ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE

Ash Wednesday Service

6:00pm

This is a special time of prayer and repentance, and the imposition of ashes.

FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN

Feed My Starving Children

 

The Bessemer/McCalla Kingdom Builders will be hosting a Feed My Starving Children packing event on Saturday, January 21st. SVPC participated the last two years and we were all so glad that we did. Please call the church if you are interested in helping this year.

 

Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit Christian organization committed to feeding God's children hungry in body and spirit. The approach is simple: children and adults hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children, and then these meals are shipped to their distribution partners. FMSC meals have reached nearly 70 countries around the world through the years.

 

We will join as a community to pack food that will be sent out to nourish those who are starving. If you plan to volunteer, we thank you so much for committing your time. If you are unable to be present at the event, please pray for the volunteers, the FMSC organization, and the recipients of the Manna Packs - may they be filled in body and spirit.

 

Also, please give generously. We need sponsorship and donations in order to make this event happen. It truly costs thousands of dollars to get it all done. Pleasant Hill Methodist hosts this great ministry for our community so if you or someone you know is interested in corporate sponsorship, contact Monica Harbarger at monicaharbarger@pleasanthillumc.com. You may also give through SVPC and mark your check for FMSC (Feed My Starving Children).

PW GENERAL MEETING

Presbyterian Women General Meeting

 

Our PW General Meeting has been changed from Sunday, January 22^nd to Sunday, February 12^th, immediately following worship. The whole church is invited to join them for lunch and a very special and informative program.

 

On this new date, February 12th, we will be hearing from Rev. Anna Kent who is on the staff of ECO, A Covenant Order of Presbyterians, and of which we now belong! Anna is Director of Mission Affinity Groups with ECO and she will be speaking to us about them since we are part of the covenanted life of ECO. Rev. Kent will also be preaching at our 11:00 worship service.

 

All are invited to enjoy a lunch hosted by our Presbyterian Women and then stay for this great opportunity to learn about the denomination of which we now belong.

ICE SKATING

Ice Skating

Monday, January 16, 2017 – MLK Day

 

Kids 10 years old and under need a parent with them. We will leave the church at 11:00 and return at 5:00.  The church will cover the cost of the skating but you are asked to bring money for food and snacks.  Please call the church to make reservations.

APOLOGETICS SEMINAR

Apologetics Seminar

 

Sundays, January 15, 22, & 29 and February 5

6:30 PM (Soup Supper at 5:30 PM)

Session has invited Judge Eddie Vines to share with us in four one-hour sessions dealing with some basic questions of our Christian faith and more. Judge Vines decided not to run for re-election this past fall because he has been pursuing a theological degree at New Orleans Theological Seminary. Join us for these sessions and a soup supper preceding. Please call the church office or email to sign up for supper, childcare, and the class.

PUMPKIN PATCH TRIP

Pumpkin Patch Trip

Harpersville, Alabama

www.oldbakerfarm.com

Saturday, October 22nd

Leave the church at 9:00am

Tickets are $10.00 and includes your pumpkin and some rides.

 

There will be exhibitors from all over the South including handmade Indian arts & crafts, blacksmiths, woodworkers, wrought iron art, fabric and canvas artists, and more!

 

In October, the fields of the Old Baker Farm will be bursting with color as the pumpkins in the fields become ripe for harvest. What a perfect time for families and groups to experience life on a working farm. Take a hayride through Dead Hollow Swamp, pick pumpkins and cotton, and explore our corn and hay maze. There are farm animals to pet and enjoy when you visit our barn which was built in 1919, as well as acres and acres of living history!

 

Civil War Reenactment featuring replica of an old fort!

 

Live Music including Bluegrass, Country, Blues, and Gospel!

 

Antique Tractors! Pedal Tractors for the Kids!

OCC PACKING PARTY

Join us after worship on September 25th for a light lunch and a packing party. Please make reservations for the lunch by calling the church office or by signing up at church this Sunday. Each box needs $7.00 for overseas shipping. You may give to this fund online at www.classy.org/svpc.

OCC SEPTEMBER COLLECTIONS

September collections for Operation Christmas Child will be socks, small flashlights with batteries, toothpaste and our $7.00 shipping fee. If you can’t shop for items, donations may be given and we will fill in the gifts that are most needed. You may also give to this fund online at www.classy.org/svpc.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

Matthew 25:35-36 says, "For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in: I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you took care of Me; I was in prison and you visited Me."

As we approach our Operation Christmas Child Packing Party, Sunday, September 25th, 2016, we thought it might be a perfect time for a little history of this shoebox ministry. Our faith family, from Bessemer First Presbyterian to Shepherd of the Valley, has supported the wonderful ministry of Operation Christmas Child (OCC) for close to fifteen years.  It began with our youth bringing this ministry opportunity to us and they continue to host and encourage us in it today.  As a little note of interest, our last service at Bessemer First Presbyterian closed out with a lunch and a shoebox packing event.  That seemed fitting as our congregation, which began in 1888 in Bessemer, served in missions and we ended our time there in 2014 doing missions.  Then, in 2015 we carried this ministry right here into McCalla with us.  Now, in 2016 we continue with this tradition of service.

You can help us support Operation Christmas Child by giving a financial gift at www.classy.org/svpc. The process is fast, easy, and secure. We truly appreciate any support you can provide. Together, we will be able to help so many people in Jesus' Name!

If you can't make a donation at this point, you can help us reach our goal by sharing this page on Facebook and Twitter.  Or, even better, send an e-mail to friends you think might be interested in contributing and include a link to our page.  Thanks so much for your generosity!

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