Come as You Are, Know You Are Loved
Shepherd of the Valley Presbyterian Church sits on four acres along Montaño Road in Albuquerque's North Valley, where worship has been a steady presence since a young Irish minister named David McConaughy helped launch the congregation in 1969. The church today carries a single phrase across its sign and its literature: "Come as you are, know you are loved." That motto shapes everything from the relaxed dress code to the way children are folded into worship before heading to their own classes.
The congregation belongs to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and sits within the Presbytery of Santa Fe, a regional body that partners with the church on initiatives such as a medical debt relief program. Theologically, Shepherd of the Valley describes itself as reformed and "ever reforming," a community that asks hard questions and makes room for doubt. "We don't always arrive at the same answers, and that is ok," the church says. Visitors who walk through the doors at 1801 Montaño Road NW find a place that takes that welcome seriously. As the staff puts it, "We enter this church not as strangers, but as children of God and members of God's family."
Sunday Mornings in the North Valley
Worship at Shepherd of the Valley begins at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings. The service moves through prayer, hymns, contemporary Christian music, and a sermon, with communion celebrated on the second Sunday of each month. Services are livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel for those who cannot attend in person, and recordings of recent sermons are archived there as well.
After the service ends, the community gathers in the gathering space for refreshments and conversation. At 11:00 a.m., adult education classes resume the morning, offering space to "delve more deeply into matters of faith and life." These classes are designed so newcomers can drop in any week without feeling behind, and special seasonal studies are offered during Lent and Advent.
Visitors are greeted at the front door, invited to sign a guest book if they choose, and never asked to stand or wear a name tag that would set them apart. "We are a relaxed bunch, so wear whatever makes you feel most comfortable," the church explains. "Some people like to dress up, and others come in shorts and sneakers."
Children and Youth at the Center
Children are not an afterthought at Shepherd of the Valley. Nursery care is offered for infants through four-year-olds from 9:15 a.m. through the end of the children's programming block. Children in kindergarten through fourth grade begin worship with their families and are invited forward for the children's time before being accompanied to the West wing for Godly Play, a Montessori-based approach that uses story, wonder, and play to help children develop religious language and a sense of God's presence.
Older children and youth find a place here too. A children's and youth band called Flock and Roll rehearses every other Sunday morning from 11:00 to 12:00, and youth regularly take part in worship leadership, summer mission trips, and the Presbyterian Youth Triennium Conference. The church collaborates with other Presbyterian congregations in Albuquerque to give its young people a wider circle of friends and faith.
For families who want to stay for the second hour, children can remain after Godly Play for games, time outside, and intergenerational fellowship. A new part-time Youth and Young Families Ministry Coordinator has been hired to help grow this work, and the church has identified attracting young families and supporting youth programs as central to its long-term vision.
Music for Every Generation
Music at Shepherd of the Valley is intentionally intergenerational. "We believe it is important to sing one another's songs," the church says, and the result is a worship life that draws on traditional hymns, spirituals, gospel, and contemporary Christian music at the same service.
The choir sings traditional hymns, spirituals, and gospel music and rehearses on Wednesday afternoons at 3:15 and again on Wednesday evenings at 6:30. A praise band called Hesed leads the contemporary music in worship and rehearses every other Monday evening at 6:30. Children and youth lead worship alongside adults through Flock and Roll, and a newer Dor Choir - a "generational" choir designed for all levels of experience and welcoming of babies, toddlers, and inexperienced singers - rehearses every other Saturday from 4:30 to 5:30, followed by a shared dinner. Music Director Jennifer Freeman, an Albuquerque native and lifelong musician with both bachelor's and master's degrees in piano performance from the University of New Mexico, has been a church musician for nearly two decades and calls playing in church her favorite venue.
Adult Christian Growth
Shepherd of the Valley offers several regular gatherings for adults who want to dig deeper into Scripture and faith. The Sunday morning class from 11:00 to 12:00 is the main weekly touchstone, with seasonal studies during Lent and Advent and Bible-study-based discussions the rest of the year that newcomers can join at any point.
Beyond Sunday morning, a Men's Bible Study meets each Saturday at 8:00 a.m., and a Women's Bible Study gathers on Friday mornings at 10:00 in the church library, working through studies of books of the Bible and current Christian literature over eight- to twelve-week stretches. A scripture meditation group practices lectio divina on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 4:30 p.m. on Zoom, listening for God's word in the silence. One member describes the adult classes as "a safe and non-judgmental environment for me to explore my faith with other Christians."
A Church That Looks Outward
Outreach is woven into the identity of Shepherd of the Valley. The church's mission statement is to help all people "experience, explore, and express the love of God given in Jesus Christ," and the ACT ministries give that mission concrete shape.
The deepest partnership is with Saranam, a local program serving families transitioning out of homelessness. The session voted to give Saranam a $20,000 portion of the church's 2025 surplus, and the church sponsors special family events, decorates an apartment annually for incoming families, fills welcome baskets, and provides in-kind and monetary donations throughout the year. Members also volunteer at Saranam's donation center, tutor residents in financial literacy and GED preparation, serve on family nights, and help set up the family-center library.
Other regular outreach includes Laundry Love, a bimonthly evening event at a nearby laundromat on 4th Street where the church covers the cost of washing for neighbors; a long-running partnership with the Rio Grande Food Project, supported by monthly food drives and volunteering; a local chapter of Project Linus, which meets on the second Monday of each month at 10:00 a.m. to sew blankets for children who are hospitalized or experiencing homelessness; a Card Ministry that meets the second Saturday of each month to make handmade cards for visitors and those in need of prayer; and a monthly Soul Bags project that sells bags of non-perishable food to keep in the car for hungry neighbors. The church also supports the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center with financial help for legal fees, writes letters through Volunteers for Immigrants Detainees Albuquerque, participates in the Presbytery of Santa Fe Medical Debt Relief program, and has maintained a partnership with the Presbyterian Reformed Church of San Nicolás de Bari in Cuba since 2003.
Shepherd of the Valley also opens its building to several community support groups during the week, including Survivors of Suicide Loss, Al-Anon, Narcotics Anonymous planning meetings, and Cocaine Anonymous.
Born from Two Congregations in 1969
Shepherd of the Valley has its roots in two earlier Albuquerque Presbyterian congregations. In 1968 the Presbytery of the Rio Grande announced plans to establish a new church in the North Valley and purchased four acres at 1801 Montaño Boulevard NW. Around the same time, Northminster Presbyterian Church at Indian School and 7th learned it would have to relocate because of I-40 construction, and Alameda Presbyterian Church near Alameda and 4th had lost its pastor. The two congregations decided to merge, and Shepherd of the Valley was formally founded in 1969, with the church meeting for worship at Douglas MacArthur Elementary School while the permanent building rose.
The sanctuary and education building at 1801 Montaño were completed in 1972, built in large part by the hands of the members themselves. A preschool building was added in the early 1980s and grew into a respected early-childhood program that served Albuquerque families for decades before completing its final school year in May 2026. The second called and installed pastor, the Rev. Phillip Butin, served from 1993 to 2002 and oversaw construction of the new sanctuary and gathering space. The Rev. Thomas Hart was called and installed in 2004 and served through 2022. The current pastor, the Rev. Sarah Chivington-Buck, was called as the church's first associate pastor in 2018 and became head pastor upon Rev. Hart's retirement. A native of Albuquerque, she holds a B.A. in Spanish from the University of New Mexico, an M.A. in Christian Formation and Soul Care from Denver Seminary, and an M.Div. from San Francisco Theological Seminary.
Renewing the Campus
After more than five decades on the same four-acre site, the church has launched a major capital campaign called Embracing Hope, Inspiring Futures. The campaign has exceeded its original $850,000 goal in commitments, and work is already underway. The parking lot has been seal-coated, re-striped, and patched. A kitchen remodel is in progress. Plans ahead include new flooring in the fellowship hall, library, and kitchen; replacement of five HVAC units and the roof over the sanctuary, gathering space, nursery, and choir room; new stucco for the building; safety and security features; new carpeting and paint in the sanctuary, gathering space, choir room, and nursery; a new digital monument sign in the parking lot; new choir chairs; and ideas for a more usable and inviting outdoor space. The session has said the goal is to invest in the next generation of the congregation and the many community groups that use the building during the week.
Connecting in Smaller Circles
Beyond Sunday worship and formal study, the church has a rich calendar of fellowship and connection. A weekly Hand and Foot card group has become a source of laughter and steady friendship for many members. On Friday afternoons at 1:00, a group gathers to play Mahjong, and newcomers are welcome to come learn. A Ladies' Book Club meets once a month at the church, and a Ladies Out to Lunch Bunch gathers on the second Monday of each month at a local restaurant. After-worship potlucks, intergenerational dinners following Dor Choir rehearsals, and seasonal events such as the all-church Ministry Kickoff Potluck give the congregation many opportunities simply to be together. One long-time member says simply, "I always look forward to coming to church. I belong here. It's my home."
Mission, Leadership, and Giving
At the heart of the church's life is a threefold mission: to help all people experience, explore, and express the love of God given in Jesus Christ. Worship is designed to make that love felt; classes and small groups give space to explore it; and the wide network of ACT ministries helps the church express it beyond its own walls.
Pastor Sarah Chivington-Buck leads the church alongside Music Director Jennifer Freeman, Parish Associate Sue Hewett (an ordained PC(USA) pastor and retired nurse), and a Youth and Young Family Ministry Coordinator. Office hours run Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and the office can be reached at (505) 344-9798 or info@shepherdofthevalleychurch.org. Giving is available online, by texting a dollar amount to 833-407-0014 through GivePlus Text, or through the GivePlus mobile app for Android and iPhone. Visitors who want to learn more can find information on visiting at shepherdofthevalleychurch.org/visit-us and can watch the livestreamed service on the church's YouTube channel.