Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church Sunday Update – The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, July 21, 2024

Focus Question:  What does it mean to be a shepherd, and a follower (sheep) of Christ?

serving today and scheduled for next week:

Ministry/Date	July 21 (This Sunday)	July 28 (next Sunday)
Presider	Bp. Emeritus Pr. Jeff Clements	Bp. Emeritus Pr. Jeff Clements (Preaching also)
Assisting Min.	Dn. Cheryl Erdmann	Dn. Cheryl
Accompanist	Richard Popp	Bob Bates
Opener	Don Wiese	Bob Tukker
Ushers	Don Wiese, John Wolf	Kris Tukker, Linda DeGroff
Reader	John Wolf	Bob Tukker
Tech Coordinator	Phil Smalley	Phil Smalley
Bulletin Preparation	Susie Smalley	Susie Smalley
Altar Guild	Kris Tukker	Sherry Scheider
Council Host	Shelley Pierson	Shelley Pierson
Altar Flowers	Pearl Fortman	Suzanne Cortright, to celebrate Max and Margo’s 35th Birthday
Coffee Hour Treats	Mary and Diane Engel, Brian Carpenter	Pearl Fortman

 

Please keep the following in your prayers:

Jackie Anderson, Elizabeth David, Alka David, Cheri Eagleson, Rose Mandera, Linda Severson, Dyvone Freburg, Jeanne Retzer, Gracie Yoder, Carol Dahl, Diane Engel, Ronald Rice, David Collins, Mark Pellant, JoAnn Johnson, Sally Schrader, Sue Francis and Pastor Kenn Storck, recovering from a procedure. 

We also pray for those who have lost loved ones: the family of Louie Dal Collo, the family of Bill Sanford, the family of Joyce Marcell, the family of Vicki Kundo, the family of Scott Francis, the family of Bob Pellant and the family of Joyce Wolf.

And we pray for: Opal, Maria, Helen, Valerie, Rose, Pat, Emily, Kim, Kristen, Greg, Colleen, Mark, Jack, Pam, Brooke, Libby, Tony, Esther and John, David, Bart, and Donna.

In case of pastoral emergencies:

Please call Deacon Cheryl at 815-236-6657

 

Calendar for the Week of July 21 

Sun., July 21 – The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, worship, 9:30 a.m., Presiding Minister, Pastor Jeff Clements;  Assisting Minister and preacher, Dn. Cheryl Erdmann

Mon., July 22 – Monday Milers, 9:00 a.m., Bauman Park, Cherry Valley

Synod-led Meeting of all Call Committees, 6:30 p.m., via Zoom, link to come

Tues., July 23 – Office hours – 9 a.m. – noon

Executive Committee Meeting, with Pastor Jen Beamsley, Assistant to the Bishop, 5:30 p.m., Shepherd Hall

Combined Call Committee and Council Meeting, led by Pastor Jen Beamsley, Assistant to the Bishop, 6:30 p.m., Shepherd Hall.

Wed., July 24 – Weekly Bible Study [Texts: 2 Kings 4:42-44; Ps 145:10-18; Eph 3:14-21; Jo 6:1-21]

Join Zoom Meeting: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85198710201?pwd=NHdydjZmMXp1UkF0TEJ3clVjYTZlZz09
Meeting ID: 851 9871 0201 Passcode: 714638
Dial via landline or cell phone: Dial 1 312 626 6799; then input the Meeting ID 851 9871 0201, then input the Passcode 714638

Thurs., July 25 – Office hours – 9 a.m. – noon

Fri., July 26 –   Prayer with Litany, via Zoom, 11 a.m.

Time: Fridays 11:00 AM Central Time
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84731771981?pwd=UU9TNWtMbllNT05tQlhYYnY0ekJZQT09
Meeting ID: 847 3177 1981 Passcode: 180747

Sat., July 27 – No Scheduled Activities

Sun. July 28 – The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, 9:30 a.m., Presiding Minister and Preacher, Bishop-Emeritus, Pastor Jeff Clements; Assisting Minister, Dn. Cheryl Erdmann 

Mon., July 29 – Monday Milers, 9:00 a.m., Bauman Park, Cherry Valley; 

Women’s Interfaith Potluck, 6:00 p.m., at the Baha’i Center, 1650 N. Alpine, Rockford.  (in the shopping center, between Great Harvest Bread and Grey’s Foods.)

Tues., July 30 – Office hours – 9 a.m. – noon. 

Wed., July 31 – Weekly Bible Study [Texts: Ex 16:2-4, 9-15; Ps 78:23-29; Eph 4:1-16; John 6:24-35]

Join Zoom Meeting: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85198710201?pwd=NHdydjZmMXp1UkF0TEJ3clVjYTZlZz09
Meeting ID: 851 9871 0201 Passcode: 714638
Dial via landline or cell phone: Dial 1 312 626 6799; then input the Meeting ID 851 9871 0201, then input the Passcode 714638

Thur., August 1 – Office hours – 9 a.m. – noon 

    Men’s Breakfast, 8:30 a.m., Cherry Valley Café

Fri., August 2 – Prayer with Litany, 11:00 a.m., via Zoom

Time: Fridays 11:00 AM Central Time
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84731771981?pwd=UU9TNWtMbllNT05tQlhYYnY0ekJZQT09
Meeting ID: 847 3177 1981 Passcode: 180747

Sat., August 3 – No scheduled activities

Sun., August 4 – The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, 9:30 a.m., Presiding Minister, Pr. Loren Nielsen; Assisting Minister, Dn. Cheryl Erdmann

Announcements and Information:

Combined Call Committee and Congregation Council Meeting, Tuesday, July 23, 6:30 pm: This Tuesday, the Shepherd of the Valley Call Committee and the Congregation Council will meet in person with Pastor Jen Beamsley, who serves as the Assistant to Bishop Stacie Fidlar. Her responsibilities are working with congregations, like us, who are in transition. Please pray for the Call Committee and the Congregation Council as we move forward in this process of calling the next pastor for Shepherd of the Valley.

Serving at Ruthie’s Kitchen, Saturday, September 14. Thanks to all who indicated their interest in serving at Ruthie’s Kitchen. Kris Tukker, Judy Miller and Carolyn Ciaccio went recently to observe a Saturday meal and were able to help out (the best way of learning.) If you signed the list on the desk in the gathering area, I will be contacting you regarding the various tasks that Kris, Judy and Carolyn identified, so we can spread out those tasks. If you did not sign up, but wish to be involved, either on September 14 or on a future date, please let me (Deacon Cheryl) know, either via email, text, telephone or by signing the list.

Rockford Interfaith Community Garden (RICG) Update

The RICG is getting to its peak of produce! So far in the month of July, we have made four deliveries to local food pantries, consisting of 28.5 pounds of beans, zucchini, cucumbers, kohlrabi, salad greens and herbs. We expect to continue to have more of those items, as well as tomatoes (currently green, but getting there), peppers, eggplant, okra, and other squashes.

With the regular rain we have received, we probably won’t need to water for several days, but the rain has really encouraged the weeds! This past week, we used a weed-wacker to try to tame the “forest” in the flat plots, and we gathered the yard waste into bags. 

We continue to welcome those who would like to be part of this ministry of our congregation and several other faith communities. Watering, weeding, harvesting and delivering to our local food pantries are all tasks that need to be done for the rest of the summer. If this is something you might enjoy, please consider coming to the Garden! Here is a sign up sheet: 2024 RICG Continuous Volunteer Schedule.docx

I am generally at the Garden on Saturday mornings and on Wednesday evenings, although I will not be able to be at the Garden on Saturday, July 27. As the produce continues to come in, I probably will be there more evenings, as when the tomatoes come in, they must be picked at peak, as you growers know!

Working with others from different faith communities and knowing that others without access to quality produce receive it, brings me joy, and you may also find that joy!