Volume 60 Issue 8 SEPTEMBER 2018

SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH

A CONGREGATION OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA

New Sisters and Brothers in Christ

Have you noticed the pattern in stories, TV sitcoms, for example, where we meet a long-lost relative of a character? Often it’s a brother or sister, separated at birth, that the character is meeting for the first time. As tvtropes.org (yes, there is such a thing) puts it, “Often the two characters were previously unhappy with their lots in life, but after having walked a mile in somebody else’s shoes, they gain a new appreciation for what they have.”

Now on television, the long-lost sibling usually says goodbye at the end of the episode, and everything is back to normal next week. But I imagine if this happened to you or me, that wouldn’t happen: even if our brother lived far away, having that new companion in our lives would change things from then on. You and I already know about some of our faraway companions. We’ve often prayed for our companion synods, those church bodies from the Lutheran World Federation that accompany our Northern Illinois Synod. When Bishop Clements was installed, our companion bishops came to Rockford, and from time to time we exchange larger groups of visitors. On October 7, we get to hear about Deaconess Cheryl Erdmann’s experiences visiting the Arcot Lutheran Church in Tamil Nadu, India, last February. But it turns out Shepherd of the Valley has a long-lost sister. We have a companion congregation, Loliondo Parish, part of the North Central Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. This month, Pastor Gary Erickson (your Director of Evangelical Mission) visited them on our behalf. He gave to them some things to tell them more about us: a church directory; a recent newsletter and bulletin; and a letter of greeting. What could it mean for us to have a companion parish? What can we learn from each other? Is having Kenya on your northern border like having Wisconsin next door? I invite you to join me in prayer and conversation about these questions. Our life together may not be a TV show, but whenever God gives us a new relationship, we have a new opportunity to learn and grow.

SHEPHERD’S STAFF

IN OUR PRAYERS Intercessions: Nevagay Abel, Don Abel,

Alka David, Elizabeth David, Stu Hoff-

man, Elisa Jones, Doris Kampfe, Kevin Persaud, Carline Talmadge, Karl Anderson, Doris

Dohlen, John Miller, Hugh DeGroff, Alice Schaefer,

Robert Aken, Richard Farris, Graydon Anderson,

Catharine Edlen, Ronald Rice, Scott Francis, Lyle Solko, Iona Reidlinger (niece of Linda Severson),

Loretta Thompson (sister of Linda Severson), Scott

K. (husband of Karl Anderson’s niece), Tyler Webb

(son of Jordan Stork), Don Pflipson (friend of Kay &

Don Brindle), Nancy Brandt (Kay Brindles sister), Patty Stork (Jordan Stork ’s mother), Linda Finegan (friend

of the Bailey family), Charles Last (Judy Miller’s

brother), Charlotte Sand (mother of Kay Brindle, Jeanne Retzer, Lisa A (friend of Mark & Laurie

Pellant), Karen (Dave Musser’s sister), Keith Sand (Kay Brindle’s brother), Karl Anderson’s sister, and the

Stubbs family (missionaries in Tanzania).

(Please review this list and let either Pastor Scott or

the church office know when a name can be re-moved).

SEPTEMBER 2018 SHEPHERD’S STAFF PAGE 2

Keeping Shepherd of the Valley

up-to-date

Please be sure to let the office of Shepherd of the Valley know when you have a change in ad-

dress, phone number or e-mail.

Please let the church office or Pastor Scott

know if there are items you would like to see

in the newsletter.

Become a Member Please speak with Pastor Scott after worship if you would like to be received into our

community of faith on All Saints Sunday,

November 4, 2018.

Library books The library committee has been doing an inventory of the library materials for the past few weeks and have noticed there arm many missing items

(books, etc.)

Please check around your house, in closets, in drawers, under beds, or any other place a book might hide and if you find some that belong to Shepherd of the Valley’s library kindly return them.

Crafty Ladies NOTE DATE CHANGE

Crafty Ladies will begin meeting again on Monday, September 10, at

9:30 a.m. Note date change due to Labor Day In October we will go back to the first Monday of the month.

Living Vine

(Women’s Bible Study)

Join the women of Shep-

herd of the Valley at 9:30 a.m. on September 17th

for a women’s bible study. We are using

the bible study from the Gather magazine.

Laundry Love & M&M’s Containers of M & M's are available in the Narthex for your

eating pleasure. After enjoying the M & M's please fill the container with a roll of quarters which will be given to Laundry Love for their clients.

SEPTEMBER 2018 SHEPHERD’S STAFF PAGE 3

Attendance statistics average are based on ATTENDANCE FROM July 29 - August 26

Average attendance: 67

Financial reports

Financial results as of July 31, 2018 and Year to date totals

C & B C & B C & B YTD C & B YTD

Actual Budget Actual Budget

Income $15,850.16 $15,375.00 $15,606.54 $104,225.00

Expense $16,814.00 $16,355.55 $119,315.24 $113,824.76

Inc/exp -$963.84 -$980.55 -

$103,708.70 -$9,599.76

plus offsets $871.19 $750.67 $8,780.35 $3,794.67

Net income -$92.65 -$229.88 -$94,928.35 -$5,805.09

7/31/18 6/30/18

C&B balance $2,400.33 $2,492.98

Building Building BLD YTD BLD YTD

Actual Budget Actual Budget

Income $2,187.00 $2,060.37 $12,895.00 $15,077.15

Expense $2,220.00 $2,220.00 $15,540.00 $15,540.00

Net inc/exp -$33.00 -$159.63 -$2,645.00 -$462.85

7/31/18 6/30/18

Building fund balance $12,610.45 $12,643.45

Please note: Financials run one month behind in the bulletin Balance on our mortgage - $274,079.92

Note: Our challenge is to give 5% more than you pledged!

September 9

Join us in worship on “God’s Work Our

Hands” Sunday,

September 9, as we

recognize God’s

callings in the church and in our daily

lives. Then from 11-11:45, Faith Forum, Sunday School, and the Middle/High

School Group will kick off a new year of

growing together in faith.

Mark your calendars

Come and learn or be

refreshed in what it means to serve in a

special role for worship

as an offering counter. We will meet at 11:00 a.m. in the sanc-

tuary on October 14.

In February Deaconess Cheryl Erdmann traveled to India

with a delegation from the Northern Illinois Synod. On

October 7th she will talk about the experience as she

toured India, spent time with The Arcot Lutheran Church, companion Synod to Northern Illinois Synod.

SEPTEMBER 2018 SHEPHERD’S STAFF PAGE 4

Pre school begins Tuesday, September 4 and Wednesday, September 5

Registration for the 2018 -2019 school year is still open! Call 815-397-5880 with questions

Students are accepted on a first come, first served ba-sis with preference being given to our church mem-bers. The pre-school follows District 205 in regard to age enrollment. The child must be either 3 or 4 years old by September 1st of the current school year. The following sessions will be offered beginning in September: Session 1: Three year olds (begins September 4th) Tuesday & Thursday 8:30am to 12 noon Cost: $85.00 per month Session 2: Four year olds (begins September 5th) Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30am to 12 noon

Cost $125.00 per month Plus there is a onetime registration charge of $75

(non-refundable)

During September we will be doing a collection of kitchen items for One Body Collaborative. There is a collection box in the church Narthex beginning September 9th and through September 28th.

Items are given to families experiencing displacement. Most in demand are dishes (not china), silverware, plastic glasses, pots and pans, toasters, can openers, and coffee makers. They can be new or gently used.

SEPTEMBER 2018 SHEPHERD’S STAFF PAGE 5

Katie’s Cup

502 7th Street

Rockford, IL

7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Just Show Up

September 9

October 14

November 11

December 9

January 13

February 10

March 10

April 14

May 12

SEPTEMBER 2018 SHEPHERD’S STAFF PAGE 6

Good News? Do you have good news in your world that you would like to share with your brothers and

sisters in Christ? A graduation? A new baby? A winning effort? Let Judi know so it can be

put in the monthly newsletter. Share your good news!

Join Phil Smalley and Pastor Scott on Sunday, September 16,

at education time be shaped. Any and all ideas are

welcome. Together we will plan your Christian education

time. We will be meeting on the First and third Sunday’s during the school year.

There will be donuts at this meeting.

CALLING ALL MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLERS

Come and hear what wonderful things One Body Collaborative is doing in Rockford. Mark your calendars for Sunday, October 21. Meet Mary

Pulliam, Senior Director of Church Relations or Mary Cacioppi, Executive

Director.

Learn the many ways you can serve the Rockford community.

On Sunday, October 28, five young people will make Affirmation of their

Baptism before God and the congregation. Keep them in your prayers as they enter the next phase of their Christian life.

Tanner Jacob Bailey

Gina Therese Fiorenza

Anthony William Thomas Fiorenza

William David McGinnis

Cayla Sidney Purvis

SEPTEMBER 2018 SHEPHERD’S STAFF PAGE 7

Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in

America

30th Annual Northern Illinois Synod Convention

Discovering Hope; Building Vitality in Your Congregation The Discovering Hope; Building Vitality in Your Congregation conference is sponsored by the Congregational Vitality Team, ELCA Domestic Mission. The event is being held at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 200 S. Main St., Washington, IL, on Saturday, October 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. We gladly invite your congregation to

send a team (pastor and at least two lay

people, or at least three lay people if the

pastor is unable to attend). This

conference will energize congregational leaders as they listen to Pastor Nancy

Nyland, event leader, and building

relationships with other congregations to

the synods who share similar

characteristics

Contact Pastor Gary Erickson at gerickson@nisynod.org, 815-289-6055.

Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church (ELCA)

2715 S. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61109

Phone: 815-399-5503 E-mail: svlcsecretary@att.net

On The Web: www.shep61.org.

Office Hours, Monday - Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

RETURN SERVICES REQUESTED

Nonprofit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID

Rockford, IL

Permit No. 4261

Officers of the Congregation

President - Carol Bailey Vice-President - Sherry Scheider Secretary - Janette Erickson Treasurer - Phil Smalley

Congregation Council

Carol Bailey Liz Beale Janette Erickson

Rhoda Fox

Vicki Nitz

Sherry Scheider

Zane Smalley

Bob Tukker

Peggy Wenstrom

Don Wiese

John Wolf

Staff

The Rev. Scott Benolkin, Pastor

Judi Fields, Secretary

Linda Longardner, Organist

Phil Smalley, Treasurer

Susie Smalley, Music Coordinator

Patte Lund, Christian Education

Anita Ralston, Custodian