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!

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.  
 

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!

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

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

Pastor Chris Answers Your Questions

Since many of you had similar questions and concerns at our recent Congregation Dialogues, we thought we would answer them in a series of videos. Don't see a question that you have answered? Ask away on our website, or scroll back through this blog. Thank you again to everyone who attended our dialogues!

Why Do We Need A Vision?

Was the Vision Created with Any Direction from Members?

How Will New People Find SOTV?

Besides Worship and Fellowship, How Else Will We Reach People with the Gospel?

Why Are We Changing "The Table?"

Video: Implementing Our Vision

Many transformations are happening soon at Shepherd of the Valley.

Starting in June: 

• All weekend worship services will be in the Sanctuary.
• We will begin using the Great Hall as a space for food and fellowship. 
• Our service times will remain the same: 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, 8:30, 9:45 and 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. 
• The Table, our band-led worship service, will move from two worship times in the Great Hall to a single time at 11:00 a.m. in the larger space of the Sanctuary. 
• We will continue our organ and piano-led worship at all other times besides 11:00 a.m. 
• We will add a Monday night “Cabin Worship” at 7:00 p.m. during the summer months. 
• A hot breakfast will be served in the Great Hall once a month during the summer, and in the fall on dates to be announced.

Looking Toward the Future

Other transformations will be happening soon including substantial upgrades to our technology, and better utilization of our building and parking lot. We will also be reshaping our fellowship, welcome, and learning programs. While a lot of thought has already gone into these exciting plans for the future of our ministry, we all need to work together to make it a reality.

Congregation Dialogues

If you haven’t already, please try to attend one of our upcoming Congregation Dialogues, where Pastor Chris Smith will present our entire Vision for Worship and Fellowship. There will also be a time for you to ask questions and share ideas.

• Saturday, May 4 at 6:00 p.m.
• Sunday, May 5 at 11:00 a.m. & Noon

We Want to Hear from You

If you cannot attend one of these meetings, you may contact Pastor Chris Smith or Pastor Randy Brandt. You can also send us your feedback online or by filling out a comment card at the Welcome Center next time you are in church.

New Worship Times: Same as the Old Worship Times

This year, we will retain our times for Celebration and Table worship from the school year throughout the summer.

Beginning June 2, our schedule will be:

Saturday: 5:00 p.m. Sanctuary — Organ and Piano-led worship 
Sunday: 8:30 & 9:45 a.m. Sanctuary — Organ and Piano-led worship 
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. Sanctuary — Band-led worship 
Monday: 7:00 p.m. Chapel — Organ and Piano-led worship

The Table is moving from the Great Hall at 9:45 and 11:00 a.m. to the Sanctuary at 11:00 a.m. There are many reasons that led to this decision. Because we'd like you to hear the entire plan and the research behind it, we encourage you to attend one of our upcoming Congregation Dialogues.

We also recognize you may have questions and concerns about this schedule, and there will be time at each Dialogue for you to ask these questions, and share your own ideas.