Time For The Harvest

We often think of the Day of Pentecost as the day when God sent the power of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples.  But, did you know the Festival of Pentecost was an annual festival established by the Jewish people long before the birth of Christ?  It was established as a celebration of the wheat harvest.  Join Pastor Jack this Sunday as he explains how God transformed Pentecost Day from a wheat harvest to a harvest of souls!  Don’t miss this intriguing message, and discover the contemporary application for our own lives.

MATCHING MORTGAGE GRANT from Synod Congregational Debt Reduction Fund. The Synod will provide up to $2 in matching funds for every $1 our congregation raises and pays toward our mortgage principal. An email was sent on May 12 explaining this exciting opportunity. Every dollar we move from interest to ministry allows us to do so much more here at SOTH. How to give by June 30: Please mark your gift “Mortgage Principal” and give (1) by check, (2) through our online giving in Vanco or Clover/Credit Card or (3) by donation of appreciated securities which can reduce capital gains tax. Reach out to Barbara Osborne, Financial Secretary (bjo1216@gmailcom) with any questions. We can do this!

VOLUNTEERS ENCOURAGED– to serve as readers and actors for a short dramatic presentation on Reformation Sunday entitled, The Trial of Martin Luther. No memorization is required of the cast of 12 characters. If you enjoy storytelling or reading aloud, we would love to have you participate. A cast of characters is posted in the narthex. To volunteer, please email Solveig Schunk at solveig2012@gmail.com.

SAVE THE DATES:

Upcoming meetings:
Sat., May 23 – Shepherd’s Quilters, 8:30 AM – noon
Mon., June 1 – Bible Study 6 PM – Council 7 PM

COME HEAR OUR CHILDREN SING- The Sunday School children will sing during the worship service on June 7. You won’t want to miss it!
POTLUCK covered dish dinner for all congregations in the NJ Synod Western District. Sun., June 14, 3-7 pm at Crossroads Camp at 29 Pleasant Grove Road, Port Murray. Sign-up sheets to be sent electronically soon. Donation: $15 per person over age 13; $7.50 per person ages 6-12; Maximum family cost = $30. Details to follow.

ORIENTATION – Sunday, June 14 at 10 AM – Come find out more about SOTH and our mission here. All are invited!

BLOOD DRIVE -Thurs., June 25, 1-7 PM – To make an appointment, visit https://donate.nybc.org/donor/schedules/sponsor_code and use code #71131 or call 800-933-2566. Volunteers are needed for setup and cleanup, please contact Janine S. or sign up on the sheet in the narthex.

VBS – July 20-14. Registration forms are available on the display in the narthex. Please see Nancy W. to help with this exciting event!

LUMOS “A Classical ABBA Tribute”: Saturday, August 1 at 7 – 10 PM

PLANET NETWORKS -is now our Internet and telephone provider. If you decide to choose them for your Internet service, visit https://planet.net or telephone them at 833-3Planet and use the referral code P8RC9 to earn a free month of service for SOTH.

MONDAY ADULT BIBLE STUDY – If you cannot attend (in person) our Bible studies on the first and fourth Mondays at 6:00pm, you can join us live via ZOOM video conferencing.
Please use this link:
Topic: SOTH Bible Study
Time: 5:45 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87871072581
Meeting ID: 878 7107 2581

BROWN BAG BIBLE STUDY 
Continues in person at Holy Trinity Church or via Zoom, the first and third Wednesdays from noon-12:45. Join Pastor Jack for a lively discussion of the Bible. No prior experience necessary! Click here to join us via Zoom. 

JOIN US WITH GENEROUS GIVING TO OUR MISSION: with these gifts, we continue to welcome folks to our community, to equip them with faith tools – learning the word, prayers for one another, and communal support – and then to send us into the world to welcome others. Your donations to SOTH can be accomplished in the following ways:

• On Sunday, place your donation in the offering plate.
• Mail your offering to: SOTH 246 Woodport Rd., Sparta, NJ 07871
• Go online to setup your e-giving from your checking, savings, credit card or debit card http://secure.myvanco.com/L-YXCY
• Download Vanco Mobile (Faith) on your smartphone, search for Shepherd of the Hills (Sparta)
• Text Giving to 973-832-0226 You can make a one-time gift or setup recurring offerings.

PLEASE CONTACT Barbara Osborne FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE WITH ELECTRONIC GIVING

Supplemental Opportunities For Giving – In addition to financial offerings mentioned above, there are additional ways to support our congregation that are mentioned on our website: https://www.sothnj.org/giving. 

Many thanks to all of the donors who support our mission!

WORSHIP INFO for May 24, 2026
Worship Service Bulletin

Celebrate
Gifts of Love
NJ Synod-Germany Trip
Property Volunteer List
Trial of Martin Luther
Weekend Bag Program

New Link for Zoom Bible Study, Wed. at noon

Meeting ID: 878 7107 2581

SOTH CONGREGATIONAL COUNCIL AND TEAM LEADERS
Janine Shugan – Council President
Don Wolff – Vice President
Brett Maynard – Treasurer
Solveig Schunk – Worship and Music
Barbara Osborne – Financial Secretary
Diane Fitzpatrick – Recording Secretary
Nancy Wood – Christian Education
Patrick Wood – Property
Rick Erck – Membership
Kathy Schwab – Marketing
Judi Wolff – Community Relief
Activities – vacant
Giving – vacant

STREAMING IS HERE!: We are excited to announce that you can now view our service live at 9:00 a.m. each Sunday. Click on this link to see the service and subscribe to our SOTH channel:  
https://www.youtube.com/@shepherdofthehillslutheran8820/streams  Don’t worry if you missed the live broadcast.  All services are archived on our channel.  You can also search for us on Facebook and like our page. https://www.facebook.com/SOTHNJ/.