Welcome to Zion!
We are committed to being a loving and welcoming community of faith in Jesus Christ. As a community of God we welcome all. We rejoice in the manner in which diversity enriches, nurtures, and challenges the life and ministry we share in Christ. We embrace actions and attitudes within the Church that assure access to Word and Sacrament regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic or marital status, physical or mental capacities, age or race.
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Upcoming Events:(For now, if you'd like to check the full monthly calendar, please view it at: https://zelc.360unite.com/calendar)
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Connecting through Grace
Celebrating Our Recent Connections: |
This past week, four outside groups used our building this week for meetings and sessions — still making connections in the community!
Also, 38 children graduated from Let Me Shine Preschool! |
Connect This Week: |
Primary Children’s Hospital: want to serve a meal to the families of patients? 4 people are needed. Please contact the church office for more details on ways to participate in this great service.
Ushers Needed! This is a vital role in welcoming people to worship with us. Interested? Please contact the church office. Greeters Wanted! Please use the sign-up sheet outside the church library to pick the Sundays that work with your schedule and be a greeter at Zion! It’s a great way to meet congregational members you may not yet know. |
Looking Forward to Connecting: |
We are also looking forward connecting in various ways this month during Utah Pride Week, including by hosting the interfaith service here at Zion on Thursday, May 31!
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AN EASTER MESSAGE FOR ALL
Below is an Easter Sunday message for all, from Pastor Steve:
A funny thing happened on my way to Easter Sunday worship today: The Herald, Zion’s church newsletter became my pulpit. If you are not surrounded by Easter lilies and choirs with morning sunlight falling through stained glass windows then, “Blessed are you.” In fact, if Christ’s rising from the dead sounds like so much nonsense, you are in good company. When women, the first preachers of the Easter event told their story to the apostles and disciples, “these words seemed to them an idle tale.” Why should it be different for you?
Whether you are submerged in your Sunday newspaper or coming down from your sugar high after bingeing on chocolate bunnies --- here’s an Easter sermon you deserve to hear.
I use the word “deserve” intentionally; it is stronger than “needs,” as if the gospel were an unpleasant medicine you have to swallow. It is more like, “You’ve got to hear this!” “For God so loved the world….” You are loved. God loves the whole world, this beautiful, battered, fragile, fractured world. This is the good news of Easter: the One who is love, was raised from the dead, and his Spirit is now loose in the world. It’s not only life, but love that is stronger than death.
For Easter to be Easter, love needs to embrace our deep hurts, broken hearts and dying spirits. Easter calls us into the opioid crisis; homelessness; resurgence of white nationalism and racism; death penalty; families torn apart by detention/deportation; suicide; hate crimes; mistreatment, sexual harassment and assault on women; red air day; dying alone; 17 minutes of silence.
Like the first Easter morning, we join the women at the tomb, the realm of death. But we do not remain there. Death may have the last word, but it is not the final word. Easter compels us to see signs of new life even in places where life is diminished and dying.
Viktor Frankl remembers Jews in death camps who, though condemned, walked among others, comforting them, giving away their last pieces of bread. In the midst of death, they chose life. We see it on children’s posters, with drawings that call us to celebrate the beauty of God’s good creation. Emma Gonzalez, called us into the heart-wrenching six minutes and twenty seconds in Marjory Stoneman Douglas H.S. Still, with broken hearts, we March for Our Lives. First Unitarian Church and SLC Sanctuary Network stand for welcome, providing safe haven and new life for a mother and her children. Follow Pamela Atkinson (Utah’s Mother Teresa) as she tirelessly organizes new ways for us to love “our homeless friends.” Feel the compassion shared by volunteers, sitting with hospital patients who have no family or friends as they near end of life. Come visit this community of faith in Zion. Here you will meet Art Sutherland, a tireless advocate for those who are poor. Enjoy Verna Hanson’s heart-felt greeting. If you are lucky, you will be on the receiving end of her chocolate chip cookies, shared in times of celebration and sorrow.
Thank you for listening. By now you may have noticed that Easter is about life with a love that is stronger than death.
Easter love reaches deep into our broken world and loves our broken hearts into new life. Choose love and life. But, know
that you are loved, even if your Easter means eating another chocolate bunny.
- Pastor Steve
A funny thing happened on my way to Easter Sunday worship today: The Herald, Zion’s church newsletter became my pulpit. If you are not surrounded by Easter lilies and choirs with morning sunlight falling through stained glass windows then, “Blessed are you.” In fact, if Christ’s rising from the dead sounds like so much nonsense, you are in good company. When women, the first preachers of the Easter event told their story to the apostles and disciples, “these words seemed to them an idle tale.” Why should it be different for you?
Whether you are submerged in your Sunday newspaper or coming down from your sugar high after bingeing on chocolate bunnies --- here’s an Easter sermon you deserve to hear.
I use the word “deserve” intentionally; it is stronger than “needs,” as if the gospel were an unpleasant medicine you have to swallow. It is more like, “You’ve got to hear this!” “For God so loved the world….” You are loved. God loves the whole world, this beautiful, battered, fragile, fractured world. This is the good news of Easter: the One who is love, was raised from the dead, and his Spirit is now loose in the world. It’s not only life, but love that is stronger than death.
For Easter to be Easter, love needs to embrace our deep hurts, broken hearts and dying spirits. Easter calls us into the opioid crisis; homelessness; resurgence of white nationalism and racism; death penalty; families torn apart by detention/deportation; suicide; hate crimes; mistreatment, sexual harassment and assault on women; red air day; dying alone; 17 minutes of silence.
Like the first Easter morning, we join the women at the tomb, the realm of death. But we do not remain there. Death may have the last word, but it is not the final word. Easter compels us to see signs of new life even in places where life is diminished and dying.
Viktor Frankl remembers Jews in death camps who, though condemned, walked among others, comforting them, giving away their last pieces of bread. In the midst of death, they chose life. We see it on children’s posters, with drawings that call us to celebrate the beauty of God’s good creation. Emma Gonzalez, called us into the heart-wrenching six minutes and twenty seconds in Marjory Stoneman Douglas H.S. Still, with broken hearts, we March for Our Lives. First Unitarian Church and SLC Sanctuary Network stand for welcome, providing safe haven and new life for a mother and her children. Follow Pamela Atkinson (Utah’s Mother Teresa) as she tirelessly organizes new ways for us to love “our homeless friends.” Feel the compassion shared by volunteers, sitting with hospital patients who have no family or friends as they near end of life. Come visit this community of faith in Zion. Here you will meet Art Sutherland, a tireless advocate for those who are poor. Enjoy Verna Hanson’s heart-felt greeting. If you are lucky, you will be on the receiving end of her chocolate chip cookies, shared in times of celebration and sorrow.
Thank you for listening. By now you may have noticed that Easter is about life with a love that is stronger than death.
Easter love reaches deep into our broken world and loves our broken hearts into new life. Choose love and life. But, know
that you are loved, even if your Easter means eating another chocolate bunny.
- Pastor Steve
Worshiping Together
SUMMER SUNDAYS AT ZION
10:00am Worship
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We come together for one worship service at 10am each Sunday during the summer (from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend).
Our Sunday Education classes (Sunday School & Bible Study) are on hiatus as well. In the fall, we will resume our regular Sunday schedule of 8:15am Awakening Worship, 9:15am Education Hour, and 10:30am Traditional Worship. |
For an electronic copy of this week's bulletin or past bulletins, click here.
Announcements
LET ME SHINE PRESCHOOL FUNDRAISER
Dear Friends and Families of Let Me Shine,
As we enter into the month of May, parents, teachers, and students alike are reflecting on a great school year and looking forward to a fun summer. The board, teachers, and staff of Let Me Shine are also planning for the future of the school and researching the best ways to continue serving our students and families.
In lieu of a big fundraising event, we are instead reaching out to you as the friends and families of Let Me Shine and Zion Lutheran Church. We need your help to reach our goal of raising $3,000.00 to develop a new outdoor learning environment.
This new outdoor classroom will feature a series of equipment and stations targeted at helping the children actively learn skills and gain experiences that they may not otherwise have access to. Outdoor learning centers such as a musical wall, a giant magnetic board, a pulley system with weights, and garden structures will allow students to engage in physical activity while motivating them to explore and discover at their own speed and comfort level. This new outdoor classroom will benefit all our children at Let Me Shine, Zion Sunday School, and Vacation Bible School.
We hope to meet our fundraising goal this spring so that we may begin implementing the equipment before next school year. Your tax-deductible gift will allow us to continue our calling – nurturing our children’s spiritual, physical, emotional and cognitive growth. Gifts can be mailed to the school, given directly to Barb or Holly, dropped off at the church office, or placed in the collection plate. Watch for fundraising status reports during May and into the summer.
As we enter into the month of May, parents, teachers, and students alike are reflecting on a great school year and looking forward to a fun summer. The board, teachers, and staff of Let Me Shine are also planning for the future of the school and researching the best ways to continue serving our students and families.
In lieu of a big fundraising event, we are instead reaching out to you as the friends and families of Let Me Shine and Zion Lutheran Church. We need your help to reach our goal of raising $3,000.00 to develop a new outdoor learning environment.
This new outdoor classroom will feature a series of equipment and stations targeted at helping the children actively learn skills and gain experiences that they may not otherwise have access to. Outdoor learning centers such as a musical wall, a giant magnetic board, a pulley system with weights, and garden structures will allow students to engage in physical activity while motivating them to explore and discover at their own speed and comfort level. This new outdoor classroom will benefit all our children at Let Me Shine, Zion Sunday School, and Vacation Bible School.
We hope to meet our fundraising goal this spring so that we may begin implementing the equipment before next school year. Your tax-deductible gift will allow us to continue our calling – nurturing our children’s spiritual, physical, emotional and cognitive growth. Gifts can be mailed to the school, given directly to Barb or Holly, dropped off at the church office, or placed in the collection plate. Watch for fundraising status reports during May and into the summer.
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Thank you all so much for your ongoing support of our amazing children and our very special school. We have the unique opportunity as a community to support our littlest ones as they grow in the love of Christ.
Respectfully, Let Me Shine Board of Trustees |
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Thank you!
Generosity abounds! Contributions for the new playground learning centers have exceeded expectations. Zion members, Let Me Shine families and friends have donated enough to meet the matching funds challenge. There is still time to contribute until the end of May!
UPCOMING EVENTSSun May 27, 10:00am: Summer Worship begins! Our summer schedule (one worship service at 10:00am) begins! Casual attire is welcomed. On May 27, we will worship downstairs in the Terrace Room due to asbestos abatement in the sanctuary, and Eucharist will be celebrated outside. Sun June 3, 11:00am: Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting Mark your calendar for the semi-annual congregational meeting, immediately following the 10am worship service. Bring an appetizer to share! INTERFAITH PRIDE SERVICEThu May 31, 7:00pm: PRIDE interfaith service Zion will be the first Lutheran church to host the annual Utah Pride service. All are welcome! "Get Salty" is the service theme. The interfaith worship launches Pride Week festivities in Salt Lake City. This year's service will integrate the lament of those who have completed suicide, and celebration with songs and messages of hope. This multi-faith service celebrates the diversity of faith communities who affirm the LGBTQA movement. The foundation for Pride Week began with the Stonewall riots of June 1969 when police raided the Stonewall Inn, known as an LGBT venue. Since then, the celebrations have advocated lesbian and gay rights, moving toward marriage equality and acceptance of the LGBTQA community. All are welcome! And, especially to Zion members, greeters are welcomed and needed. SUMMER WORSHIPSun May 27 - Sun Sep 2: 10:00am summer worship Beginning on Sunday, May 27 (Memorial Day weekend), we will switch to one 10:00am worship service for the summer months (through Labor Day weekend). Please mark your calendars! SAVE THE DATEFri July 13 - Sun Jul 15: Zion Camping Weekend Zion's annual camping weekend this year will be to the Avintaquin Campground in Ashley National Forest, north of Castle Gate (toward Duchesne), about 2 hours from SLC. We have the group site. See you there! Questions can be directed to Jon Hall. Sun July 22: Greater Zion Day Because of construction, our annual celebration will be slightly smaller this year, but we'll celebrate with an ice cream social after worship! VBS MUSIC CAMP 2018Aug 6-10: VBS Music Camp - register now!
Zion's VBS Music Camp will be held Monday, August 6 through Friday, August 10, from 9am-3pm Mon-Thu and 9am-1:30pm Fri. A half-day option is also available for Kindergarten. Registration is open now through July 30th, for students who will have completed Kindergarten through 6th grade. Download the attached registration form here, or pick up a hard copy at Zion. 
BIBLE STUDIES & SMALL GROUP MEETINGSWednesdays, 7:00am: Men's Bible Study Meets downstairs each Wednesday morning at 7:00am. Come have breakfast with us and discuss God’s Word! We are studying the weekly scriptures from the Taking Faith Home bulletin insert. 1st & 3rd Mondays, 7:00pm: Women's Small Group Led by Alyce Gross, Shepherd. Meets the first and third Mondays at 7pm in various homes. Studying the Gospel of John. Contact Alyce at adgross1@msn.com. Pub Theology - Different Brews + Different Views Meets one Thursday a month. Check out Facebook.com/ZionSLC for the current schedule. No meeting is planned for May; look for future meeting dates in the coming months. Sunday School & Sunday Bible studies are on hiatus for the summer months, and will resume after Labor Day. THE HERALDSee the current issue of our monthly newsletter, The Herald, by clicking here or navigating to Connect > News & Events. See past issues of The Herald by clicking here or navigating to Connect > News & Events > The Herald. |
SUNDAY SCHOOL DIRECTOR(S)Do you (and a friend) feel called to nurture what God is already doing among the children at Zion? Are you a P.E.O.P.L.E. person? If you answer "yes" or "maybe" to one or more of the following questions, then talk to a friend and see if they would like to be co-director with you. Please email or talk to Lisa Mensinger or Pastor Steve. - P: Do you enjoy PLANNING to get people together for a common purpose? - E: Are you resourceful in EQUIPPING teachers to share God's Word with young children? - O: Can you ORGANIZE special events for Sunday School? - P: Are you able to PROVIDE monthly Sunday School newsletter announcements? - L: Are you able to LEAD by sharing your passion and vision? - E: Is it easy for you to ENCOURAGE people by supporting them? VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIESCrossroads Urban Center: June needs Food: small juices Thrift store items: summer clothes & towels Primary Children’s Hospital Want to serve a meal to the families of patients? 4 people are needed. Please contact the church office for more details on ways to participate in this great service. Ushers This is a vital role in welcoming people to worship with us. Interested? Please contact the church office. Greeters Please use the sign-up sheet outside the church library to pick the Sundays that work with your schedule and be a greeter at Zion! It’s a great way to meet congregational members you may not yet know. Zion Congregational Council We have one empty council spot right now for team leader. Below is a note with more information about church council, written by Ann Marie Mogren. "I am a person with good intentions. I always thought I 'should' volunteer to serve on church council, but every time anyone asked, I declined. Too busy, I said. It'll take too much time, I said. There are others better qualified, I said. Well, last year I finally said 'yes' and now I'm wondering why I waited. Turns out the meetings are brief and well organized, most of the discussion takes place over e-mail (which I can tackle at my leisure), and the sense of doing specific work to help with the "business" of Zion is surprisingly rewarding. Why am I writing this? Because we have vacancies on church council and our bylaws mandate that they be filled. There are five general positions open at the moment, and one with more specific responsibilities. That is a need for building management liaison to work closely with the church office, triaging building repairs as needed (which might simply be calling the right service person for a repair). Call the church office if you're interested. Or catch any of the current council members when you see them and ask about how you can connect through grace by serving on council! Doug Graham, Marsha Gilford, Leslie Miller, Holly Graham, Terri Moffitt, or me." -- Ann Marie Mogren BUILDING UPDATEDemo Day is June 5 Construction is set to begin with demolition on June 5th. Our contractor has scheduled the completion of the lower level and sanctuary work by August 5th, before VBS begins. The contractor will offer weekly reports which we will post on the website and wall monitor at church. EQUIPMENT AVAILABLEVintage Roland 5000S electric piano Switch might need repair. Contact Diane Gardner or the church office for details or to arrange a time to take a look. ORGAN UPDATEDavid and the Bigelow Organ Co. have been busy working on Phase 2 of the organ renovation project. So far four of six ranks of pipes have been acquired and preliminary design work (layout) has been done for the new windchest and swell box (enclosure) to be added behind the existing organ case at the second story level. Still to be done includes (among other items): - Finalize chest designs and order chests. - Design, acquire parts for, and build new stop rail; install and wire. - Design and build swell box and support structure (volunteer labor to assist with the latter), including some remodeling of the back of the existing organ case. - Install chests and connect wind and electrical. - Acquire two more ranks of pipes. - Miscellaneous work on pipes currently in hand and forthcoming. Phase Two is certainly the biggest "piece" in terms of added physical space and numbers of added pipes. It includes visible additions to the console - 60+ stop controls, up from the present 23. So taking a peek at the Console and at the back of the organ, you will certainly see things have changed! There are five phases to the project in total. David will be working with Brent Menlove and the building contractors to coordinate space needed for the organ project with work that will be done to insulate the south exterior wall behind the organ. Watch for information about a short informative meeting after church in the coming weeks, where David will be able to demonstrate the benefits realized in Phase One. He has been enjoying these, and would like to point them out so you can appreciate them, too! We are continuing fundraising efforts for this project as well, so please consider donations as we move toward completion. A big thank you to those of you who have made one-time gifts and especially to those of you who have been supporting the project with ongoing donations. | ||
Prayers in Action
ACTIVITIES & MINISTRIES
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SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY
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Stewardship
INVESTING IN...
Our ChildrenIn February, we celebrated the affirmation of baptism of our Faith Formation Disciples. In March, Zion hosted an interfaith Children's Choir Day. At our Palm Sunday service, all of Zion's choirs, including children's choirs, will be presenting music. Our youth are looking forward to attending the ELCA National Youth Gathering in Houston in June.
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Our HomeA building task force has begun to analyze building needs and to prepare a plan for moving forward. One notable change, recognizing our care for creation: insulating improvements will move us from an R1.5 to R20 value.
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Our CongregationA communications task force has been meeting to plan upgrades to the congregation’s web page, directory, and financial management systems.
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We do what we can do, always focused on how we can connect in grace through gratitude. The spiritual discipline of
financial support is as important as worshiping and praying and serving and singing. Look for notes in the bulletins and newsletter about specific ways you can help as we work and connect in the coming year.
financial support is as important as worshiping and praying and serving and singing. Look for notes in the bulletins and newsletter about specific ways you can help as we work and connect in the coming year.
