From the Pastor's Desk

The fourth item on our list of congregational values is volunteerism.
“We believe that everyone has a gift, which needs to be discovered, developed and deployed in ministry. We believe that our community of faith is stronger when all its members are involved in ministry.”

We are privileged to have a wonderful staff of people employed by Zion. But the real work gets done by you the member. If you look at any one of our ministries, it is the volunteer that make it happen. Thank you! We do realize that all our lives are busy and full of activities. What we ask is that you say “yes” at least once.

So in April during a worship time, we will offer to fill out a ministry questionnaire. We hope you will not only choose to continue what you have been doing and add one more thing. This way we will grow as servants of the living Christ and Zion will grow as well.

See you in worship, Pastor Otto

From the Pastor's Desk

We are a caring congregation committed to sharing Christ’s love with the world. That is who we say we are. As individuals and as groups, hopefully we keep looking for ways to express that mission statement. We also have some core values.

In this newsletter I would like to share with you another core value. As a Christian congregation we seek to offer opportunities to lead members of Zion to grow in their relationship with their Savior. Primary in this value is what we do in worship: Prayer, reading of scripture, singing, hopefully being inspired by the preaching and finally offering our gifts. But where else do we offer spiritual growth?

· Adult Forum and Bible studies
· Prayer Partners
· Men’s Group
· Faith Stepping Stones
· Women’s Meetings

Very shortly we all will have an opportunity to use this value. I invite you to join with me in our 36 hours of prayer. The prayer vigil is an opportunity for you to come to our church building and for one hour be in conversation with God. From 8:00 p.m. Good Friday until 6:00 a.m. Easter Sunday, members of Zion will praying and meditating. I invite you to sign up for an hour. You can be bring devotional material with you but we also provide you with some. Then as we celebrate God’s greatest miracle, the resurrection, you will have made a concrete step to grow in your relationship with your Savior.

There is planned an Easter Sunday Sunrise Service that will be different from past years. I invite you to come and experience the Resurrection.
See you at worship,
Pastor Otto

Picture this....

Picture this...

A hushed hospital room, a dying patient who has struggled bravely
against cancer to gain more years of life. The cancer has not been
conquered and it will soon win the battle.

Standing around the hospital bed is the family, holding hands in a
circle that includes the patient and the chaplain. After all that they
have been through together, knowing that the end is near, these weary
and grieving people start to sing ever so softly.

“Away in the manger... the little Lord Jesus ...”
Is this appropriate? Is that only song they know?
Wait, “Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay.”
It not only brought peace to their hearts but hope.
“Close by me forever and love me I pray.”
Those words hung on for a long time. And fit the time.

(I thank Andréa Nesdahl- Degroot for this story.)

As we gather for Advent Worship on Wednesdays November 28,
December 5, 12, and 19, we invite you to sing with us these familiar
and meaningful songs.

We worship at 7:00 p.m.

From the Pastor’s desk

It was a unique Sunday. Our first Faith In Action Sunday began with lots of people showing up to church in work clothes. They were met by seven young adults, proudly wearing their Faith In Action T-shirts. Very shortly after 9:00 AM, the narthex emptied.

What happened?

· 50 school kits were assembled; we also viewed a DVD on where the quilts and kits end up.
Timbuktu?
· 100 boxes of food were assembled and lots of shelves were stocked at the food pantry.
· 1 family in real need of home repairs was helped. Another family had lots of things
removed from their home and yard to help them get ready to sell the property.
· 10 of our homebound members received a visit.
· 6 of our members who live in a nursing home were entertained by our Sunday school
youth.
· 10 young adults saw their faith come alive.
· Our youth did some cleaning up and will do the Road Clean Up when it is sunny.

I think the best part was our worship time. The choir did a terrific job to set the theme with their song, “This is God’s Church”. The sermon was full of stories from people who went out and put their faith into action. Not only did those present feel proud to be a part of a church who puts feet to their faith but there was a spirit alive in the sanctuary that I would like to bottle up and open each Sunday.

Know that our Faith In action team is planning another Sunday.

From the Pastor

“Where you are going is more important than where you have been.”

I just finished reading an article about churches. Most of us look back to other times when things were good and life was easier. But reality is we cannot go back, we can only go forward. With that in mind, I am asking all of us to make a bold step.

On Sunday, October 14, we as a congregation have an opportunity to reach into our community. For a long time we have said, “We are a caring community.” At times that has been with projects that have helped others. On Faith In Action Sunday, we can do it with a big splash. On that Sunday morning we will have Sunday School but instead of worshipping we will do caring projects.

Let me list a few:
· Put together school kits for Lutheran World Relief. This will be done in the fellowship hall.
· Minor repairs for seniors. We have collected some names of seniors who need some simple
repairs. Come to church and get your assignment.
· Help out at the North Boone Food pantry. We will meet here and carpool to Capron to
stock shelves.
· Road clean up. We will meet at church, pick up our gear and go out to our assigned area on
Genoa Road.
· Visit shut ins. Stop by church, get the information on one of our members who is home
bound and go visit them.
· Our Sunday School children will be visiting members of our congregation at Northwoods
and Maple Crest. They will need some help with transportation.

This all will begin at 9:00 AM.

Then we all will gather back at Zion at 11:00 AM (note change of time) for a celebration of putting our words into action, not just by going to church but by being the church.

Check out the sign up sheets in the narthex and reserve October 14 as Faith In Action Sunday.

From the Pastor

“Be content with what you have but not with who you are.” That statement has been on our lawn sign and every time I see it, it makes me think. The texts for the past few weeks really have revolved around that theme. In the gospel lesson, we have heard how to be rich in God but not in things. We truly are a blessed people and we do need to focus on what we need and not what we want.

Then as I read over the series of texts from Hebrews, I remember the heroes of faith where those who “pressed on.” Yes, we can learn from our past. Yes, there are things that need to be done now. But the writer of Hebrews encourages us to keep looking forward to the work God has called us to do.


So mark your calendars for some unique events:


On September 9, we will not only begin our schedule of two worship times and Sunday school but we are going to host a neighborhood party. We will feature the band Epiphany and have some special kid friendly activities. On Thursday, August 23, your church council will be walking through the neighborhood of our church buildings, inviting people to come.

What can you do? Invite a friend or relative to come with you to the music event at 3:00 pm. Then bring your lawn chairs and join us in the parking lot (in fellowship hall if it rains).

Watch for Faith In Action Sunday, October 14th!

See you in church,
Pastor Otto

Applying Bible Principles

God's Word has more to say about money and material possessions than about heaven and hell combined. Obviously, how we as His children handle what God has entrusted to us is a very important subject to Him.

Money is also the only subject about which God says, in essence, "Prove Me. Trust Me. Try Me." He does not issue that challenge concerning any other aspect of our Christian walk of faith. Not about prayer; not about sharing our faith with others; not even about salvation. Just money.

God said to Malachi, the prophet, "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test . . . See if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing."

Some promises in the Bible are unconditional in nature. They are going to be fulfilled, regardless of what we might or might not do. Others could be described as "if . . . then" promises. If we will do our part, then God will do His part. This passage from Malachi 3:10 is one of the latter. If we will bring our tithes to God's storehouse, then He will open for us the windows of heaven and pour out for us such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.

The question is whether we really believe God when He makes a promise like this. If we do, we will take Him at His Word. We will accept His challenge and "test" Him by giving to Him as He directs. And if we do that by faith, then we can be confident that God will meet that "test" by providing all we need and more.