We're Having a Block Party!

Have you heard we’re planning a Neighborhood Block Party? It will be Saturday, September 6 outside in the SOTV parking lot on from 4-7pm.  Please help spread the word!

Many of you have urged us reach out more to our community. We agree! Connecting to our community is an important way to live out Our Vision to invite all people to experience the Welcome, Transformation, and Sending of Jesus Christ. So let’s do it! We will need your help to come and invite others to join you.

Our volunteer worship band led by Shawn Vaughan will provide live music. Volunteers and staff are donating supplies, setting up tents and helping run games. Dannelle will be cooking hot dogs and brats. This will be a low-cost event, but a fun way to connect with our neighbors. Banners will be up soon at our corner, and an invitational mailing will hit many area homes the first week of September. Invitations that you can give to friends and neighbors will be available at church entrances.

Worship will be inside at 5 pm, and the following week (September 13) we will shift to two service times on Saturday: 4:00 pm (band-led worship) and 5:30 pm (organ/piano-led).  In between services at 5:00 pm is a casual community and fellowship time we’ve dubbed the “Saturday Sampler.” Each week there will be special activities planned – something different each week!

You may have also heard that GodZone Christian education for Age 3 (by 9/1/14) – Grade 3 is now available at each worship time, including Saturdays. Register for fall.

We've timed the Neighborhood Block Party on purpose a week before this new Saturday schedule and fall programming starts, so that people can get connected into the life of Shepherd of the Valley. 

Please come to our Neighborhood Block Party, and bring a friend, or two. All are invited!

Adventures Serving in Haiti 2014

Take a journey to Haiti with the 11 youth and 3 adult leaders who traveled to Pignon July 10-18, 2014. The following are e-mail updates and photos from youth director Sarah Bane. More photos can be found on Facebook.

Thursday, July 10

We've made it to Port Au Prince! After a long day of travel and encountering very long lines at immigration we were treated to a delicious dinner at our hotel and have all turned in for the night.

Tomorrow, we board our propellor plane and head north to Pignon. We have so far been in awe of how different life is here, but equally amazed by God's beauty and grace at work and in abundance among the Haitian people. Thank you for your continued prayers for our group as well as for those whom we encounter -- you are in our prayers, too!

Friday, July 11 & Saturday, July 12
Today was our first day traveling to visit community wells built through Haiti Outreach. It was a long (1.5 hr, one-way) & bumpy ride! Saturday is market day in Pignon. After a bite of lunch we'll go check it out!

Sunday, July 13
Today was church day and a visit to the orphanage in Pignon.

Monday, July 14Today we visited the well near Hinche again and worked alongside the community to make finish in touches. We stopped in Hinche for ice cream and enjoyed practicing our Creole


Tuesday, July 15 
Today was a scorcher! No work to help with, but we got to see a well drilling rig in action, tour a dam, as well as a dairy factory. Oh, and we also got to shop from some local vendors. Watch out MN -- we're coming home bearing souvenirs!

Wednesday, July 16
The well is done and we've made some dear friends. It will be hard to say goodbye tomorrow when we participate in the well commissioning service with the village of Kabayi. 

Bonswa! (Good evening)~

All is well here in Pignon. We've had a hot week full of many adventures and many new friends. Most notably, we've all come to love our trusty translator -- a Pignon resident -- Ben. Today we helped a community in between Hinche and Thomasique, called Kabayi, put the finishing touches on their brand new well. Tomorrow, we'll go back to celebrate with the community for their well inauguration. It's hard to believe tomorrow is our last full day in Haiti!

If you'd like to see some more pictures, please check out Facebook! I've been posting everyday and have put everything on my personal page, and tagging "Shepherd O.T. Valley." Feel free to friend me (Sarah Bane) if you're having trouble finding posts.

All appears to be on schedule thus far for our travel on Friday. Students will have access to their phones again once we reach Miami around 3pm Central Time, so I'll make sure everyone checks in with home! :)

Hope that you are all well and we'll see you soon!

Mon dye va beniou (God bless you)

~Sarah

 

Revisions to GodZone & Confirmation 2014-15

Frequently Asked Questions


Shepherd of the Valley considers it a privilege to partner with families as their children grow in faith. GodZone is our Christian education program for Age 3 (by Sep. 1) - Grade 5. Confirmation is our Christian education program for Grades 6-9. Youth are invited to Affirm their Baptism in the fall of 10th grade.

 

The questions and answers below reference our revised 2014-15 schedule for GodZone, Age 3- Grade 5 and Confirmation, Grades 6-8. The schedule for Confirmation Grade 9 remains unchanged from last year.


How were the revised options for GodZone and Confirmation decided?

• Our Vision to invite all people to experience the Welcome, Transformation and Sending of Jesus Christ, led us to evaluate our worship, education, and supporting programs.
• We listened to feedback from members, administered surveys, sought advice from consultants and similar congregations, and engaged members for further advice and recommendations including a Children’s Ministry Task Force.
• We made adjustments to our initial plans based on this combined feedback and advice.

Why are there new sessions for GodZone on Saturdays?

• Starting in September, there will be a new worship schedule on Saturday with a band–led worship at 4:00 PM and organ/piano-led worship at 5:30 PM.
• There will also be an increased variety of music, hands-on service, food and fellowship on Saturdays for families.
• New GodZone sessions will provide more opportunities for families to be involved in worship, education and service.
• All music groups, including children and youth choirs and bells, will include Saturday performances on a rotational basis.

Why is GodZone divided between grade levels on Wednesday and Weekends?

• Consolidating sessions for each grade level will ensure the enrollments necessary to maintain quality, high-energy programming , effective group dynamics and motivations for student attendance.
• Data from GodZone 2011-14 enrollment and attendance indicates that the majority of PK-Grade 3 are more likely to enroll in a session time aligned with worship and Grade 4-5 are more likely to enroll in Wednesday sessions.
• The curriculum and objectives for Grade 4-5 are more focused on a readiness for confirmation. Aligning this group with confirmation on Wednesdays will provide opportunities to share service projects, parent resources and expectations for involvement in weekend worship.

Why is 3:15 Confirmation no longer offered on Wednesdays?

• 3:15 is inconvenient for students from local schools with the exception of Falcon Ridge students (who can walk across the street after dismissal).
• Immediately after school is not an optimal time for students to be in a structured learning environment.
• Attendance at 3:15 is very inconsistent due to seasonal participation in after school activities.
• It has been a difficult time to recruit youth and adult volunteers, and to establish parent involvement. SOTV believes that forming relationships to peers and mentors is critical to faith formation in young adults.

How will you support families whose children cannot attend the revised session times?

• A GodZone Home Edition will be available for parents to teach their children at home. Packets will be available once a month for parents to pick-up. Children’s Ministry Staff will also be available for specific grade level support.
• In Confirmation, we are excited to offer a weekend retreat + monthly small group option. Following the retreat, small groups will decide the day and time they will meet. Additionally, we are happy to provide you with resources for faith formation at home.

Why make changes at all if it will inconvenience some families?
God continually calls us to innovate and adapt program ministries to enrich opportunities for people of all ages to grow in faith and community. Several factors demanded that we reconsider and revise our options:

• Member feedback for more options that fit a busy family schedule
• Desire for programming at times when volunteers are more readily available
• Matching programming to an expanded worship schedule
• Group size and dynamics for quality programs
• Efficient use of staff resources and facility space

Further questions? Please contact:

Mim Campbell, Director of Children’s Ministry at (952) 985-7350 or Mim.Campbell@sotv.org
Katie Strand, Director of Youth Ministry at (952) 985-7360 or Katie.Strand@sotv.org


View revised 2014-15 Schedule for GodZone and Confirmation.

 

Annual Meeting Summary

Please take a moment to review a summary of the content of our Annual Meeting. Formal Minutes to follow and will be posted via SOTV Council approval. Watch our website for details. There were approximately 162 in attendance. Please direct questions to Council@sotv.org

Presenters

• Steve Mueller, Council President
• Troy Nelson, Treasurer
• Jenny Buckley, Council Vice President
• Lynn Askew, Council Member & Past President

Introduction – Steve Mueller

• Gratitude expressed for our many volunteers who make ministry possible all year long
• Acknowledgment of a great year of ministry at SOTV
• Indication that the meeting will address some financial issues but acknowledge we are a congregation of generous financial supporters
• Thank you and round of applause to Dannelle Bautista, Kitchen Manager and Volunteers for today’s lunch

Call to Order – Steve Mueller

Devotion – Pastor Chris Smith

• Video with SOTV Pastors What is Your Favorite Bible Verse and Why?  With Discussion
• Prayer
• Hymn 641

Approval of 2013 Annual Meeting Minutes

Motion moved to approve by Linda Nelson

Motion second by Gordon Bentley

State of the Church – Steve Mueller
 “We are a congregation of transformation.”

• Vision:  Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church will invite all people to experience the welcome, transformation and sending of Jesus Christ
• 2013-2014 At-a-Glance. We have done some great things!
• New Worship Leader Shawn Vaughan
• New Production Manager Omar Reyes
• Supported Brandon Newton's transition into pastoral ministry
• Invested in worship & technology
• United congregation by moving to one worship space
• Consistent display of American flag in Narthex/Atrium implemented
•  Hosted Congregation Dialogues throughout the year to gather feedback 
• Council authorizes pastors to officiate at same-gender marriages
• Celebrated our Tanzania Partnership with a visit from Pastor John Mhekwa
• Celebrated our Partnership with Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem with a visit from Pastor Mitri Raheb.
• Financial review introduction
• Letter shared from member of inspiration to increase personal giving.  

Leadership & Governance – Jenny Buckley

• Explanation of Ballot and Voting

1.     Approval of Council Officers 2014-2015:  Yes or No vote

• Jenny Buckley, Council President
• Paul Keller, Council Vice President
• Steve Mueller, Past President
  
  [Unanimously Passed]

2.    Approval of Council Member-at-Large (Electing TWO) (Candidate Information was provided)

• LaVon Dennistoun  [Elected]
• Michael Kelly
• Ken Syverson [Elected]

• Leadership Team Structures

• We learned from the CAT Survey that our congregation wants a broader representation in decision making at SOTV
• Review of current Leadership teams and an introduction of new Leadership Teams
• Members in attendance of the meeting for each Leadership Team were recognized
• Interested in serving on a Leadership Team contact council@sotv.org
• Leadership Teams

• Council
• Finance
• Capital Campaign Strategy
• Human Resources
• Benevolence
• Building & Grounds
• Kairos
• Stewardship
• Communications
• Welcome

2014-2015 Budget – Troy Nelson

• General Fund Budget

• Presentation and explanation of income, expenses and financial needs 
• Presented deficit budget of -$192,539 
• Expected use of General Fund Balance and minimum balance of $500,000 before implementation of staff reductions 
• Discussion and Q&A

• Building Fund Budget

• Presentation and explanation of income, expenses and financial needs
• Presented use of fund balance in the amount of $60,000 for expenses
• Current Building Fund debt $4,530,362 @ 4.375% Commercial Rate
• Proposal to enter a Capital Campaign 2014-2015
• Discussion and Q&A

• Organ Fund

• Presentation and explanation of income, remaining pledges, payments and financial needs
• Organ has been funded completely separate from general fund by supporters
• Remaining loan balance $144,077
• Funds still needed $121,000
• Discussion and Q&A

 Approval of 2014-2015 Budget

Motion to approve by Gordon Bentley

Motion second by Karen Piehler-Shaw

Capital Campaign – Lynn Askew 
"We don’t want to build more, we want to do more."

• Background

• Last Capital Campaign was 2004-2007 primarily for building of Sanctuary, Chapel, Narthex expansion, and classroom expansions 18- 22
• Capital Campaign Strategy Team formed in 2012

• Purpose of 2014-2015 Campaign

• Debt Reduction (Currently $4.5mm)
• Facility Improvements (Building & Parking Lot)
• Local, Regional, Global Outreach and Benevolence 

• Timeline

• May 2014:  Consultant Selected, James D. Klote
• Summer/ Fall 2014:  Preparation & Feasibility Focus Groups
• Fall/Early Winter 2014-15:  Initial visits with congregation
• January – March 2015:  Heart of the Campaign

Approval of Capital Campaign

Motion to approve by Kathy Larson

Motion second by Gordon Bentley

Adjourn

Motion to adjourn by Pat Buss

Motion second by Betty O’Leary

Annual Meeting 2014: Prepare the Way!

Sunday, June 8 will be a busy day in the church building. In addition to a Hot Breakfast (9:00 - 11:00 am), Camp Wapo Orientation for children (Grades 2-5) and parents at 9:45 am, and a Summer Commissioning for all Summer Stretch, Summer Camp, Mission Trip participants and leaders during worship at 9:45 and 11:00 am, we will have our Annual Congregational Meeting.

The coming year at SOTV will be full of activity and excitement. We want to prepare for what’s next in our church’s mission and we need your help – all of you. Here’s what you can expect on June 8 at our Annual Meeting:

• A Devotion - SOTV Pastors
• State of the Church Report - President Steve Mueller
• Leadership Elections and Appointments - Vice President Jenny Buckley
• Capital Campaign Discussion and Vote - Past President Lynn Askew 
•  Budget Review and Approval - Treasurer Troy Nelson & President Steve Mueller

Lunch will be served in the Great Hall following 11:00 am worship with a freewill offering. The meeting will take place in the Sanctuary immediately following lunch.

We hope to see you there so you can hear about all the great things that have been done at SOTV in the mission of Jesus Christ in the past year and the plan for 2014-15. This is a great opportunity to participate in and support the work of your church.

Please register at the Welcome Center or online, so we can plan for food.

$161,426 raised for Heifer International

In honor of "Throwback Thursday", we're taking a look back at our 13 years of ministry supporting Heifer International. You may remember it as "Fill the Ark" Sunday or Petting Zoo weekend.

About Heifer

Heifer provides long-term solutions to hunger and poverty. Since 1944, Heifer has helped 20.7 million families in more than 125 countries move toward greater self-reliance through the gift of livestock and training in environmentally sound agriculture. The impact of each gift is multiplied as recipients agree to “pass on the gift” by giving one or more of their animal’s offspring, or the equivalent, to another in need.

Here to better explain how Heifer works is celebrity chef Alton Brown:




How You Have Helped

Every spring since 2000, you have helped us raise money for Heifer International. These donations provide farm animals that produce food and income for needy families around the world. The total of $161,426 represents 13 years' worth of donations by Shepherd of the Valley. That's an average of over $12,000 per year. Wow! THANK YOU to all who have made generous gifts to Heifer over the years.

For those of you new to SOTV, most years have happened like this:

In early spring, children in church are given an ark-shaped bank  to take home and collect coins in. Sometimes even "older kids" take a bank too! On Fill the Ark Weekend, usually the first weekend of May, the congregation returns its FULL banks to church, with all donations going to Heifer. Additionally, we have staged a "Living Gifts Market" in the narthex where people can symbolically “purchase” animals including goats, pigs, honeybees and more. Many people have taken advantage of Fill the Ark Weekend's proximity to Mother's Day to give mom a special gift that keeps on giving!

What you probably remember most from past years is the Sunday Petting Zoo featuring many of the same animals that Heifer purchases for families. In addition to the photos on this page, check out our Throwback Album on Facebook. It's always fun to see kids experience animals up close, but check out some of the awe-struck adults getting in on the action too!


Moooved by Great Volunteers!

A special debt of gratitude to the volunteer leaders of this ministry including Kirsten Levorson, Martha Pederson, Lori Bullock, and most notably the Turnquist sisters—Cheryl Perry, Kristi O’Brien, Marcia Priebe, (pictured) and their entire families. Over the years, the Turnquist clan has created many creative, memorable, and always costumed, skits for worship. These skits have served to educate and bring awareness to the work of Heifer and the need for this global mission. Their dedication to this ministry has been truly inspiring, and has provided a great example of how a whole family can serve together to support a single cause.

We did not plan a Living Gifts Market or Petting Zoo this spring, but we encourage you to learn more about Heifer International and to make a donation now, or any time throughout the year at www.heifer.org.

SOTV does great work in many other global ministries too, including our Tanzania Parternship, Holy Land Shepherds, Fair Trade Coffee (in the narthex this weekend!), and more. Thank you to all the volunteers and generous donors who enable this faith community to be Christ's hands and feet in the world through Heifer, and other global ministries.


See more photos from past Fill the Ark Weekends on our Facebook page!

Post by Shepherd of the Valley- Apple Valley, MN.

CAT Survey Results Provide Helpful Insights

A Summary by Pastor Chris Smith

Pastor Chris Smith
Senior Pastor

Thank You! 
The Church Assessment Tool (CAT) Survey was completed by 927 people between January 19 and February 16, 2014. This is fantastic! The large sample provides results which have high validity and yield reliable insights. Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey. Below is a summary of key findings from the survey. A full copy of the report with an explanatory DVD is available at the Welcome Center for check-out.

A High Energy Church 
The people of Shepherd of the Valley (SOTV) report that the church is a high energy center of ministry in the name of Jesus Christ. SOTV is a transformational church where people express overall high satisfaction with their experience of its ministry and appreciate the diverse opportunities for worship and growth that our church offers.

An Adaptable Church 
SOTV people also report that they experience the church as a flexible, adaptable place of mission and ministry. We are willing to adapt our worship and our programs in order to meet the changing needs of our current members as well as to reach out to others in our local community. We are also a theologically diverse community of faith. We think and talk about God in a variety of ways and make room for others with differing viewpoints.

Particular Strengths 
The CAT survey highlighted a number of areas of strength in SOTV’s ministry: 

• Music and Worship – Worship at SOTV is characterized by music and other worship elements that are outstanding and inspiring for faith 
• Educational Offerings – SOTV provides opportunities for education that are high quality and suit the needs of our community. 
• All Called to Ministry – SOTV does a good job of equipping its people for ministry and helping them know that they make a difference. 
• Energetic Spirit – At SOTV, people experience the presence of God in ways that impact their faith and how it connects to other aspects of their lives. 
• High Morale – People at SOTV are energized and transformed by their experience of the church so that they invite others to experience the church as well. 

Of course just because these are strengths of SOTV does not mean that these same aspects of our ministry do not need attention and improvement. CAT results also point to ways we can build on our strengths to enhance the experience of the ministry and mission of SOTV.

Places for Improvement 
The CAT survey also revealed a number of areas where SOTV can improve: 

• Governance – CAT results suggest that the Church Council and other governance teams at SOTV do two things: First, include broader representation from the congregation and, second, make information about key decisions more accessible for review and comment. 
• Transformation and Meaning – While people experience an energetic spirit and high morale at SOTV, they also seek greater meaning from their experience in worship and beyond to apply to their lives every day.
• Conflict Management – SOTV has gone through a variety of changes in recent years. Changes like these will happen more effectively through broader engagement and excellent communication in the process of making decisions and implementation. 
• Invitation and Welcome – SOTV needs to explore new ways to welcome and engage the diverse community around us. 
• Activity Level Beyond Worship – While the people of SOTV affirm worship as a key priority in their faith development, their involvement beyond worship is at a lower level than most churches. How can we inspire greater participation? 
• Opportunities to Give – The people of SOTV on average give 1.28% of their household income to support the mission and ministry of SOTV. A giving increase of just one-half of one percent of household income would fully fund our mission and enable us to be far more generous with those in need. 

Your Priorities 
The CAT survey provided the opportunity to name priorities and hopes for SOTV. The results ranked four as high or very high priorities: 

• Serve Our Community – The people of SOTV want to do much more to reach out and serve those living on the margins of society. This means that our church needs to develop ministries that bring healing to those broken by life circumstances.
• Reach Out – The people of SOTV want to develop and implement new ways to invite others to engage in the life and ministry of SOTV. 
• Build Relationships – The people of SOTV want to form new relationships with others in our community of faith. This priority means that we need to create new and diverse ways for people to meet one another and build relationships. 
• Worship that Transforms – Worship and music are already key strengths of SOTV. The people of SOTV want these experiences to deepen their connection to God and one another and to bring greater meaning to their faith in daily living. 

The Vision and the CAT 
It’s exciting to see how the results of the CAT survey align with the vision of SOTV. Our vision is to invite all people to experience the welcome, transformation, and sending of Jesus Christ. This vision supports devoting more energy to reaching out, building relationships and community, and creating transformational worship experiences, all priorities for SOTV. These efforts would also build on our strengths as a church. As an adaptable, high energy church we have the capacity to put into action much that the CAT survey results suggest.

Ideas Please! 
Your leaders on the church council and on the church staff will be discussing the CAT results in the weeks and months to come. If you have ideas about putting insights from survey results into action, please share them. We need good ideas! And, thanks again for completing the survey!

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Full CAT Survey Results 
Download the full Vital Signs Report (PDF) prepared by Holy Cow Consulting. A full copy of the report with an explanatory DVD is also available at the Welcome Center for check-out.

You may also view a video explanation below of the Vital Signs Report, by J. Russell Crabtree, called the Vital Look Session. This video lasts an hour and 17 minutes.