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Church News 2-5

Serving Through Christ 6-9

Children’s, Youth & YA Ministry 10

VBS & VBS Registration Forms 10-13

Birthdays & Anniversaries 14

Calendar 15

IN THIS ISSUE MAY 2017

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. - Ruth 1:16 Sometimes we live our daily lives wondering if what we do really matters or has any impact. We hear about people who do amazing things and compare our-selves thinking that we are merely ordinary. In response God has given us the Old Testament book of Ruth. The two main characters are Ruth and Boaz, two “ordinary” people living “ordinary” lives. In this story God never works any amaz-ing miracles. In fact, God never even speaks! God does intervene in two key places, but mostly God works “behind the scenes” through events in the lives of Ruth and Boaz that on the surface appear like mere coincidence and accident. For example, Ruth just happens to come to the field of a man named Boaz on a day that Boaz just happens to be there. There are other things that just happen but through it all God is said to be moving and blessing Boaz, Ruth, and Naomi (Ruth’s mother-in-law). This beautiful story is revealing that God uses seemingly ordinary people who show incredible character, loyalty, compassion, mercy, and kindness are exactly the kind of people God is looking for! In fact, it is those people who God uses to bless oth-ers and even bring about His big plan of salvation! In Matthew 1:5 Ruth, a foreign woman, is named as being one of the ancestors of the great King David and the even greater King Jesus! All because of her seemingly

The Extraordinary Beauty of an Ordinary Life

ordinary faithfulness to her mother-in-law and the compassion and mercy of Boaz. My hope for this sermon series is to help us see that God cares about how we act in our ordinary lives and that God uses seemingly or-dinary people to accomplish His great plans. When a mom changes a dirty diaper God sees that act of ordinary act of love and de-votion. When a husband does the dishes God sees that, too. When we are kind and polite to cashiers God delights in our ordi-nary kindness. When we do more than is expected of us at work God delights in our loyalty and honor for others. Sometimes it may be difficult to see how God is working in our lives and we may wonder if our daily, ordinary lives matter. The book of Ruth is God’s resounding “YES!” God delights in His children and seeing His children care for one another in extraordinary, beautiful, ordinary ways.

† Pastor Matt

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President’s Corner By Don Kriefall “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” - Mark 12:29-31 Shepherd of the Hills mission statement proclaims that we are a community living by and for the Gospel. Being part of a community involves participating in the community, reaching out to our neighbors with the love of Christ. Showing that love to our neighbor is often the instrument that opens hearts and minds to the Gospel. While we continue to serve our community with outreach locally and globally, there are many more opportunities for us to serve right here in Richfield. There are so many in our community who know of SOTH by our wonderful church building. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if those same people experienced the love of Christ, flowing through our service and participation in our community; and through the power of the Holy Spirit, truly opening their hearts to God to lead them to be fed the bread of life through the preaching of the Gospel at SOTH? If we faithfully offer just a small portion of our time to love our neighbors, we may be surprised how much you can bless others. One of the highlights of the community of Richfield is Richfield Days. We all know how the parade affects our worship as it passes directly in front of SOTH. That being said, the council of shepherds are investigating ways to par-ticipate in the Richfield Days parade. One option is to al-low our parking lot to serve as a staging area and to offer refreshments to the participants. If we opt to do this ser-vice for our community, we will likely combine our ser-vices that day at 8:30am in order to free up our parking lot. If you know of any other opportunities to serve locally, talk with Pastor Matt or let one of your shepherds know about it. During this time of transition, Pastor Dawn Spies has gra-ciously accepted a role as a regular guest pastor. She is a LCMC ordained pastor who predominantly assumes the interim pastor role at churches in transition. Dawn’s hus-band is also a Lutheran pastor serving as chaplain for the U.S. Coast Guard in Milwaukee. He will be serving his tour of duty there until December of 2018, when he will be

reassigned another three year tour. So, Dawn will be serv-ing SOTH for the next 18 months. Please take the time to meet and welcome her when she preaches. Although the Apostle Paul was speaking about his sister in Christ, Phoe-be, the following verse fits well. “I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people

and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the

benefactor of many people, including me.” Romans 16:2

Friendly Reminder: “Have Fun and Play Safely”

These words can be read on a sign next to our play-ground equipment. It is a good reminder to the adults and the kids who use this playground. On the reverse side of the sign it also states “adult supervision re-quired.” Please help us keep the young people of our church safe and keep an eye on them as they enjoy this beautiful playground. We also ask that you remind the little ones to keep the rocks off of the slide. We appreciate your attention and please…“Have Fun and Play Safely.”

‘Honest Prayers’ Commissioned Piece for Cynthia Skaalen On Sunday, May 7th at the 8:30 am worship service, the choir will be presenting the anthem “Honest Prayers” an original composition from Heather Sorenson that we commissioned in honor of Cynthia Skaalen’s 40 years at SOTH. Heather remarked about the piece, "Honest Prayers" takes us on a full-circle journey: it begins by ac-knowledging the struggle of praise in hard times, and ends by declaring that God is good. True praise is not just an emotion; true praise is declaring and celebrating who God is. I hope you enjoy the piece, and find mean-ing in it. It was prayed over by me and my inner circle of friends.

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An update from Pastor Jay

Many, Many, Many Thanks

I thank my God every time I remember you. — Philippians 1:3 As I write this, it has been less than five weeks since my last worship service with you, and the amazing send-off you gave for me and my family. Since then, I spent 10 days on a New Testament study trip in Turkey. The trip, led by the same teacher I knew from my Israel trip, was spectacu-lar. Turkey is a beautiful country — parts like Southern California, parts like Colorado. Fortunately, we were there just before the current commotion, and felt very safe. Then I’ve been plunged into getting to know my new congrega-tion and the neighborhood. This has been more intense than I expected. It’s not that I’m working longer hours. Rather, it reminds me of my first trip to Africa, where I was exhausted because everything I saw, heard, smelled, and did was so different than anything I had ever experienced be-fore. Being a pastor at Capitol Drive is like that. Every sin-gle day I’m spending time with people who are unlike any-body I might meet in Washington County. I felt called to do something completely different – and this sure is! Life in the city is so much more diverse and extreme. Some things are unnerving, like the stream of cars coming in from the suburbs to buy drugs at the “mobile pharmacies” near the church. Other things are so beautiful, like the doz-ens of little children who swarm around me and hug me after our Wednesday chapel time together at the Tender-Care ministry. Meanwhile, I’ve been working through a long backlog of items which were on hold “until we get a pastor.” I’ve met some great people, and we are fervently praying for the Holy Spirit to open some doors to reach the community. In all of this, I’ve been blessed and encouraged by the in-credible send-off I received on March 5th. That was truly one of the best days of my life. There were so many mo-ments which touched me – I soaked my handkerchief with tears. I am so grateful that so many people made a point to be in worship and the luncheon. (Kudos to the lunch crew – once again, you demonstrated that amazing SOTH hospi-tality and efficiency, serving our biggest meal crowd ever without a hitch – amazing!) I am so thankful to DJ Berg and Marge Worthing, for taking so many pictures and

videos of the whole day. I have photos of nearly everyone who was there – those pictures are a precious keepsake. I was so happy all my kids could be there, and for the love and attention the congregation gave them that day. You have been a big part of their childhood and beyond, and I’m grateful for how you’ve blessed them. Then there were those surprises. The choir singing the Irish Blessing. Cynthia playing Paul Cardall’s “Redeemer” on the piano. That amazing video, bringing back so many of our common memories. Watching that, I thought, “Wow, a lot has happened here!” I’m sure assembling that was a huge effort. There were the smaller delights, like Nancy Angeli’s words at the 10:30 worship, Don and Pastor Matt’s sending prayer, and hearing the congregation sing all those favorite songs and hymns that our family picked for the day. And then there were all those speeches at the luncheon. Were there eight? Don, Al Campbell, Amy Cichon, Jodi Schulteis, Gary Strohwig, Karen Puhl, Jim Berg and Cyn-thia – I think I got them all. Your words were such a bless-ing to me. It helped me to see how God has worked through this ministry, in both producing fruit for the king-dom, and in helping me to grow as a pastor. Jim and Gary’s talks were particularly poignant for me – I’ve spent so much time behind the scenes with them that their words touched me very deeply. I’m grateful for your gifts! The gift certificate to Guitar Center from the Council, the memory book and plaque from the staff, the many cards and such. Most of all, we are grateful for the love that you showed us, the prayers you have made for us, the words of blessing that you have spoken over us. I am no longer your pastor, but I have no fears for you – you are in Pastor Matt’s capa-ble hands, and you have a host of very capable and devout members and leaders. And you were generous enough to leave us with a sense of completeness and wholeness. We have been through a lot together. Some of it was very chal-lenging, some moments, especially behind the scenes, were difficult and painful. But those things have faded, and my memories are of the light on your faces and the joy of your praises. May God bless you, for giving me a wonderful 18 years, and a wonderful send-off that will linger as long as I live. Yours in Christ,

† Pastor Jay

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LADIES NIGHT OUT By Jacinda Shields The second annual Ladies Night Out was held on March 31st at the church. The theme of the evening was "The Cross Has Made You Flawless", based on the Mercy Me song. The event began with a time of worship with Spoken For, SOTH's worship band, as well as a solo performed by Sarah Leurquin.

The band was followed by speaker Laura Sandretti, who spoke about how God sees us as flawless through the work of Jesus on the cross; though we are inherently flawed, we are forgiven and washed clean by God's grace. After this encouraging

message, we partook in a delicious dessert of brownies and conversation. Our hope is that this event becomes an outreach oppor-tunity, so please tell your friends and get ready for next year's Ladies Night Out! The LNO Team - Sarah Smith, Casey Williams and I - want to thank everyone who helped make this event a success and thank you to everyone who attended!

‘Women of the Word’ Gathering at Shepherd of the Hills By Sandy Kriefall

Our congregation is a member of the Lu-theran Church in Mission for Christ (LCMC). One of the organized groups within the LCMC is a group for women called Women of the Word sometimes referred to as WOW. The purpose of Women of the Word is to strengthen and

encourage women, promote the study of God’s word and encourage service in missions together. The intention is to have a Women of the Word Group in each congregation. Congregational groups would then combine together for a larger Women of the Word Group at the District level. Shepherd of the Hills is currently a member of two differ-ent districts: Augustana District is a non-geographical Dis-trict established on Classic Lutheran foundation supported by congregational collaboration and we are also automati-cally a part of a regional district called the Wisconsin/Michigan Upper Peninsula District due to the physical lo-cation of our church. The District Women of the Word groups then are part of the LCMC WOW group at a na-tional level. On September 16, 2017, Shepherd of the Hills women are hosting a Women of the Word (WOW) gathering for the Augustana District group. This year’s WOW gathering will have the traditional components of a women’s event in-cluding fellowship, music, worship, fun activities, speakers,

and learning but we are taking this opportunity to expand outside of the normal women activities to do so much more: • Shepherd of the Hills is currently the ONLY Augusta-

na District (AD) in most of Wisconsin and northern Illinois. We are going to be using our Women of the Word event as an opportunity to invite all LCMC con-gregations within 3-1/2 hours from us to join the event and be introduced to what the Augustana District has to offer. We are inviting all pastors (male and female) from all AD and LCMC congregations to come to the event.

• We want to get the word out about Augustana District

Missions. AD congregations are doing an amazing job in connecting congregations to get directly involved in missions. There are smaller LCMC congregations that want to do missions and we can provide practical ex-amples in how they can connect with others in our District to do so.

• The majority of people will be traveling to attend the

event. We need help to find lodging, we hope to coor-dinate a group Friday fish fry and possible bonfire, we need bakers for breakfast and dessert, help with grilling and serving for lunch on Saturday and will need serv-ers, greeters and child care for Saturday’s event.

Please keep September 16th open on your calendar. Stay tuned as more information is available.

“The Men” of Ladies Night Out at your service.

Sunday Treat Reminder

May 7: C-D

May 14: E-F-G

May 21: H

May 28: I-J-Kn

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Looking for a good book this summer?

Have you been awaiting this summer’s rec-ommended book by Mary Jo Burkemper? This summer, enjoy The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks (Penguin, 352 pages, ISBN 9780143109761). In July, you are invited to gather for a book discussion. Details will be available at a later date.

The Secret Chord is a compelling retelling of the life and times of King David of the Bible. Chronicling David’s rise, from his early days as a shepherd to his ascension to the throne of Israel, the novel brings to vivid life many Old Testament characters, including David’s wife Batsheva and son Solomon. The tale is narrated by Na-tan, a shepherd and prophet who predicts a dark future for the king.

Our Church Family: Did You Know?

Shepherd of the Hills church family member, Corey McCauley was re-cently named Hartford Union High School’s Educator of the Year by the Wisconsin Technology Education Association. Corey and his wife Katie and family have been worshipping at

Shepherd of the Hills for over 10 years, serving to-gether in a variety of ministry areas including Vacation Bible School.

Corey has been at Hartford High for 23 years, teach-ing in technology and engineering areas, which he feels is essential for all students regardless if bound for col-lege or a career to allow for useful real-world skill building. He currently teaches welding processes, fab-rication methods, automated manufacturing and auto maintenance.

“My desire for all students is that they will leave my classes with the skills and confidence to be successful in whatever career they choose.”

Corey was also recently inducted into the Richland Center Wrestling Hall of Fame and serves as an Assis-tant Wrestling Coach at Hartford High.

Now you know!

EASTER EGG HUNT PHOTOS

Sunday Treat Reminder

Just a friendly reminder to bring or bake a goody to share with the congregation during fellowship time following the worship services each Sunday. See the chart below with the dates of the year that the first letter of your last name is designated to contribute. Bring a smile to the fac-es of our visitors, guests, and existing congregation by sharing a treat!

Sunday Sermons on Video Miss a sermon? You can watch online at www.shepherd-hills.com! The audio clip is also available.

Something New: Compassion Experience at SOTH By Becky Reilly Shepherd of the hills will be hosting the “Compassion Experience” in our parking lot on Friday June 2nd through Monday June 5th. The Compassion Experience is a modified semi trailer where you can walk through the homes, streets, markets and schools of countries that Compassion serves – without leaving home! In 20 minutes you will step into the true story of a child grow-ing up in the developing world, and walk with then through their journey from poverty to a life transformed through Compassion and the local church, in Jesus’ name. A few of us visited the “Compassion Experience” in Ce-darburg last summer and were truly impressed and moved by the entire experience. Our Compassion Sunday will also be held in the narthex Sunday June 4th and Monday June 5th. There will be a representative of Compassion International here to speak on Sunday and to answer any questions you may have. As you may know, SOTH mem-bers have already sponsored approximately 60 children around the world. We will have packets containing infor-mation about children that need sponsors available here in the church and the “Compassion Experience” will have additional packets in the trailer itself. We encourage you to seriously consider sponsoring a child as it is a wonderful experience for sponsors as well as a life line for the child. Visit the website at www.compassioninternational.com. Please contact Becky Reilly at the event or prior to the event at sothstaff@gmail.com if you should have any questions.

Our Missions: Serving Through Christ Page 6

Eight Days of Hope By John Dumke & Paul Craig We have all seen the horrific pictures and video of the flooding down south. Eight Days of Hope (8DOH) is doing something about it. Eight Days of Hope is a Christian-based team of volunteers that help people in need. They are comprised of people of all ages and vol-unteers doing anything from laundry or office work to heavy construction. There is something for everyone. Shepherd of the Hills is sending a team that will be part of a thousand people helping the citizens in Lafayette, Louisiana, during the week of June 4th. Our departure time is not set for we are seeking people out and will try to accommodate schedules the best as we can. Please pray for guidance as to how you can help with this cause. John Dumke at riptideboats@gmail.com or Paul Craig mpcraig@charter.net. A sign up table is also available at the church.

Please consider helping us host the homeless at our church by preparing food, providing fellowship or spend-ing the night with our shelter guests during the week. Sign-up sheets will be in the church lobby beginning May 14th.

We are grateful for your loving care and flexibility as we prepare for up to 14 guests. We are never certain who or how many people will be in the program that week. As always, we will adjust the schedule and menu accordingly, keeping you informed of any changes.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…”.

- Galatians 5:22

Mt. Meru Coffee Justice Never Tasted So Good! Help support the Mt. Meru Coffee Project, and enjoy a great cup of coffee! Coffee is available for immediate purchase or the order envelopes can be found in the church’s coffee nook. Social Justice is achieved when Project generated funds are used to upgrade coffee growing practices, improve processing facilities and equipment, and provide short term micro loan services for the small coffee farmers. A fair price allows the farmer to support their families with dignity, send their children to school, access and pay for health care, and have funds needed to improve agricul-tural practices. To learn more, visit www.mtmerucoffee.org.

SOTH will serve the Falls Food Pantry on Tuesday, May 23rd and Thursday, May 25th. To volunteer, sign up on the kiosk at church. Two shifts are available on both days. Thank you for your donations! Current grocery needs include, but not limited to: applesauce, pineapple, cere-al, hamburger helper, pasta roni-type mixes, flavored dry potatoes (scalloped, au gratin, etc.), broth and dry soup mixes, chunky soup and chili, red beets, mush-rooms, sauerkraut, canned meats (chicken, Spam), chili beans, sugar, cake mixes and frosting, pickles, olives, etc., shampoo and lotion, dish soap and laundry soap. Paper bags, gently used books and magazines are always welcome. Drop off your grocery donations at church on the shelving unit outside of the Conference Room. We’ll deliver it for you!

Help Needed at the Falls Food Pantry for Post Office Food Drive The Post Office Food Drive is being held on Saturday, May 13, 2017. Thousands of items collected in Me-nomonee Falls will come to the Menomonee Falls Food Pantry on that date. Food collected in Germantown, Sussex, etc. goes to pantries in those communities. Lots of help is needed that day at the Menomonee Falls pantry at N85 W15382 Menomonee River Pkwy be-tween Noon and 5:30 pm to date check and sort the food that comes in. You do not need to commit to the whole time. Chil-dren under 13 should have an adult with them while they work. There is no need to sign up in advance. Questions, call the pantry at 251-6848 on Tuesdays or Thursdays.

Our Missions: Serving Through Christ Page 7

Improving the Standard of Living In the Meru Diocese By Dan Kiesner When you purchase a package of Mt. Meru coffee, the additional income received by the coffee growers helps to increase the standard of living throughout the Meru Dio-cese in Tanzania. Without the Mt. Meru Coffee Project, the coffee would be purchased by one of the international coffee buyers whose only motivation is to profit rather than the well being of the coffee growers of the Meru Diocese. When the income of the farm families is increased be-cause of the Mt. Meru Coffee Project, they are able to send their children to school, support local businesses, and support their congregations. Your decision to pur-chase a package of coffee helps to improve the standard of living throughout the Meru Diocese.

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace

in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

Our Missions: Serving Through Christ Page 8

A man and a message of “Thanks” revisited

by Jim Bahr

The night of Wednesday April 4th was one of those nights you would have preferred to stay home. It had been a day of cold rain, the temperature was dropping threatening to change the rain to snow and the forecast called for 60 mph winds. The trip to the Inn and back to church clearly could be a challenge. However, it did not prevent Dan Berg, Kirk Gramall, Lorraine and Jim Bahr from their mission to pro-vide food and fellowship to the residents and guests at Se-renity Inn. A comfort meal provided by the Acts 2 Bible Study Group was the perfect recipe to warm the stomachs and spirits of those present. It was a typical night at the Inn. We were greeted by 12 residents, Lee the Innkeeper and two alumni. As always, the discussion was sincere and emotional by both the residents and guests. It was nice to be back at the Inn as I had missed the March visit because of that nasty cold that had plagued so many. I was looking forward to seeing one resident in particular. His name: Edward Poncell Reynolds. Edward or Poncell (as he preferred) had returned to the Inn earlier this year for his second attempt at recovery. I made a connection with him during his first time at the Inn in August of 2015. In early 2016 he decided to leave the Inn without finishing his program. During our February trip to the Inn I had a very enjoyable reunion and talk with him. I was confident, as was he, that this time he would take full advantage of the Serenity Inn program and realize his Right of Passage. My anticipation turned to disappointment when I learned that he had again decided to leave the Inn without finishing his program. Why was Edward special? Despite his own personal challenges he always appreciated the efforts of SOTH members in their support of the men at Serenity Inn. He made that clear each time I saw him. He wrote a heartfelt letter of thanks to the members of SOTH, during his first stay at the Inn, which I included in the December 2015 SOTH Newsletter. Edward may be gone from the Inn, but his message on behalf of himself and those at the Inn bears repeating:

This message is to all those who help and the ones who extend their loving hands to the men of Serenity Inns. I would like to thank all the people from Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, for continued support of those who suffer from the disease of addiction. There are many words that I can say, and sometimes words can’t describe the gratitude and blessings that us men at Serenity Inns continue to receive, through the grace of God’s mercy. Eve-ry day I count my blessings with gratitude, hope and faith to those who love us men, when we didn’t know how to love ourselves. To be able to disclose those words of thanks fills my spirit with joy and happiness, while the blessing of God’s grace continue to shine down on the men of Serenity Inns. While the essence of life continues to unfold, I greet it and embrace every situation with the love of God first. May God continue to watch down on the men of Serenity Inns, and may the people of Shepherd of the Hills Luther-an Church continue to share their love with the men of Serenity Inns. We thank you and love you as well. Thank you.

Be assured that our ministry at Serenity Inn is making a difference. I invite you to attend dinner fellowship at the Inn and meet men like Edward. You will not only make a difference in their lives, but I guarantee they will touch your life as well. Join us: June 7th, July 6th or Aug. 2nd or provide a meal item. Sign up at the Kiosk in the Narthex. Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Standing: Lance, Mike, Jason, Cedric, Mike, Charon, Keith Sitting: Dave, Kevin, Deric, Sam, Chris

Our Missions: Serving Through Christ Page 9

Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Gift Donations

May Small toys and jump ropes Place the items in the bin located outside of the Conference Room at church.

Servant’s Heart: My First-Time serving at The Gathering on Lisbon Road By Dan Berg I had the privilege of serving for the first time at The Gathering’s Our Next Generation Neighborhood Cen-ter site on Saturday April 1st. It was truly a team atmos-phere where I met wonderful people of all ages and rac-es, including former SOTH member Karen Kannenberg who originally went to The Gathering years ago with our church and was so hooked that she now volunteers there on her own! She brought her young granddaugh-ter for the first time (so we were the 2 ‘newbies’) and at the end I asked her if she liked it as much as I did and she said YES and she’d definitely be back, as I will be too. The morning was filled with brisk activity of food prep-aration, setting the tables, etc. and as the morning went on, there was less work and some down time before serving which is when I got to chat in more depth with some of the other volunteers, many of whom had been serving at The Gathering for several years and even dec-ades. I even heard crazy stories about what had been on the site before the current structure had been construct-ed (which is not appropriate to mention in a church arti-cle). We were all thankful that God had another pur-pose for this site of serving His purpose rather than earthly desires. We all had one thing in common --- to make a great ex-perience for our guests. It was heartwarming to see how grateful people were for the food we prepared (except one man who as he finished going through the line, tossed his untouched chicken leg into the garbage; so I later asked him “how did you enjoy your chicken?” to see what he would say). There were a few interesting characters at some of the tables, and while I overheard just one slightly elevated discussion about politics (which gradually dissipated on its own thankfully), most people were there just to enjoy a home-cooked delicious meal. There were several families with young children that were so happy to be eating such a delicious and healthy meal. I will definitely be going back at some point and would invite EVERYONE of all ages and family sizes (young & old) to consider this easy yet profound serving oppor-tunity!

Serve at The Gathering this Month On Saturday, May 20th, Shepherd of the Hill is serving as a group at The Gathering, a community meal program located in Milwaukee that provides ten free meals each week at three locations, 51 weeks a year, to those who would otherwise go hungry or without. Our partnership with this organization began in 2015 as part of our Compassion Ministries at SOTH. Sacrificial service is an element of our discipleship path, and serving together as a family or individually at The Gathering is a wonderful way to extend the mission of Jesus. Please consider serving at the Our Next Generation Neighborhood Center site in Milwaukee on Saturday, May 20th. A display table with information and a sign-up sheet is available in the lobby. The time commitment is from 9:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the site. To carpool from Shepherd of the Hills, meet at church at 9 a.m. Can’t make this date? Mark your calendar for the other dates that Shepherd of the Hills will serve in 2017 at The Gathering:

• Sat., July 29th – The Gathering on State Street Site • Sat., Oct. 14th – The Gathering on State Street Site • Sat., Dec. 16th – Our Next Generation Neighborhood Center Site Contact Jim Leurquin at 262-408-7834 or jleur-quin@wi.rr.com if you have any questions. If you would like more information about The Gathering, go to their website http://www.thegatheringwis.org/.

Children, Youth & Young Adult Ministries Page 10

Upcoming Events and Themes Saturday, May 6 from 6:00 - 9:00 pm Spring Theme This is the last Kid’s Night Out for the school year! Youth and adult volunteers needed. Sign up your child or to volunteer on the Children’s Ministry kiosk at church or by emailing Amy Cichon sothkids@gmail.com.

May 20th: The Gathering - opportunity to serve a meal to people in need at the Milwaukee site, meet at our church to carpool at 9:00 am, on site from 9:45 am - 1:30 pm, need 15 - 20 peo-ple. Great family serving opportunity. Sign-up sheets will be in the narthex in May. Our students will finish Confirmation XPerience for the school year on April 9th. The 8th graders confirmation worship service will take place on October 29 at 12:30 pm.

Join the Party!

The last day of Sunday School for the year is on May 21st and we’re having a party! Students will still meet in their classrooms for attendance and an-nouncements. Classes will then be dis-missed to go outside as a group

(weather permitting) or to the fellowship hall for games and refreshments. We hope that your family can join us for this fun event!

June 25—30th Minneapolis, MN

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT? COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE!

In Minneapolis, you will not only have the opportunity to serve, but also to learn more about the issues facing those you’ll meet during the week. You and your group will work with a variety of organizations that are actively seeking the good of Minneapolis, including summer kids programs, senior citizen centers, and some great shelters and food banks that are making a positive impact in the community. You will also get to know some longtime community friends, including one dedicated neighbor who shows up each and every morning to make the coffee and enjoy fellowship with YouthWorks groups. While in Minneapolis, you will have the chance to see local art at the Sculpture Garden, visit some beautiful urban parks, and see some breathtaking waterfalls.

Young Adult Mission Trip May 30th - June 7th

Our first SOTH young adult mission trip will be in Mexico the end of May where they will use their gifts to serve God’s peo-ple in the Mazahua Valley community.

Mazahua Valley Ministries is a Christian evangelical mission that equips leaders to serve their communities and churches in a holistic way through theological and secular educational programs. MVM serves as a resource to the churches of the Mazahua Valley region of Mexico. We have on-campus events such as conferences, worship services, and retreats, as well as off-campus activities working in partnership with the local pastors and churches to minister to the needs of the surrounding community.

VBS Page 11

Join Us This Summer at VBS for - Maker Fun Factory -

Created by God – Built for a Purpose

Kids will become grounded in the rock-solid foundation of God's love, a love that guides us through life's dark times. On this courageous, captivating quest, kids sing, have fun, and experience Jesus - the light of the world. So gear up and get ready to enjoy an over-the-top un-derground adventure! Registration Forms are now available at the church welcome desk and on the church website at www.shepherd-hills.com. Contact Amy Cichon at sothkids@gmail.com, 262-644-0441 or 262-853-6645 if you would like to find out more information about VBS. Registration forms are due by July 1, 2017. Register early and save $5.00 on each registration!

Beginning in June:

VBS Display for Donation Needs will be set up in the fellowship hall.

We are looking for youth and adult volunteers to help us run our Vacation Bible School this summer. We will need help in the fol-lowing areas.

• Registration (extra help needed on Monday) - Register and check in children for our program each morning 8:15 – 9:15 am.

• Preschool Crew Leaders (adults) and Assistant Crew Leaders (youth) – Lead small group of children through daily activities.

• Elementary Crew Leaders (adults) and Assistant Crew Leaders (youth) - Lead small group of children through daily activities.

• Worship Assistants (youth or adults) – Lead songs for opening and closing gatherings.

• Elementary Games Leader – Lead scripted games & activities in your station that support our daily Bible point.

• Preschool Bible Adventures Leader (adult) – Lead the scripted daily preschool Bible story lesson and activities.

• Preschool & Elementary KidVid Cinema Leader – Show daily DVD inspiring true story of real kids demonstrating their faith and then

lead follow-up discussions and activities that connect with the video story.

• Decorating Crew (youth & adults) – Create awesome decorations and props for our various stations. This group will meet in late June

and July to complete projects prior to VBS.

• Drama (youth or adult) – Actor needed for our daily morning skit.

• Worship Tech & Photographer (youth or adult) – Take scripted pictures each day to create our slideshow presentation which will re-

view our teaching point during the closing worship.

• Snacks – Help prepare the daily snacks, along with the scheduled group of children each day.

• Nursery- Care for infants and toddlers whose parents are volunteers in the VBS program. We need at least 3 caregivers.

VBS Registration Form Page 12

Vacation Bible School July 31 - Aug.4, 2017 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Registration Form

(Children age 3 (potty trained) up to having completed 5th grade) (One Form Per Child Please)

Early Registration Deadline: July 1, 2017 Name: _________________________________________________________ Street Address: __________________________________________________

City: ______________________ State: ___________ ZIP: _______________

Home telephone: (____)_____________________________________________

Home e-mail address (if you check it regularly): _________________________________

Age: ____ Date of birth: __/__/__ Last school grade completed: __________

Emergency contact - Name: ________________________ Phone: _____________

Mother: _________________________ Daytime Phone: ______________________

Father: _________________________ Daytime Phone: ____________________

Siblings at VBS: ___________________________________________________

Allergies / Medical Conditions/Special Needs: ______________________________

Home Church: ____________________________________________________

Name of a special friend your child might like to be with: ____________________

Person(s) authorized to pick up my child:

Registration Fee: (Checks payable to Shepherd of the Hills – VBS)

1 child $20.00 total After July 1= $25.00 for 1 child 2 children $30.00 total After July 1= $35.00 for 2 children 3 children $35.00 total After July 1= $40.00 for 3 children

Print and complete the registration form and mail to or drop off at

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 1350 Hwy 175, Hubertus, WI 53033

VBS Registration Form Page 13

Emergency Release Form In the event of a serious injury or emergency, if no one can be reached, I understand that transportation will occur via ambulance to Community Memorial Hospital in Me-nomonee Falls, if the child must be seen at a medical facility. Parent/Guardian Signature: _________________________ Date: _______ Child's Physician: ______________________________ Phone: Child's Dentist: _______________________________ Phone:

Permission Form

I give permission for this registered child to participate in Shepherd of the Hills

Vacation Bible School Program Activities. I give permission for photos, videos and/or Power Point presentations of my family

members to be used in Shepherd of the Hills literature, classes, meetings and/or website. Signed: ________________________________ Date: Parent/Guardian

Please call me to help with VBS (name)

Areas to volunteer include: Elementary Crew Leader - group leader for 5 – 8 elementary children (adults or

teens) Preschool Crew Leader - group leader for 5 preschool children (adults or teens) Preschool or Elementary Assistant Crew Leader – (high school or middle school

youth) Elementary Station Leader – (adult volunteers only) leads activities for several

crews in one of several stations: Drama/Bible Story, KidVid Cinema, Games, Snacks, Imagination Station

Preschool Station Leader – (adult volunteers only) leads activities for several crews in one of several stations: Drama/Bible Story, KidVid Cinema, Games, Snacks, Imagination Station

Decorating Committee – will complete decorating projects in June & July Registration Table – help register families for VBS each morning Nursery Care Giver – care for volunteers’ children, under the age of 3 Snack Prep - prepare and serve the daily snack and kitchen clean up Photographer & Tech Crew – help take pictures during VBS to create our daily

slide show and operate our audio system and video screen during worship

Happy Birthday Alexandra Davies 05/01 Jerry Rhinehart 05/01 Jeff Bandoli 05/02 Jeffrey Bandoli 05/02 Michelle Hetzel 05/02 Stephanie Kadera 05/02 Calvin Knapp 05/04 Cameron Knapp 05/04 Jodi Monty 05/04 Christina Nohe 05/04 Carol Vogt 05/04 Jordan Wood 05/04 James Erdahl 05/05 Chris Ehrett 05/06 Logan Erickson 05/06 Bruce Kressin 05/06 Brooke Voss 05/06 Natalie Corrie 05/07 Keira Hetzel 05/07 Ellen May Schwenke 05/07 Casey Williams 05/07 James Kirsch 05/08 Ken Stigler 05/08 Amber Stroik 05/08 Tony Dickinson 05/09 Marie Hernigle 05/09 Jeff Luetschwager 05/09 Amy McCaffrey 05/09 Neil Paton 05/09 Richard Pekarske 05/09 Sarah Kraus 05/10 Laura Krueger 05/10 Christine Bohl 05/12 Cathy Dobbert 05/13 Amy Kiesner 05/13 Daniel Kiesner 05/14 Jennifer Walther 05/14 Nicole Brown 05/15 Janet Holk 05/15 Kenneth Sr Kaiser 05/15 Dylan Stafford 05/15 Hugh Creamer 05/16 McKenna Gramoll 05/16 Adam Sawyer 05/16 Matthew Tennessen 05/16 Alan Thiele 05/16 Alyssa Lear 05/17 Deborah Reinbold 05/18 Mike Mueller 05/19 Diane Pedersen 05/20

Edward Venzke 05/20 Hadley Drake 05/21 Chelsea Murrenus 05/21 Cynthia Skaalen 05/21 Sara Goodchild 05/22 Blake Lasanske 05/22 Jonah Schmanski 05/22 Carolyn Roskom 05/23 Michael Faber 05/24 Sieg Goertz 05/24 Sally Owen 05/24 Christopher Stroik Jr. 05/25 Beckett Thurin 05/25 Kenneth Martens 05/26 Marsha Stein 05/26 Barbara Herman 05/27 Keith Lasanske 05/27 Joann Paton 05/27 Eric Siewert 05/27 Berl Jacobsen 05/28 Stacy Strobel 05/28 William Svendsen 05/28 Delaney Werner 05/28 Gavin Ewert 05/29 Olivia Kirsch 05/29 Brooke Riesen 05/29 Clarice Kasten 05/30 Morgynn Michel 05/31

Happy Anniversary Pamela & Walter Parrott 05/01 Bill & Jessica Landgraf 05/02 Robin & Robert Van Duser 05/03 Erin & Kenneth Gastrau 05/04 Maureen & Jim Leurquin 05/04 Richard & Mary Pekarske 05/04 Diane & Brian Michel 05/05 Maureen & Trevor Harder 05/06 Larry & Kathy Kozelek 05/06 Jeffery & Pamela Drake 05/08 Thomas & Kathie Adler 05/14 Shelley & Douglas Graf 05/14 Cindy & Brandon Wolff 05/14 Keith & Cynthia Perrault 05/15 Steven & Barbara Smith 05/15 Diane & Don Pedersen 05/16 Lori & Dan Bruss 05/18 Brad & Lynette Rake 05/19 Kati & Gregg Oettinger 05/20 Mary & Tom Koeppe 05/22 Michelle & Ron Limbach 05/22 Steve & Jennifer Opichka 05/22 Matthew & Meghan Thompson 05/22 Mara & Andrew Schmidt 05/24 Phyllis & Sieg Goertz 05/26 Mark & Laura Krueger 05/26 Lisa & Jeff Bishop 05/27 Joan & Thomas Roskopf 05/27 Kyle & Alyssa Eisner 05/31 Brian & Breckan Feltz 05/31 Jacqueline & Shawn Maechtle 05/31

Birthdays & Anniversaries Page 14

Milestones

Baptisms Wren Marie Landgraf, daughter of William & Jessica Landgraf. baptized on March 26, 2017. Amelia Paige Dix, daughter of Jeff & Catherine Dix, baptized on April 9, 2017. Funerals George A. McEathron, husband of Marlene McEathron, father of Sue Faber, passed away on April 7, 2017. Funeral service was held on April 12, 2017. Brandon J. Lex, son of Jamie and Theresa Lex, passed away on April 9, 2017. Service was held on April 20, 2017.

Memorial Gifts

George McEathron

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NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID Hubertus, WI 53033

PERMIT No. 4

SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS LUTHERAN CHURCH 1350 Highway 175 Hubertus, WI 53033

TIME SENSITIVE MATERIALS This Newsletter was mailed

April 25, 2017 Address Service Requested

Music Staff Cynthia Skaalen Director of Worship and Traditional Music Email: cskaalen@sbcglobal.net Kristin Tetzke Director of Choirs Email: tetzkek@att.net Dave Schmidt Interim Director of Contemporary Music Email: dschmidt@homehelpershomecare.com Children & Family Ministries Amy Cichon Director of Children’s Ministries Email: sothkids@gmail.com Cleaning Ministry Shelby Brotz

Worship Schedule Sunday: 8:30 am (Traditional) 10:30 am (Contemporary) Monday: 6:30 pm (Contemporary)

Sunday Schedule

9:30 am Adult Fellowship 11:30 am Adult Fellowship

(September - May) 9:30 am Sunday School Ages 3-12 9:30 am Adult Bible Study

Pastoral Staff Matt Shields…………Associate Pastor Email: sothmatt@gmail.com Cell: 815-822-2883

Council of Shepherds Don Kriefall.……….…..….....President Jim Leurquin.……...........Vice President Dan Smith …….…..……Treasurer Robin Meyer...……. .….….. Secretary

Church Office Hours & Information Monday-Thursday ….....9:00am - 4:30pm Friday………..….…9:00am - 12Noon

Email: sothrichfield@gmail.com Phone: 262-628-2633 Fax: 262-628-8201 Website: www.shepherd-hills.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/sothrichfield Instagram: www.instagram.com/sothrichfield Sue Faber………...…...Church Secretary Email: sothrichfield@gmail.com Becky Reilly………...….…...Bookkeeper Email: sothstaff@gmail.com Deb Ratzel Assistant for Volunteer Ministries Email: sothvolunteer@gmail.com Sherry Levitsch Director of Communications Email: sothnews@gmail.com

May 2017

Church Directory