“Gathering together, Growing in faith, and Going into the world in

Jesus’ name.”

THE MESSENGER A monthly publication of

Zion Lutheran Church www.zionsuperior.org

2022 E. 2nd Street, Superior, WI 54880

715-398-3663

Church Hours Winter Hours Monday to Friday 9:00a—1:00p

JANUARY 2018

Celebration Sunday! January 28 th, 2018

10:00 am — Combined Worship Potluck Dinner and

Annual Congregational Meeting to follow!

“For I know the plans I have for you, “declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

REMINDER: Those who need to submit reports for Annual Meeting—the deadline is January 14th. Thanks with all my heart. Pearl

JANUARY 2018

Celebration Sunday! January 28th, 2018

10:00 am — Combined Worship Potluck Dinner and

Annual Congregational Meeting to follow!

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ZION SUNDAY SCHOOL

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL All Children ages 3 years through the 5th Grade are welcome at Zion Sunday

School. Classes are Sunday mornings at 10:15 from September to May. To register your children for Sunday School, you may contact the church office

(715-398-3663) or go to zionsuperior.org for a registration form or simply come to Zion on any Sunday to get your child started on his or her journey of faith! God

loves our children and has wonderful things to teach them at Zion Sunday School. EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

Thank you to everyone who helped

make this year’s Christmas program, WOW! A Nativity

Play, such a wonderful event!

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BISHOP RICK HOYME’S 2017 ANNUAL REPORT FORCONGREGATIONS

Walking together + for the sake of mission + in God’s world.

BISHOP RICK HOYME’S 2017 ANNUAL REPORT FORCONGREGATIONS

Dear Sisters and Brothers of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin,

I have read two books in the last four years that have had a significant impact on how I see life and how I see the church. The first is “Younger Next Year: Live Strong, Fit, and Sexy - Until You're 80 and Beyond” and the second is “Growing Young: 6 Essential Strategies to Help Young People Discover and Love Your Church.” Now, the title of the first contains a word we don’t normally associate with beyond 80, but the second title throws out this mouthful: Help Young People Love Your Church.

What I have learned from reading these books is that while neither is easy, both are possible. They require discipline, sacrifice and sometimes, just hard work. But they are BOTH possible. I have recommended the first book to all of our pastors and deacons who are at least 50 years old, which is a bunch of them. Some of them have read it, fewer have followed it, and I fear most have ignored me.

At this year’s Synod Assembly, I will be recommending the second book to every church in our synod. Because every church in our synod, or at least they say it, wants to grow young. If there is one overpowering symptom of the congregations of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin, it is that they are old. And the second powerful symptom is that they say they want to grow young. My fear is that when the leaders of our churches hear about this book, some will read it, fewer will follow it and most will ignore it. Why? Because it requires discipline, sacrifice and some-times, just hard work.

But, it is work that God’s word says God can do, and God desperately wants us to do with him. Revelation 21:5 says, “And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’” The one on the throne is God, and I believe that God is at work making God’s church new – and God is puzzled and grieved when God doesn’t see us joining in this magnificent adventure.

As many of you are aware, my time as bishop of our synod ends on June 30 of 2018. It will not be my responsibility, but it is my dream that 2018-19 would be a year for this synod to Grow Young…for each congregation, for our cam-pus ministries, for our Bible Camps to focus on this one thing.

Now, your next bishop may believe that the Spirit is blowing in another direction, but I’ve still got six months! In the book, Growing Young it says: “…the terms young people and adults use to describe their own churches or parishes (that are Growing Young) , we noticed repeated words such as welcoming, accepting, belonging, authentic, hospitable, and caring. We began to call this the warmth cluster. (p. 166). Both Younger Next Year and Growing Young emphasize that the changes needed will come out of love and caring. We change, because the people we love, and the people who love us desperately want and need us to change.

God loves us. God sits on the throne and proclaims, “I make all things new.” It is time for a change. It is a time to grow young. It is a time for new.

I am asked as I make this transition to the next chapter of my life, “Do you believe our church(es) will survive?” My answer is usually something like, “I don’t believe in churches, but I do believe in Jesus.” And Jesus says “For mor-tals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

I do believe in Jesus. May God make all things new in your life and in your ministries this year!

Bishop Rick Hoyme

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Be a

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Coffee Fellowship There is a sign-up sheet on the counter in the Fellowship Hall.

Thanks to all who serve.

Check the Photo Gallery

Zion Web www.zion superior.org

Food Shelf: Second Sunday of the month. They always need canned veggies, fruits, assorted goods, peanut butter, and non perishable items. Thanks to all who help. Vicki

A Bible study from Gather Magazine, led by Karen St. George,

To be announced in the bulletins

Pennies—Continue saving. Every penny does make a difference. Thanks, Sharon

WELCA

We meet the second Sunday of each month during the 10:00 hour between Sunday Services. Please watch the bulletin for any last minute changes.

—-Sharon

Baby Shower for Superior Life Care Center

This is the time of year we receive an abundance of requests of aid to needy families. Sew n’ Sews, Mission and ELCA women will all be working to help the Lake Superior Life Care Center to provide an opportunity of caring for their infant and/or child through ages 2-4. We are, again, looking forward to another outstanding

Baby Shower on January 13 at 1:00 p.m. Pick up a brochure (Jan and Lucy) to see what you might add to make our cold winter more enjoyable for a very needy cause.

—-Jan Arena —-715-817-8567 —-Lucy Sullivan — 715-718-0662

Sew ‘N Sews will be ready to quilt in January after having Christmas vacation. We will meet on January 4th with an invita-tion for anyone to join us for quilting, conversation and coffee.

We now have seven names of military prayer concerns and would like to get pictures, addresses, and information of each one (and the branch of service represented) to make a support

system to insure them that we care. Please contact Jan Arena with the information.

Sew ‘N Sews

The Church Council is asking for volunteers to help organize a blood drive hosted at Zion. The Red Cross brings in the equipment needed for collection and will provide marketing materials. Red Cross is currently scheduling drives for Jan-March. They ask that Zion provide indoor space, donor recruitment to reach the goal of 25 units, and provide a few volunteers for the day (usually 5 or 6 hours). One unit of blood saves up to three lives. Please contact Polly or church office for more information. We need to decide on a date by January 15th. Thank you.

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LAY MINISTRY FOR January 2018 Traditional Contemporary

Communion Assistant Minister Assistant Power Point Minister Assistant/Reader

Donna Meltz Aine Merrill 1-7 London Jonasen

Polly Lohman Anthony Anderson 1-14 Tim Ingersoll

Mark Betterman Karen St. George 1-21 London Jonasen

Jeanette Betterman Aine Merrill 1-28 Lynn Rochon

Greeter

Ken & Karen Thimm 1-7

Dick & Esther Nolan 1-14

Lucy Sullivan 1-21

Mary Hickman Sharon Miller

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Usher Reader Counters (Both Services)

Duane Betterman Mark Betterman

Linda Moe 1-7 Mary Jo Bartylla, Linda Pelletier

Kate Maki Marian Maki

Janet Arena 1-14 Kelly Thimm, Janet Arena

Ken Thimm Kelly Thimm

Lucy Sullivan 1-21 Greg Kvam, Ken Mertz

Donald Anderson Anthony Anderson

Polly Lohman 1-28 Lois Smith, Polly Lohman

Altar for January Sunnie Laampa Food Shelf

Faith United Methodist Church

Home Communion Jeanette Betterman

Unable to serve at scheduled time?

Please call office at 715-398-3663

with name of your replacement.

Thank you for your service.

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Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

2 (recycling) 4:00 Missions 6:15 Choir 6:00 Al-Anon 6:30 AA Mtg

3 4:00 LOGOS-Taking Down the Greens

4 1:00 Sew ‘N Sews 5:00 Book Study with Pastor 6:00 Superior Singers Practice

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6 1

6:00 AA Mtg 7:30 Band

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Regular Services

8 6:00 AA Mtg 7:30 Band

9 8:00 am AARP Meeting 4:00 Missions 6:15 Choir 6:00 Al-Anon 6:30 AA Mtg

10 4:00 LOGOS Feeding the Five Thousand

11 1:00 Sew ‘N Sews 5:00 Book Study with Pastor 6:00 Superior Singers Practice

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13 1-4pm

Baby Shower for

Superior Life Care Center

14(Food Shelf Sunday)

Regular Services

10:00 WELCA

15 6:00 AA Mtg 7:30 Band

16 (recycling) 4:00 Missions 5:00 Operations 5:00 Worship/ Music 6:15 Choir 6:00 Al-Anon 6:30 AA Mtg

17 4:00 LOGOS

The Transfiguration

18 1:00 Sew ‘N Sews 5:00 Book Study with Pastor 6:00 Superior Singers Practice 6:00 Council Mtg

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20

21

Regular Services 10:00 Bible Study with Karen

22 6:00 AA Mtg 7:30 Band

23 4:00 Missions 6:15 Choir 6:00 Al-Anon 6:30 AA Mtg

24 4:00 LOGOS

Sending out the 70

25 1:00 Sew ‘N Sews 5:00 Book Study with Pastor 6:00 Superior Singers Practice

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27

28 10:00 Combined

Services Pot Luck Annual Meeting

29 6:00 AA Mtg 7:30 Band

30 (recycling) 4:00 Missions 6:15 Choir 6:00 Al-Anon 6:30 AA Mtg

31 4:00 LOGOS

The Good Samaritan

Every Sunday 9:00 Traditional 10:15 Sunday School 10:00 Coffee Hour 10:50 Contemporary

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Care Basket Ministry Please take a Care Basket for those you know who have been ill, a death has occurred in the family, a person may need a smile to let them know we care about them. We have baskets with soup, a book, small presents in them and a card that states we care. Baskets are in the closet in the fellowship hall. Write on the clipboard the date, recipient of basket , and who will deliver the basket. Thank you for being the hands and feet to show others we care about them.

We are working from a limited birthday list. Please check with the office to see if you are on Sheperd’s Staff with a birth date. There are many names without the date. Let’s plan ahead for FEBRUARY.

Please call Pearl at the office 715-398-3663. Thanks.

SUNNIE

The recycle bin is now in library. Thank you and keep saving shinny paper. Keep Saving! ——Aine

January 9—Melvin & Alice Mattson—64 years

Matthew Ross Jan 1 Alan Jaques Jan 2 Stephanie Johnson, Jan 2 Terry Ross Jan 3 Margaret Smith Jan 3 Donald Downs Jan 5 Alana Dunning Jan 5 Bob Evans Jan 5 Roger Saari Jan 5 Kenneth Mertz Sr. Jan 6 Katrina Sautbine Jan 6 Samuel Gray Jan 8

Kristiin Radich Jan 10 Craig, Larson Jan 13 Gregory Pluntz Jan 15 Kate Conlan Jan 16 William (Bill) Traynor Jan 17 Crysta James Jan 18 Miranda Nelson Jan 18 Kelly Thimm Jan 20 Patricia Janssan Jan 21 Jack Boris Jan 24 Kendall Callery Jan 25 Christopher Rochon Jan 27

Steven Nett Jan 29 Jeanette Betterman Jan 30 Paul Freer Jan 30

Growing in Faith: As 12-15-17, we owe 93,436.51. YTD Interest paid is $3,617.35.

YTD Principal:$6,694.65. Monthly mortgage payment was $781.00. Please consider a gift to Growing in Faith above and beyond your regular giving. Thank you for your gifts.

January 3 — Taking down the greens January 10 — The Feeding of the Five Thousand January 17 — The Transfiguration January 24 — The Sending of the 70 January 31 — The Good Samaritan

Alice M. McCall March 13, 1943—November 24, 2017 Memorial Service November 27, 2017

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Galatians 1:11-12

11For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin;12for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

I think Paul may have been on to something. When you get a clear message from God, you do not need to consult with other people about what you are to do next, you simply need to humbly, carefully, devoutly, carry out God’s will for you. If you have been called, you need to answer, no matter what others might say.

We never get a clear idea of what Paul’s former colleagues in the Jewish community thought about his conversion, but they couldn’t have been very happy about it. Likewise that part of the Jewish community who were the beginning of the nascent Christian Church weren’t too happy with the way that Paul was trying to convince the Gentile population that they didn’t need to become Jewish before they could accept Christ as the Son of God.

Paul believed in what he was doing because he had gotten the word straight from God, as he lay on the road to Damascus.

Most of us don’t have that kind of clarity. For most of us, we want to do what God is calling us to do, but we don’t often have the kind of experience that Paul had, and we don’t always get the scales to fall off our eyes.

But we do have something to help us in our process of discernment. That something is the Body of Christ. We have a group of people (a great cloud of witnesses) that support us in our calling, but they also help us to understand what we are called to do in the first place.

When you don’t get the sort of very clear, knock-you-down sort of message from God, other people of faith help us to understand the voice that comes to us in a small, still way, and also keeps us from going off in strange ways when we have misunderstood what God’s calling is.

That’s why it’s so important to remain part of a community of faith. If we don’t have people to talk to about how we live our faith in God’s calling for us, we might end up going off in the wrong direction. Not because we choose to ignore God, but because we might misunderstand what it is God wants for us.

Blessings,

Pastor Victor

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Church Council

Church Council Meeting Thursday, November 16, 2017 Present: Polly Lohman, Lynn Rochon, Laura Kilner, Linda Moe, Greg Kvam, Tim Ingersoll, Marilyn Star-stead, Vicky Holm Absent: JR Pedersen, Kenny Mertz Jr., Becky Hubbard, Pastor Victor, Don Anderson Meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by President Polly Lohman. No one is assigned December devotions. Reports Secretary's Report: Report was reviewed. Motion was made by Greg and seconded by Linda to approve minutes. Motion carried.

Treasurer's Report: Report was reviewed. Tim made a motion, seconded by Vicky to approve the Treasur-er’s Report as submitted. Motion carried. Pastor's Report: Pastor is on vacation. No report. Logos: (Lynn) Logos will be hanging greens, bell ringing and caroling in December. All are invited, and wel-come to have dinner before Advent worship. Dinner is at 5:45, worship at 6:15. Sunday school: (Laura) Sunday School staff selected a Christmas Program. It will be held on Sunday, De-cember 17 at 3:00 pm. The choir will be involved. Worship and Music: (Linda) The organ tuning is done. There will be one service at 10:00 am on Sunday, Dec. 24. Christmas Eve services will be at 4:30 and 10:00 pm. There will be no service on Christmas Day, Dec. 25. Missions: No report. Congregation & Caring: (Marilyn) Communion has been served to homebound/nursing home members. Marilyn is helping to plan a memorial service. WELCA: Cookie Sale will be held Dec. 9, beginning at 8:30 am. Audit Committee: (Polly) The committee hasn’t met yet. Operations & Finance: The sign with the correct worship times has been ordered for the signpost in front of the church. Programmable thermostats have been ordered for the sanctuary. Boiler repair has been done. Wi-Fi is now available in the Fellowship Hall and the basement. Unfinished Business

October Benefit Concert/Dexter Results: Approximately 13,500 has been raised to date. Pasty Bake Results: No financial information available as payments haven’t been completed. Looking at

CHRUCH COUNCL (continued) the possibility of scheduling the next pasty bake for Mar. 15, 16 and 17th. It would really help if we had a

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Church Council for year 2017

Term ends January 2018 Term Ends January 2019 Term Ends 2020

Greg Kvam Knute Pederson, Jr. Linda Moe

Polly Lohman, President Lynn Rochon, Secretary Don Anderson

Marilyn Starstead Ken Mertz Jr. Laura Kilner

Becky Hubbard, Treasurer Vicky Holm, Vice President Tim Ingersoll

Pastor Victor St. George

second convection oven. The process would go much faster. It was suggested to use the proceeds from the next bake to purchase another oven.

Organ Tuning Results: The tuning has been completed.

New Business Nominating Committee Status Update: Aine and Eve are on the committee. They will be

looking for possible new council members to present for approval at the Annual Meeting which will be held Sunday, January 28, 2018. Worship will be at 10:00 am, followed by a pot luck and meeting.

New Membership Drive: be sure to invite and welcome new members. Preparing for the Annual Reports: budget will be on the agenda for the December meeting. Staff vacation planning: Pearl has requested office coverage for a few possible December

dates: Dec. 7, 26 and 29. Volunteers: We need more counters. Pew Pads: Announcements need to be made regularly to remind people to pass the pads so

that visitors know what to do with them. Shepherds Staff: It was discussed that a few other people be trained in on Shepherds Staff so

that we can compare names to the church directory.

A motion was made to adjourn by Greg at 7:30. Lynn seconded. Motion carried, and we closed with the Lord’s Prayer.

Respectfully submitted, Lynn Rochon, Secretary

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Dear Sew and Sews, Thank you so much for your generosity and the beautiful quilt! I will keep it in my dorm to remind me how blessed I am to have people like you all supporting me. I appreciate your kindness! Thank you again, Holly Anderson

Jon and I would like to thank Pastor Victor and the congregation for the thoughtful send-off for us as we leave for Appleton. Also to Aine and Polly for the wonderful refreshments dur-ing coffee hour, We love you so much! We will always have you in our thoughts and prayers.

Dear Jan & Sew & Sews We want to thank you for the Expresso machine and the beauti-ful quilt you donated. The design on the quilt was absolutely beautiful. Your kindness was overwhelming. Sincerely, Dexter Ojeda Benefit Committee

Dear Friends of CASDA: On behalf of CASDA, I’d like to send my sincerest thanks to you for your recent donation on December 18th, 2017. Without the help of

our community, domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse will continue to be a societal issue impacting our friends and neighbors. With your contribution we are able to continue to provide emergency shelter as well as other supportive services to victims of abuse.

On behalf of the women, children and men seeking our services, we are sincerely thankful for the financial help you’ve provided. Sincerely, Kelly Burger, Executive Director

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THE MESSENGER JANUARY 2018

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH - ELCA

“Gathering together, Growing in faith, and Going into the world in Jesus’ name.”

715-398-3663 www.zionsuperior.org Victor St. George, Pastor 218-343-4089

Worship Services Sundays at 9:00 am and 10:50 am

Sunday School 9:45 am Coffee Hour in Hall between services

Youth Ministries Grades 6-12 on Wednesdays LOGOS 4-7 pm

Adult Learning Ministries Wednesdays Bible Study 2:00 pm

Service/Ministry Opportunities available throughout the week

Church Office Winter Hours 9-1 M-F

715.398.3663 churchoffice@zionsuperior.org

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH 2022 East Second Street

Superior, WI 54880

Contact Zion Pastor

Victor St. George, pastor@zionsuperior.org Office Secretary

Pearl Swanstrom churchoffice@zionsuperior.org Choir Director

Samuel Gray yargmas@gmail.com Organists

Libby Gray, Samuel Gray Custodian

Jerry Johnson Newsletter

Pearl Swanstrom churchoffice@zionsuperior.org Prayer Ministry and Requests

prayer@zionsuperior.org Sunday School (ages 0-5th grade)

Laura Kilner children@zionsuperior.org Missions

Sunnie Lamppa LOGOS

Greg Kvam, Lynn Rochon

THE MESSENGER is a monthly publication of Zion Lutheran Church