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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Advent Thoughts
We have entered the season of Advent, the church’s preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ. We remember and celebrate that Christ came to us in Bethlehem long ago. We remember and celebrate that Christ will come again at the end of human history to restore and renew creation.
And we remember and celebration that Christ comes to us, quietly, in our daily lives. Ironically, recognizing the present of Christ with us here and now is hardest in the season of Advent, one of the busiest times of the year.
I have made it my practice for the last few years deliberately to slow down in the four weeks that lead to Christmas Eve (so don’t get behind me on Wyoming Boulevard if you are trying to make the sale at the Mall).
And I have made it my practice to meditate on this prayer by Robert Louis Stevenson:
Loving God, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake.
Amen.
— Lynn
Annual Congregational Meeting
January 24, 2010
(Please have reports to Tracy in the church office no later than January 10, 2010)
What a Wonderful World is the World of LOGOS
The LOGOS youth have been having tons of fun on Wednesday nights at the dinner hour with creative games such as balancing spoons on their noses, carving potatoes, and dueling each other with spaghetti.
Even the cooking teams love to ham it up in the kitchen – it’s one of the best places to meet new friends and have fun as adults! Call the church if you want to join the youth for a great dinner, and wonderful conversations.
Outside of the Wednesday night fun, the LOGOS youth have been doing tons of outreach activities for our congregational members. Recently, some of our youth raked leaves for the older members of the congregation, while others baked pies for the end of the Stewardship Campaign, in an event called “Rake and Bake.”
They’ve also made doves and cards in Bible Study to show compassion to our members who need some extra love and support.
We have WONDERFUL young people!
All-Church Supper
On Wednesday, December 16th at 6:00 p.m. we will have our All Church Supper. You are welcome to show up, share in fellowship and sing a carol or two from around the
world. Please bring hats, mittens, and scarves to donate to Pine Ridge.
Pine Ridge Winter Wish List
To be delivered Saturday, December 19, 2009
Canned vegetables & canned fruit
Canned meat
Canned soup, Dried soups
Canned ham, Frozen turkeys
Potatoes
Cans of coffee
Bath soap
Toilet paper
Laundry soap
Disposable Diapers (all sizes)
Winter clothes, hats, socks, mittens, & gloves for kids (12 & under)
Furniture
Blankets, Quilts
Pillows, Sheets
Children’s books
Computers, paper, & accessories
Cash to buy food for emergencies
Cash to buy 2-3 days of Propane for the widows and elderly
A financial donation to help with the
purchase of the apples, oranges &
nuts for 200 Christmas bags (which
costs about $500)
And most importantly,
Your prayers.
Christmas Cookies
The Worship Committee asks members of the congregation to bring cookies to be shared after the December 20th and Christmas Eve services by December 20.
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
