Busy Hands Doing God's Work

March was a busy time at Shepherd of the Valley, and found many different groups putting their faith into action and serving others.

Confirmation Service Fair 



Each year, every Confirmation student (Grades 6-9) has the opportunity to participate in two service fairs as a part of the program year. The aim of a service fair is to gain exposure to needs of the neighbor and practice responding to those needs as followers of Christ. Past service fair projects have included making diaper cakes for Tapestry Pregnancy and Family Resource Center, play dough for The Family Partnership, fleece blankets for Children’s Hospital, and much, much more!

At our second Service Fair for the year on Wednesday, March 12, Confirmation students made 295 hospice kits for Global Health Ministries, an organization dedicated to, “Continuing the healing ministry of Jesus Christ by enhancing the health care programs of Lutheran Churches in other countries.” The assembled hospice kits were then distributed around the world to AIDS patients in the end-stages of the devastating, and uncomfortable disease.

God’s work through our hands does remarkable things! Thank you for your continued prayers of support for the Confirmation Program here at Shepherd of the Valley. If you have any questions or would like to know more about Confirmation serving at Shepherd of the Valley, please talk to Sarah Bane or any of the other members of the SOTV youth staff.


Caring Quilts Day

Photo: Jenny Wilder

What an amazing day! On Saturday, March 29, almost 40 volunteers got together to make quilts for the kids at Target House - quilters and non quilters alike. Target House is part of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee and is a home-away-from-home for the children (and their families) receiving treatment for life-threatening illnesses for more than three months.

Photo: Kim Gannaway

We got over 50 quilts done in one day - an all time record!! We even ran out of quilts to tie at one point - that's never happened before! Thank you to everyone who came to help - it was so much fun chatting while getting lots done at the same time!

SOTV has quilting groups who meet year-round making quilts to be distributed to Minnesota children in need and homeless youth through Union Gospel Mission and Lutheran Social Services. The Golden Stitchers meet 1st & 3rd Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.. All skill levels welcome to quilt, cut, iron and stitch. For more information contact Shirley Blix at (952) 432-2083. The Shepherd Quilters meet Mondays, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. For more information contact Lois Pedersen at (952) 236-8993


"Pack the Pews" Food Drive

Thank you to everyone who helped us raise $8,767 and 9,852 pounds of food during our “Pack the Pews” March food drive. In addition, numerous volunteers weighed, sorted, and shelved all those donations.

Our Daily Bread Food Shelf at SOTV provides about 10,000 pounds of food to local families in need each month. Our food shelf is one of five 360 Communities food shelves in Dakota County. Donations to our food shelf helped 360 Communities reach their March Campaign goals of raising $75,000 and 75,000 pounds of food.

Our food shelf benefits from your generous donations all year-long. See our most needed items. We are also in need of volunteers on Thursdays from 12:00 - 6:00 pm. Typical shifts are 12:00 - 3:30 and 3:00 - 6:00 pm.  However, we are very flexible with those hours!  Just let us know when you are able to work. Please e-mail Richard.Nonini@gmail.com.

Easter Baskets on their Way

Items for Easter baskets ready to be packed!

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's Easter Dinner Ministry. As part of ServeTogether on Saturday, volunteers packed 39 dinners and 65 cookie/beverage “baskets” and 75 snack bags for 363 Days. Paper heart baskets were woven, filled with candy and included in all dinners, baskets and snack bags. Over the next couple weeks, God's love and care will be experienced by 200+ individuals as these food gifts are delivered.

Thanks to the following community organizations for their continued support of this ministry: Eagan Byerly's and Kowalski's, Apple Valley Cub, Rainbow and Walmart (for their donations of gift cards) and Girl Scout Troop 11159 (for donating all the cookies used in the baskets).