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?"

Frequently Asked Questions

Thank you everyone who attended and participated in a Congregation Dialogue! We heard a lot of great comments and ideas from you and we value each and every one of them.

If you missed the Dialogues, here is Pastor Chris Smith's presentation in its entirety.

Here is a list of Frequently Asked Questions that may answer some of the questions that you have. Pastor Chris has expanded on some of these answers in a series of videos.

If you don't see a question that you have answered, please let us know.

Some of you have inquired how you can get involved in some of the exciting new transformations happening at Shepherd of the Valley. Here are just a few immediate volunteer needs. We will update this list as needs change. Thank you in advance for your help!

Again, thank you to everyone for your feedback. It is very much appreciated!

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.

Transformations to Our Community Room

In an effort to maximize efficient and effective use of the space in our facility, we are moving forward with some changes to the current Community Room and the Small Nursery. Below is a summary of the transformations taking place.

Current Community Room 
This space will be modified to create four functional areas:

• A new Server Room
• An office for our new Production Manager
• Work stations for Care Ministries and  Welcome & Invitation
• Enhanced storage space for various ministry needs

Current Small Nursery 
This space will be converted to a multi-purpose space and identified as the new Community Room. This space will be equipped with technology to support meetings, Bible studies, and other programming. It will also serve various capacities similar to the current Community Room. Sections of this space will also be utilized for storage.

Timeline

• Work on the current Community Room space began earlier this week.
• We anticipate a 3-4 week timeline to completion.
• Work on the small nursery will be announced soon.

We are aware of all events currently scheduled for the Community Room. Greg Nonweiler, our Facilities Manager is already working actively with volunteers, ministry coordinators, and outside groups to assign space for each event and program.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Greg Nonweiler via e-mail or call (952) 985-7340, or contact Jennifer Maxwell, Director of Operations, via e-mail call (952) 985-7313.

Thank you for your support and flexibility as we work to better utilize our facilities.

How Was Our Vision Created?

By Kari Slotten, Vision Implementation Project Manager

Whether you are new to Shepherd of the Valley, or you’ve been here for a while, you’ve probably heard words like "strategy" and "vision" thrown around, and maybe don't understand what they entail. Hopefully, I can help shed some light on this process.

I have been a part of the strategic planning/vision effort at Shepherd of the Valley during my six-year tenure on the Church Council, which recently came to an end. During these six years, I was Vice President, President, and then Past President – a pattern being followed by our current President and Past President, Steve Mueller and Todd Sipe.     

I was new to council when Chris Smith, our newly-minted Senior Pastor, started talking about strategic planning. Soon there was a group assembled to read, pray, and discuss taking our ministry in a new direction. We conducted focus groups that reached over 500 people within SOTV to learn our strengths, weaknesses, and ideas for change.

Using that knowledge to create mission statements and action plans, we quickly realized these incremental changes were less impactful than we desired. Our group evolved into a "Vision Team" task force consisting of myself, Steve, Todd, Pastor Chris, Pastor Randy Brandt, and Jennifer Maxwell, our Director of Operations.

We also enlisted the expertise of Pastor Merv Thompson. Merv was senior pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville, a congregation of similar size and mission as SOTV, for over 21 years.  Merv is currently a consultant for Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines, IA - the fastest growing ELCA church in the country. He helped us to look outward, to see what is working at other growing churches. So in addition to more reading, praying, and discussion, we began visiting other churches to research their strategies for success.

In 2012, and after careful thought and discussion, this team crafted a new Vision and Mission for SOTV, which was accepted by the Council in May, and approved by the congregation in June.  

Over the summer, the Vision Team enlisted the help of Christine Fifield, to do further research and analysis at specific churches in the Twin Cities Metro, and at large, growing churches in other parts of the country. 

This brings us to today. We are just beginning to implement aspects of Our Vision in worship and fellowship, transformations that will arrive the first weekend of June. We are also investing in the areas of welcome and learning, with more transformation on the way!

Even though this process has taken several years, the Vision Team believes it has taken very thoughtful and intentional steps in terms of gathering data to make informed decisions. 

Internal feedback + external investigation + guidance from scripture = a Vision ready to grow into.

I've been a stay-at-home mom for a while, so I've enjoyed using my "work brain" to think about the future of SOTV over the last couple years. My time with Council and the Vision Team has been great to dream big, study hard, and think creatively – all with the goal of helping more people experience Jesus!

I'm back to work now in a part-time role at SOTV, helping to implement the vision. I'm so excited to see what the future holds for us! I'm hopeful that we can be an excellent 21st century church that keeps my three boys (and all young people) growing their faith, and reaches new people for Christ. Please pray for the church - its pastors, staff, lay leaders, and worshipers - that we may all partner together to help more people experience Jesus!

Get Involved!

• Attend a Congregational Dialogue

• Fill out a feedback card at the Welcome Center this weekend

• Leave feedback on our website

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.

New Congregation Dialogue Announced

Thank you to everyone who attended our Congregation Dialogues last Sunday at 11:00 a.m. and Noon in the Chapel. We have five more Dialogues in the weeks to come, with a new date and time just added this week. We hope you can join us to hear Pastor Chris present his Vision for Worship, ask questions, and share your ideas.

Congregation Dialogues 

Sundays April 28 and May 5 at 11:00 am & Noon in the Chapel

Just added: Saturday, May 4 at 6:00 pm in the Chapel