VALLEY VINE Valley Presbyterian Church
December 2016
Volume 61, Number 11
Dear friends,
The presence of God can make any place holy and any space sacred. The pastureland beneath Mt. Horeb was transfused with glory, and Moses the Shepherd heard the Living One speak from the burning bush, “Take off your shoes, the place you stand upon is holy ground!” (Exodus 3:5). At Christmas, we remember that an animal stable behind an old inn was the birthplace of Emmanuel, God-with-us. Jesus’ presence brought the Kingdom of God near, whether he was crying in a manger, or revealing his Father’s will and ways in the precincts of the great Temple in Jerusalem. God’s presence changes everything and everyone, sanctifying the spaces within us and around us. You and I are stewards of God’s spirit and of all the spaces, personal, social, and physical, which he wants to shine with divine light. The Session has appointed a committee to help us steward the places and spaces that God has given us at VPC. Their official title is the Master Plan Committee, and they have been searching for an architectural and landscape team to guide us going forward. We are so blessed to have beautiful buildings and grounds in an incredible location, and as needs arise and modifications ensue, we want them to preserve our special campus, aid our ministries, and not create chaos through ad hoc changes.
It is vital that our leadership, architects, and our Master Plan Committee hear from you! It is our members who have the most intimate understanding of our buildings and outdoor areas. We will use surveys and meetings and digital forms to gather your views. What is sacred and special to you? What is functional and helpful? What needs some revision? What is missing? After a phase of serious listening to our church family, the architects will offer a long-range vision for our campus. Then there will be more opportunities for engagement and dialogue. At the end, we will have a picture of our future into which we can fit our current needs, like additional baby space or a better way of integrating worshiping communities and providing hospitality. God has made us as material beings, sensitive to our environments and responsive to the beautiful ways that nature and design intersect, and color and light and form intermingle. Get ready to share your perspective on the places and spaces that give us our unique location. We want all of them to be useful for us and a blessing to all we minister to—places and spaces transfigured by the presence of God; and filled with people that know and share his glory. More information will be coming soon on how to share your perspectives. In the meantime, pray for our Master Plan Committee! Yours faithfully,
Valley Presbyterian Church 6947 E. McDonald Drive, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253-5342 Phone: 480-991-6424 Fax: 480-991-6427 Email: church@vpc.church Website: vpc.church