Catching the Mission Spirit Rev. Christopher M. Kennedy, ckennedy@shlutheran.org

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church September 2013 Pentecost 2

Shepherd’s

Voice

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, “Wow, that’s a lot of coordination,” I thought as I read an e-mail conversation among the members of our latest team to Haiti, a conversation in which I had been included to keep me informed. As I skimmed through the chain of e-mails going back and forth, I read details of how they’re packing for the trip taking place the second week of September. The trip participants were coordinating who has extra room in their suitcases for donations of school supplies, teaching materials, and measuring and drawing tools for construction, among other things. “Listening in” to their e-conversation gave me insight into the complex-ity of this humanitarian trip. Why would several members of our church – including our Senior Pastor – put such effort to visit a third-world country? Such effort might make more sense if they were working hard to plan a trip to popular vacation destination. But these people are giving up vacation time, receiving vaccinations, and coordinating logistics so they can travel to the most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere. Somehow the mission bug has bit our congregation … and bit us in a big way. Little by little, our church has become heavily involved in numerous mission opportunities. In October, we’re highlighting those mission endeavors so that you, the congregation, can see the big picture of how God is working through our church to share the love of Jesus outside our walls. Each week in October – “Mission Month” – we’ll highlight one of our outreach ministries. The particular mission will be reflected in some way during worship services – such as a song or prayers – and the 9:30 Sunday morning adult Bible class will be de-voted to a presentation on that ministry. On the weekend of Oct. 5/6, we’ll hear about our ministry to Nepali refugees. A large community of Nepali lives at apartments at Wurzbach and Gardendale, near I-10, and ride our school bus to our campus on weeknights for English as a Second Language classes. Members of our church have even traveled to Nepal, located between China and India, to experi-ence their culture and better relate to the refugees in our midst. Our team went under the umbrella of the LifeServe organiza-tion, and we were able to conduct LifeServe’s first dental clinic for church planters working in that region. Adam Nevins from LifeServe will be our guest speaker.

6914 Wurzbach Road | San Antonio, Texas 78240 | 210.614.3742 Prayer Requests: prayer@satx.rr.com Email: church@shlutheran.org Web: www.shlutheran.org Follow us on Facebook and Twitter facebook.com/shlutheran twitter.com/shlutheran

Catching the Mission Spirit Rev. Christopher M. Kennedy, ckennedy@shlutheran.org

Table of Contents Page Rev. Christopher M. Kennedy 1-2 Catching the Mission Spirit Alice Klement 3-5 Ministry Matters Rev. Doug L. Bielefeldt 6 School Ministry Cindy Miller 7 Children’s Ministry Rev. Aaron Tilt 8 Confirmation Nick Arnold 9 Student Ministry Rev. Craig D. Meissler 10 Music Ministry Andrea Melcher 11 Multiplying Places of Refuge Tim Eickstead 12 Frankly Financial LINC 13 San Antonio Devotion 14 Inmate Rev. Dr. Daniel G. Mueller 15 Changes in Leadership

The weekend of Oct. 12/13 will feature our Haiti outreach. Helen Roenfeldt, Director of Mission Haiti, spoke to the congregation several months ago. So many of us were touched by her warm personal-ity and compassion. Helen is coming back and will join the Haiti team in telling about our partnership with Faith Lutheran Church in that country to share Christ’s love. On the weekend of Oct. 19/20, our longtime friend and col-league in ministry Pastor Gary Martin will be our guest preacher and Bi-ble class leader. We have partnered with him in ministry to Del Rio and Acuna, Mexico, for many years. While other partner churches have di-rected resources elsewhere, our congregation has continued to support Pastor Martin’s work generously, and God has continued to work through Pastor Martin in great ways as he disciples other leaders and spreads the Gospel. The weekend of Oct. 26/27 will focus on our church’s No. 1 mis-sion priority, our day school and child care. You may be surprised to know that a small percentage of students in Shepherd of the Hills Lu-theran School and Child Care belong to our church – about 15 per-cent. Some of the rest have a church home, but many don’t. Many of those families consider Wednesday morning chapel their church service and consider our church their home church even though they’ve never joined. They see School Pastor Doug Bielefeldt as their pastor, and he is. Right in our midst, we have a tremendous ministry opportunity every weekday in reaching these families, and by God’s grace, our wonderful administrators, faculty, and staff make the most of those opportunities daily. Even before Mission Month begins, Sept. 29 is LWML Sunday. The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, as its title indicates, has a strong missionary focus. The women’s group creates close to 100 quilts every year that are sent to people in need. Periodically LWML gathers health care items from us and puts them together in health care kits that are sent overseas. The group collects “mites,” or coins, that are sent to the LWML national office for worldwide missions. As a result of money raised at our annual ‘Tis the Season Craft and Food Fair, the LWML writes a check to our school to support its scholarship fund. These ladies are fantastic missionaries using the gifts and resources God has given to them. One other event deserves mention because of its connection to our mission efforts and because of the way it demonstrates the bite of the mission bug. Rick Ruesch, a church member, was so inspired by our outreach to Haiti that he has arranged for a concert on our campus to support our work. The performer will be Eric Genuis, a world-renowned pianist, and his accompanying musicians. A free will offering will be col-lected to benefit Haiti. The concert will be 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18 in the Worship Center. I invite you to preview Mr. Genuis’ excellent work by going online to YouTube.com and typing his name. What a joy to see the people of Shepherd of the Hills embracing a missionary spirit! “Declare His glory among the nations, His mar-velous deeds among all peoples!” (Psalm 96:3) God’s blessings, Pastor Chris

Ministry Matters Alice Klement-Director of Equipping Ministry, aklement@shlutheran.org

Equipping Ministry offers places of refuge- Please note that each of these offerings has been designed for outreach. Think about the friends you might invite to attend and/or serve with you. Contact Alice for more information. Parent Group: While their children are in Sunday school, parents meet in the cafeteria to share life together and to take a look at the stories their children will study in Sunday school.

for Women is a nationally used resource that is well researched and presented on DVD. Come to the King George House at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays.

Man to Man is currently using GriefShare material. This group meets in the King George House at 1 p.m. on Monday. You’ll find a listing of the monthly Women’s Ministry offerings on the information table in the church lobby.

is a great place for Christians to bring friends who will not come to a traditional church. Lifetree meets at the clubhouse of the Preserve Apartments from 7-8 p.m. on Thursdays. Snacks are available; however, this is a conversation café. Conversation is based on a current topic which is presented on a DVD. Lifetree’s motto is -

You’re welcome just as you are. Your thoughts are welcome. Your doubts are welcome.

We’re all in this together. God is here, ready to connect with you in a fresh way.

English as a Second Language (ESL) is a place where you can serve our Nepali refugee neighbors. Classes meet on Tues-day, Wednesday, and Thursday (6:15-8:00p.m.) Teachers and conversation partners are needed.

meets in the King George House on Fridays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Ministry Matters Alice Klement-Director of Equipping Ministry, aklement@shlutheran.org

Mark your

Calendars

It’s Time to Celebrate all that God has done through us in foreign missions and at home. Sunday, October 27, potluck lunch after second service. ‘tis the Season Craft and Food Fair – October 18 and 19 in the gym and cafeteria– all proceeds go to the World Mis-sion Fund. This year in addition to the lasagna supper Friday night, there will be an Old Fashioned Church Pancake Break-fast served by the World Mission Fund Team from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday. The breakfast consists of pancakes, syrup, bacon, juice, and coffee all for only $5.00! Eric Genius Concert – October 18 at 7 p.m. in the Worship Center. Proceeds will go to feed the boys in the orphan-age at Faith Lutheran Church in Haiti. $1400 will buy food for one month. Can we provide the boys with food for one month, six months, a year??? Come early on Friday, October 18. Go to the gym. Shop. Eat supper. Head on over to the worship center for the Eric Genius concert!

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

Our mission team will be in Haiti September 7-14?

Our team consists of Craig Cannon (team leader), Ann Black (women’s ministry), Janice Barsun (women’s minis-try), Herb Nordmeyer (concrete seminar), Pastor Dan (seminary lectures), Candice Dominguez (VBS), Amy Tilt (VBS) Ron Richardson (Vision Clinic), Paul Miertchin (construction, architect advisor)?

Ann and Jan will work with 75 women?

Pastor Dan will speak to 60 + at the seminary?

Candice and Amy will host two separate Vacation Bible Schools?

400 eye glasses have been ordered for Ron to distribute?

Herb will give lectures to local concrete artisans using a book he wrote and Pastor Benoit translated into Creole?

Each of these missionaries has raised $887.90 for airfare and $1200 for in-country costs (room, board, cooks sala-ries, transportation, translators, guards)?

On the next page you will read a letter from Herb Nordmeyer that describes the way God called him to be part of the Haiti Mission Team.

Ministry Matters Alice Klement-Director of Equipping Ministry, aklement@shlutheran.org

To fellow members of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church

Until I opened my mouth in Bible Class about 6 years ago and was then elected president of Shepherd of the Hills, most people knew me as “Judy's husband,” or as “that fellow who writes Advent Devotions.” A few knew that I knew a little about cements and was co-author of a booklet concerning cancer. Until early this summer, I was living a quiet, well-ordered life, and then Alice and several others suggested that I should go on a short-term mission trip to Haiti to help with the building of an orphanage.

While I do not specifically recall agreeing to go, I was suddenly on the team. Pastor Benoit, President of the Lutheran Church of Haiti, read a book I had written - The Stucco Book, The Basics He asked if I could do a forensic analysis of con-crete roof failures. I would be glad to do this with Paul Miertschin. Could I present a wide-ranging seminar on things related to cement use in Haiti? No problem – I could talk for 1.5 to two hours on those subjects. The seminar was scheduled to run for six hours.

There are no cement plants in Haiti. I was asked if I would be instrumental in analyzing the resources in Haiti and then build a cement plant. I would be well into my 80s before that project would be finished, so that will take a lot more thought before I can agree to it. Most concrete in Haiti is mixed by hand on job sites, so I have been asked if I would be instrumental in developing a ready-mix concrete company to produce quality concrete. I asked whether they were interested in producing a ready-mix company, or also developing a company to pour and finish concrete they produced, or were they interested in developing a company to build low-cost, structurally sound housing with the concrete they produced. You probably know the answer to that one.

While considering whether these are things that God wants me to do, I headed to Oregon for a two-week consulting job. The family I stayed with is Catholic, so the first Sunday I went to church with them. The priest's sermon was “When God Calls, Answer.” I thanked the priest (he is newly ordained) for his sermon; and after he finished greeting people, he came over, and we talked for about 10 minutes.

I mentioned the sermon to Pastor Benoit and on August 16, received a copy of a letter Pastor Benoit, had sent to the priest in Eugene, Oregon, thanking him for the sermon he preached to me. I bet that made Father John's day.

It looks to me like maybe God is not ready to take “no” for an answer from me, but I realize I can't do all I've been called to do in Haiti by myself.. While I have expenses covered for the initial trip, if I end up going back on a monthly basis for the next five to ten years, I will be needing a lot of prayer support. I will be needing people to take over some of the things I'm currently doing, such as writing devotions and converting them into our Advent and Lenten Booklets, taking people kayaking, and carrying for my granddaughters. I will probably also need some financial support to cover my air fare for future trips. The Lutheran Church of Haiti will also need financial support to build the companies to provide jobs for Haitians. Profits from those companies will go toward helping lift Haitians from the extreme poverty in which they live. Is God calling you as strongly as He is calling me?

Herb

School Ministry- Adopt-A-Student: Helping them grow into champions for Christ! Rev. Douglas L. Bielefeldt, dbielefeldt@shlutheran.org

The 2013-14 school year has begun at Shepherd of the Hills! Our theme this year is “Champions for Christ”, and our theme Bible verse comes from Philippians 4:8 which reminds our students that “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”(ESV)

During the year, we will focus on St. Paul’s use of the word ‘excellence’. Excellence goes beyond academic ability; our students will learn that excellence is demonstrated through their character and integrity, their willingness to work hard, their leadership abilities, their treatment of others, and most importantly through their spiritual development.

As a congregation, we have an opportunity to demonstrate our excellence in supporting our students and our school. Because it is our #1 mission outreach, we have the opportunity to support our stu-dents and faculty through a simple, yet extremely effective (and excellent!) way: by participating in our ‘Adopt-A-Student’ program.

In early September, Adopt-A-Student bookmarks will be placed in the weekend worship bulletins. Each bookmark will contain a student’s name, grade, birth date and his/her teacher’s name. To par-ticipate, simply keep the bookmark and put it in a convenient location, such as your Bible or on the refrigerator, to help you remember the student in prayer on a regular basis. You can adopt more than one student. Our goal is to make sure no child is left un-prayed for!

The most important aspect of the Adopt-A-Student program is prayer. In fact, it is the only require-ment we ask of participants. Through prayer, we seek God’s help in the student’s life in the following ways:

…that the student would do well academically, develop good character, stay safe, and grow in their faith and love of Christ.

…that the student’s family would be a safe place of love, nurturing, and faith.

…that God would bless the efforts of their teacher.

…that God would use you to somehow reach this child with the love of Christ.

You may also want to write an occasional note of encouragement to your student, or send him/her a birthday card. Notes and cards can be delivered through the Adopt-A-Student box located in the church lobby. Our students love to know our members are praying for them!

This is the 15th year of our Adopt-A-Student program, and as always, involvement is completely vol-

untary. God has blessed our church with an excellent opportunity and responsibility to help nurture and encourage our students to grow in their faith of Jesus Christ. May God continue to bless the relationship and ministry He has given us through our Lutheran School!

Please pray

for me!

Tuck this little

bookmark into your

Bible and say a

prayer for your

“adopted” student

whenever you get a

chance.

________________

Student Name

_____

Birthday

______

Grade

_______________

Teacher

Children’s Ministry Cindy Miller-Director of Children’s Ministry, cmiller@shlutheran.org

Sunday School Rally Day Rally Day is traditionally a special event that happens at the start of a new year of teaching and learning in Sunday school. We will celebrate Rally Day on Septem-ber 8 with a kid’s style worship, a special craft project, a yummy snack, and time

to greet old friends, make new friends, and meet our new Sunday school teacher. Rally Day celebration will be held in the cafeteria. Parents are invited to join their

children.

Are you a Faithweaver?

As we begin a new year in Sunday school, we also begin using a new curriculum called “Faithweaver Now!” So what makes Faith-weaver Now! special? -Children and adults explore the same Bible story in age-appropriate ways. Yes! Even parents and grandparents will have a Sunday school class just for them! This class will meet in the cafeteria beginning September 15. -Children don’t just hear God’s word. They experience it in interactive ways. -Children (and their families) will connect their learning to their own personal lives. Each week families will receive Family Connect, which gives busy families an easy-to-use idea to start conversations about faith at home.

Save the Date! Families Together

Here’s a peek at family ministry activities planned for this fall!

Sunday, September 8: Hotdog cookout and pool party at Green Tree Tennis Club on Calaghan Road. Come for Rally Day, stay for CrossWalk at 10:45 and then head to Green Tree for an afternoon of good food and great fun! Please RSVP to the church office with your fam-ily name and number attending. Sunday, October 27: Trunk or Treat in the gym parking lot! This event is tailgating “kid’s style!” Check out http://trunkortreat.homestead.com/ for more informa-tion about this fun, safe and not scary family event. Families will be needed to decorate their trunk or tailgate and pass out treats to participat-ing children. Sunday, December 1: “Waiting for Jesus” Adventure We will gather in the gym at 9:30 to learn about Advent and create a craft that will help families prepare for Jesus’ birth.

Will you pray?

Please remember our Sunday school teachers in your

prayers as they serve the Master Teacher by teaching

His children.

Confirmation Pastor Aaron Tilt, atilt@shlutheran.org

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. 2 Peter 3:18 It’s that time of year again – no, not for school, for Confirmation! For those of you who

may not be aware, we transitioned to a 2 year (school year only with summers off)

confirmation program – with a Year A (Law and Gospel) and Year B (Word and Sac-

rament) that do not have to be done in that order – so that we can start a new class

every year. We’re back to Year A this fall when we will study the 10 Commandments

with a focus on the Apostles’ Creed next spring. We want all of our students to have

a solid grounding in the basics of the Christian faith…which means you’ve got to know

some stuff about the God who loves us (see verse above).

One thing we wanted to change this year is we want to involve the parents of our con-

firmation students more. After all, Luther says at the opening of the Small Catechism

(which we use as the basis for our confirmation instruction) “As the head of the fam-

ily should teach them in a simple way to his household.” So parents, you’ll be

asked to attend about once a month where we’ll walk beside you to help equip you to

make growing in “grace and knowledge” of God and his Word something that hap-

pens at home as much as at church.

As you’ll see, we of course want to do more than just learn information together.

What we’re really after is transformation of all of us into more faithful followers of Je-

sus Christ. To that end we will:

Study the Bible and the Catechism

Foster genuine Christian community and fellowship

Put into practice outreach and service to those outside our congregation

I’m looking forward to another great year with returning 8th graders and the new 7

th graders as well!

For Christ and His Kingdom,

Pastor Aaron

P.S. – Pastor Doug and I are going to be working to set up a program for adult catechesis as well – probably something like a

6 week crash course in the basics of the Christian faith. If this is something you would be interested in let us know.

Shepherd Student Ministry-Season of Pentecost 2013 Nick Arnold-Director of Student Ministry, narnold@shlutheran.org

Story: Summer Events Recap Summer Serve Summer Serve is a 4-day/3-night event for middle school students. We meet together for Bible study, worship, and games, and during the day we serve at various locations around town. Several local LCMS churches join together for this event, and this year we were hosted by Lutheran High School. Each year we’ve done this event has been great. The kids get to connect with God through the evening chapel times. They get to connect with one another through the games and meals and service times. And they get to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the community through the mission sites. On the last day we celebrated our time together by attending Schlitterbahn. A big shout out to our adult leaders who helped supervise the kids, as well

as Millard Stetler, who provided lunches and snacks.

Camp Eagle

Camp Eagle is a 6-day/5-night experience in the middle of the Texas hill country. There is no cell phone reception, so kids really get a chance to get away for a period of time. This was our third year at camp, and it gets better every year. Camp has al-ways impacted our kids in a powerful way. It’s been almost a month since camp and our kids are still connected with one another in a way they were not before camp. The day is filled with team building initiatives and high ropes elements. Every-thing from the “super swing” to the new Zip 3000 (the longest zipline in Texas), to the river front with the “blob,” and the cliff with the rock climbing and the rappelling. There is no shortage of things to do. It is impossible to do everything the camp offers in one week. The evening experiences are powerful. Camp Eagle is not speaker-driven, meaning that while there is a speaker, the emphasis on the hands-on activi-ties that accompany the message. To simulate being kicked out of the gar-

den, for example, dinner on Monday night was done away from main camp around a fire. To simulate our reunion with God through Christ, the camp hosted a party in main camp with a dinner and a dance. You can ask any kid who attended and most of them will say that they grew in their faith. God has certainly used this experi-ence to help shape our young people in the faith. Ways to Pray Here are some ways you can be praying for us: · Pray for our students as they head back to school and for the ministry as we start Confirmation, Sunday School, and Clash

again. · Pray for wisdom for our Vision And Support Team as we plot a vision for the next few years. · Pray for wisdom, patience, and gentleness for our Sunday School adult leaders that they work with kids to share Jesus. · Pray for guidance as we seek to bridge the church and the school and reach out to school families who are not members of

any church.

Thank You Thank you for your prayer support, your encouragement, and your financial support! You make it possible for Shepherd to

provide a place of refuge to teenagers and for teenagers to multiply a place of refuge with their friends.

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also

with him graciously give us all things?” –Romans 8:32

Dear Friends, As we look ahead to the fall season, we can anticipate slightly cooler temperatures outside and an increased activity level on our campus. We are truly blessed to be a congregation that is vibrant and active with ministries and activities that keeps our campus always busy. Sometimes as a staff when we are scrambling for space or different activities are competing with each other and things seem sometimes a bit chaotic – we affectionately call it “messy ministry.” Truly, we thank God that the people of Shepherd of the Hills are truly living lives of worship, not only on Sunday, but every day of the week. There are many activities and ministries that are vying for your time and participation. The Music Ministry is a vital part of the worship life of our congregation as we strive to return to God the fruits of the talents with which He has blessed us. In worship we receive the gifts that God has promised to us through His Word – and we, in turn, build each other up through our hymns, Psalms, and spiritual songs – giving praise to God for His gifts to us. The adult choir at Shepherd of the Hills is tasked with helping the congregation in this response of praise and singing. The choir is open to all who desire to sing and give of their best to God in song. We sing twice a month and for most festival and special services and rehearse on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. I encourage you to give us a try and be immedi-ately immersed into a very outgoing (and fun) community of fellow believers within the larger community of our church. If you have the talent to play a band or orchestra instrument, we have a great church band called the Shepherd’s Band which rehearses twice a month on Tuesday evenings. Mr. Doug Urban is the band director and is truly a masterful musician who has a way of bringing out the best of the musicians with whom he works. Please contact him, durban@shlutheran.org if you are interested in learning more about playing with the Shepherd’s Band. If you are interested in playing handbells, our church handbell choir meets on Thursday evenings from 5:20 – 6:15pm. We are looking to expand our ensemble to include another octave of bells and would love to have your participation to make that happen. While handbell experience is not necessary, the ability to read a single line of music and a good sense of rhythm is helpful in participating in this group. If you play an instrument and are not able to participate in an ensemble at this time, but would like to contribute musically to our worship services, please contact me. Senior Shepherds One of the larger ministry groups of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church is the Senior Shepherds’ ministry. This ministry is designed to bring together folks from all walks of life, be they retired or close to retirement who are looking for Christian fel-lowship. The Senior Shepherds meet at least once a month for a social activity (usually over lunch) and provide a warm and welcoming time of fellowship combined with an activity or program. An effort is always made to keep the cost as low as possi-ble while providing great food and ambience. Please contact me if you are interested in participating in the next event, or just look for the next bulletin announcement – all are welcome! In His Service, Pastor Craig

Music Ministry Pastor Craig Meissler, cmeissler@shlutheran.org

Meet Lamar and Inkie Gillian: Christ’s Hands and Feet at Shepherd and Beyond Just down the street, at the corner of Wurzbach and Fredericksburg, when residents of The Madison Estates retirement community gather for worship, the love of Christ is brought to them once a month from members of Shepherd of the Hills. Lamar Gillian serves as preacher and worship leader, Inkie Gillian uses her crafting talent to bring a gift each month to the worshipers, Elvera Kennedy plays the organ and Pat Mazzella prepares Holy Communion. “We have a marvelous team and would love to see others in our congregation begin the same sort of ministry in other similar facilities around the city,” says Inkie.

Members of Shepherd since 1997, Lamar and Inkie serve as Christ’s hands and feet in many other ways, too. In addi-tion to serving as worship leader at The Madison, Lamar is part of the Eucharistic Outreach team, which brings Holy Communion to those unable to attend worship, serves as a Small Group Bible Class leader and lends his joyful tenor voice to the choir. He also is known to be able to fix and grow things! His small motor re-pair operation has netted hundreds of dollars for Haiti. Inkie uses her creative hands as a member of the Altar Team and uses her craft skills to support the annual Shepherd of the Hills “’Tis the Season Craft and Food Fair,” the pro-ceeds from which help support the church’s mission projects, such as our efforts in Haiti. “We receive donated craft supplies and try to use what we have rather than spending money on purchasing more,” Inkie explains. “In addition, people from the congregation

provide us with magnificent handmade items that are ready to sell. As we get closer to this year's fair, a few work days will be scheduled for interested crafters to join us in creating items to be sold. Watch the bulletin for announcements!” Outside of Shepherd of the Hills, Lamar is serving his fifth term as a member of the City of Balcones Heights City Council, where he currently serves as Mayor Pro Tem. “I believe that my Christian faith gives me the strength, conviction, and peace to make good decisions for our community,” says Lamar, adding that the leadership team is composed of other Christian people from the community, and that they pray before each meeting for God's guidance during that meeting. Lamar adds that he finds inspiration in Paul’s words to the Philippians in chapter 4, verses 4-7: “Rejoice in the LORD always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The LORD is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hears and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NIV) As encouragement for his brothers and sisters in Christ, Lamar suggests Romans 8, 9 and 10. Why? “God has a ‘to do’ list for us all!’

Multiplying Places of Refuge Andrea Melcher, amelcher@shlutheran.org

Frankly Financial Tim Eickstead, Director of Operations, teickstead@shlutheran.org

Do you use the upper parking lot by the picnic tables as your place to park your car when attending church on the week-

end? You know the parking lot that leads you to the brass door with the welcoming picture of Jesus on it. If you do, then

this summer there have been some times that it was at least a little inconvenient to park in that area. Earlier this summer

there was a couple of weekends where there were piles of dirt, gravel and “Mount Mulch,” as some called it, blocking the

use of that area. In fact, this week if you came during the day there would have been light poles laying in the lot blocking

the area. All of this disruption comes from work which is being done on campus as a result of the “Maintenance and Mod-

ernization” package which was passed by the congregation at the May Congregational Meeting.

In coming months there will be additional things which will happen on campus to improve the flooring, upgrade restrooms,

replace worn doors, paint and repair walls, add a new electronic sign, and additional security items will be added. These

projects are designed to help upgrade the facilities God has blessed us to use for the work of His kingdom at Shepherd of

the Hills Lutheran Church. There will be times, as already occurred for some who use the upper parking lot, when the im-

plementation of these upgrades will cause some inconvenience. For that an apology is given in advance. There is always

an ongoing need to work hard taking care of the property God has blessed our congregation with as a home base to wor-

ship Him and do ministry to His world.

We look forward to carrying out the work projects which have been determined necessary to be a part of the “Maintenance

and Modernization Plan” over the next five years. Most of these can be taken care of on scheduled workdays. The next

two scheduled campus workdays are Saturday, November 9, 2013, and Saturday, February 22, 2014, from 9:00 a.m. to

12:00 noon w/lunch provided. On a weekly basis there are several members who give of their time for an hour or two each

week. Some even come on a given day every week for the entire day and are given projects that fit their range of abilities

to accomplish. If you have some time and would like to give in service to God in this way please contact either Dave Kott-

witz (dkottwitz@shlutheran.org) or Tim Eickstead (teickstead@shlutheran.org), and they will be happy to assist you in find-

ing a way to serve in this capacity.

May God continue to bless all we do as His people to share His saving Grace with people! Working for Christ, Tim Eickstead

LINC San Antonio Lydia Ingram, Urban Mission Developer, lydia@lincsa.org

Outreach to the Homeless. Third Thursdays of every month from 6:45-8:15 p.m. Participants from around the city share

prayer time, Bible study, and worship with residents at Haven for Hope Homeless Shelter.

Portuguese Bible Study. Meets on the second Wednesday of the month from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Crown of Life Lutheran

Church. All Portuguese speakers are welcome, regardless of spiritual background.

LINC 5:11 College Ministry. Meets monthly for dinner and devotions. Students at any college or university are welcome,

regardless of spiritual background. Dates are determined month by month. Text Lydia (210) 882-0241 or email

Lydia@lincsa.org for more info.

Life Tree Café. Reaching out to the Med Center area and the unchurched with casual yet fascinating guided discussions on

current events or hot topics. Meeting every Thursday night from 7:00-8:00 at the Preserve Apts. Contact Alice Klement at

(210) 614-3742 for more info.

Children’s Literacy Ministry. Volunteers from San Antonio churches read with at-risk children on the south side of town,

forming relationships with them and sharing the Gospel. Commitment is only 1 hour a week for 15 weeks (nonconsecutive,

flexible schedule).Volunteer training will be taking place in Sept. Contact Lydia for more info Lydia@lincsa.org or (210) 882-

0241.

DENIM DRIVE! LINC is partnered with Otjivero Village Outreach, benefitting children in Omitara, Namibia. Our goal from

now until Christmas is to collect 350 pairs of blue jeans for children ages 3-16. Gently used hand-me-downs are perfect,

and new ones also appreciated. Jeans can be dropped off at your church office & labeled for LINC-SA. For more info, call

Julie Niemann (210) 492-8583 or manuelniemannrealtor@yahoo.com.

WHAT IS HAPPINESS?

Eccl 3: 12-14 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they

live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man. I perceived

that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so

that people fear before him. (ESV)

It seems safe to say that there is at least one point in every person’s life when they ask themselves about having a pur-

pose in life and/or “Is it really possible for anyone to be truly happy?”

Well, I guess that would depend on what you mean by happiness. If you think happiness means having freedom from any

conflict with people, I don’t think that would ever happen. We’ll always encounter disappointments, hurts, and rubs with our

family, friends, and fellow workers. That’s part of living. Happiness also doesn’t mean we won’t ever be sick or have any finan-

cial concerns. I believe happiness has more to do with attitude, kind of like the end result of having a positive attitude toward

life, even in the midst of struggles.

Someone has said that happiness is like a butterfly. When we chase it, it seems to fly away from us. But when we busy

ourselves with our responsibilities, the butterfly of happiness lands on our shoulders. While we may not be able to receive all

the answers we want, we are able to receive the perfect peace that our Lord sends us through Christ Jesus. So even in the

moments when happiness doesn’t seem possible, just let it pursue you and see how fast it reaches you.

Lord, help me to be happy in everything I do and to share that happiness with others so they may see what You have

done for me. Amen

Sincerely,

The Inmate

Devotion The Inmate

Changes in leadership Rev. Dr. Daniel G. Mueller, dmueller@shlutheran.org

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, people God dearly loves, Changes in leadership happen all the time in all organizations and institutions. Sometimes they happen suddenly and sometimes they take place more gradually. Sometimes they’re disruptive and sometimes they’re smooth. Sometimes the change is barely noticed because everything continues the way it always was ,and sometimes that isn’t so. If you keep up with our congregation’s communications, it’s likely you’ve seen the “save the date” notice alerting us to the fact that we’re 2/3 of the way through our 3-year retirement transition. I’m truly grateful that we chose this process and I believe it is working well. We’re following a model that none other than Moses himself employed. When God appointed Moses to lead his peo-ple out of slavery in Egypt, one of the first things that Moses did was to bring a young man named Joshua alongside to serve as his adjutant. Joshua was the right hand of Moses up until the very moment when Moses stepped aside and then Joshua seamlessly stepped into the role of being the leader of God’s people. If you know the story as it is found in Exodus and Deu-teronomy, then you know that the transition was completely uneventful. Joshua finished the job that Moses began and brought God’s people to the Promised Land. What I find intriguing and confusing about the account of Moses and Joshua is that even though Joshua was the product of a transition process he himself failed to initiate any such process for the time when he would no longer be able to lead. And if you know that story then you know that what followed after Joshua stepped down was a heartbreaking time of recurring waves of lawlessness and chaos recorded in the book of Judges. Several weeks ago, when we observed the Ascension of our Lord, as I listened to the account of the Savior’s trium-phant return to heaven I couldn’t help but think how that event was a transition moment also. In fact, the Savior’s entire m inis-try was a transition process. To the best of our knowledge, the Savior’s ministry lasted about 3 years, his whole life about 33 years. The Son of God came into the world announcing, “The Kingdom of God is at hand.” To spread that good news far and wide, he brought 12 men into his life and prepared them for the moment when he would return to heaven and they would take over his work on earth. If you know this story, then you know it turned out really well because here we are 2,000 years later, still talking about it. Thinking about my last official Sunday is hard for all of us. By then I will have had the privilege of being your pastor for 36 years. God has allowed us to share each other’s lives very closely and, by his grace and mercy, through the work of his Spirit, God has granted us to grow in faith together. After June 29, 2014, I won’t be your pastor any longer and that’s go-ing to be a big change for all of us. I am confident we will live through the change just fine because we’ve taken the steps to position Pastor Chris to step in and keep things going. Pastor Chris has grown so much in the short time that he has been with us. When he preached July 14, I had the privilege of sitting in the pew with my two sons and their families. One son, Joshua, and his family are members of Shepherd, and you see them regularly. The older son, Jonathan, lives in CA not far from his sister, Jessica and her family; he was here with his family visiting for the week. Pastor Chris preached about how God is more interested in helping us grow in our relationship with him than in giving us easy answers to all our problems. At lunch after church one of my sons said, “I really needed that sermon today. I’ve been praying about some things that have been bugging me. What I need to pray for is to grow closer to God.” I said, “Amen!” Joshua and his family will look to Pastor Chris as their pastor; so will Sharon and I. During this last year we will give attention to my last Sunday. At the same time, we will give even more attention to all the wonderful things that continue to characterize and describe our congregation. We have so much for which to be thankful, so many gifts that enrich our lives and enable us to be a blessing to so many. The challenge for us is to enjoy them all and use them for the glory of God in Christian stewardship. God be with you, Pastor Dan

Our Vision To be a place of refuge

in a stormy world.

Our Mission To multiply places of

refuge throughout our world.