Campaign News #1 April 2017 It s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving, Mother Teresa Picture of new building addition Fifty years ago a group of Zion members had a vision to move FORWARD IN FAITH. That vision became our current school building. Today we are excited to move ONWARD IN FAITH. The plan is to enlarge our current facility and add some much needed space to accommodate our thriving school. We are honored to be directing this Capital Campaign. Our goal is that each of you prayerfully consider what your sacrificial gift will be. It is our hope that, together, we will reach our goal and immeasurably more! Let s all move ONWARD IN FAITH! - Nancy Hyam & Susie Gartner, Campaign Directors Inside this issue: Vision Statement 2 Leadership 3 Who s moving onward Meet Pastor Frith 4 5 No Members Left Behind!!! Are you unsure how to move Onward in Faith? Do you have more questions than answers right now? On Thursday, April 27 from 5-8pm, members of the leadership team will be available to share with you the vision of where this campaign can take us. As we move Onward in Faith, we hope to answer your questions and address any concerns so we can work toward our common goal. Light refreshments will be available as will information regarding construction, LCEF investments and upcoming campaign events. Join us in the Parish Hall for this Onward in Faith Open House so we can all move Onward as one.
Vision Statement Page 2 Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave the Great Commission, Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing... teaching.... For 2,000 years this commission has not changed. The only difference is the who (the people from the many generations), the how they accomplished it by God s guidance, and the where they did so. Our History About 130 years ago, the Commission continued in the rich farm country around Litchfield by a group of German-speaking immigrants and their families as they started a new congregation of Lutherans called Zion. God blessed this work as the church grew and started a school so that its students could hear and live in God s Word daily. Zion built a new building and a school to better fulfill that one mission. A wonderful addition was built in the early 1970 s so that church and school could continue to grow. Now, God has blessed Zion as congregation and school so that more space is needed to help us continue to better fulfill our one constant mission making disciples Our Challenge God has greatly blessed Zion beyond its physical capacity. In the last ten years, our enrollment for Pre-K through 8 th Grade has gone from 85 students, to 130 five years ago, to over 160 today. A few years ago, we began realizing that we were already behind in having adequate space to best continue our ministry. The ECC building is inadequate and major structural improvements are needed. We have had to place limits on class size and have a waiting list for several grades. We even use the Parish Hall as a part-time classroom. Because of the dedication of our staff and our families, we are working with these constraints. However, moving forward, these constraints will have an adverse effect on enrollment and in turn an effect on our ability to teach, and grow our mission. Onward in Faith A Master Plan has been developed to expand facilities so we can better fulfill our Commission. The Phase 1 plan to expand is for five classrooms, additional work space, more bathrooms, and a better entrance for that area of the church and school. This would replace the ECC and give us added classrooms to divide the currently combined grade levels with a cost of about $1.4M. Expansion is a large undertaking but we must remember that this goal is for the sole purpose of enabling us to better fulfill our Commission. To that end, we are blessed to be able to utilize a variety of resources: Laborers for Christ will be used to reduce the anticipated expense by around $100,000. A previous gift, interest only being used now, will mature in 2021 of at least $300,000. Grants are being pursued in amounts totaling a few hundred thousand A $250,000 challenge is given, one dollar given for every two dollars pledged in our capital campaign. We have an awesome challenge ahead of us in building this much-needed addition and receiving the funds for it. What might be a bigger challenge is trusting that God will also continue to bless us to meet this challenge. Remember though, this is not just a building project. Nor is it merely a fund-raising campaign. God s Spirit is at work as we go Onward in Faith - Pastor Fred Kraemer
Principal s Message Page 3 We are Zion. We are a family bound together by faith in Christ Jesus. As families grow, so do their needs. God has been gracious to us and has blessed us with a growing school family, a family that is made up of many children, parents, grandparents, and other relatives. Looking and planning for the future is a wise thing to do. Jeremiah 29:11 says: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. My prayer for Zion is that as we make plans for additional classrooms, new playgrounds, and parking facilities, the Lord will bless those plans. For we, the family of Zion, are growing together for now and eternity. - John M. Schaff Meet our Leadership Team Those that have committed their Time, Talents, and Treasures to serving on the Leadership Team Pastoral Staff Pastor Fred Kraemer Campaign Directors Nancy Hyam & Susie Gartner Campaign Coordinators Marcia Sailsbury & Diane Cohn Communications Directors Abe and Jenny Loveless & Mel and Sharon Cordani Prayer Directors Jami Pryor & Ernie and Jan Thomack Inform Director Jennifer Helgen & Valerie Belusko RSVP Director Bobbe Albers Follow-Up Director Jim Wreath Initial Commitments Directors Ed and Pat Wernsing Friends of the Congregation Mike and Becky Helgen Lead Gifts Directors Jane Martin, Levi Suhrenbrock, Eric Helgen Commitment Celebration Dinner Becky Helgen Youth Emphasis Directors Andy and Jessie Frerichs & Steve and Rhonda Jurgena Children s Emphasis Directors Ceressa Waldrup, Kim Waldrup, Mary Bown School Emphasis Directors Bill and Joyce Bergen (Alumni), Nathan and Jene Clementz (School Family)
See Who s Moving Onward Page 4 Calendar of Events April 25 Leadership Team Meeting, 6:30pm April 26 Special Chapel Service, 8:20am April 27 Open House, 5-8pm April 30 Blessed to be a Blessing play May 4 Prayer Day June 4 Commitment Dinner Calling All Alumni! The Alumni Committee for Zion Lutheran School is looking for names and current addresses of Zion Lutheran School alumni. If you have any living relatives or friends who attended Zion School, even if it was for a short time, please email their names, along with maiden names, and current addresses to jbergen33@hotmail.com or mail to Joyce Bergen, 19 Ridge Dr, Litchfield, IL 62056. Your help in this endeavor is greatly appreciated. Prayer Event SPECIAL CHAPEL SERVICE As our "Onward in Faith" campaign continues to move forward, we invite everyone to attend a special chapel service on Wednesday, April 26. At the conclusion of the service all those in attendance will proceed outside for a time of prayer and singing as we "visualize" what the proposed building project will look like. Chapel begins at 8:20 a.m. and congregation members, school families, and those from the community are invited. - Jami Pryor, Ernie & Jan Thomack Could you lend a hand? God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or can imagine Ephesians 3:20-21 The RSVP team is excited to be part of the commitment of Zion Lutheran Church and School to the future of the children of our community. Do you have a few hours or days to help us ensure that those too shy to respond to Onward in Faith event invitations feel welcome to join us in celebration? If you enjoy phone chats, messaging on Facebook or email, or prefer texts and would like to know more about our team, contact me at balbers@zionlutheranlitchfield.com or leave a message with the school office at 324-3166 and I'll return your call. I look forward to hearing from you.. - Bobbe Albers Inform Team Invites You Zion Lutheran Church 1301 N. State St. Litchfield, IL 62056 (217) 324-3166 "Blessed to be a Blessing" - April 30 A hilarious stewardship play written to show God's love, will be performed by several Zion congregation members at an upcoming potluck. Join us as we meet two friends (Myrna Mae Marginal and Sally Somewhat) as they embark on a test of friendship, love and understanding. Myrna, often complains and has a poor attitude. She doesn't think that God is on her side. Sally, her dear friend, is tired of Myrna's attitude. Go on the adventure with as we watch Sally try to interest Myrna in both church and life! Watch for more details coming soon.
Page 5 Youth Involvement Zion Youth Group has had a busy Spring. The last Soup Supper is on April 5th, and the Easter Breakfast is coming up on Easter Sunday. If you can contribute, look for a sign-up sheet in the hallway. The following week we have the Questioning of our 8th grade confirmands on Friday, April 21st at 7:00 p.m. Confirmation will be Sunday, April 23rd at 10:30. Our Confirmands are Camron Frerichs, Jacob Frerichs, Caleb Jurgena, Chloe Pastrovich, Cara Pence, Zoe San Miguel and MaKenzie Westhoff. All of these confirmands are very active in the youth, so please come and support them. The Zion Youth members are thinking of ways to help with the commitment to the school. Stay tuned! Steve & Rhonda Jurgena Andy & Jessica Frerichs Meet Our LCEF Campaign Consultant Mark serves as Vice President, Ministry Support, of Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF). Helping Christians discover their passion and purpose is a great joy for Mark. Pastor Mark Frith Vice President, LCEF Mark s experience in ministry includes being on staff with Lutheran Hour Ministries; serving as Mission and Stewardship Executive for the Kansas District; and Senior Pastor of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, Olathe, Kansas and Christ the King Lutheran Church, Largo, Florida. Mark has served on the Board of Directors for Storying Discipleship Ministries and Transforming Campus Ministries, a Recognized Service Organization (RSO) of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). One of Mark s great joys has been to coach pastors in their ministries, especially with Transforming Churches Network, another RSO of the LCMS. He holds degrees from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri. Mark and his wife, Leigh, reside in High Ridge, Missouri. They are blessed to be the parents of their adult children, Aaron and Hannah. With a heart for those who don t yet know Jesus, Mark and Leigh serve their neighbors through missional community activity and Bible Storying.