March/April 2023 Valley Vine

March/April 2023

the Valley Vine

Vol. 68, No. 1

Valley Presbyterian Church

IN THIS ISSUE:

1k Latte Challenge Pastor David Joynt

New Awaken Café hours

Highlighted Events

Holy Week @VPC

Valley Presbyterian Foundation Be a Light at City of Lights by Mary Opila & Student Scholarships by Gloria Gabler

What Happened When I Took a Bible Study by Ellen Parrot

Oasis Wednesdays

2022 Financial Recap by Kris Bahr Session Report by Karen Meyer

Senior Pastor DAVID JOYNT

Do you like challenges? Do you enjoy contests and opportunities to test your capacities? I have an outreach challenge for you. I believe our congregation can bring 1,000 people to the Awaken Café between now and Easter Sunday on April 9. If you’ve already brought someone to the Café for coffee (or tea!), we want you to register your name and tell us who you brought. Your name will go onto the honor roll of people who have met the challenge as individuals. Let us know about your visit with a guest to Awaken: vpc.church/awaken.

Plan a business meeting, time with a friend, or a playdate on the Plaza at Awaken, Tuesday-Saturday, or invite someone to worship on a Sunday. As people experience our hospitality and our friendship and become familiar with our campus, God will open doors in their hearts. Some will become friends of the Café. Some will become friends or members of VPC, and some will become friends of Jesus!

Starting March 4, Awaken Café introduces new Saturday hours, and will feature guest musical artists and an open mic format. In this season our community of faith has a unique opportunity to grow and see God’s spirit at work. Every weekend new visitors are present in growing numbers in our seats. Let’s join together and meet the challenge!

Yours Faithfully, 1k

LATTE CHALLENGE

Take the 1K Latte Challenge today!

• Bring a guest to Awaken Café

• Enjoy your time at the best coffee shop in Paradise Valley!

• Let us know you brought someone at vpc.church/awaken

• That's it! You're now part of the community bringing new faces on campus for connection and relationships

Pastor David Joynt

davidj@vpc.church

Sunday,

April 16 One Worship Service

9:30AM, Sanctuary & Livestream

Celebrate with us on the Sunday after Easter!

VPC Concert Series presents: Requiem & Holy Fire

Chancel Choir & Phoenix Symphony Members

Sunday, April 30 4PM, Sanctuary

Tickets on sale now! Visit vpc.church/music

HOLY WEEK @VPC

APRIL 2

9 & 10:30AM

Sanctuary & Livestream

Sunday Brunch following 9AM service, stay after or come early to 10:30AM service! VPC kids will also present the annual Palm Sunday Processional.

APRIL 6

6:30PM

Sanctuary & Livestream

Join us as we come together at the beginning of the end of the journey to the cross.

APRIL 7

Noon

Sanctuary & Livestream

This service gives us the opportunity to observe the darkest day in human history, and honor the sacrifice that changed everything, forever.

APRIL 9

7AM, Memorial Garden

9 & 10:30AM, Sanctuary & Livestream

He is Risen! We invite you to a Sunday morning unlike any other; the Sunday that confirmed that life has the final say. We will have flowers for you and your friends and family to place on the cross, photobooth, and a community eager to celebrate with you!

BE THE LIGHT AT CITY OF LIGHTS STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

This year we will be celebrating our 17th Annual Valley Presbyterian Foundation Dinner and Auction! Our dinner theme, City of Lights, encourages all of us to “Be the Light” so that through us others can see Him (C.S. Lewis).

Don and I look forward to this festive event every year to reconnect with new and old friends in our church family and support the financial goals of the VPF. We enjoy the camaraderie of friends bidding on one-of-a-kind silent and live auction items, sharing a meal together, and appreciating the talented entertainers that perform throughout the evening. We hope you choose to join us, too!

Tickets are available now at vpf.givesmart.com for open seating. Table purchasing is also available. Silent and live auction bidding takes place in person the evening of the event, but you can preview the items ahead of time on the event website. This year's Fund the Need project will address additional lighting in VPC's South Parking Lot. If you're not able to attend the event, you can still donate on the website to support the parking lot lighting improvement project and other VPF missions.

We choose to support Valley Presbyterian Foundation because in times of darkness, our church community has been the “light” in the lives of our family.

Jesus is the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of the world.” —John 8:12

Since the early 2000’s, Valley Presbyterian Foundation has been pleased to offer scholarships to VPC members.

Over the past 20 years, 77 different students have received academic scholarships with many students being multi-year recipients. A total of 198 scholarships totaling $212, 683 have been awarded. Likewise, many students who would not otherwise have been able to participate in student trips received partial or full scholarships.

Gloria Gabler VPF Scholarship Chair

We are currently accepting applications through May 1 for the 2023-2024 academic year. More information and the application can be found at: vpc.church/ vpf

We encourage you to do what so many others have done since 1976, consider including VPF in your estate plan.

Contact Kris Bahr for details: krisb@vpc.church

Mary Opila

VPF Dinner Committee

Mary & Don Opila

Gloria & Jim Gabler

Friday, March 24, 6PM Orange Tree Golf Resort

Tickets: vpf.givesmart.com

Cost: $125 Dinner | Silent Auction

Live Auction | Live Music

Fund the Need 2023

VPC South Parking Lot

Lighting Improvement Project

Cocktail attire: Light up the World!

Valley Presbyterian Foundation

Annual Dinner

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I TOOK A BIBLE STUDY

Ellen Parrott VPC Member

Recently I’ve wanted to learn more and grow deeper in my understanding of the Bible. I know spending time in the Word of God is an important way to grow closer to Him. I mean, the Bible is called the Living Word for a reason, right? Sometimes, when I read it on my own, I feel like I miss some deeper understanding because I’m not terribly familiar with how to actually study the Bible. When I saw VPC offering a Bible Study class on the Book of Mark, I thought it would be a great opportunity to dive into God’s Word beyond a surface level. Pastor Chris is a wonderful teacher! He brought forth themes, nuances, and an overall deeper understanding of who Mark was, who Jesus was, and who He is in my life today.

What really stands out to me is how provocative Jesus was given the culture during His time. Studying specific verses and the context of the writing my heart began to stir with questions: how was I living out my belief in Jesus and the truth of the Bible, especially in the context of our today's culture? It seems He is just as provocative now as he was back then. Choosing to follow Him can be uncomfortable; the Disciples literally left their familiar lives behind to truly follow Him, regardless of the cost.

If I profess to truly believe what is written in the Bible, how do I follow Jesus in my day-to-day life? Would I risk losing my job or making someone uncomfortable if it meant standing firm in following Jesus and the written Word of God? Would I share the good news of the Gospel the same way I talk about something I find interesting? Yet sometimes I feel like I shy away from the most transformative information I have ever come to know: Jesus.

Conversations in the class and with attendees after class sparked something with me; I have been able to share things in my work setting that previously I would have been apprehensive to say or do. Pastor Chris gave us special little notebooks with specific Bible verses on them. I took a few extra and set them out at work. I was surprised to see they had been picked up from the “free to use” table within an hour! I was able to share a sprinkle of God with a co-worker in a simple way. I was also able to talk with some others about Lent and Ash Wednesday. These conversations can sometimes feel forbidden depending on the setting. I shared some specific historical aspects that we learned with a girl I am doing a Bible study with, to help her have evidence as to why the Bible is true.

I know God is at work and the Holy Spirit is stirring in my heart to get me thinking and looking for ways to step out and be more intentional. For me, that is the beauty of what this class offered. By learning God’s word, my heart started changing. I hope and encourage others at VPC to consider attending one of these Bible-based classes. It was a very powerful experience!

Ellen & Aaron Parrott with Micah & Cira

Dinner available starting at 5:15PM

($5/person, $20/family)

Childcare (0-3) available by registration

vpc.church/classes

STARTING IN MARCH

Tough Questions for Christians: The Class

With Pastor David Joynt

Wednesdays, March 1, 8, 22, & 29 5-7PM, Landes Center

- dinner on Awaken Plaza prior to class

Our sermon series will focus on the challenges confronting Christian faith in a suspicious and skeptical world. The series will address eight specific questions. We will tackle four more questions during Wednesday night classes: Does Christianity Denigrate Women, What About Christian Nationalism, Can We Believe in Hell and Judgment, and Is Christianity Homophobic?

STARTING IN APRIL

Building Strong Families

With Family Ministry Director

Tina Gilbreath

Wednesdays, April 12, 19, 26, & May 3 6-7PM, B106

Oasis Kids!

For kids 3 years old—5th grade

6-7:30PM

Register today! 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 Students

Middle School: 6-7:30PM

High School: 7:30-9PM

Middle School Program, 6-7:30PM, B108

Homework Space, 7:30-9PM, Awaken Café

Connect and dig deeper with other students. Awaken Café will also be open as a homework room available for students and families to use after program is over.

High School Program, 7:30-9PM, B108

Homework Space, 6-7:30PM, Awaken Café

Connect and dig deeper with other students. Awaken Café will also be open as a homework room available for students and families to use before the program.

How do you bring God into your home? How does your faith effect the decisions you make for your partner, kids, and extended family? This class will focus on the ideas and values that drive VPC’s Family Ministry. Each week we will dive into decisions and habits that can build a strong, faith-filled family.

Health & Wellness Series

With Pastor David Turner

Wednesdays, April 12, 19, 26, & May 3 6-7PM, Room C9

April 12 & 19 – Heart Health Initiative

Cardiovascular disease remains a major cause of illness and death in the U.S. Lifestyle modification of cardiovascular risk factors has been proven to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. This course will focus on: The continued importance of heart disease as a cause of illness; Underlying conditions that predispose people to develop heart disease; Understanding what can be done to minimize risk.

April 26 – Health Care Advocacy

Patients and caregivers have significant challenges communicating with healthcare providers and institutions. This difficulty causes distress and may affect healthcare outcomes themselves. This class will focus on: Preparing for any type of healthcare conversation; Understanding how to maintain records; Strategies and questions to get the most out of a healthcare encounter; Community resources and information that can provide additional help.

May 3 – Nutrition Workshop

Registered Nutritionist and Pharm.D. Courtney Skvarla will present on nutrition including “gut health,” diet, and exercise, among other topics.

Why Prayer is Important in Difficult Times

With Marilyn Cage, DSG Team Wednesdays, April 12, 19, 26, May 3 & 10 6-7PM, Chapel

Does God feel distant? Are you struggling with unanswered prayer? Join us as we take this opportunity to process life’s most painful questions through the 24/7 video course presented by Peter Grieg, author of God on Mute, using the Easter story to provide us with a message of hope, comfort, and profound biblical insight.

Finances & OPERATIONS

2022 FINANCIAL RECAP

A. FINANCE

1. Gratitude for strong financial support in 2022. Thanks to year-end giving, VPC ended the year in a strong cash position.

2. Thanks to the Foundation for its continued support of the (a) overall VPC operations, (b) music (Valley Singers), (c) scholarships for both academic and student trips.

B. PROPERTY COMMITTEE – major projects in 2022:

1. Fire alarm panel installed in Education building. Equipment is now consistent across campus (Firetrol equipment).

2. Thanks to the 2022 Foundation Dinner's Fund the Need, new carpet was installed in the Education and Administration buildings. Offices in Admin. building were painted, and many of the staff changed office locations.

3. Contract signed with Porter to address water intrusion issues in Admin basement. Work to begin in 2023.

4. South parking lot lighting project – dedicated group working with Town of PV for plan approval. The focus of the 2023 Foundation Dinner's Fund the Need will be to raise funds toward this project.

C. COMPUTER INFRASTRUCTURE

Spring 2022, we switched IT managed service providers to adequately support our new infrastructure. High-speed fiber was brought to our campus, and all computer hardware (router, switches) was replaced with new Meraki equipment.

2023 BUDGET

1. Based upon strong giving in December, along with pledges for 2023, faith giving budget is $2.2 million.

2. Undesignated bequest of $137,000 received in December is being held as a faith giving contingency if needed for 2023 to balance the budget.

3. As in 2022, there are several Foundation funds that provide earnings for various ministries –general operating; mission trips; musicians; student mission trips and camp.

4. With the expected change in denomination from PC(USA) to ECO during 2023, we will monitor and act accordingly in areas such as insurance coverage, employee benefits, etc.

News from SESSION SESSION REPORT

January & February 2023

Jennifer Hamm presented her 2022 review of the Worship/Music Ministry at the January Session meeting. In the last year, Mutsumi Mori was hired as Pianist/Organist and Danya Tiller as Assistant Choir Director. Unfortunately, Pat Miletti has resigned, with February 12 as his last Sunday. A search has begun for a new Technical Director. The choir has 45 members and Valley Singers has 8 incredible members. A European Tour is planned for June 2023. The Concert Series has been a huge success and is gaining more traction. The OasisKid’s music program is doing well. Session thanked Jennifer for her hard work building our music program.

Session adopted a balanced budget for 2023 with income of $2,643,300 and expenses of $2,643,300 (subject to modification among line items by Session). The overarching principle is to always be good stewards of our resources and prioritize them to achieve the most significant ministry goals.

The VPC Security Task Team, which was organized last summer, is addressing the need for campus-wide safety and security by creating policies, procedures, and guidelines for VPC. It is creating the blueprints now for the evolving, multi-phased efforts in the years to come. The committee is taking a systematic approach by addressing the structural issues on the campus first, assisted by Paradise Valley Police Department and a recently hired security consultant. The insight gained will be used to apply for an Arizona Department of Homeland Security (AzDHS) Non-Profit Grant to help fund the necessary improvements. The First Impression and Usher teams have been trained to use walkie-talkies in case of a medical or security event.

Session voted that the 8AM Sunday Chapel service be phased out on March 12. Since the service was restarted post-pandemic, attendance has lagged, with typical weekly attendance between 20-30 people, including Pastors and musicians. The emphasis on Sundays will be worship and outreach.

Session thanked retiring Elders: Christy Miller, Marilyn Cage, Candy Unruh, Tony Will, Bryan Gottfredson, and Jim Schaller for their dedicated hard work over the last three years.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns: kgmeyer@cox.net or 602-568-2196.

Blessings, Karen Gill Meyer, Clerk of Session

Karen Gill Meyer Clerk of Session 480-368-6567