Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Monthly Newsletter
Citation preview
A Word from the Pastor...A Word from the Pastor...
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Budget Update View from the Pew Crossroads Urban Ctr Needs Library Corner
2
Open Council Position RIC Sunday Remembering Downwinders LMS Enrollment
3
Sunday School News Let Me Shine Preschool Ruth Nelson Scholarship Fund Church Council Highlights-Dec.
4
In our prayers Vanco Services Small Groups Family Fun Activity-Alta Skiing Thank You Notes
5
Youth News 6
Calendar 7
A Message from the Treasurer 8
JANUARY, 2014
Let me shine Seventh Annual
VOLUME 12, ISSUE 1
We invite our neighbors to come to the Lord’s table to join us in building up the body of Christ.
MISSION STATEMENT:
Dear Jan and Naomi:
Here we stand in this sea-son of light and love, re-ceiving this Christmas greeting from John, the Gospel writer:
“The light shines in the darkness, and the dark-
ness did not overcome it.”
The light that shines is the very presence of God, shining in and through the Christ Child. Wherever this light shines there is love, because God is love.
Here we stand on this Christmas Eve, not only celebrating how love is born, but celebrating how love is born anew for you and in you through holy marriage. Of course, this is what you already know in your heart of hearts. Today we celebrate blessing, not only for you but through you so that, together, you are a blessing for others.
You see, the scripture from John could also be translated in this way from the Greek: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it.”
In so many ways, our society, our culture and the world around us have been in the dark. We did not understand the gift of light and love. But in your heart of hearts, you knew and embraced the light that shines, a love that shines. And, created in God’s own image, your heart reflected God’s own, proclaiming in your rela-tionship these past 20 years, that “it is not good to be alone.”
Jan and Naomi, thank you, and we give thanks to God for you, for your witness to the light which the darkness cannot always under-stand and shall not over come.
And may the blessing of Almighty God, keep you in God’s own light and life and love and joy and peace, in and through Christ.
Message shared by Pastor Steve Klemz, officiating the marriage of Jan and Naomi on Christmas Eve afternoon.
SUNDAY WORSHIP
SCHEDULE: 8:15 & 10:30 Worship 9:15 Education Hour
Confirmation Sunday
January 12, 2014
10:30am Worship
The Herald Page 2
CROSSROADS URBAN CENTER NEEDS FOR JANUARY:
FOOD OF THE MONTH: Canned fruit
THRIFT STORE NEEDS: Blankets, sleeping bags, men’s & boy’s pants and jackets
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS: Hats & gloves for the homeless
View from the Pew:
As of a week before Christmas, I'm fairly certain that no message I hear this season will affect me quite as much as the words we heard during a mid-December worship
service from David Pascoe, Chaplain of Primary Children's Hospital.
That's not a reflection on Pastor Steve's messages. If anything, it is a compliment to him that he would be wiling to give up an occasional sermon and enable us to hear from someone else. And that experience reinforced the value of a pastor, chaplain and others whose work can profoundly affect people's lives. I'm not trying to be self-effacing here, just observing that few of us have occupations that genuinely make an impact. That's OK. As the judge said in “Caddyshack,” my all-time favorite movie, “Well, the world needs ditch diggers, too.”
Seriously, we don't all have the skill set, training or opportunity to be pastors, chaplains or teachers, but we can make an impact in a couple of ways: By supporting those who are in those roles and by looking for opportunities to help others to whatever extent we can. I hope to do so in 2014.
-Kurt Kragthorpe
Library Corner: The following books have been generously donated to the church library: “The Psalms” by Kathleen Norris “Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bible” by Jonathan Goldstein “A Layman’s Introduction to Christian Thought” by James Kallas “Christian Caregiving—A Way of Life” by Kenneth C. Haugl
Donated in memory of Elaine Fehr: “Viking Patterns for Knitting: Inspiration and Projects for Today’s Knitter” by Elsebeth Lavold
Donated by the Lordon Family: “How Nature Works” by David Burnie
REMEMBER TO RETURN YOUR OVERDUE BOOKS!
The Library Guild meets on Tuesdays at 10:30am in the library. Come and be a part of this Small Group. We welcome any religious and children’s books donated to the church library. When donating, please drop your books into the wooden drop box with a note. Please donate your fiction books to the public library. Thank you!
2013 GENERAL FUND
BUDGET UPDATE
For the month of November, Zion’s weekly envelopes and loose offerings, including one-time gifts spread across the year, amounted to $29,896, compared to our 4-week donation budget of $32,208. This is 93% of the amount needed to balance our budget for this 4-week period. Year-to-date giving is $344,302, including one-time gifts spread across the year. This represents 91% of the funds needed to balance our annual budget, to-date. We praise God for your generosity and pray for a strong Christmas season to allow us to catch up.
Yours in Christ,
Fred Strohacker, Church Council Treasurer
Volume 12, Issue 1 Page 3
Third Annual Day of Remembrance For Downwinders
An Interfaith Service
Monday, January 27, 2014
7:00-8:30pm
Christ United Methodist Church
2375 E 3300 S, Salt Lake City
Music, Prayers & Remembrances
Liturgy offered by Rev. Steve Klemz, Priest Satish Kumar, Rev. Jean Schwien
*Music by Christ United Methodist Musicians
Dick Wunder
This date will mark the 63rd anniversary of the first nuclear weapons test in Nevada. Join us to honor the sacrifices of Downwinders and to give added impetus to the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Sponsored by the Utah Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (UCAN)
January 6, 2014 begins enrollment at Let Me Shine Christian Playschool and Preschool for Zion members, currently enrolled students and siblings. Enrollment forms will be available in the school and church offices as well as on the website: www.letmeshine.org. Priority will be given to currently enrolled families and Zion members.
Enrollment is done on a first come, first serve basis and opens up to the general public on February 3, 2014. Classes fill up quickly, so make sure you get your forms turned in as soon as possible to guarantee your space.
To ZELC Congregation,
We currently have a volunteer opportunity to serve on the ZELC council.
The position is the role of communication representative. The requirements are: a ZELC member; attend evening council meetings every 2nd Monday of the month; lead the communication committee; have current technical talents to lead ZELC in updated communication ventures such as improved web pages, Facebook pages, possible blogs, etc.; ability to help maintain current communication avenues such as phone chains, church directory, email listings; and ability to analyze/research and direct council to where ZELC should be moving to provide the best communication for our congregation and the greater community.
If this is a volunteer role you are qualified and interested in to serve our Lord and church, please contact council president, Jennie Johnson at 801 232 8944 or [email protected].
On Sunday, January 26, Zion will join churches in the Reconciling in Christ (RIC) community, celebrating “Reconciling in Christ Sunday.” This is the day Zion will publicly celebrate its ministry of hospitality and reconciliation as a new RIC congregation. The day’s theme follows Psalm 27, “God is my light and salvation! Whom shall I fear?” The psalmist makes a bold claim: Do not hide in fear’s shadows ‐‐‐ come, live in the light. As a RIC congregation, Zion is a church where people of every sexual orientation and gender identity are welcome to live without fear. Loved and welcomed by God, whom or what, then, shall we fear?
http://www.facebook.com/ZionSLC
The Herald Page 4
God’s blessings and
Happy New Year!
Let Me Shine is back in full swing on January 6, 2014 with a lot of exciting activities planned as we begin the New Year. Please visit us anytime and see the wonderful things happening here!
January 6 also begins enrollment at Let Me Shine Christian Playschool and Preschool for Zion members, currently enrolled students and siblings. Enrollment forms are available in the school and church offices as well as on our website: www.letmeshine.org. Enrollment is done on a first come-first serve basis and opens up to the general public on February 3, 2014. Classes fill up quickly so make sure to get your form turned in as soon as possible to guarantee your space.
In His Service,
Barb Ballif
Barbara Ballif, Director
Welcome back Sunday school!
Hope you all had amazing Christmas
and I am excited to see all your faces again. The Christmas program was wonderful! Our lessons and choir return on Sunday, January 5th. Confirmation Sunday is January 12th this year and after that, our annual Souper Bowl of Caring in early February. Stay posted for details. We are half way thru the school year and I would love to hear from parents, teachers and students. How are you enjoying Sunday school and do you have any suggestions? My email and phone number are below or just catch me in church sometime. God Bless! Nicole and Bob 385.223.2468 [email protected]
Church Council Meeting Highlights—December, 2013
• Motion passed approving the designated 2014 housing allowance for Pastor Klemz at $29,500.00.
• Council approved Pastor's recommendation that the contact person for RIC (Reconciling in Christ) be a member from council, with Doris Mason, serving at this time.
• Council approved the recommendation that ZELC observes Sunday, January 26, 2014 as national RIC Sunday and that a guest ELCA preacher from RIC be invited.
**The Ruth Nelson Scholarship Fund**
The Ruth Nelson Scholarship fund honors the memory of a woman who served Zion for many years as the wife of a pastor and as a contributor to many of the congregation’s activi-ties. Ruth also had a great love for children. The fund is used to support scholarships for deserv-ing students in our Let Me Shine Christian Play-school and Preschool. Your contributions will
help the school to offer more scholarships and will be greatly appreciated. Please place your offering in one of the yellow envelopes in your pew and mark it for “Let Me Shine.”
Page 5
To Zion Lutheran Church, Thank you Zion, for my Christmas gifts!
Thank you David and Diana Robertson for your gracious delivery!
Thank you Lily Scaife for my beautiful stocking and for writing my name on it so Santa will know where my new goodies go!
Thank you for the trail mix (all gone.) Thank you for the chocolate covered peanuts
and Hersey Kisses (working on those.) Thank you, Louis Nelson, for your delicious
home-made hard candy! And thank you for the daily scripture readings
and the tangerine. Lorraine Strohacker Please stop by the bulletin board in the narthex to read more thank you notes from grateful Zion members and friends! Ben & Helen Burnett Memorial Library—We would like to thank Zion Lutheran Church, especially Verna Hanson and Tracy Hackworth, for the beautiful new library sign honoring our parents. Mom worked very hard to honor Dad and make the library a welcoming place. She would have been so pleased and very honored to have both their names on the library. Again, thank you very much. The Burnett Family Lorna & Martin Burnett, Julia & Dan Durr, Fay Fenske, Benita Ballif.
A BIG THANK YOU for the WONDERFUL, GENEROUS gi s!! We are so grateful! What a generous gi card, and the expensive knife set, made in Germany, Wow!! It's be er than we ever expected. Thank you. What a nice stocking made for Eva, too. I love how the picture of the girl who made it came with it :) Sincerely, Angela & Kris Leirfallom
On behalf of our incredible staff in Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, “thank you for your generous financial offerings for staff Christmas gifts.”
Pastor Steve Klemz
IN OUR PRAYERS:
In the name of Christ, we prayerfully entrust to God our sisters and brothers: for healing with Eva
Krista Leirfallom, Millie Erdman, John Krehbiel, Marie Newton, Chris Hardy, Brenda Chambers, June King.
Electronic Giving through Vanco Services. If you are interested in signing up for this service for your weekly/monthly giving, please contact the church office 801-582-2321 or [email protected] for the form. An important aspect to the running of the church is consistent giving. Through Vanco Services, giving is made easy with no checks to remember!
Don't be left out in the old. Join a Small Group.
For more information, contact Dave & Diana Robertson [email protected] / 801-750-4515.
Family Fun Activity-Ski After 3 Come and join your Zion family on Sunday, January 19 from 3-4:30 PM at Alta’s “Ski After 3” program. This program allows skiers to use the Cecret, Sunnyside and Albion lifts for $10 (or $5 if you already have a reloadable Alta ticket of any kind). These lifts provide skiing for all abilities and levels. We will meet at 2:45 PM at Alta in the area between Albion Grill and the ticket window. Drinks and light snacks will be provided in the seating area of the Albion Grill. If you have any questions or would like to RSVP, please contact Angie Reuschel at [email protected] or cell 801-712-9584 or home 801-565-9015. Hope to see you there!
Volume 12, Issue 1
Page 6 The Herald YOUTH News
Contact: Lisa Mensinger, Director of Youth Ministries at (801-582-2321) or email: [email protected]
Homeless Youth Resource Center—Update
January Events
Over 6 weeks ago, the HYRC served breakfast, lunch & dinner 5 days a week for homeless youth between the age of 15-24 years old. After one federal grant was cut by $60,000, the center has had to reduce their services and number of staff. This meant since the middle of October, the center has only served lunches. On December 5th the HYRC asked Zion if they could provide a meal for Friday night and thanks to Matt Parker, Mack Mensinger & Lisa we made it possible. The clients were so happy to have warm food in their bellies.
Do you want to help? Besides donations of hand warmers, winter coats, bus tokens, canned food & men’s pants, you can help by providing meals on Friday night or sack dinners that youth can take with them on the nights the center isn’t open for dinners. See Lisa Mensinger for more details.
FCT—Prayer Idea
WIRED/ZYG
WORD OF THE DAY
Needed Items: Paper, empty jar, pens. Preparation: Have each person write down 5-6 things that you are thankful for. You will need to come up with a total of 31 things to thank God for over the month of January. Put these papers in the jar or bowl.
Activity: Starting January 1, pull one slip of paper out & read it out loud starting with “Dear God, we thank you for….” Tape the paper in a place where everyone will see it (on the milk jug, the door you use the most). Next day, take down the previous day’s item & select a new paper to replace it.
DAY EVENT TIME
January 5 Sunday
9th Grade Pre-Confirmation
11:30 am —1:30 pm
January 12 Sunday
Confirmation Sunday
10:30 am service
January 17-19 Fri—Sun
Middle School Youth Gathering
Colorado Springs, CO
Souper Bowl of Caring
Confirmation Sunday! Sunday, January 12, 2014
Please join us in celebrating our Confirmands Ben Wenzel, Brandt Graham, Jack Scaife,
Lauren Furst & McKayla “Mack” Mensinger and their families as they renew their
baptism. Confirmands, please plan to stay after 10:30 am worship on January 5 for
rehearsal & a light lunch.
MSYG
February 7-8, 2014 Bring a friend or two on the Amazing gRace youth lock-in. We start at 6:30 pm on Friday and end at 5:30 pm on Saturday. What does the Wilderness & Amazing gRace have in common? Pst. It has to do with Matt. 4:1-11
ADULT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: If you like having a good time with kids and like to help with an activity or help transport a group, please see Lisa for more details. We need help Friday night for a few hours and/or 3 hours on Saturday.
Middle School Youth Gathering—Jan. 17-19, 2014 : Lisa will be heading to Colorado Springs with 3 youth from Mt. Tabor and an-other adult. Mack Mensinger will be part of the Lutheran Youth Organization of the RMS and she along with 9 other youth will be re-sponsible for 2 workshops during the gather-ing. Please keep everyone in your prayers for a safe journey.
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 8:45 am Yoga
4
5
8:15 Worship
9:15 Education hr
10:30 Worship
Confirmation Lunch after 10:30 Worship
6 8:45 am Yoga
7
10:30 Library
11:40 LMS Chapel
8 7 am Men’s Bible Study
8:45 am Yoga
10 Staff Mtg
9 10
8:45 am Yoga 11
12
8:15 Worship
9:15 Education hr
10:30 Worship
JOYFUL NOIZ performs
CONFIRMATION SUNDAY
13 8:45 am Yoga
6:30 Cong. Council Mtg
14 10:30 Library
7:00 Compassionate Friends—Terrace Rm
15 7 am Men’s Bible Study
8:45 am Yoga
10 Staff Mtg
11 Lydia Circle
11:40 Chapel
1:15 Ext. Staff Meeting
16 17
8:45 am Yoga
MSYG – Lisa
18
MSYG – Lisa
19
8:15 Worship
9:15 Education hr
10:30 Worship
MSYG – Lisa
3‐4:30 Alta Ski After 3
20 8:45 am Yoga
OFFICE CLOSED NO LMS SCHOOL
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY
21 10:30 Library
11:40 LMS Chapel
22 7 am Men’s Bible Study
8:45 am Yoga
10 Staff Mtg
23
Noon—Progressive Clergy Luncheon‐Atrium
24
8:45 am Yoga 25
26
8:15 Worship
9:15 Education hr
10:30 Worship
Reconciling in Christ Sunday
27 8:45 am Yoga
28 10:30 Library
Noon—2 LMS staff mtg
3 :00 Book Club
29 7 am Men’s Bible Study
8:45 am Yoga
10 Staff Mtg
11:40 LMS Chapel
30
6 pm Piano Recital
31
8:45 am Yoga
Volume 12, Issue 1 Page 7
at a glance...
8:15am Jan 5 Supiano Jan 12 Fred Strohacker Jan 19 Doris Mason Jan 26
10:30am Jan 5 Dave Robertson Jan 12 Jan 19 Jan 26
Mark Nelson Volunteers needed
Jan 5 Jan 12 Jan 19 Jan 26
Jan 5 Rex Graham & Bradin Zaba Jan 12 Rex Graham & Bradin Zaba Jan 19 Luke Reuschel & Eric Hall Jan 26 Livy Trapp & Ethan White
Jan 5 Eric Hall Jan 12 Jan 19 Lauren Furst Jan 26 Eric Hall
8:15am For the month of January: Steve & Marie Newton
10:30am
January, 2014
“This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17
Assisting Ministers:
Readers:
Altar Guild:
Ushers:
Acolytes:
Hosts/Greeters:
Office Closed
1070 Foothill Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84108
Phone: 801.582.2321 Fax: 801.583.8043
Email: [email protected]
Let me shine Seventh Annual
2013-2014 ZELC CHURCH COUNCIL
PRESIDENT
Jennie Johnson
VICE PRESIDENT Erin Basta
SECRETARY Margo Bird
TREASURER
Fred Strohacker
Pamela Capps Diane Gardner
Volunteer needed Melissa Livengood
Doris Mason David Robertson Robert Steensma Darrell Thompson
www.zelc.org Your feedback is welcome on the information on
our site.
Zion Counters:
“In everything that you do, do your best, and leave the rest to God. “
I picked up this quote on the Internet, after searching for “Counting God’s Money.” I suppose this is pretty cheesy of me to do that, but I am trying to develop best practices for our Counter teams each week. The goal is to broaden our counting team so we don’t over-burden the same people all the time, and make accurate counting easier for everyone involved, includ-ing the church staff as well as the volunteer counters.
As the new Treasurer last year, I watched the process one Monday morn-ing, learning to appreciate the difficulty of generating an accurate counters report that actually balances between members’ recorded donations and what we are depositing into the bank. Sometimes this goes smoothly, sometimes not. So I promised that I would try to help. One part of this help is to develop a spreadsheet counting tool that will automate, and hopefully ease the task of balancing and report generation. This is essen-tially complete, having used it in parallel with two different counting teams. It should be ready soon, bug-free, and indestructible by miss-laid wide fin-gers. There is no need to fear this new software. It comes with written in-structions, and I will walk anyone through it that wants help.
Along with a new tool, I am recruiting some new counters. The counter team currently works Monday mornings between 9ish and 11ish. Realizing that this schedule locks out a lot of potential counter volunteers, we are willing to bring on line people who can count after the second church ser-vice on Sundays, and perhaps other times as well. This group would aug-ment our current counter team. Everyone is welcome and if you aren’t afraid of finding entry cells in a spreadsheet, you are especially welcome! Not everyone needs to know how to use this new tool, just one person per team.
We do have a few rules: Every counting session must have at least two unrelated counters. Yes, some amount of math capability is needed, and sorry, we can’t use husband and wife teams (or father/son, mother/daughter, etc.) Also, we are looking for a few good men or women who are willing to be counters-in-chief. These folks are counters, but also will do counter scheduling and give Fred some guff about his darn spreadsheet. I will trust in God to help me solve any software problems they find.
Please contact Fred Strohacker or Tracy Hackworth if you are interested.
In Christ’s Peace, Fred Strohacker Council Treasurer
