The Impact of Your Gifts

We ask a lot of our faith community, and you always step up and deliver when it comes to giving and serving others. This past Christmas season was no exception: you gave gifts-in-kind of Christmas gifts, gently-used winter outerwear, and brand new mittens, hats and scarves.

Christmas Gifts
Thanks to you, Christmas gifts were provided to 50 Armful of Love families (approximately 200 people), over 60 Wingspan residents, 20 homeless youth (through Lutheran Social Services), and hundreds more gifts were donated to Southside Family Nurturing Center and Dakota Woodlands.

Bags of winter clothing waiting to be
picked up by families at our food shelf

In addition, 498 total items of gently-used outerwear were distributed to Apple Valley families served by our food shelf, and 8 other local nonprofit agencies. The brand new outerwear items donated to our mitten tree totaled 647 items. They were divided between 11 local nonprofit agencies that serve families in need.

The pastors and staff at Shepherd of the Valley sincerely thank you for your generosity! But don't take it from us, check out the thank you notes from children and their parents who received gifts this Christmas.


How to Help Now
It's almost April and Easter is coming soon - so why are we telling you about Christmas? Because as March ends, so do many of our current collections for gift-in-kind items. Please consider helping one of these ministries below, just as you rose to our giving challenge in December.


Hygiene Items
Tear Drop Ministries (as part of Fruit of the Vine Food Shelf) provides hot meals for 300 homeless individuals every Sunday afternoon in St. Paul. We are collecting the following hygiene items to be distributed to them in April. Smaller sizes of shampoo, conditioner and hand cream as well as soap, toothpaste, toothbrush and disposable razor.

Easter Baskets & Dinners
Shepherd of the Valley delivers Easter baskets to people who have experienced a loss, illness, or difficult year, and Easter dinners to Pueblo de Fe and All Nations Church. Your participation makes this outreach possible:

• Dinners need sponsors - there are currently 5 left. Sign up in the narthex at church.
• Dinners and baskets need to be packed. Sign up by registering for ServeTogether and attending on Saturday, April 5 from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
• Dinners and baskets need to be delivered. Currently, we need 6 more drivers.
• Monetary donations also accepted to purchase items. Enter "Easter Baskets" in the Misc Benev. line when giving online, or in the memo line of your check.

Pack the Pews for the Food Shelf
Help fight hunger during Minnesota FoodShare’s March Campaign, the largest food drive in the state. Fill a grocery bag with non-perishable food items and bring it to church anytime during the month of March. All donations will go to Our Daily Bread Food Shelf at Shepherd of the Valley. Of course, we accept monetary and food donations year-round, but let's make a big impact for the statewide March campaign. See our most needed items.

Again, thank you so much for your involvement in our ministries and your generosity to making an impact in our local community. March ends like a lamb - but let's make it the most generous lamb in the flock!

Special Lecture from Reverend Dr. Mitri Raheb

The Reverend Dr. Mitri Raheb, an internationally-acclaimed theologian and advocate for peace in the Arab-Israeli conflict, will speak on Sunday, March 30 at 3:00 pm at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. He will present new insights into scripture and the current Middle Eastern situation from his position as a Christian and a Palestinian. The event is free and childcare is available.

Dr. Raheb is the senior pastor of Christmas Lutheran Church, (ELCA) in Bethlehem, Palestine, president of the Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan, president of Dar al-Kalima University College and founder of Bright Stars of Bethlehem, a charity that brings hope to Palestinians through a variety of initiatives. When a group of 45 SOTV members visited the Holy Land in 2011, they had an opportunity to hear Dr. Raheb speak and see these initiatives in action. This inspired the formation of an SOTV Holy Land Shepherds group that has raised funds and awareness for programs that serve seniors, youth, young families and parish nurses living in the Holy Land.

In his new book, Faith in the Face of Empire: The Bible Through Palestinian Eyes, Dr. Raheb presents a new perspective on the Bible by showing how the “sacred” story and secular history are combined in the Holy Land. In light of the current geo-political turmoil, after the hopes of the Arab Spring and in the face of the latest round of US shuttle diplomacy, Dr. Raheb urges us to ask from a Christian perspective, “Can we imagine a different future for the Middle East?”

Join us to hear this powerful speaker offer new perspectives into combining the reality of the world with the reality of the Bible. Tell a friend! You can download our poster to share.

Dr. Raheb will sign copies of his new book following his talk. Pastor Duane will lead a discussion on this same book on Tuesday, May 6 at 7:00 pm.

Pastor Diane Sponheim To Take Sabbatical

Period of April 21 – July 13, 2014

Shepherd of the Valley supports the eligibility of a 12-week sabbatical for ELCA rostered staff leaders after seven years of service. A sabbatical is a time of leave from regular duties for rest, personal growth, reflection, study and renewal. Shepherd of the Valley’s ministry has greatly benefitted over the years by its rostered staff leaders being able to return from sabbaticals refreshed and revitalized.

Pastor Diane has been approved by the Church Council to partake in this important practice. Her studies will encompass pastoral leadership, faith practices and preaching. She will also spend time travelling and focusing on quality family time. This will be her first sabbatical.

During her sabbatical, Pastor Diane’s regular pastoral duties and tasks will be taken up by other pastors, staff members, and volunteers. We are also currently working with our Synod leaders to identify an Interim Associate to assist with worship and congregational care. This interim role may extend beyond Pastor Diane’s sabbatical period to assist while Pastor Chris and Pastor Randy lead back-to-back trips to Tanzania in July and August. 

Please keep Pastor Diane and her family in your prayers during this time of sabbatical. We are grateful for her years of service and happy to support her ministry in this important way.

Further updates will be communicated as they become available. 

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.  
 

Why So Many Surveys?

Updated 1/16/14

Shepherd of the Valley will begin conducting an important online survey called the Church Assessment Tool (CAT). We need all adults to complete this survey including youth in 10th grade or older. The survey will take about 20 minutes to complete, and responses are confidential. Thank you in advance for your time and input.

A few of you have asked, didn’t we just conduct a survey recently? Why are we doing another one so soon? 

Saturday Worship Survey

In November we asked the congregation to complete a Saturday Worship Survey. Almost 500 people completed the survey online or on paper, and we received a lot of great information that will help Shepherd of the Valley move forward with planning an additional service on Saturdays. Results from the surveys were discussed at a series of Congregation Dialogues on January 11 & 12, 2014. Thank you to all who attended and added to the discussion.

View a summary of the survey’s findings.

Other Recent Surveys

In addition to the worship survey, there have also been a few other ways we have asked for your feedback:

• Late in the year, a few staff and volunteers conducted informal interviews with about 30 members regarding their stewardship. 
• Some of you may have completed a brief paper survey recently regarding church communications.
• If you attended any of our Hot Breakfasts since June, you had an opportunity to complete a very short form asking you to rate the quality of your breakfast experience. 
• Also starting in June, we created two new ways for you to share your comments and questions with us, either by filling out a comment card at the Welcome Center or completing our online feedback form. 

Why are we constantly asking you for your opinion? Because we truly care what you think. Shepherd of the Valley is your church, and the pastors and staff are here to serve you. In order to do our jobs well, we need to know what your needs are, and how we can best serve them. The information we receive back from you is invaluable and has already had many positive impacts on our shared ministry.

Congregational Assessment 2014

This brings us back to the CAT, which will be conducted January 19 - February 16, 2014. The CAT is  different from any other survey we’ve conducted at Shepherd of the Valley. Our other recent efforts only measured a particular aspect of our faith community, such as worship, stewardship, communications, etc. The CAT measures across multiple dimensions of the church’s ministry to create a collective voice of the entire congregation. What we learn from this assessment will provide key indicators of our congregational health, guide us in decision making, and help discern where God will lead us in the next several years.

In order for the CAT to paint as clear a picture of the congregation as possible, we are striving for 1,000 of our members to complete it, including all youth in 10th grade or older. Click here to take the online CAT survey. Paper copies, and computer workstations will be available at church for those without internet access.

The CAT was created by the Rev. J. Russell Crabtree of Holy Cow! Consulting. We’ve partnered with Rev. Crabtree and with Rev. Charles Lane of Kairos and Associates in St. Paul to help guide this process. Rev. Crabtree and Rev. Lane both bring decades of experience in helping congregations assess their organization for the purposes of informed strategic planning.

Please watch this blog and our weekly News for the Flock for more information. If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Maxwell at jennifer.maxwell@sotv.org. Thanks again for your participation.

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.

Have You Been to a Hot Breakfast Yet?

This fall, we began offering Hot Breakfasts twice a month on Sunday mornings in the Great Hall. They happen on the 2nd and 4th weekends of the month from 9:00 - 11:00 am.

You've heard that breakfast is "the most important meal of the day" before, right? You could also say breakfast is the most important meal of the church too. Through breakfast, we can show others the welcome of Jesus Christ.

Food and fellowship on December 8.

Church can be perceived as an uncomfortable place sometimes, but comfort food like pancakes, bacon and eggs can make people feel welcome and part of the body of our faith community. In just the last few months we have witnessed many visitors, including whole families, sit down for a meal and make great connections with fellow churchgoers. This fellowship is priceless and is why we wanted to offer this delicious food at modest prices.

The magic happens in the kitchen!

First-time visitors can come and eat for free. Kids 2 & under are also free. Kids 3-10 eat for $4, youth & adults are $6, and seniors (55+) are $4. The maximum cost for a family of 4 or more is only $20. We accept credit and debit cards too, so you don't have to worry about having the right amount of cash with you. If you don't desire a full breakfast, please enjoy our coffee & donuts (which are available every week) for a freewill offering of your choosing.

If you haven't been to a Hot Breakfast yet, we hope you can come to one of upcoming dates: December 22, January 12 or January 26. Bring your friends!

Volunteers monitor the food stations all morning.

Finally, please know that these breakfasts only happen because of the tremendous work of dedicated volunteers back in the kitchen, and also out in the Great Hall managing hot stations, beverage stations, keeping things clean and greeting guests as they come in. Please consider volunteering yourself at a Hot Breakfast Sunday, and sharing the love and welcome of Christ with others.

A full list of volunteer roles can be found on our website.

Photos and video by Omar Reyes.

Join the fun and volunteer at a Hot Breakfast!