Dear members and friends of Valley Park,
June is the month we review, adjust and present our Church Budget (Sunday, June 12) to members for review and approval (Sunday, June 26 at 5 p.m. in the Sanctuary). I am happy to report in advance that our budget is stable and we have no concerns for maintenance of our church property and ministries in the next fiscal year (July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023). We are a congregationally run church which means all major decisions of the church require support of our members. Please stay tuned.
Budgets are necessary for the maintenance of our church property where we do ministries of relevance for our community. It is important to stress that ministries are the product of what people do. People do ministry and money only enables it. “Ministry” is another word for “service” in the Bible.
Jesus taught that He, recognized by many as God in the flesh (John 1:14; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:1-4), was born for the purpose of serving people. For Jesus, this meant denying Himself to do whatever was required to secure the eternal well-being of people. His commitment in life was to serve us.
“So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example, so that you also would do just as I did for you. Truly, truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.”
John 13:14-17
By washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus displayed His commitment to the role of a servant in a household where servants of the household cleansed the feet of visitors. Jesus is teaching that if He, as our Lord and Teacher, is willing to serve, we should not consider ourselves to be greater than Him by not serving others. The Apostle Paul understood this as an expression of God’s Spirit working through the life of a Christian to make a difference in the lives of other Christians.
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”
I Corinthians 12:4-7
It is one of the most important expressions of a Christian’s love of Jesus that we learn to serve as Jesus served. It is a commitment to the New Commandment Jesus gave us (John 13:34-35). As we are growing stronger as a church, and able to sustain our church budget, it is one of our greatest needs to see our members embrace the calling of servanthood in order to build healthy ministries at Valley Park. Our future depends upon the commitment of our members to servanthood in the name of Jesus.
There are few families in the church who display a united commitment to servanthood as obviously as the Junior family. Each one of them has displayed the shared commitment of Dilcia and Silvio. Dilcia has made lunches for the church for the last few years and helped with cleaning as well as being on the Board of Deacons. Her husband, Silvio, has helped the worship team for close to seven years playing congas. Their children, Sylvia, Angel, Silvio Jr. and Michelle have helped serve lunches, cleaned, participated with the youth group, and have been willing to do anything else necessary to help the church. After 10 years of faithful service, the Juniors will be moving to Abilene, Texas, during the month of June. We will celebrate these years of commitment to servanthood on Sunday, June 26 after our morning worship service. Please let them know how much you love and appreciate them.
Many of us are sincerely committed to serving Jesus in any way possible. Perhaps you don’t know what you can do to make a difference. With Dilcia’s departure, you may be able to contribute in some way to our hospitality ministry. Talk to Ann Jones if you are willing to help. Consider your giftedness, talents, experience and consider ways to bless others with what you know and are able to do. Show up at church activities and events simply to know and love others. Keep your eyes open for people who are marginalized or alone and make sure you ask a few questions relevant to knowing them. Ministry (serving) is about prioritizing people. Choose to make people more important than anything else in life.
Remember: A healthy church is a church where people are loving and serving one another. Read Matthew 25:31-40 and write down reasons why Jesus cared so much about His brethren (verse 40). What can you do to display greater love of the Family of God?
May God build a healthy Family of God at VP.
Pastor Kevyn
One Great Hour of Sharing
When you give to One Great Hour of Sharing, you deploy resources to people in need all around the world, and in our own communities. When man-made or natural disasters strike, love responds. Not just for the immediate future, but for the long haul. When you give to One Great Hour of Sharing, you are working alongside families to restore not only structures but hope. Your giving ensures that no matter how difficult the situation, Love remains.
You may give to the One Great of Sharing Offering in the month of June. Your gift may be made in the form of cash, check or online giving. Please designate “One Great Hour of Sharing.”
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
Valley Park Ministries: Pray for the Following Ministries
- Valley Park’s Life Groups (Begin Sunday, June 5, for 5 weeks)
- Sundays: 5 p.m. at the church in the Chapel and Conference Room
- Tuesdays: 10 a.m. at the church in the Conference Room
- Wednesday Nights 7 p.m. at the church in the Conference Room
- Friday Nights 7 p.m. at Church in the Conference Room
- Call Todd at (213) 310-2900 for more information
- Children’s Ministry- Diana Nason
Children join parents in the sanctuary at 10:30 a.m. for music and worship. They are dismissed to their class at 11:00 a.m. (during the greeting time before the sermon.)
Parents can sign in and pick up their children in Room 4 (1st -5th grade) or the nursery in Room 2.
- Youth Ministry- Victor Paz
Meeting Location- Ranch House
Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Thursday Fellowship for Seniors
Join us at the church for our Seniors and Friends Fellowship on Thursdays at 10 a.m. in the church courtyard.
- Men’s Fellowship and Bible Study
Come to the church on Saturdays for our Men’s Bible Study and Fellowship at 9 a.m.in the Church courtyard and/or conference room.
Valley Park’s June Birthdays: Members, Friends and Youth
Please consider giving us your contact info and birthday if you want to be included in our recognition. We don’t give gifts but we do care.
06/01 Debra Honles
06/07 Sienna Paz
06/12 Carolyn Greenfield
06/13 Kevyn Jones
06/21 Felisa “Mamu” Pasco
06/24 Sylvia Graham
06/24 Jimmy Han
06/24 Sophia Jimenez
06/25 Debi Hughson
06/25 Obed Jimenez
06/26 Benjamin Wu-Franco (child)
06/30 Kora Han (child)