the
Valley Vine
March 2021 Vol. 66, No. 1 Valley Presbyterian Church
IN THIS ISSUE: The Quieter Changes Pastor David Joynt Holy Week & Easter events Start of School Pastor Chris Woodard Multiple Choice Tina Gilbreath A Solid Foundation Kris Bahr An Easter Offering Candy Unruh, Stewardship Chair Called to Lead Nominating potential VPC leaders News from Session Finance & Operations Report
Senior Pastor
DAVID JOYNT
Dear friends, Unlike spiritual and moral changes, physical and economic transformations are usually visible and measurable. Such is the case with the Tempe Town Lake project. It began in 1966 as a class exercise at ASU, assigned by James Elmore, Dean of the Architecture School. Thirty three years later, a dry riverbed, that for many decades had been a landfill, was transformed into a shimmering lake. Now it is the iconic centerpiece of the town, surrounded by gleaming buildings, thriving businesses, recreational activities, and a performing arts center. The lake area draws an average of 2.4 million visitors a year and has attracted 1.5 billion dollars in investments over the last two decades. It is hard for a new recruit to AZ, like me, to imagine Tempe before these changes, which have been dramatic and public. Spiritual and moral advances are just as real, perhaps even more important, but often less dramatic and not as visible. A young girl is faithful to her conscience after several years of going along with the crowd at her school. A couple shifts their spending habits in order to be more generous. An impatient man finds the emotional resources to become more understanding with others. A natural cynic finds fresh perspectives on the world through prayer. A widowed spouse develops the courage to embrace life again. This season of Lent is about these quieter changes. They may be less visible and not easy to quantify, but they are important advances nonetheless. They are important because they are milestones in God’s great transformation project. God is renewing the entire creation, saving it from dissolution, decay, and death. You and I, and all God’s children, are its crown and centerpiece. As our souls and characters deepen, there is more room for His goodness and glory and we can see traces, in one another, of the heavenly creatures we will become. Changing can be hard work and a real battle. Even the Tempe Town Lake had to be refilled in 2010 and 2015, and partially reconstructed. But take hope, because God sees all your small victories and little advances. He sees them and He celebrates. May you be blessed as you change this Lent.
Yours Faithfully,
2 Front Cover by Tyler Finck on Unsplash
Valley Presbyterian Church
Easter Sunday SUNDAY, APRIL 4
7AM — Memorial Garden 8:30AM* — Sanctuary 10:30AM* — Landes Center
Palm Sunday
SUNDAY, MARCH 28 8:30AM — Sanctuary 10:30AM — Landes Center
Sunday School for kids K-5th grade Student Gathering for Middle & High School
Holy Week
Maundy Thursday, April 1 6:30PM*, Sanctuary Good Friday, April 2 Noon*, Sanctuary
IN-PERSON RSVP: vpc.church/gather LIVESTREAM: vpc.church/worship
*Childcare available for ages 0-2 by reservation
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START OF SCHOOL Pastor Chris Woodard
I have exciting news to share with you… the secondary school we have been building with Villages in Partnership in Malawi is ready to open! The headmaster and teachers are hired and the 60 learners that will attend the school are enrolled. The new headmaster, Mr. L.J. Konala, addressed community leaders, chiefs, and the Area Development Committee during a meeting in January. His speech was a reminder to all of us that growth does not happen in a vacuum. He called on everyone in the community to invest in student's commitment to education and to work together to make the new secondary school a success.
Pastor of Mission & Engagement VPC is a part of the community empowering and ensuring success of Malawian chrisw@vpc.church youth. Listen to the story of Cydney as he shares his journey: My name is Cydney Chikalema from Kalupe Village in Malawi, Africa. I am the second born in a family of now only two, me and my brother. My life was not easy when I was growing up. Raised by a single mother, we were three children. It was difficult to get by. We depended on small scale farming for our main food source. My life got even worse when we lost our mother. I was eight years old. This meant we had to support ourselves for everyday survival. Then, my younger sister Judith got weak and died. The loss of her crushed me. Unfortunately, my story is common for many people living in my village community. Thanks to VIP, my life has completely changed. Villages in Partnership helped me become who I am today. They found me literally with nothing. I could not speak English and I was in Primary School Standard 4 (4th grade). VIP really cared and took an interest in me. Through the support of the VIP Family, I was able to go to school where I learned how to speak and read English. I continued with my education to high school with VIP still giving me full support. After high school, I was picked to study at college with VIP still by my side! I am now studying Mass Communication and Minoring in Biblical Studies at African Bible College in Malawi. VIP is making my dreams a reality! I am the first one from my household to attend college. I am learning so much from my school that I look forward to using in the future. I hope to start the Filmmaking industry in Malawi and beyond. Also, to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. When I graduate from African Bible College, I am hoping to work with VIP for some time while I apply to schools to earn a Master’s Degree in Leadership Development, if the opportunity arises.
Cydney Kikalema About age 10, in 2010
I am so grateful for everything that our friends from the USA are doing through VIP in my country, Malawi, and in particular, in my village community. I wish them well and more blessings. I would like to let them know that their support brings real change and it means so much to us. We are able to attend school, have access to clean water, become economically empowered, have access to healthcare and so much more because of your support. Thank you so much!
For more information about the school and if you want to be involved in the empowerment and academic success of one of the 60 learners please contact Chris.
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Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. —James 1:27
AFTER SCHOOL
God is on the move at MentorKids USA! Take a look at the update below from Samantha Shaurette, Neighborhood Manager of the Paiute Community: It has been an exciting and interesting time for MentorKids Paiute Promise Neighborhood. As we have all been learning to pivot during this time of COVID we have also been focused on providing consistency for our students and their families. With all the changes from distance learning to in-person, to hybrids and back to distance learning again, we have been dedicated to providing our after-school program where our students receive homework help, tutoring, bible lessons, leadership and life-skills lessons, as well as extra-curricular activities. We are so very grateful to the volunteers Samantha Shaurette who have helped us provide these elements of our program. This year we have added Paiute Neighborhood Manager ZOOM tutoring to the mix, and it has been a great addition. Our students really look 602-206-8387 forward to the one-on-one time they get to spend with their "ZOOM tutor." Many ask sshaurette@mentorkidsusa.org each week...."when do I get to see Mrs./Mr....... again." In addition to homework help and tutoring, we have a wonderful music program that the students really enjoy and look forward to each week. Julia Joynt does music with our K-2nd graders, while lead teacher Grace Freeman leads music with our older students. We even had a private donor contribute to provide ukuleles for the older students. This has been a huge blessing and a real hit with the older kids. We recently gathered a group of volunteers together to canvas the Paiute Promise Neighborhood, going door-to-door to share information about our program with the residences. Afterwards we invited them to come to the Paiute Park for a BBQ. We had several new families join the after-school program from this effort. It has been very rewarding to see the progress so many of these children have made academically since school first began in August. Many were so very far behind due to the abrupt end to last year's school year and many of them experienced quite a bit of learning loss. We have had many families express their gratitude for providing a consistent program where the children are learning and able to get some socialization and physical exercise. We need more volunteers! If anyone is interested, please come for a tour, and see if it might be a good fit for you.
MentorKids
Paiute Promised Neighborhood 5
MULTIPLE CHOICE
14 to 26 hours is ____ One to three hours A. Greater than B. Less than C. Equal to
Tina Gilbreath
Director Family Ministry tinag@vpc.church
The correct answer, A, is obvious to any graduate of elementary math classes. However, when it comes to passing on our faith to our children we sometimes forget this basic fact. Fourteen to 26 hours is the number of hours a parent typically spends with their child weekly (after subtracting school, sleep, activities, etc.) One to three hours is the average range of hours VPC church staff and volunteers spend with a child each week.
Who is in a better position to help a child grow in faith? A. Parents B. Other Christian adults C. Church staff and volunteers D. All of the above You may have said all of the above. The truth is, while other adults and the church play a vital role, parents have the greatest ability to influence the growth of their children's faith, even into teen years and beyond! If that gives you pause or causes anxiety, please know that you are not alone! Many parents do not feel well equipped to help their children grow in faith. VPC Family Ministry has got you covered! We have developed workshops for parents and families around each developmental stage and age. These workshops give families an area of focus or a skill to practice. In addition, these workshops provide an opportunity to meet and connect with other Christian parents who are walking through the same season of parenting. We are in the process of developing online access to the content for these workshops if you are not able to join us in person. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. -Deuteronomy 6:6-7 In addition to our workshops, we provide weekly parent guides for our in-person and virtual Sunday School, as well as the Children’s Moment in worship. These guides are designed to give parents tips and structure to pepper their faith throughout their time with their child each week when at home, on the road, at bedtime or on waking. The Bible has given us a plan for the church, family, and child to work together to grow in faith. Please join us to pray for creative ways to empower and equip our community and families to pass our faith on to the next 6 generation.
3rd Grade Bibles Family Milestone
Sign-up & Volunteer info. coming soon!
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Valley Presby terian
FOUNDATION
A SOLID FOUNDATION
VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN FOUNDATION GENERAL FUND The General Fund was the first fund established by the Valley Presbyterian Foundation (VPF) on January 27, 1976. Initial gifts were all classified as “General,” meaning they could be used in all areas to support the Church. As further gifts and bequests were received, funds were established for Youth, Benevolence, and Capital. Today VPF consists of 23 separate funds. In the coming months you will learn more about each of these. The General Fund has grown over the years by gifts of all sizes, from small memorial contributions to bequests from estates, totaling just over $1.6 Kris Bahr million since 1977. Gifts to VPF not otherwise designated go to the General Finance & Operations Director Fund. The amount of those undesignated gifts are reflected in the chart 480-991-6424 ext. 112 below. krisb@vpc.church
While the intent is to distribute only earnings, Foundation bylaws do permit unrestricted principal to be used. For example, in 2018, VPF made a substantial gift of $1,593,000 to A New Heart for the Valley, designated for music and Sanctuary HVAC. This gift is not shown on the chart below, but when added to the additional $1.8 million provided by VPF to VPC from the General Fund over the last 40 years, it brings the total to nearly $3.4 million. In addition to supporting the budget of VPC, miscellaneous VPF operating expenses are covered by the General Fund.
As you can see, support from VPF to VPC has been a key part of the overall Operating budget. We are grateful that the original Trustees envisioned how important it would be to have a Foundation to stand beside the Church during times of uncertainty. Gifts to the General Fund provide the greatest flexibility for where they are used, but all gifts, whether general or designated, are sincerely appreciated. We encourage you to do what so many others have done since 1976, and consider including VPF in your estate planning, thus becoming part of the Valley Legacy Society.
8 If you have questions about VPF, please contact me at: 480-991-6424, ext. 112 or krisb@vpc.church.
Stewardship
COMMITTEE
EASTER OFFERING
SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES
The Stewardship Committee would like to call your attention to the special offering VPC takes on Easter Sunday. This is an opportunity for VPC to reach our church community, neighbors, and Presbyterians worldwide to provide support for their specific needs. In Malawi we have helped dig wells to provide water to villages, supplement medical needs for their hospital, and support orphans through foster families.
Jim & Candy Unruh
Candy Unruh
Stewardship Committee Chair
Supplementing the Deacon’s Fund has made it possible for VPC to assist individuals in our neighborhoods with funds to pay utilities, purchase food, or simply meet daily living necessities.
Members have received funds making it possible to meet housing obligations or other emergencies that have invaded their lives. You—through the Easter Offering—have made these gifts possible. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the Easter Offering even more critical as we navigate the new world in which we find ourselves. On April 4, please use your Easter Offering envelope (located in the weekly offering box) or online to prayerfully give to VPC’s discipleship as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus. On Easter morning celebrate with joy the risen Christ.
It's easy to support VPC: Offering Envelope: Via mail or in person
2021 Easter Offering Envelope
Online: vpc.church/give Text to Give: 480-372-8548 Email Kris with any questions: krisb@vpc.church
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In a church of our size, it is not possible for the All Church Nominating Committee (ACNC) to know the names and potential of all the members who could be passionate and committed leaders. The ACNC is the team charged with identifying VPC members who feel called to lead in the church. We invite you to prayerfully nominate those members who could serve our church in leadership positions. You are an important part of this process, and we want you to participate in the nominating process! Nominations are now being accepted for the positions of Deacons, Elders, and Trustees of the Valley Presbyterian Foundation. The term of service is three years beginning in February 2022. How do I nominate someone? • Email the ACNC: acnc@vpc.church or call Committee Chair, Linda Miller: 602-478-0089, lindatmiller@cox.net • On the VPC website: vpc.church/lead • Fill out a nomination card in the church office What do volunteer leadership positions do? VPC has a large and talented staff, but much of the work of the church is done through these three areas, which focus on different areas of ministry: Elder • Should have the church’s plans and best interests as their priority • Are responsible for the mission and government of the church • Should be persons of good faith, dedication, and good judgment • Should show a willingness to be a leader Deacon • Serve as leaders of ministry teams • Emphasize relationships over tasks • Should be persons of warm character and sound judgment • Should be willing to serve the church and its community Trustee • Help develop unrestricted and restricted Funds to support the capital needs of the church • Oversee investment opportunities • Distribute the investment income as prioritized
10 If you have any questions about Called to Lead or what the ACNC does, please contact Linda Miller.
News from
SESSION
FEBRUARY MEETING REPORT
The Outreach committee approved for membership: Clinton Gregory Trauter and Anne G. Trauter by Reaffirmation of Faith, and Thomas and Janet Poole by Reaffirmation of Faith.
Karen Meyer Clerk of Session 480-368-6567
The Finance & Operations Committee approved Robert E. Porter Construction to complete wall repairs in the Memorial Garden. Porter repaired a section in October 2020, and have submitted a bid to complete the remaining walls, cutting out and installing new mortar where it is cracked. Cost to complete the project is not to exceed $60,000. Congregational Care Committee approved Elizabeth Weiss, Jerry Sayre, and Mary Ann Winter as 2021 Co-Opt members of the Committee.
Ed Glady and Jim Arner are working with Kiva Elementary School to approve the parking lot system once the new school is built. The session will be holding a retreat on March 20 to discuss the report of the VPC 2.0 Planning Committee. If you have any question or concerns, please reach out to me.
—Blessings, Karen Gill Meyer
UPDATE ON OPERATIONS FACILITIES Finances &
As part of our continuing effort to address maintenance needs in those areas of the campus not affected by the A New Heart for the Valley remodel, the roofs of the Administration Building, Landes Center, and two-story Kris Bahr Finance & Operations Director Education Building 480-991-6424 ext. 112 have been repaired krisb@vpc.church and resurfaced. Roof inspections will be done on an annual basis as part of our overall preventive maintenance program. The air conditioning unit which cools the Landes lobby and restroom area is being replaced before the temperatures start to rise, in anticipation of that building being fully utilized once again. A Property Committee is being formed to provide overall support for the buildings and grounds on our church campus. The mission of the committee is “To
care for the buildings and grounds that have been entrusted to us by providing regular oversight and expertise in the operation, maintenance, and capital improvement needs of the church. Further, to ensure that all members, visitors, and staff are provided with a clean, safe, secure, and well-maintained facility within a friendly environment.” If you are interested in being a part of this committee, please let me know. VPC finances year-to-date as of January 31, 2021 Actual $ Budget $ Variance $ Income Faith Giving 232,900 210,000 22,900 Other Income 7,700 9,300 -1,600 Total Income 240,600 219,300 21,300 Expense
Pastoral Ministry Admin & Facility Mission, Outreach, Cong. Care Christian Education Worship & Music Total Expense Net Income less Expense
39,100 88,300 2,200 23,600 22,400 175,600
40,300 89,700 2,200 27,300 26,600 186,100
1,200 1,400 0 3,700 4,200 10,500
65,000
33,200
31,800
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