M I S S S I O N

Catch the rhythm of the world for which we at Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church in Chaska (SHPC) pray and work. Listen to Stand By Me.

Sometimes the world's suffering is obvious. Other times the needs are carefully masked.  In the 21st Century those in the societies of privilege - and we place ourselves among them - often live in private hells, lost in a world that glitters but that leaves us cold and alone.  At Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church in Chaska we have a different idea of what it means to be human.  We take our bearings from the bold proclamation made at baptism: "You are a child of God!  First, last, and always, you are a child of God."  We come together for a joyful, playful, more natural and humbler way of life.  At the same time, we are altogether serious that the Three Mile an Hour God who in Jesus Christ walks with us at the pace of a patient walker and invites us to do the same. The gospel calls us to participate in the Spirit's movement toward a world where no one is a stranger and where love is not so strange.

A World in Transformation As a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA), SHPC proclaims something very bold: the belief that God is reconciling THE WORLD to God's own self. The Spirit of the risen Christ calls us to join in this great work of transformation, living toward the day when "every hill shall be brought low and every valley shall be exalted."  God calls us to be ambassadors of transformation and practical reconciliation with those we might fear, resent, or by whom we feel threatened. Improving our relationships with people of other religions has become an urgent priority for our time.  Shepherd of the Hill reflects locally the international flavor of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in seeking to improve our understanding and our relationships with people of other faith traditions.  Click here for more information, or go to the First Tuesday Dialogues page to learn about the First Tuesday Forum previously known as Shepherd of the Hill Dialogues. Most days mission means standing with people in obvious need.  The first thing you will see when you enter the front door of SHPC is a walk-in food shelf for anyone who has fallen on hard times, not questions asked.  No forms.  No inquisition.  Take what you need. Our members also collect clothing and other essential items for Simpson Housing, a homeless shelter and clothing distribution center in Minneapolis. Shepherd of rthe Hill members occasionally prepare and serve meals for Friends Eating and Sharing Together ("FEAST"), a Sunday evening meal open to all without cost at Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis. We collaborate with the local CAP Agency Senior Nutrition Program to deliver Meals on Wheels to people who are homebound, and to provide Hope for the Holidays for families who have fallen on hard times in Carver and Scott County. Nationally and internationally, SHPC works hand-in-glove with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to respond to the needs of those who have lost everything in a hurricane, a flood or a tsunami in New Orleans or, Haiti, or anywhere else in the world.  Mission also means peacemaking. It means partnering with Maria's Children International that connects us with the tides of hope through the arts with fogotten children in Russian orphanages and cerebral palsy schools.  We initiated a local Restorative Practices Action Team to advocate for healthier and more effective ways of resolving conflict, responding to crime, and handling school discipline.   Peacemaking also means making peace with a world in peril by finding ways to reduce Shepherd of the Hill's own carbon footprint in collaboration with Interfaith Power and Light, an interfaith effort to assist local churches and communities excercise faithful stewardship through sustainable practices. You might call Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church a Matthew 25 congregation. We believe that Christ meets us from the midst of crying need. "Insofar as you have done it to one of the least of these, you have done it to me." Christ does not speed by the poor on the expressway. But we are also a Romans 12:2 congregation: "Do not be conformed to this present age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."  We see ourselves as continually under the influence of the Divine Spirit's work of transformation. That belief leads us to tackle tough public isues like religion as a source of both hope and chaos, planetary stewardship, and how to create communities where no one is a stranger.  At SHPC we do not claim to have the answers, but, in the name of God, we are asking the questions that lead to more gracious and responsible living for the sake of the Earth, our home, and to a more peaceful relationships with our neighbors.

Ourselves in Transformation "Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Epistle to the Romans 12:2). Our Board's decision to measure the size of our carbon footprint was born out of the pangs of conscience that call us to be more faithful about our stewardship of land and resources. This year SHPC will focus intently on environmental stewardship. The spirit of the Reformed theological tradition (the historic faith tradition of the Presbyterian Church) is one of continually being reformed by the renewing of the mind through the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  It's not as though we have the goods and just need to dispense them to those less fortunate, an attitude of privilege and paternalism. We ourselves are people in process, under the continuous influence of the Spirit's daily transforming work. In addition to thoughtful sermons and adult education programs, at SHPC that means opportunities for critical reflection on public issues that challenge the heart and mind. Sometimes even our best intentions lead to unintended hurtful consequences; our ways of thinking, believing and acting require that we be open to criticism, open to voices other than our own. That means First Tuesday Dialoogues, previously known as Shepherd of the Hill Dialogues, a community program held every first Tuesday at 7:00 p.m in the Shepherd of the Hill Chapel  exploring critical public issues locally and globally. First Tuesday Dialogues events are free of charge for the general public. It also means hosting a Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration each January for the Chaska and Carver County community. In all things Shepherd of the Hill seeks to take seriously God's call to examine who we are and who we are becoming so that we don't inadvertently reach to remove the speck from our neighbor's eye while the log remains in our own.  Part of the Presbyterian way of being the church is the belief that discipleship means self-criticism and social-criticism in the light of the Kingdom of God. Click here to read The Chaska Herald interview "Dialogues Go Green" with Pastor Gordon Stewart. Our influence exceeds our small size. Our pastor's guest commentaries air on MPR's "All Things Considered" across the Upper Midwest, shedding a different light on the news of the day. The views expressed there are Pastor Gordon's own and do not purport to represent the church or any of our members. They're intended to make us think...and they do!

Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church in Chaska - Host of First Tuesday Dialogues  -is a place for the mind and heart, celebrating God's unconditional love for everyone with worship, education, outreach, and community gatherings that re-create the public square and promote the common good in the name of Christ. An MPR commentary by SHPC Pastor Gordon Stewart airs frequently on Minnesota Public Radio (KNOW 91.1 FM)'s "All Things Considered."  Shepherd of the Hill muscians Momoh Freeman and Linda Livers bring the music.  Look for the rocking chair on the front lawn on your way to the Chaska Community Center.