News and Updates at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church (ELCA)      
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Volume 52 - Number 3 - March  2010

Dear Friends,

There is much happening around Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran these days – God is certainly at work here among us!  Our mid-week Lenten services began on Feb. 24 and will continue for the next 4 Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m.  We are using a service called Holden Evening Prayer – it really is a beautiful, contemplative service.  Special thanks to those who are lending their voices for their vocal solos that enhance the service!  This worship lasts about ½ hour and includes a brief devotional reading, and a congregational hymn.  I hope you’ll plan on making these mid-week services a part of your Lenten journey. The services are preceded by a simple supper at 6:00. Come join us!

As we spend these next weeks intentionally thinking about the sacrifice Christ has made for us and the gift of our relationship with God, perhaps this would be a particularly good time to think about inviting someone you know to church.  Recently we learned that over 14,000 people within a 3 mile radius of Shepherd of the Valley has no faith involvement at all! Think about your neighbors, co-workers or family – who do you know that you could invite to come to one of our mid-week suppers and worship?  Who might be waiting for you to invite their children to come to Sunday school with your children?  Who would enjoy an opportunity to come with you to Sunday morning worship and then go to brunch with you?  Please pray intentionally about this – God will work through you!

As I look around at our life here at Shepherd of the Valley, and in my own personal life, I can see the hand of God clearly guiding us.  My prayer is that you sense God’s presence as well and will be called into action as we all seek ways to share God’s love.

In Christ,

Pastor Wold

Schedule Of Lenten Worship

  Wednesdays - Mar.3, Mar. 10, Mar.17, Mar. 24:
                            6:00 p.m.                     Lenten Supper
                        7:00 p.m.                     Worship Service

  Sunday, March 28: Palm Sunday           8:15 & 10:45 services
Thursday, Apr 1:  Maundy Thursday          7:00               Service of Holy Communion
Friday, Apr 2:     Good Friday                   7:00 p.m.         Tenebrae Service
Sunday, April 4    Easter                        8:15 & 10:45 a.m.        Worship  Service 
                                                                                     9:30 a.m. Easter breakfast

In our prayers, Harold Wilson who is recuperating at Provena Cor Mariae Center, and Ginna Fritz who is recuperating at P.A. Peterson Health Center after surgery for a knee replacement.

 Worship Assistants take note. In order to save on postage, we will be including a 2-month schedule for all assistants (assisting ministers, greeters, ushers acolytes and readers).  Please check to see when you will be serving the church in this ministry.  If you cannot assist on a day you are scheduled, please contact someone else and switch with them. Let Linda in the church office know as well.  Thank you for participating in this ministry.

Please pick up your 2010 offering envelopes which have been set out on the table next to the sanctuary.  They are costly to mail, so please help us get them in the hands of the right people.  Year-end Statements of Giving for tax purposes are also available to pick up from the table next to the sanctuary.  If possible, please pick them up to avoid postage costs.  Also, please check to see if you have picked up your 2010 offering envelopes.  Please help us get these to the right people. Thank you.  

FURNACE CHALLENGE:  Shepherd of the Valley has learned that we need 4 new furnaces – the one for Moline Hall needs to be replaced ASAP.  We estimate the cost for all the furnaces (and air conditioning) to be over $10,000.  At our annual meeting, Phil Smalley, our treasurer, challenged every household to give an additional $10 a month for 2010…if every household did this, we would have the money needed!  Please consider giving this extra money for this needed cause…when you do, please be sure to note on the memo portion of your check that it is for the furnace

v      Wednesday morning Bible Study.  We discuss the gospel lesson for the upcoming Sunday and enjoy wonderful fellowship and treats.  (See complete article below.)
v      Sunday School is held on Sundays from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
v      Adult Forum continues on Sundays from 9:30-10:30 a.m. (see complete article below)

Bible Study is held on Wednesdays, from 10-11 a.m. and includes an hour of Bible study, treats and fellowship for adult men and women held in Shepherd Hall.  Come join us! The setting is informal and discussion with input from participants is only by choice. 

Sunday Adult Sunday School (a.k.a. “Adult Forum”) Please join us on Sunday mornings during the Sunday school hour (9:30 a.m.) in Shepherd Hall as we watch a series of DVDs from NOOMA..  The back of the DVD states, “We can get anything we want, from anywhere in the world, whenever we want it.  That’s how it is and that’s how we want it to be.  Still, our lives aren’t any different than other generations before us.  Our time is.  We want spiritual direction, but it has to be real for us and available when we need it.  We want a new format for getting Christian perspectives.  NOOMA is the new format.  It’s short films (about 11 minutes long) with communicators that really speak to us.  Each NOOMA touches on issues that we care about, that we want to talk about and it comes in a way the fits our world.”  Pastor Wold has seen these DVD’s and speaks very highly about their topical nature and how the speakers bring us back to our faith and knowledge of God’s love for us.  Each week will be a different topic.  Please come!

  During the Adult Sunday morning study of Job,  "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis was recommended.   The library has an audio book of "The Screwtape Letters" and we will be purchasing a copy of the written book.  We also have other books by C. S. Lewis.  Lewis was one of the most influential Christian writers of his day (1898-1964).  He wrote more than thirty books, including "The Chronicles of Narnia" for children.    Books in our library are: "A Day with C. S. Lewis (Daily Readings from His Classic Works),  "The Problem of Pain", "Surprised by Joy" and "The Chronicles of Narnia" (seven books).  Two of the Narnia books have been made into movies.  These items will be displayed on the south wall of the library.

Senior Activities Breakfast out, March 11,  9 a.m., Machine Shed March – there will be no Senior Lunch

Interested Parishioners

The Outreach Committee is looking for interested volunteers to drive our senior members to services on Sundays. This would be a great way to help your fellow parishioners to worship if they have difficulties attending services. Please contact us if you would like to help your fellow members by giving a ride to church and back home:  Linda Cammilleri at the church office (815) 399-5503 or Linda Severson at (815) 398-5957

SVLC will be hosting a Blood Drive on Wednesday, March 3 from 3-7 p.m. Please help out your community by considering to donate. “It is painless and only takes approximately 30 minutes from beginning to end!” By your one donation you are saving three lives!!  Please phone the church office today to sign up, or just walk in. The Blood Mobile will be parked in our west side parking lot the day and time listed above.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 13 from 7:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. there will be a cleaning and painting day at church. Hope you can come!

A big thank you to those who have given us recipes for our cookbook! However, it is not too late to turn in any recipe for the cookbook. The container is located in the narthex.

Preschool Fall Registration is now open:  Registration for children ages 3-4 of church members are now being accepted for 2010-2011 school year.  There is a discount for church members.  If you are thinking about preschool for your child/children, this would be a good time to register because registration will be open to the public on February 1, 2010.  This is a Christian program.  The four year olds have a choice of either a morning or afternoon class on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  The three year olds meet on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  Our preschool is fully licensed by the state.  The monthly tuition is $70 for the 3-year olds and$100 for the 4-year olds. Registration fee is $55 For more information, please call the pre-school at 815-397-5880. There will be an Open House on Friday, February 5 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. if you wish to come and learn about the program!

What is eScrip?

EScrip is a California-based corporation who has created a system that rewards customer loyalty by contributing a percentage of purchases made by participating families to youth-based groups – in this case SVLC. The grocery merchant  in our area is Schnuck’s Grocery (Logli). Pick up your card today because every time you  shop  at Schnuck’s (Logli) – every $1 you spend, Schnucks will contribute up to 3% of your purchase amount at no additional cost to you. You can pay for your groceries anyway you choose, but you simply hand your Schnuck’s card to the cashier before you pay for your groceries and a percentage of that total will go to SVLC! You can pick up your card in the church office today!

 

 

Collection of 8 oz. Styrofoam cups for Carpenter’s Place A collection for items continues at SVLC because the need is always  there. You may set the Styrofoam cups in the Narthex (on the mission table).  SVLC continues to be blessed and in turn  helps others!  Thank you for your continued support.

Hours of Operation:   Monday-Friday   7am-9pm ,  Saturday 8am-3pm ,  Sunday: Closed Katie’s Choice Book Club, all are invited to engage in conversation about books of interest to you.  Books are available for purchase at Katie’s Cup or bring your own copy. There is no cost or pre-registration needed.

Palms and Easter Flowers sign up sheet will be put up on by March 7^th .

SVLC’s rummage sale will be held April 24, 2010.  Please begin thinking of items you would like to donate.  All items must be in working order/good condition. No stains on clothing.
The rummage sale can use most anything you wish to donate: furniture, electrical items, jewelry, collectables, men’s, women’s and children’s clothing (must be in good condition).  This sale will need people to help two weeks before the event to price, set up, and organize.  We will also need people the day of to work as well as people to clean up after the event. You may begin bringing items Sunday, April 11^th and put them in Moline Hall. Any questions, please contact Kristen Spangler, 815-871-5255. The proceeds from the Rummage Sale held this year will go toward our Jubilee gift in honor of our 50^th Anniversary Celebration in 2011. A sign-up sheet will be posted in the Narthex for help before and during the sale.

Save the Dates

Katie’s Choice Book Club, all are invited to engage in conversation about books of interest to you.  Books are available for purchase at Katie’s Cup or bring your own copy. There is no cost or pre-registration needed. Still Alice, by Lisa Genova. Discussion will be Monday, March 15 at 7 pm and Thursday, March 18 at 10 am.

  March 18^th  11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Katie’s Cup will also host speaker, Rev. Dr. John Buchanan, What difference can or should the church make in today’s society?  Many major issues facing American culture are controversial and divisive. Christians of goodwill disagree on them. He will try to make sense out of the controversy. The program and lunch is $10, program only is $5. Please phone 815-962-4279 to reserve your seat. Complete brochure is on Kiosk.

  Rockford Lutheran Theater Presents Go Dog Go March 12 - 14.  Festival. Performance will be Friday, March 12, at 7:30pm; Saturday, March 13, at 2:30pm and 7:30pm; and Sunday, March 14, at 2:30pm at Rockford Lutheran High School, 3411 N. Alpine Rd. Rockford Lutheran Academy, 4^th Grade Play at Maddox Theater, Thursday, March 25, 6:30 pm.  Come join the 4th grade class from Rockford Lutheran Academy as they perform America's Tall Tales at Maddox Theater.

 
Open House at Chicago International Rockford Patriots tuition free school on March 11 from 5-7 p.m. Their address is 615 S. 5^th St. They are accepting applications for children K-4^th grade. Please see the brochure on the Kiosk. This school is working in conjunction with Zion Development. You may contact them at www.chicagointl.org or call 815-316-0091.

A Congregational Resourcing Event – Becoming a Missional Church, March 20, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at Kishwaukee College, Malta, Illinois. The NI Synod’s finest event of the year!  Church council members, teachers, musicians, staff, volunteers and leaders can take advantage of this learning event to strengthen skills, gather resources, network with others and discover new ways to enhance congregational and individual ministries. Supervised child care will be available with pre-registration. A free-will offering will be accepted to cover the child-care costs. You may register online at the Kishwaukee College web site or call the church office at 399-5503 to get further information.

  Summer Camp at Lutheran Outdoor Ministries  It is not too early to be thinking about summer camp – either a week long event or a day camp the fun and new experiences can be endless! Please check out the complete information about the camps in the Narthex. Lutheran Outdoor Ministries in located in Oregon, Illinois.

April 17, 2010 will be a Ju-BELL-ee! Festival in Rockford.  Area church bell choirs, including our SVLC Bell Choir,  will come together for a music festival.  Watch for more information to come!

From our Parish Nurse, Cathy

Blood pressure checks are done at church on the 1^st and 3^rd Sundays of each month from 9:30-10:30 a.m. only in the Library.

Cathy Hoffmann, RN

Applying Bible Principles

Suppose that God allowed you to have one wish. Without limit, you could have anything you desire. You could have unlimited wealth. You could have perfect health and live 1,000 years — or more. You could — like Solomon — have great wisdom. Whatever you want, you may have it. But you only get one wish. What would you choose?

  Sad to say, many people would choose great wealth and material possessions. Unfortunately, that would not be a good choice. Listen to the counsel of God as expressed in this contemporary translation of Proverbs 27:20 through Solomon, one of the richest people who ever lived — “The eyes of man are never satisfied.” The behavior and attitude which always wants more has a name: Greed, and it demonstrates itself in our lives as though we were at an auction. If we have $5, we want $10; if we have $10, we want $20; if we have $20 we want $30. Solomon went on to say in Ecclesiastes 5:10, “The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain.”

  A better choice would be to ask for God’s perspective on life and all that life entails. When we see life as God does, we realize that everything belongs to Him, that we are just managers and stewards, and that only what is done for Him will endure for eternity. When we have God’s perspective, we will be able to say with the Apostle Paul, “ . . . I have learned to be content with whatever I have.”

  When we have God’s perspective, we will accept with a spirit of peace and restfulness whatever He entrusts to us. And when we have God’s perspective, we will put into practice the truth of Hebrews 13:5 — “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’”

Haiti Earthquake Relief

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake rocked the island country of Haiti on Tuesday, January 12. ELCA Disaster Response partners have survived the quake and are already working to serve the people of Haiti. Your help is needed today to bring immediate relief and continued hope for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. About 3 million people, one-third of Haiti’s population, were affected by this earthquake. One hundred percent of your donation will be used for the relief efforts in Haiti. You may give by either writing a check to Shepherd of the Valley (noting “earthquake” in memo) or going to     www.elca.org/disaster to give using a credit card.

Also, if you a member of Thrivent Financial For Lutherans, you may go to www.thrivent.com  and choose a disaster relief program to donate money.  You may also check with your employer to see if they will match a donation to one of Thrivent’s disaster relief programs.

 
LWR AND PARTNERS ARE RESPONDING TO HAITI

Lutheran World Relief has committed $4 million to relief efforts in Haiti, an increase from the previous pledge of $2.25 million. While LWR and other aid groups are focusing on emergency food supplies in and around Port-au-Prince, LWR is also filling the gap in rural communities. Through local organizations like Partnership for Local Development, LWR is providing food, water, temporary shelter and sanitation to meet short-term needs, as well as developing long-term strategies through partner World Neighbors to restore local economies, rebuild infrastructure, get people back to work, and provide for health and sanitation.

  In addition to LWR’s short- and long-term response in rural areas, LWR is working with partners on the ground to ensure earthquake survivors have immediate access to food, water and shelter. In the first weeks following the earthquake, LWR sent a shipment of health kits and layettes valued at over $500,000, which has arrived and was distributed.  This has depleted the supply of health kits from LWR. You may remember our congregation contributed 40+ health kits this past fall.  Shepherd of the Valley will once again begin collecting items for these kits. To see a list of supplies needed go to: http://www.lwr.org/beinvolved/healthkit.asp.

Zion Lutheran Church, Rockford, will be installing a new pastor, Rev. Dr. Michael E. Thomas, on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at 3:00 p.m., 925 5^th Ave., Rockford. Everyone is invited. A reception with refreshments will follow the service.

correction to January 2010
 average weekly worship attendance: should have read 153 for 5 Sundays.

February 2010 statistics (based on the three weeks):
· average weekly worship attendance: 147
· average weekly contributions: current & benevolence $3,951   and building fund $439. 

If you have questions, please feel free to contact any member of the church council or Phil Smalley, church treasurer. 
Please note that financials run one month behind.  Our gains during the summer have been lost in the last two months.

Worship Services  
Fellowship time after all services

Sun., March 7, 2010 Worship with Communion at 8:15 and 10:45 a.m.  9:30-10:30 a.m. Sunday School & Adult Forum

Sun., March 14, 2010  Worship with Communion at 8:15 & 10:45 a.m. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Sunday School & Adult Forum

Sun., March 21, 2010 Worship with Communion at 8:15 & 10:45 a.m. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Sunday School & Adult Forum.

Sun., March 28 2010      Palm Sunday   Worship with Communion at 8:15 & 10:45 a.m. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Sunday School & Adult Forum. Youth Bake Sale Fundraiser

 

Volleyball/Game Nights are the 1st and 3rd Saturdays at Grace Lutheran Church, 343 Grand Avenue, Loves Park from 7-10 p.m.  *STAR provides all beverages - You bring snacks to share!