April Valley Vine 2021

the

Valley Vine

April 2021 Vol. 66, No. 2 Valley Presbyterian Church

IN THIS ISSUE: Eros & Agape

Pastor David Joynt

Post Easter, What's Next?

Classes & events for the whole family

A New Dawn Breaking

Ed Glady

A Solid Foundation Kris Bahr

Ways to Give Candy Unruh

Update on Facilities Kris Bahr

News from Session

Karen Meyer

Senior Pastor

DAVID JOYNT

Dear friends, Christian love is different! The New Testament authors, whose lives and views were changed by an encounter with Jesus, had to invent a new word to describe it. The ancient world had two main love words, philea and eros. Philea covered all the natural kinds of love, like love of family, friends, and country. It could be paired with any word, to express affection, loyalty, enjoyment, and appreciation. Philosophy is the love of knowledge; philanthropy, love for people in general; philadelphia, love for brothers or friends.

Eros, on the other hand, was passion and desire, engendered by beauty and attraction. It was created by the character of its object and many English words for chemistry and instinctive connection derive from it, like erotic.

Neither one of these words described the love of God as the disciples had experienced it in Jesus.

The unreserved and unconditional commitment to their God, and the willingness to sacrifice and serve on their behalf, was different entirely. So they harnessed a new word, agape, used only a handful of times previously.

They came to believe that this new word signified the most potent force in history and the nature of God Himself. Agape love had the power to redeem and transform people and relationships.

During April and May, we will study this kind of love, using the Bible’s most famous chapter on the subject, 1 Corinthians 13. The world is full of love songs, love dramas, and endless discussions about how to find and express love. But almost all of this talk misses the centrality of agape.

If we are to fulfill the great command, to love God and neighbor, we must have a clear sense of its dimensions and its depth. Connect in through in-person or digital worship and I hope you will also through our textual and video devotionals. It should be a life goal of every person to become a better lover!

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Yours Faithfully,

Valley Presbyterian Church

Easter Sunday SUNDAY, APRIL 4

7AM — Memorial Garden 8:30AM* & 10:30AM* — Sanctuary

Holy Week

Maundy Thursday, April 1 6:30PM*, Sanctuary Good Friday, April 2 Noon*, Sanctuary

IN-PERSON RSVP: vpc.church/gather (Maundy Thursday & Good Friday RSVP deadline: April 1, 11AM) (Easter RSVP deadline: April 2, 11AM)

LIVESTREAM: vpc.church/worship *Childcare available for ages 0-2 by reservation

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APRIL HIGHLIGHTS Children

Tina Gilbreath Family Ministry Director: tinag@vpc.church

SUNDAY MORNINGS

Please RSVP weekly to help us maintain a safe environment: vpc.church/gather Nursery & Toddler Room, Infant-35 months Here infants and toddlers are introduced to their church home.

We provide them with a safe and enjoyable experience, giving you peace of mind while participating in church activities.

Sunday School, Three years old - fifth grade, 8:30 & 10:30AM Kids are invited to join their parents at the beginning of worship, then go with their teachers to class. At VPC we believe the church is a partner with parents as they raise their children as disciples of Christ.

Family Worship Sundays April 4 (Easter), May 30 (Memorial Day) Parents, enjoy this special time with your kids. Feel free to: • Quietly explain the parts of the service to your children.

• Guide them to stand, sing, or pray with the congregation.

• Encourage them to come up for the Children’s Message.

Childcare available for children 0-2 years old. Stickyfaith by Dr. Kara Powell & Dr. Chap Clark presents research that shows the importance of childhood worship attendance for developing faith that lasts a lifetime.

OASIS MINIS & OASIS KIDS!

Wednesdays starting April 7-May 12, 6-7:30PM Oasis Kids!, Room 415/416, Oasis Minis!, Room 8 Register: vpc.church/children Oasis Kids! is a safe and fun environment to learn about the world in creative ways. Your child will build, draw, play, craft, sing, have fun, and learn more about Jesus with staff members from our Children’s and Music ministries. Oasis Minis is a similar experience with age-appropriate activities for your littler ones. Oasis nursery is available for parents who are registered in an adult class.

Students

5th Grade Transition Banquet Sunday, April 18, 4:30PM, Sanctuary Our fifth grade students are participating in four transition classes leading up to the special milestone celebration, the Transition Banquet, marking 5th graders movement from children’s to Youth Ministry.

FAMILY WORKSHOPS

Family workshops are a way to partner with families to empower them as intentional leaders in their child(ren)’s faith.

Parents of Middle & High Schoolers: Keeping the conversation going with your tween/teen Sunday, April 25, 9:30-10:30AM Upper Youth Room (Zoom option available) It can be quite challenging to create conversations and connection with your tween/teen and this presentation will focus on ways to stay close without being perceived as "nagging" or being critical of your child. We will focus on providing tools to help you navigate holding your teen accountable while at the same time creating an ongoing secure connection. Presented by Nicole Rizkallah, MA, LAMFT. Families of Kindergarten & First Graders: Worshiping as a family Sunday, May 2, 9:30-10:30AM Upper Youth Room (Zoom option available) This class is designed to help parents guide their children in worship, giving them techniques for encouraging a positive attitude toward worship, and enjoying worship as a family.

Travis Kingma Pastor of Next Generation Ministry & Contemporary Worship: travisk@vpc.church

SUNDAY MORNING GATHERING

Sunday Morning Gatherings are a time for students to reflect on and dive deeper into their faith. This is an intentional time to share our lives with one another, read the Bible together, pray, and have a safe space to invest in community.

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EVENTS

Middle & High School Sundays, 8:45 & 10:45AM, Room B108 Except: First Sundays of the month *Communion Sunday, worship with your family Students are encouraged to sit with their families at the start of worship and be dismissed with Sunday School kids. On Communion Sunday, we will not have Sunday Morning Gatherings.

OASIS STUDENT WEDNESDAYS

Middle School Wednesdays, 6-7:30PM, Room B108 Homework Space, 7:30-9PM, Awaken Café High School Wednesdays, 7:30-9PM, Room B108 Homework Space, 6-7:30PM, Awaken Café For all ages on campus at VPC. Awaken Café will also be open as homework space available for students and families to use after program is over.

Sunday Worship Oasis Community Wednesday Classes Register: vpc.church/classes

Each Wednesday we will be offering a grab and go dinner by reservation.

Sign up in advance and plan to come early so you have time to eat outside on our beautiful Awaken Plaza.

Need Childcare? Sign your children up for Oasis Kids!, Oasis Minis or nursery when you register.

Awaken Café will also be open as homework space available for students and families to use after program is over.

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY What the Women Saw

Wednesdays, April 7-May 12, 6-7PM, Upper Youth Room Facilitator: Tina Gilbreath Do women matter to the kingdom of God? Jesus was surrounded by both men and women during his ministry on earth. He saw, valued, and cared for women, and he still does today. Each one of us has a significant role.

Through this six-session study, you will discover who Jesus is through the unique perspective of women in the Bible. As you study the lives of Mary, Martha, Mary Magdalene and others, you will learn from their faith and failures and be reminded that Jesus cared for and valued the women he was surrounded by. He equipped them, listened to them, walked with them, healed them, and empowered them. And he does the same for you now.

MEN’S BIBLE STUDY

Called to Act: 5 Uncomplicated Disciplines for Men

Wednesdays, April 7-May 12, 6-7PM B-106 / Calvin Center + ZOOM Presented by Pastor Chris Woodard If you are a man who feels that spiritual growth is at times frustrating—you are not alone! Most men find spiritual growth over-complicated, but it doesn’t need to be that way. In this series Called to Act: 5 Uncomplicated Disciplines for Men, speaker and author Vince Miller provides an understanding of five essential spiritual disciplines that ignite a lifelong journey of spiritual development made just for men. Leave the ranks of the hesitant and join a movement of men.

LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE LOOKS LIKE Faith Essentials

With Pastor David Joynt Wednesdays, April 7-May 12 6-7PM, Chapel + ZOOM If someone asks you what Christians believe—what would you say? If someone asked you what VPC believes, how would you respond? This spring, Pastor David Joynt will lead a class on Faith Essentials. We will screen new videos designed for everyone who wants to join our community. At the end, we hope to have a clear word “for the hope that is within us!”

OASIS MINIS & OASIS KIDS!

See page 4 for details.

Wednesdays starting April 7-May 12, 6-7:30PM Oasis Kids!, Room 415/416, Oasis Minis!, Room 8 See page 4 for details.

OASIS STUDENT WEDNESDAYS See page 4 for details.

Middle School Wednesdays, 6-7:30PM, Room B108 Homework Space, 7:30-9PM, Awaken Café High School Wednesdays, 7:30-9PM, Room B108 Homework Space, 6-7:30PM, Awaken Café

SPIRITUAL FORMATION

Thursdays, April 8-June 24, Room 415/416, 6-7PM Facilitators: Kathy Oppenhuizen & Beth Allen Register: Tammy Gallagher; 480-991-6424 ext. 163, tammyg@vpc.church We will be discussing and reflecting on “You Set My Spirit Free, a 40 Day Journey in the Company of John of the Cross,” edited by David Hazard. The focus will be on devotional readings enriching our daily spiritual lives as we remember Christ's passion prior to his death and resurrection. COVID-19 mitigation and safety protocols will be in place. Books are available on Amazon.com or Christianbook.com.

Look for all VPC opportunities in next Valley Vine!

New Ministry Brochure coming in May.

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A NEW DAWN MANAGEMENT BREAKING Risk

Have you ever walked by a construction site and seen a sign that reads: “100 days without an injury at this construction site?” I have. Indeed, I’ve seen similar signs at home improvement stores and other locales where circumstances exist that can result in unwanted harm to the physical health of those present.

Ed & Beth Glady

VPC doesn't have a sign like that, but we could justifiably post one that reads: “210 days without any transmission of COVID-19 on campus.” In fact, the language on the sign could be even bolder: “Since the restart of in-person worship on August 23, 2020, VPC has not had a single reported case of COVID transmission!”

This amazing success is not an accident. The spotless safety record is the result of incredible leadership by our Session, Pastors, and staff. It is the result of the Risk Management Committee amazing hard work and skills of Pastor David Turner, who since early last summer planned, organized, recruited, and implemented the numerous efforts and personnel we have in place that carry out the COVID mitigation protocols enacted by Session. It is the result of many, many selfless volunteers who have faithfully been in place week after week to make sure all who have attended in-person worship at VPC have done so in as safe an environment as possible. It is the result of the worship leaders, singers, musicians, ushers and others who have brought God’s vitality to our worship services while respecting the safety and well-being of all.

Lastly, it is the result of all of you who have attended worship in person with a mask in place while respecting the distance discipline asked of all.

Ed Glady

Like most vigorous efforts however, this good work by all can bring about fatigue and give rise to such questions like, “when will we be able to start lifting some of these mitigation protocols?”

The six of us on your Risk Management Committee constantly ask that same question. We seek guidance from a number of trustworthy sources, including the Center for Disease Control, public health and medical experts, daily numbers and trends regarding newly reported COVID cases, the trends of COVID infection in various parts of the Valley where our congregants are located, and vaccination numbers and those eligible to receive a vaccination. We have ongoing discussions about the COVID landscape mapped out by these and other sources, seeking to discern what might be done safely and when. We listen to you as you bring ideas, thoughts, and suggestions to us. We pray, seeking God’s guidance to balance everyone's safety with the very real need to loosen protocols when and if it is safe to do so.

As we approach Easter—with its celebration of a new dawn, an empty tomb, and promises of new life for all of us, we also approach a new dawn for dealing with the threat of COVID transmission on campus. Just as we have done thus far, our approach for this new dawn must be prudent and reasonably tailored to the reality that COVID is still in our midst. We must balance our desire to reconnect with the reality that many of us have not yet had an opportunity to be vaccinated. As Christian sisters and brothers we seek to act for the good of all while seeking our Lord in the renewed connections and relationships with one another.

As a result of this balance and attention to the information about the current COVID situation, we felt it appropriate to recommend to Session that we eliminate some of the COVID mitigation measures that have been in place since August: only seating in every other row in the Sanctuary, not allowing worshippers to sing in worship, requiring hand sanitizer use before entering the Sanctuary, and requiring everyone to have their temperatures taken before admittance to be seated in the Sanctuary. Session has approved all of these recommendations!

However, other mitigation measures, including the required use of masks and social distancing within each row remain in place. We are confident that given the widespread administration of the COVID vaccine we may be soon looking at modifying those requirements, too. For now, we are thankful that we can loosen up a few of the protocols and allow more people to attend worship and to sing our praise to God! Please pray for Risk Management and our church leadership! Together we will continue to monitor the COVID situation and act if and when appropriate toward the goal of our beautiful new Sanctuary full of worshippers whose beautiful faces are fully visible to God and to one another.

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—Ed Glady on behalf of The Risk Management Committee

Steps for a safe worship environment

We will ask the congregation to take the following steps:

Masks are required for all worship attendees.

Please bring your own, but VPC will have extra available.

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Singing is allowed with mask on.

Two seats between family groups.

If you feel sick or have a fever, stay home.

Collection boxes will be in the back of the building to receive offering contributions.

No handshakes, hugs, or other physical contact during Passing of the Peace.

We invite families to worship together. *Kids Worship Backpacks available when no Sunday School is offered.

We will not be able to provide bulletins, Bibles, hymnals, or friendship pads.

• Main floor Sanctuary seating in every row.

• Balcony and South Patio will have distance seating between rows.

• Nursery and Sunday School (except Family Worship Sunday) are now available. Space is limited, reserve online. If you wish to continue to enjoy service as a family, please ask for a *Kids Worship Backpack.

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Valley Presby terian

FOUNDATION

SCHOLARSHIPS Since the early 2000’s, Valley Presbyterian Foundation has been pleased to offer scholarships to members of VPC. Kris Bahr These fall into two Finance & Operations Director categories, Academic, 480-991-6424 ext. 112 and Student Trips. krisb@vpc.church Academic: for tuition, room, and board.

VPC members who are high school seniors, undergraduate, graduate, seminary students or trade school students are eligible to apply.

• Erickson Scholarship: Established in 1992 with a $1,500 donation, current value is $100,000.

• Simmons Scholarship: Established in 1997 with a $2,500 donation from Mary Simmons in honor of her late husband, Harold, current fund value is $8,600.

• Patterson Scholarship Fund: Established in 2018 with a $200,000 donation from the Barbara Patterson bequest, current fund value is $252,000.

Student Trips: provide resources for all youth to participate in camp and mission trips, regardless of financial situation.

• Doris Horak Scholarship Fund: Established in 1997 with $10,000 donation from Joseph Horak in honor of his late wife, Doris. Current fund value is $200,000.

Over the past 20 years, 67 different students have received academic scholarships from VPF, with many students receiving one for each year of their education. A total of 172 scholarships totaling $175,000 have been awarded. Likewise, many students who would not otherwise have been able to participate in student trips received partial or full scholarships from the Horak Fund.

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A SOLID FOUNDATION

Many of the students at VPC have received the tangible outpouring of the generosity of these efforts. As ministry leaders, the gratitude we feel is incalculable and deeply appreciated. We have witnessed firsthand the pivotal discipleship transformation take place in the lives of the next generation through these initiatives. Whether it be at camps, mission trips, or other service opportunities these experiences have deepened students' love for the Lord and their neighbors profoundly...in that vein, these scholarship endeavors will continue to spur us on to reach more students for Christ in the years to come!

—Travis Kingma, Pastor of Next Generation Ministry & Contemporary Worship Thank you so much for the scholarship…I am very grateful to the Foundation for supporting me.

—Kristen Brammer Thank you so much for my scholarship! I was able to be on campus this semester, and I greatly enjoyed the experience. I really appreciate the support of the Foundation for my education.

—Elizabeth Brammer We are accepting applications now through April 15 for the 2021 VPF Scholarship at: vpc.church/vpf.

We encourage you to do what so many others have done since 1976, and consider including VPF in your estate planning, thus becoming part of the Valley Legacy Society. Contact Kris for details.

Stewardship

COMMITTEE WAYS TO GIVE

Being a part of a faith community is vital during times of unease and isolation. That’s why VPC is committed to continuing God’s work with our faith family, our local community, and our mission partners around the globe. Circumstances change, but the needs of others do not.

Jim & Candy Unruh

Candy Unruh

Stewardship Committee Chair

We cannot do this without your help. We are asking you to continue your support of VPC throughout this time as the Pastors and staff work to minister, worship, and educate those who God has brought into VPC’s orbit. There are several ways you can financially support VPC:

Give online: Here you can give securely and set up automatic or one-time payments. Using any of these options will require you to create or sign in to an Easy Tithe account.

Text-to-give: Simply text 480-372-8548 and you will be prompted to register for an Easy Tithe account (or log in to an existing account).

Easy Tithe app: Available for Android & iOS , simply install the app, search for Valley Presbyterian Church the first time you log in, and register for an Easy Tithe account (or log in to an existing account).

Mail in a check: Staff office hours are in flux, but we still get all the mail sent to VPC. Feel free to mail a check: 6947 E. McDonald Drive, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 If you have any questions or issues creating an account, call or email Kris Bahr: 480-991-6424 ext. 112 or krisb@vpc.church.

If you are unable to continue your support of VPC at this time, we ask for your prayers as we navigate the days ahead. Thank you for being a part of what God is doing at VPC! —Blessings, VPC Stewardship Committee

Other simple ways to

SUPPORT VPC Link your VIP card to VPC to support our ministry when you shop!

Visit the website: fryscommunityrewards.com, follow a few easy instructions, and you can link your VIP card to Valley Presbyterian Church (organization number CB529).

A portion of your purchase will go directly to support God's work at VPC!

Hundreds of people are dedicatedly and faithfully supporting God's work at VPC, and we are thankful for your generosity!

Here are a couple convenient methods to contribute to the great ministries at VPC. When you shop Amazon, you can support VPC­—and it won't cost you a thing!

AmazonSmile designates a portion of their purchase total as a donation to a charitable organization. If you shop with Amazon, please consider logging into your account through smile.amazon.com and select "Valley Presbyterian Church" before you shop. It's an easy and free way to support our ministry!

These two “pain free” ways of giving provide over $1,000 to the church each year.

Fry’s (12/1/20-2/28/21) Amazon Smile (10/1/20-12/31/20) $102.30—this is from 37 individual participants $167.97—number of participants unknown

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UPDATE ON OPERATIONS FACILITIES Finances &

The administration and two-story education building, along with Landes Center, were completed early in 2002. While the roof on the education building had repairs and foam coating applied about Kris Bahr five years ago, no Finance & Operations Director significant work had 480-991-6424 ext. 112 been done on the krisb@vpc.church other two roofs. As you can see from the photo below, this work was long overdue. There had not been any leaks, but we chose to be proactive and get the repairs done before it became a major issue. After obtaining competitive bids, Starkweather Roofing, who was familiar with our campus, having worked on the A New Heart for the Valley project, was chosen.

Under the terms of the contract, Starkweather power washed all three roofs, removed and patched all blisters, ridges and loose material, resealed vents and pipes, and installed an

application of elastomeric roof coating to the entire roof surface. The photos on the right shows the final result, completed early in March 2021.

Going forward, regular annual inspection of the roofs will be performed to identify and address issues as they arise.

Another project completed in March was replacement of the air handler that cools the Landes lobby, restrooms, and storage area.

The unit went out last summer, but the job was delayed until now, in anticipation of the increased usage expected when groups eventually return to campus.

On the topic of air conditioners, our custodial team of Darvin Butler and Will McGaugh recently completed changing out the 150+ filters on all the units on campus, saving the expense of paying an outside contractor. One of their ongoing projects is to identify and replace the many and varied light bulbs across campus, gradually replacing burned out bulbs with LED lighting. We are blessed to have this talented, hard-working team.

In future months we'll give you an update from our newly established Property Committee.

Before

VPC finances year-to-date as of February 28, 2021 Actual $ Budget $ Variance $ Income Faith Giving 372,300 360,000 12,300 Other Income 11,100 14,100 -3,000 Total Income 383,400 374,100 9,300 Expense

Pastoral Ministry Admin & Facility Mission, Outreach, Cong. Care Christian Education Worship & Music Total Expense

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Net Income less Expense

79,100 160,300 47,400 52,000 338,800

79,500 162,000 4,700 52,600 51,100 349,900

400 1,700 4,700 5,200 -900 11,100

44,600

24,200

20,400

After

News from

SESSION

MARCH MEETING REPORT

Session had a retreat on Saturday, March 20, to hear the report from the VPC 2.0 Committee. At the Session meeting, the discussion continued and meetings are being set up to share the information with the congregation.

The Session is working to allow four people to review the mitigation protocols so it can act more swiftly, if necessary.

Karen Meyer

If you have any question or concerns, please reach out to me.

—Blessings, Karen Gill Meyer

Clerk of Session 480-368-6567

A New Sermon Series begins April 11

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