2015 Annual Meeting Recap

On Sunday, June 7, 2015, the congregation gathered together with enthusiasm to learn about the current state of the church and its continued success in the future. Approximately 180 people packed rooms 20-22 following a lunch in the Great Hall. Thank you to everyone who attended!

Leaders presented updates on our vision, mission, and initiatives, three new council members were unanimously elected, and motions were passed on our 2015-16 budget, expenditure limit, and endowment charter.

A summary of the meeting in detail is below. Official minutes will be made available on our website, following the June Council meeting. Please direct any questions to Council@sotv.org.

Opening Prayer - Pastor Duane Paetznick 

 

Welcome - President Jenny Buckley 

• A word of gratitude to everyone in attendance for valuing this church and its governance 
• Thank you to our leaders on Council, Leadership Teams, and Staff for another year of service 
• Approval of minutes from 2014 meeting

 

Brief Summary of Our Vision - Pastor Chris Smith 

 

Introducing Our Mission and Initiatives - President Jenny Buckley 

• Presented to the congregation in early March 2015
• Approved by Council at its March 19, 2015 meeting

 

How We Live Out Our Vision 

 

Our Volunteers 

Volunteers make our ministry happen. Our staff structure must support their work.

Our Staff 

• Our eventual goal is to have five pastors on staff: Senior Pastor, and pastors in Worship, Learn, Connect, and Care.
• Update on Pastoral Call Process - Presentation by Chair Ellen De Vries
• We are in the process of aligning program staff with Worship, Learn, Connect, and Care initiatives. 
• All staff are being encouraged to focus their time and energy on programming that helps us live out Vision, Mission, and Initiatives 

Our Lay Leaders

• Leadership Teams 
• Highlights from first year
• Emphasis on Welcome Team, and Year of Welcome (2015-16) 

• Council 
• Steve Mueller, Angie Zielinski, and Ann Boekhoff have concluded their time on council, and were thanked for their years of service. 
• William (Bill) Bosch, Chad Dahlke, and Michael Kelly were presented as new candidates for council and were unanimously elected. 

Our Finances 

• Capital Campaign Update and strategy moving forward - Presentation by Scott Erickson, Campaign co-chair
• General and Building/Capital Budget - Presentation by Treasurer Troy Nelson
• Delegation of Expenditure Authority to Properties Team - Presentation by Ken Syverson
• Endowment Charter - Presentation by Chair David Kuhnau

Congregation votes on the budget, expenditure limit, and Endowment Charter all passed.

Treasurer Troy Nelson noted that although the 2015-16 budget is a deficit budget, the resolve of the Finance Committee is that next year’s budget (2016-17) will be balanced.


A motion was made to adjourn, and was seconded. 

How the Mission Reshapes Our Pastoral Staff

Jenny Buckley
Council President

Getting Ready for the Annual Meeting: Part 2 of 5

Structure and Pastoral Staffing 

With the departures of Pastors Diane and Mary, many people have been asking, when are we calling a new pastor and who that will be? First, let me remind you that a Pastoral Call Committee is in place and working hard as it goes about the task of calling a new pastor. As the committee does its work, the question that the council, leadership teams, and staff have been discussing is, “How can we support the vision and mission with our pastors, staff, and programs?”

As explained last week, the mission of Shepherd of the Valley (SOTV) is, “we exist as a community to discover, grow, and live into our individual relationships with Jesus Christ.” The four core ministries of worship, learn, connect, and care have been identified to support this mission.

Council and staff are beginning the process of evaluating everything we do as a church to determine where we are aligned with our mission and where there are currently gaps. Our resources, whether they be time, manpower, or money, will be best spent when they are invested in the priorities identified by our church.

Another area of discussion has been the pastoral staff model that our mission suggests. Council and staff agree that in order to implement our mission with fidelity, we need five full-time pastors at SOTV. In this structure, there would be a senior pastor that carries the vision and mission forward and then there would be one pastor assigned to each of the four core ministries of our mission.

This means that in addition to the senior pastor, we would have a pastor of worship, a pastor of learning, a pastor of connect (fellowship and service), and a pastor of care. Of course, all SOTV pastors would continue to collaborate in all areas of our mission. However, by aligning one pastor with each of the four core pillars of our mission, we will ensure that our resources are being used in the best ways and we are living our vision and mission with integrity.

Currently, we have three full-time pastors and a part-time interim pastor. Our priority is to call the Pastor of Connect first while also investigating the process for calling a Pastor of Worship.

Next week, I’ll explain the call process and update you on the work of the call committee. As always, please feel free to leave a comment below or contact me via the council e-mail: council@sotv.org. 

Blessings,
Jenny Buckley-Church Council President

Four Core Ministries Have Emerged

Jenny Buckley
Council President

Getting Ready for the Annual Meeting: Part 1 of 5

In this day and age we often hear churches and businesses use words like vision and mission, often interchangeably. At Shepherd of the Valley, we use the term vision as “what we aspire to be” and the word mission as “why we exist.”

WHAT: Our Vision 

As a congregation, we aspire to be a church that invites “...all people to experience the welcome, transformation, and sending of Jesus Christ.” Over the last few months, several pastors, staff, and lay leaders have considered what each part of the vision actually means:

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

The Year of Welcome: Beginning this fall, we will embark on a three-year cycle of “welcome, transform, and send” where one component of our vision will receive special emphasis and targeted initiatives each year. A leadership team began meeting last fall to prepare for the first year of “Welcome” and a new team focusing on the following year of “Transform” is currently being assembled.

WHY: Our Mission 

As with the vision, several people have met to discuss and develop a clear mission for our church. Their discussions led to the conclusion that as a community we exist to “discover, grow, and live into our individual relationships with Jesus Christ.”

With a strong vision and mission in place, it is only natural to consider how the programs and ministries at our church can best support our mission. As a result, four core ministries have emerged as ways to support faith formation:

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

The goal of the church leadership in the coming months is to take these words from the page and let them breath life into the decisions we make. We will consider how programs and staff can be aligned to these four core ministries and create a meaningful experience for all. One example of this already occurring is the call for a new pastor.

Next week, I’ll explain how we are adapting our structure, including our ideal pastoral structure, to align with these four core areas of ministry. 

In the meantime, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Post questions and comments below or e-mail us at council@sotv.org.

Blessings,
Jenny Buckley-Church Council President

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.

 

Worship Survey Results

By Kari Slotten, Project Manager: Vision Implementation

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If you're looking for info on the Congregational Assessment Tool (CAT) survey we are administering in January and February of 2014, please click here.

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In November, we circulated a survey (an online and a paper version) regarding worship, with the goal of using your feedback to develop a new worship service on Saturday nights.

We were pleased to have 489 people answer our worship survey. The congregation had thoughtful ideas about current and future worship, and I’ll share the themes that emerged and some ways the pastors and staff are looking to address those items.

Who answered the survey

First, I’d like to talk about who answered the survey. This is important to know, as we realize who’s represented well, and who is missing.

• 69% worship with their family
• 62% were between 30-55
• 83% worship most weeks (drops to 49% in summer)
• 67% worship with the same frequency as a year ago
• 39% worship with their kids, and 36% don’t have kids 0-18 at home
• Preferred worship times:
• Sunday 9:45 (162)
• Saturday 5:00 (127)
• Sunday 11:00 (95)
• Sunday 8:30 (77)
• Preferred worship style:
• Organ/piano-led  (292)
• Band-led (171)

There was a heavy response from Saturday worshipers, as a core part of the survey explored the possibility of adding a band-led worship service on Saturdays. We are especially short on answers from people under 30, and those who attend sporadically. We will use other research and targeted conversations to complement our survey data as we evaluate next steps.

Current worship

Obviously, what happens in the sanctuary affects each person’s worship experience. We also know factors outside of the sanctuary can impact how people perceive their worship experience. We had feedback about both, and have ideas on how we will address some areas that need improvement.

Finding: 50% of people who prefer organ/piano, and 33% of people who prefer band, like worship as it is.  The rest seek improvement primarily with sermons and music.

Response: There are ways that sermons and music can be enhanced, without taking away the things people appreciate about them. Each ministry area will have the opportunity to review conclusions, process them, and plan accordingly.

We know some of the people who prefer band-led worship miss the former “Table” worship in the Great Hall, and with difficult change comes a grieving process. As we move through that, we will continue working to improve the feeling of intimacy, warmth, and community in the sanctuary.

Finding: Other ministry options (especially Children’s Ministry), feeling welcome and a sense of community, and difficult parking experiences impact how people feel about worship.

Response: These three areas outside of the sanctuary drew the most comments in the survey, and we are in the process of addressing each of them.

We have many strong ministries, and we’re actively looking at ways these different ministries can work with worship to support each other. Children’s Ministry especially is considering different options for bringing regular programming back on Saturdays, and discerning if there are ways to make Sunday programming more welcoming.

Our Invitation and Welcome ministry is gaining momentum. Not only will this ministry focus on connecting and inviting in our community, but a major emphasis will also focus on making sure people feel welcomed and invited to get connected once they are at SOTV.

Parking at SOTV presents a number of challenges. We are exploring several options, including shuttles and parking services, as we work to address this issue.

As we develop plans in these and other areas, we will be sure to share them. We also invite your ideas and feedback!

Saturday Worship

Finding: 2/3 of people who prefer organ/piano-led worship, and 3/4 who prefer band-led worship, said they would consider Saturday worship. Although the preferred time for each group was 5:00, the second-place option for each group was 5:30 (for organ/piano), and 4:00 (for band). Interest in Saturday worship increased significantly with the possibility of adding Children’s programming.

Response: We will add a band-led worship service on Saturdays, at 4:00. This option also supports what we’ve seen in other churches and through targeted conversations. We will shift the organ/piano-led worship to 5:30 to avoid congested parking issues. A time table for this additional service has not been decided yet, but should be decided over the next month as we look at the implications of this addition (especially on Children’s Ministry). We will share that communication as we’re able.

Future Worship

Finding: People requested more worship opportunities for both of our worship styles. Some leading time preferences for more worship included Wednesday and Sunday evenings.

Response:  We will actively look at adding more worship opportunities once we’ve finalized Saturday plans. Wednesday and Sunday evenings have very different implications, as the facility experiences very different activity levels at those times. We will also continue to think about opportunities to respond to our congregation and the community through non-traditional ways, like adding a second site, if the need develops.

Thanks again to everyone who took our November worship survey. If you have questions, you can contact me at Kari.Slotten@sotv.org. You may also give us feedback at our website, or in the comments section below.

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.

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!