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.

 

Brandon Newton to Intern at Easter Lutheran

Since he joined our staff as a Youth Director in 2009, Brandon Newton has been steadily pursuing a Master of Divinity through Wartburg Theological Seminary to become a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). One of the degree’s requirements is to work in a year-long pastoral internship.

Brandon will begin his internship in February at Easter Lutheran Church in Eagan. It is common practice for a pastoral intern to serve at a parish different from where they have been a member or employee. So while we are sad to see him go, we are pleased Brandon will be our neighbor just up the road with one of our long-time ministry partners.

This full-time role will give Brandon an opportunity to focus on preaching, pastoral care, and social ministries under direct pastoral supervision. We are excited for Brandon as he takes this next step forward in his ministry!

Brandon will give “Good News for Kids” at all services on January 25 & 26. Following each service there will be an opportunity to greet Brandon and wish him farewell. Brandon will conclude his work at SOTV effective January 29, 2014. 

We are grateful for Brandon’s years of service and ministry. Please keep Brandon, his wife Christy, and their children Grace and Ezra in your prayers during this transition.