Zion Messenger. July and August 2017

Transcription

1 Zion Messenger Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church 100 West Main Street Hummelstown, PA website: July and August 2017 An elevator speech is the pitch that you give to quickly and simply define a person, profession, product, service, organization or event and its value. So, if you were asked to describe why you are a Christian a Lutheran Christian that is what would you say? Lutherans aren t known for giving elevator speeches. We are often the group that shudders in the corner of an elevator should an evangelical ask, Are you saved? The reality is, we need to start living out the evangelical part of our name: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Lutherans can no longer be the passive group that hangs out a sign with a quippy saying expecting folks to come in: Church is like fudge sweet with a few nuts! For Home Improvement Bring the Family to Church! We are not Dairy Queen but we have Great Sundays! And denominational loyalty has long gone by the wayside. No longer are young adults following their parents denominational affiliation. So what are we to do about the downward spiral of decreasing attendance and increasing gray haired worshippers? Change! Ugh! There is that nasty six letter word that we Lutherans don t like! Change Change CHANGE! But change is necessary for living organisms to LIVE and congregations are living organisms. The reality is, we don t know the words to use to tell others why we believe in God. Really, who wants to hear the Apostles Creed? It s all past-tense. We need a present tense elevator speech that speaks of a living, active God, ever-present in our lives. The Rev. Dave Daubert, guest speaker at the 2017 Assembly of the Lower Susquehanna Synod, talked about the need for Lutherans to change and, he offered an elevator speech for us to learn so that we can be the evangelicals that Martin Luther envisioned. Here is his suggestion: We believe that as hard as we try, God is too awesome for us to get to. And that s good news, because we can stop trying. We receive love as a gift the costly love of the crucified and risen Christ who comes to us again and again with a greeting of peace. Because God has been gracious with us, we refuse to write anyone off. Freed by this love, we find meaning and purpose by sharing this love in our homes, our work and the world around us. How s that for getting started? Are you willing to practice saying these words to tell others about your belief in God and why you continue to believe in the God who loves us and comes to us with grace upon grace? There s no time like the present to begin to change and the elevator speech is a good start! Sharing the good news, Pastor Lois Van Orden 1

2 Worship News Summer Worship Service of Holy Communion through September 3, :30 am Lutheran Light Music Liturgy 10:45 am Intergenerational Sunday School Pentecost 4 (Lectionary 13) July 2 Vacation Bible School Join us to hear what the children learned in the past week at VBS. Journeying with God We are following the scripture readings from the semi-continuous lectionary that is offered as an alternative to the Revised Common Lectionary. Join us to follow the stories of the patriarchs of Genesis, their journeys physical, emotional and spiritual. Consider how these journeys relate to our journey with God. July 9 - Pentecost 5 Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, Marriage of Isaac and Rebekah July 16 - Pentecost 6 Genesis 25:19-34 Esau sells his birthright to Jacob July 23 - Pentecost 7 Genesis 28:10-19a Jacob s dream of the ladder July 30 - Pentecost 8 Genesis 29:15-28 Leah and Rachel, Jacob s wives August 6 - Pentecost 9 Genesis 32:22-31 Jacob receives God s blessing August 13 - Pentecost 10 Genesis 37:1-4, Joseph sold by his brothers August 20 - Pentecost 11 Genesis 45:1-15 Joseph reconciles with his brothers August 27 - Pentecost 12 Exodus 1:8 2:10 Pharaoh s daughter takes Moses in September 3 - Pentecost 13 Exodus 3:1-15 God calls Moses 2

3 Music Ministry Christian Education Ministry News from Council President, Peggy Wilson: It is with great joy that the Congregation Council announces the new Minister of Music, Susan Wood. God blessed us with many gifted candidates but Susan stood out as the one to continue the music ministry shaped by Sally Cummins for the past 13 years. I know that when Sally announced her retirement we all took a nervous breath, but when we trust in the Holy Spirit wonderful things come our way. This is one of those times! Susan comes to us with a broad base of educational and practical experience as a church musician. She grew up in a liturgical church, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Harrisburg. In her adult years, Susan served at St. Stephen's as the leader for vocal and instrumental music for Celtic Eucharist services. Susan will leave ten years of service as organist/choir director at Christ United Methodist Church, Jacobus, to join the staff at Zion. She will continue in the part-time position as associate director and accompanist for the York Symphony Chorus/Chamber Singers which she has held for the past ten years. Educational studies include a minor in organ and vocal music at Syracuse University with a major in broadcast journalism. Graduate studies at Towson University focused on environmental sciences and on health science at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Susan has experience with adult and children choirs, bell choirs and instrumental ensembles. She looks forward to working with the musical groups at Zion and the variety of music that we offer in worship to the glory of God. Let us welcome Susan as she begins a new venture with us in July to build a lasting relationship as our new Minister of Music. The Christian Education Committee is planning God s Work. Our Hands service day on Rally Day, September 10, 2017, during the Sunday School hour. The project this year is assembling school kits for Lutheran World Relief (LWR). Donations of school supplies are requested. As you shop for school supplies, please follow these directions: Give new items only. No religious symbols, messages or the name of the church on any items. No items with a U.S. flag, patriotic or military symbols, or references to the armed forces, including camouflage. School supplies (again, please follow these guidelines or we will not be able to use the donation): 70 sheet notebooks of wide or collegeruled paper; no loose-leaf paper (Go to Wal-Mart or Staples for $.17 notebooks.) Need 4 notebooks per school kit. 30-centimeter rule, or a ruler with centimeters on one side and inches on the other. Pencil sharpener Pair of blunt scissors (safety scissors with embedded steel blades are okay). UNSHARPENED #2 pencils with erasers. Black or blue ballpoint pens (no gel ink). Box of 16 or 24 crayons. 2 1/2 inch eraser. Cash donations may be made to offset the cost of backpacks (please do not bring in backpacks). Note on your check LWR School Kits. Place your donations in the box in the narthex and THANK YOU! 3

4 Council News The Congregation Council met on Thursday, June 15, A summary of major actions and progress reports is provided in this column. ELCA Mission Investment Fund (MIF) Presentation by Regional Manager, Gerry Lauro. Gerry described the purpose of the MIF to lend money to congregations for missional work and to support congregations with capital campaigns and repayment plans. MIF loans do not include an application fee and interest rates are competitive with the market. There is no penalty for early payback. A loan from the MIF is one of three tools to help congregations move forward with projects (the other two being cash on hand and a capital campaign). Gerry stated that congregations can easily raise 1.5 times the annual giving for a capital campaign. We have $200,000 cash on hand to use for this project; one-third of the estimated cost. Gerry also expressed a very high confidence factor qualifying us for a loan. Treasurer's Report - Lynn Knepp provided a written report with verbal explanations. Pastor's Report Pastor Van Orden presented a written report with action: *Request to approve the Zion Music Ministry designation of the Edna Moyer Memorial Fund in the amount $ Council approved the request. *Approve the recommendation of the Musician Search Committee to hire Susan Wood as the Minister of Music. *Rich Weiss provided a summary of the 2017 Synod Assembly. Property Committee - *Approved ductless air conditioning for the Demey Library and four offices/children s library in the amount $11, under contract with Hummelstown Fuel Oil. *Discussion about the use of the Hoffer Trust monies resulted in tabling this item for a future meeting. Youth Advisory Committee *Council consensus for the church to pay the same amount for nonmember youths as for member youths, keeping within the annual budget for such events (i.e., ALiVE event). Other Committees The following committees submitted written reports; no action required: Christian Education Committee Worship & Music Committee The Evangelism Committee met on June 13 but did not submit a written report. The following committees did not meet this past month; therefore, no report: Communications Committee Kitchen Committee Social Ministry Committee Stewardship Committee Youth Advisory Committee Membership News Commended to God s Eternal care on May 31, 2017, Dorothy L. M. Huffman (member), who died May 24, Funeral service at Trefz-Bowser Funeral Home. on June 9, 2017, Myrl H. Daniels (member), who died June 2, Graveside service at Gravel Hill Cemetery, Palmyra. Received by Affirmation of Baptism on June 4, 2017, Pentecost Sunday, four youth were received into confirmed membership: Ryan T. Bastian Josalyn J. Byers Kayla Anne P. Pedersen Alex D. Waxmonsky 4

5 Outreach Ministries God s Church does not have a mission. God s mission has a church. Darrel Guder Hummelstown Food Pantry is looking for these food donations: Coffee Hamburger Helper Instant boxed potatoes Cake/brownie mix Frosting Rice/pasta side dishes Regular spaghetti pasta Thank you for all of your donations throughout the year! Zion s Men s Group Thursday, July 13, 7:00 pm & Thursday, August 10, 7:00 pm Demey Library CENTRAL PA BLOOD DRIVE Will be held on Sunday, August 20, 2017 from 7:45 11:30 am in Leatherman Hall. Donors are greatly needed and walk-ins are welcome. Signup sheets will be passed around during worship services in July. 5

6 Synod News 6

7 Youth Ministry Summer to do List July 07.15, 9am 12noon Car Wash & Bake Sale Come out & help raise money for ZYG , 6:30-7:30 pm Volleyball at St Peter s Please note the change in time: 6:30-7:30. August 08.13, 1-3 pm Swim Party at Alicia s Let s celebrate the end of summer together. Friends are welcome! 08.27, 6:30-7:30 pm Volleyball at St Peter s Please note the change in time: 6:30-7:30. Check out our webpage where you can see pictures of us being us, get a sneak peek at our upcoming events/calendar and see what makes ZYG so awesome!! Middle Schoolers Watch your mailbox in August for information on ALiVE; a weekend retreat just for middle school youth. ALiVE will be held at Camp Nawakwa. Friends are welcome!! MINIS = grades 2 nd - 5 th ZYG = grades 6 th - 12 th ZYG SR HIGH = 9 th - 12 th 7

8 JULY CALENDAR 8

9 AUGUST CALENDAR 9

10 Zion Messenger Summer Worship Services of Holy Communion through September 3, 2017 One worship service at 9:30 am The Rev. Lois K. Van Orden, Interim Pastor Church Office: (717) Office Hours Monday Thursday 8:00 am 3:30 pm Website: Facebook: September Newsletter Deadline is: Thursday, August 17, 2017 Send all articles to: 5 th Sunday Offering Envelopes for July 30 Designated for the Lutheran Camping Corporation. Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church 100 W. Main Street Hummelstown, PA July & August 2017 If you would like to receive the newsletter by , please call the church office at (717)