Save The Date – Come Dine With Us

Save the Date – It’s almost time for Come Dine with Us!! – Each year our Youth Life group hosts a fantabulous dinner as a fundraiser for camps and mission trips. This year, it will be held on Sat., March 7, with seatings at 5:00pm and 7:00pm. Our theme is “Southern Comforts – Home Cookin’ …

Ash Wednesday Worship

Lent is Drawing Near – Join us for Ash Wednesday Worship – We offer traditional Ash Wednesday worship with the imposition of ashes for those who desire. This solemn service begins our season of Lent – forty days of reflection, prayer, repentance, service and meditation of God’s gifts. On February 18th we will hold two …

Youth Life News

Bowling- February 8, Plan for a fun afternoon this Sunday! The group of 13 youth and adults are gathering after the 10:30 worship for lunch in the annex and then off to bowling at 1:30pm. You will go to Jax Lanes on Beach Blvd for an afternoon of fun! Parent pickup is at 4:15 at the bowling alley. Cost for the …

Calling All Men – Shrove Tuesday

The Men’s Bible Study group is hosting our Shrove Sunday Pancake Breakfasts on Sunday, February 15 after each of the worship services. The men will be doing all of the prep, cooking, serving and clean-up!! All men, even if you don’t attend the Saturday Bible Study group, are invited to roll up their sleeves and …

The North American Lutheran Seminary

The Rev. Jeff Morlock, Director of Vocational Discernment at the North American Lutheran Seminary, will be here on Saturday, Feb 7th, and Sunday, Feb 8th, at each service. He is visiting to promote the mission and work of the NALS and to speak about church vocations in general, and to answer any of our questions …

SouperBowl of Caring Weekend

Join us on February 8th for the SouperBowl of Caring! This is a weekend set aside for the nation’s Youth to collect loose change after worship services. 100% of funds stay local to support hunger initiatives right in our community. You are encouraged to bring in your loose change and place in the soup pots …

Shepherd’s Shelves Ministry Update

Shepherd’s Shelves Celebration Weekend – February 7th & 8th – It seems like just a few weeks ago that we launched our community food pantry, but it has been almost five months!! We are now seeing 30+ visitors each time we open which means we are assisting 300+ individuals each week when you consider other …

Weekend of January 31 – February 1st

January has been Disaster Relief Awareness Month– All month, we worked towards our goal of providing the NALC Disaster Relief team with items for their warehouses. Today we will be praying over and blessing the beautiful handmade quilts, baby blankets, baby care items, Bibles, and full-size blankets that will be going to a regional Disaster …

Youth Life News

Everyone had a great time at Rock the Universe this past weekend. Judging from the pictures, it was a great event. Thank you to our chaperones and youth leaders for their help making this a truly special weekend. See pics below! Mark your calendar for several upcoming youth events:

New Opportunities to Serve

We are seeking a group of volunteers to help on Mondays, restoring the kitchen to order after the weekend, serving monthly or only occasionally. This “Kitchen Hospitality Team” will ensure clean dishes are put away, leftovers are dated and labeled and list any make note needing to be replenished. If y

First Fruits

Each month we set aside 10% of undesignated giving to support a variety of ministries in Christian love and care. In December, our Benevolence ministry supported global and local causes:

Annual Congregational Meeting

Annual Congregational Meeting will be held on Sunday, January 25 at Noon. A light lunch will be provided. Mark your calendars and plan to attend the meeting to hear updates and share your vote on important matters related to our congregational life together – ministries, budgets and the development of the mission church plant in …

Valentine’s For Veterans

Valentine’s Cards for Veterans & Military – our local First Coast Group – Thrivent is helping spread the love this Valentine’s Day with a card collection drive for veterans and our military. They have partnered with Naval Station of Mayport for their local and deployed service men and women. We will have a collection bin …

Women’s Bible Study Resumes

Women’s Bible Study resumes on Monday, January 12th at 10:00am and all women are invited and welcome! Never been before?? This is a wonderful time in the Word – currently focusing on the Book of Proverbs. Bring your Bible, or, if you don’t have one, we will provide one for you. You will be blessed!

January is Disaster Response Awareness Month

All month, we will be working towards our goal of providing the NALC Disaster Relief team with items for their warehouses. We will be providing quilts, baby care items, Bibles, and new and gently used blankets to help stock the regional Disaster Response warehouse. Please see the insert in today’s Announcements for more information on …

Quilting Workshop

Our quilters meet on Wednesdays at 1:30pm in the Fellowship Hall. There is no sewing, and no experience is necessary to participate. Stations are set up for you to cut squares, sort squares and to assist with matching completed quilt tops with filler and backing. All are welcome! On Sat, Jan 31st there will be …

Monthly Game Night

Monthly Game Night is this Saturday – January 17 – these evening are full of fun, food and fellowship and all are welcome (however no nursery and no childcare). Come out for cards, board games and more. Bring a dish or snack to share if you want to! And if you come, bring a friend. …

Grief Support Series

Grief Support group meetings will be held in January – Mon 1/5, Mon 1/12, and Tues 1/20 from 6:30 to 7:30pm. If you are interested in participating, indicate this on your yellow Connect Card or contact the church office.

OneBlood Bloodmobile

The Oneblood Bloodmobile will be onsite Sunday, Jan 11 from 9am to Noon. If you can donate and would like to schedule yourself for a time that morning, please visit oneblood.org to pre-register, indicate your interest on the yellow Connect Cart, or you can just show up that morning. Donating blood saves lives!

50th Anniversary of Ministry Celebration

Celebrating 50 years in Ministry!! – This weekend we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pastor Johnson’ ordination. Since 1975, he and Chris have faithfully served congregations in New York and then at Shepherd of the Woods. We have been richly blessed as a congregation under the development and growth experienced during the years Pastor Johnson …

Faithful Friday – December 19th

This is the fourth in a series of reflections on 50 years of Ministry from Pastor Johnson. We hope you are blessed by these thoughts. My sincere thanks to all who shared in yesterday’s celebration of thanksgiving with my wife, Chris, and my daughters, Jennifer and Joy, and our grandchildren, Ellie, Cameron, Paisley, Paige. I received …

Beaches Mission House

We will prepare and serve a meal on Tuesday, December 30th at 4:30pm. If you would like to volunteer to help prep, cook, serve or clean-up, please indicate your interest on the yellow Connect Card. We are usually there about 2 ½ hours. Newcomers are welcome – it is always a blessing! We will also …

Monthly Game Night

Join us on Sat, Dec 20 at 6:45 for our monthly evening of food & fun! All ages are welcome but there is no childcare or nursery. We play board games, card games and more! Bring a dish or snack to share if you like – but never required. Please sign up onthe yellow Connect …

Christmas Basket Donations

This year we will be helping those in need with special “Houshold Needs and More ” baskets and will be adding some nice treats as well. If you wouldlike to contribute, we need full-sized items of the following: laundry detergent, fabric softener, scent beads, dishwashing soap, dishwasher pods, air fresheners, furniture polish, household cleaners, bug …

Christmas Quilt Raffle

Women of the Woods present the Christmas Quilt and Gift Basket Raffle – Please stop by the table in the Gathering Area to see the lovely array of gift baskets and the beautiful handmade quilts on display! The WOW group will be raffling all of these items to raise additional funds to support the Women’s …

Youth Life Christmas Party

Mark your calendar for your Youth Life Christmas Party, December 12! It’s a Christmas Pajama Party on Friday night, December 12 from 6:30-9:30pm. Bring a gift to exchange ($25 max). More info to follow!

First Communion Class

First Communion Classes are open to any child who has the desire to receive Holy Communion and who has parental permission. Classes will be held in time for them to receive their first Holy Communion by Christmas Eve. Please indicate your interest on the yellow Connect Card. Sessions will be held on Saturday afternoons from …

Women of the Woods

All ladies are invited to join us Monday, Dec 1 at 6:00pm for a potluck dinner followed by our meeting at 6:30pm. This is a great chance to fellowship with those that worship at different service and to find out more about the current ministries within our congregation.

Christmas Blessings in Peru

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas in the states, we have the opportunity to extend our care, and “show Christ” to our friends in Tarma. Our Christmas outreach program includes providing small gifts, hot chocolate & panettone to approximately 90 children ($10 each) in the community plus the 40 children and 8 seniors housed at …

Advent Service of Light

Join us on Wednesday, December 3rd at 5:30 pm for a fellowship dinner followed by the worship service and tree lighting at 6:30pm. This is a special time to gather for worship, ushering in the advent season and centering our hearts as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ.

Women’s Retreat

Our retreat dates Friday, February 27th – Sunday, March 1st and we encourage all women to attend. Our theme is “Women of the Bible” and our guest speaker is Pastor Patti Morlock, Associate Pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Grove City, Ohio. This is for women of all ages, members and visitors. You are …

Youth Life Update

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser this past Saturday. You all worked very hard and did a great job with this event. Everyone has spoken of how wonderful the meal was. Thank you also to the adults who pitched in and helped as well. You raised over $900! Great job! …

Food Drive For The Holidays

Please be on the lookout for opportunities to be a part of a food drive. Perhaps your place of employment, your homeowners’ association or apartment complex, your book club or an athletic team you are connected to would consider hosting a food drive for our Shepherd’s Shelves food pantry. We would be happy to provide …

Thanksgiving Worship and Luncheon

Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon – we encourage you to invite someone who might not be sharing a meal with loved ones this holiday – perhaps a friend, a neighbor or a coworker. We serve up a feast with all the fixin’s on Wednesday, November 26th at 1:00pm (following the Noon worship service). Consider inviting someone who …

Monthly Game Night

Monthly Game Night is Saturday, Nov 15 at 6:45pm. Come out for a fun evening of cards, board games and more. And, when we meet -we eat. You are welcome to bring a snack or dish to share if you like – but never required! There is always plenty. This is for all ages but …

Food Drive For The Holidays

Food Drives for the Holidays – please be on the lookout for opportunities to be a part of a food drive. Perhaps your place of employment, your homeowners’ association or apartment complex, your book club or an athletic team you are connected to would consider hosting a food drive for our Shepherd’s Shelves food pantry. …

Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon

Save the Date for our Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon – we encourage you to invite someone who might not be sharing a meal with loved ones this holiday – perhaps an acquaintance, a neighbor or a coworker. We serve up a feast with all the fixin’s on Wed, Nov 26 at 1:00pm (following the Noon worship …

Pumpkin Patch – Thank You

The Pumpkin Patch was Lovely – thanks to our countless volunteers who helped with set-up, decorating, unloading, assisting with pre-school field trips, worked shifts throughout the weeks, and those who broke everything down and put it all away for next year. So, save the date: Oct 3, 2026! We were able to host hundreds of …

Youth Life News

Congratulations to Mya Smith who was confirmed this past Reformation Sunday during the 8:30 worship service! Thank you to everyone who participated in Party in the Patch. Looks like everyone had a great time- especially those who were visiting our church for the first time. We had several folks return this past Sunday for worship! Thank you …

Save The Date – Youth Life Fundraiser

Save the Date AND Sign Up! – Our Youth Life group is hosting a spaghetti dinner on Sat, Nov 8. This is a fundraising event for Youth events like Rock the Universe and Confirmation Camp. Please see the insert in today’s Announcements or contact the church office to sign up. A free-will donation is suggested …

2026 Stewardship

This is the time of year we ask that you prayerfully consider your gifts, abilities and schedules to see where you might be led in serving God with your gifts of time and energy. Likewise, your financial gifts allow us to maintain the church operations and provide for our many ministries. May our prayers be …

Living Hope Community Church – Ribbon Cutting

Thursday, October 23, 2025 @ 4pm 2585 Pacetti Rd, St. Augustine, FL 32092. Come out and support the mission plant church in St. John’s County. This is an official welcome by the St. John’s County Chamber of Commerce as they add us to the roster of churches supporting this community. We hope you can join …

Divine Drama Bible Study – Part 2

Saturday 4:00pm Bible Study – Divine Drama Bible Study continues with Part Two. Jesus says, we live “by every word that comes from the mouth of God,” (Matthew 4:4) which includes every word in our Bibles. Pr. Harry Wendt, a Lutheran pastor, developed a series of Bible studies that have helped many Christians around the …

Sonshine Mission District

Sonshine Mission District Convocation set for October 18th. Did you know that SOTW is a congregation of the North American Lutheran Church? The NALC is divided into more than sixty mission districts across North America. SOTW is part of the Sonshine Mission District which encompasses eleven congregations across the state of Florida. Pastor Peacock is …

The Pumpkins Are Delayed

Our delivery will not be on time – NO unloading on Saturday 10/11. We will not unload on Saturday. We have not received information yet to know if we will unload Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evening. Please continue to check your emails from us and/or the SOTW Facebook page for updates! The harvest in New Mexico experienced delays which …

Save The Date – Thanksgiving Luncheon

We encourage you to invite someone who might not be sharing a meal with loved ones this holiday – perhaps an aquaintance, a neighbor or a coworker. We serve up a feast with all the fixin’s on Wed, Nov 26 at 1:00pm (following the Noon worship service). Please be thinking about who you see during …

Weekly Quilting/Knitting & Crocheting

Weekly Quilting/Knitting & Crocheting – Wednesdays at 1:30pm. Quilters work on quilts for disaster relief and prayer quilts. The knitters & crocheters are working on baby blankets for NALC Disaster Relief. All are welcome.

Living Hope Community Church

Living Hope Community Church is a mission plant church of Shepherd of the Woods in St. Johns County. They gather each week for Bible Study and prayer & praise worship. While they have been meeting for many weeks, October is the official launch as they become a worshipping congregation. The address is 2675 PacettiRoad – …

Youth Life Update

Our next youth event is Sunday, October 5th. TMeet at church for 10:30 worship, lunch following and then the chaperones will drive you all. There has been a venue change for the Escape Room. It will now be at Prototype Escape Rooms, address is 3546 St Johns Bluff Rd S UNIT 113, Jacksonville, FL 32224 in the Shoppes at East …