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:(Click here for the full monthly calendar view.)
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Connecting through Grace
Celebrating Our Recent Connections: |
Many outside groups use our building each week for meetings and sessions — we love making connections in the community!
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Connect This Week: |
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: |
This week we begin the season of Advent, a time of expectation and preparation for the Nativity. We also celebrate Commitment Sunday, as we plan and prepare for the upcoming year, reflected by our own individual commitments to growing and connecting through grace together as a community.
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Thank you!For being part of the Zion family,
for your generosity, for your commitment, for connecting through grace. |
Sunday, December 2: Commitment SundayThis Sunday, please turn in your statement of intent to formally declare your commitment for 2019, as we continue to grow and connect through grace together as a community. You can download a blank statement of intent here or pick up a copy at church on Sunday. |
"Connecting through Grace"
in Action at Zion
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A few members were gracious enough to share their experiences and what they've seen over the past year or so, as well as some hopes and plans for the future year.
Check out what they had to say in the videos below. |
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(More videos coming soon! Please check back as videos are added.)
Worshiping Together
SUNDAYS AT ZION
8:15am Awakening WorshipA shorter, more relaxed service focused around prayer, meditation, and a brief message.
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9:15am Education
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10:30am Traditional WorshipA traditional liturgical worship service, with hymns accompanied by pipe organ and piano, music from the chancel choir, and sometimes music from the youth band.
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For an electronic copy of this week's bulletin or past bulletins, click here.
Announcements
UPCOMING EVENTSSaturday, December 1st Wine & Cheese Party @ 7:00 PM at the Three Fountains Club House located within the Three Fountains Cottonwoods complex. Bring an appetizer to share and your beverage of choice. Join us in celebrating the Peace of the Season. Sunday, December 9th Gingerbread House Decorating Party immediately following the 10:30 AM worship. A pizza lunch will be provided during the decorating fun! Bring your favorite Gingerbread house decorations and be sure to sign-up so we have enough houses and pizza for all participants. This is a Thrivent Financial sponsored event with a free will offering to Volunteers of America Youth Resource Center. Please bring items to help 'Fill the Pack': Hand warmers, new socks, gloves, new men and women's underwear, food gift cards, pens & pencils, notebooks, reusable water bottles, earbuds. Sunday, December 23rd Children's Christmas Program @ 6:00 PM Please join the children and youth of Zion for our annual Christmas program featuring music and Bible readings that tell of the first Christmas. This is a really special night every year. May we all feel and spread God's spirit this Holy Season. CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIPJoin us for Christmas Eve Worship 6:00 PM a Family-friendly Worship 9:30 PM Organ Recital with David Chamberlin 10:00 PM Candlelight Worship with Chancel Choir and Holy Communion BIBLE STUDIES & SMALL GROUP MEETINGSSundays, 9:15am: Adult Open Forum Bible Discussion All are welcome to discuss the current Sunday's lessons, focusing on the Gospel. Meeting in the room across from the Sanctuary. 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. Men's Morning Bible Study @ 7:00 AM Wednesdays Join us for a little breakfast and to hear God's Word! We meet downstairs each week. 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. |
Nursery AttendantThis is a paid position for Sunday mornings from 9:15 AM to 11:45 AM; background check required. Interested? Contact the church office to schedule an interview. Office AdministratorWe are looking to fill the position of Office Administrator. Click the link below for a complete job description. Contact the church office if interested.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIESCrossroads Urban Center: December needs Needed: Cereal Thrift store: All things warm (think blankets, winter coats, boots, gloves, mittens, hats, scarves, sleeping bags, etc.) 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 ORGAN UPDATEGet all the details in the November newsletter, including photos of some of the upgrades currently under construction. Nothing new to add for December. | ||
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.
