August 2006 Newsletter
A WORD FORM OUR PASTOR
Dear members and friends of Zion,
Summer is now is full swing, and we have enjoyed more than our share of summer successes. The first such notable success was our mission trip to New Orleans. We spent a good part of July's edition of The Zion Herald heralding that great event. Our missioners reassembled in Luther Hall between the services on July 23, and began looking forward to our next mission trip to New Orleans. Mark Votaw proved up to the task in leading us through the various stages of planning that produced an unforgettable experience of growing in love and service by grace. We discovered that none of us were prepared for what we saw in New Orleans, and the process of Helping New Orleans Heal will be a long-term proposition. Our Lutheran Disaster Response tent cities are looking out well beyond ten years!
One of the best ways to sustain our raised awareness is to create some kind of on-going partnership with those whom we helped in Saint Bernard Parish. So, we have proposed a partnership between Zion's food and clothing ministries and the food and clothing ministries of Operation Blessing. We have set as our goal the challenge of finding 200 persons willing to give $25, with three-fourths of the amount raised funding Zion's Food Pantry & Clothing Closet, and at least one-fourth going to assist with Operation Blessing in Saint Bernard Parish. We hope that our friends from the Stark Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will add some matching funds to this campaign, increasing the amount of assistance we can send to New Orleans. We have not yet even begun to promote this partnership, and yet already we have found thirty-two pledges of support. Stay tuned for your chance to join in and help.
Of course, another of those great summer success stories was Son Treasure Island, Zion's 2006 excursion into Vacation Bible School excellence. This edition of The Zion Herald will have much more to say about our awesome experience with Son Treasure Island (see pages 6-8), but let me begin by marveling at the great team of volunteers we assembled. Words cannot express our gratitude for the support we received in the classroom, with the crafts, in the kitchen, with the cleaning, with fun to be had inside and out, and great music to be made, with plenty of donations, in kind and in cash; and the kids - what great kids and families, all on display at our Ice Cream Social on Thursday evening, when we filled the Sanctuary with beautiful music, and enjoyed more than our fill of delicious ice cream in Memorial Hall.
This great experience spawned yet another, a Youth Fun Day at Cedar Point, scheduled for Tuesday, August 1, when the youth who joined us for our mission trip to New Orleans and the youth who helped us with Vacation Bible School will get to enjoy a great day of fun in the sun, riding some of the best roller coasters in the country, as our way of saying thanks for the great kids we have at Zion. In short, the summer is now in full swing, and we've saved our sweetest summer success story for September. The Men of Zion, with great encouragement from our Singing Chef Dale Jacobs, have set their sights on yet another great food event at Zion, a Congregational Pig Roast after our Outdoor Worship Service on Rally Day, which is Sunday, September 10. Of course, we'll have much more to say about Rally Day, and about the start up of the Sunday School year, and about the start up of the choral year, and about the celebration of our annual Mission Fair. So stay tuned, because there is much more yet to come.
In His service, and yours,
Pastor Sherwindt
CHURCH COUNCIL NEWS
Due to the combined June-July meeting in June, Council will not meet again until August 8. Looking ahead, we expect to see some encouraging news from the Treasurer. In addition to our support for the Operating Budget, we have continued to see healthy donations for our new sound system. Our actual donations through July are $15,770! Brian Walters will present his proposal for renovating our sound system. As with the restrooms, we plan to do much of the work ourselves; but costs will be considerable. We're thankful for your support, and we'll be realistic in assessing such factors as future needs and present affordability.
The offerings for Vacation Bible School were incredible, with our total exceeding $1,704! We received $573 through daily offerings, over $200 through the quilt raffle, tons of food donations, $350 in cash dona-tions, oodles in the sale of VBS shirts, and another $75 to cover daily ice cream runs.
We look forward to receiving more new members at our August meeting. Several families who have been worshiping with us regularly have found Zion to be an inviting place to call home. Jim and Elaine Fidler, Mason and Jennifer Brown, John and Ginny Rhodes, and their children, Max, Maddie, Mallory, and Marcus are among the new members we expect to receive in August.
We will consider forming a partnership with those whom we helped in New Orleans, linking money we will raise for our Food Pantry & Clothing Closet to the ministries with Operation Blessing.
The 2007 budget process is now underway, with the Mutual Ministry overseeing staff reviews and putting together compensation recommendations for the Pastor, our Music Director, Office Secretary, and Custodian.
SOME STEWARDSHIP NEWS
The Stewardship Team is looking ahead to presenting a Stewardship Program to help us think faithfully about the challenges we will face with the 2007 budget year. That is a ways out, but it's not too soon to start thinking about meeting these challenges with a focus on stewardship education.
In the meantime, let's make the effort, each and every day, to consider as signs of God's gracious love the very gifts we take for granted - ourselves, our time, as well as our possessions. May we try as individuals to use our time and talents and material possessions as an offering of thanks to God. These are simple practices, but attending to them daily insures that we remain focused on discerning God's presence and following God's guidance each and every day.
Sometimes we are inspired in the most unusual places when it comes to thinking about God's presence and God's guidance. While attending a local performance where the works of J.S. Bach were offered, Mabel Kolarik was impressed by the spirit of what Bach wrote as an invocation introducing a masterpiece. Bach was a man of faith and devotion, whose art inspired the same in others. It's worth listening to words that motivated him in all that he did.
Grant us to do with zeal our portion
whatsoever.
May we obey thy law to duty
faithless never.
And may we steadfast be,
our help in thee alone.
When we our task fulfill
grant it may be well done.
We may not be able to write as Bach wrote, but we certainly can ask that all that we do in service to the Lord be well done. Amen
A STUDY OF EPHESIANS
"Grace and peace to your from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." That's how Paul begins his letter to the Ephesians. It sounds so innocuous and uneventful, and yet it is so much more than that. Grace and peace are the one-two punch of the gospel of our salvation. Grace is the power of God's reign, and peace is its promise. Grace is God's greatest gift, and peace, our enjoyment of it. Grace is who God is, and peace is what Christ has won through the sacrifice of his body on the cross, through the presence of his life in the church.
Ephesians is Paul at his very best. It is a letter that is a succinct summary of everything important Paul has to say, and he says it with such directness that we cannot help but marvel, and praise God for the gifts of grace and peace that are ours through Christ. The first half of the letter talks about God's action, and the second half takes up our response. Chapters 1-3 are about the Divine Indicative, and Chapters 4-6, the Ethical Imperative. Chapter 1 addresses God the Father, and the praise due Him. Chapter 2 paints a powerful portrait of Christ the Son. Chapter 3 shows the power of the Holy Spirit, active in Paul and through the Church. Chapter 4 is the transition from focusing on what God has done to addressing what we should do. Chapter 4 deals with responding to God's call in our personal lives. Chapter 5 takes up our social relationships. Chapter 6 talks about faithfulness in the wider world.
Our two adult Sunday School classes are combining forces for this six-week study of Ephesians. Pastor Sherwindt, Carol Ross-bach, and Chuck Danner will offer the leadership we need; and you will very much enjoy this return to Scripture. Please join us. You'll be glad you did, and so will we.
ODDS 'N ENDS AT ZION
Team Zion had a successful run through the regular season, accumulating a record of six wins, no losses, and one tie. We enjoyed victories over Trinity Baptist, Cornerstone Chapel, Northminster Presbyterian, St. Paul's (B), the Interfaith Campus Ministry, and Zion United Church of Christ, with a tie against Grace United Methodist (1). The Round Robin Tournament got underway on July 30, when Team Zion faced off with Grace United Methodist (2), and after a hard-fought game, wound up on the short side of a 17-16 score. Round Two continues on August 6, which culminates with our Annual Picnic and Hot Dog Roast. In the end, it's always about food!
Zion's Food Pantry will be open the first and third Tuesdays in August, August 1st and 15th. The Food of the Month is not a food but an item, feminine hygiene products. We very much appreciate responsiveness to our monthly requests as do the families we serve. The Clothing Closet is looking for clothing for Boys, Girls, and Infants, up to young-teens-plus sizes. Also, blankets, towels, and linens are always needed. Finally, little ones are always looking for a toy or two to take home. Oh, one more thing, we've discovered that we can use teenage accessories like hair clips, jewelry, purses, and the like. Thanks.
Zion's Picture Directory is going to be a reality in the very near future. We're making progress in gathering together pictures of our many families and the various church groups that are active in ministry. We still have a few loose ends to tie up, several families to contact, and action-page pictures to organize as we seek to put together a finished product that is inclusive, accurate, and representative of the great community we are and the wonderful work God has given us to do.
Great News from Zion's Sunday School
UPCOMING EVENTS - MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Sunday, August 27: The Last Day of SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL
Sunday, September 3rd: No Sunday School on Labor Day Weekend
Sunday, September 10: RALLY DAY at Zion, 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Sunday, September 17: Children's Choir Practice Resumes at 9:10 a.m.
Sunday, September 17: The 2006-07 Sunday School Year Begins at 9:30 a.m.
SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL: PRE-K THRU SIXTH GRADE
The Incredible Race: Summer Sunday School is coming to the finish line!
Twelve Sundays of full-throttle fun! It's the race of a lifetime that everyone can win! June's pacesetters were Moses and David. July's pacesetters were Namaan's slave girl, Jonah, Daniel, John the Baptist, and Jesus! This month the children will race to learn about pacesetters Paul, Onesimus, Philemon, and All Who are Faithful. There will be games, crafts, snacks and other great projects that go along with all of our lessons! Join us, and help us to finish our Incredible Race, where we are learning valuable lessons for the race of life! On Sunday, August 28th, we will celebrate our ending for this year's Summer Sunday School program. Don't miss it!
Backpacks and School Supplies
During VBS this year, some of our classes chose to collect supplies for school kits as a service project. Zion's Sunday School would like to continue this project during the first two weeks of August. We will be collecting school supplies and backpacks through Sunday, August 13th. This will give us time to assemble the kits so they can be delivered before school starts. We are looking for supplies like spiral bound notebooks, notebook paper, binders, scissors, glue, markers, crayons, pencils, erasers, pencil boxes, etc. We are especially in need of backpacks this year. Our school kits will be given to the families we serve through our food pantry. There will be a collection box in Luther Hall to drop off all donated items. Thank you for your support in helping us to reach out to those in need and sharing God's love!
SON TREASURE ISLAND: Vacation Bible School at Zion
This year an amazing group of treasure hunters joined us for an Island Adventure to Son Treasure Island, from July 17 through 21, for Vacation Bible School. The children spent a week in search of the ultimate treasure - God's Love. Pastor Sherwindt introduced each day's lessons with great enthusiasm, and also set our kids on another hunt - an acronym for LOVE, which produced good results. The themes for each of our five days were God's Love Is GIVING, God's Love Is KIND, God's Love Is CARING, God's Love Is FORGIVING, and God's Love Is FOREVER!
We had 84 children registered this year, averaging about 80 children each day. The children experienced a wide variety of activities during the week - great lessons, music, crafts, games, a treasure hunt, great food, many community service projects, a Wet & Wild Day at the Beach, and a Beach Party. We also experienced true island weather during the week with hot temperatures and high humidity. Luther Hall, our Sanctuary and Memorial Hall became our beautifully decorated island. I have to thank Carol Rossbach, Mabel Kolarik, Anna Mae Lebeau and Mary Humbert for all of their hard work on our sea life and palm trees. I also want to thank David Evanoff for the beautiful air-brushed beach scene! Another big thank you goes out to Darlene & Lou Milavickas for decorating Memorial Hall. Everything was so amazing and helped us to feel the wonderful island atmosphere!
Because we were learning all about God's love, we felt that this year we would once again place a strong emphasis on our service projects. What better way to teach the children about God's love than to let them show His love to those in need. Our first form of service was the daily offering, and we were able to collect $573 in offerings this year. We had a contest each day between the boys and girls to see who could bring in the most money. The boys won 4 days, the girls won 1 day, but everyone was a winner with this project! We did something new this year in asking the children to vote on which charities we would support with our offerings. The winning charities were the Animal Shelter and the Make A Wish Foundation, two wonderful charities! The children also brought in a multitude of food for our Food Pantry, filling our “Love Boat” (built by Chris Thomas) in Luther Hall.
Once again, our VBS kids created quilt squares, making enough for Zion's Comfort Givers to sew 11 quilts. These quilt squares and quilts have become a wonderful tradition for Zion's VBS program. One quilt was raffled off at the Ice Cream Social, and raised an additional $202 for our Son Treasure Island. When Lisa Roman was this year's quilt raffle winner, her joy could be heard everywhere in our church island paradise! The other quilts will be sent through Lutheran World Relief to places in need all over the world.
Finally, each class chose their own additional project to work on during the week. Our Pre-K class collected items to create coloring and activity kits for kids who are in the hospital. The Pre-K class also spent 2 days coloring pictures with Senior Independence. Our K1 & Kindergarten classes, along with 1st & 2nd grade, collected items for school kits to help the families we serve through our food pantry. The 1st & 2nd grade class also collected children's books to make a book basket for a children's hospital. The 3rd & 4th grade class played “Glory” (Bible Bingo) with Senior Independence. The 5th & 6th grade class baked cookies and brownies for our shut-ins and the elderly.
We are very proud of the kids for all of their hard work on their projects! They did a fabulous job showing how God's love is giving, kind, and caring! Thank you to everyone for all of your donations for all of our projects throughout the week!
We had an awesome group of Captains & Assistants (teachers) this year. They put in a lot of time and hard work to make this year's program such a success. I am so grateful to them for the amazing job that they did! The children had such a great time and loved their leaders!
As always, music was one of the highlights of VBS thanks to Suzanne Walters. She did an amazing job with the kids teaching them the songs, motions, dancing and sign language. She put together a wonderful program for the Ice Cream Social that parents, family and friends truly enjoyed. The children really enjoyed this year's music - it was fun and the songs had such great meaning! I have heard from many parents that their children listen to the music CD all day and are singing and dancing all over the house!
Our crafts were once again outstanding thanks to the creativity, patience, organization and flexibility of Connie Frank, Anna Mae LeBeau and Linda Ross.
The week finished out with Wet & Wild Day at the Beach on Thursday, the Ice Cream Social, which was sponsored by Thrivent on Thursday night, and our Beach Party on Friday, where the kids enjoyed limbo contests, hula hoop contests, games, a bounce house and the Snack Shack!
Our kitchen, led, by Shirley Cavender and Darlene Milavickas, gave us a great beach menu that the children loved! We also had a traveling popsicle and ice cream cart each day that the children anxiously waited for! Each treat was 25 cents, and the money collected was added to our offering and donated to our two charities.
Zion's VBS is such a great success because of the contributions and commitments of all involved - the staff, the children, their families and the congregation. Thank you to everyone who donated supplies, food, money and/or their time!
The following is a list of staff and volunteers who are invaluable to me and Zion! Many of them did more than the category they are listed in. Everyone was willing to help out wherever they were needed! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
SON TREASURE ISLAND: The Island Adventure Staff
VBS Program Director: Debbie Fox
Captains & Assistants:
Nursery: Darlene Dague & Betty Lenz
Pre-K: Melissa Riffle & Laura Thompson
K1: Anna Sherwindt & Annie Forsyth
Kindergarten: Tina Beaber & Tammi Fisher
1st & 2nd: Valerie Cizek & Stephanie Jacques
3rd & 4th: Renee Schrader & Julie McCartt
5th & 6th: Chuck Danner & Chris Thomas
Music Director: Suzanne Walters
Kitchen Leaders: Shirley Cavender & Darlene Milavickas
Kitchen Crew: Charlie Cavender, Karen Kirk, Ashley Porter, Cheryl Roman, Sharon Stout
Ice Cream Cart: Karen Kirk & Ashley Porter
Crafts: Connie Frank, Anna Mae LeBeau, Linda Ross
Youth Helpers: Corey Beaber, Todd Cizek, Cara Caldarelli, Michelle Cohen, Kelly Fischer, Christian Heller, Richelle Hilson, Laura Kay, Tommy Lewis, Ben Mathie, Matt Mathie, Chad Riffle, Josh Roan, Taylor Roman, Nicole Ross, Ashley Sir Louis, Kirsten Sudar, Michal Todich
Decorations: Carol Rossbach, Mabel Kolarik, Anna Mae Lebeau, Mary Humbert, David Evanoff
Quilters: Kay Davis, Ruth Elsass, Helen Edwards, Joyce Gibeaut, Mildred Hostetler, Juanita Meighen, Edna Smith, Mabel Snyder, Pat Stayer, Betty Tracy, Linda Wilson
T-Shirts: Carol Rossbach, Mabel Kolarik, Connie Riffle, Ann Lemmo, Diane Antenuce
Quilt Squares: Sandi Hilson & Rachael Hilson
Other Volunteers: Janet Slease, Jeff Frank, Diane Dunphy, Dean Fox, Wayne Slease
Newsletters: Lisa Roman
Video & DVD: Chuck Danner
Photo CD: Taylor Roman
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans: The Ice Cream Social & Matching Funds
Food Donations: Craig Hauter from Sugardale for the hot dogs
Items for the Kids: Mercy Medical Center
Son Treasure Island T-Shirts & Kids' Backpacks: Jeff Frank and Akron Felt & Chenille
This year's program was once again truly amazing! Because of the above people, Son Treasure Island was a great success. Zion is very blessed with a great group of volunteers who make our VBS program one of the best! Everyone's flexibility, time commitment and hard work are invaluable! I could not do it without everyone's help and support, and for that I am grateful from the bottom of my heart!
Thank you again to all involved!
Debbie Fox, VBS Chair
The Men of Zion
We had a great turnout for dinner on the first Wednesday in July, and we are looking for the same on the first Wednesday in August, which is August 2. We meet in Luther Hall at 6:00 p.m. Last month, Linda Ross treated us to her fabulous meatball subs, with all the picnic trimmings. It doesn't get any better than that! We were so inspired by the great food that we decided to invite the entire congregation to another great food event, a tradition that seems to have been forgotten lately, the Fall Pig Roast, which we've schedule following our outdoor service on Rally Day, September 10. Those who previously enjoyed Zion's annual pig roast will remember what an outstanding event this was. Those who are new to the tradition will not want to miss it!
Sometimes we think about things other than food, and Chris Thomas reminded us that we needed to think about a Work Day at Zion, which will begin, of course, with food - a pancake breakfast prepared by Chris Thomas, beginning at 9:00 a.m. We are going to focus on the windows that need caulking, but there is plenty of work to do in preparing for the fall. Please plan to come and join us: that's men and women, young and old, members and friends, everyone, everywhere, on Saturday, August 5th, beginning at 9:00 a.m.
Dick Spall was our special guest, inviting the Men of Zion to join the Lutheran Men in Mission for a golf outing at Raintree Country Club on July 29 to raise money for the men and women who are preparing for ministry at Trinity Lutheran Seminary. Six men from Zion obliged, helping to make the day and the effort a great success. Our thanks are xtended to Mark Votaw, Jon Votaw, Chase Weinman, Randy Cizek, Todd Cizek, and Brian Walters.
The Women of Zion
Vacation Bible School complicated our schedule of ministries and meetings in July, expanding it for the Comfort Givers, and inviting some adjustments for our summer Bible study. The Comfort Givers met Monday through Thursday the week of July 17, producing some great quilts for the VBS raffle. Our thanks to Kay Davis, Helen Edwards, Ruth Elsass, Joyce Gibeaut, Mildred Hostetler, Juanita Meighen, Edna Smith, Mabel Snyder, Pat Stayer, Betty Tracy, and Linda Wilson.
As it turned out, Mabel Snyder took the initiative to reschedule the monthly Bible study for the week following VBS. The theme remained focused on Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls, a summer study about health and wholeness, shaping attitudes, changing behaviors, and improving health. That is the theme we will continue with our Bible study in Luther Hall on Tues-day, August 15, 9:30 a.m. Please join us.
The 2006-2007 Fall Bible Study will focus on Hope in God in Times of Suffering. Christians, like all people, often struggle to make sense of suffering. Beginning with the September issue of Lutheran Women Today and continuing through May 2007, Faith and Terence Fretheim will explore this much-discussed theme of suffering. Suffering is a fact of life; nearly everyone suffers, and not every one suffers equally. Why is that? The Fretheims will make distinctions among types of suffering, and the ways we can respond to it. The key question they explore is, "What will we do with our suffering?" Each of our sessions will be filled with information, probing questions, and Bible passages, which will spark reflection, conversation and prayer. Please plan to join us for this timely series.
A "Thank You" to Zion
To the Members of the Congregation,
I am truly blessed to work for such a caring and understanding community of people. Because of your generosity, I was able to take my first paid vacation since 2002! I really needed this time to relax and catch my breath.
I spent this time at my camper at Salt Fork Lake near Cambridge. It was great. I went fishing every day, and I love to fish.
I know first-hand what it takes to keep the church in top shape, since that's my job. I really appreciated all the hard work that so many people put in to stay on top of all the duties that go with my position at Zion.
I missed all the busyness that goes with Vacation Bible School. But your hard work and great support made my vacation that much better. Thank you.
In God's service,
Tim Himebaugh
AUGUST SENIOR BIRTHDAYS
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Happy Birthday to:
| Cora Lanzalotta |
August 4 |
| Robert Leed |
August 4 |
| Larry Moore |
August 4 |
| Kay Davis |
August 7 |
| Ila Mae Givler |
August 20 |
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ANNIVERSARIES IN AUGUST
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Happy Anniversary to:
| Bill & Jeanie Forsyth |
August 10 |
| Steve & Margaret Porter |
August 13 |
| Ron & Carole Singer |
August 17 |
| Mike & Rosalie Babich |
August 23 |
| Dan & Linda Wilson |
August 29 |
| Steve & Karen Amatangelo |
August 29 |
| Jerald & Jane Hirschman |
August 30 |
| Dick & Doris Spall |
August 31 |
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MORE ZION THANK YOU'S
Between the services on June 25, Zion took the time to thank our graduates for their service during worship through the years as acolytes. Our graduates responded:
Dear Zion family,
Thank you for your generous graduation gift. The money will definitely come in handy to help pay for college expenses. Thanks also for the cake and reception for all of us graduates. I appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Sincerely,
Matt Slease
Thank you so much for the gift certificate to Borders. It will come in handy when I buy books for my classes at the University of Akron. Your thoughtfulness is appreciated.
Thanks,
Melissa Riffle
Thank you for thinking of me at graduation. Thank you, too, for the generous gift. It will go towards my future.
Love,
Chad Riffle
Thank you so much for all of your support and for your contributions towards my education. I don't know of many churches that support the youth as much as Zion does. I really appreciate the gift for acolyting, and I am thankful for your support as Partners in Education with Capital University.
Sincerely,
Anna Sherwindt
With special thanks to the Zion family,
Your kindness during my recent hospitalization will not be forgotten. Thank you for your visits and prayers.
Love,
Yvonne Niesz
In Loving Memory of Starling E. "Jack" Taylor
August 27, 1921 - July 2, 2006
[Excerpts from the homily at the Service of Christian Burial on Friday, July 14.]
I am deeply honored to be here. Yes, I know I'm the Pastor, and the service doesn't start without me; but the truth is that I was out of town in New England, at a Bed & Breakfast overlooking Lake Champlain in Burlington, Vermont, when I spoke with Jack's daughter Sue about Jack's peaceful passing. I had no way of knowing, whether the Taylor family could wait for my return so that I could be here with you to mark the life of a man who was a gem of a person, so gracious, so generous in so many ways, a true gem of a man, whom all regarded with fondness and love, at work, in the church, among family and friends….
Jack lived a long and full life. Four-score-and-ten is what the Bible says. We've pushed the limits back a bit. Jack enjoyed almost eighty-five years of God's gift of life among us. Not all of those years were easy, but all were blessed. Some days were tough, but never so tough that Jack wasn't grateful to God, thankful for life, generous in giving, humble in serving. When I spoke with Sue on the telephone about the sad news of Jack's passing, I was in Burlington, a small college town in upstate Vermont, a place with lots of churches, whose steeples invariably mark the center of these quaint New England villages. While walking through town, I walked past a Methodist Church, a Congregational Church, a smaller Catholic Church, an Episcopal church, a First Church of Christian Science; and I walked past a prominent community church with a large sign, which read, “What do you plan to do with your wild and precious life?” I'm pretty sure that it was a question aimed at Burlington's youth, but I liked that question. I think it's a question we do well to raise today.
I am not sure that in looking back upon a life well-lived from the perch of just shy of eighty-five years later makes it look like life was a plan, but I do know that Starling Taylor did some pretty wonderful things with the precious life that God gave him over eighty-four years ago. Jack was born in Beallsville, Ohio, graduated from Kent State University in 1942, and became a Master Sergeant in the Army during the harrowing years of World War II. From there it was a lifetime of service with Goodyear - mostly with Goodyear Aerospace, but also with Goodyear Tire and Rubber. The accolades for Jack Taylor add up and up and up. Finance: that was Jack's forte. That's where he served at Zion. That's how he helped as a board member at the St. Luke's Foundation. At Goodyear Jack climbed a ladder of success that led from the accounting department through such positions as Vice-President, Comptroller, Chief Financial Officer, a Strategic Planner in the corporate world, ultimately winding up as Vice President of Corporate Accountability and Business Ethics Compliance.
Jack Taylor was truly blessed in life - blessed with a great family and good friends, blessed with people he cared for and folks who cared for him, blessed with a job he enjoyed, and excelled in. Jack was blessed to enjoy life to its fullest, and to make a contribution along the way, as a first-rate professional, as one who was well thought of in the community, a man for whom such classic virtues as loyalty, responsibility, fidelity, and conscientiousness were part-and-parcel of the good life. These were the skills in life that made Jack a trusted friend, a faithful partner, a good man. God has blessed us with Jack Taylor. Our lives are better, our world is better, for his having lived and loved among us.
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