Have You Been to a Hot Breakfast Yet?

This fall, we began offering Hot Breakfasts twice a month on Sunday mornings in the Great Hall. They happen on the 2nd and 4th weekends of the month from 9:00 - 11:00 am.

You've heard that breakfast is "the most important meal of the day" before, right? You could also say breakfast is the most important meal of the church too. Through breakfast, we can show others the welcome of Jesus Christ.

Food and fellowship on December 8.

Church can be perceived as an uncomfortable place sometimes, but comfort food like pancakes, bacon and eggs can make people feel welcome and part of the body of our faith community. In just the last few months we have witnessed many visitors, including whole families, sit down for a meal and make great connections with fellow churchgoers. This fellowship is priceless and is why we wanted to offer this delicious food at modest prices.

The magic happens in the kitchen!

First-time visitors can come and eat for free. Kids 2 & under are also free. Kids 3-10 eat for $4, youth & adults are $6, and seniors (55+) are $4. The maximum cost for a family of 4 or more is only $20. We accept credit and debit cards too, so you don't have to worry about having the right amount of cash with you. If you don't desire a full breakfast, please enjoy our coffee & donuts (which are available every week) for a freewill offering of your choosing.

If you haven't been to a Hot Breakfast yet, we hope you can come to one of upcoming dates: December 22, January 12 or January 26. Bring your friends!

Volunteers monitor the food stations all morning.

Finally, please know that these breakfasts only happen because of the tremendous work of dedicated volunteers back in the kitchen, and also out in the Great Hall managing hot stations, beverage stations, keeping things clean and greeting guests as they come in. Please consider volunteering yourself at a Hot Breakfast Sunday, and sharing the love and welcome of Christ with others.

A full list of volunteer roles can be found on our website.

Photos and video by Omar Reyes.

Join the fun and volunteer at a Hot Breakfast!

A Reflection on the Council Action on Same-Gender Marriage

Pastor Chris Smith
Senior Pastor

As reported on SOTV’s website, the Church Council met last Thursday and voted in favor of the resolution to authorize the pastoral staff of SOTV to officiate for same-gender marriages. The vote was six in favor of the resolution, four opposed, with one abstention. I offer here a few thoughts about the vote.

First, I want to offer my thanks to the Church Council. Members of the Church Council spent a great deal of time in prayer and deliberation. They took their task with utmost seriousness and were remarkably honest with one another. Their vote reflects genuine differences in their views on same-gender marriage. But, however they voted, their vote does not detract from their faithfulness to serving the Lord at SOTV. They all worship the same Lord and they all want the ministry of SOTV to make a difference in the world in the name of Jesus. As they serve together on the council they all serve the same crucified and risen Savior and their vote does not change that. In my own humble and bumbling Lutheran way, I am proud of the Church Council for voting honestly but also agreeing on the center of our mission in Jesus Christ and recognizing that that is what unites us.

We live in a highly divided and polarized world and a lot of important things don’t get done because of it. We are also susceptible to becoming divided when the call of God is to be united for the sake of Christ. The extraordinary genius of Jesus was to be able to call followers as different as Nicodemus the Pharisee, the extortionist tax collector Matthew, and the woman at the well with her many failed marriages. All three were remarkable in their imperfections. And yet Jesus still called them together into one mission that is still saving the world. He needs all of us.

I think that, as a community of faith, we have the capacity to do that – to be one people in mission even though we have differences that we need to respect. I believe such unity is possible for our church. I appeal to all in our Body of Christ to let the love of Christ bind us together in worship and service to a world in need. Most important, I encourage us all to pray without ceasing as we move forward as a church.

Churches that succeed best for God’s kingdom keep their eyes focused like a laser on the Lord Jesus. They recognize their brokenness and that the church is not a bastion of the perfect but a hospital for sinners. Their people have strong convictions but they also recognize that they don’t have all the answers. They differ in their perspectives, but they still worship together with joy. They are filled with gratitude for the forgiveness won by Jesus on the cross and they are energized to be ambassadors for Jesus, bringing good news to a hurting world. They gladly serve those in need and give for the sake of others. They value every gift and they cherish each volunteer commitment. They pray without ceasing. They stand together at the foot of the cross. And, they realize that they can do so much more together than they ever can if they are divided. All this is what I pray we can be.

I encourage us all to pray, to worship, to serve others in Jesus’ name, and to listen. Let’s move forward in faith. Let’s do it together.

See You in Church,

Pastor Chris Smith

Please note: All comments made below will be received and reviewed upon submission. Vulgar or offensive commentary will not be posted for public view. You may also send questions or comments to council@sotv.org.   

A Pastoral Letter on Upcoming Council Action on Same-Gender Marriage: Part 4

This is the fourth of a four part series. Please also read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. Council will vote on its proposed resolution on Thursday, November 21, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. All council meetings are open to the public. If you wish to communicate with council prior to the vote, please e-mail council@sotv.org.

Part 4: Two ways of reading the Bible and how they make same-gender marriage such a polarizing issue.

Pastor Chris Smith
Senior Pastor

The Bible is central to our life as a community of faith. We preach from it in worship each week. We offer multiple Bible studies each year. Our vision for ministry is based on core teachings of Jesus in the Bible. For us, as the ELCA constitution says, the Bible is the “inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm” for our life and faith. For this reason the Bible has been central in the discussion about same-gender marriage. This letter seeks to address two interconnected questions about the Bible: What does the Bible have to say about same-gender marriage? How can people on both sides of the controversy each use the same Bible to support their points of view?

Let me begin with two images – a chain and a target of concentric circles.* These images represent two different ways to read the Bible.

The chain on the left represents a more literal way to read the Bible. Readers who have this perspective value each verse of the Bible equally and are generally unwilling to regard some verses of the Bible as less or more important than others. If anyone considers a verse or book of the Bible to be less important or even irrelevant, then he or she is in effect breaking a link in the chain and the whole chain falls apart. In this representation, devaluing one verse devalues the entire Bible.

The consequences of this perspective are significant for the question of same-gender marriage. The Bible explicitly prohibits same-sex behavior in two places, Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13.** While some may regard Leviticus as less important for our life of faith, those who ascribe to the “chain” view of scripture do not. As a result, readers who abide by the chain view of biblical interpretation may be opposed to same-gender marriage because they value all of scripture equally.

The target on the right represents a contrasting way to read the Bible, one that is based on the idea that there are parts of the Bible that are more important than others. These readers place parts of the Bible that are more important to them at the center of the target. For example, they may place the Gospels very near the center of their target, with John 3:16 right on the bullseye, and they may place Leviticus farther away from the center. The Gospels are more important to them than Leviticus.

The consequences of this perspective are also significant. Readers who use the target model of biblical interpretation will take away from the Gospels core values of Jesus like inclusiveness, the golden rule (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”) and loving your neighbor as you love yourself. They reason that if a church does not permit same-gender marriage, same-gender couples will not be fully included and will not be treated equally. For this reason, these readers may support same-gender marriage, even though Leviticus specifically prohibits same-sex behavior.

These two basic ways of reading the Bible tend to collide with one another. Let me use the less current issue of slavery to illustrate how these scriptural collisions work.

Slavery was enormously controversial in the church for centuries. In support of slavery the church cited many biblical passages. For example, the law code of Deuteronomy in chapter 20 approves of slavery and the holiness code in Leviticus in chapter 25 allows participation in the slave trade. Likewise in the New Testament book of Titus (2:3) the author writes: “Teach slaves to be subject to their masters and in everything to try to please them, not to talk back to them.” Proponents of slavery used passages from the Bible like these to support their positions. Those in the church who opposed slavery also used the Bible to support their position, most notably the Great Commandment of Jesus found in Matthew 22:

One of them, a lawyer, asked Jesus a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ Jesus said to him, ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’

You can see how these two scriptural viewpoints would collide. Verses in the Old and New Testaments specifically about slavery were used to legitimize and support slavery. By contrast, a more sweeping mandate not specifically about slavery (the Great Commandment) was used to oppose the practice of slavery. The reasoning of opponents went this way: If Jesus commands us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, and we would not submit to slavery, how can we tolerate the enslavement of our neighbors?

What happened with regard to slavery is a typical scriptural collision: Specific verses were used on one side of the controversy, while more sweeping biblical mandates were cited on the other. I could review other examples, but you get the idea.

It should be noted that if you corner readers in both groups, they are forced to admit that neither group reads the Bible in an entirely consistent way and that both sides tend to select verses that are more important to them than others, even the chain readers.

Let’s return to the question of same-gender marriage which results from a similar scriptural collision. Some argue that passages in the Bible that prohibit same-sex behavior collide with core values of the Gospels and of Jesus that actually underpin marriage - values like sacrificial love of one’s neighbor, commitment, fidelity, and inclusiveness. Because same-gender marriage could not possibly have been even on the radar of our biblical forebears, they would not have even considered the possibility that people of the same gender could share marital commitment and fidelity like men and women did in their time. Nor would it occur to them that the radical inclusiveness of Jesus and his Great Commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves might mean that we afford our gay and lesbian neighbors the same prerogative to marry as their heterosexual neighbors do. This is one way to describe the viewpoint of many “target” readers regarding same-gender marriage.

On the other hand, others argue that the biblical witness in Leviticus is crystal clear about same-sex behavior. The core values noted above, while very important for our life of faith, do not provide specific and clear guidance about same-sex behavior or same-gender marriage. Instead they help us to be clear on the boundaries and limits by which God calls us to live our lives. To ignore Leviticus would also be to specifically disregard a portion of God’s Word, something we do not have the prerogative to do. This is one way to describe the viewpoint of many “chain” readers regarding same-gender marriage.

The controversy about same-gender marriage is made more complicated because the Bible does not talk specifically about same-gender marriage (that answers my first question). It talks about same-sex behavior. The reason why is simple. The concept of same-gender marriage would never have occurred to the patriarchal culture of Bible. Still, because sexual behavior and marriage are so closely related in the controversy, readers of the Bible easily transfer scriptural prohibitions of same-sex behavior into prohibitions of same-gender marriage.

I hope this letter has helped you understand why readers of the Bible can come to two entirely different views on a controversial topic like same-gender marriage. They are simply using two different models for how to interpret the Bible. The answer to the question how we interpret the Bible really is, “It depends.” It depends on the model you use to read it. Sometimes I wish the answer were not “it depends.” I wish it were so clear that no one had any doubt about what the Bible has to say about same-gender marriage or any of the other controversial topics that can occupy our attention. Topics similar to same-gender marriage have been the subject of arguments based on the Bible, many for centuries (the role of women in the church is an example). The witness of history is that people on both sides have been able with equal force to make powerful and compelling arguments based on the Bible.

So where does that leave us? As a community of faith, we all have different views on a variety of issues. Truth be told, we each can and do read the Bible in different and more complex ways than what I describe here. But remember this: our unity is not based on how we each read the Bible. Our unity is founded in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is not just a figure we read about in the Bible. He is risen and He is here, with us, binding us together as one people who are empowered to worship God and be ambassadors to the world with His love. We do not worship the Bible, we worship Jesus, and in Him we find our unity.

See You in Church,

Pastor Chris Smith

Please note: All comments made below will be received and reviewed upon submission. Vulgar or offensive commentary will not be posted for public view. You may also send questions or comments to council@sotv.org.  

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*These images come from David Lose’s book, Making Sense of Scripture.

**There are other references in the Bible that some interpret as being about same-sex behavior, but they are more ambiguous and unclear. For further reading, I recommend Russell Pregeant, Reading the Bible for All the Wrong Reasons, and Dan O. Via and Robert A. J. Gagnon, Homosexuality and the Bible, Two Views.

A Pastoral Letter on Upcoming Council Action on Same-Gender Marriage: Part 3

This is the third of a four part series. Please also read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 4. Council will vote on its proposed resolution on Thursday, November 21, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. All council meetings are open to the public. If you wish to communicate with council prior to the vote, please e-mail council@sotv.org.

Part 3: Some personal perspectives on same-gender marriage

Pastor Chris Smith
Senior Pastor

I have had a lot of very personal and emotional pastoral conversations lately about same-gender marriage. Where people land on this question has a lot to do with personal experience. As with much in life, it’s often not about what you know; it’s about who you know.

As the congregation dialogues in October took place, I was impressed with the way the Church Council and its president facilitated the dialogues. By offering a few basic ground rules, most of the conversations, with a few exceptions, were caring and respectful. That is remarkable, considering how personal and emotional the topic of same-gender marriage is.

Dialogue participants shared perspectives about same gender marriage based on a variety of things. Some discussed biology and whether sexual orientation was innate or not. Some shared perspectives on sexuality that others had taught them as they had grown up. There was a lot of conversation based on the witness of the Scriptures (I’ll write about that next week). There was also a lot of sharing about personal relationships. People spoke about siblings, co-workers, friends, children, grandchildren, and other relatives who were gay or lesbian. That’s where I want to focus for a moment.

There are at least two impacts from these personal relationships. First, when people discover that someone they care about is gay or lesbian, it can change their perspective. Attitudes about same-gender relationships and marriage tend to shift when people we care about tell us about their homosexual orientation. People also begin to realize in a more concrete way that a person’s sexuality does not define their identity. The knowledge that someone is heterosexual or homosexual reveals absolutely nothing about that person’s identity, talents, gifts, insights, loves, vocation, or hopes. So, one impact I observe is that sometimes attitudes change when family members and friends learn that someone they care about is gay or lesbian. They can change because they love the person and see beyond sexual orientation.

The second impact I have observed when people discover that someone they care about is gay or lesbian, is that it can sometimes place them in a bind. Our perspectives on same-gender marriage come from all sorts of places and those perspectives can result in conflict within us. Someone might believe that the Scriptures prohibit same-gender marriage and yet they may also have a child who is gay or lesbian and wishes to marry. How do they deal with that? Their love and loyalty to that child are at odds with their interpretation of the Bible.

Over the years, I have visited with many families who are suddenly faced with the reality of a child who is gay or lesbian. The impact of this revelation is often to shake up long-held beliefs and sometimes to cause those families to re-assess their convictions. This is not easy stuff. Sometimes the result is an enduring feeling of being conflicted and even alienation within a family. Sometimes families reach a point of acceptance because they are able to see beyond sexual orientation and its implications.

The process that the Church Council and, really, our whole church is working through is also very personal. I know it has been for me. Working on these blogs and having conversations with people from SOTV whom I care about have been good experiences for me. They have made me realize how much I do not yet understand about the whole question of same-gender marriage. I also find myself humbled because I feel that I (along with the council, my colleagues and our whole church) am in a kind of bind as well. I have met with many people for whom I have great respect who are adamantly opposed to same-gender marriage. I have had similar conversations with those who are in favor of it. And, several on both sides have stated that if the council votes one way or the other, they will leave SOTV for other churches, either more progressive or more conservative.

Comments like that concern me. As I said in my second blog, your pastoral staff is dedicated to serving and supporting all the people of this church in the name of Jesus. That individuals or whole households would depart over a matter that is not central to our vision for ministry concerns me because we seek to welcome everyone, whatever your perspective is on the controversial issues of the day. We believe we are one family of faith, bound together by the love of Jesus Christ, and that there is a place for everyone.

One thing I know after being immersed in the question of same-gender marriage for so many months is that what I am writing here is not the last word. It is a beginning word. We do not know what pain or bind our neighbor is in amid the struggles we all share as human beings. Discussions about topics like same-gender marriage reveal our brokenness, our aspirations, and our longing for certainty. When we are dealing with people’s lives, hopes, dreams, and the care we have for one another, things are often less than certain and it is also personal. We need to be careful, loving and respectful in our conversations.

One other thing has become very clear to me, too. Precisely because the question of same-gender marriage is so personal, we will never all fully agree. Take a look at the resolution the church council is considering for its vote. If you do, you will get a sense of how the council has taken this question seriously and personally. The resolution acknowledges the differences among council leaders, and yet also names the unity in mission they seek to exemplify. The resolution also frames the question not as one where there will be winners and losers, but rather as one which gives us a way to move forward together. This has been a significant struggle and cause of anxiety for your council as they have striven to discern the best path and I have been impressed by how transparent they have been when meeting with one another in the past several months. In that context they are trying sincerely to model the potential we have as the people of God to do more together, under our unity in Christ, than we could ever do individually.

See You in Church,

Pastor Chris Smith

P.S.: I have received a few comments asking why the congregation as a whole is not voting on the question of same-gender marriage. There are three main reasons.

1. This is not a matter central to fulfilling our vision. While this question is briefly taking our attention now, there is much more to be done to invite all to experience the welcome, transformation and sending of Jesus Christ.  
2. As I said in my second blog, the question of same-gender marriage is really a question of pastoral practice. The council seldom exercises influence on the practice of pastoral staff at SOTV (only in this case, in my recollection). As such, matters of pastoral practice are not really subject to congregational vote. They are subject to pastoral judgment and only occasional council consultation.
3. On a matter that is so personal, all that a congregational vote would accomplish is to alienate those who end up in the minority. That does not serve the unity of the Body of Christ. 

Please note: All comments made below will be received and reviewed upon submission. Vulgar or offensive commentary will not be posted for public view. You may also send questions or comments to council@sotv.org.

A Pastoral Letter on Upcoming Council Action on Same-Gender Marriage: Part 2

This is the second of a four part series. Please also read Part 1, Part 3 and Part 4. Council will vote on its proposed resolution on Thursday, November 21, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. All council meetings are open to the public. If you wish to communicate with council prior to the vote, please e-mail council@sotv.org.

Part 2: How same-gender marriage is a matter of pastoral practice

Pastor Chris Smith
Senior Pastor

A big part of a pastor’s calling is taking care of the spiritual needs of the people in her or his community of faith. Pastors baptize, visit the sick, care for the bereaved, offer counseling, and celebrate Holy Communion. Recently I was involved in the blessing of a new home for a family. All of these duties, and others I haven’t mentioned, make up what we call pastoral practice. Officiating at weddings is part of pastoral practice as well.

What guides your pastors as they conduct their pastoral practice? This isn’t an easy question to answer because every situation is unique. Sometimes the need is simple, like a hospital visit with someone who will heal well and return to a full life. Sometimes the need is more complicated, like a hospital visit with a sorrowful family who has suffered a stillbirth. At other times the occasion is joyful, like a baptism in worship, celebrating Holy Communion with someone who can’t leave their home, or officiating at a wedding.

Based on examples like those and many others, I have formulated a few guidelines for our pastoral practice:

1. The central goal of our pastoral practice is to help people interpret their experience in light of God’s love for them and the core conviction that God is present and at work in the most intimate and important events and moments of our lives.
2. The message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ governs how we conduct our pastoral practice. Jesus was in the business of reaching out with reconciliation, healing, and joy.
3. We do not make judgments about people when we conduct our pastoral practice. In other words, we don’t try to judge whether someone deserves or doesn’t deserve the care we provide.
4. We do consider whether conducting a given pastoral practice makes sense or is appropriate in a given circumstance. There is nothing cookie-cutter about pastoral practice.
5. We always do our best to provide people with practical help, support, and resources.
6. We try to be good stewards of the church’s time and resources as we conduct our pastoral practice.

No doubt my colleagues and other pastors could tweak these guidelines and come up with others of their own. After all, pastoral practice is as diverse as the breadth of human experience. But these give you a good insight into the pastoral practice of your pastors at Shepherd of the Valley.

But here’s the thing. If you boil all these guidelines down, it’s really pretty simple: Your pastors are people who have been so grasped by the extraordinary love of God that we simply have to share it. In the name of Jesus Christ and by his grace, we love the people of Shepherd of the Valley and that love takes shape in our pastoral practice. And, that is exactly why the whole question of same-gender marriage is such a hard one for your pastors – because our pastoral practice is not about judging others but about making the merciful and gracious presence and power of God known to them.

Now that does not mean we are not thoughtful and very careful about our marriage ministry. In this case, our pastoral practice is not really about weddings – well, it is, but it really isn’t. Instead it is about marriage. We take delight in the formation of healthy, committed, faithful marriages. We require couples to complete relationship inventories and to meet with their officiating pastor to review the results. We require them to attend a day-long seminar with a well-qualified local counselor and faith leader. Finally, we also ask couples to attend worship and submit notes about their shared experience. It is not all cut and dried, either. Four times in my career couples in my care have discerned that they should not marry. At other times, my colleagues and I have asked couples to seek additional help to start their life together well. All this means that we consider carefully the guidelines for pastoral practice I listed earlier.

There are also different approaches among pastors in other contexts to the question of same-gender marriage as a pastoral practice.

Talking recently to several colleagues at other churches recently, the response of many of them has been to ignore the question. When approached by same-gender couples who wish to marry, they are not able to give a clear response.

Other colleagues, who choose to do so, officiate for same-gender marriages, but only away from the church buildings and faith communities in which they serve; they do not report this as part of their pastoral practice. This practice highlights the tension that can exist in pastoral practice when we ask the question, Are pastors free agents to conduct pastoral practice as they wish when they are not within the community of faith they serve? This is a hard question because pastors serve by virtue of the call they receive from a specific congregation. For that reason, one could argue that such pastoral practice is lacking in integrity (but that is certainly a matter of debate).

To deal with the question of integrity, still other colleagues have worked privately with their church councils. Often, the result is that their church councils authorize them to conduct their pastoral practice, including same-gender marriages, as the pastors see fit. Their pastoral practice includes same-gender marriage but that practice is not subject to consultation with their church council once the general authorization is given.

I should mention here that our pastoral practice at SOTV, in my recollection, has not previously been subject to consultation with our church council. But after a lot of thought, I have concluded in this case that our pastoral staff really cannot either operate as free agents without council consultation or request that our church council simply grant us carte blanche in our pastoral practice. SOTV is a large congregation. When on vacation, without planning to do so, I have encountered SOTV members in four different states and in foreign countries as well. The global reach of our congregation is a metaphor for me that wherever our pastors go to serve others, our whole church really extends there, too. It simply makes more sense to me that we all be transparently honest about what we do in our pastoral practice, without of course ever violating confidentiality.

For that reason, the process the council is going through leading up to their vote on November 21 is a good one. It respects their governance role as those entrusted with creating policy for our church. The process has also respected your pastors in their pastoral practice. The council has long known the insights and perspectives I have shared here and affirmed the thoughtful ways in which we conduct our pastoral practice. We have a good and positive relationship with SOTV’s church council, who display great trust in our judgment as pastors. As the council concludes this chapter in our life as a congregation, I would also ask you to trust your pastors as we receive the wisdom of the council and seek to conduct our pastoral practice with love and integrity.

See You in Church,

Pastor Chris

Please note: All comments made below will be received and reviewed upon submission. Vulgar or offensive commentary will not be posted for public view. You may also send questions or comments to council@sotv.org. 

A Pastoral Letter on Upcoming Council Action on Same-Gender Marriage: Part 1

Pastor Chris Smith
Senior Pastor

This is the first of a four part series. Please also read Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4. Council will vote on its proposed resolution on Thursday, November 21, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. All council meetings are open to the public. If you wish to communicate with council prior to the vote, please e-mail council@sotv.org.

Background
During the first two weeks of October this fall, the Shepherd of the Valley Church Council led three congregation dialogues on the question of whether or not SOTV pastors may officiate for same-gender marriages. Thank you to all who participated. The Council is currently reviewing your comments from those dialogues in preparation for a vote at its next meeting on Thursday November 21, 2013. Read the proposed resolution. All Council meetings are open to the public. In the meantime, I sense that it would be helpful to share some thoughts from a pastoral perspective about this process. My thoughts here are deeply informed by many conversations with my pastoral colleagues at SOTV.

With that in mind, for the next four weeks I will address four areas related to SOTV pastors and same-gender marriage, one topic each week:

1.    Why pastoral staff have not spoken publicly about same-gender marriage.
2.    How same-gender marriage is a matter of pastoral practice.
3.    Some personal perspectives on same-gender marriage.
4.    Two foundational ways of understanding the Bible and how they can make same-gender marriage such a polarizing issue.

Part 1:  Why pastoral staff have not spoken publicly about same-gender marriage.

During and after the congregation dialogues I heard from many people who asked why members of the pastoral staff were not addressing the question of same-gender marriage publicly in worship and in their teaching. Here are three key reasons.

1. Such communication tends to divide and polarize more than unite us in our mission. This is the case especially if pastors advocate for one perspective. Since the ELCA first approved its social statement on human sexuality back in 2009, many pastors in the ELCA have chosen to speak publicly in worship and other venues about human sexuality and same-gender marriage. Their comments have usually divided congregations and created a sense of opposition among church members with differing perspectives. The outcomes often look like the way things have worked recently in our nation’s legislative system: polarized and unproductive. It makes me sad to think about the number of churches I know of that have divided. The results have been misused resources, and years of lack of focus on the real mission of the church. When pastors publicly and divisively speak about same-gender marriage, they place at center stage an issue which, though important, is by no means central to our life in Christ and the mission we share in Him. Doing so also makes pastoral staff the key drivers of policy decisions in congregations, which leads me to the second reason.

2. Pastors aren’t permanent residents in a congregation. Think about it this way: If I, as your senior pastor, stood before the congregation and advocated a particular viewpoint on same-gender marriage and that resulted in the church council choosing to go in a particular direction with its policy, what happens when your next senior leader arrives? Will that person’s viewpoint on the matter then result in a different policy approach for SOTV? The bottom line is that developing and communicating policy regarding any question or concern at SOTV is a matter for the Church Council. That is the role of the Council: gather information from the congregation (including the pastoral staff as appropriate), deliberate with the information it receives, develop the best policy it can for the time, and direct and support the pastoral staff in their work. All this helps pastors give proper attention to the work that should be their focus, which leads me to my third reason.

3. The preaching and teaching of your pastors should not be driven primarily by polarizing, controversial topics. Make no mistake: these topics are important and very personal. But when you come to worship or a bible study, you should not expect topics like same-gender marriage or abortion or capital punishment or war to be featured week after week in the pastors’ preaching and teaching. The Bible certainly has something to say about each of these topics, but none of them holds a key role in the central witness of the Bible in Jesus Christ. I’ll say more about this in part 4 when I write about interpreting the Bible. For now, I will simply say that the message of Jesus – his death and resurrection and the life and forgiveness he gives us – governs how your pastors preach and teach. These gifts from Jesus also enable us to be part of a community of faith in which controversial topics can be discussed with respect and caring, even if we disagree. Our unity is in Christ.

Three additional points in closing:

First, even though pastors are not permanent residents, let me assure you that your pastors do not intend to base their tenure at SOTV on the question and the vote your council faces regarding same-gender marriage. Your pastors, who have a combined 70+ years of service just here at SOTV, love the people of this congregation and appreciate serving here. That said, even a pastor who has been serving a congregation for 20 years or more cannot claim to be a permanent resident. Through the work of the church and the Holy Spirit, on whom the church relies to choose its leaders, pastors are subject to what we call “mobility.” The reasons pastors come and go are not predictable and are personal and complex, and are an attempt to seek faithfulness to God’s calling.

Second, I think your pastors do have a place in the conversation about same-gender marriage, but we can’t drive policy; that is the church council’s job. This four-part letter is a witness that we are not trying to avoid the question. However, we must provide a shepherding and unifying voice for Christian community in a culture that lately seems to be stuck in a divisive and polarizing way of talking.

Finally, one of the things I really appreciated about the recent congregation dialogues is that discussions among people with differing perspectives on same-gender marriage were, for the most part, respectful and caring. This tells me that as a community of faith, we have the capacity to deal with the question of same-gender marriage well. I believe that, even if we differ in our views, we can still be one church, precisely because same-gender marriage is not the main thing in our mission. Instead, it is one aspect of pastoral practice, which I’ll talk about next week.

See You in Church,
Pastor Chris Smith

Please note: All comments made below will be received and reviewed upon submission. Vulgar or offensive commentary will not be posted for public view. You may also send questions or comments to council@sotv.org.

Our Vision: Detailed in One Page

As you can see from this blog, our vision of Experience Jesus, much like the ministry of Jesus himself, is at times both simple and complex. To help better explain all that our vision entails, we've created a one-page document. You can download a PDF copy or simply read below. As always, we welcome your thoughts or feedback.

Our Vision:

Shepherd of the Valley invites all people to experience the Welcome, Transformation, and Sending of Jesus Christ.

WELCOME
Jesus lived out welcome as an active, intentional, and passionate ministry. He did not wait for people to come to Him. In the parable of the lost sheep (Matthew 18), he challenges us to be on the lookout for every single lost sheep.

Shepherd of the Valley must be a community of invitation and welcome with:

• A visible and inviting presence with caring connections to our neighborhoods and community;
• Attractive, well-maintained, and accessible buildings and grounds;
• Volunteers thoughtfully deployed so all feel invited and cared for.

TRANSFORM
Jesus taught that the essence of the Christian life is to love God (Matthew 22). The goal of worship is to express that love in praise and thanksgiving to Jesus Christ with all that we are. The goal of teaching is to learn who Jesus is and become equipped to live a life of faith in him.

Shepherd of the Valley must offer transformational experiences with:

• A variety of worship experiences,offered at various times weekly;
• Consistently accessible and high quality preaching and music;
• Dynamic and relevant Biblical preaching;
• Learning experiences that appeal to both mind and heart;
• Small groups that build community, supportive relationships, and vibrant faith;
• Excellent technology that supports and enhances worship and learning.

SEND
The ministry of Jesus was simple: he welcomed all, they were transformed by their encounter with him, and he sent them out to enact the same experience for others. He commands us to do the same in the Great Commission (Matthew 28).

Shepherd of the Valley must send people out into the world to share their experiences, with:

• Tools and resources for sharing information about our ministry;
• Guidance and support for all people on their journeys of faith in worship, learning and service;
• Expanded opportunities for fellowship and service in our community and in the world.

Get "Hot" on Sunday, August 18

Mmmm... bacon.

We will have our third summer Sunday Hot Breakfast on August 18.The response to our June and July breakfasts has been great! People have loved the food and enjoyed the space of the Great Hall for fellowship. Surprisingly, attendance was even higher in July than June. 

We hope you will come to our breakfast in August, and especially hope you invite your friends and neighbors too. First-time visitors eat for free!

We also hope you feel called to volunteer at a breakfast, either on August 18 or later this fall, when breakfasts will be every week (exact start date to be announced soon!). But don't take it from me. We asked Tom Knutson, who volunteered in June and July with his family to talk about volunteering. Here's what he said:

I signed up to help with all three breakfasts this summer as a way to get involved with the church. My wife Julie, and 4 daughters (ages 7-17) agreed to help in this project. I know you need volunteers to help and I wanted to do something as a family. We believe it is good to give back and volunteer our time. We joined SOTV a few months ago and didn't know where to volunteer because there are just so many ways to do it. We were kind of shocked at all the need out there [in the community].

We like volunteering as a family and have done Feed My Starving Children several times. It gives us a sense of pride when we are able to help out people in some small way.

Tom's youngest daughter shows the best way to clean tables

I can't sing and I don't like reading in front of others so I was looking at getting involved in other areas of the church when I heard about the volunteers needed to cook and serve breakfast. I was like, I like to cook and help people and it doesn't involving singing or reading out loud. 


I would encourage anyone to get involved as you feel closer to God, your family and the church. Volunteers can come in all sizes. By being a good role model for your kids, they will pass it along to their kids, too. When you volunteer, you get a sense of giving back to your fellow mankind. 

Thank you, Tom! Our current list of volunteer needs can be found on our website.

During his ministry, Jesus always made time to break bread with others. Providing a weekly meal on Sunday mornings is a great way to welcome our community into a closer relationship with God and with each other. Thank you to everyone who is helping SOTV grow into Our Vision. Together, let’s continue to dream up ideas to invite all people to Experience Jesus.

Have a question or feedback for us? Leave a comment below or visit www.sotv.org/feedback

All photos by Patty Zwiefel

Implementing Our Vision: New Worship Leader Identified

Last summer, we introduced Our Vision for ministry: Shepherd of the Valley (SOTV) will invite all people to experience the Welcome, Transformation and Sending of Jesus Christ. Last fall, we published specific plans of how we would invest in worship to achieve Our Vision, including the creation of a new full-time Worship Leader position.

The job of the full-time Worship Leader is to plan and lead our band-led worship, and also help evaluate our worship options in terms of structure, style, visuals, music and overall experience. While we worked over the past year to identify a candidate for this position, Brian Bremer served as a part-time interim leader. We are very grateful to Brian for his work, leadership, and dedication to the ministry of SOTV. Brian’s collaboration with staff and volunteers enabled a successful transition of band-led worship from the Great Hall to the Sanctuary. We are thankful to Brian for his work as the interim leader.

Brian will continue to lead the band through the 11:00 a.m. worship service on Sunday, July 28, 2013. Following the 11:00 service, Brian will be available to greet you in the Great Hall. Please join us and express your appreciation! We look forward to continued worship and fellowship with Brian and his family.

Our year-long search was a significant, wide, and prayerful process which included input from a large group of people. We are pleased to announce Shawn Vaughan will join our team as the new Worship Leader effective August 1, 2013. Shawn will lead 11:00 a.m. worship beginning Sunday, August 4, 2013.

Shawn comes to SOTV with many years of worship and band leadership across a variety of venues. His training and education includes a degree from McNally Smith College of Music, in addition to a passion for ministry and excellence in worship. Shawn will report to Mark Ertl, Director of Music and Worship, and collaborate with the pastoral staff. In addition, he will provide leadership to the band and other musicians. We are excited to experience Shawn using his skills and gifts to create meaningful and inspirational worship. Please join us and warmly welcome Shawn!

Favorite Hymns

This past weekend in worship, we concluded our series on the Psalms with a Hymn Sing. The original hymns were Psalms, after all.

Below are a series of videos featuring members of SOTV speaking about their favorite hymns, all of which were featured in worship as part of Pastor Duane's sermon. You can also listen to Pastor Duane's sermon.
The hymns we sang in worship last weekend were chosen by you! There were 385 total votes, and here were the top vote-getters (# of votes):

1. Beautiful Savior (42)
2. Amazing grace (37)
3. How Great Thou Art (35)
4. Borning Cry (18)
5. On Eagles Wings (17)
6. A Mighty Fortress (13)
7. Lift High the Cross (12)
8. Children of the Heavenly father (11)
9. Holy, Holy, Holy (11)
10. Here I Am, Lord (10)
11. What a Friend We Have in Jesus (9)
12. Praise to the Lord the Almighty (7)
13. Just As I Am (7)
14. This is My Father’s World (6)
15. Battle Hymn of the Republic (5)
16. Earth & All Stars (4)
17. Shine Jesus Shine (4)
18. I Know That My Redeemer Lives (4)
19. I Love to Tell the Story (4)
20. Love Divine (4)
21. Abide With Me (3)
22. Day by Day (3)
23. You Are Mine (3)
24. We Are Called (3)
25. We Are Marching in the Light (3)
26. Jesus Christ is Risen Today (3)
27. For All the Saints (3)
28. This Little Light of Mine (3)
29. Jesus Loves Me (3)
30. When Peace Like a River (3)
31. Canticle of the Turning (3)
32. Silent Night (3)

15 songs had 2 votes. 62 songs had one vote. The top three songs had over 25% of the vote. The top ten songs had over half the votes. Thank you to all those featured in our hymn videos, to everyone who voted for their favorite hymns, and special thanks to Arlen Wilson for suggesting the idea for the Hymn Sing.

A Recap of a Busy June

The transforming winds of the Holy Spirit have blown briskly throughout Shepherd of the Valley this June. Usually the start of summer is a quiet time, but not so this year! If you've been away for a few weeks (no judgment here, it is summer!) here's what you might have missed:

• Band-led worship has moved from the Great Hall (at 9:45 and 11:00 on Sunday) to the Sanctuary (at 11:00 only). There are many reasons for this move. Essentially, the Sanctuary is a larger and better space for worship. You can read about the full list of reasons or watch Pastor Chris talk about them.


• Organ and piano-led worship continues to thrive--unaltered--at the worship times of 5:00 p.m. (Saturday), 8:30 and 9:45 a.m. (Sunday). In addition, we have added a service for the summer months at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, for folks who are out of town during the weekend. Often there's ice cream on Mondays too, and who doesn't like ice cream?


• Sunday fellowship (aka coffee and donuts) has moved from the Narthex to the Great Hall. There's much more space for people to visit and meet in the Great Hall, and now less clutter in the Narthex. In addition to coffee and donuts, we're offering a Hot Breakfast on Sunday, July 14, August 18, and in the fall on dates to be announced.


• We've added technology to the Sanctuary, under the leadership of our Production Manager, Omar Reyes (hired this spring): screens, new video camera, and a larger sound booth area that will enable staff and volunteers to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. It's pretty exciting!


• Pastor Paul Harrington has officially retired. There was a fantastic celebration of his ministry during worship on June 22, 23 & 24. You can listen to or watch his final sermon online. He and Margaret will remain active members of SOTV.


• If that wasn't enough, there were also two fun-filled weeks of Vacation Bible School and our most successful garage sale ever. This year the Shepherd's Sale had more volunteers than ever before and our largest ever profit. $28,000 was raised for children in need!

Thank you to the many, many volunteers who have made June worshipful, meaningful, and fulfilling. Is Christ calling you to get involved in the flurry of activity at SOTV? Check out our current list of volunteer opportunities.

Questions or concerns? Drop us a line. We review each and every comment - your voice really does matter!

God bless you this 4th of July.

Trip Sullivan
Communications Director

A Most Heartfelt Word of Thanks!

From Pastor Paul and Margaret:

The last couple of weekends have been among the most special times in our lives. Margaret and I decided these days rank right up there with our wedding day and the day of my ordination into the ministry of the church. Words fail us as we try to thank everyone who had anything to do with our farewell celebration. But let us try. 

To the Planning Committee and the SOTV staff that made everything run so smoothly despite the large crowd and the somewhat limited space due to the Shepherd’s Sale preparations, thank you. 

To have almost the entire Senior Choir show up on a summer Sunday to sing that gorgeous piece of music (“Fairest Lord Jesus”) was more than we could have hoped for. 

To the four speakers at the program, we are so indebted. 

 To the Men’s Quartet that sang at the Monday evening “cabin service”, we are grateful. 

To Pastor Duane who orchestrated the entire event and who also wrote two musical “masterpieces” sung by the staff and by the Men’s Quartet, our sincere thanks. 

And for hundreds of cards, emails, letters, gifts, hugs, and well-wishes with some of the most affirming and heartfelt words you can imagine, we say THANKS to one and to all! You have been a blessing to us and our family for over three decades and we count you among the greatest gifts God could have ever given to us. 

This is a remarkable congregation so filled with love, devotion, and a deep desire to make a difference in the world today. It has been an extraordinary joy to have served with you for these past 33 years and we will never forget your many kindnesses, your faithfulness, your generosity, and your love for one another. 

We will always be thankful for each and every one of you! You have been one of the greatest blessings of our lives! 

Your friends in Christ, 
Pastor Paul and Margaret Harrington

Wowed by a Wonderful Weekend

Wow! That’s the word that came to mind this past week after witnessing significant events at our church.

On Friday, SOTV hosted the funeral of Lt. Col. Mark Weber on behalf of Easter Lutheran Church. Volunteers and staff from Easter directed traffic, greeted and welcomed mourners. Representatives from the National Guard were on hand and the entrance to the church was flanked impressively by their honor guard. Word is some 800 people attended, and it was truly a wonderful celebration of life.

I heard many positive comments from people in our community that our church looked great and staff provided extraordinary support. Although our role in this event was very small, we were honored to be able to help minister to so many people during a difficult time, and be a place for people in our community to experience the welcome of Jesus Christ. Thank you to everyone who made this possible.

The Shepherd’s Sale is again underway and volunteers in record numbers are hard at work. And, the building of full of great stuff. Thank you to all the donors! All has begun well and smoothly during a very busy weekend. On the basis of this excellent beginning, we are looking forward to another successful sale on behalf of children in need.

Of course, this past weekend marked the celebration of Pastor Paul’s retirement. Worship was wonderful, the program very well done, and the meal managed superbly. It’s been a long time since we have fed that many people in the building at once and I thought it went great. There was lots of affirmation for Pastor Paul, Margaret and the whole Harrington tribe. I was especially impressed by the staff and volunteers supporting this event. Another Wow!

Don’t forget, all this is taking place on the heels of a great VBS program just a couple of weeks ago, and another week just around the corner. So, well done, one and all. In recent days and weeks a lot of people have experienced the welcome of Jesus at SOTV thanks to the good work by this community of faith.

Finally, thank you to all who come and take part in our worship and special programs. You are the church, and the reason we do what we do.

See you in church,
Pastor Chris Smith

A Meditation on Change by Pastor Paul

Recently, as Pastor Paul was contemplating his upcoming full retirement, he offered a few thoughts on how SOTV is beginning to live into its Vision for ministry:

My Mother used to remind me that change in life is the one constant. Depending on your situation, that may be good news or not such good news. But often, change can be helpful, progressive, innovative, and even life-giving. 

In response to its vision, SOTV is currently making some changes in its worship life. Time, place, and style of worship in some cases have changed. Upgrades have been made in our technology. New screens, projectors, sound boards, and other audio equipment have been added to our worship experience in the sanctuary.

We live in an age of technology when telling the gospel story can take many forms in order to reach a wide range of people. Over the next several months we will all likely do some adjusting to this new vision for worship. It is the hope of your pastors that these modifications will allow them to share the Good News of our Lord and Savior more effectively than ever before. I will be experiencing these changes along with all of you and I trust they will be implemented thoughtfully and caringly under the guidance of our pastoral staff.

Be assured that the basics of Word (Bible) and Sacraments (Holy Communion and Holy Baptism) will remain central to the ministry of SOTV as we gather each week for a time of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. As the Psalmist put it, “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go up into the house of the Lord.” (Psalm 122: 1)

- Paul L. Harrington

Psalms in Real Life

This week we're taking a break from hot breakfasts and transformations in and around the building to focus on worship itself. After all, worship is the center of our ministry and vision to Experience Jesus.

Thank you to Pastor Diane Sponheim for writing this week's blog, and for her work in putting together the summer Psalm worship series!

--

I challenged myself and all of you to try praying the Psalms with me this summer as we go through the 6-week series “Drinking Deeply From the Psalms” I hope you're trying it – it's never too late to start! The Psalms will teach us to pray, and they will stretch us and work on us.

Here's what a couple of families had to say about their experience of praying the Psalms.

“Our family decided to take the challenge! After dinner, we look up a Psalm, and read it one verse at a time, passing the Bible around the table, so everyone gets a turn. As we read, we stop and ask what they mean – what is God teaching us? When we read Psalm 3, first we had to look up why the heading of the Psalm told us that David (the writer of the Psalm) was running away from his son Absalom, so we learned something! Then, we thought about people who need deliverance, and each person named someone to pray for God to deliver them from their situation. The boys came up with “The Okies” (recovering from the tornado) and hungry people. It was cool to see our kids connecting the words of the Psalm with situations that are happening today.”

“My wife and I are both going through very difficult times at our jobs. We decided to pray not just one Psalm a day, but a few. It's helped us both get through some really hard days. We feel like the Psalms articulate some of the really “unacceptable” emotions we feel (anger and the desire for revenge) while also giving us hope. We've noticed that God has answered our prayers and helped these situations resolve quickly. Thank you for encouraging us to pray the Psalms!” 

I encourage you to read and pray the Psalms with us. I'd love to hear how God is working on you through them!

If you didn't pick them up in church, you can download the instructions for my Praying the Psalms challenge right now.

- Pastor Diane Sponheim

Sunday, June 2 in Pictures

Sunday, June 2, 2013 was a big day at Shepherd of the Valley. We held our first "Hot Breakfast" in the Great Hall from 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. and experienced our first band-led worship at 11:00 in the Sanctuary.

Both events were a great success! The vibes and energy in both rooms on Sunday were positive, the food was delicious, and the message and music were especially resonant and worshipful.

Sunday's success was thanks to the hard work of many volunteers - who cooked and served food, set up and cleaned, welcomed and greeted, rehearsed and performed, and invited others to experience Jesus, through their dedication and presence.

Not everything was perfect. Immediately following 11:00 worship, volunteer and staff teams began a series of debrief and planning meetings that will continue in the weeks and months to come. We've heard many great comments regarding both worship and fellowship, and are working hard to make sure each Sunday is better and better. Everything from the volume of the preacher, to traffic flow, to little details like providing sugar-free syrup are being analyzed and considered. If you have an idea - please share it!

Eating breakfast at church or worshiping with a band may not be for you. But they are important first steps to reaching out to new people - as we've learned from our own extensive research and through conversations with growing churches across the country. We are also designing transformations with the many faithful, long time members of SOTV very much in mind. Jesus continually calls us through the Gospels, especially through the Great Commission, to get out of our comfort zones. Please pray for us as we work toward fulfilling this challenging vision, and please continue to share your thoughts and ideas with Pastors Chris and Randy, online, or by filling out a comment card at church.

The next Hot Breakfast will be July 14, but fellowship with coffee and donuts will continue to be offered each week in the Great Hall. Below are pictures from this past weekend. Thank you Patty Zwiefel for capturing them!

A few of the hard workers in the kitchen on Sunday.

Sunday's menu included french toast, bacon, eggs and sausage.

The Great Hall was full of energy and people enjoying food and fellowship.

One of our youngest volunteers, was also one of the busiest!

A/V tech John Pollock (middle) helps the band set up.

 Jan Nicolai gets the elements ready for weekly Holy Communion.

A new multi-camera system allows views of worship to be captured from all angles of the Sanctuary.

A great crowd came out for 11:00 worship.

Omar Reyes and Steve Genrich have everything under control

Come to the Annual Meeting - Sunday, June 9

 

From Steve Mueller, Council President:

As you travel on your lifelong journey of faith, we are grateful for your commitment to Shepherd of the Valley. SOTV is you. And you have made SOTV a great place.

SOTV is fortunate to be led by great leaders like Pastor Chris and Pastor Paul before him. They are leaders who are not willing to coast. 

Think back. Remember the welcome you felt when you first came to SOTV. We want to create that for others. We want this to be an alluring place to worship. The Gospel calls us to serve others and invite them to the Gospel. Our Vision helps us to bring the Gospel to others.   

We are glad that you are here. We really believe it is not an accident that you are here right now. God has a plan for you: continuing our service toward the Great Commandment; helping us realize the invitation of the Great Commission; or even better—both! 

Come to the annual meeting and dream with us about our future. 

The 2013 Annual Congregational Meeting is Sunday, June 9 at Noon with lunch provided.  

Learn more about our Church Council and view minutes from recent meetings.

June is Almost Here!

June brings big things to SOTV and our excitement is building to a crescendo as we begin to implement Our Vision! Since May is a busy time for many of us, we thought a recap and some short updates were in order.

• Our Annual Congregational Meeting is Sunday, June 9 at Noon. Together, we will enjoy a delicious lunch and discuss Our Vision and what's in store for the fall and beyond. Please RSVP at the Welcome Center or online so we can plan enough food.

• Beginning in June, all weekend services will be in the Sanctuary. Worship times remain the same: Saturdays at 5:00 p.m., Sundays at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 a.m.

• Our popular summer "Cabin Worship" returns, Mondays at 7:00 p.m. in the Chapel, beginning on June 3.

• Our band-led worship, The Table, will move from the Great Hall to the Sanctuary at 11:00 a.m. Last week the Table band had a dress rehearsal in the Sanctuary, and everything sounded great, transitions worked smoothly, the band is pumped. Exciting times at SOTV!

• Major technological enhancements are underway over the next few weeks to bring the Sanctuary up to the 21st century including video cameras, video screens, improved sound, and lighting.

Omar Reyes

• This process has been overseen by our new resident tech mastermind, Production Manager Omar Reyes. Three new HD cameras are now installed and look great! They are mounted in different parts of the Sanctuary and will be operated by volunteers. Pretty soon you won't have to squint or crane your neck to see what's going on in the front of the church from the back rows, like a baptism or children's production. We can't wait for you to see these new worship enhancements in action!

• In June, the Great Hall will be transformed into a place for fellowship. Coffee and donuts will remain available for a freewill offering. No more will you have to fear getting trampled in the busy Narthex when reaching for a chocolate-frosted donut.

• In addition, we will have a full, hot breakfast once a month this summer (June 2, July 14, and August 18) and in the fall on dates to be announced. Guests and visitors eat for free! Kids (3-10) & Seniors: $4, Adults $6, Kids 2 and under: free. Fellowship in Christ: priceless! For the first time ever, we will be able to take debit and credit cards in the church. The finalized menu for June 2 includes cinnamon swirl french toast, bacon, sausage, eggs, hash browns, yogurt, fruit and cereal. Mmmm... are you drooling yet?

With the thrill and excitement of new ministries, comes the realization that things won't stay the way that we're used to. Hey, we get it, change is hard. So we appreciate your willingness to try something new or step out of your comfort zone.

We also really appreciate all of the comments and feedback we've heard over the last couple months, including the comments at our Congregation Dialogues. Please know that we value each and every one of them. If you still have questions, see if Pastor Chris answered them in any of our videos from last week or if they are on our list of Frequently Asked Questions.

We, the pastors and staff of SOTV, are so very honored to serve you. Our goal is to live out Jesus' Great Commission to "go and make disciples." We believe June is a great first step into making our church more welcoming to newcomers and more worshipful for all of us.

Come Sunday, though (or Saturday, or Monday), this is still YOUR church, and we want you to be just as excited as we are. So please come to our Annual Meeting on June 9 to dream along with us, or drop us a line with your thoughts and ideas.

See you in church!