Our Summer Vacation, Part 1

"What did you do on your summer vacation?"

The people of Shepherd of the Valley will have a myriad of responses to that question. Here is the first in a series of posts highlighting our church activities over summer 2015.

Camp Wapo

 

This June, about 90 children (Grades 1-5) traveled to Amery, WI to visit Camp Wapogasset! We are blessed to visit this place each summer. With a beautiful landscape, tons of fun songs and activities, and wonderful youth as Wapo Staff, kids get to experience God’s love in a new and exciting way at this place! Kids either experienced Wapo for the weekend (Seeds Weekend), a full week, or just one day (Wapo One Day). All campers had a great time and we hope kids will continue to come back to Wapo each summer!

Everest Vacation Bible School 

 

At this year’s Vacation Bible School, kids explored Mount Everest with high school and adult volunteers as their “Sherpa” and their peers as their “climbing buddies.”

Throughout the week, they learned about God’s power to provide, comfort, heal, forgive and ultimately, love! They ate delicious and silly snacks at Mountaintop Treats, exhausted all their energy at Glacier Games, crawled through a bear cave to an icy  wonderland to hear Bible stories, used their imagination to experiment with science at Imagination Station and created many wonderful take-home goodies at Carabineer Crafts!

In large group, kids laughed alongside Everett and E. Hillary as they took on the challenge of making it from Base Camp to the Summit of Everest! Overall, Everest VBS was an amazing success!

During the week, our climbers also brought in offering in their mini “Yeti bears” to help buy food for the people who live in the mountains around Everest. The grand total raised over two weeks was $2,247.26.

All Mixed Up Camp

 

Just like kids, artwork comes in many shapes and sizes. In June, 40 preschool students attended a 4 day, fun filled, all mixed up week during “All Mixed Up” art camp. Students learned about animals that had fur, fins, and scales from Como Zoo and learned all about the ocean from Mad Science. Students went home with projects that included beaded snakes, mosaic garden stones, abstract painting and a cute cupcake sculpture.  Students helped our community by making cards for the kids at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and cat toys for the humane society. The week ended with a wonderful art gallery of all of the students work. To help keep the creativity flowing, each student went home with their very own art kit. A great time was had by all and SOTV is looking forward to another fun preschool camp next year! Stay tuned for the official theme.

Critter Camp

 

In August, 40 1st-5th graders came to “Critters in God’s Creation” mini-camp! They had such a great time getting to know other kids and their small group leaders, all while learning about many different animals that God created. They played games, enjoyed silly snacks and made several unique crafts including cat beds and toys that we donated to the Humane Society, and of course, their own stuffed animal moose! We also were lucky enough to work with the Humane Society, the MN Zoo and the Raptor Center. Those organizations sure know how to make learning exciting for kids! What a great week learning to appreciate how amazing and unique God’s creation is!

Thanks to Ali Drube, Pam Tschida, Jeanne Mikulski for these recaps and photos!

Taking Leave, Trusting God

Lord, the newness of this day
calls me to an untried way.
Let me gladly take the road,
give me strength to bear my load.
Thou my guide and helper be,
Let me travel through with Thee.

- Henry Van Dyke, “A New Day Prayer”

I am leaving Shepherd of the Valley. Leave-taking is hard. It requires leave-making. Part of my leave-making is making sure you understand why I am taking my leave.

First, let me offer assurance that things continue to go well at SOTV. I have nothing but positive experiences to report to you about my years at SOTV. Certainly there have been challenges to face but that is normal. A human organization that deals with the most important aspects of our lives – love, God’s purposes for us, our relationships – will always present such challenges. They are a small minority of what this work and calling are about. I have enjoyed the best of pastoral colleagues, the most dedicated and competent of staffs, the most devoted and gifted volunteers imaginable, and a wonderful community in which to serve. And all that will continue here after I’m gone.

It may sound odd, but all that means is this is a good time to take my leave. Shepherd of the Valley is on track to do some amazing things in the future and I’m leaving at a time when God has much more for me to do as well. The energy and the enthusiasm are high for the congregation and for me. God continues to bear good fruit through the people of this congregation. Seeds for an even better future have been sown and will continue to be sown. Our God is a God of the future and promises a productive and joyful future for you and for me. SOTV is a faithful, well-resourced, energized community of faith. An abundant harvest is right around the corner!

But, leave-taking is still hard. As the poem says, God is calling me to an untried way and I will miss SOTV and all of you very much. This September, I will begin serving a church in the Minneapolis Area Synod that has experienced some challenges in leadership. My job will be to listen, to lead, and to serve. The goal is to help the congregation develop a roadmap to move forward in a whole variety of ways. This is not a permanent position, but one that will last for a year or more. Then, I’ll be off to the next place that could use a helping hand. I won’t know where until the opportunity arises.

This sort of strategic interim ministry brings its own particular challenges and opportunities. I’m looking forward to using my experience, skills, and gifts to benefit the church in new ways. I thank SOTV and all of you for affording me the opportunity to become a pastor who can be of such help to other churches. I suppose you could say that I am leaving because God has prepared me to do just this kind of ministry, even though it does bring with it ambiguity and uncertainty about the future. I trust God will provide for my needs and yours. He always has.

Peace in Christ,
Pastor Chris Smith

Pastor Chris Accepts New Role

Pastor Chris Smith

Pastor Chris Smith, after careful discernment, has decided to accept a new role with the Minneapolis Area Synod. You can read more details in his letter of resignation.

Pastor Chris' last weekend at SOTV will be August 22-24, 2015. He will preach at all hours, and be wished farewell and Godspeed at the end of his call. Everyone is invited to greet Chris in between services, and thank him for his ministry.


A New Senior Pastor

The Call Committee has been redirected in their search to call a new Senior Pastor. They are looking for your participation in nominating any qualified candidates. Please download and complete the Candidate Nomination form and submit your nomination to call@sotv.org or the Welcome Center. Thank you for your participation! Copies of the form are also available at the Welcome Center and church entrances.


In the Meantime...

Pastors Randy Brandt and Duane Paetznick will share the role of interim senior pastor. The Saint Paul Area Synod is assisting us with an immediate search for interim pastoral support.


A reflection from Steve Mueller, former Council President:

“Change is the only constant in life. ‘We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.’ (Romans 8:28).”

We have a strong Vision and Mission, solid and faithful lay leaders on staff, council and leadership teams, and an amazing congregation with abundant talents and gifts given by God. We are excited to see what the future holds for SOTV.


Letter from Council

A letter was mailed on July 20, 2015 to all SOTV households containing Chris' letter of resignation and a letter from council containing some of the information mentioned above. If you did not receive it - and believe you should have - please e-mail your address to infochange@sotv.org.