Our Ministries
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran
Worship Services
Sunday services are typically about one hour long. Our service format is a rhythm of prayer and song, scripture and message, where we participate in ancient traditions. Throughout the service, we are invited to sing and use music to connect with God’s Word. Before the sending, we make announcements informing folks of upcoming events and activities.
Communion
Communion is offered each week. All who wish to participate are welcome to come forward and receive God’s gift of gracious love.
Midweek Services
During the seasons of Lent and Advent we gather on Wednesday evenings for a simple meal followed by a short service of prayer and worship.
Preschool
Kids of the Kingdom preschool is a ministry of SOV and provides a nurturing early childhood learning environment in a faith-based setting.
Vacation Bible School
This day time program takes place during a week in the summer and provides activities, games, and an opportunity for kids PreK-5th grade to engage in a story from scripture.
Youth Ministry
Children have an active role in the worship life of SOV. We try to provide age appropriate material and conversations. We currently use Sparkhouse digital resources to help in the faith education of the youth of our congregation. These resources are geared toward early to middle elementary aged youth and can be utilized by parents at home. For more information please contact the pastor or Community Life committee.
Confirmation
Traditionally confirmation is offered to youth who have been baptized and are in the Jr. High age range. The goal of this ministry is to provide a space where the youth can connect with one another and the community of faith in a meaningful and relevant way.
Community Life
Our life together is a relational life. At SOV we strive to provide opportunities that support our relationships with God, one another, and the wider community.
We do this by offering seasonal learning opportunities called LEAP (Love Educate Act Peace), providing a variety of fellowship and inter-generational events, and by exploring creative partnerships.
Music
A music team leads worship weekly during services. New and visiting members are welcome anytime. Rehearsals are Sundays, before worship at 8:30AM.
Do you have a comment about the music we sing? Let our music director know! Help us better serve the congregation by giving us your feedback or ideas! If you have a song request, please allow at least three weeks in advance. All praise and critical thoughts are accepted.
Social Ministry
The Social Ministry committee is a volunteer-based outreach effort of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church (SOV) with the mission to bring the grace of Christ to others. This committee’s purpose is to increase the congregation’s awareness of the needs of our church members, our community, and our world, and to establish congregation-supported programs to address some of these needs.
SOVs Social Ministry Committee supports various non-profit agencies during the year as well as supporting members of public and SOV families in distress. Our ministry support often includes programs like these during a calendar year:
Our regular annual programs include the following:
- Home Plate Youth Services Agency – during our January Winter Needs program SOV supports the local Home Plate Youth Services Agency by collecting and making donations to their programs in either food, clothing, personal items.
- The American National Red Cross – SOV hosts a Blood Drive every 6-8 weeks at our church location. SOV members volunteer to support each of these public blood drives.
- Refugee Care Collective – SOV gathers selected household items for a newly arriving family being resettled locally through the United States Refugee Resettlement Program. SOV then assembles a “Restart Kit” in a plastic tub, where the Restart Kits are focused on areas such as setting up a family bathroom, kitchen, bedroom or other as defined by the Refugee Care Collective.
- LifeWorks Northwest agency – Providing food boxes to families at Thanksgiving is a yearly tradition at SOV. Through our Thanksgiving Food Baskets program, approximately 150 boxes of food are assembled every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and delivered to the families supported by the LifeWorks NW Healthy Families program. The contents of the food boxes are selected to fit the clients’ needs for a Thanksgiving meal while also providing plenty of leftovers. SOV volunteers, both young and old alike, volunteer to prepare the food boxes for pickup and delivery.
- Union Gospel Mission’s LifeChange for Women and their Children agency
- Through our Easter Baskets program, SOV provides toiletries, school supplies and fun activity items for the youth in UGM’s LifeChange program for Women and their Children.
- Through our Toy Angels Program, SOV provides wrapped Christmas gifts for the children at the local UGM LifeChange for Women and their Children. Opportunities exist for volunteers to wrap and label the gifts during the annual Decorate the Church for Christmas event.
If you are interested in volunteering for a Social Ministry program or have questions about any of our programs, please contact the church office.