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

April 25, 2024

“They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season.” (Psalm 1:3)

Members and friends of Valley,

In commemoration of Earth Day – celebrated earlier this week, on April 22 – I have heard stories of churches installing solar panels and EV charging stations, of communities planting trees and initiating food-scrap collection programs.

We have but one planet to care for, and God created us to be good stewards of the earth upon which we live.

For the past three years, Valley has been recognized by our denomination as a “Creation Care Congregation” for the steps we have taken to try to praise God for the goodness of creation, teach and encourage acts of environmental justice, and care for our planet.  In the past year, for example, we have planted a pollinator garden (next to our Faith Garden) and eliminated the use of styrofoam cups and containers.

This year, we would like to expand our creation care efforts more broadly.  We will be scheduling weekly “garden times” to spend time at the church tending or just sitting in the Faith Garden and other planting beds.  We will be distributing containers to collect organic food scraps from your kitchen and bring them to the church for composting.  And we will be having a six-week summer sermon series on Creation Care and the Bible.  If you have other ideas, please share them with us!

Not only do I think these efforts will be good for the health of the planet, they are, also, good for us, for our physical and spiritual health; they will help us to yield fruit in its season.

As the weather turns warmer and beckons us to spend more time outdoors and in the majesty of creation, we offer thanksgiving to the One who made it all.

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):

Sunday, May 5 — 12:15 – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 14 — 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 22 — 10:30 a.m. – noon

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

Beverly Wahl – 502-553-7255

Bev Keough – 330-888-5385

Presbyterian Women Spring Gathering

Focus on Health
“Improving Your Outlook on Mental Wellness”
Saturday, April 27, 2024
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
St. Mark’s
22111 Chagrin Blvd., Beachwood
$10 in advance, $12 at door

Make reservations by Monday, April 22nd at:
suzancp@yahoo.com or 440-269-1465

________________________________________

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, April 28, 2024 service bulletin

April 19, 2024

“You are all God’s children through faith in Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 3:27, Common English Bible)

Members and friends of Valley,

Renowned 20th century theologian Karl Barth, when once asked by a student to summarize his extensive life’s work, responded:

“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

This is a summary – brilliant in its simplicity – of who Christians believe we are.   Our faith tells the story of God’s love revealed through the grace and gift of Jesus Christ; the “Word” of God is found both in the testimony of scripture and the life of Jesus.   In this, we can find the twin commands of Jesus to love God and love our neighbor.

But author Gil Rendle, in Countercultural:  Subversive Resistance and the Neighborhood Congregation, suggests that, for the Christian church, there is one more simple concept we must add; that we need to not only remember who we are but, also, what is our purpose; what we are called to be and do.  In addition to love God and love your neighbor, Rendle points to another marker of the Christian story:   include everyone.  Thus, he quotes another beloved children’s song:

“He’s got the whole world in his hands.”

Christians believe that God’s love is for everyone; that there is no division between Jew and Gentile, male or female; that the neighbor to be loved is anyone and everyone.  Our place – our purpose – is to love others, regardless of label, category, or status; to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves.

Rendle calls this Christian story about loving all people:  the messianic family.  We are united – by Christ – like sisters and brothers, parents and children, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews.  We all have those people in our families that can be difficult to understand, maybe even hard to like.  But like our families, our world has something in common; we are all created and abide in God’s hands.

So, to be the messianic family, we must resist the temptation to construct walls to divide and ask, “who is not being included?”  Our congregations are tasked with inviting and welcoming even those we might not understand or may be hard to like.

How do we do this?  It is, at the same time simple and hard:  love our neighbors, all of our neighbors; to care as much about “we” as we do for “I” and “me.”

If this messianic family is something to which you are feeling called, let’s figure out how to do it, together.

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):
Tuesday, April 23 — 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 24 — 12:15 – 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 5 — 12:15 – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 14 — 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 22 — 10:30 a.m. – noon

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

Beverly Wahl – 502-553-7255

Bev Keough – 330-888-5385

Presbyterian Women Spring Gathering

Focus on Health
“Improving Your Outlook on Mental Wellness”
Saturday, April 27, 2024
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
St. Mark’s
22111 Chagrin Blvd., Beachwood
$10 in advance, $12 at door

Make reservations by Monday, April 22nd at:
suzancp@yahoo.com or 440-269-1465

________________________________________

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, April 21, 2024, service bulletin

Pass-It-On Mission Store