October Valley Vine

the

Valley Vine IN THIS ISSUE: God is at work in the hearts of VPC's men

Serving together VPC's women are creating change

Learning to hear God's call to help those who need it

October 2018

Volume sixty-three, Number nine

Valley Presbyterian Church

Senior Pastor

DAVID JOYNT Friends, The world changes when we pray. Praying for others, for the church, for the Kingdom is an act of spiritual defiance. We stand against everything that opposes the promises and purposes of God. We visualize a future different than the present, a momentum that turns current tides in new directions. Through prayers, unholy necessities give way to fresh freedoms and the inevitable makes room for the possible.

You and I must pray boldly for one another and for the world. Not just for happiness, but for unstoppable joy. Not just for security, but for justice. Not just for success but for deep significance. Not just for easy contentment but transformation. Pray that your pastors will lay down their lives for the flock. Pray that our teachers shift the course of history, our journalist will be seekers after truth, our soldiers instruments of peace. May our artists deepen perception with their paint or our musicians with their sound. May our politicians seek, unselfishly, the common good, beyond slogans, polls, and personal standing. May science serve human flourishing.

How do you pray for VPC? I invite you to pray with great expectancy over the coming months. As our A New Heart for the Valley campaign concludes, I am asking God for results beyond our plans. I pray for: 1. Larger Hearts! Like Kenyan runners training in the mountains, I pray that God will grow our capacity to love and risk, to trust and to give, to experience and share.

2. Richer Relationships! May we be united and connected across our generations, beyond differences, in faith and mission, in passion and friendship. God, please grow our knowledge of you and one another!

3. Beautiful Efficiency! So that all our places and spaces cohere and inspire, without a single dollar being wasted or misspent. May our builders be brilliant, thorough, and fast, and our town approvals expeditious. May God govern the logistics.

4. Mission Multiplication! Through our gifts, may MentorKids establish a new Promise Neighborhood in South Scottsdale that touches and transforms the lives of hundreds of children, youth, and families for generations to come. May Family Promise reach and help two times as many homeless families to find peace and stability.

5. New Life! I pray God will draw, and we will invite hundreds of neighbors, friends, and strangers to Valley Church, where they will become disciples of our great Lord.

6. Colossal Creativity! I dream of a new era of creativity that will release the talents of our musicians and singers. May God enliven great tradition and deepen current expressions, through his Holy Spirit, making us a community of stronger passion, innovation, and excellence in our worship.

7. Great Glory! May God be glorified in all we do and say and build.

As we’ve been learning this fall, prayer changes us and opens within our lives a place for God to act. Join me in these seven petitions for VPC and add others if you like. Every time we pray in this way, for others and for our church, we are expressing a pure form of love. David Hubbard says, “Every earnest prayer for someone is a magnificent act of love.” Let’s be magnificent together.

On October 21, we will have one single, large service to celebrate A New Heart for the Valley. It will be at 9:30AM in the Sanctuary. Don’t miss it!

And pray that it will be a moment we cherish and never forget.

Yours faithfully,

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Highlighte d

EVENTS

VPC COMMUNITY WORSHIP & CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

Sunday, October 21, 9:30AM, Sanctuary

TRUNK OR TREAT

Sunday, October 28, 5-7PM South Parking Lot Sign up to host a trunk: vpc.church/children

48th Annual

Cooks’ Tour

COOKS' TOUR

Friday, November 2, 9AM-3PM Tickets go on sale starting October 7: vpc.church/cooks

INQUIRER CLASS

Inquirer Class

Sunday, October 21, Noon Fireside Room Sign up to join our community! vpc.church/inquirer

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WHEN DISCIPLESHIP BECAME REAL

by Chris Woodard, Mission Ministry Director

One of the most formative times in my life occurred through my cohort experience during seminary. We were a group of students that committed to: taking one class a quarter together, praying for each other, worship, and sharing life. I found that as I walked alongside others in life, they walked alongside me. My classmates became much more than people I would see in class or the library, they became my brothers and sisters in Christ. As we shared our hopes and dreams, our missteps and worries, God brought us together as a faithful community.

Through that community, I began to understand discipleship on an entirely different level. Discipleship became real. I understood it was more than theoretical exercises, absorbed in a class or from the pulpit. Discipleship is living life informed by our God and strengthened through community.

It is a life Jesus promises to be full and abundant.

I sometimes find myself looking back on that experience with longing-wanting to recreate it in the present. I realize that I am who I am today because of my past, but the Spirit is alive and well in my present and future, leading me into new experiences. My responsibility is taking that first step in the long obedience. Men, the good news for us is that we do not have to take those steps alone, but as a community we can share life together.

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I am very thankful to our leadership team that has been meeting for over a year to discern where God is leading our Men’s Ministry. Through their prayerful leadership, hours of conversation over pizza, and sloppy yet interesting diagrams on butcher paper, they see God leading men into small groups. In these small groups, men can share life together. The leadership team wants to empower men to lead a life of discipleship.

The path moving forward involves both large, medium, and small group gatherings.

Our larger gatherings involve activities of the church; worship on Sunday, festivals, mission activities, etc. As men we want to be engaged in what God is doing in our larger church context to play our role in advancing the mission of Christ in our community and world. Our medium-sized gatherings involve our breakfasts, service opportunities, and fellowship activities. We want to create spaces where men can get to know each other better over a game of corn hole, some bacon, or trimming trees. Through these experiences relationships will deepen and friendships will foster. The small group experience involve men getting together weekly or bimonthly to encourage each other, pray for each other, share life together, and grow in their walk with Christ.

We are launching Men's Small Groups in October. It is the hope of the leadership team that, through our relationships with each other, we can grow in our relationship with Jesus. I am excited for all that God is doing in our church and community. I am thankful to be on this journey with you; what a privilege it is to walk alongside each other as we grow in our relationship with Christ. Know that I am praying for you. If you have any questions, ideas or want to meet up for a meal or watch a game, please feel free to contact me.

A New Way Forward, 2018 Men’s Retreat Recap: VPC's annual Men's Retreat was September 21-23 at the UCYC Camp. What a great weekend we had in Prescott, Arizona! There were so many highlights; worship, rockclimbing, study, paintball, napping, campfires, and much more. It truly was a special weekend. I wish I could convey just how much fun we had getting to know each other. On Saturday morning we did an exercise to learn fun and interesting facts about each other, and I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard. Just thinking about it right now puts a smile on my face!

Even more than the fun times, I was in awe at the way God moved in our lives. Our times of worship, prayer, and communion were holy. The conversations we had that were inspired by our speaker, were real and meaningful. God is doing a mighty work in these men-as individuals and as a group. I am so thankful and blessed to be a part of the retreat and to a part of our Men’s Ministry. It is so much more than a ministry, it is a place where men are exercising their faith, allowing God to move in their lives in authentic ways, and sharing life together. I am excited to be a part of this group and to see what God will do with us.

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THE GENERATIONS OF A FAMILY PHOTO

By Pastor Kelly Nieto

Do you have a family photo with four generationsgreat-grandparent, grandparent, parent, and child?

If you do, look at your family's smiles. Do you see the similarities across those generations? That’s usually where you see the most family resemblance; it's in the smiles. When the women of VPC come together, it is also like a family photo of generations, filled with smiles. From babies in strollers to greatgrandmothers, the joy across the generations is the picture of Women’s Ministry at VPC. At this year’s Fall Gathering, one of our speakers, Nissa Moak, said, “This is such an amazing, accomplished group of women, I am humbled to hear their stories and to have the chance to share with them!”

Author and theologian C.S. Lewis once said, “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another ‘what! You too?..’” This is one of the great ways women get to know each another, "What do we have in common?" The first questions you ask are the starting points for finding what you have in common. Are you married? Do you have children?

Where do you work? What are your hobbies? How are your relationships with the people close to you?

As a female pastor, I have had a unique perspective to see different communities of women in several settings. Like our community, they have their family photos. On a ministry trip in the jungles of Latin America, sitting around a campfire with other women, I heard stories of loss and sadness, followed by women turning and asking me how to make Rice Krispy treats. These women shared all their experiences, from the tragic to the mundane.

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In North Africa I saw Muslim women enter a house fully veiled, but removed the veil to eat, dance, and laugh when they came into the company of other women. They shared stories of difficult in-laws or not being able to have children. When they found out I’m American, they would ask me if I could teach them how to say, “my child or my parent is sick, can you help me?” in English. This was so they would know how to approach the visiting doctors or nurses leading a local medical clinic.

Each one of us will take our place in the family photo, holding different roles as we move along the chain of generations. What will we find in common, what will we learn from one another, and what will we teach each other? Mothers of Preschoolers gather on Friday mornings, sharing lots of, “what! You too?” stories.

Presbyterian Women Circles and the Women’s Bible Study look into God’s Word to see how scripture relates to our lives today. This Fall, we will learn together about hunger in Arizona at the Sip & Social Justice event on October 16, and we will also have opportunities to serve together.

Serving together is such an important way to build friendship. Jesus sent out his disciples to serve and to preach the gospel in pairs. When we serve together, we build memories of kingdom work that are passed down through the years and the generations. On a Saturday in August, 35 women and their families put together food bags at Feed My Starving Children. The bags we were putting together were going to be sent to El Salvador to feed the hungry. At the station where I was working, I sealed the completed bags and handed them to five-year-old Ryker, who counted the bags into twos and then put them in a box. What an intergenerational moment! Just last week, I discovered that one of our Presbyterian Women ladies is from El Salvador. She helped me see the way our service, even for just a few hours on a weekend, can have a profound effect for people we will never meet.

How amazing it is to serve together and see the connections we make in our congregation and the world beyond our doors!

On November 2, the 48th annual Cooks Tour will fill our campus to raise money for missions locally and globally. For 48 years, women of VPC have joined their crafting, cooking, and organizing talents to raise money for several mission projects. Last year $30,000 was distributed to organizations such as MentorKids, Valley Day School, Ministry of Hope Malawi, and for one of our own VPC women, Katherine Gonzales, to go on a mission trip to Spain to work with refugees.

Cooler weather is on the horizon, and the decorations for Halloween and Thanksgiving and Christmas will soon fill shopping aisles. Will you be taking another generational family photo? In Christ, we are all joined together as brothers and sisters in the family of God. We are all a part of that family photo. Through fellowship, learning, teaching, and serving, the women of VPC proclaim the name of God to all generations. In the family photo of our great God, we resemble each other in our smiles!

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MAIL FROM GRANDPA

By Pastor Travis Kingma, Student Ministry Director and 10:30AM Worship Leader

“…for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”

Romans 11:29 Have you ever received mail with the wrong prefix in front of your name? For the past seven years, I received envelopes in the mail made out to “Reverend Travis” by my Grandpa. I must admit, getting these periodic parcels resulted in a number of mixed feelings for me. On one hand, it was endearing that my Grandpa believed I could be a kind of church leader. On the other, I was not a “reverend” at the time, and was reluctant to take on a title that-I perceived-has massive challenges in our current cultural landscape. It further prodded the ongoing internal question I had been dealing with for quite some time: Is God calling me to be a pastor?

There were questions beneath that question: With continual decline of professing Christians in the U.S., could God really use me to help re-vitalize the church in the Global North? Would becoming a formal pastor help advance God’s mission or prevent it? Am I even capable of living up to this calling? Because the biblical narrative claims my life, as it does everyone else’s, I could not help but see God’s faithfulness to those who questioned Him. Jacob, Sarah, Moses, the Prophets, John the Baptist, Peter… there are so many examples of those who sincerely loved the God of Israel but experienced profound hesitation. Despite my times of uncertainty, I have taken great comfort in the reality that we serve a God who is faithful despite our moments of faithlessness.

Over the years, I have had to work through my own struggle and discern God’s calling in my life. This has meant continually going back to the basics and wrestling with what it means to follow Jesus with the gifts He has given. Repeatedly, He has revealed that there are people who desperately need to hear the best news that Christ is our only salvation: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6).

This has also meant learning to embody Jesus’ way of sacrificial love (by sharing, praying for enemies, and trusting in God for my future rather than securing it for myself) and caring for those who often go unseen or missed. Fundamentally, this is how I find myself regularly hanging out with a bunch of middle and high school students.

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A group that is often abandoned and hurting in our American culture are students.

The tides of our time have resulted in a population that has changed dramatically and often been overlooked: “According to a recent study by the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Transitions to Adulthood, ‘people between 20 and 34 are taking longer to finish their educations, establish themselves in careers, marry, have children and become financially independent.’ Allen and Allen assert that ‘twenty-five is becoming the new fifteen,’ and Robert Epstein laments that ‘for the first time in human history, we have artificially extended childhood well past puberty…Somewhere along the line, we lost sight of – and buried – the potential of our teens.” (Chap Clark, Hurt 2.0, 2011) These currents have kept us from meeting students where they are, accepting the status quo. This has resulted in many leaving the church following graduation: “40-50% (roughly 1 out of 2) students walk away from faith in the first 18 months post high school.” (Sticky Faith, Brad Griffin, 2011) This alarming reality should inform and compel us to more accurately talk about the experiences students are going through: “The young have not arrogantly turned their backs on the adult world. Rather, they have been forced by a personal sense of abandonment to band together and create their own world – separate, semisecret, and vastly different from the world around them.” (Chap Clark, Hurt 2.0, 2011) Our youth need our commitment to walk with them. They need to tangibly experience the Good News of Jesus now more than ever. This is why VPC Student Ministry has said yes to becoming a presence that is consistently supportive and encouraging to counteract the effects of systemic abandonment. It is also a major reason why I decided to say yes to becoming a pastor and being ordained last month at VPC. I’m convinced God calls each of us to participate in His advancing kingdom. This is how I find myself as a pastor leading the next generation to know Jesus with a community that deeply loves students. I’m also convicted that doing ministry well is something that is never done alone. One example of this collective commitment (among so many others, like our volunteer leaders and parents) is demonstrated by the Student Ministry Vision & Support Team (Doug Eaton, Scott Freeman, Boots Dunlap, Joan Sleeth, Cody Thomas, & Todd Gilbreath). This leadership team recently developed a mission statement: Our Mission is to cultivate an environment where students are adopted into the body of Christ by ensuring they are known, loved, and sent as transformed disciples.

This is an exciting time where the body of Christ is changing the game by refusing to accept the odds against us as we learn to trust the God who never abandons us. So what about you – are you ready to join us in leading this next generation to Jesus?

As of last month, the prefix on the envelopes from Grandpa is accurate. I now smile every time I venture out to the mailbox knowing the calling of God is for us all.

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A New Heart for the Valley update

It has been a privilege to watch our church community put in the time, energy, and discernment to ensure that A New Heart for the Valley is carried out with clarity, transparency, and efficiency. With Session approval to proceed, we anticipate construction to begin the day after Easter 2019!

-Keith Kerber Please thank the Building Committee members!

Their diligent and tireless efforts on your behalf to ensure that A New Heart for the Valley becomes a reality: Ed Glady, Chair George Bosworth Jim Chamberlain (will serve as VPC’s owner representative) Russ Henzel Terri Thomas Kris Williams Jim Unruh David Joynt Kris Bahr (ex-officio) Keith Kerber (ex-officio) You can help make A New Heart for the Valley a complete reality by making your commitment today!

Visit vpc.church/anewheart to make your pledge, review the project components, find out why VPC members support the project, and find answers to frequently asked questions.

You can also contact Keith Kerber, keithk@vpc.church or 480-991-6424, ext. 165.

On Tuesday, September 25, Session approved the joint Finance & Operations, and Planning & Organization Committee recommendations to accept the Building Committee’s prioritized order of construction and authorize construction to begin on the first ten priorities based on availability of pledged funds and up to $9.9 million.

Funds are nearly raised to accomplish these components: • Municipal and Profession fees* 1. Sanctuary Mechanical Equipment** 2. Plaza 3. Fireside Café • Furnishings for all above • Mission Giving (10% of total project)

$1,917,906 $3,042,675 $543,878 $1,414,824 $474,000 $235,266 $1,000,000

*The Building Committee expects this cost to decrease concurrent to reduction of project scope **This is an estimate to repair/replace the 50 year old HVAC unit that is outside scope of original project Components 4-10 will be constructed as funds are raised: 4. Teen Ministry room

$97,477

5. Teen breakout classrooms

$98,725

6. Children’s Ministry classrooms & Nursery expansion

$289,038

7. Calvin Center remodel

$95,808

8. Adult/community classroom (currently Pastor Joynt’s office)

$158,375

9. Calvin/Fireside bathrooms & Kitchen expansion

$177,874

10. Choir/Memorial Garden bathroom

$21,149

Components 11-15 will require funds to be raised and additional approval from Session:

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11. Library Conversion to Reception & Conference room

$389,325

12. Admin. building site work & landscaping

$109,571

13. Children’s Ministry offices:

$25,912

14. Facilities building

$80,037

15. Classroom & Admin. building remaining furniture

$164,734

News from

SESSION

At the September meeting, Session accepted the resignation of Ashley Case with regret. David Shepherd and Carrie Anderson have also resigned their Deacon positions.

There will be a Congregational Meeting on Sunday, October 21 to elect their replacements and to elect Elders, Deacons, and Foundation Trustees for the Class of 2021.

• Session renewed Boy Scout Troop 441’s charter for one year. The Troop is doing very well and deserves our support.

• The audited Financials for VPC and its Affiliates were received for 2017.

• Kelly Nieto reported on the many activities going on in the Discipleship and Spiritual Growth Ministry including Adventures in Learning, Community Groups, and Oasis.

• Carol Dillon was co-opted on to the Stewardship Committee for 2018.

Karen Meyer Clerk of Session 480-368-6567

• The agreement with Keith Kerber to manage the Capital Campaign was extended through December 31, 2018.

• After hearing from the Building Committee, Session set priorities for the Building Campaign and established what could be spent at this time. Please refer to Keith Kerber’s article to get more in-depth information.

Congregational Meeting Sunday, October 21, 10:30AM

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Session has called a meeting to elect Elders, Deacons, and Trustees for the 2021 class.

BEYOND THE OPERATIONS OFFERING PLATE Finances &

For generations, putting an offering envelope in the plate was the way we gave to the church each Sunday. Today, the offering plate still plays a major role, but it is only one of many ways you can support our church.

Here are just a few of the other ways to support VPC: • Donate appreciated stock – Transfer stock directly to VPC and avoid capital gains tax.

• VPC website – At vpc.church/give set up an account to make a one time or recurring donation.

• Kiosk - Go to the giving kiosk which will be available on Sundays; contribute with a card swipe.

Kris Bahr

• App – Download the free EasyTithe app for your iPhone or Android device. After you set up a user id, password, and link your credit card or bank account, click on “Give” and enter the amount.

• Text to Give – text the dollar amount to 480-372-8548.

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

Corporate rebates: • AmazonSmile – AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com) is operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. When you shop on AmazonSmile, 0.5% of the purchase price of goes to VPC. Since August 2015, almost $500 has been received - from only 61 individuals. Imagine how that number could grow if more people linked their account!

• Fry’s Community Rewards – go to frysfood.com, Savings & Rewards, Fry’s Community Rewards and enroll your Fry’s card, selecting Valley Presbyterian Church as the organization to support.

With only 19 people enrolled currently, we have been receiving $85 quarterly. Let’s make that number grow!

Questions? Contact Kris Bahr.

VPC finances year-to-date as of August 31, 2018

Income

Actual $

Budget $

Variance $

Faith Giving Other Income Total Income

1,185,784 260,196 1,445,980

1,185,000 321,484 1,506,484

784 -61,288 -60,504

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

318,134 697,889 103,823 190,028 115,447 1,425,321

319,263 713,079 102,994 228,373 122,549 1,486,258

1,129 15,190 -829 38,345 7,102 60,937

20,659

20,226

433

Expense

Net Income less Expense

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