CHILDREN'S CATECHISM

Children’s Catechism classes will be starting in September! The catechism is a great program that teaches children to love, serve, and know God. Catechism is a wonderful tool for teaching important information about God and about our rich reformed heritage using a question and answer format. Miss Donna will be teaching our children during the worship hour immediately following the children’s sermon. They will go to the classroom that is right off the narthex by the lobby doors.

SPECIAL INVITATION FROM GREEN POND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Come hear Jimmy Shafe, Congo Director for Rivers of the World. He will show pictures and give a presentation of ROW ministry in the Congo. Refreshments will be served afterwards.

 

Green Pond Presbyterian Church, 65 Presbyterian Church Road

 

Sunday, August 16, 2:00 PM

KINGDOM BUILDERS PRAYER WALK

Kingdom Builders Prayer Walk

 

As school starts this week for Jefferson County, The Bessemer/McCalla Kingdom Builders sponsored a prayer walk for our McAdory schools on Thursday, July 30th. Three of our SVPC members (Becky Jinright, Donna Holmes, and Julie Gibbs) joined in to surround the schools from the outside with prayer. The whole group began in prayer led by one of the principals and then the group prayed over him. Then our three walked around the outside of McAdory Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. Becky explained their time at the schools this way, “Since no one was doing that specifically, we decided to surround the school from the outside. We did that for all 3 schools letting the Spirit guide our prayers based on what he brought to our minds by what we saw as we walked, like bus drivers, sports teams, the band. We prayed over the play grounds, for those who have been bullied, for new student drivers, for students starting school for the first time, and for patience for teachers, students and parents. And we read Scripture over each school as well. It was an awesome time to spend with 2 of my sisters and Jesus who I know was sweating right alongside us!”

 

What an impact these three ladies have made! Let’s all be in constant prayer for our young people and their schools as they begin this new year. What these students face every day as they try to be Jesus’ light for the world is daunting but we know that He who is in us is greater than he that is in the world! “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (I John 4:4)

KINGDOM BUILDERS PRAYER WALK

Kingdom Builders Prayer Walk

 

As school starts this week for Jefferson County, The Bessemer/McCalla Kingdom Builders sponsored a prayer walk for our McAdory schools on Thursday, July 30th. Three of our SVPC members (Becky Jinright, Donna Holmes, and Julie Gibbs) joined in to surround the schools from the outside with prayer. The whole group began in prayer led by one of the principals and then the group prayed over him. Then our three walked around the outside of McAdory Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. Becky explained their time at the schools this way, “Since no one was doing that specifically, we decided to surround the school from the outside. We did that for all 3 schools letting the Spirit guide our prayers based on what he brought to our minds by what we saw as we walked, like bus drivers, sports teams, the band. We prayed over the play grounds, for those who have been bullied, for new student drivers, for students starting school for the first time, and for patience for teachers, students and parents. And we read Scripture over each school as well. It was an awesome time to spend with 2 of my sisters and Jesus who I know was sweating right alongside us!”

 

What an impact these three ladies have made! Let’s all be in constant prayer for our young people and their schools as they begin this new year. What these students face every day as they try to be Jesus’ light for the world is daunting but we know that He who is in us is greater than he that is in the world! “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (I John 4:4)

THE GREATEST GENERATION

They endured the Great Depression….

They preserved our freedoms….

They rebuilt a shattered world….

HELP KEEP THEIR SPIRIT ALIVE….FOREVER!

Join us August 8, 2015 at 6:30 PM at the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo to honor the "Greatest Generation"

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD UPDATE

Come see the impact your simple gifts really make!

A Special Event: JULY 24 – 27

 

Birmingham volunteers of Operation Christmas Child invite you to be our guest as Rwandan genocide survivor and Operation Christmas Child shoebox recipient, Alex Nsengimana, shares about his journey to faith. Come hear Alex's story and have the opportunity to meet him at one of the following events:

 

Friday, July 24, 2 – 3:30 pm

Westwood Baptist Church

4349 Forestdale Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35214

 

Saturday, July 25, 9 – 10:30 am

First Baptist Church Helena

815 Highway 52E, CLC Building, Helena, 35080

 

Sunday, July 26, 2:30-4:00 PM

Mountain Brook Community Church

3001 US-280, Mountain Brook, 35243

 

Growing up in the throes of an unstable Rwandan government, Alex Nsengimana experienced first-hand the travesties of his nation's genocide. After his mother died while he was young, Alex went to live with his grandmother and uncle. At the height of tribal unrest in 1994, the genocide claimed the lives of his caregivers. Fleeing for his life, Alex escaped gunmen when he fell and they took him for dead. He fled and stumbled onto the steps of an orphanage that would serve as his home for the next several years.

 

Alex received a shoebox from Operation Christmas Child one year after arriving at the orphanage and remembers being so excited to have a gift to call his own. Alex was selected to join the African Children's Choir and traveled to Uganda to train and began touring in the U.S. Last year, he was given the opportunity to travel back to his orphanage to distribute shoe boxes to the children. Alex currently lives in Boone, NC and works for Samaritans Purse.

TERRIFIC TUESDAYS

Terrific Tuesdays

June 9th, 16th, 23rd, & 30th

5:30 - 8:00 pm

Fun for the whole family with lessons, crafts, fun & light supper

Dinner served from 5:30 - 6:15

PREVENTING HEAT STRESS

Preventing Heat Stress

·         Rule of thumb is drink one cup of water or other hydrating fluid every 15-20 minutes during heat stress conditions

·         Wear lightweight, light colored, loose clothing that allows free movement of cool air over the skin's surface

·         Use fans to help spot cooling

·         Make work demands lighter by taking frequent breaks in a cooler area, completing them over a longer time period

·         Schedule heavy workloads during the early morning hours when it's cooler and provide adequate water, rest and shade when >85°F

·         Report to Health Services if you feel you are experiencing a heat related disorder or call the Fire Department

 

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING

One Great Hour of Sharing is a disaster relief offering which the Presbyterian Church shares with all denominations making available a quick response by the denominational relief teams without needing to wait for the offering to be taken. It is used mostly in weather related emergencies such as tornado relief in Mississippi, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. It also funds the majority of the monies for the Presbyterian Hunger Program.

Shepherd of the Valley Presbyterian Church will be collecting for these gifts for One Great Hour of Sharing during the month of June. Please join us in this time of sharing in the care of others near and far in the name of Jesus Christ! Look for the envelopes in your bulletin and in the church office. Please make your checks to SVPC and mark them OGHS.

SUMMER CELEBRATION

Summer Celebration

 

Saturday, June 6, 2015

10:00am – Noon

Water slides and games!

Lunch served at noon  

KINGDOM BUILDERS CLEAN-UP DAY

The Bessemer/McCalla Kingdom Builders will be sponsoring another McCalla Clean-Up Day on Saturday, June 20th. The staging area will again be at Pleasant Hill Methodist Church so join in there at 8:30 am for a great day of community caring and sharing. Needed supplies will be provided.

SUMMER CONCERT

There's nothing like a Sunday evening with friends and great music!

Sunday, May 31, 2015 at 6:00 pm

PENTECOST SUNDAY

Sunday, May 24 – Wear Red

 

 

SHOE COLLECTION

Our shoe collection for Living Waters for the World was amazing! We had a wide variety of types and sizes and that will benefit many folks. Thank you for giving in this way to reach across the globe for Jesus Christ.

GRADUATE RECOGNITION

Graduate Recognition

Sunday, May 17

Please join us as we honor our seniors as they graduate high school. We will honor them in worship and then enjoy lunch and fellowship immediately following. Please contact the church office to sign up for the lunch (565-7025).  

BIBLE READING MARATHON

Bible Reading Marathon

Sunday, May 3 - Thursday, May 7

Readings will take place at Southside Baptist Church (1016 19th St. South, Birmingham). To sign up or get more information go to www.libertypark.org/biblemarathon or call 205-969-1236

SPRING HANDBELL CONCERT

Handbell Concert

Sunday, May 3 - 3:00 PM

WOMEN'S BIBLE STUDY

New Ladies Bible Study

Thursdays at 10:00 AM

 

Call the church office for more information.

NEW MEMBER CELEBRATION

New Member Celebration

Wednesday, April 22, 6:30 PM

 

Please join us for a dinner to celebrate our newest members. This will be a great time to get to know them better and to welcome them into the Shepherd of the Valley faith family. Please call the church office to make your reservations.

KINGDOM BUILDERS CLEAN-UP DAY

McCalla/Bessemer Kingdom Builders

On April 18th from 8:30-11:000 AM the Kingdom Builders will be having a trash pick-up day in McCalla. Meet in the parking lot of Pleasant Hill UMC and we'll have bags, gloves and vests for you. Help us spread the word and let's canvas our community together!