OCC AUGUST COLLECTION

August OCC Collections will be school supplies. We actually have a pretty good amount of pencils already.  If you do purchase any, please bring the ones that are already sharpened.  Some items we really need are: small pencil sharpeners; erasers; small notepads that will fit in the shoeboxes; the old thin, smaller type coloring books; crayons; markers.  Thank you for helping us be ready to pack these gifts of hope this October or November!

HYMN SING, LUNCH BUNCH, AND CONCERT

Hymn Sing, Lunch Bunch, and Concert
Sunday, August 21, 12:05 PM
We will be enjoying a  summer hymn sing for morning worship.  In this wonderful service we look forward to your choosing your favorite hymns. There will be no sermon. Instead the lyrics and melodies of the great hymn writers you love will proclaim the good news.  After worship we will join together in a lunch bunch time of fellowship followed by a concert by Jeremy McMillan.

PRAYER BREAKFAST

Shepherd of the Valley Presbyterian Men

Prayer Breakfast

Saturday, August 13, 8:00-9:30

The provisional agenda is as follows:

8:00 Fellowship and Breakfast

9:00 Assemble for Prayer

· Opening Comments

· Formal Prayers

· Open Floor

· Closing Prayer

 

 

OCC COLLECTIONS FOR JULY

Operation Christmas Child
July collections: toiletries such as MILD bar soaps, washcloths, toothpaste, toothbrushes, but no liquids!

FIREFIGHTER RECOGNITION

Firefighter Recognition
Sunday, July 24
Join us for worship Sunday, July 24 when we will have a special recognition and appreciation of our volunteer fire fighters of the McCalla-McAdory area. We will have a congregational prayer for them on that Sunday.

CELEBRATING 240 YEARS OF LIBERTY

Celebrating 240 Years of Liberty

 

As we approach the Fourth of July, it is a good time to remember why this is, in essence, a Presbyterian Holiday.

 

First, the Declaration of Independence declares the sovereignty of God as the chief legal authority. The Westminster Confession of Faith states: "God the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates to be under Him, over the people, for His own glory, and the public good." (XXV.1)

 

Second, the Declaration of Independence was signed by representatives of the people – a system of government that is essentially Presbyterian. There is a striking similarity between the principles set forth in the Form of Government of the Presbyterian Church and those set forth in the eventual Constitution of the United States.

 

Third, the Declaration of Independence declares the right and duty of godly people to reject and oppose ungodly tyranny imposed by our rulers – whether a king or an elected government. This is a vital principle that we need to recall today, that no national government or tyrannical leader should be granted the right to rule our consciences in opposition to the Word of God.  

 

NEW MEN'S GROUP

We are establishing a Men's Group at SVPC

 

The mission of Shepherd of the Valley Presbyterian Men is: To lead men into a vital relationship with Christ and to assist them in their spiritual, personal and community development.

 

This is an inclusive group open to all men 18 years or older who are members or friends of SVPC.

 

For further information, please call the (205) 565-7025.

PW GENERAL MEETING

Just a reminder that our General Meeting is Sunday, June 26, at 12:05 PM. We will have a delicious lunch provided by Circle 2 and Night Circle. Mert will be presenting a wonderful program (not to be missed!!!). We will also be presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award. So join us for good food and a time of fellowship.

OUR VBS CAVE QUEST MISSION FOCUS

Our VBS Cave Quest Mission Focus: First Light Center for Homeless Women and Children

Their mission is to work with homeless women and their children to create hospitality in a safe and nurturing community, to encourage them to maintain dignity, to find hope, to seek opportunity, and to grow spiritually, thereby achieving their full potential.

We will be collecting items for this ministry that was started in the basement of the Birmingham 1st Presbyterian Church. You can bring your items to our Terrific Tuesday VBS or to church each Sunday in June. This will be a great mission focus!

MISSION TRIP TO PRESBYTERIAN HOME FOR CHILDREN

Mission Trip to Presbyterian Home for Children

 

We have an opportunity to serve in Christ's name to a ministry that we know and love - The Presbyterian Home for Children! Some of you had said you would be interested in going to work to help this special place. We have a few youth going but we need some able bodied adults to go along. We would love to work alongside you as a faith family all together!

 

It will be W-O-R-K!  It may be H-O-T!  But it will be a great accomplishment when we finish!

 

The Home is doing some pretty big renovation work this summer for the location of their new school. First Presbyterian of Talladega has given them their CE building to use for a new education undertaking. We can be a part of that and help make it a lovely place for these kids to learn and grow. Instead of going to a foreign country we can just stay right in Alabama and make a difference.

 

Here is an excerpt from an article from "The Daily Home" about the new school:  At the end of this summer, The Presbyterian Home and the First Presbyterian Church will unveil the Ascension Leadership Academy, a new, private elementary school meant to provide "superior education with a Christian Foundation," according to a release about the new school.  The new school will be a partnership between the Presbyterian Home and the church (Talladega First Presbyterian).

 

The first school year is set to begin Aug. 17, and there will be room for about 30 students between kindergarten and eighth grade. Like Hope Academy, admittance will not be limited to residents of the Presbyterian Home. "We're hoping to draw students from Sylacauga, Pell City, Oxford, but Talladega will be the priority as long as slots are available," Mark Howard said.

 

The accommodations for our work trip are free! There is a kitchen available so we could pack sandwich stuff for lunches and then perhaps go out to dinner at night. All it would cost you is a few meals for fast food on the way up and back and then maybe one other meal out.

 

You would need to pack as if going to camp: sheets, pillow, towels, toiletries, etc. If we have more than 10 people go some will have to sleep on pallets or air mattresses.

 

Our youth need your support on this project. Our Presbyterian Home for Children needs your support on this project. Let's jump in!

 

Please contact Barri Pratt if you are interested in volunteering.

(205)565-7025

barri.pratt@svpc.church

SUMMER CELEBRATION KICKOFF

Summer Celebration Kick-off for Terrific Tuesdays

Cave Quest VBS

Saturday

June 4, 2016

10:00am—noon

Light lunch at noon

TERRIFIC TUESDAYS

Terrific Tuesdays

VBS for the whole family

June 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28^th (6:15 - 8:00pm)

Supper served from 5:30 - 6:15pm

Program, studies, crafts for all ages

SUMMER CELEBRATION KICK-OFF

Summer Celebration kick-off for VBS

Saturday, June 4th
10:00am until noon

 

Lunch served at noon

 

Water slides, games, VBS registration.

 

Bring your friends and family for this fun day in anticipation of our Cave Quest VBS!

IVY GREEN

Ivy Green

Tuscumbia, Alabama

June 24 – 25, 2016

Visit Helen Keller's home and attend the play "The Miracle Worker" showing the relationship between Ann Sullivan and Helen Keller as they build a life of joy and service to so many. The play is Friday evening, and Saturday we will participate in the Helen Keller Festival in downtown Tuscumbia. Other activities considered are the Frank Lloyd Wright Home, Music Hall of Fame and others.

As we return home, plans for lunch at the Old Cook Stove Restaurant in Danville followed by, time permitting, a visit to the Dutch Bakery---always enticing with its many goodies.

The important part of this trip is you…please call the church office (205-565-7025) and let us know of your interest in this activity to help us plan. Further details will be forthcoming, but knowing of your interest is critical!

NO BIBLE STUDY ON APR 19

There will be no Bible study on April 19th.

ITALIAN FEAST FUNDRAISER A DELICIOUS SUCCESS

Italian Feast Fundraiser – a delicious success

(1 Peter 2:4-5) “Come to Him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourself be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

It seemed we took a little trip to Italy together for this time of fundraising and fellowship. The décor, the music, the food all brought a festive feeling to the afternoon and extra dollars to our Building Fund.

It took a lot of work and planning to make it all happen and Shepherd of the Valley would like to thank all of those who helped in anyway. Your energies, support, and teamwork are greatly appreciated. There were so many who worked in all sorts of capacities, showing how God uses the varied talents and gifts within a congregation to make a beautiful Building. (1 Corinthians 3:9 - For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. ESV)

COMMUNITY ROADSIDE CLEANUP

McAdory/McCalla Roadside Cleanup

 

April 23, 2016 - 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Volunteers Needed
 
Six hours of community Service available for participation

Meet at Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church

RUSSIAN FOLK MUSIC PERFORMANCE

Aleksandra and Dina Kasman will be performing Russian Folk Music at the Bessemer Music Club Meeting on April 13th at the Shepherd of the Valley Presbyterian Church. Aleksandra (Sasha) is the Winner of many AFMC Junior and Senior/Collegiate awards as well as several NFMC awards. She has also won several International awards. She has played solo performances and with her father, Yakov Kasman, with symphonies in Russia, China, Korea and France. Younger sister, Dina has also won AFMC and other awards. They both study with their father.

This is a good opportunity for the Music Club to show appreciation to the congregation for the use of this beautiful building by inviting them to this very special program including food and fellowship.

BIBLE READING MARATHON

This will be the sixth year of the Birmingham Bible Reading Marathon and we as a church family will once again be participating. It is an international, annual event where people, young and old, read the entire Bible (Genesis through Revelation) aloud for 90 continuous hours, without commentary. Each volunteer will read aloud for 15 minutes and then pass the reading, like a baton, to the next person. Approximately 360 volunteers are required to complete the reading of the entire Bible.

This takes place on the front steps of Southside Baptist Church in Birmingham.  The reading begins Sunday, May 1 at 6:00pm and continues around the clock through Thursday, May 5 (the National Day of Prayer) at 11:30am. Some of our members will be reading on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Even some of our children and youth will be participating and some of our members will be there in the wee-hours of the morning and also serving as monitors.

Reading God's Word out to the world from those steps at Southside Baptist in the middle of Birmingham is a moment you do not forget. You do not know if someone may hear the scriptures read for the very first time, ever. Or your reading may be exactly what a passers-by hurting heart needs to hear. Or, you may feel that it is just you reading for God's pleasure as He listens to His children speaking His Words to honor Him. It is a blessing for so many and we appreciate all who make this event possible.

  

SPRING HANDBELL CONCERT

Join us for our annual Spring Handbell Concert on Sunday, May 1st, at 3:00 in the afternoon. There will be a wide array of music from beautiful hymns and negro spirituals to the great movie classics! This group of talented and dedicated musicians have inspired us and brought us much joy through the years and they continue to do so today. Bring your family and friends for a lovely afternoon of music and a cookie reception to follow.