The Shepherd’s Voice
Monthly Newsletter of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church
March 2010
Following is the internet-friendly version of our monthly newsletter. It’s the same content, just different formatting and no graphics. If you are interested in receiving our newsletter via snail-mail, contact the church office.
Shepherd of the Valley invites, nurtures, and empowers people to serve and praise God and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ!
A NOTE FROM PASTOR TARI
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21
I love doing my taxes. It is a strange quirk, but there is something about reviewing my year of receipts, income, giving and spending that brings me delight. Here’s what our year looked like:
Income: $71,036
Housing Costs and Furniture: $32,305
Food: $9000
Entertainment: $1800
Transportation: $8800
Charity: $5600
Fees, lessons, and other kid stuff: $1600
IRAs and Life Insurance: $1500
Misc: $7500 or so
Two totals stand out to me. First, we haven’t brought our giving up to 10%, but now I have some sense of our income so we will. Second, that’s a lot of money that I can’t account for.
I’d say it’s not your business how I earn or spend my money, but in actuality it is. Part of my behavior code as a pastor is to be a faithful steward of money. So you are all called to keep me honest to that code. There is as much emphasis on how we manage our money as there is regarding our sex lives. But, even if I weren’t a pastor, as a fellow believer in a community of faith it is good to bring our lives of money out into the light.
The conversation surrounding our money can bring us great shame and anger (the fellow just flew his plane into the IRS building as I write this). I give thanks for the conversation because it is probably the most revealing of our priorities and character. Jesus says, “Where your treasure goes, your heart will follow.” It’s good to know where we are putting our treasure so we know where we are putting our hearts.
I suppose I love doing my taxes in the same way I love the season of Lent. It is not a morbid, masochistic fetish, but actual delight in honesty and taking stock of my life. It’s probably not complete accident that tax season overlaps Lent. They both give us an opportunity to examine the details of how we are living out our lives. It’s good to have time to remember I'm not perfect and all would be well if only the folks around me could learn to live my way. It’s good to remember that I'm the one desperately in need of God’s love and grace.
That’s why taxes and Lent are so much fun. They not only give us a chance to take stock, but they give us an appreciation of the gifts we’ve been given. My college advisor swore I’d never make a dime so it makes me giggle to think we have a very comfortable living. We have been blessed in many ways.
When I stop in the quiet of Lent and think about all that is wasted or deadening in my life, I have to remember the other half of the promise. God brings new life out of death. Life is a gift that can only come when we release what is deadening. Talking about death and sin seems like a downer, until we realize that true life is found only on the other side of those things, not by dodging and avoiding them.
I hope you learn to love taxes, or at least Lent. I hope you learn to love the opportunity to review in truthfulness (even when there is shame and anger) your life. I hope you learn to love the opportunity to give thanks for all the gifts you’ve been given, especially the gift of new life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Peace - Pastor Tari
FAITH FORMATION FOR ALL AGES
On Sundays at 9:30 a.m. all ages are welcome to attend Faith Formation at SOV. Thank you to everyone who has participated! In March, the adult class will continue exploring the Book of Faith and how Lutherans read the Bible.
The K-5th graders will begin a new series called “LIVE BIG.” Live BIG helps children see, hear and live their Belief In God. Short video segments bring faith-filled excitement along with great activities and games. Please sign-up to help with the K-5th grade classes!
The commitment is minimal with lots of good curriculum to help. The curriculum can be found on our website www.sovlutheran.org. Get the password from Pastor Tari. Listed below are March activity station volunteers, as well as the topic for each Sunday's lesson. If you would like to volunteer, contact Pastor Tari or Lori Fredenberg.
March 7 Mary of Bethany
Intro/Bible Lesson - Kirt Stage-Harvey
DVD/Activity - Volunteer Needed
Snack - Amy Johnson
March 14 Last Supper
Intro/Bible Lesson - Need Volunteer
DVD/Activity - Need Volunteer
Snack - Thordis Moe
March 21 Peter’s Denial
Intro/Bible Lesson - Alice Gates
DVD/Activity - Becky Corson
Snack - Need Volunteer
March 28 Palm Sunday
Intro/Bible Lesson - Kirt Stage-Harvey
DVD/Activity - Need Volunteer
Snack - Need Volunteer
CONFIRMATION NOTES
Here's the schedule for March:
Sunday, March 7
9:30 a.m. Class on Isaiah and Jeremiah
Sunday, March 14
Servant Event on your own or helping at church
Sunday, March 21
9:30 a.m. Class on Jesus
Sunday, March 28
9:30 a.m. Meet with your mentor
COLLEGE STUDENT CARE PACKAGES
The Fellowship Committee is putting together care packages for our college students. The packages will be sent in time for final exams. We need the addresses of all college students affiliated with SOV. If you have questions (or addresses to share), please turn them into the church office. Thanks!
DREAMING ABOUT CAMP?
Mark your calendars! Glacier Bible Camp will be held Sunday, July 11 to Friday, July 16 out the road at the Methodist Camp! Camp is open to kids ages 6th to 9th grade. We will need lots of adult volunteers to help with tasks like cooking, being counselors, leading crafts (just to name a few). It's a terrific opportunity for BOTH kids and kids-at-heart to grow spiritually, while making new friends and getting lots of healthy fresh air! Please prayerfully consider coming to camp as either a camper or a counselor, and watch for further details in weeks to come!
SE Alaska Cluster Rendezvous at SOV
Delegates from the SE Alaska ELCA Churches will gather March 5 to 7 at SOV. Churches in the Southeast Cluster are located in Juneau, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Petersburg, Sitka, and Wrangell. The M/V Christian is also part of the SE Cluster. This is a great time to meet our extended church family. Katherine Andrews and Shelby Tersteeg are our official delegates, but everyone is welcome to join us. Please note everything takes place at SOV, with the exception of Saturday morning. The schedule for the weekend is:
Friday, March 5
5:30 p.m. Dinner, provided by Resurrection Lutheran Church
6:30-7 p.m. Welcome: Dean/Reverend Sue; Introductions/Joys and Concerns
7-8:30 p.m. Session One - Shelley Wickstrom
8:45 p.m. Evening Prayer
Saturday, March 6
9 a.m. A Sabbath for Ministry: Restoring our Joy Dr. Marva Dawn at Chapel by the Lake
Noonish Soup and sandwiches at SOV
1:30-3 p.m. Cluster Business: Fall 2010 at Wrangell; Spring 2011 at Ketchikan
3-3:10 p.m. Break
3:10-3:45 p.m. Session Two - Shelley Wickstrom
3:45 p.m. Break - free time
5:30 p.m. Dinner
7-8:30 p.m. Session Two - Shelley Wickstrom
8:30 p.m. Break - prepare for worship
8:45 p.m. Closing Worship with Communion
Sunday
8 a.m. Breakfast
8:30 & 11 a.m. Sunday Worship at SOV
HELP! If you can donate soup for Saturday's lunch; bars or cake for Saturday evening's dessert; or bagels or muffins for Sunday's breakfast...PLEASE talk to Cathy Kollin ASAP. Her number is 789-4498. THANKS!
A PLEA FOR THE PANTRY
As always, thanks for the time, food, and prayers you contribute to our food pantry. We are always in need of your donations, so please continue to include the pantry on your shopping list and in your prayers.
OUR KITCHEN AND KENYA - AN UPDATE
Things are moving right along! So far $12,200 has been pledged for the SOV kitchen renovation. Thank you for your generous pledges. Our goal is $16,000, PLUS we would like to raise an additional $1700 to give a scholarship (in partnership with Resurrection Lutheran Church) to a young woman seminarian in Kenya. Kitchen supplies have been ordered, grants written, and we still plan to have the kitchen ready for our birthday dinner on May 1. Questions about the kitchen? Talk to Pete Christensen, Karen Stumpf, or Liz Balstad.
T.E.A.M. SUNDAY OFFERING
There will be a special offering for T.E.A.M. on March 7. "Together Emphasizing Alaska's Mission" provides grants to support congregation mission and outreach activity. T.E.A.M. provides an opportunity for you to directly participate in ministry beyond your home congregation. Shepherd of the Valley has been the recipient of T.E.A.M. grants in the past and it is our turn to give back!
HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY
Pastor Tari is scheduled to be the hospital chaplain at Bartlett Regional Hospital March 14-20. She will be at the hospital at least two hours everyday. Please say a special prayer for her that week, as she helps others who need spiritual guidance.
FACILITY CARE - IT'S A TEAM EFFORT
In March we will kick off a new approach to facility care...teams! Team captains are Alice, Dean, Gail W., Kirt, and Roger. Sign-up to be on a team (sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board at church) and let the games begin! Watch the Sunday bulletin for further details.
SOV PRESENTS THE ALASKA STRING BAND
At 7 p.m., on Friday, March 12, SOV will host a concert by the Alaska String Band. This is a wonderful family band. The Zahasky family performs in Juneau at the Tram, the Salmon Bake, and other venues, as well as all over the Lower 48. They do a mix of primarily acoustic Bluegrass and Gospel music. If you have never seen them, you will want to do so before they get lured from Juneau. If you have seen them, you will not have to be encouraged to see them again!
We have a supply of posters available in the church office. Please take some and post them everywhere! If you need more - ask me, Gail, or the church office. Talk to your co-workers, friends and those you meet about coming to this event. We have decided to ask for a "suggested donation" of $10 for adults and $15 for families, with all proceeds going to support the SOV kitchen. Although we encourage a donation, no one will be turned away if they cannot donate.
I have talked with Paul Zahasky about having a Q&A period/workshop for musicians at 5 p.m. He indicated they would be open to it. Please let me know if you are interested. It would be followed by a light dinner and the performance. I will set this up if there is interest, so please email SOV asap if you would like to attend a pre-concert workshop.
We will need volunteers to sell tickets at the door, usher, provide the workshop dinner, and help with set-up and clean-up. Please let me know, through the church office, if you can help.
We need to fill the sanctuary for this event. The Zahasky's have been generous to donate their time as part of their Christian mission. We need to respond by supporting them. This is a great opportunity for us, as a congregation, to meet our neighbors and let them see who we are and where we are. Please join us in inviting the community to share a time of musical celebration with us.
Thanks - Doug Wickre
ALASKA STRING BAND CONCERT
An evening of bluegrass
and gospel to make
your soul sing!
The Zahasky Family
Alaska String Band
7 p.m., Friday, March 12 at SOV
Suggested donation of
$10 adults and $15 families
(everyone is welcome...
no one will be turned away)
Proceeds support the
SOV kitchen renovation.
Please, spread the word!
MARCH HAPPENINGS
CHIPS AND SALSA THEOLOGY
Chips and Salsa Theology takes place at 6 p.m., Sunday, March 7 at Mi Casa. Our topic is the Book of Revelation.
GOD AT OUR CENTER: LIVING JOYFULLY
Marva Dawn is a Lutheran theologian who will present *God at Our Center: Living Joyfully* March 5 - 7 at Chapel by the lake. The Friday evening session begins at 6 p.m. The Saturday morning session begins at 9:30 a.m.; at 5:30 p.m. Saturday evening there is a free BBQ Ribs and Chicken Dinner with talk. Flyers are available at church.
WOMEN'S FELLOWSHIP - FUN, FOTOS, AND FOOD
Hey ladies of all ages! Join us from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, March 13 for a morning of creativity, archiving, and eating! Bring at least three of your favorite photos and create your own scrapbook page(s). We would love to put together a scrapbook of special SOV memories for our upcoming 25th birthday, so bring your favorite SOV photos too. Priscilla Sharrow will lead our efforts and has lots of wonderful Creative Memories scrap booking tools to share. Please bring pastries or fruit to share with the group.
OH BOY...IT'S TIME FOR MEATLOAF!
We cook and serve our monthly meatloaf at the Glory Hole on Wednesday, March 17. Cooking begins at 1 p.m.; we serve the meal at 6 p.m. The sign-up sheet for donations of food and/or time is located on the round table at church.
LENTEN LUNCHES AT NORTHERN LIGHTS
The Juneau Cooperative Church Council will continue its tradition of Thursday soup and bread Lenten Lunches. The theme this year is *Living Lent: Heart, Mind, Body and Soul.* Each lunch begins at noon at Northern Light United Church on 11th Street downtown. A $5 donation may be made to the Glory Hole for lunch.
LENT
Lent is a time to take inventory, scale back, and look at one’s life. Lent is a time of inner renewal and reflection.
LENTEN DEVOTIONS
Be sure to check out the devotion booklets on the front entry table at church. They are a wonderful guide during this season of introspection.
LENTEN WORSHIP AND SOUP DINNERS
We will have soup dinners at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday nights followed by a short worship service and Bible study about people of the Old Testament. You will learn lots of interesting stuff about these historical people! Please consider making this a part of your Lenten devotions. If you can donate soup or bread, look for the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board at church. Thanks!
NEW MEMBERS & BAPTISM CLASSES
Easter is traditionally a time to baptize and welcome new members into the church community. If you are interested in being baptized or becoming a member of Shepherd of the Valley, please talk to Pastor Tari. Introductory sessions will take place at 10 a.m., Saturday, March 13 and 9:30 a.m., Sunday, March 21. Those are tentative dates and times. Our constitution defines membership as *regular use of the means of grace, both Word and sacrament; live a Christian life; support the work of this congregation and of the ELCA through time, abilities and financial support.*
AN UPDATE FROM THE M/V CHRISTIAN
Submitted by Pastor/Skipper Stan Berntson & Sharon Geldaker RN
We are OUT & ABOUT and we don’t take it for granted! A milder winter has allowed us to travel to each of the villages we visit!
In KAKE, Stan preached & served communion at the Kake Memorial Presbyterian Church. We invited all down to the boat for lunch, & helped cheer kids from Hydaburg, Klawock & Kake on in basketball games throughout the week. We also visited & prepared dinner for an elder, helped her winterize, & spent time with her in prayer throughout the week.
In HOONAH, we spent time with folks in their home, & on the boat. We met with members of the Hoonah Indian Assn. In the wake of social trauma, we are collaborating to take elders & community kids on the boat, to strengthen cultural identity & relationship while visiting pre-glacial Tlingit sites. Stan also preached at a crucial church meeting of the oldest church in the village, & we witnessed a re-birth of this body, it’s new charter Sunday! Afterwards we fed them, & attended community BB games.
In ANGOON, we have met & prayed with folks, working on village issues. We see the kids we know from VBS in the summer at the BB games of the winter. A fun time to get re-acquainted & catch up on their lives. We invite them back to the boat for crafts & snacks. Coffee is always available on board for those who need a listening ear.
Soon, we’ll be on our way to KLAWOCK & HYDABURG, to meet with elders, & to coordinate summer VBS and visits with each village’s rhythm.
In March, Sharon will be taking a 2 wk Licensing class in Ketchikan, while Stan travels to Southeast cluster meeting in Juneau. Then, we HEAD OUT again, to visit the communities along the east coast of Prince of Wales Island.
We thank GOD for the opportunity to ENCOURAGE individuals & church bodies, and WALK ALONGSIDE them in each of their faith journeys. We look forward to seeing many of you again in April at Assembly in Anchorage to hug & share faith stories of another year, on a very sturdy boat.
The M/V Christian is owned and operated by the Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S. For more information about this wonderful and unique ministry, check out www.lutheranmissionariesandpilots.org/ourministry/SEAlaska.htm.
SOV MEMORIES
SOV charter member Elfrida Nord has been providing us with brief "histories" and special memories of SOV (see below). She is also putting together a slideshow of photos from the last 25 years! If you have anything to add, please send it to the church and we will forward it to Elfrida. She could especially use photos of SOV baptisms and weddings to help fill in the timeline.
"JOYS AND TRIALS" 2001 TO 2006
In 2001, SOV completed its first year on its own without Partnership Support. On March 10th, 2002, 190 persons gathered for the dedication and celebration of the completion of MISSION:ADDITION. The dedication coincided with a Southeast Cluster meeting, so members of all SE Lutheran congregations could participate. It was the SE Cluster that originated the idea of T.E.A.M. that helped finance SOV*s addition. SOV did secure a $25,000 grant to complete the building, otherwise the addition was built as local finances permitted. Now our $250,000 mortgage did not look so formidable when we had a facility assessed at 1.5 million dollars by the tax assessors.
Early in 2002, the rupture of an underground oil tank with a loss of lots of oil created an additional burden since insurance would not cover it. Dealing with this financial burden was difficult, but SOV did so by turning to theater. The staging of “Blizzard of Oslo,” cast by members of the congregation, was a tremendous success with sellout crowds. Ticket sales helped us meet our expenses.
In 2004, SOV voted to support the establishment of Love, Inc. As in all prior years, the work and ministry of SOV was blessed by willing volunteers. 2005 was relatively uneventful, except SOV was gearing up to host the Alaska Synod Assembly.
Then suddenly on February 26, 2006, disaster struck as fire broke out at the Center for Ministry, creating tremendous smoke damage and some structural damage to the narthex. So on February 26th we found ourselves worshipping at Floyd Dryden Middle School, where we had originally met. Thanks to the Juneau Fire Department and our insurance plan this near tragedy was averted, but the aftermath of the fire took its toll on everyone. Lenten services were held at St. Paul’s Catholic Church parish hall and the Synod Assembly at Faith Lutheran Church, as the structural damage was repaired and everything cleaned and scrubbed to get the Center for Ministry ready to be utilized again.
PERMISSION TO BRAG
Just a reminder from your friendly church newsletter editor...we want your newsletter submissions! Did you or a family member do something noteworthy? Did you learn something new you want to share? Did you write a poem? Discover a favorite new quote? Send in your stuff and we'll put it in the newsletter. We are only limited by our imaginations (and perhaps a space restriction; really long submissions could be edited for space). Submissions can be emailed to sov@alaska.net, or placed on Bianca's desk in the church office (be sure it's clearly marked for the newsletter).
Your church family is here for support, prayers, visits, and encouragement. Please call us if you would like a visit from Pastor Tari, or anytime you can use a kind word.
We would also love to hear from you with comments about or submissions to The Shepherd's Voice. If your address has changed, or if you no longer wish to be on our mailing list, we want to know that too. Please contact us by email at www.sov@alaska.net or call the church office at (907) 789-4093.
Rev. Tari Stage-Harvey, Pastor
Editor: Becky Corson
Production/Distribution: Alice Gates