Ring Bells with our Family Faith Night Crew and High Schoolers!
Monday, December 19, 5:00 – 8:00 pm @ Hy-Vee (2nd Ave)
Looking to give back to your community this holiday season and have some fun doing it? Join your fellow Shepherds, along with our friends from Zion and Grace, in ringing bells for the Salvation Army.
Click here to sign up for an hour shift. We are starting with four volunteers per time slot (per door) but can expand if there is more interest. Please come 5-10 minutes before your shift, and consider wearing some festive apparel. Because we’re at Hy-Vee, we will be inside. No need to dress for sub-zero temps!
SOTC Christmas Party
Sunday, December 18, 3:30 – 5:00 pm
Join us for a night of cookies, skits, carols, crafts, games and fun! We’ll start off the night by sharing with each other some of our favorite Christmas traditions over the generations and then participate in a group, spontaneous live nativity with carols. “Parts” needed for all ages! After our impromptu nativity story, we’ll play some Christmas games and the kids can make their own ornaments to take home with them. Bring a plate of Christmas cookies to share as we gather. If there are some left by the end of the evening, we’ll have a cookie swap
Take a look at our generations at Shepherd!
Our bulletin board is filling up! If you haven’t shared your “generations” picture, bring it to the church to add to the board or email them to Kathy. Pictures of multiple generations present, or pictures from several generations past, are all welcome! Next time you’re at Shepherd, take a look at the board to see how our stories are interweaving with the story of Christ!
Christmas Eve Worship
Saturday, December 24 @ 4:00 pm
As you begin to make holiday plans, make plans to join us for worship on Christmas Eve. Worship will include holy communion and a candlelight service while singing “Silent Night.”
Opportunities for Christmas Day Worship
Because of the schedules of our Shepherds, we will not host Christmas Day worship at SOTC. However, the following congregations have invited us to join them! If you’re looking for a place to worship on Christmas morning, check out these congregations:
Grace Lutheran – 9:00 am | Lessons and carols service with Communion
2107 Cedar Street
Zion Lutheran – 9:00 am | Lessons and carols service with Communion
513 Sycamore Street
Wesley United Methodist – 10:00 am | Christmas worship with communion
400 Iowa Avenue
First Presbyterian – 10:30 am | Worship with carol singing and a brief meditation. Wear your Christmas sweaters!
401 Iowa Avenue
Trinity Episcopal – 10:00 am | Eucharist worship with a renewal of baptismal vows with a blessing of water. Note that incense will be used during worship.
211 Walnut Street
Saints Mary and Mathias – 10:30 am | Christmas mass including communion, centered around John 1. Note that incense will be used during worship
215 W. 8th Street
Year End Giving
Last day for 2022 Contributions: December 24
As you gather with us for Christmas Eve Worship, note that this will be the last worship service of 2022. If you are planning to make a year end donation, please do so by December 24. All gifts received after December 24 will be deposited in 2023.
Women’s Epiphany Party
Sunday, January 8, 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Calling all women of the congregation! Mark your calendars to join us for our annual Women’s Epiphany Party. Our night together will include a light meal (please bring an appetizer to share), a candle exchange (bring a wrapped candle for a rousing candle swap!), and a blessing for the coming year.