Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church exists to welcome people to faith in Jesus Christ; to equip us with the tools to make that faith work in real life; and then send us in service into the world in Jesus' name.

Shepherd of the Hills is a vibrant church which exists to give glory to God in Jesus Christ. We see ourselves as a center of Christian renewal in the lives of individuals, families and congregations.

We are committed to:

• Worship as a dynamic experience of the presence of God through Word, Sacrament, music and Christian community;
• Welcome as an invitation to everyone to meet Jesus Christ no matter where they are on their spiritual journey of life;
• Empowerment as enabling individuals, couples, and families to discover the power of the Holy Spirit through faith active in real life;
• Growth as the opportunity to increase each person's confidence and joy in Jesus Christ through prayer, Bible study and through active service in our church, community, and world.

Being Lutheran

Lutheranism is..

Lutheranism is a Christian tradition that accepts the Bible as the true source of Christian love, guidance and doctrine. Lutherans proclaim God's message by focusing on justification by faith, which means we are saved by God's love, not solely by our good works.

God's love is not conditional: The good news of the gospel is that God is faithful to us even when we fall short of His will. Shepherd of the Hills teach people to live in the freedom of Christian love, seeking insight and renewal through study, prayer and fellowship.

Lutheranism had its beginnings in 1517, when Martin Luther publicly called for the correction of errors in the medieval church. Luther was a Roman Catholic priest, professor, author, composer of hymns and reformer. Luther's ideas still stimulate new thinking in the church.

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Baptism

In Baptism, we begin our lives as Christians. Through Baptism we are reborn and adopted as children of God - inheritors of God's new and eternal life. Through water and the spirit we become members of the church, and the body of Christ. Baptism is a daily reminder of who we are: sinners whom God accepts, with all our doubts, fears and struggles. In our reading from Romans, we are reminded that we are not saved by works, what we do or even by our faith. God loves us first, before we can do anything; it is not earned or deserved. Baptism reinforces that grace. Shepherd of the Hills invites all members and non-members to baptize their children during Sunday church service. E-mail or call our church secretary at (973) 729-7010 for more information.

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Shepherd of the Hills welcomes members and non-members for wedding ceremonies. Please e-mail or call the Church Office at (973) 729-7010 for information.

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The Liturgical Year

The Lutheran liturgical year is divided into two halves. The first half traces the experience of Jesus here on Earth. The second half is dedicated to the spreading of Jesus' message throughout the world.

The liturgical year begins with the first Sunday in Advent. This is a four-week period of preparation for our Christmas celebration. We observe the Christmas season from December 24th through January 6th, the day of Epiphany. The epiphany marks the day the three Wise Men visited Jesus, symbolizing the spread of God's message. Epiphany concludes on Ash Wednesday, when we begin the 40-day season of Lent, patterned after Jesus' 40-day temptation in the wilderness.

The Lent season culminates with Palm Sunday and the Holy Week observance, when we remember the events leading up to the crucifixion. Easter Sunday celebrates Christ's resurrection and the new life he has won for us. The Easter season lasts seven weeks, when we focus on how this gift of new life becomes important to us. Pentecost, 50 days after Easter, remembers the coming of the Holy Spirit to the ?? in Jerusalem. The remaining Sundays of the year are part of the Pentecost season, when we trace the gospels' importance in the world.

The last Sunday in October is Reformation Sunday, the day Martin Luther publicly challenged the official teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. One of the key differences between Roman Catholicism and Lutheranism is the concept of Original Sin. Lutherans believethat we are born "Saints" in God's eyes, and our baptism represents the beginning of our growth that He has intended for us.

Concluding the Liturgical year is All Saint's day, when we remember those who have passed away in the preceding 12 months.

Learn more about Christianity and Lutheranism

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