Save the Date - SVUMC Easter Egg Hunt!
Easter Egg Hunt Donations Needed
Donations Needed for Egg Hunt – Sunday, March 30th 10-12 pm
This year we are excited to host an Egg Hunt for our church family and community!
We need lots of Easter Eggs and candy to make this event possible.
Please consider donating Easter Eggs and candy for our upcoming Egg Hunt.
There will be a donations bin outside of Shea Wilkins office.
Thank you for supporting Spring Valley Children’s Ministry.
Please contact Shea Wilkins if you have any questions.
Youth Mission Trip Summer 2024
Youth Mission Trip 2024 – June 23-29
Registration is now open for this summer’s Youth Mission Trip to Austin, TX!
This year our students will be serving with UM Army and partnering with United Methodist Churches from all over the Texas.
This nonprofit works on home repair and maintenance needs for low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners who are physically or financially unable to make needed repairs themselves.
ADULT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Registration Deadline: April 15th
Cost: $275
Payment Due: May 15th
Contact Shea Wilkins – swilkins@svumc.org
Super Bowl Party
Let's get together to enjoy the game and fellowship!!!
Join us this Sunday, February 11, 5pm-9pm. The Drenner family will be hosting a Super Bowl Party at their house. Please bring a snack or drinks to share. Youth students be sure to invite your friends and family to watch the game with us!
Contact Shea Wilkins for more information.
Vision Retreat Notes and Invitation to Discernment
Dear Spring Valley Family,
Two weekends ago we invited Mike Bonem, a clergy coach and consultant I have worked with for several years, to lead a vision retreat for our Church Council. The purpose of the weekend was to name four or five pillars or priorities for ministry at Spring Valley for the next couple of years. We will then use these priorities to evaluate our current ministries, so that everything is moving in one consistent direction. We started the weekend thinking about metaphors for where the church is today- who we are- and where we hoped to go- who we aspire to become.
This work is ongoing, and we will continue to workshop everything at Monday’s Church Council meeting (6:00 p.m.). Everyone is welcome to attend and participate. In advance of the meeting, I sent the members an abbreviated form of Mike’s notes from the weekend, including five faithful next steps we named, and an invitation to discernment. I’m sharing it with you so that you know what we are working on, but keep in mind it’s still in development for now.
- Pastor Frank
Vision Retreat Notes and an Invitation to Discernment
From Mike Bonem:
To become a vase of diverse and beautiful flowers, a powerful recharging station, and a miraculous phoenix that is rising from the ashes, we must …
• Invite the Spirit to fill us
• Create a culture of invitation and hospitality (that draws people in)
• Demonstrate acceptance, care, and nurture
• Equip & inspire people to go out to meet the needs in our world
• … and embrace the changes (that will be necessary for this to happen)
Our next faithful steps to do this will be …
1. Establish a “rule (habit) of life”
2. Inventory what we have (resources, programs) and focus our efforts (doing too much)
3. Offer need-driven programs
4. Better visibility / marketing / less church-y / invite community to all that we do
5. Improve our internal communication / Intentional and transparent about finances and fundraising
Comments
• The top section of this page is a synthesis of where the group seemed to coalesce. It
should be treated as a draft that can still be revised as needed.
• The 3 metaphors and the five categories of “next faithful steps” inform SVUMC’s vision
to be “an inclusive church that loves God, grows spiritually, serves others and shares hope through Jesus Christ.” I believe that acting on the faithful steps will give more clarity to the church’s identity than revising the vision statement.
• The last 2 faithful steps are related and could be combined into one.
• Offering “need-driven programs” is a step with endless possibilities. It is extremely important for SVUMC to (a) listen first to determine which needs to address, (b) have an external orientation in this work, (c) start small with experiments rather than large programs, (d) learn and grow based on those experiences.
• For each category of faithful next steps, leadership should decide specific steps to be taken and determine who will be responsible for leading those steps.
Discernment: to recognize and follow God’s will
Hoped for result of discernment: insight and wisdom
There is a difference between discernment and planning.
Planning asks: What are we doing?
Discernment asks: What is God doing?
I invite you to consider the notes above and come to the meeting Monday night after pondering these questions:
Where is Christ’s presence needed most? What is the biblical story we are now inhabiting?
What is the difference God is calling us to make in this season of ministry at Spring Valley?
What is God doing among our neighbors and how can we be a part of it?
What are the gifts and skills of the people around us? What could they teach us?
Who can teach us what we don’t know?
Why is it we get stuck here often? How did we get into this? Where are we out of balance?
Estudio Biblico
Many of you know that last year, we had our first Spanish Christmas Eve Service, and it was amazing! We were excited to meet three people and interested in returning.
Pastor Frank and I sat down, and I presented the idea of starting something new: a Spanish Bible Study.
This new study will begin on February 4th and will continue for three months, with meetings happening every other Sunday at 12 p.m. During this time, we will be providing lunch and childcare to those who attend.
We are excited to connect with our community and see the amazing things God is already doing around us.
We invite you to share this news to pray without ceasing for this new ministry, and if you want to help out by sharing flyers in the community and businesses in the area, please reach out to me (rortiz@svumc.org).
I pray for the work of the Holy Spirit through each one of you as we continue to share God’s love and grace.
Blessings,
Pastor Rosedanny!
UWF Bake Sale
Join us on Sunday, February 11th for another wonderful bake sale!
Easter Sunday Schedule
Looking Ahead to Holy Week
Coffee + Jesus Returns This Sunday
Coffee and Jesus small group returns this Sunday at 11:15 a.m. We will continue with our study, Called by Rev. Susan Rob.
We are studying six biblical characters and their call stories. We have discussed Abraham, Samuel, and Esther. Now, we will talk about the call stories of Jonah, Mary Magdalene, and the beloved disciple.
Our small group is not a typical Bible study. We mostly have a study through conversation and relating what we are learning to our own lives. We always have fun, so much coffee, and lots of Jesus!
Pastor Rosedanny hopes to see you!
New Sermon Series
The beginning of the year is an excellent time to recommit one’s goals; but have you ever thought about putting that same energy into your spiritual life? God’s faithfulness means God’s commitment to humanity is constant, but if we are honest, our commitment to God wavers. Over the next five Sundays, we will explore various covenants God made throughout the First Testament: with the creation and with God’s people. This series will provide tools to strengthen our relationship with God throughout 2024 and beyond.
Birth of the Messiah Study
New study in the New Year! The Birth of the Messiah study with Pastor Frank will be January 7-24, 2024. Think of it as an extended Epiphany! This class will go from 11:15am-12:00pm on Sundays after worship. The class will study images of classical art and the accompanying narratives of Jesus' birth. Who's in?
Epiphany
Longest Night Worship Service
Join us for a special "Longest Night Worship Service" this December 21st in recognition of the Winter Solstice, a day that holds a unique significance for those who may find themselves feeling "blue" during the holiday season.
The Christmas season is not always a time of joy for everyone. Many among us are navigating through personal struggles, coping with loss, and facing challenges that cast a shadow over the festivities. Our Longest Night Service acknowledges and embraces the reality of these emotions, offering a sacred space for reflection and healing.
On this day, we draw inspiration from the feast day of Saint Thomas the Apostle, whose journey to believe in the resurrection mirrors the struggles we face in times of darkness. Together, let's honor the longest night of the year by coming together as a community to share, reflect, and find hope amid the challenges.
Date: December 21st
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Spring Valley UMC, Dallas, TX
You are not alone. Join us as we stand together, offering solace, acceptance, and a glimmer of hope to those who may be feeling the weight of the season. Let's find strength in our shared journey and light a candle of hope together.
Christmas Eve at SVUMC
We invite you to embrace the spirit of the season with us on Christmas Eve at Spring Valley United Methodist.
We will have 3 service times for you to choose from:
Family Christmas Service - 10:00 am
Candlelight Service (Spanish Version) - 5:00 pm
Candlelight Service - 7:00 pm
Come together with friends, family, and neighbors as we rejoice in the birth of Jesus Christ. Everyone is welcome, and we can't wait to share this special evening with you! Spread the love and invite others to experience the magic of Christmas at Spring Valley UMC. See you there!
Laity Sunday - November 12th
Dear Spring Valley Family,
This Sunday in worship is Laity Sunday. Our Lay Leader, Cheryl Servais, has coordinated the day- you will see and hear from many of our members who serve in a variety of ways. Pat Christley, who is a certified Lay Servant, will preach. Laity Sunday is a special Sunday defined by General Conference “to celebrate the ministry of all Christians” (2016 Book of Discipline, ¶ 264.2). Laity Sunday is one way we express the core Christian conviction that all are called to participate in God’s mission to create healthy, flourishing life in the world. It is a day set aside to remember and lift up a constant reality: the priesthood and ministry of all. Every person on the planet is invited to share in God’s community of healing, love, justice, and world repair.
Laity Sunday celebrates the ministry of all Christians as they love God and neighbor. As God’s people grow in grace to become “all-love” disciples in community, we gather with others and connect all to God’s saving love in Jesus Christ. We continue to lift up the vocation of all to follow the way of Jesus and lead others to him – particularly as we consider what it means to hold fast to the pattern of healthy, sound words that bring life to all our relationships.
How can you grow in your ministry? The first step is to learn your spiritual gifts. Click here to begin the process of discovery: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/spiritual-gifts-inventory/en It shouldn’t take too long- just don’t overthink! Even if you have taken an inventory before- gifts may change over time. Finding where you are gifted helps to point you to places you can serve that will be fruitful and rewarding to you. When you know your gifts, let’s find a time to sit down and discern your best opportunity! The images below are linked to several opportunities to learn more about how lay people serve in various capacities- including training.
While I am thinking about ministry of the church, mark your calendars for November 28, 7:00 p.m.: our annual Charge Conference. This is sort of the annual shareholders meeting of the church. Our Lay Leadership team will present the slate for the leadership for the years 2024-2026. It’s a meeting to celebrate all that God has done, and is doing, at Spring Valley UMC and its community this year.
Celebrating the priesthood of all believers,
Pastor Frank
Youth Night Out - Adventure Landing
Youth - in lieu of our youth-lock out we will be going to Adventure Landing this Saturday, November 4th from 6-8pm. We'd love to have you! Go karts, laser tag, mini golf and more! Cost is $20 cash or check. Contact Shea for more details: sharrington@svumc.org
New Sermon Series: Plugged In
Join us for our next sermon series for the month of November! With school, sports and other activities, there’s a lot to do. We’re going to reflect about being “Plugged In,” and make sure that we’re filling our lives with community, purpose and service to others.
Commitment Sunday
The other day, I quoted from the great Christian theologian Henri Nouwen in the sermon. I actually had several paragraphs in my hand, but I didn’t want to spend the entire message quoting from someone else! Here’s something else Nouwen said on generosity as we prepare for Commitment Sunday this week:
“Jesus counsels: ‘Put your security in God.’ We have to decide whether we want to belong to the world or to God. Our trust, our basic trust, Jesus teaches, has to be in God. As long as our real trust is in money, we cannot be true members of the kingdom. All those questions I asked were simply to help us consider whether we are, perhaps, still putting our security in money. ‘Those who trust in their riches will wither, but the righteous will flourish like green leaves’ (Prov. 11:28). What is the true base of our security?”
- Excerpt From A Spirituality of Fundraising by Henri J. M. Nouwen
When we are clear about our spirituality of giving, then generosity is possible- and that leads to new ministries. On Sunday, we heard from our Dreamcasters, a small group of folks who met me for coffee a couple of times to dream about ministry in 2024. We were charged with discerning opportunities to serve locally, nationally, and internationally. Of course, our congregation is already active in all three areas through existing ministries, and this was not meant to diminish or replace any of them; I want to be clear about that.
After a couple of hours, here’s where we want to invest new energy next year:
• Local- Spring Valley Elementary. Through the initiative of Cynthia Pharr Lee, a new ministry is already being birthed there. Next week, a team from Spring Valley UMC will host a luncheon for teachers and staff. We want to explore deepening the relationship further.
• National- Build an online ministry beyond streaming a worship service. Create opportunities for people to gather online for Bible study, fellowship, and spiritual growth. You probably heard John Wesley said, “The world is my parish;” the internet has unlimited potential to bring the gospel to more people.
• International- We have a relationship with Gibraltar Methodist Church in Sierra Leone, the home church of Johannes Sechyi. Several years ago, Spring Valley sent the congregation choir robes; in exchange, Gibraltar sent the custom tie-dye parament that graced our altar table in worship this month. We want to find new ways to deepen these spiritual friendships next year.
Thank you to the Dreamcasters who invested time and creative energy in this process: Alan and Betsy Willis, Jim Bates, Cheryl Servais, Florence Campbell, and Jim Wright.
This Sunday will be special. It’s Commitment Sunday, where we offer our 2024 financial commitments as an act of worship. Our guest preacher is the Rev. Edlen Cowley, Metro District Superintendent. We will also hear the personal witness of Florence Lewis.
Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow,
Pastor Frank