Dear Disciple of Christ, And Peter testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. …
Dear Disciple of Christ, If I were to ask you, what would you say is the “sine qua non” of the Church? That is, what is so essential that if it is not done, we have accomplished nothing? Are you thinking of the “Last Will” of Jesus, the directive (commission) He gave His disciples just before …
It’s time for Confirmation Camp!!!! Youth will be meeting this Sunday, June 25 attending the 10:30 worship service and staying together for the whole week. There is a full week of service, study, fellowship, and fun ahead. After attending worship, the youth will work on their first service project for the week: Sandwich Sunday, making bagged lunches for the …
Good afternoon, friends! Happy Summer! All 7th-12th grade youth are invited to join the Youth Life Bible Study held in the Shepherd Center during the Family Hour each Sunday. You meet from 9:40-10:25 am. Thank you to all the youth who helped with Vacation Bible School this past week. All the participants had a wonderful time! Confirmation …
Dear Disciple of Christ, A few days ago (on Wednesday), the choir presented the story of the life and death of Jesus in music. (It will be presented again this Sunday at the 10:30am service). In the cantata we walked with Jesus as He went from the celebration of Palm Sunday, through the night of betrayal, His …
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. …
Mark your calendar for the Semi-annual Congregational Meeting on Wed, June 21st at 6:30 pm with dinner at 5:30 pm. This is a great time to hear updates on all of our ministries including Peru, School, the Pacetti Property, and other ministry updates. We will also be voting on four nominees to the Church Council. Copies …
Dear Disciple of Christ, How do you feel about “dramas” in church? I know, as a worship leader, that they can, at times, be an effective way for people to “experience” some of the emotion of a particular point being made and message being proclaimed. So, for example, our church choir will, at times, do a cantata …
CANTATA! The Choirs will be presenting “A.D.”, a cantata that journeys through Holy Week until the Day of Pentecost. Mark your calendars and don’t miss this opportunity to hear the Word proclaimed through music and narration. A.D. will be present on Wednesday, June 14 at 6:30 pm (preceded by a fellowship meal at 5:30 pm.) and Sunday, June 18 at …
Wednesday Night Bible Study – Join us Wednesdays at 6:30 pm in the South Annex classroom as we resume the study of Matthew. Newcomers always welcome! If you are not able to join in person, please join by Zoom – click the link below about 6:25 pm. Women’s Evening Bible Study – The Women’s evening Bible study group will …
Congratulations to our 2023 High School Graduates! And Confirmation Blessings to Seth Kilpatrick who was confirmed this past Sunday. Starting June 4, all 7th-12th grade youth are invited to join the Youth Life Bible Study held in the Shepherd Center during the Family Hour each Sunday. You meet from 9:40-10:25. Vacation Bible School is June 12-16th, 9am-12pm. Volunteers are needed for this event. …
Dear Disciple of Christ, Have you ever heard the phrase (from a book by Robert Fulghum), “All I really needed to know I learned in Kindergarten”? I guess, in some ways, much of what I’ve learned for and about ministry came in my first 6 ½ years of serving my first church in Brooklyn. It was there that …
Men’s Breakfast & Bible Study – our men meet most First Saturdays and will gather again on Sat, June 3rd at 8am. In addition to the fellowship over a shared meal, we gather to be in the Word together. Our focus continues this month with Messianic Prophecies Found in the Psalms: Christ will ascend to Heaven (Psalm 68:18) & …
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 …
Dear Disciple of Christ, Quiz question. What miracle performed by Jesus is the only miracle recorded in all four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)? Any idea? Jesus went up on the mountain, and there sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that …
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 …
Dear Disciple of Christ, Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. – 1 Timothy 4:12 In my office there used to be a picture on the wall of me on my first anniversary of my ordination. I was 27 years old …
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 …
Join this 5 week program with indoor and outdoor activities: early literacy, language, math, science, and arts. We will also be focusing on faith, social skills, technology, problem-solving, and outdoor fun.
Join us three days per week as we grow in social and communication skills, become accustomed to a full day of academics, and learn independence in classroom routines while using technology and having fun!
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 …
Lots of wonderful ways to participate in the life of the congregation and in your Youth Life are coming up soon! From community service opportunities, fundraisers, camps, VBS and travel abroad, all help spread God’s love and share the good news. Please prayerfully consider where you can help out and participate. Peterbrooke Chocolate sales start …
Good morning friends! Registration for Confirmation Camp is here! Please complete the Registration and Health form found below. Just click on the red box. Camp registration is due by May 14th, that’s less than 3 weeks away. Please also click on the link in the the camp letter which will detail plans for this year. Camp …
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 …
Dear Disciple of Christ, Last week I welcomed you back to these “Faithful Fridays” readings with a brief reflection on visions. From Proverbs we were reminded that…. “Where there is no vision, the people perish. ” (Proverbs 29:18) There is always more that can be said on any of these reflections and having set them aside for …
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 …
Confirmation / Faith Camp is open to any youth entering 7th grade in the 2023/2024 school year through being a graduating senior this school year, or you have talked to one of the pastors about your young one participating. This is a great week of discussing and growing in faith, using our gifts in service …
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 …
It is our mission to spread the Gospel by inviting others to worship and to a relationship with Jesus Christ. Please forward this message to family, friends and neighbors who might be seeking a community to share Easter worship. All are welcome! We look forward to seeing you! Saturday, April 8th – 5:30 PM (Indoor …
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 …
Good afternoon, friends! Happy Holy Week! Thank you to the youth who were able to help out with Maundy Thursday services today. Good Friday services are at Noon and 6:30 pm tomorrow. Please prayerfully consider joining us. Mark your calendars for this Saturday, April 8th, to help with the annual Easter Egg Hunt. This event is …
Maundy Thursday, April 6 Join us for a traditional Maundy Thursday worship service with Holy Communion. The services will include a symbolic foot washing and will conclude with the stripping of the altar. Services at Noon and 6:30 pm (Noon Service is Live Streamed.) Good Friday, April 7 Join us as we reflect upon the …
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 …
Thank you to everyone who helped with the Garage Sale this past weekend. Over $5,000 was raised for our Peru Mission in Tarma. Palm Sunday and Holy Week are fast approaching. Maundy Thursday (April 6), we would love to have 7-12th grade youth help during worship, specifically during the altar stripping. This is a very moving service …
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, …
Men’s Breakfast & Bible Study – All men are invited to join us each month as we gather to share a meal and share time in the Word. Please make plans to join us Saturday, March 11 at 8:00 am as we continue our series “22 Messianic Prophecies Found in the Psalms confirmed in the New Testament”. …
It’s Garage Sale time! You can earn community service hours for this event. We need help sorting items the week of March 13, all day until 7 pm weekdays. Garage Sale day is Saturday, March 18, and help is needed anytime from 6 am until 4 pm. During the week you will help sort and stage …
Please join us each Wednesday during the Lenten Season for midweek worship. We gather for worship at Noon and 6:30 pm on 3/1, 3/8, 3/15, 3/22, and 3/29 for Lenten Worship. The Noon Service will be live-streamed and the bulletins and links are below. A soup and salad dinner is provided at 5:30 pm (and served through …
Read more “Lent – Shepherd of the Woods Lutheran Church and School”
Lent is a season in the church in which we especially focus on examining our hearts, confessing our sin, and reflecting on the significance of Christ’s death on the cross. Lenten disciplines are a tool in turning our hearts and lives to Christ. Below are some ideas for you, or you may think of some …
You are dust, and to dust you shall return (Genesis 3:19) Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season and is a time for personal reflection and repentance. As a symbol of repentance and admission of our frailty, the imposition of ashes will be offered for those who desire to receive them. Please join …
Dear Disciple of Christ, So by way of quick review, my wife and I had accepted the call to be pastor of a church in Brooklyn, New York. It was a fairly small church (with about 45 worshipers) and the entire salary package for me the pastor) was $5,600 per year (fully half their annual budget). …
We will be hosting a site visit on Sat, Feb 25th from 10 am to Noon at the St. John’s County property currently under consideration for purchase for a possible mission church plant. You come any time between 10 am – Noon. Please indicate on the Yellow Insert if you will be visiting the site or call the church office. If …
Read more “Property Site Visit and Special Congregational Meeting”
Join us from 9:30 to 10:30 am on Sunday, February 19th as we serve a delicious, indulgent breakfast in anticipation of the Lenten season. Enjoy piping hot pancakes, bacon, sausage, coffee, and juice! Your free-will donation helps provide funds for Youth Life programming, summer camps, and the summer Peru Mission Trip.
Saturday is our next youth fundraiser, Dine with Us- Aloha! Our annual dinner fundraiser has a Hawaiian theme this year and promises to be a great event full of tikis and palm trees and all things Hawaiian! Saturday, February 11 is our event day. We ask that you arrive at 3 pm. Hawaiian shirts, long dark pants, and closed-toed shoes, please. …
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 …
Dear Disciple of Christ, Do you know the difference between an “ordination” and an “installation?” One is done once in a lifetime and one may be done again and again. All pastors are ordained once (unless they “switch” denominations) and installation happens whenever someone begins in a new church setting. You’re right if you’re thinking this seems to be …
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 …
Greetings Youth Life family! Rock the Universe is this weekend. Participants are asked to meet at the church at 4 pm on Friday, January 27 to depart as soon as possible. A separate mailing went out (to those signed up) with more specific information. Next weekend is an all-day, drop-in quilting workshop and you can earn community service hours …
Dear Disciple of Christ, Last week’s posting focused on the temptations we may have for us to use our “timeline” for life rather than God’s. Even now, looking back over those 9 years of study and preparations for pastoral ministry, it seemed like a long process. Those first four years of preparation (in Concordia Junior College in …
Have you ever pondered if God was calling you into pastoral ministry? The NALC Carolina’s District is sponsoring an “Inquirers Retreat” Fri. Feb. 10 & Sun. Feb. 12 at Laurel Ridge Camp. The retreat is to introduce the call of God to those who wonder if God is calling them into vocational ministry. If you are interested in this retreat, …