharing and general designated funds are being used to help with basic humanitarian relief in providing temporary shelter, food and health assistance. Funds are also being used to provide water and sanitation engineers, and equipment to construct water purification systems. Resources for building latrines are also being provided, as the sanitation situation is critical. PDA will be supporting communities in the long struggle to rebuild from this disaster.
More than $510,000 has been sent to help with relief. For more information, especially about the challenges the situation in Haiti poses to humanitarian aid efforts, go to www. pcusa.org/pda.
One Great Hour of Sharing
The chance to join with others to make a difference in the world is upon us. The theme of this year’s One Great Hour of Sharing offering comes from John 21:16-27:
Jesus said “Do you love me?…Feed my sheep.” For more than 50 years, Presbyterians have joined with Christians throughout the nation in supporting One Great Hour of Sharing, responding to Christ’s love for all people by joyfully sharing that love with people in need. The refugee and the stranger have found food and safe shelter; those stunned by the aftermath of disasters have found relief and help rebuilding; and communities seeking to help people start new lives and strengthen both families and their community have found partners in development through our gifts which support these ministries.
The Presbyterian Hunger Program receives 36 percent of undesignated gifts, while Self-Development of People and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance each receives 32 percent. The goal for this year is $15,000,000.
Recognizing that the hope we have in Christ is lived out in our hope for one another, we respond with gifts that help our sisters and brothers around the world find the hope for a brighter future. If you would like to donate, please make your check payable to Shepherd with ‘One Great Hour of Sharing’ in the memo portion. Donations will be dedicated on Easter Sunday.
Respectfully,
Heidi W. & Liz B.
Stewardship & Outreach Committee
Pathfinders/First Footsteps “Growing Up With Jesus”
The Pathfinders and First Footsteps team held their first staff meeting on Tuesday evening, November 10th. This meeting provided a chance for the teams to discuss any areas that need special attention as the year progresses, or to learn from each other what was working well. There are 28 staff members and 33 youth participating this year.
The LOGOS youth stepped in to assist with recreation and worship, and served as table parents so the PF/FF team could meet for an hour in the back classroom. Dinner was provided for the staff. One change that we instituted this year was to separate the duties of dinner dean and kitchen coordinator (to mirror what LOGOS does).
Previously, the duties of both positions had fallen under the dinner dean title. That individual was pulled in multiple directions to arrange the kitchen teams as well as oversee the dinner hour and table parents.
With the separation of duties, the family time is running smoother and at a much higher quality of engagement. We invite the congregation to join us any Tuesday night for dinner, and see what an exciting experience the Pathfinders dinners are. Just let us know so we can let our cooking teams know to plan for extras.
Another change we have instituted is the assignment of the mission and outreach projects for PF/FF to the Assistant Director(s) each year. The assistant director(s) will continue to “learn the ropes” during the year they serve, but they will also select the mission and outreach projects for the youth – in partnership with the director – and oversee their execution.
We believe this is a perfect way for the assistant director(s) to become engaged with the youth, and fulfill a goal of our church. We believe this change can improve the effectiveness of the staff development in the PF/FF programs, and engage the youth programs with the work of the Deacons and Stewardship committees on the Session. We already have four exciting mission/outreach activities planned for the kids this year. You will hear more about them in future newsletters and the worship services.
A VERY Big Anniversary!
On November 6, 1960, 114 Charter Members of Shepherd of the Hills, representatives of Presbytery, and guests officially founded our church.
In November of next year, 2010, Shepherd will be 50 years old! Fifty years of worship, learning, fellowship, service and the ups and downs of life together is an achievement.
The Session formed a committee several months ago to begin thinking about our 50th, and they have reported back with a historical timeline and general thoughts about a celebration.
At its April meeting the Session enthusiastically committed to a CELEBRATION of this significant anniversary. We want to celebrate with flair, fun and faith.
Because of the significance of this milestone, the Session decided to start planning early. They directed the Church Officer Nominating Committee to begin the Calling Process to seek out God’s will for our leaders in this celebration. We intend to call one or more members to lead a broad committee to plan and put on the celebration. All Session members committed to work with the committee and its leaders toward a meaningful celebration.
We encourage you to think about what we have to celebrate about our life together and the challenges that invite us to grow into our next 50 years together. Gather your memories of your life at Shepherd. Be prepared to participate and enjoy our celebration next year. You are invited to give any input you have to any Session member and the committee when it is in place.
—The Session
