Shepherd News
Monthly Newsletter of Shepherd of the Valley LCMS
801 E Denver Avenue, Bismarck ND 58504
It is great to be back here with you all! I just wanted to write to give you an update on what has been going on in the month since my Ordination and Installment in August. Our family is settling into our home here in town! Moving is a hassle, but the boxes are slowly emptying out. Moving and relocating is never an easy thing, but, having known you for the full year during my Vicarage, it is certainly nice to come back to a place where we do not have to start all over again.
Of course, my role here has changed somewhat. The question we have been wrestling with has centered around my changing role here in Bismarck. Being a Vicar (essentially a Pastor-in-training), while having some similarities, is not the same thing as being an ordained pastor. For this reason Pastor Walla, Pastor Wolfgram and I thought it would be good to provide both congregations with an update on how my role serving you has changed.
First of all, the preaching and teaching schedule has been updated. As a Vicar, I usually preached only twice a month. This has been updated to more evenly divide the preaching schedule between the three of us. Additionally, instead of visiting Shepherd for two weeks, and then Bethel for two weeks, alternating back and forth, we have opted to schedule me to serve in a month-long rotation. This would mean that I will be preaching and teaching Bible Class and Confirmation at Shepherd of the Valley this month, and for the month of October I’ll be serving at Bethel. This is to give me more time to settle in at each congregation, getting to know people better, and generally providing more continuity for myself and for you. I also be attending the monthly Elder, Council, and certain board meetings at the church that I am serving on a given month.
In addition to this, I will be assisting both congregations in the area of home visits, allowing us to better serve our shut-ins. As a Pastor, it is now permissible for me to bring Holy Communion to people in their homes and in the hospital, something I could not do before. This is especially critical at this time, with so many absentees due to COVID concerns. A home visit is often the only way to get the Lord’s Supper to our homebound members. I have begun calling members (perhaps you received a call from Me!) to introduce myself and to offer private communion (either in your home, or here at the church) to anyone that is interested, particularly if you have concerns about social distancing, etc.
I cannot stress enough the importance of regular reception of Christ’s Body and Blood. It is a necessary food for the soul, bringing all of God’s gifts to us each time we partake. It brings us the comfort of the gospel and the hope and promise of eternal life! This is important to all people at all times, but in these days of anxiety and upheaval, it seems there is a more obvious, desperate need to hear and receive these promises, not only through the ears (preaching and hearing the Word of God), but with the mouth (Lord’s Supper).
In closing, I want to thank you all for calling me back here to serve you. It is an honor and a privilege. My Vicarage was certainly one of the best in my class. I learned so much that year serving you all alongside Pastor’s Wolfgram and Walla. I will continue to learn, and Lord willing, I will prove to be a blessing to both congregations.
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Woodside
Welcome Woodside Wednesday picnic.
Southwest Circuit Forum
The Southwest Circuit Forum will take place at Concordia Lutheran Church in Beulah on Saturday, September 12. The primary purpose for the Circuit Forum is to elect the Circuit Visitor for the next triennium. Pastor Walla currently serves as Circuit Visitor for our circuit. We are grateful to Lonny Lang who will represent Shepherd of the Valley as the lay delegate for the circuit forum as well as the ND District LC-MS Convention in Fargo in late January.
Pastor Walla and Pastor Wolfgram welcome Pastor Woodside. Wonderful!
Dear Shepherd of The Valley Lutheran Church,
Thank you for a great vicarage year. My family and I loved our time at Bethel and Shepherd of the Valley. It was an honor and a privilege to serve as your vicar. God certainly blessed me over the past year as I studied, preached, and taught God’s word among you. I couldn’t have asked for a better year of pastoral formation! Pastor Wolfgram and Pastor Walla were amazing supervisors who taught me so much about being a pastor. By their excellent example and teaching, I am much better prepared to serve as a pastor in Christ’s Church.
All of you were also a tremendous blessing to me during our vicarage. When we first arrived, you showered us with gifts and welcome cards, making us feel welcome to Bismarck and to your congregation. Yet, you continued to pour out your love and generosity on us throughout the entire year! Thank you for your friendship and fellowship in Christ. And thank you for our farewell dinner and gifts. It was awesome to get the coolers full of North Dakota snacks, souvenirs, cards, and gifts. We thoroughly enjoyed them on our trip home. We cannot thank you enough for all the love you showed to us during the year!
Our trip back to Indiana was long but good. We had a girls’ car (Sarah and Ruth) and a boys’ car (Matthias, Samuel, and me). Leaving on the 19th, we made our way through South Dakota and headed toward the Badlands and Mount Rushmore. Besides a minor setback, when we hit a reservation roadblock, we had uneventful traveling and made it to our hotel around 1:00 AM. Although we were dead tired, we woke up early to tour Mount Rushmore, go on a two-hour train ride through the Black Hills, and visit the shops in Keystone. The next day, we made our way east to Iowa, and the day after that, we finally arrived at our house around 9:00 PM. The next two days were full of unloading our trailer, unpacking, and recuperating from the 14+ hour trip.
However, I had a few projects that I wanted/needed to get done before we could set up our bedroom and my office. Our bedroom was very drafty and cold in the winters, so I suspected that it was poorly insulated. And I was right. I pulled off all the wall coverings and found that the room was insulated with R-7 insulation (half of the minimum recommended insulation for our area), and some areas weren’t insulated at all! So, over the next few days, I took out the old insulation, replaced it with beefier insulation, covered it all with a vapor barrier, and sheetrocked over everything. After that, I tore down a crooked and flimsy wall in my office and built a solid and straighter wall in its place. I still have to mud, tape, texture, and paint our bedroom and office, but the hard part is done!
Right after all that work, we went on a short vacation to Lake Michigan with our friends from the seminary. It was a blast! We swam, kayaked, walked on the beach, played games, and got to catch up with our friends. The water was cold, but we braved it anyway. After all, our year in North Dakota climatized us to the cold. It was a fun trip, but we were ready to be back home.
Now we are back in Fort Wayne, and I have a little less than a month before classes start. This quarter I am going to take two preaching classes, a pastoral counseling class, a class on John’s Gospel, and a class on one of Martin Luther’s writings. I’m excited. I have a totally different perspective on classes now than I did before vicarage. Before, I saw classes as hoops to jump through to be a pastor. Now, I see every class as equipping me to better proclaim God’s Word to His people. I got extremely excited to see the book list for my classes this quarter, especially the books on preaching and counseling. I can’t wait to learn more and continue my pastoral formation!
These last few months have been crazy! COVID-19, riots, killings, and unrest seem to be everywhere we look. Chaos abounds. Yet, Christ is with us. His Gospel will not be hindered. Christ continues to come to us and graciously give us all things. Our salvation has been earned, for Christ has paid for all our sins. And God declared us to be His beloved children in the waters of Holy Baptism. What’s more, the Lord of life gives us His own body and blood in the sacrament of the Altar for the forgiveness of our sins. What great testimonies of God’s love for us! And if God is for us, who or what can be against us? Even though we’re up to our elbows in muck now, Christ has given us eternal salvation and made known to us God’s love. So, as Christians, we keep our eyes on Christ and His promises, for He has promised to deliver us from the suffering and chaos of this world. This mayhem will give way to the peace and joy of the new heavens and new earth, in the nearer presence of Christ, our savior. What a glorious day that will be! But until then, Christ is with us in Word and Sacrament, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, and the Father will preserve us, His children. Thanks be to God!
The Lord blessed me over vicarage, and I know that my time with you will prove to be immensely fruitful when (Lord willing) Christ sends me out into His field to work for the glory of His kingdom. Thank you again for all the love you showed my family and me during my vicarage. It was great to get to know all of you and join with you in the reception of Christ’s glorious Gospel through Word and Sacrament. We miss you all and continue to keep you in our prayers. The Lord bless you all.
Ps. Our new address: 8003 Carnovan Dr. Fort Wayne, IN 46835.
-The Dailey Family: Rick, Sarah, Matthias, Ruth, Samuel, and baby.
September Acolytes
*Sept 6 Dax L. 815am
Mathew P. 1045am
Sept 13 Makenna B. 815am
Brekken Z. 1045am
*Sept 20 Jason C. 815am
Taylor B. 1045am
Sept 27 Gavin V. 815am
Shaylee C. 1045am
Greetings from your SOTV Sunday School team and a happy and prayerful start to the 2020/2021 school year to all of our families!
We want you all to know that despite the craziness and uncertainty of these times, our team is working on a plan to proceed with Sunday School this coming year. You may have been contacted already requesting your thoughts and concerns and you are welcome to voice those with us as the year progresses. We are currently working on registration for your child(ren) so check your email as well as in the narthex for more information.
We have such a great team working to get Sunday school up and running, and are happily offering in person AND virtual options for our families. If you are not already a member of the SOTV Sunday School Facebook page it is easy to find so please request to join. This is where we have and will continue to conduct the virtual offerings.
Our Rally Day will take place Sunday September 13, 2020 at 9:30 a.m., both an in-person and online version, where our team will provide you and your family with all the information you need to jump on board with our 2020/2021 Sunday School year. We cannot wait, so see you soon!
Yours in Christ,
Samantha Henke
Board of Education Chair
Shepherd’s Hill Fall Retreats
Shepherd’s Hill at the Crossroads is hosting several retreats this fall. They include a ND LCMS-U Retreat for college students across the state of North Dakota on Labor Day weekend, September 5-7. Pastor Dan Suelzle, campus pastor at Wittenberg Chapel at UND will lead the retreat.
September 18-19 are the dates for Fall Men’s Retreat. Pastor Wolfgram will lead this retreat focused on ways in which Law Enforcement agencies interact with the public are supported by the Christian. There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex for this retreat. $85.00 registration fee includes three meals and sleeping accommodations.
October 2-3 holds an opportunity for both men and women. There is a “Stampin’ Up” retreat and Lumberjack weekend.
Register on the website (www.shretreat.org” or call 701-244-5225. )
SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS
Steven Reiman
Emma Vannett
Kim Jackson
David Aarhus
Andrew Krecklau
Renae Strum
Emma Lewis
Kathie Strum
Alex Aukland
Leland Miller
Nate Strum
Dexter Fetzer
Brianna Albrecht
Hadley Williams
Neveah Schulz
Rosie Kapp
Ann Willoughby
Jeremy Gildea
Adam Voegele
Jensen Hintz
| THE PURPOSE OF SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH IS TO PROVIDE SPIRITUAL NURTURE THROUGH WORD AND SACRAMENT, LIVE THE FAITH AND REACH INTO THE COMMUNITY WITH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. |
| Elders
1-15 Kevin Olson 16-30 Craig Helm
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| SEPTEMBER ANNIVERSARIES
Joe & Sheila Kalonick 09/07/85 Mike & Kari Kramer 09/14/85 Adam & Sonja Dever 09/15/07 Todd & Sharon Schwagler 09/20/91 Walter & Bernice Rehling 09/21/52 Craig & Cindy Helm 09/25/81 Ted & LaRae Kuusisto 09/28/85 Michael & Dori Nelson 09/29/78
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September 13th, 2020 |