We are collecting non-perishables for our friends in ministry at Angel Aid for their family Christmas Baskets. There is a specially marked bin in the Gathering Area for this food drive. You are welcome to continue providing items to our food pantry during the drive. Most Needed: canned fruit and vegetables, canned soups and broth, boxed …
Join us Sunday, December 10th at Noon – All are welcome as we visit shut-ins and to minister to members and others in our communty. We gather in the Shepherd Center at 11:40 for a quick meal. Please indicate your participation on the Yellow Insert so we can plan the groups & routes.
Dear Disciple, You may have been heard about ALPHA recently and wondered what it’s all about! ALPHA is a series of structured sessions which explore the basics of faith in an open, informal environment with no judgement and no pressure. This is a great opportunity for those who are “seeking” or wrestling in the faith and what …
We are beginning to plan our 2024 trips to Tarma, Peru, targeting late January for our first trip and mid-summer for the second one. Our early trip is usually more administrative in nature, planning projects and estimating needs but does include work on the property as needed. Our summer trip usually is more project-oriented with …
We had a great time Saturday at Party in the Patch with more than 300 visitors. Your youth volunteered all day, along with lots of adults, doing everything from set up to manning games to ringing up sales to helping with the clean-up. Thank you! Thank you to all who have offered- and continue to …
Alpha Prayer Team – Our first run of Alpha in the spring was successful and we will begin the series again in January. Alpha is a 10 to 12-week series that primarily targets people who are seeking a connection to God and want to explore information on who Jesus is and what becoming a Christian can mean …
Ronald McDonald House does a wonderful job supporting parents by providing housing and meals in a nearby facility while their child is hospitalized in a city somewhere other than where they live. Like most non-profit organizations, they are continuously striving to keep supplies and food on hand to keep this support available to those who …
SOTW visits Beaches Mission House on fifth Tuesdays to prepare and serve a meal. Our next scheduled date is Tuesday, Oct 31 and we meet at 5:00 pm at the facility. If you would like to participate, please indicate your attendance on the Yellow Connection Insert. If you are not able to arrive at 5:00 …
Grief Support Group – We will begin a new series for those seeking support following loss of a loved one. This group begins Tues, Oct 24, 6:30-7:30pm. Please use the Yellow Connection Insert to indicate your participation. If you have any questions, please speak with Pastor DiBias.
Please ensure your spot at this year’s retreat by submitting your registration and payment by October 29. We will gather from Fri, Nov 10 – Sun, Nov 12 and the $250 cost covers your lodging, meals, and all materials. Come and be blessed! Please download the flyer and registration form provided if you are planning …
Bloodmobile –Sunday, October 15 from 9 a.m. until Noon (or later if they are still getting donors). If you would like to donate blood that day, you can pre-register at oneblood.org, selecting the Donate icon in the upper right-hand corner. You may also just visit the bus that morning and register then. If you donate, it is …
Many thanks to those who donated to our many needs in Peru!! We were able to assist with all the needs requested: computers, medical assistance for a young girl battling leukemia, and the young man with rheumatoid arthritis, and repairs for Pr Araujo’s “Punch Buggy” which gets him from Lima to Tarma each week. Thank you …
We hope you have enjoyed the Peru Post emails, the Facebook updates and the photos shared in recent Announcements and online. The Mission Team certainly had some challenges getting to Tarma but all made it safely and managed to get a lot done in a short period of time!! The team will be sharing their …
Beaches Mission House – On Tuesday, Aug 29 we will cook and serve dinner at Mission House. If you would like to provide any of the following as donations, we will take them with us that evening: New or gently worn tennis shoes and sandals, sun screen, bug spray, men’s & women’s socks and underwear, new …
Thank you so much for your continued generosity in supplying our community food shelves – we see visitors almost every day in need of supplemental items. We are currently low on canned meats, boxed milk, oatmeal, grits, canned vegetables, canned fruits, jams, and pasta and pasta sauces. Also appreciated, paper products, hygiene and toiletries. If you can …
Men’s Breakfast & Bible Study – Men, please make plans to join us Saturday, August 5 at 8:00 am. We start by sharing a meal together and then begin studies at 8:30 am. The current focus is on the 1st & 2nd Epistles of Peter. If you are not able to join in person, please join by Zoom – the link …
Beaches Mission House Needs Men’s Shoes – we received an email this week that the inventory of men’s shoes is extremely low in the Clothes Closet. If you have new or gently worn men’s tennis shoes, sandals, work shoes, or other casual shoes to donate, please bring them in next weekend. There will be a collection box …
Prior to our departure, we had the opportunity to meet with the ministry team in Tarma. In our discussions, we were made aware of some needs that we have been invited to support. Please prayerfully consider making a difference in the life of others. The requests made are as follows: One of the local schools, …
Greetings from the Peru Mission Team. By the grace of God we have safely traveled down the mountain from Tarma to Lima and are happy to report we are now safely home in the States. Despite the delays in getting to and from Peru, God has been gracious and merciful watching over us in His …
Shepherd of the Woods has been in mission in Peru since 2005. We’ve been blessed to make numerous trips over the years to share God’s love and hope and the Good News of Jesus Christ through word and deed. God has been at work through us and countless lives have been touched. We often say …
JOY is the word of the weekend! This includes the joy of being with our brothers and sisters in Christ at Shepherd of the Woods Mission Tarma. We’ve waited 3 years to return and God finally opened the doors for us and said, now is the time. We consider ourselves richly blessed. Our Sunday began …
Greetings from the Peru Mission Team and your brothers and sisters in Christ. After some flight cancellations and delays, we made it safely to Tarma on Friday evening instead of Tuesday evening. By the grace of God, all the travel delays kept us from being stuck on the central highway following a horrible accident. So, …
Our first Alpha run lasted 11 weeks and just concluded with almost 30 people participating! th We have tentatively set our next sessions to begin Tues, Jan 9 , 2024. There will be a training webinar on Thursday, August 17th at 8:30pm EST for anyone who is interested in volunteering to help with future Alpha sessions. If …
We need Wavers to greet the community before EVERY service, EVERY weekend!!! But it only works if we have volunteers. A Pastor is almost always out waving but it sends a special message when our people are out greeting as well. please consider offering the gift of your time once per quarter or once per …
Do you have any prescription eyeglasses at home you can part with? If so, please bring them in by July 9th and we will take them to Peru where we have partnered with a ministry that distributes them to those in need. Our Missionary Team leaves on July 17th! For those going on the trip, a …
Our Youth returned just over a week ago. But even in just the first few days of camp, the Youth had already placed mulch between the two buildings, made almost 200 sandwiches & bagged lunches for St Francis House, shopped for additional 555 food, and helped load the truck going to LSS. Plus time in …
We are currently very low on canned meats, boxed milk, cereal, oatmeal, grits, canned vegetables, (other than green beans and corn!), canned fruits, boxed juice & milk, jams, and pasta and pasta sauces. Also appreciated, paper & hygiene products and toiletries.
Donation Drivers Needed – We often receive donations for various organizations like Mission House, PACE, Lutheran Social Service, Angel Aid, etc. and seek volunteers to pick items up from church and transport them to where they need to go. While you are encouraged to take your donations directly to these agencies we know that isn’t always possible. …
The Summer 5-5-5 Service Project has begun! During the five weeks leading up to our Youth Life Confirmation Faith Camp, we strive as a community to collect 500 pounds of food and $500 in financial donations to support the Lutheran Social Service food bank and weekend backpack program. Each Friday, hundreds of children across northeast Florida leave school in the afternoon …
Join us as we celebrate the grand launching of our new Little Lambs Early Learning Center ministry. This will specialize in serving children 2 1⁄2 years old through VPK. We offer full-year programming accompanied by half and full-day schedules. Little Lambs Early Learning Center is grounded with academic excellence and rooted in the faith. An Open House is …
SOTW is a drop-site for Meals on Wheels, serving about 30 clients each weekday. There are six openings currently, so we are seeking new volunteers to take one or more days each month. The clients are all within a five-mile radius of the church and the route can be driven in about an hour. Some …
Do you have shorts and T-shirts your young ones have outgrown? Want to donate a soccer ball to children who don’t have one? Have you replaced your laptop? Rev. Eric Swensson is headed to Madagascar for an annual trip to visit the eight ministries he volunteers with through The Friends of Madagascar Mission, and he …
Spring Tea – An Early Learning Center Fundraiser – Please make plans to join us for a lovely morning of tea and delicious finger foods and sweets. It’s this Monday, April 24 at 11:30 am and the suggested donation for tickets is $20. In addition to the scrumptious fare and fun fellowship, we will have songs from the children and …
Alpha is a program introduced in the 70’s in England as a way to reach people who are seeking more from life, seeking an understanding of who or what God is, or seeking that which is missing in their life. Each week participants gather and share a simple meal, watch a video by the Alpha …
Shepherd Shelves – Currently, we are most in need of shelf-stable milks & juices, hot & cold cereals, pasta, and pasta sauces, rice, canned beans (lentils, kidney beans, black beans, etc.), peanut butter, jellies & jams, paper and hygiene products and toiletries. We can also accept loaves of bread. Many thanks for your care of those …
Alpha is a program introduced in the 70’s in England as a way to reach people who are seeking more from life, seeking an understanding of who or what God is, or seeking that which is missing in their life. Each week participants gather and share a simple meal, watch a video by the Alpha …
Our Egg Hunt and Easter Party will be held on Saturday, April 8th, from 10 am to Noon for children ages 2 to 10. We will first gather for fun and games and the Egg Hunt will begin at 11 am. Please invite friends, neighbors, and extended family with young children. This is a great way to share our …
Saturday, April 1st and Sunday, April 2nd: Palm Waving on the Sidewalk this Weekend – We invite you to join in the fun, waving palms before each of the services on Palm Sunday weekend. We will line the sidewalk in the front of the church property to wave palms and greet passers-by! This is something for all ages and …
Shepherd Shelves – We are currently in need of shelf stable milks & juices, hot & cold cereals, canned beans (lentils, kidney beans, black beans, etc.), peanut butter, jellies & jams, paper products and toiletries. We can also accept loaves of bread. Many thanks for your care of those in our community who need this resource.
Thank you to all who have donated to provide complete uniforms that will allow children in Tarma to be able to attend school when their new year begins. Unlike the US, not all children get to attend school and the full uniform is required to begin each year at a cost of approximately $120. Thanks …
Our sale was a HUGE success despite the attempted thunderstorms. We sold more than $5,000 of your generous donations and still had lots left over to pass on to the Angel Aid Ministry for their Thrift Store and their Estate Sale. Double the blessings. We will use our proceeds for various ministries in our Tarma, Peru mission …
Thanks to all who came out last weekend to hear more about how the ALPHA program helps people to find answers to life’s big questions. It is designed to help people find an understanding of who Jesus was, why He was sent and who He can be in each of our lives today. If you would like more …
Yard Sale Donations Our annual yard sale will be Saturday, March 18 and the storage bins are in the back parking lot. You are welcome to bring donations in any time the office is open or pick up a slip with the combination code from the office counter if you will be dropping off items when …
Monthly Game Night is Saturday, March 18 at 6:45 pm – come enjoy some good food, some great fellowship, and yummy snacks! This group plays all sorts – card games, board games, group games – every week is different and fun. Bring a snack if you choose.
We set a goal to cut 500 squares and raise $500 during the 5 weeks of Lent. Cutting Kits will be available in the Gathering Area until Easter if you would like to support the project. The squares will be used to make quilts for Lutheran World Relief humanitarian efforts. This is a great way to involve a friend, neighbor, kids, …
Join us Sunday, February 12th Now known as “Tacklet Hunger.” Youth will hold giant soup pots in the gathering area and will collect funds after worship. All proceeds benefit the Mandarin Food Bank. This event is a nationwide event and raises millions of dollars for local food banks.
Join us for Come Dine with Us – Aloha! Hawaiian Dinner – Saturday, February 11th This evening of fun and great food is a Youth Life fundraiser, and all proceeds will be used for youth programs to include camp participation and the summer mission trip to Peru. This year’s theme is Aloha! and you will be treated …
Quilting Workshop – All-Day, Drop-In session on Sat, Feb 4, 10 am to 5 pm. This is the final push to complete quilts that will be sent to the Lutheran World Relief warehouses the following week. There will be stations for cutting squares, designing quilt tops, sewing tops, matching tops to the backing, and finishing the sides and …
Are you looking for a new way to serve? We have something that is fun, easy, and something everyone can do. Prior to each of our three services each weekend, we have folks on the sidewalk waving to those passing by on Southside Blvd and the service road. All you have to do is provide …
Beaches Mission House serves the community by providing meals, medical care, job search support, and shower & laundry facilities to the area’s homeless and indigent population. We will cook and serve dinner on Tues, Jan 31, 5 pm to 8 pm. If you would like to participate, please contact the church office. Mission House needs a number …
Our quilters resume their Wednesday afternoon quilting sessions on Jan 11 at 1:30 pm. This group meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays to match sewn tops to filler and backing. There is also a station for cutting squares. There is no sewing, and no experience is needed to help with this part of the process!! All are welcome. …
Live Builders Residents’ Gifts – Our congregation sponsored sixteen women who are in a year-long residential recovery program. We provided each person with three gifts. Thanks to all who coordinated, shopped, wrapped and delivered! These ladies will never know our names but they knew they were cared for and prayed for!
For additional details, please see News Notes, call the church office, or visit our calendar. Wed. Jan 4 – Fellowship Dinner at 5:30 pm & Epiphany Worship at 6:30 pm Sat, Jan 7 – Men’s Breakfast & Bible Study Sun, Jan 8 – Family Hour Classes Resume at 9:30 am Wed, Jan 18 – Women’s …
For two evenings we received visitors to our Live Nativity which featured sharing the Word through readings and carols, a photo station, a bunny petting booth, crafts for children, and a fire pit s’mores station. A great time was had by all and we were able to great a number of our community neighbors!
Fantastic salads and yummy sweets were the stars of the show! Thanks to all who gathered for food, fellowship, and fun.
Our “Shepherd Shelves” in the Gathering area serves many in our local community every week. We appreciate all donations. Currently, we are most in need of the following: canned meats & tuna, canned soups and stews, canned fruit, and canned beans and breakfast cereals. If you can provide any items, please leave them in the barrel …
As we continue our Advent worship and preparations for Christmas celebrations, you, as a congregation have helped make the season more special for others. You provided gifts for 122 children through the Angel Aid Angel Tree program, more than 40 gifts for the 14 women we sponsored through the residential program at City Rescue mission, …
Thanks to all who donated for the Thanksgiving baskets. Angel Aid continues their support of families with additional food at Christmas and they are most in need of paper towels, toilet paper, feminine care items as well as canned goods including meats, tuna, fruits, veggies and breakfast cereals. If you would like to donate, there …
Thank you to all who sponsored children and who made financial contribution towards gifts. Your generosity and care are so deeply appreciated by the families and the Angel Aid organization. If you did not return your Angel Tree Gifts this weekend, please bring them to the office no later than Monday, Dec 5. So we …
City Rescue Mission Life Changers Ministry – We are sponsoring 15 women who are participating in a year-long residential program that provides educational, work training, life skills and faith-based support. We are seeking to offer a few small gifts to each of these ladies. If you would like to help, please select and sign out a tag from the …