Annual Meeting Pastor’s Report – February 4, 2024

February 4, 2024 Annual Meeting Slides

Sunday Services

See below for a link to the live streaming of our services or to see previous services:

YouTube Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYF6JWnNARixsYXmVVp-ImA/?guided_help_flow=5

Caring for God’s Creation

Fridays:  June 21, July 12, August 9
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (lunch included)

  Cost is $5 per child / $10 per family per session
 Children age 3 – entering 5th grade

God created an amazing world, and – as God’s children – we have been called to care for it.

Join youth and adult volunteers from Valley as we learn about the mysteries and science of our natural world; and how we can participate in nurturing and healing the earth and all its creatures.

 Activities will include music, movement, science lessons, working in the garden,
service projects, and bible story time.

Register by calling the office, or use the google form below:

Caring for God’s Creation Registration

Faith & Love:  Building Up Our Community with Fellowship, Meals, and Acts of Kindness

Coinciding with each of our Caring for God’s Creation events for children is a meal for all ages featuring a speaker from the community who will share their expertise, along with a related activity.  We would love for you to join us at our Table Together Meals.  Although it is not necessary, if you know you’re coming, please sign up below:

Friday, June 21 – Table Together Dinner – 5:30–7:00 p.m.
Spreading Love
Guest Speaker:  Christine Princic, Beekeeper
Spread love by assembling snack packs for Homeless Hookup
RSVP:  https://forms.gle/kwYqQexZwLUvL6fr8

Sunday, July 14 – Table Together Lunch – after Chapel in the Woods
Nurture God’s Loving Nature
Guest Speaker:  Agricultural Farmer
Plant a small herb garden in a 2-liter soda bottle
RSVP:  https://forms.gle/RUdqXTpUN5hwitAY6

Friday, August 9 – Table Together Dinner – 5:30–7:00 p.m.
God’s plan needs all of us
Guest Speaker:  To be announced
Bloom where you are planted
RSVP:  https://forms.gle/bCahwwBNGWBe6BCG8

Rise Against Hunger

Food Packaging Event

Saturday, June 22
10:00 a.m. – noon

We will, again, be working with Rise Against Hunger to package meals for hungry people around the world.   This is a wonderful opportunity for people of all ages to get involved in a hands-on mission while learning more about the goal of eradicating hunger in our lifetime.

This June, we will be partnering with members of Christ Presbyterian Church in Chesterland, who will join us in our Fellowship Hall to package thousands of meals.   All the materials are provided by Rise Against Hunger.   We just need your hands to help!

The meal-packaging process engages volunteers to combine rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables, and a packet of 18 essential vitamins and minerals into small meal packages.   These meal packages are shipped around the world to support school feeding programs and crisis relief.   The food stores easily, transports quickly, and has a shelf-life of two years.   Your impact starts with a meal, and leads to self-sufficiency, sustainability, and brighter futures!

Each meal package – including materials and shipping – costs approximately 40 cents; so, for two dollars, you can support 5 meals; ten dollars = 25 meals; twenty dollars = 50 meals.   Our portion for the event will be $2,000-3,000.

Volunteers are needed on Saturday, June 22 for setup (8:30 – 10 a.m.) and meal packaging (10 a.m. – noon).   Please sign up using this link below, or call the church office, if you would like to help:

Rise Against Hunger Registration

June 13, 2024

“The one who supplies seed for planting and bread for eating will supply and multiply your seed and will increase your crop, which is righteousness.” (2 Corinthians 9:10, Common English Bible)

Members and Friends of Valley,

We spent some time yesterday in our Faith Garden.  It was a beautiful morning, and the young vegetables and seedlings that have been planted in raised beds over the past few weeks are poking through to grow up to the sun.  Last fall, we planted some native perennial pollinator plants near the Faith Garden to further encourage growth; they are now fully in bloom.  We watered and weeded and wondered at this amazing natural process that God has put in place to bring fresh, healthy food to our tables (or in this case, to the tables of those who are clients at the Chagrin Falls Park Community Center’s Food Bank).

God created an amazing world, and – as God’s children – we have been called to care for it; and to share what we have in order that others might be fed.  Through the following upcoming programs and events, we would like to invite you to join us in caring for, learning about, and feeding our world.  All events will be held in Fellowship Hall:

Caring for God’s Creation – a program for children age 3 – entering 5th grade
Friday, June 21, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (lunch included)
Participants will learn about the mysteries and science of our natural world and how we can participate in nurturing and healing the earth and all its creatures.  Activities include music, movement, science lessons, service projects, and bible story time.

Subsequent programs will be held on July 12 and August 9.

Table Together Dinner – Building up our Community with Fellowship, Meals, and Acts of Kindness
Friday, June 21, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Guest Speaker:  Local Beekeeper
A simple, free fellowship meal for all ages.  As a service project, we will be assembling snack packs for Homeless Hookup CLE.

Rise Against Hunger Meal-Packaging Event (with our friends from Christ Presbyterian Church, Chesterland)
Saturday, June 22, 10 a.m. – noon (volunteer positions available for all ages and abilities)
A fun and impactful way to make a difference for hungry people around the world.  Packaging meal kits assembly-line style, we plan to complete 10,000 bags, which will provide up to 40,000 meals.

Please register for these events, and invite others who might want to join in.  And if you’d ever like to join us in the Faith Garden, the scheduled work times are in the bulletin.

In Christ,
Pastor John

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ANNOUNCEMENTS
(additional announcements are in the bulletin and newsletter)

Knitting For Others

Inviting all folks from 12-100 years of age, who like to knit or who would like to learn, to be a part of Valley’s Knitting Group.  We will be knitting special items like prayer shawls, blankets, and other helpful and comforting items for our members and people in our community.

The group will meet (come when your schedule allows):
June
Tuesday, June 18 — 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
July
Sunday, July 14 — 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 23 — 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

For questions, please call one of our Co-Chairs, Beverly or Bev:

Beverly Wahl – 502-553-7255

Bev Keough – 330-888-5385

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LINKS

Church YouTube Channel

The livestream of the worship service is being broadcast via the Valley YouTube channel using this link:

Link to YouTube Live

Link to Facebook

Link to Prayer Request List

Link to Sermons

Link to service bulletin:

June 16, 2024 service bulletin

June 23, 2024 service bulletin

June 6, 2024

“(Jesus) took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” (Luke 24:30-31)

Members and friends of Valley,

One of the great joys of being a pastor is the privilege of welcoming people to the table.  This takes place in worship as we prepare to share communion at the Lord’s Table, but in many other settings as well:  fellowship dinners and chili cook-offs, preparing lunches for North Church or community meals, and meetings over coffee at Buckeye Café.

One of the great mysteries of Gospels is that many of the disciples who encountered the resurrected Jesus could not recognize him until he spoke their name, or showed them his pierced hands and side, or broke bread with them.  What was so different about his appearance that they could not see who was with them?  How was he, then, transformed before their eyes?  Or, was it the disciples, themselves, who were transformed?

I suppose the answer will be left to our imaginations.  And yet, I believe it speaks to the truth that we are often changed when we encounter others at the table; as we share food we, also, in conversation, share something from within – our experiences, our passions – that invites transformation.

Once each month – from June to September – we are inviting you to such table gatherings.  A simple meal will be provided, a table project will be suggested, and a speaker who has expertise in some aspect of nature and food preparation will offer a brief presentation.  These meals are being planned to coincide with monthly “Caring For God’s Creation” events for children.  Individuals and family members of all ages are invited.

The first of these Table Together Meals will be on Friday, June 21, from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.  The guest speaker will be Christine Princic, a beekeeper who will be sharing about the importance of pollinators to our ecology.  The service project will be packing snack bags for Homeless Hookup CLE.

For more information about the Table Together Meals and the Caring for God’s Creation children’s events, see the Sunday bulletin.

And as I invite folks in worship on communion Sundays:  Come to the table: there is plenty for everyone and space for all.

In Christ,
Pastor John

________________________________________

ANNOUNCEMENTS
(additional announcements are in the bulletin and newsletter)

Knitting For Others

Inviting all folks from 12-100 years of age, who like to knit or who would like to learn, to be a part of Valley’s Knitting Group.  We will be knitting special items like prayer shawls, blankets, and other helpful and comforting items for our members and people in our community.

The group will meet (come when your schedule allows):
June
Sunday, June 9 — 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 18 — 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
July
Sunday, July 14 — 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 23 — 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

For questions, please call one of our Co-Chairs, Beverly or Bev:

Beverly Wahl – 502-553-7255

Bev Keough – 330-888-5385

________________________________________

LINKS

Church YouTube Channel

The livestream of the worship service is being broadcast via the Valley YouTube channel using this link:

Link to YouTube Live

Link to Facebook

Link to Prayer Request List

Link to Sermons

Link to service bulletin:

Sunday, June 9, 2024, service bulletin

Pass-It-On Mission Store