SHEPHERD'S E-NEWS
SHUMC CELEBRATING 40 YEARS
Take a Moment to Stay in Touch
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The church campus remains closed and the staff is working remotely from their homes. You may contact the church via telephone or email.
623-584-2280 or church@shepherdofthehills.org
Join us for worship online at shepherdofthehills.org
In-person worship will be resumed
when we are confident that it is safe.
Be safe out there. God is with us.
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We are grateful for your financial support, even when we cannot gather.
We invite you to check our newest way to give and see if it may be the right one for you.
Donate right from your smartphone. Giving through our GivePlus Mobile app is an easy and convenient way to donate to our church. It only takes a moment to download the app and set up an account.
1. Download the free GivePlus (Give+) app from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Find our church by Zip Code or by searching for Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church.
3. Give as a Guest or set up an account.
Thank you for your generosity!
Due to our current situation, Julie will have to call you back as soon as she picks up her messages and/or emails.
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Please join us in prayer for… |
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Our sister United Methodist Congregations:
Mountain View UMC, Cottonwood
New Church Start, Yuma
New Song UMC, Surprise
Nuevo Pacto, Phoenix
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INTERCESSORY PRAYER
While we are not able to be in the Prayer Room
at church for intercessory prayer time, we are offering intercessory prayer by phone. We will
make ourselves available on Sundays from
10:00-11:00 AM.
If you want prayer at another time, call either of us. If we don’t answer, leave your name and number and we will return your call.
Bill White – 623 688 7565
Linda White 623 688 7417
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PRAYER PHONE
Please call our prayer line at 623-584-2922 to hear a short prayer. Then you will be invited to leave specific prayer requests, which will be forwarded to the Prayer Team.
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Dear Friends,
We are living in strange times. As I return to work after vacation, I can’t help noticing that I am sitting in the same living room looking out the same window that I was while I was ON vacation. It doesn’t exactly FEEL like I’m back, except that the table is now, again, deeply strewn with various documents, emails and notes to guide me in my work for SHUMC. My plans to make a grand tour of the state of Texas, visiting with my siblings, gave way to the explosion of COVID-19 cases at the beginning of July, both here and there, and I found myself reluctant to stay in public accommodations and eat out. So goes the world in 2020. It will always be remembered as the year of COVID, especially for those whose vacations, travel plans, graduations, ordinations and other significant life events were delayed or held remotely.
Our own beloved church community has now been touched with at least 8 persons, that we know of, diagnosed with this dreaded disease. There are probably more. We don’t always know. A few of those did not survive it. Please hold them all in prayer, along with the myriad workers who risk their own lives to provide loving care to those who suffer.
I am grateful to all who stepped up during my absence to care for all of you, and to take care of the business of the church. I am especially grateful to Pastor Alma, who stepped into the pulpit for four weeks while also addressing the myriad questions and concerns that come to the “pastor in charge” over the course of several weeks. Pastor Stephanie also volunteered to preach the first Sunday in August so I did not have to surrender the last week of vacation to sermon preparation.
The two of them, along with our parish nurse, Esther, and members of our Care Team also undertook, at my request, a mission to call every person who calls SHUMC “home,” to connect and share our love and ask if there is any way we can provide support, in this time when we cannot be together. You may have received one of those calls. If not, you probably will! If you have a voice mail from a strange (even out-of-state) number, you will want to check it, as it may be one of them, with a message of love and concern. Since we are all still working from home, the numbers may not be familiar. They are doing this in addition to their normal ministries of care. One of the big benefits: we found several persons who had no way to enjoy our service and we have delivered DVD players to them for the DVDs that will now be mailed to them.
They are not the only ones at work! Ken, our Music Director, has been working to master the various aspects of technology and music that will eventually (we hope sometime soon) allow our choir to do some virtual recordings for worship, even as he and Bill have led us in worship weekly and provided beautiful special music to soothe our souls.
The pastors and music staff have continued to provide you with mid-week devotionals to keep us connected with each other and with our Creator. I took a look at the Youtube statistics and see that you are regularly enjoying their work!
Jodi has moved back into the church office to better serve our needs, working tirelessly to produce the proof of the long delayed pictorial directory and catch up with a huge pile of administrative details that had been placed on hold. She regularly updates us with the weekly enews, formats and schedules all the computer mailings (such as Words of Encouragement, etc), keeps the church calendar up-to-date and schedules the Zoom meetings. She graciously receives your calls and makes sure they are handed over to the right place. She keeps everything organized and headed in the right direction.
Julie has continued her quiet service, taking care of our financial matters, doing reports and working to clean up our database system, Shelby, so we are better equipped to serve the church.
Jenny faithfully comes in on Tuesdays to burn and send out DVDs and copies of the Voice and Words of Encouragement and Hope to those who do not have technology to watch on the internet. She also works from home to create our attendance/registration system for worship and processes your inputs every week. She also completely re-worked our website, bringing it up-to-date, as it is a primary way we reach out to the world in this moment when we are unable to gather. She keeps our electronic sign updated and includes hopeful scriptures to bless our community.
Shawn remains as busy and engaged as ever, as he partners with our trustees to maintain our buildings and grounds. He has helped trim our courtyard trees and all the trees around the property in preparation for monsoon season. He worked with Richard Van Valkenberg to service our many air conditioning units; partnered with Richard Barchman on a variety of door repairs and building refurbishments; with Don Trenda on painting projects, and with Mike Hicklin on the installation of the new A/C and a never ending list of repairs, improvements and enhancements. As we move into new phases of opening buildings, he is tasked with ensuring our safety by rigorously disinfecting and cleaning the spaces that we use for things like sandwich making and recording the services. We may find a need to provide additional custodial services as we begin to move toward more normal church life at sometime down the road.
Finally, last Saturday when I checked my email I discovered one addressed to my son, Sam, that was filled with pictures of your beloved pets, as an expression of your love for Sam and your condolence for the loss of his doggy “daughter” Molly. He and I sat together and looked at all of them, deeply touched by your kindness and generous spirits. Thank you so much for your outpouring of love to support him in these difficult days of loss. He misses his companion of 10 years. He misses being a dad.
Know that we are here for you, even if we are not able to be together. We love you and we are serving you in all kinds of quiet ways, keeping the home fires burning until we can all gather again.
Blessings and Peace,
Pastor Deborah
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August 4, 2020
Much attention has been rightfully given to the ceremonial farewell accorded
to Congressman John Lewis. Reading about and watching the events surrounding his death and the ceremonies around his final journey these past weeks left me humbled, inspired, and yet deeply concerned about our nation. As Congressman Lewis lay in state in the Capitol rotunda, the words and hymns shared spoke of the stature of one who will be forever remembered as an icon for voting rights, civil rights, and human rights. He was accorded a final ceremonial drive by familiar and significant places in his illustrious career. Eloquent, stirring words offered by distinguished speakers at his final service
of memory and love were extraordinary words for a nation that is reeling in division, confronted by the painful realization that racism is still a scourge on our souls.
The life and legacy of this one person must not be forgotten. We need his life’s story to continue to touch us and move us. The John Lewis legacy is the glue that binds other movements happening now. The Black Lives Matter movement has sparked massive demonstrations both in person and virtually. Images speak of the broad participation of folks like you and me representing the diversity of the human family, coming together in spirit to proclaim that in this moment in history, we proclaim that Black Lives Matter. In the wake of unwarranted violence against Black people, harm even unto death has shocked us into understanding too graphically and too late, that in our nation, Black lives have not mattered to many persons.
And appropriately, many of us who have been quietly observing the discrimination, violence, and death on the streets of many of our cities and towns, are waking up to the reality that Black communities have known too well and have lived with too long. Some of our challenge has been to confront racism and prejudice in ourselves and to listen and learn about what systemic oppression has done to diminish all of us.
As the Black Lives Matter demonstrations continued, a different kind of confrontation erupted in downtown Portland, Oregon. Our family spent over
20 years in the Pacific Northwest. We love its natural beauty and the usual calm demeanor of its pace of life and its people. We have been deeply concerned about the images of the clash of peaceful demonstrators with destructive protesters, and federal agents that turned a section of downtown Portland into a war zone. The clash of these destructive persons and federal agents who were evidently sent to Portland to protect federal buildings unfortunately collided with peaceful demonstrators caught in the middle of
this confrontation.
Despite pleas by local authorities to have these federal agents removed, it has only been recently that that withdrawal has been accomplished, with the resultant return to peace in the section of Portland that was affected. News outlets report that with the withdrawal of federal agents, peace has been restored. Portland will continue to be a place of demonstrations in support of the BLM movement, hopefully without destructive persons promoting their own agendas.
As my colleague, Bishop Elaine Stanovsky has shared the violence in Portland must not serve to distract us from our focus on the main thing: Black Lives Matter. To that end, and in that same spirit, I rejoice at the news from our DSC task group that was affirmed and funded by Covenant Council action. You have already received news from the DSC RACE (Reflection. Action. Courageous Dialogue. Engagement.) Coalition. Some extremely important, urgent conversations are being led by our Coalition, which includes Rev. Javier Olivares, Ms. Julie O’Neal, Pastor Diamond Pate, Rev. Timothy Piukala Rev. Kimberly Scott, Rev. Khalif Smith, and Pastor Christopher Wurpts. Staff support is being provided by Billie Fidlin and Dan Morley.
They will be utilizing a Facebook page as well as a new website (https://www.dsc-race.com to offer us a variety of resources and experiences. The hope is to broaden our understanding of racism and ways that we can be participants in the dismantling of the persistence of discriminatory words and actions that are both intentional and unintentional.
For example, you will be invited to join the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge©, created by Dr. Eddie Moore, a diversity educator. It is a starting point for individuals to advance deeper understandings of the intersections of race, power, privilege, supremacy and oppression. We are grateful to Dr. Moore for publicly sharing and encouraging others to use this concept as an educational tool.
I want to also share that one of the personal experiences I am embarking on is to do some reading and reflection about my own participation in racism. I am starting by reading two important books that are helping me gain more insight. They are not easy reading, but essential. White Fragility by Robin Diangelo and How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi are two books that I embrace and ask you to consider adding to your reading list.
Reading and reflection about 2 books alone will not accomplish what I believe we must do as Christ followers. I pray that you will all join with me in making a commitment to receive the work of the DSC RACE Coalition and move forward together into a future where racism is forever one day eradicated in the spirit of Jesus’ love for all. To that end, let us be the courageous church, living like Jesus, acting for justice, and united in hope for the eventual realization of the Kin-dom of God on earth!
In Christ’s peace,
Bishop Bob
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STAYING IN TOUCH WHILE WE ARE APART |
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SEND US A POSTCARD
A few weeks ago, we started a Crazy Monday mailing that includes pictures you sent in of the things you are doing during this long season of worshiping at home. It has been such fun to see folks quilting, weaving and growing flowers.
But, we realize many of you can’t get pictures to us, so we invite you to send us a postcard – a brief note to the church by email, or on the special “Postcard” section of your attendance/registration card when you let us know you are here.
Think of those little postcards you mail back from Italy when you can travel – just a few lines. Where are you? What are you up to? What’s new with you? We will put all your “postcards” together and send them out as part of Crazy Monday Photos and Postcards. It’s just another way we can stay connected, even when we cannot see each other.
We love to hear from you when there are important events in your life, when you celebrate an occasion with family, or even when you are just sitting at home wishing you were sitting under a waterfall someplace cool. Send us a postcard this week.
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JOIN US FOR COFFEE!
This Sunday, August 9 at 10:00 AM, grab a cup of coffee and join us online via ZOOM (or by phone) to spend a little time catching up.
Pastor Deborah has returned from her vacation. so pop in and say "hi."
If you have trouble logging in, call Deb Helgeson at 623-322-5816 and she will help you.
Shepherd of the Hills is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Sunday Coffee Hour!
Time: 10:00 AM Arizona time
August 9, 2020 10:00 AM
Aug 16, 2020 10:00 AM
Aug 23, 2020 10:00 AM
Aug 30, 2020 10:00 AM
Join Zoom Meeting (BY COMPUTER – can be audio only or video)
Meeting ID: 969 8515 2672
Password: 521004
BY PHONE – Audio Only
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
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PEACE POLE
The Peace Pole has stood proudly in the courtyard at SHUMC for 26 years. Because it is made of wood, the pole was beginning to deteriorate. This is where Rich Barchman rode in and saved the pole. He completely restored the pole and crafted it out of metal and it will now last a lifetime. The pole is on display at the front entrance for all to enjoy. The message on the pole is "May Peace Prevail on Earth." and it is written in 8 different languages. Its theme is certainly still relevant today. Does anyone remember stories related to the pole and when it was first given to the church? Please send information to Jodi at jodi@shepherdofthehills.org.
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Sandwich Making for Justa Center
Your donations and sandwich making continue to make a difference in the life of the homeless seniors who seek shelter and services at the Justa Center. Thank you for your support of this ministry. Special thank you this week to the Wednesday sandwich makers, Don and Diane Schroetlin, Richard and Marlene Northup, Bryan and Margaret McIntyre, Don Middleton and Patty O’Neal.
If you would like to make sandwiches on Wednesday, August 12 at 9 AM, please contact Pam Rice at 801-540-6573 or pamean@MSN.com
This week Kathy Culliton brought 72 loaves of sandwiches to the Justa Center. Rudy is the Justa Center employee/ case worker/ record keeper/ sandwich unloader and all-around great guy. He said that because of the Covid-19 precautions, the city has placed some seniors in short term motels and others have had to be admitted to the Covid-19 centers because they have tested positive. So, the number of seniors coming to the center is down from over 100 to 55 to 80 a day for now. They are still placing seniors in housing. They placed 30 individuals in June and 15 in July. They continue to have the pantry available to bring food to seniors placed in housing to help with food costs and as a way to provide follow up to catch any problem early before they threaten the housing placement.
Your contributions make a difference everyday in the lives of these homeless seniors. Thank you for your support of this SHUMC mission project.
To see Kathy's pictures of the Justa Center, click on the link below:
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The Shawn & Don Painting Company
They are good. They are fast. They are cheap. Not accepting outside work at this time.
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We will be Calling You
Is your caller ID showing calls from 515, 435, 801, 309 or 928 area codes?
Please know that it may be someone from our church’s Care Team who is looking forward to checking in with you in the next 3-4 weeks.
Pastors Alma and Stephanie, our Parish Nurse, Esther Vallet, Congregational Care Coordinator, Kathy Culliton, our Lay Leader, Carolyn Hicklin and members of the Care Team callers, (Don and Mary Giese, Patty O'Neal,
Pat Caster, Pam Rice, Joyce Rapp and Julie Killebrew), are on a mission to get in touch with a large number of congregants.
If you have not been contacted in the past 1-2 months by a member of our team, or one of our caller volunteers, your name will be on their list.
In case you are not able to answer their call, they will leave a message (if allowed) letting you know who they are, how much we love you and when they may try to contact you again.
We hope you are as excited as they are, as they get ready to take this opportunity to hear your voice, pray with you over the phone and tell you
how much we miss you.
Be safe, stay well.
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The "Crazy Monday" feature is so much fun! So many people look forward to "what will it be this week?"
Please send in your photos of hobbies, crafts, vacation pictures, etc. Everyone loves to see them.
Thank you to everyone who has sent in photos of the great things you have been doing.
Every Monday we will feature a person or group showing us what keeps them entertained during quarantine.
All you need to do is send an email with an attachment to:
Subject Line - Crazy Monday
Questions: Call Carolyn Hicklin at 515-979-2861.
We look forward to seeing what everyone has been doing!
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LIFE CHANGING BIBLE STUDY
This weekly Bible study will be held via Zoom every Thursday at 1:30. Please join in whenever you are available.
We will use the “Life Journal” which identifies scripture readings for each day of the week. Journals are available at the church. They are on the bench in front of the glass sliding doors or at https://www.liferesources.cc. It’s okay if you don’t have one. We will give you the daily scriptures.
We will read the passage together and then each of us will do the following:
S - Identify which scripture verse spoke to you.
O - What is your observation for this verse - what does it mean to you?
A - How can you apply the meaning to your life?
P - Pray that God will help you change based on your application of the verse.
Following our group study, everyone is encouraged to read the scripture daily and do SOAP in a journal. During the course of our time together, you can share any meaningful passages.
The most important or life changing aspect of this study, is that we get into the habit of reading the Word daily. If you can't make a Zoom session, it is okay. Unlike an ongoing Bible Study, you just pick up the next time you attend.
A reminder email will be sent Thursday morning with the link to join the bible study group.
Hope you will join us!
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HOLDING UP YOUR CORNER:
Talking about Race in Your Community
Book Discussion
On Wednesday, August 12, at 3:30 PM, we will continue with discussing Chapter 5 of Holding Up Your Corner.
Holding Up Your Corner is written by Dr. Rev. J. Willis Johnson. Pastor Johnson had his “clarion call” or awakening to the realization that everything had not been alright the evening when he heard chanting and hollering outside on his quiet street. This was August 2014, in Ferguson, Missouri, and the Wellspring Church and his home were “bookends” to the Ferguson Police station. He stepped out of his home and that was the first step on his journey toward addressing racial injustice.
The author challenges people of faith to “grapple” with complexity of taking on injustice from a Christ centered perspective. The challenge to each of us is to determine what role we can play in our area, our community to address injustice.
Everyone is welcome to join the discussion. There are a few books still available on the bench outside of the church and the book is also available on Kindle.
To Join the Zoom Meeting, click on the link below.
To Access the Meeting by Phone:
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
You may be asked to enter the meeting ID and Password
Meeting ID: 956 1252 4943
Password: 842373
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WORSHIP WITH US ONLINE WEEKLY |
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If you are on our contact list:
We will send you an email Saturday afternoon containing a link to the worship service. When you open this email, you will see a picture with a triangle over the picture. Click the triangle, and the video will begin to play.
If you are not receiving these emails and wish to,
please contact the office to add your email address.
Click the triangle above the date you want to watch.
If you are a Facebook user, find it posted on either our Shepherd of the Hills page and/or the Shepherd Hills Facebook account. Click the triangle.
Please watch, then forward to a friend or two.
We are trying out a new registration attendance form.
Click the link in the email labeled Online Attendance Card and
let us know that you are worshiping with us.
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MISSION CANDLE
During this time when we are unable to worship together, please know that your request to have a Mission Candle will be honored. It will be mentioned at the beginning of the worship service that we record each week.
Please call the office or email us to set this up. The cost is $15 per request. The Mission Candle can be dedicated to anyone to celebrate a birthday or anniversary or in memory of someone special. If you have any questions, please contact the church office.
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JUSTA CENTER NEEDS YOU!
Click on the link below to see how you can help the Justa Center in providing for the homeless seniors.
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MONETARY DONATION
TO FOOD BANKS
Give hope to your neighbors in need. $1 helps provide enough food for 7 meals. Your donation is 100% deductible and may qualify for the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit. You may also donate on behalf
of your business by clicking HERE.
If you have questions, or would like to donate by phone, call (602) 242-FOOD.
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FACE MASKS DESPERATELY NEEDED FOR NAVAJO NATION
Rev. Evelene Sombrero Navarette is now serving as Director of the Four Corners Native American Ministry in Shiprock, New Mexico. She will distribute donated face masks as received.
Mail them to Rev. Navarette
Four Corners NA Ministry
P.O. Box 400
Shiprock, NM 87420
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Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church
13658 W. Meeker Blvd.
Sun City West, AZ 85375
623-584-2280
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Pastor on Call for Emergencies: 623-584-7642
Prayer Line: 623-584-2922
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We are counting on your financial support, even when we cannot gather. You can give in many ways:
a. Mail a check to the office: 13658 W Meeker Blvd, Sun City West, AZ 85375 or drop your gift through the mail slot in the left side of the glass sliding doors.
b. Go to the website at www.shepherdofthehills.org and click on the ONLINE GIVING tab. You will be guided through several choices for your giving.
d. Call Julie Calvert, our Financial Secretary, and leave a message. She will return your call to set up regular online giving or to make a gift with credit or debit card by phone.
e. Add Shepherd of the Hills to your list of payees for bill pay from your checking account through your bank. This can be set up for weekly or monthly gifts to the church.
f. Donate right from your smartphone through our GivePlus Mobile app. Here is what you have to do:
1. Download the free GivePlus (Give+) app from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Find our church by Zip Code or by searching for Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church.
3. Give as a Guest or set up an account.
Thank you for your generosity!
Due to our current situation, Julie will have to call you back as soon as she picks up her messages and/or emails.
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Shepherd of the Hills
United Methodist Church
13658 W Meeker Blvd
Sun City West, AZ 85375-3700
Website: www.shepherdofthehills.org
Email:church@shepherdofthehills.org
Office: 623-584-2280
FAX: 623-584-1868
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Pastor-On-Call for Emergencies:
623-584-7642
Prayer Requests:
623-584-2922
Partners in Prayer: prayers@shepherdofthehills.org
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