Notes from “Future Vision/Strategy” Meeting with Bishop Saenz

Notes from “Future Vision/Strategy” Meeting with Bishop Saenz (9/16/23)

by Cheryl Servais, Lay Leader

This meeting featured Bishop Saenz of the North Texas and Central Conferences. His presentation focused on two issues: The ability of the United Methodist Church to meet the needs of our changing World and the unification of two and possibly three conferences.

Meeting the needs of our changing World

The World is changing, but what is constant is Jesus’ love. So where do we Methodists go? How do we get there? What are our Visions and Priorities? The future is not based on where we’ve been but on where we need to go. Let’s aim for 2050. Let’s start with where we want to be in 2050 and work back from there to see how to get there. What will the World be like in 2050? What are the faith essentials necessary for the next generation? We can use our Methodist essentials of Scripture, Reason, Tradition, and Experience to discern the Actions to be taken.

Our Vision: We are followers of Jesus seeking the loving, just, and free World God imagines for all people. Seeking is the key. We seek a World free from poverty, hunger, and violence, a world of unified people inclusive of all.

Our Mission: To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the World.  Seek, and you will find the people of the United Methodist Church.

Our Actions:

1. Multiply ourselves. Mentor others. By 2028, double the number of Jesus’ followers.

2. Champion children and youth. Help them with issues; help them feel safe, loved, and valued.

3. Maximize care and healing inside and outside the church. For example, have a “Blue Christmas” service dedicated to those who are lonely and depressed during the holiday time. Do spiritual therapy. Hold forums on mental health, drug addiction, etc.

4. Pursue and embrace diversity so that our churches reflect our community. By 2028, 30% of our congregations should be people of color (Asians, Hispanics, blacks, etc.). The Asian community is growing fast, especially in Carrollton and Coppell.

5. Tell our story. We must overcome the rumors and untruths about the United Methodist Church. We will start a media campaign to testify to Jesus’ love.

We will change how we measure success: Our community reputation, diversity, and outreach to youth.

Conference Unification

Bishop Saenz also addressed the ongoing unification process, which will unify the North Texas Conference, Central Texas Conference, and the Northwest Texas Conference. The target date for unification is January 2025.

Children's and Youth Sunday

Children’s and Youth Sunday – Sunday, October 15th 10 AM

Join us as our children and youth student lead us in worship. This Sunday the Youth Ukes will lead us in worship for this first time. The students from Camp Big Church will be graduating and receiving their 3rd Grade Bibles!

October Series

Greater Than - Starting October 1st.

Series Overview

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. – Aristotle

One aspect of growing as a disciple of Christ means that we are committed to responding to God’s wonderful generosity. Being generous is about aligning our priorities with God’s priorities, aligning our hearts with God’s heart. We grow in that generosity as part of our individual spirituality, we also grow in generosity within our faith community as the body of Christ.

The disciples in the book of Acts understood the power of community and growing together in discipleship.

Together is greater than alone.
Generosity is greater than storing up.
And thriving is greater than survival.
Join us for this series as we consider all that God has shared with us and what it means to live a life that is Greater Than.

All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. – Act 2:44-47

Civil Rights Road Trip

Are you interested in a Civil Rights road trip? We would visit sites in places like Little Rock, Arkansas, Memphis, Tennessee, and Montgomery, and Selma, Alabama. The trip would be 5-6 days and take place during Spring Break in March 2024. 

We are partnering with Arapaho UMC and other North Texas Conference churches. Youth and their families are strongly encouraged to attend. Let Pastor Frank know if you would be interested in learning more: fdrenner@svumc.org.

Advent Devotional Sign-Up

The Discipleship committee has decided to base our devotional on Christmas Carols this Advent. If you would be interested in writing one, Dianne Cronenberg has a sign-up list of the hymns in our hymnal. You may also choose a carol not in our hymnal, but you must still sign up with Dianne. Dianne will give you a format and instructions when you sign up. If interested, please sign up with Dianne at the Welcome Booth by Sunday, September 24th. If you are an online member and would like to write a devotional, please get in touch with Dianne at deecronenberg@gmail.com. She will send you the instructions by email.

NEW Covenant Disciple Group

NEW Covenant Discipleship Group 

A Covenant Discipleship Group is a group of no more than seven people who gather weekly to hold themselves mutually accountable for their discipleship journey. We aim to help one another become better disciples of Jesus Christ by watching over one another in love and prayerfully supporting one another to live as disciples.

If this sounds like what you have been longing for in your discipleship journey, please get in touch with Pat Christley to express your interest. Pat can be reached via email at pchristl@flash.net or 

214-498-5806.

We will begin our journey using Steven W. Manskar’s book Accountable Discipleship, Living in God’s Household.  Pat is considering a possible start date of Sunday, October 8, after the 10 o’clock service. Please get in touch with her by September 17 so that the books can be ordered and available.

New Men's Fellowship

NEW Men's Fellowship

Sunday, 1 October, 2023

All men invited (members and visitors)

Time: 11:00 am, after morning worship

Location: Asbury Hall (tentative)

Refreshments provided: coffee and donuts (guaranteed holy)

Mission: Fellowship within the cloak of helping men grow in Christ.

At this initial meeting, we will brainstorm the kind of fellowship meeting we want - how often we meet (every week, biweekly, or monthly). We will nominate some leaders (Guide, Secretary, Treasurer). The meeting format is will begin with an opening prayer, food and fellowship, a devotional, prayer concerns, followed by a closing prayer. 

For more information, please contact: Larry Kryske at Larry@YourFinestHour.com or cell 469-693-9242.

Brothers, please get the word out to your friends and join us! 

Coffee + Jesus

Our small group, Coffee + Jesus, will return on October 1st at 11 AM. We will enjoy a nice cup of coffee while discussing what we just heard from the message of the new sermon series, “Come to The Table.” Pastor Rosedanny hopes to see you there!

Thought for the Day

Every Communion is an embodiment of God's grace. We hear God's grace in the words that are spoken.  But we also see it, hear it, touch it, and taste it in the bread and wine.  God in his kindness, knowing how frail we are, knowing how battered by life we can be, also demonstrates his grace in water, bread, and wine. 

~Tim Chester

Behold September 15

Shortly after arriving here, Rev. Dr. Blair Thompson-White of the Texas Methodist Foundation reached out to me with a unique opportunity for key leaders of our congregation. Our District Superintendent, Rev Edlen Cowley, recommended us to be part of a select cohort of other churches in the Metro District, including 1st Dallas, Lake Highlands, and St. Paul UMCs. Here is some information about the cohort:

Enneagram for Leaders:

Grieving Well, Discerning Purpose,

and Expanding Imagination for Thriving Congregations

Fall 2023 - Spring 2024

Cohort Purpose and Plan

This is an incredible opportunity for congregational leaders to deepen their formation and together discern faithful next steps for their congregation in the areas of Grieving Well, Discerning Purpose, and Expanding Imagination that will lead to thriving now and in the future.

Suzanne Stabile, godmother of the Enneagram and faithful United Methodist, will begin the cohort’s experience by sharing her exceptional teaching, “Know Your Number,” on September 23, 2023, at First UMC Dallas from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Her teaching will be oriented specifically for congregational leaders. Through two other Sunday night teachings this fall, Suzanne will explore Grieving Well for congregations.

In the spring, Rev. Joe Stabile (Minister of Spiritual Formation, FUMC Dallas), Hunter Mobley (author, former Executive Pastor of Christ Church, Nashville), Rev. Lisa Greenwood (President, TMF), and Rev. Dr. Blair Thompson-White (VP Leadership Ministry, TMF) will lead sessions on Discerning Purpose and Expanding Imagination.

Texas Methodist Foundation, in partnership with Life in the Trinity Ministry, offers this unique initiative and is funded by a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment. TMF has identified Grieving Well, Discerning Purpose, and Expanding Imagination as key muscles congregations must exercise to thrive.

Eight members of Spring Valley, plus myself, will participate in this process. I was very intentional in recruiting a broad spectrum of the congregation: Cynthia Lee, Mariel McBride, Pam Reese, Brenda Sechyi, Emily Serold, Cheryl Servais, David Smith, and David Willis. I invite you to pray for them as they grow personally and, by extension, the growth Spring Valley will experience through their sharing.

Peace and Joy,

Pastor Frank

Halloween Music Fest & Trunk-or-Treat

Join us on October 29th at 5:30 pm for our annual Halloween Music Fest & Trunk-or-Treat! We will have a concert, trick or treating, and hot dogs for all. If you’re interested in sponsoring a trunk, please contact Shea Harrington: sharrington@svumc.org.

Service Updates

We are excited about some of the changes we are making! We will be moving towards one worship service at 10:00 am beginning October 1st. This is an exciting time to embrace a new vision for our ministry, grounded in worship. We are so grateful to all of you for your feedback in the recent survey. Please take note of the last day for our 8:30 am service (Sept 10) and our Common Ground Celebration and Last Day (Sept 17).

Please don't hesitate to let us know if you have any questions! We look forward to worshipping with you.

Camp Bible

Camp Bible – September 23-24, 2023

Our 3rd Graders (from Camp Big Church) will be going to Bridgeport Camp for an overnight experience of God, nature, and community!

This year’s theme is “God is Light!” where we will be exploring scripture that uses the concept of light to help campers relate to God. We’ll worship together, learn in small groups and have plenty of time for games, crafts, and fun! 

Registration Deadline is September 10!

Click HERE to register.

Camp Big Church!

3rd Graders WELCOME to Camp Big Church! This Sunday we will have our first camp session!

What is Camp Big Church? This camp has been designed to help children strengthen their participation in congregational worship. As children understand what we do in worship, they can participate more fully. During the weeks of Camp Big Church, we will examine the different parts of worship together with hands on activities.

Schedule:

• August 27 - Session 1

• September 10 - Session 2

• September 17 - Session 3

• September 23 & 24 - Camp Bible

  • Location: Bridgeport Camp

• October 1 - Session 4

• October 15 - Children's Sunday

  • Camp Big Church Graduation

  • 3rd Grade Bible Presentation

*Camp Sessions will be during Sunday School

Sundays 10:00-10:30 AM

Behold August 25, 2023

Behold * August 25th, 2023

Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill out our recent Worship Feedback Survey and those who attended last week’s Worship Feedback Discussion. I will share the detailed feedback at the Sunday School Brunch - Everyone is invited- September

10, 9:30, in Wesley Hall.

Thanks as well to those who participated, in person and on

Zoom, in the new study Taking the Church to the Community. A great discussion was had- the study continues each Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. through September.

More tips on connecting with the community:

Invite those who attend community events to another event — sometimes called a “hand off event” — planned to draw them into a deeper relationship. Recognize that many “unchurched” people are spiritually inclined but apprehensive about attending church because they feel unwelcome, distrust institutions, or have been hurt in the past. Pay attention to the heightened receptiveness to spiritual engagement around religious holidays such as Easter and Christmas.

Offer offsite worship services on special days, such as Christmas Eve. Select familiar venues where people feel comfortable — parks, restaurants, parking lots. Offer imposition of ashes on

Ash Wednesday in public places. Partner with other institutions (such as nursing homes) or commercial establishments (restaurants, shopping centers, or sports facilities) to offer worship services to their constituents or clientele on special days. Plan creative outdoor events, such as live nativities or “blessing of the animals” services, to help make your church visibly present to the community in creative ways.

Next Sermon Series - Come to the Table

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus shared meals with people. As followers of Jesus, God calls us to make space for all of God’s children at the table. This series will help us most fully see God as we are mindful about seeing one another.

Spring Valley Guest Speaker

Rev. Dr. Rebecca Dwight Bruff - Spring Valley Reads guest speaker. 

Spring Valley will host an evening event that will be held on Monday, September 11, at 7 o’clock p.m.

Rev. Bruff will share her story of Robert Smalls piloting a Confederate vessel out of Charleston Harbor to a Union blockade, securing his family and other fellow slaves their freedom.

Invite your friends, bring your questions, and enjoy an evening with the author. 

New Bible Study

New Bible study beginning Wednesday, September 13th. You are invited to join the Wednesday morning Bible study for Amy-Jill Levine’s six-week study of the Gospel of Mark.

Mark is our earliest source for the life of Jesus. AJ will lead us in examining the role of John the Baptizer, the Transfiguration, and Jesus’s most notable stories and parables among other topics.

When: Wednesday mornings, beginning September 13th.

Time: 9:30 am

Where: Dining room

Book: The Gospel of Mark; A Beginner’s Guide to the Good News

Contact Pat Christley, pchristl@flash.net or 214-498-5806, by August 4 to reserve your book.

Reflecting on Worship

In one of the opening pages of the United Methodist Book of Worship, a basic pattern of worship is offered based on the Emmaus account found in Luke 24:

"As on the first day of the week, the two disciples were joined by the risen Christ, so in the power of the Holy Spirit the risen and ascended Christ joins us when we gather. As the disciples poured out to him their sorrow and in so doing opened their hearts to what Jesus would say to them, so we pour out to him whatever is on our hearts and thereby open ourselves to the Word. As Jesus ‘opened the Scriptures’ to them and caused their hearts to burn, so we hear the Scriptures opened to us and out of the burning of our hearts praise God. As they were faced with a decision and responded by inviting Jesus to stay with them, we can do likewise. As he disappeared and sent the disciples into the world with faith and joy, so he sends us forth into the world. And as those disciples found Christ when they arrived at Jerusalem later that evening, so we can find Christ with us wherever we go."

Examining, and re-examining, worship is an important practice in the church, lest our services become stale and lose their purpose. Pastor Rosedanny had an idea the other day to offer a Reflecting on Worship session next Thursday, August 17, at 6:00 p.m., in person and on Zoom, in Wesley Hall. This will be a listening session for your worship leaders to hear what you love about Spring Valley worship as we go forward. Everyone is welcome. We’ve also created a worship survey. Click here to share your experiences of Spring Valley worship: https://forms.gle/bkHkUxpsetdjWqsL7

Speaking of worship, our new series, “Bless this Neighborhood,” starts Sunday! You’ll recall last week I said I would include 10 of 50 ways to connect the church to the community for five of these articles. Here is #s 11-20:

11. Get out in your neighborhood. Walk the streets. Map the area, and record

your observations. Note how the community is changing.

12. Assess community needs and assets. What are the needs of your context?

Who are your neighbors, and how can you serve them?

13. Be attuned to where God is already at work in your community.

14. Know that ministries that truly bless a community often arise out of

conversations where you listen for the hopes and dreams of people in your

community.

15. Interview residents of the community. Sit in a park, diner, or coffee house.

Ask simply, “What are your challenges, hopes, longings and dreams?”

16. Get to know the major public officials. They are people with tremendous

influence. They need to know of your church’s commitment to the

community.

17. Involve many people from your church in this work. Hold one another

accountable to the tasks of engaging and learning from others.

18. Discern clusters of issues and concerns that arise from these

conversations. Ask what issues, suffering, injustices, or brokenness might

you address.

19. Strive for meaningful engagement with others, not superficial gestures.

20. Make sure you are reaching out to people for the right reasons. If your

motive is simply to get them to come to church, people will see right through

to it.

Join me for a prayer walk (read #11 above, again!) next Thursday, August 17,

at 8:00 a.m. And sign up for a companion study I am leading by clicking here: https://forms.gle/eWG7XU3ifHcHufUA8

Seeking Jesus with opened eyes and a flaming heart,

Pastor Frank

Youth Ukes

Youth Ukes – Starts Sunday, August 13th 10:00-10:30 AM

 Do you play the ukulele? Or have you always wanted to learn how to play the ukulele? Or do you have a ukulele that is collecting dust?

 Well, then Youth Ukes is for you!  The fun begins Sunday, August 13th.

 The group will meet Sundays during the first part of the Sunday School hour.

 If you are interested in joining, please contact Brock Johnson - musicdirector@svumc.org. This way we can make sure we have enough instruments for everyone.