NEWS
April - August , 2005

August 20, 2005
Rev. Claude L. Villemaire to Serve as Mission Developer for Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church

The Rev. Claude L. Villemaire has accepted a call from the West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) to serve as the Mission Developer for Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. 

Sunday, September 25 has been set for the service of Commissioning and Installation for Reverend Claude Villemaire at Shepherd of the Hills. The service will be held at 5:00 p.m. in the Sitzmark Room of Will O' the Wisp, just north of Glendale Road. The congregation invites the community to attend the Commissioning and Installation service as well as each Sunday at 5:00 p.m. when they gather for worship, music, Bible study and fellowship.

The Reverend Claude Villemaire and his wife Cyndi currently reside in Accident, MD, having recently moved from the Florida-Bahamas Synod, where he served as Pastor of King of Glory Lutheran Church, New Port Richey, FL.   He has a B.A. degree in history from Florida State University, and a Master of Divinity from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia SC and was ordained July 13, 1997. Pastor Claude received Mission Developers' training in Chicago, in 2000, and has just returned from further training with Sue Green and Judy McCaughey, members of Shepherd of the Hills congregation.

According to Helen R. Harms, Region 8 Mission Developer for the ELCA, It is the desire of the ELCA that God will open the hearts of people in the community to respond to the witness of the congregation (and its spirit-filled leader)… and that God will help the ministry grow in numbers and faith.

October 2004 found the Synod Council of the West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod of the ELCA voting to allow Shepherd of the HIlls to organize as a synodically authorized worshiping community and voted to be supportive of the church becoming the first mission congregation in the synod since the merger of the ELCA in 1987. Mission status as a developing congregation was determined by the Outreach Review Committee of the National organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, January 2005.

Further information about Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church can be found on its website www.shepherdofthehillslutheran.org or by calling (301) 387-0400. Messages are returned daily.

August 15, 2005
IN CONCERT --- DAVID PHELPS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23,
7pm At The Maryland Theatre, Hagerstown, Md. Tickets are: $20,$25,$30 at the Maryland Theatre Box Office 301-790-3500 or www.mdtheatre.org

Who is David? David Phelps has been a member of the legendary Grammy winning Southern Gospel Group, The GAITHER VOCAL BAND for eight years, but this Dove Nominated Singing Virtuoso belts out everything from Ballads to Pop Tunes to R&B songs.

David's hit CD "REVELATION" was released to acclaim this past winter, and among the 11 recordings include standouts "Just as I am," a sweeping ballad co-written by Phelps and Dove Award winning Cindy Morgan; the expressive "Live Like a King" by Bob Halligan, Jr., and the R & B flavored co-write by Phelps and Regie Hamm, "Satisfaction."

David is now going Solo from the Gaither Band, and on September 27 is releasing another CD entitled, "Life is a Church" You may learn more about him at www.DavidPhelps.com David will be coming to Hagerstown, Md. for his only concert on this Fall Tour in this region of the United States. He will surely draw a large crowd and provide concert goers with an electrifying experience in Gospel Music. It will be a worshipful evening that you won't want to miss.

August 2 , 2005
Synod Council Extends call to Rev. Claude L. Villemaire

The "Bishop's Road Show" (a periodic email from Bishop Ralph Dunkin) was received today by members of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. It stated:

The Rev. Claude Villemaire has received a call from the West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod Council to serve as the Mission Developer for Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.  Pastor Claude is currently visiting the Oakland, MD area looking for housing.  He and his wife Cyndi plan on moving to Oakland on August 15.  Pastor Claude will then attend Mission Developers Training in Chicago in mid-August.  He comes to us from the Florida-Bahamas Synod.  The tentative date of September 25 has been set for the service of Commissioning and Installation for Pastor Claude at Shepherd of the Hills.  This service will be held at our normal worship time of 5:00 p.m. at Will O' the Wisp.

June 30, 2005
Rev. Claude L. Villemaire, Mission Developer

Thursday, June 30, 2005, t he congregation of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church at Deep Creek Lake, MD voted to call the Reverend Claude L. Villemaire to be its Mission Developer. Villemaire has served as the Pastor of King of Glory Lutheran Church in New Port Richey, Florida since 2002. He is a graduate of Florida State University and Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, SC.

Villemaire is looking forward to serving in a congregation that is willing to explore what God is calling them to do and to be in their community, whose leadership is willing to be accountable, supportive and be participants in the work of mission and ministry. Shepherd of the HIlls is up for the task!

July, 2005 The Lutheran, page 30D
New Mission Congregation

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Chapel has had a long journey in a very short amount of time. In July 2004 Shepherd of the HIlls began as a fellowship group. Sadly, such meetings for worship and Bible study grew out of a conflict. Attempting to put this conflict behind them, they offered support to the Rev. Theodore Bessey and his family, and this fellowship was created.

In mid-July three members from this community met with Bishop Ralph Dunkin to ask how a mission congregation could be developed in McHenry, MD. A larger contingent traveled to Wheeling to meet with Helen Harmes, a Region 8 mission developer for the ELCA. After Dunkin and Harmes hears of the mission mindedness of this community, steps were taken to create a new mission congregation.

October found the synod council of the West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod voting to allow Shepherd of the HIlls t o organize as a synodically authorized worshiping community. Plans were developed to apply to the ELCA so that a mission developer could be called. All of the proper papers were filed, a meeting was held with the mountaintop pastors, and plans were under way.

In mid-January, the Division for Outreach's review table provided approval for the creation of a new congregation with the current leadership of Shepherd of the Hills. In mid-March, a meeting was held with the executive committees of the church councils from the mountaintop Lutheran churches in Garrett County.

Harms and Dunkin are reviewing paperwork on potential candidates. The hope is that a pastor will be called to serve this, the first mission congregation in this synod's young history, over the summer months of 2005.

May 8, 2005
Membership Sunday at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church

A group of individuals will be received into membership of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church on Pentecost Sunday, May 15, 2005. The Rev. Allen Schwarz, of St. John's Lutheran Church, Davis, WV, will be the presiding pastor for the service, which will also include the confirmation rite of Emily Mae Durham.

Membership of Shepherd of the Hills is shaped by a larger vision of the congregation, to become disciples of the living Christ. Those who have expressed a desire to join the faith community are: Laurie and Lisa Bittinger, Bill and Marion Boehmer, Paul & Linda Bowman , Mary Ellen Dore, Christopher Durben (In Memoriam), Clinton and Paul Durham , David and Irene Eyer , Sue Green , Nick and Zack Harkins , Robert and Marcene Huebner, Scott and Beth Johnson , Harry and Ruth Kight, Deidre Kildow , Marge Lauver, Sue and Eric Lisantti , Rosella Majerczak, Judith McCaughey , Susan and Dean Riley , Guy and Marilyn Sedlack , Dan and Ruth Seib, Lois Swatzentruber, Dave and Darlene Terlizzi and Cheryl Wotherspoon. Others interested in joining the church family are asked to contact Pastor Schwarz at (304) 259-5635 or e-mail him at avouz@msn.com

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church gathers each Sunday at 5:00 p.m. for worship in the Sitzmark Room of Will O' the Wisp, Route 219, just north of Glendale Road. The congregation welcomes tourists, newcomers and individuals seeking a church home. For information, contact the phone service at (301) 387-0400. Messages are returned daily.