From the Beginning, a Dedication to Mission
   

In 1962 Shepherd of the Hills was established as a missionary project. Each year we paid the regular 4 percent of our budget to the General Presbyterian Missionary Fund, but no additional missionary work was done until three years later (1965) when members worked in the InnerCity Parish and also set up a Santa's Workshop to create and repair toys for 1500 children in 300 families.

In 1975 we set aside $1,600 for local mission work. Members had considered it important to repay our National Mission board building debt because this enabled other new churches to start up.

After the Vietnamese War, Shepherd of the Hills sponsored two sets of refugees, two young Vietnamese men and a young Hmong couple from Laos.    In 1984 local mission work was called outreach. The In Jesus Name Shelter provided 50 people with meals, transportantion and shelter during the summer months. Joyce Witulski, our volunteer in mission, went to Cairo, Egypt to teach in a private school for young girls.

Habitat House, Raising the First Wall May, 1997

The Habitat House, Dedication August, 1997

Under the Presbyterian Hunger Program, the vegetable garden plots next to the church were started. Fresh food from these gardens benefitted the Jeffco Action Center. We also collected food for the center, utilizing a shopping cart designation point in the narthex. Through Vista the church organized a senior citizen class on nutritional meal planning, and there were several adult education classes focused on the world's hungry.

A One Great Hour of Sharing collection was designated for disaster relief funds. The outreach committee made an effort to acquaint members with individual missions of the greater church by reading from the Mission Year Book each Sunday about individual mission projects.

1985 was a banner year when total mission giving at Shepherd of the Hills increased from five to 10 percent of the total budget, or $38,500. All of the same projects were continued, and additional gifts were made to support both Hastings College and Colorado Christian College. A Mission Emphasis Week featured special speakers.

The 10 percent goal was maintained in 1986. Joyce Witulski began to work for the Mission Verdad project in El Paso, Texas.