Our History

For over 50 years, Shepherd of the Hills has served the Kern River Valley with the goal and desire to share the love of God and His word with the residents of the area. Organized in 1968, what started as group of a dozen individual families under an oak tree in Bodfish quickly became the first Lutheran Church in the Area. It was soon decided a location was needed to hold worship services. Services started meeting in the Methodist Church in Kernville, but a site of its own was needed. Property was bought in Lake Isabella, a building constructed, and Shepherd of the Hills had its first home. Many years later, it began growing out of the building and a new site was found and a new building build.

Located right next to the main freeway in and out of the Kern River Valley, the church can easily be seen from the freeway and from the main area of Lake Isabella, and has become known as the “Church with the Three Crosses”, because of the three crosses located on the hill behind the church.