December Valley Vine

the

Valley Vine

December 2018

Volume sixty-three, Number eleven

Valley Presbyterian Church

For unto us a child is born

Senior Pastor

DAVID JOYNT Light transfigures things. The morning light floods the world with colors and shadowy objects take on sudden shape and definition. Dew begins to glisten.

The soft light of early evening makes things glow, and the setting sun paints the clouds with hues that alter the mood of the sky. Our brown-gray mountain vistas, static in the noon day sun, are a canvas of shades and shadows, shifting with light and cloud.

God has designed the natural world as a visual delight for the eye and for the soul.

As the spiritual light of the world, Jesus also transfigures things. His light guides, like the North Star. His teaching illuminates dark problems and highlights great truths. His radiant example inspires our imitation and contrasts with our grey doings.

Dark forces retreat from his presence, and in connection to him we sense there is light at the end of our tunnels. This Advent, we will be celebrating the power of Christ’s Sonlight to reveal and heal and make new. For in him a light has come into the world, and into our lives, that the darkness cannot put out.

I want to encourage you this season to invite people in your circle of friends and family, who are without a faith community, to come and see here at VPC. Come and see the way Jesus transfigures people, opening up new paths to love, to joy, and to service. May this be a December to remember for all of us.

Yours faithfully,

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Highlighte d

EVENTS

The Four Gospels: Advent Bible Study Wednesdays, November 28-December 19 6-7PM, Chapel, Free

Advent.ure

Sunday, December 2 4:30-6PM, Free Landes Center

Service of REMEMBRANCE

Dove Tree Service of Remembrance Tuesday, December 4, 2PM Memorial Garden

Feel free to come to the Garden, write a name on a dove, place it on the tree, and offer a prayer.

The Peace of Christmas

Featuring the VPC Chancel Choir and members of the Phoenix Symphony Narrated by Pastor David Joynt

Monday, December 10 7PM, Sanctuary, Free 3

IT'S THE MOST BUSY TIME OF YEAR A guide to VPC Christmastime events

One of the best things about the weeks leading up to Christmas are all the ways there are to celebrate. From parties to presents, from carols to Christmas Eve, there are numerous ways to express what this season means to you.

Unfortunately, one of the most challenging things about the weeks leading up to Christmas are all the ways to celebrate, too! We know it can be easy to feel overloaded with activity during Advent, so we want to put all the VPCrelated information for December in one place!

Also check out all this information at vpc.church/christmas.

Christmas Eve

3PM* SANCTUARY Valley Singers

5PM* SANCTUARY

Chancel Choir, Worship Band, candlelighting

7PM SANCTUARY

Valley Singers, candlelighting

9PM CHAPEL

Worship Band, candlelighting

Valley Presbyterian Church 4

*Childcare for 0-2 years available

Sunday Mornings

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30

Celebrate the coming arrival of the Christ child with VPC's annual Nativity Pageant.

End 2018 singing the songs of the season and hearing about our great God.

One worship service Sanctuary, 9:30AM

One worship service Sanctuary, 9:30AM

Events ADVENT.URE

An Advent Wreath & Luminaria Party Sunday, December 2, 4:30-6PM, Landes Center, Cost: Free ($10 donation suggested) Families of all ages are welcome! We will make advent wreaths, luminarias, family devotionals, decorate cookies, and enjoy time with other families.

DOVE TREE SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE

A chance to remember those who have gone before Tuesday, December 4, 2PM, Memorial Garden, Pastor David Turner presiding If you have lost a loved one, feel free to come to the Memorial Garden, write their name on a dove, place it on the tree, and offer a silent prayer. Join us as we remember those who have passed.

WOMEN'S MINISTRY ORNAMENT EXCHANGE

Sunday, December 9, 4-6PM, Free Email Kelly Nieto for location and address: kellyn@vpc.church Celebrate the Christmas season with the ladies and friends of VPC. Dinner is provided and some carols, too. Bring a dessert to share, an ornament to exchange, and a friend!

THE PEACE OF CHRISTMAS: A CANTATA

Featuring the VPC Chancel Choir and members of the Phoenix Symphony Monday, December 10, 7PM, Sanctuary, Free As we journey toward Christmas, join us for a free concert that will lift your spirits and put peace in your heart. The Christ child is coming! Sponsored by Valley Presbyterian Foundation. Cookie reception following.

NATIVITY PAGEANT

Sunday, December 23, 9:30AM (during worship) Rehearsal: Saturday, December 22, 10AM-Noon RSVP for your child: tinag@vpc.church This event is one of the highlights of the year, and there is a place for your kid to take part! Contact Tina Gilbreath to learn more about this Advent celebration.

Opportunities to Serve MENTORKIDS USA CHRISTMAS PARTY

Satuday, December 8, 9:30AM-2PM, Kiva Field Email Chris with questions or to volunteer: chrisw@vpc.church Thanks to you, each child in the MentorKids program will get a gift. Outside each worship center there is an angel tree with ornaments. They specify age, gender, and gift suggestion. Feel free to take one and bring a gift by December 2.

Help with an amazing celebration for the children and families of MentorKids!

Bouncies, climbing wall, popcorn, face-painting, snow, food, and much more!

FAMILIY PROMISE OF GREATER PHOENIX

VPC is Hosting over Christmas break Sunday, December 23-Sunday, December 30 Email Chris with questions or to volunteer: chrisw@vpc.church Family Promise rescues primarily first time homeless families from the streets and provides emergency shelter and basic needs in a 60 day program designed to assist their return to self-sufficiency. Our shelter includes a sanctuary for the family pet, the first such program in Arizona. Family Promise partners with VPC to provide safe overnight shelter, food, and compassion to families in crisis.

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THE SOUND OF CHRISTMAS

By Jennifer Hamm, Minister of Music

When I was just three and a half years old, I made my singing debut in church. On Christmas Eve. I had to stand on a chair to reach the microphone next to my mother as together we sang a song she had written. It was a simple song, How could the birth of One so small make such a difference to us all/Precious little Jesus born in Bethlehem, precious little Jesus, He was born to save men. Now as a mother with a natural born singer, I’m looking forward to her singing this same song when she is three next Christmas. My mother instilled in me a love and appreciation for music and I’m able to pass that along to my daughter.

Music brings up so many memories. We pass on musical traditions we had as children and make new ones together. I have a number of memories about Christmas music, in particular, as I’m sure you might, too. Silent Night, for example, holds a special place in my heart. For the last several years, I have had the privilege of singing that song to an older lady, Rosemary, at my friend’s home care center. Rosemary had gone blind and was in an unresponsive state most of the time. She never talked when we were there, she just laid her head back in her wheel chair. I often wondered, "Can she hear me? Does she even know I'm here?" I found out one evening that Rosemary was German, so while we were caroling I went over to her and sat so that we were face to face. I started singing Silent Night in German, and she immediately responded! She sat up, alert, and sang every word along with me. When we were finished singing, she laid back and went back into her catatonic-like state. For Rosemary, that song ignited a memory in her and for a few minutes, she was back to life. The power of music is amazing! Rosemary passed away this year, and I will really miss singing that song to her, but will cherish this memory. Truly she now sleeps in heavenly peace.

The Peace of Christmas: A Cantata Concert As church musicians, we are blessed to be able to sing great Christmas music. This year's Christmas Concert is approaching and I hope you will be able to attend. Coming back from my maternity leave, I have been rejuvenated by the new, fuller sound of our choir!

We have gained several new members and are still growing. We’ve hired two new Valley Singers (a tenor and a bass) that have really helped to fill out the choir. I’m so excited to hear the choir sing with our orchestra this year. You, the audience member, will also have the chance to sing with the orchestra in a carol sing-a-long, so warm up those vocal cords! This will be the fourth concert I’ve conducted here at VPC, and I believe it will be the best.

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2017 CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Our theme this year is “The Peace of Christmas.”

“Peace on earth” is a phrase you see everywhere around Christmas time. For many of us, we have to wonder where that peace is. Whether we’re trying to find peace in the chaos of our own lives or trying to wrap our heads around the hope for political peace, “peace on earth” sure seems elusive. As Christians, we recognize that the Christmas season is all about peace. We hear that message in many of the carols that we sing. Through song and narration, we hope that you will leave our concert with feeling of peace and hope that “peace on earth” is possible.

Sanctuary Organ report from Assistant Music Minister and organist Julia Tucker We are happy to announce that Session has approved our selection of Phil Swartz to restore our Sanctuary's 1968 Reuter organ. We have been working closely with Scott Riedel, an organ consultant and acoustician out of Milwaukee, WI. With Scott’s assistance, we solicited bids from five respected organ companies.

When it became clear that Swartz’s bid would be a top contender, I wanted to go hear one of his previous projects to be assured of the quality of his work. I visited St. Andrew’s, a reformed congregation in Sanford, FL. This congregation started with a Reuter organ that was very similar to ours. I was very impressed with the quality of the restoration job that Swartz did. He spent many years as Vice-President of the Reuter organ company, and is thus uniquely qualified to understand what our instrument needs.

Currently, almost one third of our organ is nonoperational. An AC unit leak inside the organ chamber

2017 CHRISTMAS CONCERT

that happened a few years ago damaged a portion of the unit. Also, many of the leather parts are experiencing significant wear and tear. Additionally, there are some tonal deficiencies (the organ makes an incorrect or "off" sound) that prevent the instrument from being as effective as it should be. Swartz will repair the portions of the instrument that are currently not playable, replace all of the leather inside the instrument and re-voice many of the existing ranks (sets of pipes) to make the instrument better able to lead the congregation and choir. He will also add an eight foot Harmonic Flute rank. The addition of this stop will greatly expand the repertoire the instrument can play.

The existing organ console will also be replaced. In addition to being much more aesthetically pleasing, the new console will have a lower profile so that the organist can see over the top while playing. This will make it much easier for me to be able to see Jennifer while she conducts! It will also be easily movable.

This frees us up to be able use the organ in many more contexts, but particularly in our concerts with orchestra.

Swartz will remove the organ from the Sanctuary and bring it to his workshop in the week after Easter 2019, and will return it when the rest of the Sanctuary construction is finished. Jennifer and I can’t wait to hear it in it’s full glory!

If you have any other questions about the Sanctuary organ, please email Jennifer: jenniferh@vpc.church.

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CREATED LIKE THE CHRIST CHILD

By Charlee Turner, Valley Presbyterian Foundation Administrator

The end of the year is a magical time.

Driving home is made more enjoyable by the animated and lit lawns of festive holiday homeowners. The sounds of jingle bells belting from our radio speakers create an eager and anticipating mood. Christmas movies and themed TV series act out the daily end of the year stressors of our lives or build fantastical moments of hope for our little ones. The season of celebration and thanksgiving has arrived! But, what does it all really mean for us as Christians?

Like Jesus, I think many of us look to the joy of children as an embodiment of the holiday season. Their delight in the smallest details, their amazement in the regular, and their satisfaction in it all. It is pure. It is innocent. It is new. In Ephesians 2:10 we are told: We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

According to Psalm 139:4 He tells us that He knit us together in our mother’s womb, making us fearfully and wonderfully made. Just as God prepared to send His only begotten Son to earth to save our souls, He too spent just as much time to make each of us uniquely for His own purpose.

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BARBARA PATTERSON (left) Barbara left a large gift to the foundation after her passing in 2017, which has been able to bless VPC music ministries.

At the Valley Presbyterian Foundation, we believe God is at work and see examples of it every day. The Board - blessed with a spectrum of talented men and women who come together daily, weekly, and monthly to ensure the groundwork is laid for the continued and better future for coming generations - were once little ones, woven and cultivated by His word to use their skills today, here at VPC. Their thoughtful and prayerful considerations for managing and growing the gifts of those passed away have contributed in countless ways over the decades to fund many missional causes and campus repairs. And what about our givers? Their gifts account for the creation and existence of our Foundation today. Without the foresight of those before us, we could find ourselves in moments of crisis scrambling to address a need.

God never meant it to work that way.

It is through God’s example that we learn to carefully plan and really care for those who are with us today and those who will come long after we cease to exist.

In Matthew 25 we learn more of our purpose in the parable of talents. God commands that we invest and multiply our treasures. Rather than burying them, we are to use them for His greater purpose.

In its 42 years of existence, the Foundation has followed His lead, using earnings from investments to cover the costs of travel for our mission team to work and spread God’s love in Malawi. The Foundation annually grants scholarships to eager students to participate in Summer Youth Trips and to those seeking higher educational opportunities at colleges and universities. Earlier this year, the Foundation contributed one million dollars to VPC’s A New Heart

2018 VPF LEGACY LUNCH

for the Valley capital campaign, an investment towards our children’s future with Christ. On December 10 we host The Peace of Christmas: A Cantata, the last of two musical pieces the Foundation sponsors annually.

These contributions to God's work at VPC do not begin and end with our Foundation and Trustees; it is a daily campus occurrence. Stroll through our campus corridors or sit for a moment in any patio area of the church during the day to enjoy the magical moments of VPC and to consider how it all comes to life. Witness first-hand the many personalities of our Day School children and the teachers who foster the talent God wove into their little hearts and hands. Take the time to appreciate the skills and life experiences that God constructed to form the volunteer you see hustling to and fro as they plan and prepare for our church events. These are God’s children – all fearfully and wonderfully made. As we celebrate the Christ child this season, remember that it is in His image that He made you and I special, unique, and for His purpose.

Thank you, God, for this magical season.

Join us on January 20, 2019 for Foundation Sunday.

We'll share and celebrate the ways in which God has been at work throughout the past year.

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Christmas Memorial Poinsett ia Donations

The beautiful red plant we associate with Christmas has a rich and interesting history, one driven by the striking blooms and by a humble Christmas Eve gift.* The poinsettia is native to an area of what is now southern Mexico. It was brought to America in the early 1800's by Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first US Ambassador to Mexico, whom the plant is now named after. In the ensuing decades it was sold across the growing country, but its tie to Christmas is still based back in Mexico...

Pepita, a poor Mexican girl with a sad heart; she had no gift for the Christ Child on Christmas Eve. Her cousin, Pedro, told her, "Even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes." Pepita gathered a handful or weeds, made a small bouquet, and laid them at the altar at her church. The weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, becoming known as the Flores de Noche Buena- Flowers of the Holy Night.

At VPC, poinsettias continue to be a way to remember and support our loved ones and ministries.

You can choose to donate a Christmas poinsettia in honor of loved ones. The plants will decorate our worship centers and the proceeds will go to Family Promise.

Your gift carries on Pepita's offering. It will add a festive element to our campus, and more importantly, it will help to bring families in the Valley out of homelessness.

If you're interested in donating toward a poinsettia, contact Kris: krisb@vpc.church *Adapted from the Phoenix Flower Shop website: phoenixflowershops.com

Poinsettias @ VPC

To have your memorial in the Christmas Eve bulletin, please make your request by Monday, December 17 (donations accepted through Christmas) Suggested Donation: $15 We invite you to donate a Christmas poinsettia in honor of loved ones.

Deadline for acknowledgment in Christmas Eve bulletin is Monday, December 17.

Dozens of these beautiful and festive plants will festively decorate our worship centers. Proceeds benefit Family Promise.

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Order online: vpc.church/christmas under or fill out an order form.

News from

SESSION

Since the last Session update: Session accepted with deep regret the resignation of Elders Ashley Case and Ellen Parrott. At the Congregational meeting on October 21, Amy Greer was elected to fill Ashley’s term.

Boy Scout Troop 441’s charter, established on February 11, 1960, has been renewed for one year.

Tina Gilbreath gave Session an overview of her position as Director of Family Ministries. Her main goal is to increase VPC's connection with families of children of all ages.

Travis Kingma updated Session on Student Ministry; its mission is to cultivate an environment where students are adopted into the body of Christ ensuring they are known, loved, and sent as transformed disciples.

Karen Meyer Clerk of Session 480-368-6567

Session received an update on Deacons ministries including: After-Care ministry, At-Home visitations, Baby Welcomes, Care Packages for college students and our military, Communion Preparation, the Deacon Fund, Flower Donations and Distributions, Lay Hospital Chaplains, Tasty Spoon, Stephen Ministry, and Health and Wellness offerings including heart screenings, blood drives, and immunizations.

Based on pledges received, Session approved the Building Committee’s priorities 1-10 for a cost not to exceed $9.9 million.

The HVAC equipment in the church is the original equipment and in dire need of replacement. Session, as Trustor of Valley Presbyterian Foundation, is requesting the disbursement of $593,000 from unrestricted funds to pay for a new HVAC system as a pledge to A New Heart for the Valley. P.J. Swartz has been selected to refurbish the organ including the addition of an 81 Harmonic Flute element for $578,883.

If you would like any further details or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

OPERATIONS THANKS TO YOU! Finances &

Kris Bahr

Finance & Operations Director 480-991-6424 ext. 112 krisb@vpc.church

Over the past several weeks you have heard from our VPC church family and mission partners about how your generosity has made a significant impact in their lives and the lives of others. On November 19, you had a chance to make your commitment to the work of Jesus Christ at VPC. In addition to the prayers, which you lift up for our church on a daily basis, you have also made a financial commitment to support the staff, facility, and programming to make everything at VPC happen.

Church office closed: December 25 & 26 in observance of Christmas January 1, 2019 for New Year's Day

183 households completed a commitment card, for a total of $990,000. There are about 275 additional households who give to VPC regularly, and it is expected that their commitment will total $725,000. We are so grateful for this support of over $1.7 million, which is roughly equivalent to 2018 numbers. When taking into consideration the additional needs of the A New Heart for the Valley capital campaign, it has truly been a remarkable year.

VPC finances year-to-date as of October 31, 2018 Income

Actual $

Budget $

Variance $

Faith Giving Other Income Total Income

1,516,318 284,816 1,801,134

1,525,000 341,784 1,866,784

-8,682 -56,968 -65,650

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

397,610 869,649 120,743 249,437 149,318 1,786,757

398,221 890,171 119,279 291,283 156,651 1,855,605

611 20,522 -1,464 41,846 7,333 68,848

14,377

11,179

3,198

Expense

Net Income less Expense

Capital Campaign

UPDATE

Status of A New Heart for the Valley at the end of 2018:

$8,444,969 $500,000 $1,255,000

$10,200,000

Pledged or raised Promised from anonymous donor if we reach $9,700,000 Amount needed to activate anonymous donor support Goal

Let’s finish 2018 strong! Make your gift or pledge (payable over three years): vpc.church/anewheart,, place in offering plate, or call church office.

Questions? Contact Rev. Keith Kerber keithk@vpc.church, 480-991-6424 ext. 165.

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