FOR THE WEEK OF… November 28th ~ 2021
We begin Advent preparing for and anticipating the coming of our Lord who is sent by God to be King of kings and the Prince of Peace. By Jesus’ example may we continue to serve our families, friends, and neighbors with humility and a willingness to be vulnerable. By doing so we will experience God’s blessings as we reflect God’s love.
Christ’s Peace, Pastor Steve
JOIN US FOR ONLINE WORSHIP SERVICES and MEETINGS ~ CLICK HERE
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE and HOLY COMMUNION: Second Sunday of Advent ~ December 5th at 10:00 am ~ Online Spoken Word Zoom Service: CLICK HERE
Meeting ID: 565-414-081 – Please be patient as you will be in a waiting room to be admitted into the service.
Those serving us online and IN PERSON at church this Sunday are:
- Lighting the Advent Wreath: The Thomas Family
- Assisting Minister: Peggy Cain
- Reader: Jordanelle Mugridge
- Music: Quinten Knudsen
- Usher: Randy Thomson
- Greeter: Cheryl Thomson
- Altar Guild / Communion Assistant: Barb Lorenzen
- Zoom A/V operator and Monitor/Co-Host: Steve Hoffman and JJ Ehlers
OTHER MEETINGS FOR THIS WEEK and SUNDAY ~ CLICK HERE
- Sunday, December 5th at 8:45 am – Dealing with the Impacts of the Pandemic (listening to Brene Brown podcast & discussion) Coordinated by Ann Hoffman and Peggy Cain
- Sunday, December 5th at 11:00 am – Worship & Music Meeting
LECTIONARY BIBLE READINGS THIS WEEK:
Lectionary Bible Readings for Sunday, December 5, 2021: Malachi 3:1-4, Luke 1:68-79, Philippians 1:3-11, Luke 3:1-6
~ ANNOUNCEMENTS THIS WEEK … ~
LIGHTING THE ADVENT WREATH THIS SEASON: If you and your family would like to Light the Advent Wreath on a Sunday next month, please let the office know or sign up on the kiosk. The dates we have open are: Sunday, December 12th and Sunday, December 19th.
SUB FOR SANTA for CHRYSALIS / DANVILLE CLIENTS: Every year since 1992, Shepherd of the Mountains has hosted a fun, festive Holiday Party for our friends at Danville/Chrysalis. In addition, we have also participated in their SUB FOR SANTA for these special clients.
However this year, we are once again staying safe and will postpone the Holiday Party until next year. But… you can still participate in the annual SUB FOR SANTA for these wonderful special needs adults that live in Summit and Wasatch counties. Click on the Sub for Santa image to learn more about the program. To sign up for a gift(s) for these clients, please click >>HERE<<. Thank you for bringing some HOLIDAY CHEER to these special people!
POINSETTIA PLANTS ON SALE: Help decorate Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church by purchasing a Poinsettia plant to be delivered for the Greening of the Church. $10.00 per plant, indicate choice of Red or White. Proceeds benefit the Boy Scout Troop #72. Please see the Kiosk in the Narthex to sign up or CLICK HERE for the Signup Genius. Checks made to: SOTM for $10.00 per plant, Your name/family will be recognized in our Christmas Eve Service bulletins for your donation.
BLOOD DRIVE: Thank You to all who signed up the Blood Drive is 99% Full. They may take some walk-ins, however best to check the schedule the day of for any last minute cancellations. Click on the Blood Drive logo to see availability for 84098 on 12/3/21.
Drive Details:
Site: Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church
Address: 4051 North Highway 224, Park City, UT, 84098
Room Name: Fellowship Hall
Date: Friday, December 3, 2021
Time: 1:00: PM – 6:00: PM
>> Click here to make an appointment << The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community. Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most of us will need blood in our lifetime. Thank you for supporting the American Red Cross blood program!
GREENING OF THE CHURCH: This annual event will take place on Friday, December 3rd at 6 pm. No food will be served as we continue to stay safe in the building. Please make sure to wear a mask and enjoy decorating the church and sanctuary with your friends at Shepherd of the Mountains.
ADVENT RETREAT: Please join us for The Uncertainty of Advent, an online Advent retreat offered by Rachel Bass Guennewig and DanaLee Simon, that runs from November 28 to December 25, 2021. You will receive an e-mail from us Monday thru Saturday mornings, with an invitation to a 5-10 minute practice that you can engage on your own to deepen your awareness and experience of this Season. We will also gather for one hour by ZOOM on Sunday nights (November 28, December 5, 12, and 19) at 5:30 p.m. Mountain time/6:30 Central time, to explore the theme of the week (Presence, Grief, Hope, Kairos). You will receive the ZOOM link for this gathering on Sunday morning. This online gathering time will be recorded and sent to you in the Monday morning email for you to watch later if you are unable to join us Sunday nights.
To register for the retreat, please follow this link . The retreat cost is $50 (If the cost is prohibitive, please pay what you can.). We will donate 15% of our proceeds to Interfaith Power and Light, an organization inviting bold and just action on climate change. You can check them out here: www.interfaithpowerandlight.org . After you register for the retreat, please pay via DanaLee’s Venmo account (@DanaLee-Simon), or by mailing a check to DanaLee Simon at 1184 s 1500 e, Salt Lake City, UT 84105. Registration closes Friday, November 19th.
A little bit about us. . . Rachel lives in Champaign-Urbana, IL and leads yoga classes (via ZOOM) and retreats through Daily Bread Yoga-All Together Now. DanaLee is a Pastor, Spiritual Director and self-compassion teacher, and lives in Salt Lake City, UT. Both of us are in the thick of raising elementary and middle school aged children. We met (eons ago) at Valparaiso University and have been serendipitously accompanying each other through both the messes and joys of life ever since.
It would be a sincere delight to have you join us this Advent. Please pass this invitation on to anyone you think might be interested. If you have questions or would like more information, please be in touch with us! DanaLee (sagehillwisdom@gmail.com) or Rachel (dailybreadyoga@gmail.com).
FALL ADULT EDUCATION SESSIONS – The Adult Education Team has come up with many Sundays to learn about information and religious reflections. These meetings will take place in person (possibly with zoom) each Sunday that is listed below. They will meet 8:45 am – 9:45 am, prior to Worship Service. Here is the schedule of discussions:
- December 5th: Dealing with impacts of the pandemic (listening to Brene Brown podcast & discussion) Coordinated by Ann Hoffman and Peggy Cain
- December 12th: Dealing with impacts of the pandemic (listening to Brene Brown podcast & discussion) Coordinated by Ann Hoffman and Peggy Cain
SUNDAY SERVANTS – WE NEED VOLUNTEERS: Thank you to all of our current volunteers that help with Sunday Worship Service. As our attendance is growing, so is the need for additional volunteers to serve each Sunday. This could be a once a month commitment. We are seeking new volunteers to help with Greeting, Ushering, Altar Guild, Zoom Monitor from home. If you would like to be an assisting minister or reader, we could always use more volunteers there to rotate every other month. Please let the office know if you would like to help on a Sunday or sign up on the kiosk in the narthex. It is a great way to be involved and give the gift of your time and talent. Thank you!
ZOOM AUDIO / VISUAL VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – The Worship Team is seeking 1 to 2 people to help with Sunday Zoom Services from the Sanctuary. Steve Hoffman will train you on the operation of the Zoom Cameras and the Audio / Visual part. Please consider helping out, as there a a few dates that Steve is not available at the end of September to conduct the zoom part. For more information or to reach out to Steve, email him at: sagahoffman@msn.com. Thank you for considering being a part of the Audio / Visual Ministry!
SIGN UP TO DONATE ALTAR FLOWERS: We have discontinued the Signup for reserving seats in the sanctuary. However, our Worship team would like to make it easier for people to donate Altar Flowers for Sunday Worship Service. Click the Image or this link: >>CLICK HERE<<
Flower Arrangements are created by Kathryn at Flowers By You in Kimball Junction. Pricing is: $28.00 for ONE VASE and $47.00 for TWO VASES. Please indicate the occasion and how many vases you would like to order. You then can send in your payment to the church office. If you have any questions please email the office at: office@shepherdofthemountains.org or call 435-649-2233.
IN PERSON WORSHIP SERVICE – JOIN US! We ask that any person that is eligible to be vaccinated, to be fully vaccinated when attending service. Masks and Social Distancing will be required. If you have any questions please email the office at: office@shepherdofthemountains.org or call 435-649-2233.
FELLOWSHIP:
BOOK CLUB MEETING – The next Book Club meeting will be held by Zoom on Monday, January 3, 2022 at 6:30 pm to visit and 7:00 pm to discuss book via zoom . The book is TBA.
If you would like to join the Book Club, please contact the office HERE and we will add you to their Book Club List. Join this fun group for lively discussions and fellowship!
SOCIAL MINISTRY:
We, as core team, have spent time training and exploring the ELCA supported Welcoming program called Reconciling in Christ. At the Congregational Meeting, a “vote of confidence” was approved by the congregation to move forward in this training program that will guide our congregation in advancing our intentional welcome to all people.
We now embark on a 2-year journey that will encourage education and intentional changes to our welcoming statement that we would vote on later in the process. This is a congregational driven process and we have had 6 months of discussion with church council, Fellowship & Social Ministry Committees, and various individuals in our community who have all supported the proposal to support this journey of becoming a Reconciling in Christ community. Please reach out with any questions to Ann Hoffman, Kim Fry, JJ Ehlers and Pastor Steve Leiser. And please consider joining us as we would welcome more people in this important work!
CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO. Frequently Asked Questions for Reconciling in Christ: CLICK HERE
SUNDAY SCHOOL and YOUTH:
IN PERSON SUNDAY SCHOOL – Greetings! We wish everyone good luck with the start of a new school year this fall. The congregation of Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church will continue to offer Sunday School for our children. This year we are happy to announce that Sunday School classes will be offered in person after the Children’s Sermon each Sunday. Masks and Social Distancing will be in effect for these lessons.
A calendar for the Sunday School year can be provided upon request; it typically is in line with the Park City School calendar. Erin Thomas will craft and lead these classes. These classes should last no more than 10-20 minutes each Sunday. This year, classes could be more diverse than previous years, depending on the ages of the children attending Sunday School. With great joy we again look forward to being with your children each Sunday morning. Please encourage your children to attend Sunday School. Encourage them to invite their friends! Invite your friends! We look forward to seeing you on Sunday mornings this September and throughout the coming church year!
NATIONAL YOUTH GATHERING PLANNING MEETINGS – The National Youth Gathering has be rescheduled for next July 2022. If you are interested in attending, please contact Pastor Steve as we know there are some youth that are attending from the Salt Lake City Lutheran churches.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN SYNOD:
The Rocky Mountain Synod has many opportunities including Adult and Young Adult education. These are also Study Guides or Meetings / Discussions on Zoom. Please see the following links if any of these interest you.
- Living Faith: Church in Society – a New Adult Forum/Small Group Discussion Guide: CLICK HERE
- ELCA – “Stories in Action” 2020 – 2021 virtual annual book: CLICK HERE
- Women of the ELCA – RMS “Views from the Rockies” – NOVEMBER 2021 Newsletter: CLICK HERE
STAY SAFE and STAY HEALTHY:
MASK UPDATE FOR SHEPHERD OF THE MOUNTAINS: By recommendation from our Health Team, we will REQUIRE that face coverings (masks) be worn in our building at all times. Exception is 2 year and under in age and being outdoors. For more information regarding Summit County Health Department and Covid related notices. CLICK HERE
REOCCURING MEETINGS:
AA – 7:00 pm every Wednesday (co-ed) and 7:00 pm every Thursday (men only)
Monthly Committee Meetings:
Council – 6:30 pm, 2nd Monday of the month – (12/13/21 on zoom)
Fellowship – 12:00 pm, 2nd Sunday of the month (12/12/21)
Finance – 5:30 pm, 4th Monday of the 1st month of the quarter (TBA)
Property – 6:30 pm, 4th Monday of the month (12/27/21)
Shepherd Connections & Social Ministries– 12:00 pm, 2nd Sunday of the month (12/12/21)
Worship/Music – 11:00 am, 1st Sunday of the month (12/5/21)
CALENDAR and EVENTS:
Please view the Worship Schedule and other events happening this week on our CALENDAR ~ Calendar is subject to change due to our current gathering situation ~
ONGOING AT SHEPHERD OF THE MOUNTAINS:
RECYCLING – Thank You to all of you who are recycling at SOTM. It’s a big job to take these items to the Recycle Center and if you would like to help in this wonderful “Save our Earth” mission, please contact the office. Also, please remember that if cardboard is contaminated with food particles, it can not be recycled.
SHEPHERD OF THE MOUNTAINS HAS JOINED RECYCLE UTAH’S GREEN BUSINESS PROGRAM – This program is a resource that helps us operate in a more sustainable manner through education and goal setting. We’ve identified three goals for 2019 – 2020: 1) increase recycling and awareness in the building, 2) explore lighting efficiency options in the building and parking lot and 3) evaluate our energy usage throughout the building. Additional information on the program can be found at www.recycleutah.org/green-business-program.
SHEPHERD OF THE MOUNTAINS ON-LINE GIVING PLATFORM – TITHE.LY – We now have an On-line giving button on our web page to make it more convenient for members and visitors to contribute to SOTM. The donor has the option to cover the processing fees for the church or if they decide not to, SOTM will cover the administration fees that are processed through Tithe.ly. To give on line – click here: GIVE TODAY This is a simple way to give if you don’t have cash or a checkbook on you at one of our worship services. Thank you for supporting Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church!
AMAZON SMILE – Help donate to Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church with every purchase you make on Amazon, click on link: AMAZON~SMILE
LIVING LUTHERAN MAGAZINE – THE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ISSUE HAS ARRIVED! If you would like a copy of of any issue mailed to you or left at the front door, let the office know and we are happy to take care of that for you. Either email or call the office: office@shepherdofthemountains.org or 435-649-2233.
DIGITAL and IN PERSON HOLY COMMUNION EVERY SUNDAY! Join us each Sunday for Digital Holy Communion. Please come prepared with the elements of bread and wine/juice each Sunday morning. If you would like prepackaged communion cups, we have these available at the church. You can stop by and pick up what you need from the office. There is a wafer on top and a portion of juice in the cup. Please note to shake before opening – see below. If you are attending IN PERSON, Communion Chalice with wafer will be available on the Communion table before you enter the sanctuary. Gluten Free Wafers are also available in the narthex.
FOOD PANTRY – We are not excepting donations at this time at the church. We suggest you drop off your pantry donations to the Christian Center of Park City on Deer Valley Drive. Thank you!
EYEGLASSES FOR THE LIONS CLUB – Always in need for Prescription Glasses and Sunglasses. Please donate to the wooden box by the office or leave in the mailbox.
WENDY’S WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY WORKOUT – Every Wednesday, 7:00 am – strength, core and balance. Right here at SOM. Just $5.00 per class.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY – These are postponed in our church building until further notice. Please reach out to one another and offer prayer for each other.
SOLAR SYSTEM PERFORMANCE: This report is for the months of September and October 2021. The panels were at near maximum performance during the two month period although there were fewer daylight hours from month to month (or day to day).
The solar panels generated 1,924 kWh for Aug 9 to Sep 8 and 1,672 kWh for Sep 8 to Oct 7. In each month, we put more electrical energy back into the grid than we drew from the grid. Over the two month period, we banked 622 kWh to bring our total bank reserve to 3,622 kWh which we will be drawing down over the balance of the year as our generation drops off but should leave us with very little expense for the balance of the year, a goal set by the Finance Committee. For each month of the reporting period, and hopefully for the balance of the year, our payment to Rocky Mountain Power was less than $10 per month, the fee to be hooked to the grid. – Tim Fehr
~ In Our Prayers ~
We ask your continued prayers for Healing and Wholeness for:
Kaitlin, Jamie Jones, Chloe Rodchester, Jim & Joy, Mary, Judy, Nicole, John M., Cathryn, Terri Anderson, Keith Lilley, Carole Van Hook, Clayton, Kurt, Nicole, Sheila, Brian Case, Bill Murray, Vera Palomaki, Kay, Mark, Marlene, John Sandstrom, Marge Neumayer, Leslie Smith, Lizzy, Lori D, Thomas Ryan, Kitty, Kira, Dylan Wilcox, Jim VanderLinden, Kimberly Gosell, Jill L., Aunt Lou, Robert Howell, Sam, Bonnie Futch, Mary Jane Schmidt, Pat Rusk, Bob, Mugridge Family.
SOM Prayer Chain
We are updating our prayer chain. We have kept everyone on the list that has been added in the last 3 months. We will rotate names off the prayer chain after a month unless we receive a request to keep a name on. Please contact the office to add a name to the chain. Thank you!
Housekeeping
The date of the E-pistle is figured from “the first day of the week,” the day of Resurrection–Sunday.
The weekly E-pistle is an internet ministry of the congregation of Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church. All announcements or subscriber list additions/subtractions should be sent to the Office Administrator, at: office@shepherdofthemountains.org.
Please note our church office hours are: Monday – Friday, 9 AM to 2 PM. Friday’s may be a modified schedule in the office. Thank you!