Important Staff Update: Pastor Mary Lund

Pastor Mary Lund

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On Thursday, March 19th, the Church Council regrettably accepted Pastor Mary Lund’s resignation as Associate Pastor at Shepherd of the Valley. After having been an integral part of the ministry of SOTV for the last 18 years, Pastor Mary has decided that it is time to start a new chapter in her life. She is looking forward to focusing her energy on caring for herself and for her family, both near and far, and to taking time to discern what is next for her vocationally and personally.  

Pastor Mary is a talented teacher, a passionate advocate, and a dedicated servant. We will miss her dearly and pray for her as she embarks on the next chapter in her life. In a conversation with her this weekend, she emphasized how thankful she has been for SOTV, the people, and her ministry alongside you all over the years. She is very excited about our church living into the vision of Welcome, Transform, and Send and plans to remain an active member of our congregation. For a period of time, however, she will worship elsewhere to facilitate her transition from being our pastor to being a fellow church member.

Pastor Mary will preach on her last weekend at SOTV, April 18th and 19th. Please join us between services that weekend to greet her. This will be an opportunity to thank her for her partnership in ministry and wish her well.   

Blessings,

Jenny Buckley

Shepherd of the Valley Church Council President

Equal Sacrifice

by Robert Dennistoun
Capital Campaign Steering Committee Co-Chair

While the Capital Campaign is a great opportunity for SOTV, it also causes each member to make a critical decision. “How do I decide on a special level of generosity for the next 5 years?” How do I balance this generosity with other gifts I am making and the necessities of our household? Tithing is referred to in Proverbs 3:9-10 “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops”. The campaign’s pledge is separate from tithing which must continue to support the daily missions of SOTV.

A key premise for our pledge is that it is a gift of equal sacrifice, not of equal amount, for its limited time and specifically defined purposes. Sacrificial giving is described in 2 Corinthians 9: 6-7:  

“Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

The Capital Campaign puts into action specific goals over the next five years, each of which lays a foundation for the future to continue efforts of our church to serve God. Our pledge matters, whatever the amount. In each of our lives, we invest to lay a foundation: a college education for realizing personal potential; a new prosthetic hip for continued enjoyment of life; renovation of a home for cherished life experiences, and daily living to build family closeness that endures. By keeping in sight the desired goal of our decisions, we find a way to make it happen.

The campaign asks each of us to consider a sacrificial gift that is right for us to help meet specifically defined purposes. Our gift of any amount matters because we have made it in prayerful consideration of our faith, our church and our personal situation. As the community of SOTV sharing the blessings of a Risen Savior who loves us through all that we do, easy and hard, personal and shared, in our homes and on the go, we know that  

“God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things and in all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work (2 Cor 9:8).”

Will you prayerfully consider your campaign visit? Please consider a cheerful gift with full confidentiality, knowing that whatever you decide, it matters greatly to the foundation of our ministry.


Please see the list of Campaign Visitors on our website or complete a yellow card available in the narthex.

Congregational Dialogues: Input for Call Process

The Associate Pastor Call Committee met for the first time to review the nature of their work together. Team members are: Ellen De Vries (Chair), Eric Bartosh, Bruce Feld, Michael Schaeffer, Kim Schilling, Cheryl Seely, Arlen Wilson, Nikki Zeches, Jennifer Maxwell (Director of Operations) and Jenny Buckley (Council President). They are very excited about the work ahead of them.

The Call Committee wants to hear from you. All are invited to attend either of the following Congregational Dialogues, to give their input:

• Saturday, April 11 at 5:00 pm in the Chapel
• Sunday, April 12 at 11:00 am in the Music Room

You can also reach out to any committee member or send an email to call@sotv.org with your thoughts, questions, or comments.

After gathering input from the congregation in April, they will move forward in working with the St. Paul Area Synod in the call process and keep you informed along the way. Thank you for your prayers and support as the committee does this important work.

Welcome, Pastor Candee

Please join us in welcoming Pastor Candace (Candee) Moser to the staff of Shepherd of the Valley in the role of Interim Pastor. She will serve while the Pastoral Call Committee conducts their work.

Candee’s background includes nursing, a love of languages, a passion for mission, and a natural fit in the ministry of congregational care. She began her work in the office on Tuesday, March 10 and preached at our Lenten worship services on Wednesday, March 11. She will preach in weekend worship on March 21 & 22. See full worship schedule.

Candee will be working part-time including two days of pastoral care. She will be working closely with parish nurses, congregational care and worship staff. Other program/ministry areas will be assigned as appropriate. Please introduce yourself and give Candee a warm SOTV welcome! 

Introducing Our Call Committee

In February, Council voted to appoint a Pastoral Call Committee, to fill the vacancy on staff following the departure of Pastor Diane Sponheim to become the pastor of Faith Lutheran Church.

Members interested in this important commitment were invited to submit an application to the Nominations Leadership Team before February 22, 2015.

The Nominations Team received twelve applications, reviewed, and appointed eight candidates, including a chairperson. A scoring system was used factoring the following attributes:
SOTV Involvement/Experience; Hiring/Interviewing Experience; Team/Committee Work Experience; Leadership Skills; Flexibility/Reliability; Prior Call Experience; and Motivation for the Work.

The Call Committee is: 
Ellen DeVries, Chair
Arlen Wilson
Bruce Feld
Michael Schaeffer
Nikki Zeches
Eric Bartosh
Cheryl Seely
Kim Schilling

In addition to these members, Pastor Chris Smith, Jennifer Maxwell, Director of Operations, and Jenny Buckley, Council President, will also serve on the committee.

The Call Committee begins its work in March to gather information from the congregation, work with the Church Council, and receive and evaluate candidates from the Saint Paul Area Synod. Prayer, discernment, and SOTV’s vision will be at the heart of the work of the Committee. The Committee will also provide regular updates to the congregation. If you have questions or concerns, please contact council@sotv.org.

Thank you to everyone who applied!

We have openings on many of our leadership teams. If you're interested in joining any of these teams, please complete an application and e-mail it to nominations@sotv.org.

The Nominations Leadership Team is LaVon Dennistoun (Chair) Duane Paetznick, Vern Bloomquist Chad Dahlke, Chris Ice, and Christian Loger.

Take a Walk, God Will Lead the Way

by Laurie Rossin
Capital Campaign Steering Committee Member 

When Tom and I were invited to join the Capital Campaign Steering Committee, I was skeptical. Ask people for money? I'm sure you dread solicitation phone calls as much as I do. In fact, I bet you don't answer your phone unless you recognize the name on your caller ID. So why would I want to put myself and my friends at SOTV through that?

After hearing about the needs here at home and SOTV's dreams for living our vision (Welcome, Transformation, and Sending of Jesus Christ), I realized that even though I worship regularly, attend Bible Study and social events, there is a lot I don't know about our church and many people that I don't know! I said yes to being involved in the Capital Campaign because I see my role as God's feet. My role is to carry the information about the needs and the exciting plans for the future of SOTV to you. This I can do!

Whether we meet here at church over a cup of coffee or at your home, our campaign visits are really about people. We talk about our families, jobs, hobbies or travels and share our stories of how we came to be members at SOTV. We explain the details of the campaign, our excitement for the future of our church and answer your questions. The last step is for you to prayerfully consider your pledge and complete your confidential pledge card. God uses my feet to carry the message, and it is God who places in your heart the desire to give.

I learned in Pastor Mary's study of the book of Joshua that when God was with the Israelites, they succeeded. When they relied on their own plans and their own might, they failed miserably. Thankfully God is leading us in this Campaign to further his kingdom. We are just the feet! So when you receive a call from one of our campaign volunteers, please pick up the phone. You will be greeted by a friendly fellow member who just wants to take a short walk with you and share the amazing plans God has for us here at SOTV.

Please see the list of Campaign Visitors on our website or complete a yellow card available in the narthex.

Choosing Initiatives for Our Vision

By Kari Slotten
Project Manager: Vision Implementation

For the last several months, members of staff, council, and leadership teams have been expanding upon our vision of "Welcome, Transform, Send" by developing a revised mission statement with corresponding initiatives. Below is an update on this progress. You will have an opportunity to give your feedback at one of three upcoming Congregation Dialogues: Saturday, March 7 at 5:00 pm in the Atrium and
Sunday, March 8 at 11:00 am or 12:00 pm in the Chapel.

I’d especially like to hear your feedback on proposed initiatives by March 15, 2015. Council will vote on these at its March 19 meeting. You can contact me at (952) 985-7356 or kari.slotten@sotv.org. 

In February, Council approved our updated Vision and Mission. The Vision is aspirational, and reads as follows:

VISION:  We invite all people to experience the Welcome, Transformation, and Sending of Jesus Christ.

Welcome: We invite people in all stages of their faith journey to experience Jesus through our ministries in Christian community.
Transform: We are changed as we experience Jesus through our relationships and ministries.
Send: We are inspired to apply our faith daily by loving others and sharing the Good News of Jesus.

We will also have revolving focus years of “welcome, transform, and send,” when each component in turn receives special emphasis and targeted initiatives.

The Mission highlights why we exist, and will help us choose initiatives as we live into our Vision.  Our Mission reads as follows:

MISSION:  In community, we discover, grow, and live into our individual relationships with Jesus Christ.  Four core ministries support faith formation:

Worship: We praise God, and are spiritually fed, through God’s Word, music, prayer, and sacraments.   
Learn: We grow our Biblical knowledge, enrich our understanding, and apply our faith to daily life.
Connect: We develop and strengthen relationships in our congregation, local community, and global community through invitation and service.
Care: We offer compassion, companionship, and faith affirmation throughout life’s journey.

These statements come through congregational surveys and discussions, and many discussions with Council, Staff, and Leadership Teams.

Now, the goal is to choose initiatives.  

These are ways to focus our efforts within each area of our Mission, so that we’re working toward common goals.  After discussion with Staff, Council, and Leadership Teams, we’ve drafted some initiatives to share with you.

Recommended WORSHIP initiatives focus on growing worship:

• Explore new ways to promote worship and SOTV, especially Saturday
• Explore new ways to make worship more engaging to all ages

Recommended LEARN initiatives focus on creating goals and identifying gaps:

• Develop goals and strategies for cradle to grave learning
• Offer a variety of experiences to learn in different ways
• Examine Children, Youth, and Family programs and structure
• Identify and address perceived gaps
• Offer progressive courses

Recommended CONNECT initiatives focus on relationships: note this is a new pastoral role, and is under development.

• Within the congregation:
  • Evaluate current fellowship offerings, and explore opportunities to use them for reaching out to the community too
  • Explore ways to foster connections and relationships around SOTV, centering on “invitation” and “service”

• Within our community:
  • Work with civic, non-profit, and business leaders to better understand unmet needs in our surrounding area
  • Identify and strengthen partnership opportunities

Recommended CARE initiatives focus on promoting our offerings:

• Increase awareness and utilization (as needed) of care and support offerings
• Prayer chain
• Care available from lay leaders, parish nurses, and pastors
• Support groups
• Develop intentional connection to Worship, Learn, and Connect

Several initiatives that impact all areas are already in some form of development:

• Website – Especially important in connecting with visitors, and regulars wanting to register for events and classes. Website, database, and social media initiatives fall under the Engagement Team.
• Database – Consistent information that can be accessed by all staff as appropriate is important. Seeking improvement in maintaining current information and interests, promoting events in relevant ways, fostering connection and caring, facilitate volunteer registrations, among other things. The Engagement Team has recently begun work on assessing our database needs.
• Membership – Would like to explore rationale for membership, and promote ways that commitment (through membership or otherwise) can deepen faith and foster connection. Focus on responsibilities (like partners) vs. expectations (like membership). Consider task force, sermon series, etc.
• Simplifying communications and processes – Emphasize visitor-friendly resources, simpler bulletin/newsletter handout, common information for staff and volunteers to guide others, opportunities for cross-promoting worship and programs

What do you think about these initiatives?  Would you like more information?  Does something sound exciting and you’d like to get involved?  You can contact me at (952) 985-7356 or kari.slotten@sotv.org.

A Parent’s Thankful Perspective

Dear Shepherd of the Valley,

Today I am thankful for YOU. Thank you for providing support through your ADHD, Autism and Other Disabilities on the Spectrum support group.

Thank you for empowering me to be a better parent, not only to my child with autism, but to my neuro-typical child. I learn things every month that help BOTH of them. These sessions also help ME (I'm certain that I have undiagnosed ADHD)!

What I love about the ADHD/Autism Support group:

• It's an ongoing event, so I don't have to seek out special speakers/events on my own.
• There is free childcare, so it doesn't matter what my husband is up to that night.
• It's every single month, so I'm constantly learning more about my child(ren).
• It's nearby (we're in Eagan).
• It's a low key set up with low key coordinators (I never feel smothered by too much 'welcoming' or 'getting to know you' hype)
• It's very automated (e-mail reminder, childcare signup online, speaker list online with thorough descriptions, etc.).
• It is truly a service provided by the church, with nothing expected in return.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

-Crista Jeske, mom of Emma and Carter

Our ADHD Support Group next meets on Monday, March 16 from 6:45 - 9:00 pm. This is group is free and open to anyone. Learn more.