Maundy Thursday, March 28 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 are at Noon and 6:30pm. The Noon service is live-streamed. Good Friday, March 29 Join us as we reflect upon the death …
The season of Lent is coming to an end with Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday worship services next week. Next Sunday is Easter Sunday! There are many worship opportunities ahead, please prayerfully consider attending or even serving at one or more services. Thank you to those who have already volunteered! Our next youth fundraiser is …
Our Life Changer campaign this year has been so successful thanks to your generous donations. To date, we have raised funds to sponsor 37 children with a school uniform, shoes and a backpack – all required before a child can be registered for school in Peru! We will never be able to fully see the outcome of these children receiving …
Lent is observed for the Forty Days beginning Ash Wednesday until Easter – excluding Sundays. Join us on a Lenten journey where we will reflect on the battles we face in life; powers & principalities, evil, darkness, the devil, and even attempts at identity theft as a child of God. We will delve into the scriptures to hear and …
Monday, March 18, at 10:30 am – Bring the kids out to enjoy some fresh air and burn off some energy during Spring Break! We’ll enjoy playtime and a picnic. Meet at Sunshine Park – located at 2514 S Beach Pkwy, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250. There are cool playgrounds, a skate park, recreational fields, pickle …
Adventure Camp Retreat is coming this summer, June 30-July 4. This amazing fun week takes place in Orlando at the Grand Beach Resort on Lake Bryan and is open to youth currently in the Youth Life group. This event is full of adventure for sure: kayaking, paddle boarding, boating. glow in the dark laser tag, miniature golf along …
As of March 10th, we have a conditional closing on the property. We have signed all the closing documents and wired the money but it is being held in escrow until the seller follows through on their commitment to remove the shipping containers. Once that is completed, we will pass on our paperwork and funds …
Great job everyone! Dine with Us- Australian Outback was a huge success. You all worked so hard and it paid off as everyone had a wonderful time. Lots of compliments to you all for being kind, friendly, attentive and caring. You all raised about $1800 after expenses! Thank you to those who participated and a giant thank …
Our annual Yard Sale will be Saturday, March 23rd and our storage pods have arrived! Please consider donating gently used items you no longer want – clothing, luggage, housewares, toys, seasonal decorations, electronics, bedding, lamps, decorative items, artwork, and even furniture and appliances. We kindly ask that you separate clothing, shoes and accessories as one pod will be …
Please join us each Wednesday during the Lenten Season as we gather for Lenten Worship at Noon and 6:30pm on 3/6, 3/13 and 3/20. The Noon Service will be live-streamed and the bulletins and links are below. A soup and salad dinner is provided from 5:30 to 6:15pm. Suggested donation is $5. Please kindly RSVP by replying …
Our Little Lambs – Early Learning Center serves the community by offering a faith-based, educational curriculum for children 2-5 years-old. Unlike many preschools, we focus on reading literacy, math and language skills, and the development of social and problem-solving skills. Also uncommon, we offer full-day and year- round programs for households where all adults work during the day. …
Read more “Summer Camps with Little Lambs Early Learning Center”
Children’s Easter Festivities will be held on Easter Sunday, March 31 from 9:45-10:15 AM. An Easter Egg Hunt will be held for children, nursery-age through sixth grade. All families and their extended families are welcome to participate. Families will gather in the courtyard near the playground by 9:45. A photo station will also be available …
Take kids deep into an amazing undersea adventure where they’ll experience the ever-flowing, never-ending love of God. At Scuba VBS, kids will be immersed in the Word and discover what living water is really all about! Join us June 17 – 21st from 9:00 am – 12:30 pm! Registration opens March 30th. For additional details, …
Please join us each Wednesday during the Lenten Season as we gather for Lenten Worship at Noon and 6:30pm on 3/6, 3/13 and 3/20. The Noon Service will be live-streamed and the bulletins and links are below. A soup and salad dinner is provided from 5:30 to 6:15pm. Suggested donation is $5. Please kindly RSVP by replying …
If you have not already made a reservation, please reply to this message and let us know if you prefer the 5:00pm or the 7:00pm seating and how many people are in your party. Dinner includes an appetizer, salad, entree, vegetables and dessert. Water, tea and coffee, plus a mocktail will also be served. Please also indicate …
Our annual Come Dine with Us dinner is a much-loved event with great food, great service and benefitting a great cause – supporting our Youth Life group and their summer camp programs. Confirmation Camp provides time for daily study, relationship building and personal growth. Adventure Camp is all about fun – developing self-confidence, team building skills and accomplishment! On Saturday, March 9th we …
Our annual Yard Sale will be Saturday, March 23rd and we should have storage pods this coming Wednesday! As you begin your spring cleaning, please consider setting aside gently used items – clothing, luggage, housewares, toys, seasonal decorations, electronics, bedding, lamps, decorative items, artwork, and even furniture and appliances. We kindly ask that you separate clothing, shoes and …
For those who have been to Peru you may remember Ariana. She is the daughter of Fathy and Elizabeth Jimenez and has graciously served with us in various ways since she was a child. Ariana is now in college in Lima (Wow! Heh?) and reached out to us humbly asking for assistance. The study program …
Welcome to the season of Lent. The altar colors (paraments) have changed to purple. They remain purple through Palm Sunday, March 24. During Lent, we have added worship opportunities on Wednesdays at noon and 6:30pm. The evening service is preceded by a soup and salad dinner. Please join us at these reflective services. Thank you to all …
Yard Sale Pods Are Coming! We should have the storage containers in place on Wednesday, Feb 28. We are very appreciative of our new partner Mi-Box and their generous discount for our storage pods. We ask that you kindly pack your donations separately so that clothing, shoes, purses & accessories can go into a dedicated pod …
Our Youth Life Group were busy Sunday afternoon – making 104 bag lunches for the St Francis Mission House in St Augustine. Thanks to all the helping hands who made and transported the food for those in need. Thanks also to Thrivent Financial for $250 to cover our supplies and lunch for the volunteers.
Thank you for our brothers and sisters in Christ in Huancal for beautifying the church property with a grassy area. The children will love it!
You are invited to join us each Wednesday during Lent as we gather for a time of fellowship over a shared meal. Each week we offer two soups and a salad, a representation of a humble meal to help us reflect on our abundant lives and the blessings of the Lord. We will serve continuously …
Awesome job with the Pancake Breakfast fundraiser! Your hard work paid off and you all raised over $800! And Souperbowl of Caring raised over $1300 including $500 matching funds from Benevolence. Thank you all for participating! You can get community service for Souperbowl, just bring the forms in. As a reminder, you do need to track your own …
Praise the Lord! Even as we celebrated the Baptism of Aurelia, our broths and sisters in Christ welcomed three new brothers and sisters in Christ into the family! Bless them… lead them Lord!
This year we are introducing something new for our Lenten Project! We will be supporting the NALC Disaster Relief Program. NALC – The North American Lutheran Church to which SOTW belongs, has a team of dedicated staff and volunteers who work throughout the year to be ready to assist in times of natural disaster. We are setting a goal …
Another Praise Report! Look at what God is doing in Peru! Kingdom Kids is an outreach ministry that serves children by connecting faith and life. They are on “summer break” right now and 60 children gather 6 days a week for academic support, faith classes, fun and games. Thank you to the teachers using their …
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 fo 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. We invite …
Lent is Observed for the Forty Days begining Ash Wednesday until Easter – excluding Sundays. Join us on a Lenten journey where we will reflect on the battles we face in life; powers & principalities, evil, darkness, the devil, and even attempts at identity theft as a child of God. We will delve into the scriptures to …
Youth Life Game Day February 18th, from 12:30-4:30 is our next game day. We will be combining a service project with that as it will be Sandwich Sunday, which benefits homeless and food insecure youth. Mark your calendars to attend this event! See pics below from Game Day’s January event. We are planning a Youth Life afternoon out at Top Golf …
Dear Disciple of Christ, How about you? How many different companies have you worked for (or with) over your working years? How many did you find were more of a challenge than you expected? As I’ve spoken to people over the years, the hardest part of a job is often not doing the “job” as much as it …
Praying for God’s blessings over the quilts. May they reach those who need to be wrapped in His love and care! Thank you, Lord, for another great year of cutting, sewing, creating, and offering our gifts to your glory!
Quilting Workshop – All-Day, Drop-In session on Saturday, Feb 3rd from 10am to 5pm. There will be stations for cutting squares, designing quilt top, sewing tops, matching tops to backing and for finishing the sides and threads for center knots. There is a job for every skill level. Men women and teens are invited – no experience needed, …
Soup Chefs & Salad Helpers Wanted – would you like to assist with our Lenten Soup & Salad Dinners? We would love to have your help! Each week during Lent we offer two soups and a salad, a representation of a humble meal to help us reflect on our abundant lives and the blessings of the Lord. …
Dear Disciple of Christ, So, after all these postings, I wonder what you might think was one of the most crucial needs for the church. What was having one of the most serious negative effects on the life of the church? I’ve mentioned it a number of times having an impact on pastors coming and going after …
Join your Youth Life friends this Sunday, January 28, 12:30-3:30 for Game Day. Makayla and Braden have put this afternoon of fun together so you all can get together for some fellowship time! Lunch will be served and games will be played! Refer to the flyer for more information. Drop in anytime between 12:30-3:30! See you …
There is still time to register for our upcoming Alpha Course – for yourself or for someone you know who may be searching for an understanding of faith in God. The course began January 16, but you are welcome to join us this week, January 23rd at 6:30pm. We have just begun our current Alpha course – a ten-week series …
We will be cooking and serving dinner at Mission House on Tues, Jan 30. We will be taking needed items for their ministry including socks, underwear, coats, jackets, sweatshirts, jeans, and blankets. Also appreciated are laundry supplies, gently used kitchen towels, first aid & medical supplies. There will be a collection bin in the Gathering …
Can you believe Ash Wednesday is right around the corner on February 13? So, we are going to have a “Shrove Tuesday” breakfast youth fundraiser on Sunday, February 11. We will serve a pancake breakfast between the services and after the 10:30 service. You all do an amazing job cooking breakfast for our fellow church members. If you …
We will be taking photos in the Gathering Area and the Fellowship Hall Jan 20 & 21 before and after all services. Our church database software allows us to create our own directory (which we already do) and to add photos if we choose. These will not be professional photos. Please stop by either photo …
All are invited to receive information on the proposed budget, the Mission Plant Church property, and all ministries of 2023. All members will be able to vote to approve the budget for 2024. Your attendance and vote are important and we hope you will make plans to attend. A light lunch will be provided following …
Join us this Saturday, January 20th at 6:45 pm. All are invited although we do not provide childcare or nursery – bring a snack to share if you like.
Dear Disciple of Christ, So, what would you say is the “work of the church,” our responsibility as disciples gathered into a community of Christ? I’m thinking of a specific work in the midst of many things that churches do. I expect (and hope) that your first thought (or one of your top few) relates to Matthew …
It has been a very busy few weeks dealing with the possible purchase of the Pacetti Road Property with the intent to plant a mission church in St. John’s County. Over the past several months we have been actively involved in “due diligence”. This is to ensure the property can be developed with a church and all of its …
Happy Epiphany! Did you notice the change? We’ve changed colors again, going from blue for Advent to green for Epiphany. Notice the color change on the altar and the banner change. As the seasons of the church change, so do the colors on the altar. Our next youth fundraiser is a Pancake Breakfast coming up Sunday, February …
Our annual congregation meeting will be held on Sunday, January 21st following the 10:30 worship service. We will present the Annual Report, Budget 2024, updates on the Pacetti Road Property and we’ll be sharing priorities and goals for 2024 and beyond.
Join us Saturday, January 20th from 9am-Noon. Cost is $15 per person which includes breakfast and your book. Por Peacock will lead participants through Dr. Gary Chapman’s book, incorporating Scripture with an eye toward building stronger relationships with all the children in our lives. Let love lead our relationships with children, not guilt and shame and help …
Read more “Five Love Languages for Children Workshop for Parents and Grandparents “
Dear Disciple of Christ, If you’re a member of the congregation I serve, Shepherd of the Woods Lutheran in Jacksonville, Florida, you’re aware of a program we’ve participated in called “vicarage.” Every pastor is required to go through that year of “internship” though not every congregation serves as a vicarage site. That program was developed after World …
Happy New Year! Welcome to 2024! Welcome back youth who attended Equipped this past weekend. All had a great time immersing themselves in the Word, enjoying fellowship time with each other, and enjoying the beauty of Jekyll Island. Please see the pictures below. Thank you to Pastor DiBias, Pastor Phillips and Shelley DiBias for chaperoning this event. …
2024 Budget Information Meeting will be held on Sunday, January 14th at 9:40am for those interested in receiving more in-depth information. We thank you for your support. We are able to share and show Christ in our community and in the world because of you!
Little Lambs will host the community on Sat., Jan 13 from 10am to Noon. If you or someone you know is looking for a quality, faith-based preschool or for an accredited VPK program, please make plans to attend. Classrooms will be open, and you can meet the teachers and learn all about the robust curriculum.
Shepherd of the Woods has had a long history of encouraging and equipping individuals for ministry. Over the years we’ve been host to many vicars who were preparing to serve as a pastor in a church. Candidates are generally 3 or 4 years into their master’s degree program at a seminary and require one year in a …
We continue to work through our necessary due diligence to purchase the Pacetti Road property (near World Golf Village) to ensure the property may be developed to support the work and ministry of the church. Due to some recommended additional testing needs our inspection period has been extended into early January. Our new projected closing …
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 …
Whether you are a life-long Lutheran or new to the faith practices and traditions of the Lutheran church, this study will provide a Biblical and historical background for why we utilize liturgy in worship. This class is offered on Saturdays at 4:15pm and on Sunday mornings at 9:30. It has just begun and continues through …
We are planning to create a new “inhouse” church directly after the new year and will be taking photos on the weekends of January 13 & 14 and January 20 and 21. Stay tuned for more information!
We have people stop in almost daily in need of supplemental food assistance and we need canned fruit, rice, shelf-stable milk, pasta, pasta sauce, canned meats (all kinds), cereals, oatmeal, grits, lunchbox items like granola bars and fruit cups, canned and microwavable soups, toilet paper and hygiene items. Thank you for your generous care of our …
Christmas blessings to our brothers and sisters in Christ in Peru! Thank you for extending your love and care of Christ through our Christmas outreach ministry. Christmas greetings and blessings were shared with the Benefencia just outside of Tarma. Your support provided gifts and coats to the orphanage for children and seniors. Thank you!
Due to the American Embassy alert notification, we are postponing our January trip to Tarma. Mark your calendar, however, for July 29 , 2024 – August 8, 2024. If you would like information about possibly joining us on this trip, please indicate your interest on the Yellow Insert or contact the church office.
We will begin our next Alpha Course on Tuesday; Jan 9th and this series will run for ten weeks. Each meeting begins with a shared meal, and we need several volunteers to prepare dinner one week (or more if you chose). We have about half of our slots filled already but would like to fill the …
On Sat, Dec 30th there will be an All-Day, Drop-In Workshop from 9am to 4pm where all these activities will happen as well as sewing tops and creating new sewing kits and new cutting kits. Jobs for every skill level!! You can come for a few hours or for the entire day. We always have a pot …
Dear Friends, It is so good to have you join us for worship this Christmas. We welcome you into an exciting and vibrant community in Christ who gather in His name each week. We hope you will enjoy your time with us today and consider returning often. At Shepherd of the Woods, we consider the …