Harbinger - Zion Lutheran Church

Harbinger
Page 2
Holy Communion
Page 3
Preschool News
Page 5
Picture Directory
Page 8
H.S. News
Page9
Family Ministry News
Page 12
Zion’s Golf Outing
Page 14
Altar Ministry News
Zion Lutheran Church
2122 Bronson Blvd.
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Telephone: 269-382-2360
Email: [email protected]
www.zionkazoo.org
September 2016
Volume 148 Number 9
The image of lifeless bodies with glazed looks walking en masse
toward a victim is more than I can handle. (Which is why I never
understood the fascination of “Zombie” movies.) How about
you? The Pokémon Go app on people’s cellphones has brought
this image to a neighborhood near you! (It is as if a hidden
population suddenly surfaced from out of the mist!) Apparently
we have two spots on Zion’s property where people can capture
their own “pocket monsters,” as our parking lot has been
besieged by young adults slowly walking around in circles staring
at iPhone screens for guidance. All around town the sight has
been similar — people walking silently, staring with a blank gaze
at iPhone screens. Bronson Park, at night, has looked like the set
of a horror movie with packs of bodies moving quietly through the
dark. (I am surprised more people were not hit by cars or walked
into trees!) They did look like zombies! Bodies moving with no
expression, no noise, just a glazed stare as if being pulled by an
unseen force. Some have rationalized that this app “is bringing
people together.” (Yeah, I thought … like Zombies!) At the same
time think about how many you know who live with that same
look as they move through life, pulled by unseen forces, unaware
of where they are headed, but hoping that somewhere at the
end of their journey there will be a prize? How much time is
wasted staring at screens, just going through the motions, or
sleepwalking through life without any sense of joy or passion? Or
without any inclination to engage with or serve others and
celebrate Christ through faithful living? How many shuffle in a
solitary walk and miss the beauty that is so near or the daily
opportunities to make a difference in other lives? How many
“walking dead” surround us. Jesus calls us out of that lifeless walk,
gives purpose and joy to the journey, and invites us to share with
others the Good News that the prize at the end of our journey is
already “in our hands.” Part of our mission as a Church is to reach
out with the good news that the search is over? How can you
help bring life to those still searching?
Blessings! Pastor Seeber
2
Holy Communion Part Three:
Celebrating Communion Today
Jesus didn’t have First Communion Class, but
did a wonderful job instructing what this meal
meant by washing feet and heading to a
cross as he shared the power and passion of
His Love with us! In this “meal” we participate
in this great mystery of the Word become
Flesh! The disciples prepared for Passover by
remembering the past — the Passover of the
angel of death … a meal to nourish for a
journey … the blood of the lamb spread on
the doorpost … being passed over by the
angel of death … an escape from slavery …
and the promise of a new land and life! We
too prepare by “remembering.” Take and
eat! Take and drink! Every time you do this, it
is to “remember” Me!
(And for a Jew,
“remember” means to include yourself in that
moment that is revisited and renewed. So,
the answer to “how many came out of
Egypt?” is simply, “all of US.” In remembering
this Last Supper we confess that it becomes
OUR special meal with Jesus. Bread and wine.
Body and Blood. A sacrifice long ago that
continues to be alive for us today!
The power in the meal is not whether we use
grape juice or wine, stand, sit or kneel, or
proclaim the liturgy in Latin or English.
In
Luther’s day, with so many corrupt priests, he
correctly taught the Sacrament was valid
even if the priest officiating was a rascal or
scoundrel. It is not what WE DO that makes
the meal special, it is what God has done
and keeps doing that makes this HIS GIFT to
us. This meal is holy, not because of how we
prepare or partake, but because God Himself
is present as he promised. Unfortunately,
much of our preparation has been influenced
by fear of “doing it wrong.” It seems that
long ago, there was a problem with the
Church at Corinth, in which the poor were
being denied access to the meal until after
the rich had eaten. And there were other
diversions as well as factions had formed and
class envy had developed. Paul reminded his
Looking Up │ Reaching Out 2016
flock that if they did not approach the table
as ONE family, they were not discerning the
true BODY of Christ.
Paul instructed his
followers that to be at ONE table they
needed to act like ONE family. Accepting
the gift of forgiveness calls us to live in a new
way. This meal cements that relationship and
gives strength for living in a new way. Paul
wanted the Church to practice what Christ
preached through his humble, servant, footwashing love!
We prepare by remembering we are invited
to sit at one table with the God who loves us
so much! Fear of unforgiven sins or not being
able to explain HOW God works such a
miracle are never a reason to stay away!
Jesus’ track record was to invite the outcasts,
the broken, and the sinful. Is that not what
this meal is all about? To celebrate grace. To
humbly allow Jesus to wash our feet so we
have the courage to do the same in our daily
lives! We prepare through “confession.” We
admit our brokenness and the need for
forgiveness to turn our lives around. As we
accept the promise and power of grace, we
have “had our hands washed” and are ready
to sit with Jesus. In the Sharing of Peace we
celebrate the unity that only Christ can
achieve, and then we approach the table.
And again, and again, Jesus comes to us in a
special way. As we eat and drink, He is ONE
with us. Faith embraces and accepts what
we cannot explain, and celebrates the
power of God’s gifts which are more than we
could ever earn or deserve. We are forgiven.
We are renewed. We are guests at that
great banquet of the heavenly feast to
come! This is like Thanksgiving, Christmas,
Easter, birthdays, wedding receptions,
anniversaries and any other celebration you
can imagine all wrapped into one, but more
perfect than anything on earth. How can we
not smile as we approach the altar and how
can we not be thankful as we return from this
great meal?
What a humbling, helpful
moment for people nourished by the Blood of
the Lamb and an empty tomb!
tws
3
It’s back to school time!
By the time you are
reading this, we will
have completed our
annual Bug Blast Off
event that heralds the
beginning of the
preschool year. We are excited about using our
newly renovated Rainforest Room for the 3
year old classroom this year. If you haven’t
taken a minute to check it out, please do so!
School begins the day after Labor Day for
Yellow and Red Bugs and Wednesday,
September 7 for the Orange Bugs.
As part of our continuing commitment to
provide outstanding services to our families, the
Friends of Jesus Preschool teachers, assistants
and volunteers attended the Inspire conference
at the Radisson in late August. What a great
experience to get our staff ready for another
exciting year of educating young children!
Attending conferences with hundreds of other
educators helps us renew our energy and share
new ideas!
With the return to school, we also return to our
popular first fundraiser of the year – our mum
sale. We’ll again be featuring 8 inch pots for
$5.00 and 10 inch pots for $10. If you have
purchased mums from this fundraiser before,
you know that they are high quality, long lasting and beautiful. Watch for forms at church
soon! If you have questions, call Melissa
VanderMeeden at 382-2360.
Have you seen a new addition on the playground? The preschool has a beautiful new
sandbox courtesy of Ted Maxson! We’re so
grateful to Ted for taking on this project and
making this wish list item a reality for our littles!
Do You Know??
Zion’s Grateful Hearts, Thankful Hands
Bazaar is on Facebook! Please “like” our
page and share it with your friends! We
will update it with samples of items for
sale this year. Keep checking for changes
added.
Looking Up │ Reaching Out 2016
The Board of Directors has
approved the following grants:
Middle School Room Flooring
Updates (part 2) $9,625,
Furniture for FoJ Remodeled
Classroom, $575. The deadline for submitting
grant requests for our next meeting is
September 2. Grant applications are available at
the church office for new ministry initiatives,
local and international outreach ministries,
major building maintenance, church worker
scholarships, and music programs/scholarships.
For further information, contact the church
office.
September 26th—The Secret Scripture by
Sebastian Barry
October 24th– A Skeleton in God’s Closet
by Dr. P. Maier
Contact Yvonne Wordell with questions at
269-321-7984
Christmas tree donor
needed for the sanctuary
Do you have a 15-20ft.
short needle tree you
would like to donate to
the church? I needs to
be a healthy tree that is
nicely shaped. Call Jim
Mayer 375-8342
4
Worship Help for Parents and Children
Liturgy is important , as it forms a pattern and
model for our worship life. “Liturgy” comes
from several Greek words and means “the
duty of the people.”
Martin Luther was
instrumental in getting people (and not just
priests) involved in worship. We’ll return this
month to the beginning of the worship
service.
(And don’t forget preparations
before you arrive; your attitude, your mood,
your temperament, for that sets the tone as
much as what we do together.) After the
prelude (which is part of the preparation) our
formal liturgy begins.
This month: CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
(This is how we begin. We “confess” sins and
then hear God’s promise of forgiveness.
For Dads and Moms and younger adults:
What was it this week? Not speaking to your
spouse? Or maybe a fight with your parents?
No time for prayer or spiritual growth? Did
any morning begin by remembering your
Baptism? "Sin" simply devastates God's family,
and it is important to remember what God
has done to restore what we break. We are
created to live as one family but daily find
ourselves separated from God and one
another. If worship is to be "as one," some
thing is needed to bring us together "as one."
“CONFESSION” begins our time of healing as
we silently admit specific sins (why pretend or
try to hide — who are we fooling?) USE this
time of silence. Open your heart! Admit your
mistakes and trust God will love you anyway!
And then, in unison, we speak as one,
because we are one family in Christ! In a
general way we confess what is true for all,
the general symptoms ("what we have done
and what we have left undone").
How can we worship God if we don’t begin
by being honest? It is like getting baptized
every time we worship — we begin with the
washing away the crust and grime of daily sin
and selfishness. God’s touch begins worship.
Looking Up │ Reaching Out 2016
We begin in complete honesty! No barriers.
No pretensions. Like Adam and Eve we stand
naked before God.
The “ABSOLUTION” is God’s response, in which
the Pastor announces that God removes the
guilt for what we have done, and has taken
the punishment we deserve on Himself. This is
great news ("the entire forgiveness of ALL your
sins!") Now that decks are clean, real worship
can begin. It is like hearing the angels sing on
Christmas; we can now run to the manger!
What a change this makes. How cool that
God’s love brings us together . How neat that
the walls that separate are replaced with the
outstretched arms of a loving God! Now we
are ready for whatever comes next!
For Parents with young children:
Ask your “little ones” WHY you sometimes
want them to say “I’m sorry.”
Ask what
“sorry” means! Talk about how it is better not
to hide things that we are afraid of, or that
we might be in trouble for. Talk about why
telling the truth always makes things easier.
Remind them that even when you get upset,
you still love them, feed them, and take care
of them. Tell them how happy they make
you when they come to you and say “sorry.”
Let them know you will always love them and
just want them to learn the right way to do
things.
Then ask if there is anything you have done to
hurt them? Is there anything they want you
to say “sorry” for to them. And, if there is, DO
IT! And then hug and kiss and say “I love
you!” And keep hugging and kissing every
day! Let them know how special you feel
when they hug you — even when you have
hurt their feelings or been a little too loud!
This is exactly what God has done for us!
(And remember, much of how they view God
comes from how they view you as parent!!!)
Explain, as best you can, that confession is
“sorry!” and absolution is “love you anyway!”
What a neat way to color our time with each
other as a family, both at home and with our
5
NEW PHOTO DIRECTORY
September 21 an October 1, photographers will be taking pictures of ALL the
members of Zion. (Please note the use of
the word “ALL.”) I know that many are like
me and would just as soon not have a
picture taken, but this is really important for
our life together.
To schedule your photo, go to Zion’s
website (www.zionkazoo.org) and click on
the link that says: “Schedule Your LifeTouch
Photo Appointment”
You will be guided very quickly through a
simple process to make an appointment
that is convenient for your schedule.
Because we have three different worship
services, there are so many ministries that all
of you are involved in, and not everyone is
here every week, it is really difficult to
always match names and faces. This will
help.
Think about how it will help if others call you
by name here at church or even at the
store. And think about how awkward it is for
you when you see a face and can’t
remember a name. This is a way for us to
help each other.
Everyone who is photographed will have a
picture in the directory and will receive a
free 8x10 photo. And YOU get to choose
which picture is used.
If you do not have your picture taken, we
will not see your picture in the directory and
lose the opportunity to remember your
name.
Should you wish to purchase photos for gifts
or your own use, we will share the various
costs ahead of time (and the pricing truly is
reasonable.) You do not have to buy any
photos if you do not want to!
Please support our life together by having
your photograph taken for our directory!
Looking Up │ Reaching Out 2016
PASTORS’ CLASSES FOR ADULTS
Sunday 9:15 am
Pastor Seeber
“LESSONS FOR LIFE” Pastor Seeber will use
one of the readings for that week as a
starting point for discussion about everyday
life. Understanding why something is written
helps us to learn “how” to read it and how it is
useful for our daily living. This is for adults of all
ages
“WELCOME TO ZION”
Sundays 9:15 am
For visitors and new members, various
members of the staff will review the basics of
our faith, and how Zion integrates them into
worship, spiritual growth, and daily ministry.
Call the office for more details.
Tuesday 10am
Pastor Brelje
“PARABLES OF JESUS” Pastor Brelje will lead
this class that discusses and explains many of
the familiar parables of Jesus. There is more
than often meets the eye and this class helps.
Wednesdays 6:15 pm
Pastor Seeber
“UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE” Our fall adult
series has focused on Literature and Faith.
This fall we will begin by looking at the Bible as
Literature. A verse in Revelation might be
read entirely differently than a verse in the
Psalms. Why is that? So many are teaching,
or participating in small groups, or doing
personal devotional reading at home, but
often misinterpret or get confused about
what the Bible says. Understanding the
purpose of each book, when it was written,
why it was written and the style of writing is a
great beginning to better understanding.
Saturday 8am
Pastor Seeber
MEN’S STUDY A great opportunity for guys to
talk about issues of family, faith, work, and
play from the perspective of our faith. We
begin with a single question from the Epistle
for that Sunday and go from there.
The church office will be sending
directory updates and information via
email. Please make sure the office
has your most current email address.
5
Looking Up │ Reaching Out 2016
7
Faith and Life: Christian Education
For some reason, many think worship is for
adults and education is for kids — the truth is
that both are necessary for all! As with any
aspect of our lives, to grow we need to learn
— without learning there is no growth. So let’s
begin with an understanding that just as
worship is for all ages, so is education.
Faith is like a seed planted by God, who offers
nutrients and fertile soil for that “living thing”
grow. God offers the warmth of the Son and
the gentle breeze of the Spirit. Faith is a gift
that is alive — but without proper care and
nurture it can wither and die. You might
remember a parable Jesus told about a
farmer who went out to plant seed — some
fell on rocks, some amidst thorns, and some
on fertile soil. God plants but we are called
to be the gardeners of God’s gifts. Worship,
Bible study, fellowship, and prayer are all
fertilizers and injections of life into our faith.
Faith is a gift that we have the responsibility to
care for and use!
Would you invest in a house and not take
care of it? Do you spend good money on a
car or furniture and not take care of them?
Why is it so easy to neglect the gift of faith, or
give it a lower priority than going to the
movies, taking a vacation , or enjoying a club
or sports that seem so important at the time?
For that reason, Christian education begins at
Baptism and continues until the day we are
welcomed into the kingdom of Heaven. We
celebrate Baptism in worship because of its
sacramental nature, but also to reaffirm the
beginnings of faith in our own lives.
Our Sunday School program has many
aspects, but they all are related to growing
and nurturing a young faith. We want our
children to become familiar with Bible stories,
so that when they reach “confirmation
classes” they already have a background on
which to build. But they also are learning
Looking Up │ Reaching Out 2016
about worship and servant love and Christian
fellowship, in appropriate ways for their ages.
Our preschool offers preparation for grade
school, but also shares many of the same
components as our Sunday School program.
When our young people are in sixth grade,
we have a special class on Communion so
that they can begin to join the entire family in
that meal of the altar. Confirmation ministry
builds on all of this, and the Bible stories and
worship that is the foundation is explained
more fully. They discover how all of this is tied
into a lifestyle of faith. As they begin to face
so many choices and decisions it is important
to integrate faith into every part of their lives.
Our goal is to help parents with that process.
Why should any of this end at the end of 8th
grade when so much has been invested in
the start? Would you plant a vineyard and
when the grape vines finally start to mature
not keep working so the harvest is all that it
can be? Education is a hallmark of the
Lutheran tradition.
That is why Luther
translated the Bible into worship and wrote
hymns and catechisms that helped parents
and adults to learn more about faith.
As high school students get closer to an adult
world, the continued nurture of faith is a gift
that can offer guidance and strength for
difficult and complicated choices.
Adults deal with relationships, grief, money
management, parenting, estate planning,
ethical and business decisions every day.
And so learning and growing must continue!
Sermons hopefully help, but prayer, Bible
study, devotional reading, and wrestling with
issues of faith are important for a maturing
faith! Education in the Church is no different
than in our profession or daily lives — we need
to keep growing. As with everything, it is a
matter of priorities and new patterns in our
living. We have many resources to offer. Ask
if you don’t see something which will be
helpful for you! And share with us what has
worked for you!
Blessings! Pastor Tim
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Looking Up │ Reaching Out 2016
Between the Pages
H i g h S c h o o l YOU T H N ew s
Servant Leadership
you. Plan on
to develop the
It’s a term that we
servant leader heart attending at 9:15am
use a lot around
every Sunday starting
in all of us. There
here but do you
September 11th and
will be some
know what it fully
expectations along going up through
means? Or do you
December. Hope to
know how to be the with this class so
best servant leader come prepared and see you here!
ready to grow closer
you can be? Well
to God! We will
then Sunday
also have many
morning Bible
guest leaders this
study is for you!
The whole first half time around who
will help with
of the year we will
different
be going through
perspectives and
some spiritual
disciplines in order share their
experiences with
Planning Cookout
Here’s your chance
to help influence
YOUR Youth
Ministry at Zion!
On Rally Day
(September 11th)
from 5-7pm, come
on over for a cookout, outside fun,
and a planning
meeting. We will be
discussing events
for the year,
best times for
fun stuff, and
service projects.
Everyone
entering 9th12th is invited
to attend!
September 2016
This Month:
 Bible study
returns
Sunday the
11th at
9:15am!
 Sunday the
11th:
Planning
Cookout
(5-7pm)
John Buetow
Karen Chapo
Donya Dobbin
(10) Rollie & Sharon Preuss
Kathleen Jordan
Cyndi Bremer
Paul Fierke
Linda Stieve
(10:00) Janis Dinda
Steve Nuyen
Rollie Preuss
Greeters 8:00am
Greeters 10:30am
Communion Assistants
Saturday 5:30pm
Communion Assistants
8:00am
Communion Assistants
10:30am
Cantors
(10:00) Janis Dinda
Phil Rettman
Janis Dinda
(10:00) Janis Dinda
Joey Miller-Rehkopf
(8:00) Mark Schwerin
(10:00) Jeremy Klein
No Coffee Hour
Acolytes 10:30am
Lectors 10:30am
Altar Ministry
Saturday 5:30pm
Altar Ministry 8:00am
Altar Ministry 10:30am
Sound 8:00 and
10:30am
Coffee Hour
Lectors 8:00am
Cameron Hay
Drew Watson
(10:00)
Parker Wagner
Linda Stieve
Acolytes 8:00am
Dee Wentzel
Don and Marge Heath
Greeters Sat 5:30pm
(8:00) Vicki Holt
(10:30) Neil Segerdahl
Bev Snow
Susan Ahrenholz
Janis Dinda
Ruth Stokes
Mary VandenBerg
Sharon Oisten
Dee Wentzel
Melissa VanderMeeden
(8:00) Vicki Holt
(10:30) Karen Chapo
Jack Fredericks
Annaliese Ream
Riley Eastman
Sydney Ketchum
Candy Buetow
Lorraine Hanna
Tim Klein
Chris Sitkins
Dain & Margaret Soppelsa
Bruce and Kathy Huston
Joe Zerbel
(10:00) Bob Folck
Head Ushers 10:30am
Larry Harding
Mark Schwerin
September 11
Head Ushers 8:00am
September 4
(8:00) Jake Newman
(10:00) Andrew Gast
Troy and Cynthia Cosgrove
Vickie Asaro
Janis Dinda
Jayne Mayer
Linda Mayer
Elsie Autry
Dee Wentzel
Alice Tomer
Indy Linebaugh
Luke Skuratowicz
Becca Miller
Sully Miller
Carol Daenzer
Tim Gumbleton
Rich Rakow
Ken Toy
Garr Gast
Mark Meyer
John Roggow
(8:00) Candy Buetow
Lois Heuchert
Sylvia Heuchert
Dee Wentzel
Terry & Gail Nelson
Dee Wentzel
Brandon Hamilton
Matt Simmons
September 18
SEPTEMBER, 2016 WORSHIP LEADERS
Dave and Linda Mayer
(8 & 10:30) Neil Segerdahl
Carol Daenzer
Carol Daenzer
Sharon Oisten
Dee Wentzel
Dan Buchtrup
Cyndi Bremer
George Geissel
Ted Maxson
Dan Buchtrup
Matt Simmons
Chuck Wendling
(8:00) Linda Stieve
(10:30) Dennis O’Brien
Nick Alsvig
Anna Schuppel
Alix Allen
Audrey Dorman
Dave Mayer
Kathleen Jordan
Steve & Debbie Weber
Kathy Pfeifer, Bev Snow
Bruce & Dorothy DeDee
Dan Curtiss
Brian Gogan
September 25
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Looking Up │ Reaching Out 2016
SEPTEMBER 2016
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
1
FRIDAY
2
5
6
LABOR DAYOFFICE IS
CLOSED
7:00
Bells
11 Late
Service Time
Change
8:00 and 10:30
Rally Day
9:15 Sunday
School/ Conf./
Sr. High/Adult
Classes
12
18
8:00 and 10:30
Communion
Service
9:15 Sunday
School/Conf./
Sr. High
Adult Classes
2:00 pm
Golf Outing
19
25
8:00 and 10:30
Communion
Service
9:15 Sunday
School/Conf./
Sr. High
Adult Classes
13
10:00
Bible Class
6:30
Endowment
5:30
Finance
6:00
Personnel
7:00
Bells
7
8:30
LWR Sewing
5:15 Dinner
6:15
Confirmation
7:30
Conf. Parent
Meeting
7th&8th
14
8:30
Fall
Beautification
8:30
LWR Sewing
5:15 Dinner
6:15
Confirmation
8
21
8:30
LWR Sewing
22
6:30
Board of
Directors
7:00
Bells
5:15 Dinner
6:15
Confirmation
7:00
Choir
26
27
10:00
Bible Class
28
8:30
LWR Sewing
29
7:00
Zion
Women’s
Book Group
7:00
Bells
10
8:00
Men’s Group
9:30
Altar Ministry
5:30
Communion
Service
16
17
2-4:00
Prayer Shawl
@ Biggby’s
5:30
Communion
Service
7:00
Choir
20
10:00
Bible Class
5:15 Dinner
6:15
Confirmation
9
7:00
Choir
15
3
8:00
Men’s Group
5:30
Communion
Service
7:00
Choir
4
8 and 10:00
Communion
Service
SATURDAY
23
24
8:00
Men’s Group
7:00
Choir
5:30
Communion
Service
30
Sunday School Kick-off
All kids going into 3 year old preschool through
5th grade are welcome to attend.
Let’s make this a great year!
Family Ministry News
Family Life
Sunday school is about to kick-off the year! We
begin on September 11th at 9:15am.
VBS
Sharing the light of Jesus...that was the basic concept taken away from
Vacation Bible School this year. A special thanks to our Family Ministry Team
who helped make this VBS possible for all of our families. Let’s not let the
learning end there...how can you (your family) share the light of Jesus? How
can you (your family) let your light shine? Well, one good way is through
your own actions, behaviors, and attitudes. Sunday mornings is a great start!
It might be hard to come to worship and Sunday school consistently but
that’s even a better faith conversation starter when your friends ask you why
you do it. The next step is to simply take advantage of the opportunities God
places you (your family) in. Recognizing those opportunities takes a
concentrated effort, but if you are looking for them, God WILL work
through you! Share experiences of how God/faith has impacted your life and
how His light has made a difference in your life. Show these people love by
caring about their eternity and their relationship with God.You (your family)
can do it! You have a unique situation where others (families) identify with
you solely because you, are a family.
10
Outdoor Beautification
Schedule 2016
Please join us as we care
and maintain the church grounds. All of the
days are Wednesdays from 8:30- 11:30 with
the exception of the major fall clean-up.
Break time and refreshments occur from
10:00-10:30.
Summer Work Dates:
September 14
We will trim shrubs, and clean the grounds
and parking lot.
Fall Work Dates:
October 12, October 26, November 2
During the fall months, we replace A/C
covers and clean the grounds and parking
lot.
Major Fall Clean-up:
Saturday, November 12, 2016 (tentative
date) starting at 8:30 with a delay date of
Saturday, November 19, 2016.
Contact Jim Mayer at 375-8342 if you would
like to help, or simply show up on the
scheduled date. All the dates are weather
permitting. If changes need to occur, all
who have their name on the list will be
contacted. Also, watch the Sunday bulletin
announcements for changes.
Looking Up │ Reaching Out 2016
Bazaar
This year’s Grateful Hearts
Bazaar will be held on
Saturday, November 19th.
Sunday School Parents
Does your child know how to save money?
Does he/she have a savings account? If
they have an allowance, does it go into
savings? If you answered no to any of the
above, then Church extension Fund Kids at
Work Savings Program is for you. All the
money saved goes toward building/
maintenance of Lutheran churches and
schools. Zion’s Endowment Fund has made
available a matching gift with free stamps
based on the amount purchased
(i.e....$5=$5 free, $25=$5 free, $100=$10 free)
When they put $100 into their account, they
will have $120 plus interest. Details can be
given at the Stamp table outside of the
Sunday School room. The table is set up
Sunday mornings when Sunday School is in
session. Children also receive a small gift
when they make a stamp purchase.
Renew Your Marriage and Rekindle the
Spark!
Attend a Lutheran Marriage Encounter
weekend and rediscover the closeness and
love between you and your spouse. The
Kalamazoo Marriage Encounter Community
will be hosting a weekend in Battle Creek
September 30-October 2, 2016. Please pick
up a brochure on the bulletin board or call
Pete or Chris Wilkins at 381-6324, or email to
[email protected] for information and
how to register.
Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes
The wish list item for
September is Canned Meat .
Please put your donations in
the gray tubs under the
church office window.
Thank you!
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Looking Up │ Reaching Out 2016
Book Review: “Christianity After Religion; The
End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual
Awakening.” Diana Bass. 2012. Harper One.
The traditions, beliefs, and practices of each
stage of the Church were influenced by
those general themes.
This is a provocative title, and yet very
accurately describes much of the struggle
that is at the heart of religion and religiosity in
our world today. For instance, how would
you define the difference between “religion”
and “faith?” While the original meaning of
the word “religio” had to do with “love,
veneration, awe worship, transcendence, or
an attitude toward God,” it has gradually
come to mean a system of beliefs that are
categorized, organized and institutionalized
and is known as “religion.”
The second half of the book discusses how
we might be moving now into a new phase
of the Christian Church.
Her suggestion is
that we are moving from a time of “religion”
to a time “spirituality” (like that original
meaning of the word “religio.”)
This is an interesting study in how such terms
have changed over the centuries of the
existence of “Christianity,” and provides some
valuable insights into what is going on in the
churches, denominations, and lives of faithful
people all around us. It helps to understand
why tradition is important for some and torn
down by others.
It explains why “coexist” is a popular bumper
sticker for some, while others are loathe to
reject the idea that Christ alone is the way to
God. It explores why the missionary effort to
convert people to Christianity is now looked
upon as politically incorrect and abusive by
others in the same Christian Church. Bass has
some suggestions, and while I don’t agree
with all of her conclusions, she does a
credible job of describing how we got to
today.
Her premise (along with other contemporary
writers that she quotes) is that the Church has
moved through three distinct stages. First was
the age of FAITH, and the priority was “faith IN
Jesus. The next stage was the age of BELIEF,
a period of “belief ABOUT Jesus.” That was
followed in the late 19th century by the age
of the SPIRIT, and is characterized in “an
experience OF Jesus.” [109]
I think she is describing the result of what
happened with two World Wars, Vietnam,
and current terrorist and political upheaval
throughout the world. People are feeling lost
and are seeking a closeness to God that for
some reason has become hard to relate to.
Her discussion centers around the difference
between religious commitment being the
assent to a body of organized doctrines and
the transformation that takes place when
Christ becomes the core of every part of my
living. It isn’t that doctrine isn’t important (for
it is) but what we do with those beliefs is key!
And so, if my life is not changed by what I
believe, then maybe I really don’t understand
what I believe. I understand that struggle.
For years we have wrestled with people who
want a child baptized to guarantee that they
will get into heaven, but never teach that
child what faith means, and the power and
joy of daily life “in the Spirit.” And when faith
in Christ is not part of the entire life of any
person does Baptism truly have the meaning
and power that Christ offers? We are called
to live differently because we believe, not to
say “here is what I believe” but not have that
change how I Iive. My actions don’t save
me, but because I am saved, my actions
should change! This is a book that takes
some time to read. I found it helpful for
explaining why there is so much confusion
and struggle in the Christian Church today. I
don’t agree with all her conclusions, and yet
found her insights very helpful for us to
remember what our real priorities should be.
— Pastor Seeber
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Please Consider Helping!!
Do you know that YOU make possible the
great success of Zion’s Grateful Hearts,
Thankful Hands Bazaar each year and we
need YOU again this year! What can you do
to contribute? Any of the following—all are
important tasks.
1) Contribute your time:
 If you haven’t started making items, now
is the time to start
 Volunteer to work during the Bazaar on
November 19. Watch for sign-up sheets
on the kiosk, but save the date now so
you’ll be available. Men and older teens
are also needed.
 Bake, bake, bake! Food items are great
sellers. Plan to drop off baked goods on
Friday, November 18th.
2) Donate materials and supplies
 Canning lids, (wide mouth and regular)
 Nice cloth napkins
 American Girl Doll books (like new)
 Children’s books, toys and puzzles in
excellent condition
 Narrow lace trims (3/8-1/2 wide)
 Vintage house keys
 Pheasant feathers
 Attic Treasures
 Wool Sweaters
3) Pray for the success of the Bazaar
The Grateful Hands, Thankful Hearts Bazaar
is an outreach ministry. Its goal is to reach
out and enfold all members of Zion and
provide another way to familiarize people
within the community of Zion. So include
the Bazaar and all it’s workers in your
prayers as we continue to “Reach out with
Jesus’ Love”. The money raised will be split
the following way: 20% to The Deacon’s
Conference; 30% to Friends of Jesus
Preschool; and 50% to LURO. Tell your
friends and neighbors about our bazaar and
invite them to come.
Looking Up │ Reaching Out 2016
Change !?!?!?
An old Lutheran joke goes something like
this...how many Lutheran's does it take to
change a light bulb? CHANGE!?!?! WHAT????
Lutheran's tend to dislike change. But
change is often good! Last year our preschool had many changes. The most obvious
was in our name: from Hilltop back to
Friends of Jesus. As a Christian preschool we
want to reach out to community and
congregation kids with the love of Christ in
the most effective and financially responsible
way. Our preschool is undergoing another
positive change this year. We will be moving
our afternoon class to the morning so we'll
be having two classes going on at the same
time! Thanks to our improved Rainforest
Room, we now have the space available to
do that and great teachers willing to run
these classes at the same time. Our Director,
Melissa VanderMeeden and the FOJ Ministry
Team have been hard at work to develop
this program and feel this is the right
direction to head. Keep watching for updates
on the Preschool and keep FOJ in your
prayers as we continue to better serve the
needs of our families and the families in our
community!
-Aaron
Come Join Us!!
On September 18th,
Zion will be hosting our
annual Golf Outing at Eastern
Hills Golf Course. Registration
starts at 1:30. This is a 4
person scramble. Cost is $11 per person to
walk and $16 with a cart. There is a $6 cost
to help cover pizza and prizes at the end.
Sign ups and additional information are on
the kiosk. If you have any questions, please
contact Terry Adlam at 599-8622.
13
My current efforts are
geared toward getting
ready for the Fall
Semester. This summer, I
spent time contacting
Lutheran congregations around the state and
getting the names of students who will be
attending WMU this upcoming academic
year. Through this contact, students have
expressed an interest in our music team, as
well as our Bronco Buddy Mentoring program
with the kids at tree of Life school in the
Edison neighborhood. I am praying that I will
see a big group of new students this Fall
semester as a result of reaching out to our
Lutheran congregations. My plan is to have
an Open House right before school starts for
the incoming freshmen and find ways to get
them involved in our ministry, as well as
developing a leadership team with the
incoming students. I would love your prayers
that the Lord will bless our campus ministry
with a big group of incoming freshmen that
will become a core group for years to come.
I am praying for that and am ready to lead
and guide the students that the Lord will send
us this year!
There is a growing number of people from
congregations and businesses that are just
learning about our efforts and have started
attending our meetings for the refugee
resettlement efforts in connection with
Bethany Christian Services and Lutheran
Social Services of Michigan (Samaritas). At
our last meeting, a woman who works with
Zoetis attended for the first time. She just
recently heard of our group and is going to
spread the word among the workers at Zoetis
and Pfizer. This could develop into a strong
partnership between WMU students and
faculty, along with people in the Kalamazoo
area. We are hoping to bring in several
people who have been involved in refugee
resettlement in the Lansing area for the last 10
years. They have developed a strong
coalition of MSU faculty/students, along with
local businesses, congregations and
Looking Up │ Reaching Out 2016
individuals who are serving the needs of the
refugees that have been resettled in the
Lansing area. Our hope and goal is to learn
from what they are doing and help us
become more effective in our efforts here in
Kalamazoo. There are several departments
at WMU, such as Global and International
Studies and Social Work, that are planning on
providing opportunities for students to be
involved with helping the families and
individuals being resettled in our area.
God’s blessings and peace to you all!
Pastor Mark
The bazaar has clay pots available
in a variety of sizes for those who
love to paint! Turn them into works of
art to hold plants or coat/seal them
with food safe paints for use as chip
or snack holders. Pots are available
on the shelf in the old kitchen
downstairs.
Zion will begin it’s sixth year of
small group bible study.
Registration begins on Sunday,
August 28th and will run thru
September 18th. Study groups
will officially begin on September 25th. You
will find brochures in the lobby August 28–
September 18th. These brochures will list the
different choices and have a description of
what will be studied.
The theme for small group bible ministry is
“Connect-Grow-Serve.” The Bible passage
from Hebrews 10:24-25 captures the
essence of what Small Group Bible Study is
all about….”And let us consider how we
may spur on one another toward love and
good deeds. Let us not give up meeting
together, as some are in the habit of doing,
but let us encourage one another and all
the more as you see the day approaching.”
Pray that this might be the year that you
join together with others in studying His
Word and serving others.
SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS
9/1
14
Haven Besser, Brad Glasser,
Annette Nickel
9/2
Christine Eichaker, Alisha Rowe,
Veronica Schoonbeck,
Dolores Wentzel, Austin Wordell
9/3
Cassidy Eastman, Marjorie Meyer
9/4
Nathan Adlam, Jackson Bierlein,
Alexander Schultz, Laura Tinigin
9/6
Ian Davidson, Laura Holt,
Nathan Holt, Gen Kellam Jr.,
Lee Kneer, Avery Leitz
9/7
Beth Fletcher, Ginger Skuratowicz
9/8
Gail Nelson, Emma Rayner,
9/10
Daniel Buchtrup
9/11
Thelma Lanphear
9/12
Karl Dinda, Sharon Preuss
9/13
Cynthia Bremer, Piper Soppelsa
9/14
Ruth Norton, Steve Nuyen
9/15
Deborah Kellam,
Christopher Seeber, Horst Jendralski
9/16
Erik DuBois
9/18
Collin Klein, Brenda Rakow
9/19
Paul Bowes, Linda Hazel,
Evie Linebaugh, Blake Scheffler
9/20
Yvonne Wordell
9/21
John Boettcher, Hanna Doorlag,
Paul Noseworthy, Kelly Stetten,
Cheryl Zerbel
9/22
Terry VanderMeer
9/23
Fred Bierlein, Lauren Stetten
9/24
Carol Beutler, Allison Boettcher,
Marc Suprenant
9/25
Isabella Greene, Roxanne Seeber
9/28
Genevieve Miller, Holly Switalski
9/29
Edward Grau
9/30
Ava Olney, Anthony Parente,
Jace Wilson
Sorry for missing the following birthdays in
last month’s newsletter
Greta Jendralski—August 5
Cindy Bierlein—August 8
Looking Up │ Reaching Out 2016
Parish Report
Death
7/29 Jaqueline Dinda
Wedding
8/20 Erin Walker and Steve Emig
Our fall meeting will be
September 10, 2016 at
9:30am in the Gathering
Room. Healthy and delicious
breakfast snacks will be
provided. Please bring your calendars for
sign-ups for 2016 and 2017. We need
everyone to attend. A letter will be
forthcoming.
Thank you for serving our Lord’s Table
Phil Rettman
Dee Wentzel
Parent’s Group
This is the 6th year for our Parent’s Group.
We have grown from 8 members the first
year to 29 members last year. Our group
focuses on Christian parenting discussion
and Bible study. We typically have 15-22
members in attendance and the children
range from 4 months to 15 years.
Our adult group varies from members who
have grown up at Zion to new members
and is friendly and welcoming to all guests
and visitors. We have a strong fellowship
component and because of that, we
have seen strong friendships develop
among the adults as well as the children.
The group meets every Sunday at 9:15 in
the old youth room downstairs and does
not meet when there is not Sunday School.
If you would like more information, please
contact John or Candy Buetow at
544-1434.
15
Looking Up │ Reaching Out 2016
July, 2016 Financial Report - For Zion, monthly giving of $61,821 was $7,142 over budget. Total monthly income of $62,229 was over
budget by $6,071. Monthly expenses of $51,773 were below budget by $1,243. Grounds & Maintenance and Educations Ministries were $2,138 and
$527 below budget, respectively. Most of the variance from budget was due to timing issues. Mission Support was $536 over budget because giving
was over budget. Net income was $10,456. For Friends of Jesus, monthly income of $275 was $800 below budget because of the timing of receipt
of Summer Camp payments. All expenses were essentially at budget for the month, resulting in total expenses of $1,871. Net income was negative
$1,597. Similar to last month, a negative net income was expected because the first tuition and wrap payments for the coming school year will not
be received until September. For Solid Grounds, monthly income of $10,368 was over budget by $3,232 with $762 coming from contributions. SG
also received $2,000 from The MI District for facility repairs which was budgeted for August. Monthly expenses of $8,642 were at budget resulting
in net income of $1,726, which was $3,185 over budget. Mortgage Loan Balance - $1,190,131
Monthly Publication of
SEPTEMBER
Zion Lutheran Church
_____________________________________
2122 Bronson Boulevard, Kalamazoo, MI 49008
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
September 11
9:15
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
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PERMIT NO. 479
KALAMAZOO, MI