Timeline from this Church's beginnings

1980s

  • 1981 - June -  Frank and Flo Henderson advertised and invited area Lutherans to a July Fourth picnic.  Fourteen people responded and eight of these attended the first worship service in the Henderson home on July 19th. 

  • 1982 - January -  After meeting at the Henderson home for six months, worship services were moved to the Community Room of the Ducktown Bank in McCaysville.

  • 1982 - June - Seeking a more central location, the worshipers moved to the Blue Ridge City Hall. In the early years, worship services used taped music and sermons with lay preachers and visiting Lutheran pastors filling in. 

  • 1982 - October - Pastor Richard Freseman arrived to organize the group. 

  • 1985 - February- The congregation received its charter.

  • 1985 - June- The first called pastor, Rev. Roy Stackpole, was installed.

  • 1986 - January - the current church site of 4.7 acres on Forge Mill Road at its intersection with APD 515 was purchased. 

  • 1986 - September - The house on the property was remodeled by members and friends and was dedicated as a church.

  • 1989 - September - A 32 foot extension on the sanctuary was added.

  • 1988 - January - With the merger of three Lutheran bodies, Shepherd of the Hills became part of the Evangelical Luthran Church in America.

    1990s

  • 1991 - August -  Rev. Paul Reyelts accepted the church's call and began serving as Pastor.

  • 1995 -  A building committee was selected, building plans were studied and a successful stewardship and capital funds raising campaign was conducted.  The decision was made to use the ELCA Mission Builders with Gary Johnson serving as foreman of the project.  The congregation also voted to discontinue ELCA's subsidy and became self-supporting.

  • 1996 - January - Approval for the construction of a new 2,835 square foot worship center with seating for 214 people was granted.  A lower level hall with kitchen facilities was an added bonus.

  • 1996 - February - The Mission Builders team of seven couples from seven different states arrived.   Building Chairman Gene Hamaker, Pastor Reyelts and many volunteers from the congregation helped them demolish most of the old building.  The remainder of the old building was remodeled into offices, library, meeting rooms and upstairs kitchen. 

  • 1996 - February 25 - Groundbreaking

  • 1996 - September 15 - Church Dedication. When Pastor Reyelts retired, Pastor William Martin served the congregation for 18 months as interim until Pastor William McKinney accepted the call to pastor.  When he left, Pastor Ben Moravitz served as interim. 

    Recent Developments

  • 2006 - October -  Rev. Cheryl Kester-Schmidt accepted the call to be our Pastor as her first call.  Rev. Cheryl has since accepted a call to a Texas congregation

  • 2010 - celebrated our 25th Anniversary

  • 2014 - August - we are being served by Interim Pastor, Rev. Deryck Durston.

  • 2015 - June 28th - Pastor Deryck's last day as Interim shepherd and transition service for Pastor Jim Kroninger.

  • 2015 - July - Pastor Jim Kroninger begins with SHLC.

  • 2018 - December - The congregation celebrates Pastor Jim’s 25th anniversary of his ordination

  • 2024 - June - Pastor Jim Kroninger retires