The Zion Spirit. The Passion of God. "Grounded in Christ: Sent to be a blessing" Zion Lutheran Church 330 Griswold Street Elgin IL 60123

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1 Zion Lutheran Church 330 Griswold Street Elgin IL "Grounded in Christ: Sent to be a blessing" March 2016 The Passion of God The events of this month are the core of the Christian message. In fact, the events of that first Easter are the only reason the church exists. The death and resurrection of Jesus changed everything about how people viewed Jesus. He went from a failed preacher to a world-changing savior! The disciples went from a scared band of confused people to the leaders of a movement to let people know: God was in Christ. Even though he was crucified, died and was buried, the risen Jesus had come to them as was still alive. Everything had changed and for those who believed this, nothing would ever be the same. The events of the Jesus death and resurrection are often referred to as the Passion of the Christ. The movie by that title a few years back lifted this up as a way to understand the last week of Jesus life. The term passion comes from the Latin word pascha which means to suffer. But this suffering is not to be confused with random suffering in some way that is pointless. It is the willing and intentional suffering done on behalf of those we love. People and things we fell passionate about are im- portant to us. We love them. We are willing to make sacrifices to be sure they live and thrive. It is this love that we see unfolding in Jesus willingness to go to the cross. Jesus dies at the hands of the very people he loves. It is an odd reality. Jesus loves us far more than we love him. When he is rejected and sentenced to die, he could have run off, lashed out in anger, or any number of other responses. Instead he stays with us and loves us to the end. This is the suffering love of the cross. At the same time, Jesus returns to the very people who let him down. Again, he could have come back in anger and filled with a desire for revenge. But instead he came back with words of restoration, Peace be with you. This is the relentless love of the resurrection. Everything about the events of Holy Week can be pointed to in the word passion. God comes to us with a love so deep that it will suffer anything to express that love. The cross and resurrection are the consequence of that love and the fruit of that love. Believing this will change your life.

2 PAGE 2 Lenten Series During March, our Lenten series will continue on Wednesday nights as a way of giving people a chance to deepen their faith during this season of discipleship. Wednesdays will have the following format: 6:45 PM Class on a key figure from the church s past with a connection to a faith practice we can use today 7:30 PM Evening worship using Holden Evening Prayer Holy Week Holy Week brings with it the highest set of worship experiences in the church year. Focused on the death and resurrection of Jesus, the events of this last week of Jesus life are highlighted with engaging themes and passionate worship experiences. These worship services commemorate the earliest Christian themes; early Christians celebrated Good Friday and Easter long before they began to celebrate Christmas! Palm Sunday: Sunday worship at both services (8:30 and 10:45) will celebrate the triumphant entry into Jerusalem on. We ll start with palms in the narthex and process in a festive parade into the sanctuary. An experiential service, kids and adults alike find this to be a meaningful service. Maundy Thursday: In a special evening service we will gather for a meal and an Agape Meal (Feast of Selfless Love ). We will celebrate communion over a meal in a special way for this special day. Good Friday: We will gather to remember the cross of Jesus in the sanctuary. The service will include readings from the crucifixion story, time to place nails in the cross as a sign of our own sinfulness, and then close with darkness and the loud noise that represents the closing of the stone in front of the tomb. Eco-Palms As an ongoing commitment to trying to be environmentally conscious in our ministry, we are again getting palms that are harvested using fair trade practices for the workers and from sustainable farm practices in the farming. Easter Sunday Schedule March 27 th Tthe Easter Sunday morning schedule is the fullest and most diverse Sunday of the year. With extra worship services, breakfast, and a children s egg hunt, there is something for everyone on this most joyous and important Sunday of the year. Sunrise Service: At 6:30 AM as the sun rises in the morning, we invite people to gather for an early service. Telling the story of the women at the tomb, we will reflect on the mystery of the resurrection and its meaning for our lives. Traditional Worship Service: Our 8:30 AM traditional service will take on a festive air with a brass ensemble and special choral music. There will be joy and celebration as we lift up the good news that Christ is risen and shout Alleluia! in response. Easter Breakfast: 9:45 AM means good food in the fellowship hall with our annual Easter Breakfast. Come eat a delicious breakfast with friends. A free will offering will be taken. Egg Hunt: At 10:15 AM kids from preschool through grade 6 are invited to come upstairs for an Easter Egg Hunt. Kids will be sent out to search for candy and other Easter treasures in a staggered start based on age. It will be good fun for all! Contemporary Worship Service: At 10:45 AM our late service will be a festive chance to sing with joy that Christ is risen! Come a share the good news in fresh ways as the Easter story announces that Christ has conquered death and that in the end, love wins!

3 PAGE 3 Dear Friends at Zion, HI! Hope that you are keeping warm! We've heard that you have cold weather. Thank you very much for your gift of money for our ministry!! We appreciate your kindness! Thank you for being light and salt in Elgin and the surrounding area! May God work in all of us and through us all! Jurek & Karol Thank You Notes Newsletter Has New Name! The new name for the Zion newsletter is the Zion Spirit. It was selected by the congregation at the annual dinner in January. Congratulations to Bev Breskovich who submitted the new name. And thanks to everyone who submitted an idea. There were lots of good ones! Our justification hinges on a risen life, present in us now because Christ is present with us now. Paul F. M. Zaul Dear Friends: On behalf of the staff and board of directors of PADS of Elgin, Inc., thank you for your continued, generous support of this organization. Sincerely, Dennis Hewitt Executive director Thank you members and friends of Zion for your kind words, prayers and cards concerning my mother's passing on January 22. We were most blessed to have her with us for almost 86 years. She left a wonderful legacy of love and family which remains to give us comfort and support. She particularly loved her Lutheran church family of which you are all a special part! We truly appreciate your caring friendship. Jeff Grosser and family Thrivent Choice Dollars Thrivent Financial is a non-profit financial institution for Lutherans and other denominations. If you are a member, you may qualify for Thrivent Choice Dollars. These are dollars based on your insurance premiums and investments that you may direct to participating charitable organizations. We are a participating organization. Over the past two years, we have received over $4000 from these choice dollars which helps us meet our ministry expenses. If you have designated your choice dollars to Zion, thank you! If you have Thrivent investments or insurance, please consider designating your funds to us or other vital Lutheran ministries. One should never initiate anything that he cannot saturate with prayer. Anonymous Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime. Martin Luther Financial Report January Income Expenses General $12,578 $18,004 Building Fund $762 $30,425

4 PAGE 4 6 MARCH 2016 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 04:30 District Mtg 13 Newsletter Articles Due Daylight Time Begins :30 AM-Sunrise Scv 7 06:30 Bryn- Overflow 14 06:00 Lodge Mtg (LL) 21 07:00 SWAN 28 06:00 Lodge Mtg (LL) 1 05:30 08:00 AA 8 05:30 08:00 AA 15 05:30 08:00 AA 22 05:30 08:00 AA 29 06:00 AM- Sunrise Svc 05:30 08:00 AA 2 05:00 Praise Team 06:00 Choir 6:45 Lenten Class 07:00 AA 07:30 Evening Prayer 9 06:00 Praise Team 06:00 Choir 06:45 Lenten Class 07:00 AA 07:30 Evening Prayer 16 06:00 Praise Team 06:00 Choir 06:45 Lenten Class 07:00 AA 07:30 Evening Prayer 23 06:00 Praise Team 07:00 Choir 07:00 AA 30 06:00 Praise Team 07:00 Choir 07:00 AA :30 Catechism 17 St. Patrick's Day 05:00 Head Start Party 24 07:30 Maundy Thur Svc :30 Good Friday Svc 5 09:30 AM-Prayer Shawl 04:00 Spaghetti Dinner 06:00 Wright -Library 08:00 AA 12 08:00 AA Set Clocks Ahead Before Going to Bed 19 08:00 AA 26 08:00 AA

5 PAGE 5 If you have concerns or joys to share, please call the church office at and press 2 to place a request on the prayer line. Bible readings for March Join the Prayer Team You are hereby called to be a miracle worker! Would you like your prayer to become more intentional? Join the prayer chain and become a part of a world wide community of caring. Come see our God answer prayer. Just Tim Fraas at Paladin @aol.com and join the team! Easter Flowers As part of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, we decorate the sanctuary with flowers that signify the announcement that Christ is risen. Tulips and lilies trumpet the news that the tomb is empty. If you d like to donate flowers for Easter, watch the bulletin for a handout to check what you d like to give and also state if the flowers you give are in honor or memory of anyone special. This year's flowers are red or yellow tulips or white lilies and will cost $10 per plant. Refreshments and Flowers Sunday is always enhanced by the presence of flowers for beauty and refreshments for encouraging fellowship. These are donated by people sometimes just because sometimes to honor or celebrate a special occasion. We are in need of refreshments and flowers for many Sundays in the year ahead. Signup sheets are in the Overflow Space. March 6 Psalm 89:1-4 Mark 12:28-44 (sermon text) March 13 Psalm 102:12-17 Mark 13:1-8, (sermon text) March 20 Palm Sunday Psalm 118:25-29 Mark 14:3-9 (sermon text) March 27 Easter Psalm 118:21-27 Mark 16:1-8 (sermon text) April 3 Acts 1:1-14 (sermon text) Mark 6:7-13x March Altar Guild MARCH VERSE OF THE MONTH (Jesus said): you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30-31 Jeanne Meyer Bev Breskovich Sheryl Flores Carol Anderson

6 PAGE 6 REDUCE: One of the four "Rs" For the past few weeks at adult education Zion has been discussing, "simplifying." Simplify" is not a synonym of reduce, but certainly encompasses it. The best form of waste minimization is to REDUCE what we consume; products, fuel, electricity, water. Everything we have is made of substance either extracted from the earth or farmed from it. Perhaps a good Lenten resolution would be to buy or take only as much as we need and thereby save the natural resources that God has given us for our use and enjoyment. In that way we can ensure that, our children and their children for many generations, here and around the globe can sing the words of the psalmist, "O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions -- Ps. 124:24 Spaghetti Fundraiser Dinner March 5 th Each year we have enjoyed the work of many volunteers who put together one of the most impressive church sponsored dinner events in the area. With a full range of soups, breads, salads, pasta, sauces and meats; people are able to come and enjoy a great meal in a great environment. Then, to top it all off there are delicious desserts to complete the dinner. The fellowship hall is transformed into an Italian Café with checked tablecloths, sauce cans, plants, lights and more. This dinner is an annual event with a free will offering being taken. Reviews for this are always 5-stars so invite your friends and help make this event a success once again! Lutheran Social Services to Benefit from Spaghetti Dinner April 8 Food and Spirituality 7-9 April 16 Zumbathon 11-2:30 April 30 Spring Work Day May 7 Spring Work Day #2 May 29 Summer Worship Schedule begins June 10 & 11 Synod Assembly June 12 Church picnic July 9 Feed My Starving Children Volunteering 9-11 October 8 Fall Work Day November 19 - Feed My Starving Children Volunteering 11:30 1:30 November 20 Congregational Meeting Every year we give at least 10% of the offerings from the Spaghetti Dinner to another charity or ministry. Lutheran Social Services, the largest social service provider in the state, has had to cut 43% of its staff due to the state budget impasse that has meant over $6 million in unreimbursed expenses from the state of Illinois. As an important partner in our ministry, council has selected them to receive funds from this year s offering, doubles the amount we will give to 20% and will also have an extra basket for you to add more to this fund. SUNDAY SCHEDULE 8:30 a.m. Worship/ Holy Communion 9:45 a.m. Sunday 10:00 a.m. Adult Education 10:45 a.m. Worship/ Holy Communion