Who We Are And Who We Are Becoming

Community

We are a congregation with deep connections and often refer to ourselves as a family. We bear one another’s burdens through our prayers, listening, visits to hospitals, and supportive friendships. We celebrate the joys of each other’s lives and how we see God working through us. We are a core group with layers of family, friends, and neighbors who join in different parts of our ministries. We are learning new ways to grow in belonging as we share meals together, share deep struggles of our lives, and share our skills, time and resources with each other. We seek wisdom and guidance from each other and are working on listening and understanding across difference. During the pandemic we stayed connected through zoom church services, monthly “porch drops”, sending notes/cards/letters to each other and making phone calls. We have developed an appreciative, reciprocal relationship with Praise Chapel that leads to closer community. We believe God will guide us into new joys of Christian community with others who use our facilities (Hispanic church, FAME, Praise Chapel, Superkidz) and the neighborhood as we open ourselves to receiving help, seek discernment with others, and offer our gifts of service. This is a springboard to expand support into the greater community of the central county. Being in community gives us courage and willingness to try new things and be “bigger than who we are”.

Learning/Studying/Reflecting/
Growth

Study and reflection are an important part of our faith journey. We are a learning community that seeks to study scripture, theology, our lives, our history, and surrounding culture in order to more faithfully live the ways of Jesus. Reading and studying about the lives of Christians and church communities helps us to examine our own lives and to live more faithfully. We understand sermons to be an ongoing conversation that is initiated by our pastor or another member and continued by our whole church as the Spirit guides us with questions and encouragement and new convictions. We study the scriptures together each mid-week in order to know God’s Story and live within that Story. To extend the warmth and closeness of our study group we sometimes share a meal with our studies. We study our lives through ongoing discussions – how to care for aging parents, enneagram, and ‘what is grief?’ and how do we support each other? Our annual retreat allows space and time to dive deep into learning and reflection together and opens our eyes to new possibilities as a church. Our desire is that learning and study would lead to new faithful actions, we then reflect on these actions and bring our reflections to our next study in an ongoing loop of study/action/reflection.

Families Together

Our fellowship time comes in many forms and creates space to support one another’s Christian journey and hear of each other’s daily lives. The weekly conversation/celebration hour after church gives us time with each other to reflect on the worship message and learn about happenings at church and in our lives. The biggest event of the year, the annual crab feed becomes much more than the fund raiser it is billed as. The whole congregation is involved to some extent and it is a time we invite other people important in our lives to feast and have fun with our church family. The all church retreat (since 2016) is an event that brings us closer and in deeper relationship with God while we learn, worship and have fun together in a beautiful, spiritual setting. We often remark how we grow together during this annual weekend break from routine. Marking life transitions is another way we come together whether a wedding shower, a send off to members moving away or remembering a beloved member with a memorial service.

Mission

We draw energy and joy when we look for and join what God is doing beyond the walls of our church building in our neighborhoods and city. We began our own food pantry which was instrumental to connect with and assist our Hispanic congregation during the pandemic and other vulnerable members of our community and are opened us to hearing the complexity of needs and life stories. By partnering with the daycare at our church campus we provide holiday support to single mothers. A partnership with the Hispanic church plant helps us to connect to our increasing Spanish speaking neighbors. We empower members to learn, and grow through missional education such as study trips to the CA/Mexico border and Missouri trip and delving into social justice studies. We share and listen to each other’s experiences. We provide space and participate in local community organizing efforts to support renters, new immigrants, and the most vulnerable within our community. Locally, we participate in “Winter Nights” by providing meals to families sheltering in host churches. Internationally we sponsor KIVA loans, assist a church rebuilding in the Philippines and collect used prescription glasses to fill overseas needs. We are adept at finding ways to serve with the limited financial and human resources we have. We hunger to find ways to serve, and grow closer together and are fueled through these actions to live out our faith in the ways we love our neighbors. We celebrate the times we are able to move from ‘giving to’ to ‘serving with’ our neighbors and hope to share life and community with them.

Worship Gatherings

Study and reflection are an important part of our faith journey. We are a learning community that seeks to study scripture, theology, our lives, our history, and surrounding culture in order to more faithfully live the ways of Jesus. Reading and studying about the lives of Christians and church communities helps us to examine our own lives and to live more faithfully. We understand sermons to be an ongoing conversation that is initiated by our pastor or another member and continued by our whole church as the Spirit guides us with questions and encouragement and new convictions. We study the scriptures together each mid-week in order to know God’s Story and live within that Story. To extend the warmth and closeness of our study group we sometimes share a meal with our studies. We study our lives through ongoing discussions – how to care for aging parents, enneagram, and ‘what is grief?’ and how do we support each other? Our annual retreat allows space and time to dive deep into learning and reflection together and opens our eyes to new possibilities as a church. Our desire is that learning and study would lead to new faithful actions, we then reflect on these actions and bring our reflections to our next study in an ongoing loop of study/action/reflection.

OUR LEADERS

Ygnacio Valley is made up of men and women who serve in many ways and have significant responsibility within our congregation. These leaders play crucial roles in what happens each week in the life of our church.

In addition to Pastor Karl Shadley, our worshipping community is also led by Elders and Deacons

Elders

Elders are elected by the congregation, and they set the spiritual tone of the community, acting to make our space a sacred and safe one and partnering with our pastor in the spiritual care of our community members. Our current ruling elders, elected by the congregation include: Kathy Youngson, Juanita Luthy, Paula Ash, Mike Thompson, Christie Jacoban. Sylvia Chatagnier is the clerk of session.

Deacons

Deacons help organize concrete ways in which we respond to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of church community members and those outside who ask for help. The Deacons organize, collaborate and address emerging needs. Our current Deacons, elected by our congregation include: Stan Wilson, Lucie Skourup, Carrie Waters

Worship

We seek to celebrate the goodness of God, and simultaneously be transformed in worship. When you come to join our YVPC community, you’ll find a casual atmosphere, led by a variety of people with different styles and life experiences. Our current worship leader is liturgist is Kathy Youngson, and once a month pianist is Lee Borden. We are currently searching and praying for a new music leader.