ZION News February A,A monthly publication of Zion Lutheran Church

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1 1216 West 8th St - Davenport IA (563) ziondavenport.org ZION News February A,A monthly publication of Zion Lutheran Church Vol Issue 2 Zion continues to Reach out in Love with a Brown Bag Take-Out Community Dinner Wednesday, Feb. 18th 6:00 6:30pm This month s meal falls on Ash Wednesday, so rather than the usual sit down meal, we will serve a light take-out supper consisting of a sandwich, a piece of fruit and a dessert. We will be scheduling time on that day to put sandwiches together and fill bags. Talk to Janine Johnson, Neighborhood & Outreach Ministries Director, to see how YOU can help that day. LENT Begins February 18th with Ash Wednesday Worship at 7:00pm February 5, 2015 with Holy Communion & Imposition of Ashes and continue each week through March 25th with mid-week worship at 7:00pm. Please plan to make this mid-week time/opportunity to pause and reflect more deeply on the compassion and unconditional, complete love of God through the selflessness of Christ that is ever-present in our lives. Welcome, Thanks, and Well done! to our Zion Council At our Annual Meeting, Zion elected the following to serve terms on Council: Matt Engstrom Welcome aboard, Matt, as you join our Council members still serving terms: Steve Howland, Carole Feeney, Carrie Trenkamp, Mark Meyer, Kathy Morris, and Roxeann Ford We also extend a deep thanks to outgoing Council member Jon Flynn, who finished his term at the end of Lenten SIMPLE SUPPERS with Global Emphases As we approach Lent, we seek to immerse ourselves in Jesus love for all people and His calling to us to follow Him. One way we hope to do this is to have simple meals in fellowship with one another, and to identify ourselves with our global neighbors near and far. On the five Wednesdays during Lent, we will have simple meals for all who wish to partake. Four of the meals will mirror those in developing countries, and one will represent a low-income family meal in the U.S. Focus regions for our meals are: Feb Caribbean (Haiti, Cuba, Dominican Republic) Mar. 4 - East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique) Mar The West Bank Mar Central America Mar Locally We are asking groups/families sponsor preparing & serving a meal. Recipes will be provided. Freewill offerings received will go toward world hunger.

2 Zion News monthly - February W. 8th St - Davenport IA page 2 From the Pastor... Dawn is in sight! Gone is the night, drawn to the light and the morning. Glorious and bright, oh, what a sight to be drawn to the light of God. (ELW #593) The month of February includes both the season of Epiphany and Lent. This hymn bridges the two seasons in its first verse, Just when we thought all would be lost, we were drawn to the light of God. Our Lenten disciplines may lead us to the darkness of whatever in our life needs to be transformed. Our time of reflection and confession may feel as if we are lost. But the Epiphany part of God is the light that has already found us. Through the waters of baptism we are drawn into the light of God made known through Jesus Christ. In these dark days and nights of winter we long for the sun light that nourishes our bodies and souls. Because of the promise in Jesus Christ we can be certain the light, that not only nourishes, but transforms us, has been born into the world and is to be spread throughout the world, through our lives. We can be confident, in our darkness, that God does not leave us there. We are never alone in our life in Christ. When we gather for worship or learning, when we meet as council or prayer group, when we sit with our aging parents, or our developing children, we are drawn into the glorious and bright light of God. What a sight that is! No matter what season the church celebrates we give thanks for the dawn, that the night is gone, and that we are drawn into the light of God, through life in Christ. We can be confident, in our darkness, that God does not leave us there. We are never alone in our life in Christ. Lenten Midweek Worship: Prayer Around the Cross Ash Wednesday, February 18, 7:00 p.m. will begin our Lenten season and will include our usual imposition of ashes and Holy Communion. The rest of our midweek services will be held on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m., in the sanctuary, immediately following our Lenten meals in the Fellowship Hall, at 6:00 p.m. The structure of the service each week will follow the Holden Prayer Around the Cross service. We will hear scriptures, pray, have short times of silence, sing, and light a candle around the cross. The music will include short, repeated refrains that help facilitate prayer. The Bible passage that shapes each service is Psalm 46. The candles will assist our meditation. Each of these tools can be an example of how to create devotional time at home. During the Lenten season we are invited into a time of reflection on our life in Christ, repentance for all that keeps from a life in Christ, and rejoicing for the life that Jesus Christ offers us. Let us join together around the cross to worship and reflect on that life. Baptized into... Welcome to the body of Christ! On the celebration of our Lord s baptism, January 11th, we celebrated the baptisms of Pastor Karen Ullestad Hannah DeRiemacker We pray that she will know God s grace and love through her family at Zion. New Life!

3 Zion News monthly - February W. 8th St - Davenport IA page 3 February Christian Learning & Fellowship SUNDAY SCHOOL 'SCOOP' Ash Wednesday begins this Lenten season on February 18 and we are planning a special project during this Lenten season. The Sunday School will be participating with the congregation, being part of the fabric of God. Be sure to watch for more information on this. We continue to build on our efforts to keep our children safe at Zion, and ask you to remember to sign your children in at the beginning of Sunday School in the Narthex and to pick them up and sign them out in Fellowship Hall. We are always seeking leaders for our SPARK Sunday school lessons. Please consider signing up on the sheets posted on the bulletin board across from the office. We, the SPARK Team, are here to assist you! And for Adults FaithTalks Sunday mornings at 10:15 in the Chapel Feb. 1: A Conversation on Bullying: A look at the dynamics of bullying and intervention strategies. Facilitated by our own Anthony Howland, who has presented on this topic both on the state and national levels. Join us as we explore this subject that affects many both young and old. Feb. 8: Your Life. Your Legacy. A discussion of end of life planning. Presenter: Crystal Crayne, Outreach Coordinator at Runge Mortuary. Feb. 15: TBA Feb. 22: Claimed, Gathered, Sent: A Guide for Conversation. This 5-week conversation will explore the question: How do we make a difference by being the church together? with a focus on Presiding Bishop Eaton s emphases for the ELCA: We are church. We are Lutheran. We are church together. We are church for the sake of the world. Facilitator: Janine Johnson. Sunday-Morning Fellowship T.G.I.S. (Thank-God-It s-sunday!) In the Lounge 9:45-10:45am The coffee pot & tea kettle are on, the treats are de-lish, and the conversation friendly and casual. Taste, see, and hear that the Lord is good! (or grab your goodies on your way to the Chapel for FaithTalk!) For the SPARK Team: Laurie Harrison Called Together in Mission (CTIM) Confirmation News 7th & 8th grade Confirmation students will continue to meet with Pastor Karen at 6:30pm, prior to Lenten midweek services on Feb. 25 March 25, to prepare for our part in worship at 7:00pm each week. Remember that ASH WEDNESDAY Worship begins our Lenten journey, Feb. 18th at 7:00pm. Until then we ll see YOU in church! The synod's annual all- day- conference to equip leaders in the church will be held March 14th, 9:00a 3:00p at First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids C.T.I.M. is an annual event sponsored by the Southeast Iowa Synod as part of the Commission for Evangelical Mission. This year s theme is People of the Spirit Professor Troy Troftgruben, from Wartburg Seminary is the keynote speaker followed by a series of workshops that will ignite and empower us for action as we are led by the Spirit. The cost is $20. Please let the church office know if you are interested so that we can register together and carpool.

4 Zion News monthly - February W. 8th St - Davenport IA page 4 Janine's Jottings... Neighborhood & Community Outreach THANK YOU to all who gave so generously to the Angel Tree. Your gifts of hats, mittens and scarves will be very helpful to the children of Monroe and Jefferson Schools during these upcoming cold winter days. Your thoughtfulness and caring is much appreciated by the students and staff of both these neighborhood schools. February Community Dinner: As our community meal falls on Ash Wednesday we will be doing something different. On Wednesday February 18 from 6:00-6:30pm we will be distributing a simple Take Out bag meal rather than the usual sit down meal. The meal will consist of a sandwich, a piece of fruit and a dessert. We will be scheduling time on that day to put sandwiches together and fill bags. More info to come. (If you have questions let me know.) Food Pantry News: Food pantry 2014 wrap up: In 2014 approximately 1,825 visits were made to the pantry serving 6,524 individuals. Food was picked up from the River Bend Food Bank about once every 4 weeks with the help of both Zion members and student athletes from St Ambrose University. Zion you have been and continue to be faithful compassionate servants to our community. Continued volunteer opportunities at the pantry: Pantry hours are Monday and Thursday 3:30-5:00. Remember to sign up on the bulletin board across from the office. If you haven't volunteered before there are always people ready and willing to show you the ropes. Come and join us. Zion s Neighborhood Ministry Team will not meet in February. The W rappers Prayer Shawl Group will be going on a winter hiatus the next couple of months. We ll see about regrouping in the Spring. With the beginning of the new year it seems appropriate to provide a brief review of a few of the Dedicated/special Funds that are part of Zion s financial report. It is helpful to note that these funds are given by individuals/ families to be used by particular ministries of Zion and are not part of the general budget. This article highlights the Food Pantry, the Brown Bag and Zion People Funds, the EPIC and General Scholarship funds and the Campership Fund. The Food Pantry fund is a dedicated fund which provides short term emergency food assistance to people experiencing food insecurity. In 2014 the pantry served an average of 152 households per month benefiting over 540 individuals each month. The cost of running the pantry per month is approximately $2, The pantry is open Monday and Thursday 3:30-5:00 and always welcomes new volunteers. The 2015 offering envelopes provide a line for giving directly to the pantry. Two funds that reach out to those in financial need both in the community and within our Zion family are the Brown Bag and Zion People Funds. These two funds provide Zion with the opportunity to help those in a crisis with rental or utility assistance. The Brown Bag Fund is used to assist community members and to purchase supplies for the Sharing Kitchen. The Zion People Fund assists members of our Zion congregation. In 2014 there were 12 requests for assistance and funds were available to assist 6 households; 3 were community families and 3 had family connections to Zion. The next category assists our youth as they go forward with their education after high school. This fund has 2 separate grant areas--the EPIC and the General. The EPIC scholarship assists students attending ELCA colleges; the money awarded to these students is matched $1.00 for $1.00 by the school. The General scholarship provides help to our students attending community college or other accredited colleges/universities. For the academic year Zion received 5 requests and was able to fund all. 2 students received grants from the EPIC and 3 from the General scholarship funds. The final highlighted area is the Campership fund. Over the past few years this fund has seen little use. (This fund was used more extensively during the years Zion youth were going to Confirmation camp.) The intent of this fund is to provide some financial support to all families whose children and youth are going to camp. In 2014 there were no requests for funds and in 2013 only 1 request was made and given. As a church family we want our children and youth and their families to know we support the fun and learn that takes place at camp. We are able to do this through prayer and financial support. (Please remember to let the office know when your children and youth are going to camp whether church camp, scout camp, sport camp or another other camp.) All of these dedicated funds as well as the others enhance both our lives together and our ability to reach out to our local community and the world. Thank you to all for sharing your time and talents with each other and the community. God's Peace. Janine

5 Zion News monthly - February W. 8th St - Davenport IA page 5 For Our Seniors... Sweet, heartfelt Birthday Wishes to these Zion Seniors who will celebrate in February! O.W.L. s (Older Wiser Lutherans) 2/02 2/06 2/09 2/15 2/18 2/19 2/21 2/22 2/22 of hibernating and will venture out on Thursday, Feb. 26th for our first get-together of We ll be doing our favorite - - LUNCH of course - - at the (Happy) Joe s Grille on W.Locust St in Davenport at 11:30am [the old Chef s Hat]. Bring your favorite valentine and come out for fun! Charles Dau 2/25 Barbara Grady Dianne Guerrero 2/28 Mike DeBruyn Walter Smith Jean Shepherd Carole Feeney Lisa Zosulis Barbara Tams Sharon Lorenzen Ruth (93!) and Ray Sterner Mother Nature had us fooled with such a mild December, but January/February are being quite up-front weather-wise. Regardless, the Zion OWLs are tired Please let Grace Haller ( ) or Kathy Longlett ( ) to let us know you re coming. Music Notes... On Palm Sunday, March 29 at 4:00pm, Zion will host the Quad City Singers directed by Lori Potts, choral director at North Scott High School. The concert will also feature our Zion Adult Choir and Adult Bells. This is a don t miss concert. Mark your calendars. More Music Notes We are seeking special music contributors for our Lenten Midweek services. Sign up across from the Zion office. Stewardship News: WE Are GOD s FAMILY If one reads advice columns regularly, one can feel that the people of the world feel alone, disconnected, and depressed. However, our lives, centered in and loved by God, need never be that way. That fact is one of the important blessings that may move us to an attitude of gratitude. John Donne, English poet, said No man is an island. By that he meant that we are all interconnected; everything that we think, say and do affects everyone else on this earth. St. Paul makes the same point from another line of thought. He believes that our baptism makes us a part of the family of God, children and true heirs to the kingdom. As a part of the family, we are never truly alone; we belong to God and to each other. We are a part of one faith, one hope, one vision for how life should be lived on this earth. During our Lenten season, starting February 22, we will have an opportunity to consider and experience the many ways that we are a part of our individual families, the family of Zion, the family of the world and work, and the family of God. We will experience through the metaphor of fabric how all of us are a part of the spinning, weaving, cutting and shaping, part of the finished whole, essential and needed by all those we know and by many that we do not know. Before or after worship, during the passing of the peace, during the offertory, or on your way back from receiving Communion you will be invited to the big board under the organ balcony. There will be a piece of woven material that will represent the fabric of God. The first week you will be invited to place your name on a piece of fabric, because we are all daughters and sons of God. The second week we will include where we are in the world, ex. McKinley school, or John Deere, because what we do in our everyday lives is part of the fabric of God. The third week we will write the name of someone who has been a blessing to us. Week four, who we have blessed using God s gifts, and during the final week we will consider how God is asking us to use our gifts and blessings in a new way. We hope you will celebrate and appreciate the richness of all these connections with the human family and come to an even greater realization of the blessings that we give to others and receive from others in the world.

6 Zion News monthly - February W. 8th St - Davenport IA page 6 Small Groups and Such... Morning Book Review Zion Men s Group The date: Monday, Feb. 16th The time: 9:00am The place: Zion s Lounge The Zion Men s group (ALL welcome!) will meet on Saturday, Feb. 21st at 8:00am at the Hickory Gardens restaurant in Davenport. The book: Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard A tale of madness, medicine and the murder of President James A. Garfield. A man born into poverty rose to become a scholar, war hero, and renowned reformist congressman. Then, after four months in office, he was shot in the back. The shot didn t kill him, but ALL men are welcome to join in this monthly morning of breakfast, fellowship, and brief Bible study led by Tom Handlen or one of the regulars of the group. Join us - bring a friend! All are welcome to these monthly book discussions. Give Anita Hagen a call if you are interested in coming to the group and have any questions. Or simply join us on the 176h! Feel free to call Tom if you have questions or are interested in coming for the first time. Availability: We are using Books in a Box from the Library. Check with Anita to see if there is one available; otherwise check local libraries & used book stores. The Sharing Kitchen Zion prepares and serves a simple meal every second Saturday of Feb., April, June, August, October, and December. (THANKS to Lydia Women s Circle for taking care of Feb. 14th :) Cooking begins in the Zion kitchen at 3:30pm; servers meet at Zion at 5:15pm, and we transport & serve the food at the Salvation Army Family Shelter, just blocks away. We invite all to step up and sign up (at the Office glass wall). Talk to Janine Johnson if you have any questions about this ministry. Pastor Ginger Anderson-Larson marks 30 years of Ordination Pastor Ginger served Zion She left Zion to be a part of the Wartburg Seminary staff, and has since returned to congregational life as pastor of Zion Lutheran, Wyoming IA and St. John Lutheran, Olin IA. Zion-Wyoming has the privilege of celebrating Pastor Ginger s 30th Ordination anniversary on Sunday, Feb. 22, with worship at Zion-Wyoming at 8:30am, worship at St.John-Olin at 10:30am, and a celebration lunch at Zion-Wyoming at 12:15pm. All are invited to attend if able. If not, greetings may be sent to Pastor Ginger Anderson-Larson 1213 Crane Court Monmouth IA ATTENDANCE in JANUARY Jan. 4 Jan. 11 Jan. 18 Jan (snow!!) Figures & Financial Facts Reg./Budget giving: January 2015 = $ 18, (January 2015 Expenses) (21,250.84) Current month status $ (3,230.71) General Fund 1/31/15 FOOD PANTRY Fund Bal. 1/31/15 $ 22, $ 1, Thanks be to God. With an attitude of gratitude! Attn: THRIVENT Members! Remember you can make Zion your Choice. Just check to see if you have any Choice Points, convert them to Choice Dollars and designate that they go to Zion. You can call Thrivent at , or go online to Thrivent.com