From Our Offering Counters
Just a reminder that in 2025 everyone will receive offering envelopes by mail quarterly. We realize that some of you in the past have opted out of receiving envelopes so before you throw these envelopes away, we encourage you to remember a couple of things related to your giving to Shepherd of the Prairie.
When the offering counters receive an envelope which has a check enclosed and the distribution is marked on the envelope, this helps our counters tremendously to quickly account for your gift. We just need to open the envelope, make sure the figures agree on the check and envelope, and put each one in separate piles to be totaled.
When a loose check is received there are several more steps to be taken in order to process each donation.
Our counters must look up the name on the check, then fill out an envelope form which is a copy of the back of the offering envelope, with the giver’s name, envelope number, and gift amount. This is then paperclipped to the check and given to the counter that is opening envelopes that day. As you can see a loose check takes our volunteers much more time to process to be sure each gift is given proper credit to donors. So far, we have processed over 180 loose checks from households that opted out of 2024 envelopes.
Please keep the 2025 envelopes to be used on special services and various things that come up during the year like the food pantry and memorials. Of course, regular giving may be done online which is also a wonderful way to easily give to the ministry we share at SOTP.
Thanks again for your ongoing support. We are surely blessed by the generosity of every gift received!
Contact: Ralph Wehnes
ralphwehnes@sbcglobal.net
Updating Pictures & Information
As you may know, we are now publishing our Member Directory with members’ photos. 
If you need to update or add your photo, please send your photo to Donna Kelly donna@sotpmail.com, or Ed Cuttle
edschn28@comcast.net and we will update or add it to the directory.
We publish an updated directory every time we receive new members, so 4 times a year. If you would like to receive the updated
directory via email, please let Michelle Rankin know, michelle@sotpmail.com or you can pick one up at the office or at the Registration Desk.
If you have any questions, contact Donna Kelly, donna@sotpmail.com or through the church office.
We Encourage You to Read This Reading for This Upcoming Weekend
Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:16-23
If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.
For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.
Gospel: Mark 1:29-39
As soon as [Jesus and the disciples] left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
Register Your Wheels Now
Summer is kicking off with an Ice Cream Social & Wheels Show.
Join us Friday, June 2nd from 6:30pm-8:30pm for the Ice Cream Social.
Sign up to bring your wheels at www.bit.ly/SOTPwheels23 . They can have 4 or 3 or 2 wheels, maybe someone even has a unicycle!?!?
The best decorated kid’s wheels will win a prize.
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We will also have games, relays, face painting, an ice cream Pinata, and lots of fun!
Let us know you’re coming – register at www.bit.ly/SOTPsocial23
Contact: Jill Gillming jill@sotpmail.com
For more information on how to donate altar flowers, go to www.bit.ly/SOTPflower
Contact: Diane Mollis dem910@outlook.com
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By Donna Kelly
Happy New Year! As the song goes, “another year over and a new one just begun”. I don’t know about you, but 2024 seems to have gone by in a flash!
New Year’s Day is one of my favorite days of the year. The chaos and frantic celebrating of Christmas is over, and the holiday season is drawing to a close. At least in my family, there isn’t a big celebration for New Year’s Day; no gatherings, no gifts, no big meal. For me it becomes a chance to pause and reflect on the past year; the ups and downs, the joys and challenges, all the things that make life well… life.
It’s also a time for me to consider what the new year might bring. I can dream of what I would like the coming year to be; it’s an open possibility; no limits! The new year is a clean slate with no holds barred. What do I want to do differently? What would I like to change; to carry out; to attempt? Maybe spend more time listening to and in conversation with God? The new year presents us with another 365 days filled with possibilities and imaginings!
Some of us come to the beginning of the new year with excitement, joy, anticipation; looking forward to what’s ahead. Some of us come with grief, sadness, fear still gripping our hearts and minds; still caught up in loss and not sure what the new year will bring.
We invite you to come join us on January 7th for our Release and Renew experience. This is a time of meditation, practice and prayer. It is hosted as a self-guided time that can be as long or as short as is comfortable for you. The Fellowship Hall will be open from 10am to 8pm that day, so you can come at a time convenient for you. There will be people there to answer any question you may have about the process and to pray with you if desired.
I hope as you contemplate the new year and all the possibilities that lie before you in the 365 days ahead, you will look for ways to become engaged with the people and the world around you. There are so many places to involve your life with your community, your family, your friends, and here at SOTP. Check out the SOTP website, sotp.org and look at all of the possibilities. There are many options where you can learn, serve, meet new people and just have fun. Come to ministry night on the second Monday of each month and get a taste of much that goes on.
Whatever you do, make this new year 2025, your best year ever. Find a way to connect with people and causes and most of all with our Lord!
Happy New Year!!!
Donna Kelly
email Donna at: donna@sotpmail.com
