1. Art and Diseño

The Shepherd’s Psalm
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church
A member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
February 2015
Our Mission Statement
Making Jesus Christ real in the
midst of the city.
LENT: WE ALL NEED IT
Our Purpose Statement
ASH WEDNESDAY is February 18th. Worship services in
God’s purpose for our church
is... to be a spirit-led, Christcentered community of love,
grace, and trust that ministers
to all.
the sanctuary will include Holy Communion and Imposition
of Ashes at both 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. We’ll also begin
our Lenten Sermon Series, What’s So Amazing About
Grace?, with the first lesson, “The Grace Awakening!” A chili
supper in Burns Hall will be served from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Six Guiding Biblical Principles

Jesus is Lord!

Grace is freely given to
all.

We joyfully share the
Gospel in word and action.



We welcome everyone
with open doors and
open hearts.
The world needs the gifts
we have each been given.
We trust God to show us
the way.
Congregation Council
Officers
Mary Dahlen, Pres.
Chad Gestson, V.P.
Carron Cruse, Sec.
Camy Goebel-Rush, Treas.
Members
Rob Anderson
Dave Davis
Mark Francis
Bill Holder
Beverley Larkin
Shannon Monn
Marissa Scherff
Marcie Walmsley
WEEKEND SERMON SERIES…
“Jesus’ Claims...Our Promises!: Exploring the ‘I AM’ Statements Of Our Lord”
 February 22 - “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life”

March 1 - “I AM the Light of the World”

March 8 - “I AM the Alpha and the Omega”

March 15 - “I AM the True Vine”

March 22 - “I AM the Door”

March 29 - “I AM the Good Shepherd”

April 5 - “I AM the Resurrection and the Life”
Each Sunday from 10:05 - 10:55 a.m., our Adult Study Series, “Deeper Exploration
of Jesus ‘I AM’ Sayings”, will be led by William Lamkin in the Faith and Learning
Center.
LENTEN WEDNESDAYS SERMON
SERIES AT 6:30 P.M....
What’s So Amazing
About
What’s So Amazing About Grace?
?

February 25 - “Dealing With Grace Killers!”

March 4 - “Jesus: Full of Grace & Truth!”

March 11 - “Grace: Luther’s Battle Cry!”

March 18 - “Embrace Grace!”

March 25 - “In the Grip of Grace!”
The Shepherd’s Psalm
Page 2
STEWARDSHIP — VERSE OF THE MONTH
Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
There’s the ultimate word on stewardship:
your heart goes where you put the treasure
which God has given you to manage in this life.
FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN GETS A HAND FROM SOV January 23rd, 2015
We packed
enough
food to feed
36 children
for an
entire year
– 13,392
meals!!
Photos courtesy of Wendy Harman
Page 3
PLACES TO GO
THINGS TO KNOW
FIRST SUNDAY
BREAKFAST is Feb.
1st from 9:3011:00 a.m. in
Burns Hall. The
Festival Choir and
Contemporary Worship Team are hosting.
See you there!
WERE YOU BORN IN
FEBRUARY? Join us
for a celebration of
all February birthdays at the first Sunday breakfast in
Burns Hall on Feb.
1st! We will serve
cake, sing happy birthday and recognize
all in our church family who are celebrating another blessed year. Please come
and join in the fun with others sharing
your month! Everyone is invited to a BIG
birthday party.
on the rolling bulletin board found in
Burns Hall during the week, and on the
patio Sunday mornings. Peanut butter
and jelly sandwich makings will always be
available.
DO YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THE LUTHERAN
OR CHRISTIANITY TODAY MAGAZINES?
If you do, our church library, located inside Burns Hall, would appreciate your
old copies when you are ready to recycle
them. You can bring them to the library
on Sunday mornings or drop off on the
back counter in the office during the
week. Please mark them for the library.
RELAX AND RENEW
WITH YOGA on Wednesdays from 4:00-5:00
p.m. in the Music Room
beginning January 7th.
Taught by Kami Nix,
men, women, and youth
are invited to experience the refreshing
THURSDAY BIBLE STUDY (CHRISTCARE
and uplifting benefits of yoga. Wear comGROUP) will meet Feb. 12th, 19th, and
fortable clothes that allow movement,
26th at 1:00 p.m. in the library at SOV.
and bring a yoga mat, if you have one, or
a couple of towels for cushioning. ExercisWEDNESDAY SUPPERS IN LENT will begin ing either barefoot or in non-slip socks is
with chili on Ash Wednesideal. Kami gratefully accepts cash or
day, cooked by the Wells’
check free-will donations (typically $10
Family and served in Burns per session). Contact Ruth Truman,
Hall from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
602.390.4302, or Kami Nix,
After that, we’ll be having
602.677.1197 for more information.
soup and bread suppers. If
you’d like to bring your favorite soup one of the other Wednesdays
in Lent (2/25, 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, and
3/25) please sign up on the list located
RUMMAGE SALE coming March
19th! Now’s the time to de-clutter,
pare down, and simplify—all for a
great cause. Proceeds will benefit
our Preschool, Youth and Family
ministry, and Shepherd’s Foundation Scholarship fund.
Dial-A-Prayer
602-249-1991
A daily devotion and
prayer are only a
telephone call away…
REMEMBER
SHEPHERD OF
THE VALLEY IN
YOUR WILL. A
legacy gift will
help continue
to grow our
ministries.
We encourage
members to sign up
for online giving. It’s
easy, convenient,
automatic, and
takes the worry out
of getting your offering to the church
even when you’re
traveling. Call the
office for details,
602.249.1936.
Page 4
OUR MISSION: To grow in our relationship with God, with each other, and in the Word, enabling us to be
more effective Christians in our homes, church, and community.
SAVE the DATE:
► Rummage sale set-up Thursday,
March 19th from 6:00-9:00 p.m.
in Burns Hall
OUR MISSION: To mobilize women to act boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ.
CHRISTIAN ACTION will meet on
February 5th @
9:30 a.m. in the
Library. Work will
include making
Valentines for
the Preschool
and talking
about making Living Nativity ornaments. If you have suggestions for
the ornaments, please bring samples or pictures of ideas with you.
Snacks are always welcome.
HANNAH CIRCLE meets Feb. 19th
at 7:00 p.m. in Conference Room
#2. The Bible study will be on Lesson #6, “Making Conversation
Last”, from the January/February
Gather Magazine. Please bring a
snack to share.
MARY CIRCLE will meet Wednesday, Feb. 25th @ 1:00 p.m. at the
Beatitudes, 4th floor, north building. Lunch is @ 11:30 a.m. in the
Buckwald Grill, for those interested.
NEEDLECRAFTERS will
meet Tuesdays, Feb. 10th
and 24th from 9:30 a.m.12:00 p.m. in the Library.
Interested in needlework?
Come join us!
THANK YOU to all who helped with
the Bake & Craft Sales during December. We received a partial
match from Thrivent Financial and
will be sending $175 to each of
our seven benevolences.
CAPITAL CONFERENCE WOMEN OF
THE ELCA are meeting on March
14th at All Saints Lutheran Church.
Call Laura Cary at 623-214-3498
if you wish to carpool.
TRANSPORTATION DAY @ the Preschool Friday, Feb. 20th 9 –11 a.m.
We need your help to get more vehicles!
Do you or someone you know have a cool vehicle to show off at Transportation Day?
We love to have any and all kinds of transportation vehicles.
Contact the preschool office
to participate and share the morning with our youngsters!
OR
Just come and have fun with us.
Transportation Day!
The Shepherd’s Psalm
Page 5
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS AT-A-GLANCE Time changes during Lent are bolded.
Dinner
Cherubim Choir
Chimes
Bell Choir
Youth Praise Choir
Lenten Worship
Kids’ Club
Club 456
Confirmation
Adult Fellowship
Adult Festival Choir
5:30-6:30 p.m. in Burns Hall
(Preschool -3rd grade) 6:00-6:30 p.m. in the Library
(4th-6th grade) 6:00-6:30 p.m. in the Music Center
(7th grade -Adult) 5:45-6:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary
(7th-12th grade) 6:00-6:30 p.m. in the Music Center
All ages from 6:30-7:15 p.m. in the Chapel
(Preschool -3rd grade) 7:15-8:00 p.m.
(4th-6th grade) 7:15-8:00 p.m. in the Conference Room
(7th-12th grade) 7:15-8:00 p.m. in the Youth Center
7:15-8:00 p.m. in the Courtyard
7:15-8:30 p.m. in the Music Center
Childcare can be made available from 6:30-8:00 p.m. upon request. Please contact Wendy Harman at
[email protected] or 602-249-1936 to arrange.
THE SHEPHERD’S FOUNDATION
Applications for Education Funds are Now Available…
Scholarships and loans are available for active SOV members through the Shepherd’s Foundation.
Eligible students attending Christian schools or seminary may apply for a scholarship or grant.
Eligible students desiring to attend any other accredited school may apply for an interest free
loan.
Applications are available in the church office and must be filed prior to April 1, 2015, in order to receive consideration for the 2015-2016 school year.
Memorial Wall
The Foundation would like to remind everyone that Easter Sunday is April 5th. If you would like to have your loved
ones’ names engraved on our beautiful Memory Wall located in the Prayer and Memorial Garden, contact Tracy
Albright with the Shepherd’s Foundation, [email protected] or 602-249-1936, ext. 209. The cost is $250 per
name. This revenue supports the cost of engraving and the maintenance of the garden.
Fall 2014 – Spring 2015 Shepherd’s Foundation Festival
Make plans to participate in the upcoming Foundation Festival Events.
RUMMAGE SALE: Saturday, March 21st – Please continue to bring items you wish to donate, either to the church
office, or place in the storage container located in the parking lot.
GOLF TOURNAMENT: Saturday, May 9th – Watch for further details!
These events are held to raise funds for our SOV Preschool, Youth and Family Ministry, and the Shepherd’s Foundation education scholarships. Please plan to attend and/or be a sponsor for the golf tournament.
Page 6
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY—FEBRUARY 2015
Spark Sunday School
Sundays
10:05-10:55 a.m.
Kids will explore biblical stories
through lessons that will be reinforced in worship on Sun. morning.
Each week they will be given a
“Family Page” for you to continue
faith formation at home.
Preschool - K in Room 7
1st - 3rd Grade in Room 8
4th, 5th and 6th graders
meet in the Conference Room
Wednesday Nights 6:30-8:00 p.m.
and
Sunday Mornings 10:05-10:55 a.m.
Lessons will differ from Sun. to Wed.
and will follow the lessons learned in
worship each week.
No Club 456 on February 18th
Kids’ Club
Bible stories and songs will follow
the lessons learned in worship each week. Snacks provided.
For children Preschool - 3rd grade
Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
in Room 10
Wednesday Night Children’s Choirs
Cherubim Choir (Preschool-3rd grade) will meet with Brenda
Goodenberger from 6:00-6:30 p.m. in the Library.
Chimes (4th-6th grade) will meet with Mark Francis from
6:00-6:30 p.m. in the Music Center.
FAMILY EVENTS
Family Lenten Devotion - February 18th
Have dinner at 5:30 p.m. in Burns Hall and then enjoy an activity
painting wooden eggs to take home in a basket for your Lenten devotionals. Cost is $10 per household for craft project. Please RSVP to
[email protected] by Feb. 8th. Ash Wednesday worship will follow at
7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
Keep collecting for Rummage Sale - bring in your unwanted treasures to be sold at our Rummage Sale on Saturday, March 21st
and help us raise money for our Youth and Family Ministry.
The Shepherd’s Psalm
Page 7
LOVE NOTES FROM THE PRESCHOOL — FEBRUARY 2015
February is always a busy month at preschool and “love is in the air.”
Each February we have the opportunity to focus on God’s love for us and our love
for each other. Love can be expressed in many ways and we are so fortunate to
have the opportunity to share God’s love with our children here at SOV preschool.
Another exciting event also recently occurred at the preschool. Ms. Jessie, our
Preschool Office Manager, whom many of you know, welcomed her new baby
boy, Emery James Robnett, weighing in at 7 lbs. 6 oz., on Wednesday, January 14th. We send special blessings to
parents, Justin and Jessie, and big brother, Sheen.
This month, we celebrate families and invite you to join us for our Valentine Breakfast on Friday morning,
February 13th from 7:00-9:00 a.m. in Burns Hall. Plan to come for breakfast and fellowship with our preschool
families that morning. February allows us to share love, hearts, valentines, and remember “We love, because God
first loved us.” Love is expressed in many ways. One of our 4-year-old boys told me, “Love is the most important
thing in the world, but football is pretty good too!” (I think his family has been talking about the Super Bowl!)
February 20th is our Annual Transportation Day, where we have an assortment of vehicles from our community who gather in our parking lot. We have a helicopter that lands here, antique cars, police vehicles, a Metro
bus, tractors, a tow truck, and many others. Please plan to stop by and join us. We are always looking for additional vehicles, so if you want to participate, please call the preschool office, 602-242-4684. We’d love to have
you.
We send our special wishes of love from the preschool, and pray that during this month of February you
feel God’s special gift of love for you.
Blessings,
Donna Mund
Preschool Director
Page 8
SCOTT’S CORNER
♦
IRISH BLESSING
At Holden Village when people were getting ready to
leave, we would share this Irish Blessing with them. It
always warmed my heart. The folks at Shepherd of
the Valley always warm my heart, too, and so I want
to share this Blessing with you all.
May the blessing of LIGHT be upon you, light without
and light within.
And may the blessings
of the EARTH be on
you, the great round
earth.
May you ever have a
kindly greeting for
those you pass as
you're going along the
roads.
May the blessed SUNSHINE shine on you and warm
your heart till it glows like a great peat fire, so that the
stranger may come and warm himself at it, and also a May the EARTH be soft under you when you rest upon
friend.
it, tired at the end of a day; and may it rest easy over
you when at last you lay out under it.
And may the LIGHT shine out of the two eyes of you
like a candle set in the two windows of a house bidMay it rest so lightly over you that your soul may be
ding the wanderer come in out of the storm.
out from under it, quickly, and up and off, and on its
way to God.
And may the blessings of the RAIN be on you, the soft,
sweet rain. May it fall upon your spirit so that all the And now may the Lord bless you all and bless you
little flowers may spring up and shed their sweetness kindly.
on the air.
Pastor Scott Haasarud
And may the blessings of the GREAT RAINS be on you.
May they beat upon your spirit and wash it fair and
clean, and leave there many a shining pool where the
blue of heaven shines, and sometimes a star.
DESERT WISDOM SERIES. . .
The focus again this year for our Desert Wisdom Series is mental illness. We believe
this subject still has many areas that are important for Christians to understand and
for the church as a whole to be involved in helping with.
How Does a Congregation Respond to Mental Illness?
Saturday, April 25th from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. in Christ Chapel
SAVE THE
DATE
Topics:
“Prejudice”
“Resiliency”
“Grief & Loss”
“Safety & Boundaries”
The seminar will have four presentation speakers with more question and answer
time following each segment. Pastor Scott Haasarud will be the moderator. Cost is
$15/person and includes lunch. Registration forms will be available soon.
The Shepherd’s Psalm
Page 9
STAYING FED
“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
(Psalm 119:103, NRSV)
Recently I was confronted with this question:
If you fed yourself with food the way you feed yourself with God’s
Word, would you still be alive?
It gave me pause.
Do I eat enough spiritually? Feast regularly enough on Scripture to
keep up my energy and the health of my soul? Do I eat nutritiously?
Take in a balanced meal of law and gospel, comfort and commandments, prophecy and promise? Do I pass up spiritual junk food? Set aside empty calories
that lead to disease, in order to hunger for what truly gives life? Do I drink enough Living
Water to avoid faith dehydration? And once in a while, do I splurge on dessert? Savor the
sweetness and joy of belonging at God’s table?
What abundance God sets before us. May we never skip a “meal”!
—Heidi Mann
DO YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THE LUTHERAN OR CHRISTIANITY TODAY MAGAZINES?
If you do, our church library, located inside Burns Hall, would appreciate your old copies when you are
ready to recycle them. You can bring them to the library on Sunday mornings or drop off on the back
counter in the office during the week. Please mark them for the library.
RUMMAGE SALE 2015
KEEP BRINGING IN YOUR ITEMS!
You can drop them off in the office by the back door during the
week, or bring them with you on Sunday. For large item pickup, please contact Wendy at [email protected].
THANK YOU!
Proceeds will go to benefit our Preschool, Youth and Family Ministry,
and Shepherd’s Foundation Scholarship Fund.
Page 10
PRAYER POWER
Open prayer ministry every Wednesday at 7:00 a.m. in the Burns Hall Library.
If you would like to contribute to
this article with a favorite poem,
short faith story, or scripture,
please email to Juanita Thompson,
[email protected]
Jesus said, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
Matthew 18:20
In the Torah, God says to the people of Israel, “When two or three of you come together in the word
of the Torah, I will be with you.”
Jesus is now fulfilling that same promise to us, His followers.
PSALM 138
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I bow down to give thanks for your steadfast love and faithfulness.
On the day I called, You increased my strength of soul.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
You stretch out your hand and deliver me.
The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me;
Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
As we begin this new year thinking and planning what we need to do, what
we would like to do with our abilities, our resources, and our time, even
though we are different and have to consider extenuating circumstances,
we have one important thing in common. We believe God loves us, and He
will fulfill His purpose for us in our daily life. Our part is to trust, ask, and
follow through. Another word for this is prayer. Let us come to God in
prayer as we plan our new year.
There is a place for you to serve at SOV in 2015. Ask. Pray. Take Time.
The deadline for the MARCH issue of the Shepherd’s Psalm is Feb. 18th. Please e-mail your submissions to
[email protected] by 5:00 p.m. on this date. Thank you and happy writing!
CONTACT INFORMATION
Church Staff
Office phone: 602.249.1936
Office fax:
602.249.1983
Hours: M-Th 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Fri: 8:30 a.m.-noon
Web:
www.sov.us
Email:
office @sov.us
Preschool: 602.242.4684
Church Clergy
Harold Stromer, Senior Transitional
Pastor, ext. 207, [email protected]
Scott Haasarud, Spiritual Director,
623.748.3344, [email protected]
Children, Youth & Family Ministry: Wendy Harman, ext. 223, [email protected]
Preschool Director: Donna Mund, ext. 222, [email protected]
Director of Music: Jon Lang, [email protected]
Facilities: Ken Adams, [email protected]
Office Manager: Kathy Flint, ext. 210, [email protected]
Communications: Carol Carpenter, ext. 202, [email protected]
Shepherd’s Foundation Exec. Sec’y: Tracy Albright, ext. 209, [email protected]
Worship services: Saturdays @ 5:00 p.m. in Christ Chapel (casual);
Sunday @ 9:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary (traditional); 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel
(contemporary)
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church
A member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
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1500 West Maryland Avenue
Phoenix AZ 85015-1499
P: 602.249.1936 F: 602.249.1983
E: [email protected]
www.sov.us
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Phoenix, AZ
Permit No. 195
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