How will God use Shepherd of the Hills totransform lives for Christ as we move toward 2012?

Used with permission from the USGS Photographic Library (libraryphoto.cr.usgs.gov). ID. Alden, W.C. 640.Panoramawith images 639, 641-644. View of Belly River Valley and Rocky Mountains, Alberta, Canada. October 2, 1912.

2

Great News on every page…Special Focus: Vision 2012 2-4Serve 5-6Connect 7, 15-16Grow: Adult Ministry 7-12Grow: Children’s Ministry 13Ask the Budget Guy 14

I’m just trying to get ahead…SHPC Calendar 17

Sermons for JulyJuly 1Playing in the Minor Leagues:

Micah

July 8Playing in the Minor Leagues:

Amos

July 15Playing in the Minor Leagues:

Hosea

July 22Playing in the Minor Leagues:

Malachi

July 29Heart and Soul

How will God use Shepherd of theHills to transform lives for Christ aswe move toward 2012?Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish.

The proverbs are fairly blunt about the place of vision in thelife of the church: without it, the people perish. If you have

ever been in a church without vision you know that it is a painfulstate. Fortunately, Shepherd of the Hills has been continuallyblessed with leaders that are willing to seek out God's best forthe future. They have been committed to prayerfully creating avision for our church and then acting to make it happen.

Background: In the fall of last year we began the process ofcreating a vision that would guide our work at the church for

the next five years. We started with a series of meetings withpeople from the congregation, and those meetings began with aquestion—how will God use Shepherd of the Hills to transformlives for Christ as we move toward 2012? At these meetings, weasked everyone to reflect on the areas where the ministries ofSHPC were having our most impact. We asked about the areas ofministry that needed to be improved or expanded. Finally, weasked what new ministry strengths would the congregation liketo see added in the next five years. The input collected from thecongregation provided the foundation for the creation of ournew five-year vision entitled Vision 2012.

One of the unique factors in creating this vision is ourpurchase of the new land on Highway 290. Over the next five

years we hope to create a master plan, build a first phase ofbuildings and move to the new property. The exact timing forthis project is being driven by our work with the county to builda turn lane at the property, which is currently scheduled for2009. We hope to begin work with the architect designing themaster plan, including project phasing, in the fall of 2008, withconstruction to begin in 2010. While this is incredibly exciting,our focus has always been that the future construction notdistract us from our real mission of being a life-giving church.Vision 2012 is our guide to keeping that mission foremost in ourminds.

Vision 2012 contains five parts:

1. A revised mission statement2. An expansion/explanation of our mission statement3. A list of priorities for the next five years4. A list of the goals and objectives designed to improveand deepen each ministry area5. A timeline and the resulting metrics for each ministryobjective.

SHPC Staff GuideLarry Coulter Senior PastorMike Killeen Associate PastorSherry Smith Director, Adult MinistryCarol Cunningham Director, Senior Adult MinistryBritta Dukes Director, Children’s MinistryKim Arthur Director, Nursery MinistryCy Albertson Director of MusicPattie Lawrence Director of PreschoolBelva Koerth Office ManagerKimbol Soques Communications

continued, next page

3

On the followingpages you will

find the completedmission statement,our explanation ofwhat it means tobe a life-givingchurch and the listof priorities for thenext five years.Because of thelength of material,the goals and ob-jectives, timelinesand metrics can befound on the web-site at www.shpc.org/vision2012. Ihope you will takea moment, lookthem up and readabout how God isleading us forwardin the next fewyears.

I am incrediblythankful to John

Gillis and histeam, who guidedthis processthrough many re-writes, and for themany prayers ofthe congregationas we took time todream about thefuture. Thanks!

MissionShepherd of the HillsPresbyterian Church

is a Biblically-based, Christ-centered, mission-orientedcongregation, who, through

the work of the Holy Spirit, iscommitted to being a life-giving church. We do this by

living out Christ’s greatcommandment to love God

and our neighbors and Christ’sgreat commission to

make disciples.

4

At SHPC we are committed to being a LIFE-giving church—

Love GodAbove All

ImmerseOurselves InBible Study

FulfillChrist's GreatCommission &Call To Serve

EncourageDeepChristianRelationships

Love the Lord yourGod with all yourheart and with allyour soul and with allyour mind and withall your strength

—Mark 12:30

Worship—We will provide anauthentic, engagingand life-changingencounter with theliving God throughworship

Fix these words ofmine in your heartsand minds…Teachthem to yourchildren.—Deuteronomy 11:18-19

Grow—We will provide prac-tical opportunities forall ages to grow inrelationship withChrist through scrip-tural study and expe-riential learning.

Therefore go andmake disciples of allnations, baptizingthem in the name ofthe Father and of theSon and of the HolySpirit —Matthew 28:19

For even the Son ofMan did not come tobe served, but toserve —Mark 10:45

Serve—We will equip andsend people to shareGod's great love andto serve in God'sgreater world.

Therefore encourageone another and buildeach other up

—1 Thessalonians 5:11

Connect—We will connectpeople to people indeep Christianrelationships

PrioritiesAs a result of the vi-sioning process, werealized that SHPC hassome solid ministrystrengths. Thesestrengths are found inthe areas of mission,worship and educa-tional ministries. Wecelebrate thesestrengths and we willwork hard to makethem even better. Butwe also outlined sixareas that we wouldlike to add as strengthsin the next five years.

These will be the focusof our new work in thefuture.

Priority 1:Involving everymember in the life ofSHPC through“Worship plus 2.”“Worship plus 2”encourages everymember to live outtheir discipleshipthrough regular worshipattendance plusinvesting in someplaceto grow and someplaceto serve.

Priority 2:Connecting people asthey grow indiscipleship by addingan intentional smallgroup ministry.

Priority 3:Deepening ourexperience of worshipby expanding ourmusic program.

Priority 4:Reaching out inevangelism to growingareas of ourcommunity.

Priority 5:Promoting spiritual

practice through thecreation of acomprehensive prayerministry

Priority 6:Creating effectiveplans for a move tothe new land

This is merely anoverview of Vision2012. Dig deeper intoour goals & objectivesand check out how weplan to make thishappen at www.shpc.org/vision2012!

5

the way to the site. She wasalways within a block of thesame spot; she walked around,she sat on some tires, andsometimes she just stood there,looking lost. She wore the sameclothes all week; it was easy totell she was homeless. We allfelt a pull to her as we passedher each day. It felt great tohelp one family, but if only wecould have helped more.

Altogether, my first tripto Mexico was an

experience I will neverforget, and I look forward togoing back next summer. Iwon’t forget our nightexcursions to the grocery storeacross the street, or our waterfights at lunch, or the fantasticfeeling of accomplishment aswe signed our names in the sideof our completed house.Everyone should go on theMexico trip at least once intheir life.

Driving in to Mexico was anadventure in itself. I had

never crossed the borderbefore, and all I knew to expectwas what I had seen in movies.I noticed the differences rightaway; once we crossed theborder the houses changed intoshacks, and the stores changedinto run-down shops. I had noidea that this part of town waswonderful compared to whatwe were going to be buildingin.

It was so nice to get to knowthe Mexican family and

workers at our site. They aresome of the kindest people Ihave met. Even though theyhad nothing, they still managedto cook breakfast for us somemornings and bring us lunchevery day. They were hardworkers and always had smileson their faces. It was also funto get to know the othermembers of our church at oursite. I met so many new peopleand it’s been nice to have newfaces to look for and greet inchurch.

To get to our site every day,we had to take unpaved

roads with horrible puddles,ruts, and potholes, unlikeanything I had seen in America.I enjoyed the drive every day,because each time I noticed alittle more, each time I felt likeI had seen just a bit more ofwhat I needed to see. Every daywe passed the same woman on

6

submitted by Allen Gunter, Endowment Committee

That comes from two awards, two awards, two instead of one! This year, the Sessionchose to increase the Caring Forever Endowment Fund Award to $1,500 and split themoney between two recipients. An award of $1,000 was made to the LivingstoniaUniversity Dedicated Fund to be used in support of Tom O'Meara's mission trip toMalawi. The remaining $500 was awarded to the Travis Community EducationFoundation which works to improve Austin schools academically and in terms of

facilities.

How cool is that?! Your gifts to the Endowment Fund are helping people both far away and here athome! During Caring Forever 2007, more than $5,300 was contributed bringing the Fund up to wellover $90,000. The investment return on this money will be used for years to come to supportsignificant mission and education projects to further God's work through SHPC. We thank each andevery one of you for your contributions - may God's blessings be upon you!Don & Jody BarrettCathy & Steve BeardBob & Carolyn BeardsleeDavid & Laurie BenderDan & Marguerite Bjeletich

Jim BlackBen & Tammy BoehmanHoward & Marian BonebrakeUlrich Bortfeld & Florence HuaMike & Abby Brady

Debbie & Rollin BreedBob & Vicki BrownGaston Broyles & Junie LedbetterThure & Shannon CannonHarriet Cavness

Melvin & Carolyn DeutschBritta & Glenn Dukes

Hal & Sally Jo ElliottJean & Jack FloydDeb Fowler

Jim & Michele FranklinPat FranzolinoKen & Sue FryeDon & Karen GreathouseAllen & Pam Gunter

Porky & Pat HabermanBill & Jane HallSandy HillGordon & Marsha HoltCarol & Dwane Ideker

Glenna JaegerHerk & Judy JohnsonRichard & Susan KlusmannSue LagerquistSam & Pattie Lawrence

Robin & Stephen LenertzAllen LepleyDavid Palmer & Linda HargroveColin & Alice LineberryGary & Sandra Mann

Ruben & Suzanne MartinezKaren McCoyVirginia McNuttFran & Ted MillerRon & Trinka Miller

John & Sandi MoehlmanRichard & Margaret NakamuraDon & Rita NowakowskiMike & Marg Sue OwenKathy Proctor

Rebecca RobertsonFred & Sharon Rothert

Gene & Sue ShamburgerDave & Sherry SmithTary & Nita SnyderKimbol & Marty Soques

Marvin & Susan SprouseBill & Dorothy StokesWilliam & Pauline TaylorJane & Steve ThompsonFrances TomlinsonHelen Turrentine

Roger & Marilyn WadeTommy & Stella WarnerBruce & Evelina WarrenTim & Azam WaughRuth Weese

Mike & Erica Young

Our guests are coming!IHN (Interfaith Hospitality Network) guests are families with children who, because of a crisissituation in their lives, have lost their homes. The program provides for them to live at Austinarea churches while they find housing and get back on their feet.

During the week of July 29st — August 5th, four IHN families will live at our churchand will be fed and sheltered by volunteers at our Church. This is your opportunity

to help these families through this time of crisis. Tasks performed by hosts (church membersand members of Faith Presbyterian Church and Abiding Love Lutheran Church) include:

Young children make excellent hosts, because the guests are mostly young children. Sign up inthe narthex for this volunteer opportunity or contact Kim Grubb 288-0924 or4grubbs@peoplepc.com.

Move-in: Sunday 12:30 – move guest’s belongingsand bedding into rooms and set-up

Breakfast Servers: 5:45 a.m. to 7:15 a.m.Dinner Preparers: 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.Overnight Host: 8:00 p.m. to 7:15 a.m.Evening Host: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Saturday Hosts and lunch: several shiftsSupply Donors: all weekTransportation Volunteers and Linen Washers.Move-out: Sunday 6:30 am – load guest’s belongings

on trailer, cleanup and straighten up church,transport guests to Day Center, and take trailerto next church

7

EAT DESSERT FIRST!HERE'S THE SCOOP: July 22, DickNichols Park from 5 to 7 p.m.Come join the ice cream competition orjust come and enjoy the ice cream.There will be games and contests for allages, for everyone in the family — andlots of ice cream to eat!

For those creative types, there will behome-made ice cream contests for MOSTCOLORFUL, MOST UNUSUAL INGREDIENTS,NUTTIEST FLAVOR, JUST PLAIN VANILLA,and REALLY SLOW CHURNED, allevaluated by blind, bolder, lactose-intolerant judges. There will be a contestfor Tallest and Best Movie Themesundae so bring your props and build acrowd pleaser!

Details and sign up willbe made availablethrough the Fellowshipcommittee membersbetween services forthe first three Sundaysin July, or call KenLauber at 512-301-0760, but make sureyou are part of the biggest SOCIAL (ICECREAM) event of the year!

Junie Ledbetter and Gas-ton BroylesWant to make newfriends or renew oldacquaintances? Comeparticipate in SHPCDinners for Eight! Ourpurpose is simply tomeet other people inthe church and enjoyfellowship with themin a relaxed, informalsetting.

In September, Octo-ber and November2007, four couplesget together for din-ner. One couple isdesignated as theHost Couple, and thedinner is held at theirhome. The Host Cou-ple is responsible forcontacting the otherthree couples, in ad-vance, to set up adate and time for thegathering. The HostCouple will choosethe main entrée. To

complete the mealeach of the othercouples will bringeither the vegetable,or salad and bread, ordessert. Dinners forEight (sometimes six,or sometimes nine orten) is a fun and easyway to meet, make orrenew friendships.

Make a decision tojoin, and find Junieand Gaston in thenarthex of the churchSundays in August.We will be happy toanswer any questionsyou may have andreserve your place onthe Dinners for Eightroster. You are alsowelcome to e-mailJunie at ledbetter@dwlaw.com or leave amessage for her at632-7535.

Dinners For Eight, Back forthe Fall!

Women! You’re invited to joinBeth Moore’s latest-released11-session study starting atSHPC on Wednesday, Septem-ber 5, 2007, 6:30 p.m., in theLibrary.

A Woman's Heart: God'sDwelling Place is an in-depthstudy of the Old Testamenttabernacle. It is based on twovital themes:

A holy God’s persistentdesire to dwell among Hispeople

God’s invitation for us topass through the distantcourts of our relationshipswith Him and to enter theintimacy of the holy of holies

The Lord said to Moses, “Tellthe Israelites to bring me anoffering. You are to receivethe offering for me from eachman whose heart prompts himto give.” Exodus 25:1 - 2

Roz Seiler will facilitate thestudy; if you have anyquestions, please do not

hesitate to get in touch withher. Early registration isstrongly encouraged so therewill be ample time to obtainthe member books. Roz can bereached at the following: (h)301-1197 (c) 965-8294 (email)rozs@austin.rr.com

Women’sWednesday Night

Bible Study

8

“And now this word to all of you: You should belike one big happy family, full of sympathytoward each other, loving one another withtender hearts and humble minds.” —1 Peter 3:8 from The Living Bible Paraphrased

Most of us are still traveling, visiting relatives,playing with grandchildren, lying by the

pool, reading light summer books, catching upon yard work, or just trying to stay cool.However, fall will be here beforewe know it. Anytime is a goodtime to join a small group atSHPC but fall seems the very besttime of all. Eventually, the dayswill get cooler, we willexperience a renewed sense ofenergy, and we will realize we'vebegun to miss our SHPC friendsthat we haven't seen as much thissummer.

Now is the time to decide which small groupactivities to put on your schedule for fall.

Why not put your church activities on thecalendar first this year? Then in the fall youwon't have to say, “I’d love to take that Biblestudy, but that's the night I wash my dog.” Yes, Iknow I'm being a little facetious. I know we allhave family and work commitments that must be

met—but your spiritual health and growth isimportant too. Perhaps, if you don't seesomething offered that fits your schedule, youcould consider leading a small group at a time

that IS convenient for you. Thereare small group studies availablethat only require a leader, not ateacher.

As fall approaches, many planshave been set and many

others are “in the works.”Various articles and ads in thisnewsletter will fill you in on whatwe know at this point. Alsoremember to pay attention to

upcoming information in the Sunday bulletinsand on the SHPC web site under Adult Ministries.I hope you’re having a great summer and I lookforward to seeing you in the fall!

Blessings,

Fall Back into Fall Small GroupsConnecting and Growing through Small Group Studies

“I’d love totake that

Bible study,but that'sthe night Iwash my

dog.”

Do you LOVE to read?Join the SHPC Book Club thisfall! We meet the secondThursday of each monththroughout the year in Room 7from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Eachmonth a host or hostess reads anational review of the book andsomething about the author,gives their own review, andthen leads the group through adiscussion of selected questionsboth from national book clubweb sites and from thoseturned in by the members.

Men's Life: Winning atWork & HomeMen, join us this fall for thesecond year of a three yearstudy series for men, “Winningat Work and Home.“ This journeybuilds thewalls ofmanhood bydealing with suchtopics as understandingwomen, marriage, sex, dating,conflict, money, parenting,and the world of work.

Led by Larry Coulter, we willbegin our journey onTuesday, August 28th at 6:15a.m. and meet weekly. Thelast week of the study will bein early December.

Cost: $15.00 per person.Make check payable to "SHPC"and mail to Clift Bowman, 8602Ganttcrest Drive, Austin TX78749. Please include pre-ferred email and telephonenumber. For more information,call Clift Bowman (c) 799-3460(h) 288-5839 or email to cbow-man@ austinsilentmarket.com.

9

Paul’s letter to the Romansis the most commanding

exposition of the gospel ofsalvation by grace throughfaith ever written. It standsfirst among the NewTestament epistles (letterswhich are arranged in order ofdecreasing length) because itis the longest of Paul's lettersand also because it is themost complete developmentof his gospel (his expression ofthe good news about JesusChrist).

Romans has been extremelyimportant in the history of

the Chris-tianchurch. Ithas re-peatedlyproved tobe a cata-lyst forreform andrenewal ofChristianfaith and life. People sprin-kled throughout history, fromAugustine to Luther to Bonho-effer, have been profoundlyinfluenced by the meaningthey have found in Romans.

This fall we will offer a tenweek study of the New

Testament book of Romans.The two hour class will con-vene each Wednesday morn-ing from 9:30 to 11:30 inportable B. A short video willprovide the insight of biblicalscholars to set each week'sscripture readings into con-text. We will then explore thematerial through small groupdiscussion leading to the ap-

plication of scripture to ourown lives of discipleship.

An orientation class will beheld on August 29th, to

meet each other and distrib-ute study materials, and thelast class will be held on Octo-ber 31st. October 10th is des-ignated as a special questionand answer session with ourpastor, Reverend LarryCoulter. The class leaders willbe Stella Warner and Ron Mill-er with backup by SherrySmith and Bob Beardslee.

The participant's book costs$9.00 at SHPC's Bookshelf

or Cokes-bury(Invitationto Romansby PamelaM. Eisen-baum,ISBN 978-0-687-49649-5)or you may

order it when you enroll in theclass. The materials requireabout 30 minutes of scripturereading and study each day. Ifyou do not already have agood study Bible in which tounderline and make marginalnotes, you may also want topurchase one of those. Inclass, the materials will usual-ly be based on the NRSV trans-lation. Some good NRSV StudyBibles to choose from include:The New Interpreter's, TheNew Oxford Annotated, andthe Harper-Collins.

You may enroll via email toronald.miller@sbcglobal.netor via telephone to 892-1862.

(Book Club, continued)

Near the beginning we also goaround the group and each givea “thumbs up” or down andbrief explanation of why. Weread a wide variety of books.The stipulation is that theysomehow show people trying todiscern and live out their faithin the real world. We havelively discussions, we oftenstrongly disagree with eachother’s conclusions, we eatcookies, and we love everyminute of it. If you'd like tojoin us, please contactMargaret Nakamura or emaillibrary@shpc.org for moreinformation.

These are our fall readingselections:

September:Stolen Lives byMalika Oufkir

October: Regeneration byPat Barker

November: Girl Meets GODby Lauren Winner

December: The BestChristmas Pageant Everby Barbara Robinson

‘Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears’… there will be a New Fall Class on Romans!

What: Invitation to RomansWhen: Wednesday mornings, 9:30

to 11:30How long: 10 week study starting

August 29th

Where: Portable BNeeded: Study Book & Study BibleHow: Enroll by August 14th

Please enroll no later thanAugust 14, 2007. While thiswill be an in-depth study, noprior Bible study experienceis needed to enroll in theclass.

10

Money: Yes, we all avoid talking about it. It isa personal matter, and most of us feel as thoughwe do a good job of handling it. However, didyou know that money is one of the mostfrequent topics that our church leaders counselmarried couples about? It causes friction inalmost every marriage and personal relationship.How should we spend it? How should we save it?When should we give it? Should we want orexpect more of it? These are all very commonand valid questions, and the Bible answers everyone of them…and more.

Crown Financial Ministries has been a veryimportant part of the Adult Ministry program

at Shepherd of the Hills for several years now.Many people have taken the opportunity to learnwhat the Bible tells us about money through thiswonderful class. But, Crown offers more thanthat. It is a fantastic place to meet and reallyget to know a group of people. Members of thegroup are able to share life experiences, lessonslearned, and help others through their own pathin life, all centered on a Biblical lesson.

The Crown Financial class from last spring wasa wonderful example of the lessons learned

and shared, as well as the close bonding of the

members of the group. Here are somecomments from participants:

“CFM exceeded my wildest expectations. Therelationships that were created within thisclass will last a lifetime and I know that I willalways have support from every member ofthe group. In addition, this was an AWESOMEexperience to share with my 18-year-olddaughter. I highly recommend this class foranyone who wants to get a betterunderstanding of themselves and what God’sintentions are for us regarding money, debt,saving and spending.”

"In this land of plenty, it easy to forget tothank God for everything. For me, the Crownclass brought back into focus, “In everythinggive thanks...” (1 Thess 5:18). The Holy Spiritmoved me to take the class and I am thankfulthat I actually to listened Him. Thoughnecessary and appropriate for any (adult) age,I think Crown can be especially beneficial toolder teens and young adults.”

As these statements suggest, the participantslast spring were very thankful for what

Crown was able to do for them and their(continued on page 12)

DISCIPLE Schedule for Fall ’07

Plans for 2007-08 Disciple classes are well underway but there is still time to register. You maycontact Sherry Smith at sherry@shpc.org or callthe church office for more information. Also,refer to the May 2007 issue of the SHPCnewsletter which focused on Disciple.

If you've already taken Disciple 1 in the past,this would be a great time to return to takeDisciple 2 or 3!

This year's schedule will include:

Disciple 1: Becoming Disciples Through BibleStudy (Bible overview) Monday evenings, 7 to 9 Leader: Bob Beardslee

Disciple 2: Into the Word, Into the World(Genesis, Exodus, Luke, Acts) Monday evenings, 7 to 9 Leaders: Ken Seiler and Deb Fowler

Disciple 3: Remember Who You Are(The Prophets, Paul’s Letters) Thursday evenings, 7 to 9 Leaders: Christie Clouse and Laura Gore

11

Retirement Planningsubmitted by Carol Cunningham

Pastor Charles Swindoll has said, “There areonly two kinds of people…. those who are

55 and older and those who are going to be.”Now stop and think about that for a minute.Does that say anything about how old you feel?It doesn’t matter whether we are 55 and olderor not, when we take into consideration ourspirit or physical condition.

I’ve often wondered if other people feel thesame way I feel when I think of myself as

that little girl who used to ride bikes or benervous about getting the math answercorrect. I said to a friend, “Sometimes I wish Icould run home to Mommy for comfort andadvice.” She replied that she also had feltthat way.

Another question arises, “What am I going tobe when I grow up?” Well, I'm grown up,

now what? You were probably asked thatquestion when you were very young, and somepeople are asked that question even after theyreach adulthood. But there is something verypoignant about that question. Maybe thequestion should be, “When are we ‘grownup’?”

Another similar question is, “When are yougoing to retire?” Billy Graham once

answered that question by saying, “When Jesuscomes.”

What is retirement, anyway? Is it thechance to play golf everyday for the rest

of your life? Could it mean that the doors ofopportunity to do the work you have alwaysdone have closed? Is it a life of nothing butBingo when you aren’t up to playing that dailygolf game anymore?

I think Billy Graham’s answer implies that wehave important work to do every day of our

life. But what if that something importantisn’t what we’ve always done? Someone oncesaid that when your job on earth is done, Godcalls you home. There have been people whofinished a fulfilling career at age 55 and thenlived to be 100. Well, what do you do foranother 45 years?

Are your kids all leaving the nest and causingyou to feel unneeded? Perhaps God is

calling you to make a connection with someonebeyond your immediate family. Have younoticed someone that could use a helpinghand? Perhaps God is calling you to a newpurpose beyond the corporate world. Whether

you are 55 and older or just going to be, thereis a world of opportunity that calls you. Thereare fields “white with harvest” that God hasbeen cultivating and nurturing during your “on-the-job training.” God needs you somewhere.

Have you planned for retirement? Does thedoor close on your life’s significance when

you celebrate an end to your productive careerand leave it? Realize that your wisdom gainedfrom experience and maturity can greatlybenefit someone who needs it, no matter whatage he or she may be. If you are planning forretirement, and wondering what God’s purposefor your life is after leaving your job, keep inmind the Ministry Opportunity Booklet that ourchurch has made available to members.Perhaps something listed will awaken in youthe passion that you have been seeking foryour life and will give rise to your answering,“I’ll work ‘til Jesus comes.” Look around you.Connect.

The Golden Years Lunch Bunch will meet onSaturday July 14th at 11:30 a.m. at the RedLobster Restaurant, 3815 S. Lamar Please call

Stefan and Pat Haag (288-3479) by July 9th, but it isOK to just show up. Hope to see you there!

Fellowship Bridge Group will play the secondFriday in July—the 13th—at 7 p.m. in Room 7.

Our hostess will be Virginia McNutt. Call her at 288-7187 or Martha Meador at 288-3341 by Tuesday,

July 10th if you would like to play.The winner in June was Bob Barry..

The ‘GROAN’-UPS GAMES DAY is coming again onTuesday, July 10th. As before, we will meet in

Room 7 from 10 a.m. till noon. 12 people came tothe June 13th gathering,and had lots of fun playingchicken-foot dominoes, as well as a four-person

table of rummikub. What’s that last one? Come andsee for yourself! Refreshments are provided.

RSVP Jim Black at 892-2982.

12

LOOKING AHEADIn August, the next Soup to Nuts Luncheon isplanned for the 3rd Tuesday, August 21st. Weare looking at new seminars in the fall that willaddress health issues such as Alzheimer’sdisease resources. Some financial and legalpresentations are being developed for futureresources. Watch for more information on theseactivities in Sunday bulletins, upcomingnewsletters and on our website all under… SAM(Senior Adult Ministries). We hope to have moreopportunities for many generations to connectthis coming season.

Don't forget!"Groan"-Ups Game Day 10 a.m.

(Second Tuesdays in July and August)

Fellowship Bridge Group 7 p.m.(Second Fridays in July and August)

Golden Years Lunch Bunch(Second Saturdays in July and August)

Mary-Martha Circle will resume in September.Please join us then!

POWERFUL AND READABLEThe church library has added new

books for worthwhile reading:

The Purpose-Driven Life 248.4 WARThis very popular book, written by Rick Warren, hasbeen used in the past in an adult Sunday school class.Some rehabilitation programs recommend it as asound way to rebuild a life.

The Man in the Mirror 248.8 MOROne reviewer said, “I thoroughly enjoyed Pat Morley’spractical, business-like explanation of his walk withJesus Christ. Those who want to move from thefrustration of superficial faith to the satisfaction ofreal faith should read this book.”

Strong in Heart: Biblical Men of Compassion 220.9 KIM

Marjorie Kimbrough examines men in the Bible who,in her view, demonstrate true strength of character

through their acts of selfless compassion… Suitablefor individual reflection or group study, eachreflection is composed of a brief introduction to thefigure, key biblical references, and reflectionquestions.

The Search for Significance 248.8 MCGThe description on the cover says it all: “We canbuild our self-worth on our ability to please others, oron the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.” Thebook/workbook design encourages personal growth.

The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience 277.3 SID

"Evangelical Christians say they believe in biblicalmoral standards and the power of God to transformlives-yet recent surveys show that most are not livingany differently than the rest of the world…Ron Sidertakes a painfully honest look at this disconnect toreveal the depth of the problem and contrast it withbiblical teaching on the transforming power ofgenuine faith.”

Find these books on display in the library,ready for you to borrow.

(Crown Ministry, continued)

families. The class had a wide age range(including two high school seniors andtheir parents), and a mix of marriedcouples and single adults. Everyone wasable to relate the material to their ownlife situations and learned a lot about how Godintends for us to conduct our lives with respectto money.

There will be another Crown Financial classthis fall. Don’t miss this opportunity. I have

talked to many people about this program andthey say things like, “that sounds like such an

interesting class,” or, “we need to take thatsome time.” Well, to those folks I wouldlike to say, “Just do it!” You will notregret it. Please keep an eye and an ear

out for sign-up information. I and theother Crown leaders would love to have

you as a part of our next group to learn aboutthe path to financial freedom! If you would likemore information regarding Crown FinancialMinistries, please contact Chris & Chris Gordonat cgordon1@austin.rr.com or 484-1905.

13

UpStreet, the Ark and SummertimeAs we plan and prepare for an exciting fallSunday School program (kickoff is September 9th

!), we will switch gears in August and give ourmany wonderful volunteers and Sunday Schoolteam members some time off. Because of this,the August 9:30 services will once againinclude a children’s sermon and be morefamily friendly. Childcare will still be offeredfor infants, toddlers and preschoolers at boththe 9:30 and 11:00 services. We invite yourelementary children to get a worship binder(located at the Narthex coffee bar) and comeenjoy the opportunity to worship together as afamily.

After all our fun in June & July we look forwardto seeing you back in the Ark and on UpStreetSeptember 9th !

Sincerely,

Kim Arthur and Cody Sandahl,SHPC Children’s Ministrykim@shpc.org / cody@shpc.org

NO SURPRISES!

True, signups were a while back, but Club H2Ois nearly here! For those already registered:remember July 23rd - 27th, 9 a.m—1 p.m.,dropoff & pickup at Portable C. If you signedup online, be sure to get those medical formshanded in to the Children’s Ministry mailbox inthe church office.

We wouldn’t want you tohave missed out on the mostrecent “kid stuff” productionat SHPC — Britta, Glenn &Caleb Dukes welcomed AtalieGrace on June 1st!

CONTENTMENTDeciding to be happy with what you’ve got

SHPC Preschool is currently looking for gentle and caring folk to work as:teachers (1 infant/toddler teacher, 1 3-year old teacher) andaides (1 infant/toddler aide and 1 floating aide an aide in the nursery),

caring for our youngest children. Applicants must be dependable, trustworthy,patient, and love the challenges and rewards of working with children. CPR/FirstAid training and pre-service training is available. Half-priced tuition is offered toparents of children enrolled in our program in addition to a regular hourly wage. Ifyou or someone you know is interested, please let me know as soon as possible!

Pattie Lawrence, Preschool Director892-7528 / pattie@shpc.org

14

submitted by Allen Gunter

I’m just trying to get ahead…

Isn’t that what we're all trying to do? Just getahead? It’s such a big part of the American

dream, part of the American psyche like mother-hood, apple pie, hotdogs and baseball. You workhard and you get ahead.

Only tell me, please, ahead of what? Ahead ofthe person in the next cubicle? Ahead of

that neighbor down the street? Ahead of where Iam now? Ahead of…what?

And how will I know when I’ve arrived, whenI’m finally ahead? There will always be some-

one in the next cubicle, some neighbor down thestreet, to get ahead of. I can always get aheadof where I am now.

Maybe I’m supposed to be trying to get aheadto something. Ahead to a higher paying job?

A bigger house? A fancier car? But no matter howfar I go, won’t there always be higher payingjobs to get? Bigger houses and fancier cars tobuy?

There was a time when I thought gettingahead meant getting ahead of my parents.

That seemed to be their dream for me, anyway,that I have opportunities that they didn’t have,that I have a “better” life than they. But thatcan’t be it.

They had one car and did just fine. I’ve gotthree. (Well, I am trying to sell one of them.)

I grew up in a house with one bathroom. My kids,on the other hand, each have their own bath-room. My parents didn't have a microwave, cellphones, cable TV, Internet, and a host of otherthings I have that seem so basic to my life.

So I’m clearly ahead of my parents, at leastmaterially. And that, I think, is where the

problem is. When we talk about getting ahead inlife, we’re talking about material gains. If wereally believed in heaven, though, wouldn’t ouremphasis be on spiritual gains?

I’ve come to the conclusion that I don't reallybelieve in heaven. I want to believe, and I

hope heaven exists and that I will get there oneday. But if I really and truly, without a doubt,believed in heaven, believed that there’s an af-ter-life, a chance to be with God and Jesus for-ever, I wouldn’t give the slightest thought togetting ahead. I’d be trying to get behind.

Instead of going to the golden arches for lunchbecause I deserve a break today, I’d be taking

you someplace because you deserve a break to-day. Instead of using that more expensive brandof hair color because I’m worth it, I’d offer it toyou, because you’re worth it. (Well, okay, so Idon’t really have enough hair to worry aboutcoloring it and you have beautiful hair thatdoesn’t need coloring, but you know what Imean.)

And maybe instead of sleeping in on Sundaymorning because I had a great but late time

the night before, I’d get up early, thank God forthe wonderful time I had, and pick someone upfor church who might not otherwise have gone.Then during the following week I’d look up allthe people in the bulletin and let them know I’mthinking of them and their particular joys, sor-rows and prayers.

When you want to get better at something,you practice it. So maybe that’s what I

need to do—practice getting behind. Not in pay-ing my bills, of course (after all, I am the BudgetGuy), but isn’t putting others first a big part ofwhat Jesus meant when he commanded us tolove our neighbors? And that would really begetting ahead!

I'm here to help you improve your financial life. It's freeand confidential. Just call the Budget Guy, Allen Gunter,at 292-4035, or send an email to BudgetGuy@ shpc.org.For a wonderful look at what the Bible says aboutmoney, check out the Crown Financial Ministries Small

Study Groups – call Margaret Fetty at 288-9034 for moreinformation.

15

Joys – Philip Burns, cousin of Marvine Sass, back safe & sound from Iraq — Madilynn GraceFranco was born June 15th to Joel & Danielle (Lawler) Franco; Madilynn is Dan & MarilynLawler’s granddaughter — the court has awarded Marvine Sass’s daughter, Karen “Muffie”Peterson, and her husband Rory custody of Muffie’s son Josh — Atalie Grace Dukes was bornJune 1st to Britta, Glenn and Caleb Dukes — Judy Behr reports a clean bill of health — UlrichBortfeld & Florence Hua became US citizens on May 24th!

Sorrows – Glyn Teague, uncle of Mickey Bell, passed away June 25th — George Gorsulowsky,father of Marilyn Skannal, passed away in Shreveport on June 10th — Mary Wilson passed away June 6th; her memorialservice was held at SHPC on June 24th— Harland Blanchard passed away June 3rd — Linda Boggs, sister-in-law of Doug& Debbie Budd, passed away on June 4th — Gail Gibson, wife of Jerry, passed away June 4th— Geraldine Gerling, sisterof Lydia Ellison, passed away on May 31st — John “Buck” Ables, son of Barbara Ables, passed away on May 25th —Joan Curry, sister-in-law of the Claphams, passed away May 20th

Please pray for — Brian Lugo, grandson of Joy & Esso Essary, will deploy to Kuwait and then Iraq in two weeks— Claire Segura, 5-yr-old daughter of Sam & Kathy Segura, sick with high fever, mono and strep throat since June 24th

— Rosemarie Barnett, knee replacement surgery — Peggy Platt, suffering a recurrence of lymphoma — Liz Icenhauer-Ramirez, major oral surgery — Jody & Jeremy Pire, who recently lost their newborn daughter — Cameron, child of afriend of co-worker of Mike McNelley, in ICU battling an infection caused by probable spider bite in addition to herleukemia — family of Mickey Bell’s uncle, Glyn Teague — Clem Hofmann, recovering at home after angiogram andimplantation of stents — Ginny O’Quinn, mother of Sam Lawrence, hospitalized in San Antonio — Bill & Laine Harris,close friends of Virginia McNutt, on the loss of their son and daughter-in-law in a boating accident — Anna Lincoln,sister of Kim Arthur, recovering from cancer surgery — Pearl Seiler, Ken’s mother, hospitalized — Roger Wade, backat home after heart surgery — Leticia Frausto, surgery — Joyce Stewart, continued health concerns — AnthonyKirsch, continued diagnostic testing — Doug Budd and others, job layoffs — families affected by recent storms inMidwest, including Kathy Segura’s grandmother, Esther — the families and friends of those affected by the VirginiaTech tragedy — those in hurricane-stricken areas — Pastor Clement Munthali and the congregation of ManyamulaPresbyterian Church — Pastor Chimwemwe Mhango and his youth ministry

Please pray for Members of the Armed Forces and all world leaders involved in war zone crises including:Farrah Stowe, departing for Iraq in September ...Dennis Low... Jason Addison, son of Al & Jai Leigh Addison…David B. Craig, son of Linda Kimmons… Alan Robinson, former student of Carol Ideker... Brian Tiede, friend ofSherine Thomas & Tom Nuckols... Jeff Johnson, friend of Angela & Jeff Peterson... Brett Hines, nephew ofGeorgia Crawley... Nathan Miller, son of Fran & Ted Miller... Clinton Purcell, Doug Budd’s co-worker's son...Brian Lugo, grandson of Joy & Esso Essary...

Rob & Karen JohnsonKatie and Leah10913 Beachmont LaneAustin TX 78739(same phone number)

Hester & Johann Louw8726 Alexandria LaneNorth Charleston SC 29420

Allen & Pam GunterHeaven and Cassie11100 Pairnoy LaneAustin TX 78739new phone: 301-1246

16

1 Jul Carol & Larry Cunningham, Cathy& Steve Beard

3 Jul Anne & Marc Kirsch, Sherry &Dave Smith

4 Jul Lynne Stokes & Dan Moulton, Bill& Annette Chambers, Mary &Pete Aversa

5 Jul Alan & Lisa Teeple6 Jul Rhonda & Joel Cabello14 Jul Madison Jechow & Deena Perkins16 Jul Rusty Ray & Jodie Dunbar Ray18 Jul Chris & Christine Gordon19 Jul Ellis & Helen Windham, Mark &

Michelle Thompson, Chuck &Alma Moore

20 Jul Deborah Rich & Robert Vela,Dave & Jenn Folkers

22 Jul Dick & Gayle Grance, Jeff &Kerry Long, Steve & DeAnnePearson, Ron & Kim Sellers

24 Jul Troy & Holly Spink25 Jul Jennifer & Kyle DeSantis,

Jennifer DeSantis26 Jul Jim & Martha Meador, Bill & Jane

Hall, Chuck & Terri Courtney,Jason & Marcey French

27 Jul Bill & Connie Trevillion, Greg &Rhonda Biles

30 Jul Jim & Susan Kennamer31 Jul Richard & Margaret Nakamura,

Marisa & Kent StrombergAUGUST Pam & Jim Immitt1 Aug David & Jennifer McDaniel, David

& Erika Bockelman2 Aug Danny & Suzanne Gross3 Aug Dan & Sandra Brinks4 Aug Mark & Judy Schroeder6 Aug Rick & Beth Ann Cole10 Aug Grady & Thelma Morris, Bruce &

Judy Litteaur12 Aug Sam & Linda Jones13 Aug Tary & Nita Snyder, David & Linda

Wheeler, Eric & Jennifer Prosser14 Aug Mario & Elizabeth Andrade15 Aug Ken & Sue Frye, Al & Jai Leigh

Addison, Derek & Kristi Fisher16 Aug Bill & Nan Goodman17 Aug Ed & Stacey Reynolds19 Aug Porky & Pat Haberman, Gail &

Marc Padovani, Thure & ShannonCannon

20 Aug Herk & Judy Johnson21 Aug Ron & Trinka Miller, Gary &

Sandra Mann, Paul & TempleHudspeth

22 Aug Derrick & Amy Bay23 Aug Mike & Mindy Henderson, Tracy &

Paul Kuper Jr.25 Aug Scott & Marty Starkjohann26 Aug Bill & Paula Kemp27 Aug Charlie & Amy Balke30 Aug Louis & Carol Mize31 Aug Layde & Ralph Philips

24 Aug Peter & Ruth Budic

1 Jul Kimbol Soques, Brianna Womack2 Jul Esso Essary, Kim Coulter, Drew

Chalberg3 Jul Mary Aversa, Suzanne Gross, Liz

Boyce, Lauren May, Kristen May,Sam Benner, Olivia Warren

4 Jul Alan Combs5 Jul Margaret Roberts, Marian

Bonebrake, Lisa Teeple, SethBates

6 Jul Curtis Cline, Josh Budd7 Jul Rhonda Cabello, Megan Hauck,

Lindsey Teague8 Jul Todd Thompson9 Jul Maryellen Albertson, Jamie

Courtney10 Jul Terri Courtney11 Jul Don Barrett, Wayne Gonzalez,

Wade Pellerin, Jacob Natale,Emma Schultz

12 Jul Jeff Peterson, Dylan MacAllister13 Jul Linda Hargrove, Becki Breed,

Jason Addison, Chrissy Hinkle14 Jul Luke Buffler, Robert Buffler15 Jul Laurel Calhoun, Bruce Litteaur,

Joe Tracy, Sarah Golliher, GraceHenderson

16 Jul Gary Gibbs, Kenneth Lauber,Karen Greathouse, Tamara Bell,Katie Bonnin

17 Jul Sue Lagerquist, Brenda Gonzales,David Erps, Julia Domicoli,Zachary Erps

18 Jul Anita Savage, Allen Gunter, MikeBrady, Tommie Bates

19 Jul Karen Barnhart, Baker Petty,Mollie Hicks

20 Jul Margaret Fetty, David Hauck,Carlen Floyd, Molly Wentworth

21 Jul Bobbye Barker, AdrienneVoskamp, Anne Primeaux,Andrew Schroeder

22 Jul Judy Litteaur, Amadeo Andrade23 Jul Gene Shamburger, George

Simpson, Joanna Farwell, MindyHenderson

24 Jul Bill Lindsey, Sybil Brady, JoyceStewart, David McDaniel, GenaVanOsselaer, Stan Wade, JamesMcDaniel

25 Jul Al Lepley, Abbey Hamilton27 Jul Ernie Lopez, Justin Crabb,

Cameron Bell28 Jul Jim Garrett, Mary Cognetti29 Jul Bill Ellison, Mark Lord, Abby

Brady, Deena Perkins, NicholasBlacklock

30 Jul Tom McNelley, Chris Morgan,Kristy Ruiz

31 Jul Alan Teeple, Lauren Laird, AbbyWheeler

1 Aug Tom O'Meara, Caroline Kirsch2 Aug Nancy Peyton, David Parmer, Rita

Nowakowski, Jerry Junkin, AshleyRoyer

3 Aug Steve Gerlach, Keria Folkers4 Aug Jeff Benner5 Aug David Bender, Alissa Starkjohann6 Aug Karen McCoy, Bryan Philips, Brian

Saari, Annette Chambers, WadeCarnes

7 Aug Marie Kluckhohn, Dave Harnden,Liz Maxfield, Lynn Kelley, RichMorales, Farrah Stowe, TommyJoe Ashbaugh, Stuart Golliher

8 Aug Yogi Behr, Kathy Lewis, LeahJohnson, Madeleine Thielemans,Sydney Stalbaum

9 Aug Meredith Warren10 Aug Charlie Thielemans11 Aug Stacey Eskelin, Christopher

Gordon12 Aug Karen Wheeler, Alex Soques,

Andrew Saul13 Aug Bill Davis, Judy Behr, Stuart Davis14 Aug Carol Brandt, Marc Kirsch,

Christina Miller, Robby Ivey, MattMorgan

15 Aug Marisa Stromberg, KevinGreathouse, Luke Fisher

16 Aug Ross Pumfrey, Phil Kruczkowski,Susan Kennamer, AlbertGonzales, Carly Ray, SpencerSeyfarth, Kristin Hauck

17 Aug Rick Mattingly, Sue Cozart,Katherine Ramirez

18 Aug Diana Gill, Marsha Holt, KimberlySellers, Mary Hopkins, MarkCognetti, Dick Grance, LeslyeWomack, Danny Gross, HeavenGunter

19 Aug Stephanie Junkin, Dana Manuel,Augusta Reilly, Liz Icenhauer-Ramirez

20 Aug Sandi Moehlman, CarolCunningham, Pamela Gonzalez,Beaman Floyd, Glenn Carnes,Josh Coulter, John Kennamer,Erin Lugo, Hannah Berry

21 Aug Joy Schiller, Gail Padovani, MariaForsythe

22 Aug Alex Balke, Michael Benner,Cameron French

23 Aug Doug Budd, Clay Collins, MichelleThompson, Zach Knox, ChrisLucas Melanson

24 Aug Rod Hines, Mike McNelley, AlecBockelman

25 Aug Jenn Folkers26 Aug Pat Low27 Aug Bill Kemp, Layde Philips28 Aug Bruce Roberson, Will Petty, Jack

Peurrung, Joshua Teague,Benjamin Arthur

29 Aug Sam Taylor, Debbie Budd, DarrenStalbaum, Dana Wilkes, MirandaReeves, Jackson Lord, SavannahWallace

30 Aug Sean Golliher, Kyle Busse31 Aug Sissy Camacho, Blanche Hunter,

Porky Haberman, Shane Widner,Alex Aversa

17Feel free to tear off and save this page to help you keep on top of everything that’s happening at Shepherd of the Hills!

1 Sunday JULY Dedication Sunday9:30 a.m. UpStreet Sunday School,

NO Faithwalk until September11 a.m. Adult Sunday School, library6:30 p.m. Everlast Evening Fellowship

The office will be open half-days in the mornings for theweek of July 2nd - 6th, except Wednesday July 4th, when itwill be closed.4 Wednesday Independence Day Church office closed NO Something Fishy, Evermore Evening Fel-

lowship until August 22nd

NO Chancel Choir rehearsal5 Thursday

9:30 a.m. Mothers of Young Children (MYC) Devo-tional, room 5

7 Saturday Guatemala trip departs8 Sunday

9:30 a.m. UpStreet Sunday School11 a.m. Adult Sunday School, library6:30 p.m. NO Everlast Fellowship until Aug. 19th

9 Monday10 a.m. SAM Council meeting

10 Tuesday10 a.m. “Groan”-Ups Game Day, room 7

11 Wednesday 7 p.m. Chancel Choir rehearsal12 Thursday

9:30 a.m. MYC Devotional, room 57 p.m. Book Group

13 Friday7 p.m. Fellowship Bridge Group, room 7

14 Saturday11:30 a.m. Golden Years Lunch Bunch Guatemala trip returns

15 Sunday9:30 a.m. UpStreet Sunday School11 a.m. Adult Sunday School, library

The office will be open half-days in the mornings for theweek of July 16th - 20th.18 Wednesday 8 p.m. Chancel Choir rehearsal19 Thursday

9:30 a.m. MYC Devotional, room 522 Sunday

9:30 a.m. UpStreet Sunday School11 a.m. Adult Sunday School, library5 p.m. EAT DESSERT FIRST! Ice Cream Social,

Dick Nichols Park23 Monday 9 a.m. Club H2O begins

25 Wednesday 7 p.m. Chancel Choir rehearsal26 Thursday

9:30 a.m. MYC Devotional, room 527 Friday Club H2O ends29 Sunday IHN BEGINS

9:30 a.m. UpStreet Sunday School11 a.m. Adult Sunday School, library

31 Wednesday 7 p.m. Chancel Choir rehearsal2 Thursday AUGUST

NO MYC Devotional due to IHN5 Sunday IHN ENDS

9:30 a.m. NO UpStreet Sunday School until Sept. 9th

11 a.m. Adult Sunday School, library6:30 p.m. Everlast Evening Fellowship

8 Wednesday 7 p.m. Chancel Choir rehearsal9 Thursday

9:30 a.m. MYC Devotional, room 5 (end)7 p.m. Book Group

10 Friday7 p.m. Fellowship Bridge Group, room 7

11 Saturday11:30 a.m. Golden Years Lunch Bunch

12 Sunday11 a.m. Adult Sunday School, library11:59 p.m. Newsletter Deadline

13 Monday10 a.m. SAM Council meeting

14 Tuesday10 a.m. “Groan”-Ups Game Day, room 7

15 Wednesday 7 p.m. Chancel Choir rehearsal19 Sunday

11 a.m. Adult Sunday School, library6:30 p.m. Everlast Evening Fellowship resumes

The office will be open half-days in the mornings for theweek of August 20th - 24th.20 Monday

7 p.m. Italy: A Tale of Three Cities21 Tuesday

11 a.m. Soup to Nuts, narthex26 Sunday

11 a.m. Adult Sunday School, library6:30 p.m. Inquirer’s Class6:30 p.m. Everlast Evening Fellowship

28 Tuesday6:15 a.m. Men’s Life, library