Church Council & Leadership Teams

What are Leadership Teams?
We actively encourage our lay members to be involved in the governance of the church. For some areas, specific expertise and/or related experience is needed. In other areas, a passion for the ministry is desired. See brief descriptions below. If you would like to talk with someone on a particular team, email Jennifer Davidson.

Interested?
If you are interested in joining any of these groups, please complete an application and email it to nominations@sotv.org.

Contact UsChurch CouncilLeadership TeamsLeadership Team Application

RIC Welcome Statement

Welcome to Shepherd of the Valley.

Centered in the love of God in Jesus and gathered as siblings in Christ, inclusive of age, ethnicity, race, ability, faith background, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, we invite, welcome, and affirm all who come here, as they are. We reflect God’s love for all of God’s children by building a community that feels like home – where all are accepted, known, treated with respect and dignity, and also challenged to grow. This growth includes working toward equity of all kinds including gender and racial equity. We nurture faith, equipping individuals and the church body to be sent out into the world to meet needs, change lives, and restore hope in our homes, congregation, and communities.

We acknowledge that some individuals and groups have historically been hurt, excluded, and discriminated against by the church and by society. We commit to responding to God’s call for reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). We encourage you to bring all of who you are – all you think and feel and believe and embody. Come with all your brilliance and brokenness.

Welcome home.

Our Vision, Mission, and Values

Vision

Welcome home! Gathered. Loved. Sent. 

Mission

In response to God’s love, we worship, learn, care, and connect with each other and the world around us. 

Values

Centered in the love of God in Jesus

Beliefs

Holy Communion is a sacred meal in which the presence, love, forgiveness, and mercy of Christ come to us in bread and wine. God is the host and invites everyone, regardless of age, understanding, or background, to this table where faith is nourished.

While it is not a requirement to attend Communion Class before receiving Communion, we strongly encourage families to attend because learning about this sacrament can deepen its meaning.

Communion at SOTV

Shepherd of the Valley, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, celebrates the Sacrament of Baptism as a many-faceted gift. We believe that “in Holy Baptism God delivers us from the forces of evil, puts our sinful self to death, gives us new birth, adopts us as children and makes us members of the body of Christ, the church.” (ELW page 225)

Baptism is a welcome into something new – we are welcomed into the story of God’s love for all people, into God’s family (the church), and into the kingdom of God. When someone is baptized, it marks the beginning (or continuation) of a lifelong journey of learning and nurturing faith.

Baptism Class

Confirmation is a highly-relational faith formation program for students in grades 6 – 9. This program is designed to help students name and grow their unique, God-given gifts, with the invitation to use those gifts for service in the church and in the world. At baptism, parents and sponsors said, “Yes, God!” on the child’s behalf. Confirmation is the opportunity for a young person to grow, question, and explore so they may make the decision to take ownership of their faith and continue to say, “Yes, God!”

Confirmation runs September – May, with registration beginning in June. New students are welcome to join at any time throughout the year or at any point in Grades 6 – 9.

Shepherd of the Valley is committed to welcoming people of all abilities and working to understand and meet the needs of our congregation. If your child needs an accommodation, modification, or assistance to fully participate in this event, please indicate this in the “Health Concern Explanation” field of your registration, and your program leader will follow up if there are questions. We may not be able to meet all requests at this time.

We intend to take photos and/or video during Confirmation, which may appear in worship, social media, website, or congregational communication without names listed. If you have a concern about this, please email Kelsey Young.

Register