the
2019 Annual
Report
I AM GRATEFUL FOR 2019! David Joynt Senior Pastor I am grateful for all the sacred moments of our worship together. For the opportunities we had to celebrate the lives of faithful members, committing them into God’s embrace. For the joy of baptizing children and adults and welcoming new people into our community. For the weekly wonder of praise and thanksgiving. I am grateful for the growth of Oasis Community Wednesdays, as our generations gather to connect and learn. I am thankful we could find new ventures with major mission partners, building a secondary school in Malawi, and seeing a new neighborhood project begin with MentorKids in south Scottsdale. It was exciting to see our resources increase the ability to keep people out of homeless through Family Promise. I am deeply grateful for the work of our Building Committee, for the diligence of Greg Kreizenbeck, VPC’s owner representative, and for the progress on our Sanctuary made by Porter Construction. I am most grateful for you. For the inspiration and generosity of our members that make ministry and renovation a reality. 2019 saw VPC raise over 90% of the funds for our ongoing reconstruction, thank you! This year, 2020, will be a remarkable year in our history together. May God bless you.
2019 SERMON SERIES
63 1317 12
New Members to the VPC community
Celebrated Easter at VPC
People Baptized into the family of faith
A NEW HEART FOR THE VALLEY
6050 9.5 600+ 227 square feet of carpet to be installed in the Sanctuary
Toward the cross from the floor
miles of cable installed for the new audio/visual system
linear feet of new duct work in the walls & under the floor
View looking east
ceiling sound absorption banners to be hung
View from the top!
Sub-floor trenches
$11.98 million pledged toward A New Heart for the Valley Capital Campaign
70% of pledged support has already been received
12% 8% 30% 225 70 45
CHILDREN
increase in Sunday School attendance Fall 2018-Fall 2019 Bunny Business
increase in Sunday School roster
increase in Oasis Kids! enrollment
Fall Kickoff & Summer Lunch
kids attended Vacation Bible School
VBS Closing Concert
Nativity Pageant participants, the most in a decade
parents attended two Wednesday night workshops
Ready for the Nativity Pageant
THE TANGIBLE WAYS WE LOVE David Turner Pastor of Congregational Care
I believe the heart of Congregational Care Ministry reflects the vision of John when he wrote, “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (1 John 4:11-12) Living out our love in tangible ways allows others to see Christ in us— because it reflects the very heart of God. Reflecting the heart of God in 2019 could be seen through the Deacon Ministries in over 260 Lay Hospital Chaplain visits to folks in area hospitals, rehab clinics, hospice centers and group homes. Over $12,000 was distributed to provide food, professional counseling, medical treatment, and utility assistance. Over 120 floral arrangements were delivered to our at-home members. We also served communion to them—a reminder that they are loved and not forgotten. Over 36 meals have been freshly prepared with love and delivered to those recently recovering from illnesses; care packages were sent to our college students and military; and we coordinated baby welcome baskets to the youngest in our family of faith. But the vision for caring doesn’t stop there. In 2019 we launched a new grief class that focused on the different facets of grief and our journey through it. We hosted a workshop geared to families raising a child with special needs called “Autism and the Family Unit” taught by Dr. Brie Turns, PH.D, Fuller Theological Seminary. We developed a series of workshops through the Alzheimer’s Institute on the various stages of Alzheimer’s Disease and the Caregiving process, as well as provided an on-going Alzheimer’s Support Group. Our Mental Health Ministry continued to bless our community by hosting the NAMI Family-to-Family program; the NAMI Basics Class; book studies, and led our church’s participation in the 14th Annual NAMI Walk. This past year we witnessed God working in amazing ways and had the privilege of participating in it. “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
CONGREGATIONAL CARE
260+ visits to people in hospitals, rehab centers, and hospice
Dove Tree Service of Remembrance
$12,064
Visitation
people served Communion at-home, three times per year
Deacon’s Fund support through food cards, utility assistance, counseling, and medical treatment
54 80+
care packages sent to college students & military personnel connected to VPC Staff Appreciation Lunch
9 50+
new babies welcomed by the Baby Welcome Team
Pet Pause Therapy Dog Ministry
Pet Pause Dog Therapy visits
WOMEN
13
inspiring speakers presented at MOPS
Freezer Meal Packing Event
500+ passages of Scripture studied in groups & Bible Studies
MOPS @ the Train Park
30+
Floral Arranging Event
MOPS Kickoff
attendees at each Sip & Social Justice event
225
cups of coffee consumed at MOPS (three cups of decaf)
MEN
500+ fed at MentorKids Christmas Party thanks to the grilling skill of VPC Men’s Ministry
Men’s Retreat
1,836 bags thrown at the annual Cornhole tournament
Cornhole
40
men attended the annual Men’s Retreat
Worship @ the Men’s Retreat
1,000+
hours devoted to prayer and Bible study through small groups and ministry moments
Pastor Turner, winner of games
A WITNESS TO GOD’S WORK Travis Kingma
Pastor of Next Generation Ministry & Contemporary Worship Reflecting on 2019 is nothing short of remarkable. VPC Student Ministry’s 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. Every moment and interaction from this past year has centered on this mission, as we worked hard to provide age-relevant curriculum aimed at forming students in new ways to help them discover God’s calling in their lives. From amazing summer trips (Camp & Missions) to robust family workshops, there have been so many occasions to celebrate the Lord working in our midst. Our Student Ministry team has witnessed God do incredible things as the Holy Spirit moved in the hearts of our leaders and youth. With new students saying “Yes!” to following Jesus or making re-commitments in their journeys of faith, unchurched families and friends participating in worship gatherings or student events for the first time, and volunteer leaders growing deeper in collectively discipling the next generation, there is so much to be thankful for! It is incredible to see how God has used this ministry for His kingdom. Christ continues to compel our hearts to be His loving response in a world that desperately needs good news. May the Lord continue to transform VPC to be an embodied reality where all generations are adopted and transformed. Please join us in praying God’s kingdom be advanced and that we listen for the Holy Spirit as VPC Student Ministry launches ahead into 2020!
STUDENTS
70+
new students met via Oasis, Sunday Gatherings, outreach events, trips, worship, and teaching workshops Forest Home
42 28 5
students went to Forest Home camp
Middle School
NYC Mission Trip
High School
students served on mission trips to Tuba City, AZ & NYC
students became VPC members by completing the Youth New Member class
Jesus
moved in hearts all year long through students who said, “Yes� to Christ for the first time, recommitted to their journey of faith, and welcomed new friends through events and worship
MUSIC
850
tickets for sold out Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts for A Celebration of Music Christmas Concert Jennifer Hamm & Julia Tucker
25
orchestra members in the Christmas Concert
Nativity Pageant with Oasis Kids!
50
singers in the Christmas Concert
America Concert
600+ attended VPC’s Spring Concert, America
A Celebration of Music
27
kids attended Oasis Kids! each week
DISCIPLESHIP
46+
people on average attended classes each Wednesday during Oasis Community Wednesdays C.S. Lewis Class
22
classes offered by Adventures in Learning Feed my Starving Children
41+
people on average attended Adventures in Learning classes
Granite Mountain Hike
75
people on average attended weekly Community Group classes, studies, and events
WWII Vet Jack Holder
A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT Chris Woodard Pastor of Mission & Engagement When I was 17, my youth pastor pulled me aside after church one Sunday morning and told me he believed God was calling me into ministry. I listened to him as he encouraged me to consider using my time in college to prepare for this calling. I felt like this conversation was coming out of left field; I was excited for a career in the sciences—I wanted to become a research scientist. I explained to him what I believed my future calling was. He patiently listened and challenged me to listen to God’s prompting in my life wherever I found myself. I left that conversation thinking what a crazy idea it was that God would use me in ministry, so I all but disregarded his advice. How wrong I was! In November of 2019, twenty-three years later, my youth pastor’s prophetic statement was realized at my ordination service. As I look back on my journey, I am incredibly thankful for people like my youth pastor, the wonderful mentors who empowered me, my family, and the power of community where people supported and encouraged me. I would not be the person I am today without the VPC community. Over the past twelve years, people of this church have gotten to know me, invested in me, cared for me, and supported me in my ministry and life. The power of this community was a major driving force to get me to and through my ordination; I am deeply grateful and celebrate with all of you! My story is just one of countless stories of how God changes lives at VPC. I constantly hear stories from people about how they have found deep relationships, fueling people’s desire to live life together. I am grateful for the VPC community, and it is my prayer that each of you open yourself up to God’s prompting in your life to find deeper sense of community and greater sense of purpose.
MISSION Family Promise
1,000+ volunteer hours to host 28 families
MentorKids USA Christmas Party
New headquarters built through A New Heart for the Valley Capital Campaign, doubling the number of families Family Promise serves
MentorKids USA
500+
volunteer hours in new Paiute Promised Neighborhood
Scottsdale & PV 4 Africa
New Paiute Promised Neighborhood started through A New Heart for the Valley Capital Campaign, serving 25+ families
Villages in Partnership
7,500
miles walked per week saved with new secondary school Paiute Promise Neighborhood
Phase One of the secondary school completed through A New Heart for the Valley Capital Campaign, opening Fall 2020
Ministry of Hope
100,000+ meals for orphans in Malawi
Healthy Packs Malawi Secondary School
1,500+
weekend meals provided for SUSD Title 1 students
FOUNDATION
$134,000 distributed to VPC’s operating budget
America Concert
Havana Nights Foundation Dinner
$70,000 raised through the Foundation Dinner’s Fund the Need initiative to repair & replace A/C units in the Landes Center
$11,300 in scholarships awarded to six students
$3,500
grant for the MentorKids USA student garden program XXX Strategic Planning meeting
$5,474
given toward student camps and mission trips
$10,000
VPC Memorial Garden
underwriting for VPC’s spring & winter concerts, America & A Celebration of Music
VALLEY DAY SCHOOL
145 13 34 74 45 179 students enrolled at Valley Day School
Family Chapel
wonderful, caring, experienced teachers on staff
families on the VDS wait list
VDS Teachers
school tours given to prospective families
Music with Sunshine
weekly trips from the classroom to Chapel
VDS current and alumni families at VPC events
VDS sings at Scottsdale/PV 4 Africa
STATISTICS
Average worship attendance:
8AM: 9AM: 10:30AM:
Summer Lunch
67 240 164
11 236
third grade Bibles presented
Blessing of the Backpacks
hours spent reading Valley Vine issues online
6159 video plays on Vimeo of sermons and other stories
Cooks’ Tour
19,088 unique visitors to vpc.church (5% increase over 2018)
Kiva Elementary Fall Coffee Hour
82.5% of visits to vpc.church were from new users
YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT We, the Pastors and Staff at VPC, feel blessed to share this time, this place, and this ministry with you. Your encouragement and energy are a beautiful and powerful response to our gracious God!
Christian Education
15%
Mission, Outreach, Congregational Care
8%
Pastoral Ministry
20%
Worship & Music
9%
Administration & Facility
48%
2019 Expenses
Administration & Facility
$1,090,548
Pastoral Ministry
$442,456
Christian Education
$331,948
Mission, Outreach, Congregational Care
$186,007
Worship & Music Total expenses in 2019
$207.535 $2,258,494
Valley Presbyterian Church 6947 E. McDonald Drive Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
vpc.church