June 2006 Newsletter
A WORD FORM OUR PASTOR
Dear members and friends of Zion,
May has been a month filled with thank you's. It began with the taste of ice-cream, smoothies, and sweet success following our Sounds of the Caribbean fundraiser for a new sound system. That was April 30th, and by May 1st we realized that we had a great time and it was a grand success, actually two grand. That's what we raised with a little help from our friends at Thrivent, $2,094! With donations, and now pledges, we are well on our way to raising $15,000 for a new sound system in the Sanctuary. [Read more about this on page 4 in this newsletter.]
Our thank you's continued with May 14th. It was the Mother's Day Breakfast, with gestures of gratitude offered by the Men of Zion and expressions of thanks returned by Zion's women. What an astounding success! The food was superb, the fellowship was enjoyable, and the touch of a single red rose once again proved to be the crowning touch to the beginning of a wonderful day for the women we love. We've included several of the nice notes that we have received from the women who appreciated the gesture, and enjoyed the food, along with the worship that followed [Read more about this on page 13 in this newsletter.]
Toward the end of the month, on May 25th, we continued a relatively new tradition known as our Confirmation Dinner. This, too, is always a great thank you moment. We were sitting in Carrabbas, getting ready to offer a prayer, and it was clear that we were there to thank a whole lot of people for the effort put forth to move the children we've baptized toward affirming their faith through the Rite of Confirmation. We were thanking our confirmands - Laura Kay, Taylor Roman, and Chase Weinman - for putting forth the effort to learn Luther's Small Cate-chism, to participate as leaders in worship services, youth events, and programs that serve the church and the community. They've done a great job, as have their parents, in making sure that they placed in their hands the Holy Scriptures, introducing them to God's love, teaching them such basics as who God is (the Apostles' Creed), what God wants (the Ten Commandments), and how to keep in touch (the Lord's Prayer). Parents are key to the promises we lift up with baptism. It all starts in the home, with the faith we profess and the love that we live. Without the commitment of our parents, we cannot build the programs we need to grow the seeds of faith planted with Baptism. [Read more about our Confirmands on page7 in this newsletter.]
Joining me as the face of Zion's commitment to Christian Education were Debbie Fox (our Christian Education Director) and Mark Morris (the Confirmation Instructor). There are so many persons to thank for contributing to the growth in grace that baptism implies and that confirmation expects. It takes a community to grow the faith that knows the Good News that God loves us, and more, knows how to share this love through service. Sunday School teachers, Vacation Bible School, our youth group leaders, and how about our opportunities for service, our recreational programs, and the work days that invite our youth to help keep the building up to snuff for a vibrant ministry! May has been a month filled with lots and lots of thank you's. What could be a better indicator that God is good and that life at Zion is growing healthier in every way with each new day. May God be praised!
In His service, and yours,
Pastor Sherwindt
All-Aboard! Our Mission Trip Is Set To Roll! Helping New Orleans Heal, June 10 - June 17
We're leaving from Zion on Saturday morning, June 10, and returning Saturday evening, June 17. That will give us two travel days down to the Gulf Coast, four full work days, and two travel days back home. We have made arrangements to work (and sleep) right in the heart of one of New Orleans' devastated neighborhoods, St. Bernard Parish. We will be right in the center of it all, surveying the damage left by Katrina, and joining with others to help New Orleans heal.
There's still room for you if you would like to join us. Just call the Church Office with your interest. While the expenses will be substantial, the cost to our missioners is only $25. We will be driving down in SUV's and vans. We anticipate a stopover in Nashville on the way down and on the way back. We'll be rolling into the church, Adullam Christian Fellowship, some time Sunday evening. This was formerly a Winn Dixie grocery store, flooded in the aftermath of Katrina, and now a church, with average worship attendance around 150, and trying its best to help New Orleans heal. We'll be sleeping on cots with sleeping bags; but we'll be inside, with a chef on site for the work groups. There will be hot breakfasts, bag lunches, and volunteers will help with the evening meal. We'll work on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and probably part of Thursday. We expect to get a pretty good look at New Orleans. Without a doubt, this will be the best Work Week ever! If you are wondering about coming along, now's the time to say YES.
We've got a great group of fifteen, eight adults and seven youth, ready to roll with four SUV's. The work we'll be doing involves rebuilding neighborhoods. We will be helping to clean debris still left in yards and on the street. We'll be helping residents clean out their homes. We'll be helping with reconstruction, and some deconstruction, too. There is much yet to be done, both by the skilled and the unskilled volunteers that continue to make the trip to the Gulf Coast: all types and phases of construction, off loading trucks, sorting supplies, distributing supplies, picking up debris and demolition. It's nice to have a shelter over our heads, but there will still be plenty of heat and humidity. There will still be bugs of all sorts, including pesky gnats. And there will be lots and lots of life-changing sharing.
We know the heat and humidity will be different from what we're used to in northeast Ohio. We know that the bugs are, well, beyond belief. We know that the routine of uncomfortable cots, unfinished surroundings, limited power, portable showers, and who knows what will try to grind us down. But we will be able to take in a full view of everything that Katrina left behind. Even more to the point, with that view we will be able to see God in actionhose words from that volunteer from Pittsburgh, whose words appeared in this column last month: "God is so visible there, it is breath-taking. You do not see insurance companies. You do not see the government. You do not see the military. You do see churches packed with campers, tents and vans. You do see middle-aged men on roofs and teenagers prying clothes off trees. You do see retired elderly couples wheeling muck to the streets…. You do see tears of hope streaming from the hearts of southerners who watch people coming that care. You do see God, and God is everywhere….” In June, we'll be a part of that picture. Why not join us
Sounds of the Caribbean drumming up a GREAT SUCCESS
200-plus joined us on the evening of April 30th to enjoy Sounds of the Caribbean, compliments of PANomonon, the Rittman High School Steel Drum Band, and great smoothies and ice cream sundaes, thanks to the efforts of the Renovations Task Force and the choir crew who joined in to make the evening work … big time. What a night! Sue Everhart had been in charge of ticket sales, and, after all expenses, we were able to raise $1,394 for the new sound system. Our local service team from Thrivent has committed $700 in matching congregational funds, which brings the total for this fundraiser to $2,094.00. Wow!
The pledge drive has begun with phone calling involving our President, Laura Thompson, the Resource Ministry Elder, Cindy Ferry, Task Force Chairperson, Brian Walters, plus Flo Jensen, Chuck Danner, and Pastor Sherwindt. We were looking for eight members to pledge around $500, and found ten! We were looking for eight more to pledge around $250; we've found seven, and we're still counting! We are looking for twenty members who will pledge $100, and another forty to pledge $50. We've passed the half-way mark on both counts. The point is that your support is coming through once again, and for that we are truly grateful. Thanks, too, for responding so appreciatively when our callers rang your phone.
It is great knowing that we're all pulling together for the same thing, a sound system that will help us to both see and hear our children during their special program performances, a sound system that gives us some flexibility in the sanctuary, a sound system that complements the new songs of praise you hear rising from the worship we offer. We have not yet finished our calling, but we are well on our way to reaching our goal. When you add together what has been left over from the Restrooms Renovations, what has been raised through the Rittman High Steel Drum Band fundraiser, plus what has actually already been given from what's been pledged, we are well beyond the halfway mark to the $15,000 we will need. That, too, deserves a huge wow! Thank you, and thank you again, for your interest, your support, and your generosity.
The bar graph above shows that our goal for the new sound system is to raise $15,000. Our pledge drive has produced commitments totaling $12,500 thus far. Every little bit helps, because it is easy to run over budget when buying sound equipment. The shaded portion of the bar graph shows how much money we have already collected, which now exceeds $8,546.13! Everyone who gives to the sound system should make their checks payable to Zion Lutheran Church, with “new sound system” on the memo line. Once our pledge drive makes it clear that we have the commitments we need to move forward, we will present our final plans to the congregation, and then start purchasing what we need. We saved thousands by using our own skilled volunteers in renovating the restrooms, and we expect to do the same with our sound system.
Synod Assembly in June
Northeastern Ohio Synod Assembly
June 16-17, 2006 in Akron, Ohio
Living in God's Amazing Grace
Chuck Danner and Suzanne Walters are our voting delegates. Pastor Sherwindt, who will be on his way back from New Orleans, will not be in attendance. Marilyn Espe-Sherwindt, who is one of five candidates on the ballot for Vice-President, will be present as a non-voting visitor.
The assembly will be called to order with registration on Friday, June 16, at 7:30 a.m., orientation for new voting members at 8:00 a.m., worship at 8:30 a.m., a brief break, and the first business session at 10:00 a.m. Friday is a full day. The assembly concludes on Saturday with the installation of Synod Council members at 11:45 a.m. and formal adjournment at Noon.
Dr. Carol Jacobson, an Assistant Professor of Practical Theology, with a focus on Youth and Family Ministries, at Pacific Lutheran Seminary, will provide the key-note speaker presentation, and also lead a couple of workshop session focused on Nurturing Youth and Family Participation in Congregational Life.
2006 showed improved giving in mission support, and our Northeastern Ohio Synod was able to restore $12,000 in support both to Lutheran Outdoor Ministries of Ohio and Lutheran Campus Ministries. Mission support from congregations in our synod increased by $39,605 over last year. Aside from Bishop Miller's surprise announce-ment, the election of Vice-President is among the more interesting items on our agenda. In terms of ELCA news, we are the fifth largest denomination in the U.S.
Bishop Miller to Leave
Bishop Marcus Miller, our Presiding Bishop in the Northeastern Ohio Synod since 1995, has accepted a call to serve as the President of Lutheran Southern Theological Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina. Bishop Miller writes, “I am honored by this call and will accept the seminary's call to be president beginning August 15, 2006. Southern is a fine seminary with a splendid reputation and a very capable faculty.”
Having been elected twice, in 1995 and 2001, Bishop Miller would have reached the limit of two terms in office with the election for bishop next year. As it now stands, that election will take place in December, with the person elected as bishop in December serving a slightly longer term of six-and-one-half years. Bishop Miller will preside at our Synod Assembly in June. When he leaves in August, an Interim Bishop will be appointed by the Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, Mark Hanson. The Interim Bishop will serve with the present synod staff as they prepare for this special election for bishop in December.
In his letter to the synod, he summed up his feelings and his prayer: “I commit myself to Christ and to you for the remaining days as bishop of this synod. This call as bishop has been a great blessing to me. I have been stretched and challenged in ways I could not have imagined when you called me eleven years ago and by the grace of God we have continued and strengthened this ministry. Your support, prayers, and encouragement during these years have made it possible for me to persevere and for us to accomplish some wonderful things…. You have been a blessing to me and I thank God for you. May the risen Christ continue to strengthen you for service and love.”
Confirmands in the Spotlight
CELEBRATING ZION'S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
Chad Riffle, born March 7, 1988, recently graduated from GlenOak High School.
Chad's been a constant figure at Zion throughout his school years as a member of Zion's youth and also as an acolyte, and we congratulate him on his graduation. Chad is the son of Rick and Connie Riffle and has one sister, Melissa. Some of his favorites are spaghetti, the color green, attending Light and Sound Tech class at Glenoak, ESPN Sports Center while watching TV, Fast and Furious on the big screen, and listening to music artists System of a Down or Story of the Year. Chad's favorite activities include Holly Hills Baseball, First Friends Basketball, and playing the trumpet in Glenoak's Marching and Concert Bands. In his spare time he enjoys driving his car and hanging out with his friends. After High School, Chad will be enlisting in the United States Navy where he plans to learn about and be involved in telecommunication on Navy ships. He is looking forward to traveling to many different countries during his Naval career. Congratulations again to Chad and his family. We wish him the best of luck with his future in the United States Navy!
Matt Slease, born July 23, 1988, recently graduated from GlenOak High School. Matt has also been a constant figure at Zion throughout his school years as a member of Zion's youth, a member of the Bible Bowl Team for five years, an acolyte, and most recently as a member of Zion's Praise Team. We congratulate him on his graduation. Matt is the son of Wayne and Janet Slease, and has one sister, Melanie. Matt is a great percussionist! He played four years in Glenoak's Marching Band, four years in the Symphonic Winds Concert Band, two years in the Jazz Band, and four years in the Canton Youth Symphony. His other activities have included six years of Cub Scouts, and six years in a Bowling League. Matt also has been working at Wendy's and plans to work at Babcock & Wilcox Company in Alliance for the summer. After High School, Matt will attend Stark State College of Technology where he will be enrolled in the Automotive Technology program. We extend our congratulations to Matt and his family. We wish him the best of luck at college and all his future endeavors!
Anna Sherwindt, born March 4, 1988, recently graduated from Tallmadge High School. Anna is the daughter of Pastor Sherwindt and Marilyn, and has a brother Austin, a goldfish Betsy, and Lily, her three-year old German Shepherd. One of Anna's very favorite activities is giving Lily her bath, and Lily seems to like it, kind of. Another of Anna's favorite activities is tanning, along with beach time at such places as Hilton Head Island, Puerto Vallarta, and most recently, Aruba. Anna has served Zion as an acolyte, in the nursery on Sundays (and many Wednesday evenings, too), as a helper with Vacation Bible School, and joining with the Youth of Zion in such activities as the Bible Bowl, our many youth services, and the Winter Gathering, where she and Annie Forsyth were selected as youth delegates in 2005. In her spare time, Anna has volunteered at the Family Child Learning Center in Tallmadge. She has worked at Hollister, and now at Express. Anna graduated with honors, and will attend Capital University in the fall, where she expects to major in criminology and pre-law. Congratulations to Anna and her family! We wish her all the best at Capital.
CELEBRATING ZION'S COLLEGE GRADUATES
Melanie Slease recently graduated from Capital University with a double major in Religion and Psychology, and a minor in German. Melanie is the daughter of Wayne and Janet Slease and has one brother, Matt. Melanie's achievements while at Capital are many. As a freshman she played in the Capital University Wind Symphony and Flute Choir and also helped start a chapter of Lutheran Student Movement-USA at Capital. Melanie spent her sophomore year in Germany serving with the ELCA's Young Adults in Global Mission program, where she worked full time in a center for adults with mental and physical disabilities. During her Junior year, she was the chapter vice president of LSM, and senior year the chapter president. Melanie was a member of Phi Beta Delta, the international honors society for foreign language scholars, for two years and was also a member of Psi Chi, the national psychology honors organization for two years serving as chapter vice president her senior year. Also during her senior year, Melanie was a tutor in German and the Behavioral Sciences for the Center of Excellence in Learning and Teaching, and was the departmental assistant for the Foreign Languages Department, where she taught an introductory level German course once a week.
This summer, Melanie will be a camp counselor with Lutheran Outdoor Ministries of Ohio outreach camp where she will be traveling to a different church across Ohio each week. Then in August, she will be moving to Chicago where she will be working as a Lutheran Student Movement-USA intern with the ELCA in their church-wide office. Congratulations again to Melanie and her family. We wish you best of luck with all of your future endeavors!
COLLEGE GRADUATE & TEACHER IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Melissa Riffle, born January 21, 1985, recently graduated from Stark State College of Technology with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She made the Dean's List while at Stark State. In the fall she will attend the University of Akron, where she will work towards a degree as an Intervention Specialist. Melissa plans to work with mentally challenged children when finished with school.
Melissa is the daughter of Rick and Connie Riffle and has one brother, Chad. Some of her favorites include spaghetti and tacos, the color navy blue, listening to Country, Top 40 and Rap music and watching Full House on TV, and Meet the Parents or How to Loose a Guy in Ten Days on the big screen. Her hobbies include spending time with her boyfriend, Matt, hanging out with her friends and shopping.
Melissa is also a very active member at Zion. In the past she was very involved as a member of Zion's youth and their various activities. She currently is a very valuable member of Zion's Sunday School Staff, where she has taught and helped out with our Pre-School class. She also has taught and helped with Vacation Bible School for many years. She is a member of Zion's Co-Ed Softball Team.
We are very grateful for her dedication to Zion! Congratulations to Melissa and her family. We wish you the best of luck at Akron and with all your future plans.
CHURCH COUNCIL NEWS
We enjoyed very good attendance at our May meeting (Laura Thompson, Carol Rossbach, Dave Palumbo, Jayne Schrader, Pete Fenney, Sharon Stout, Cindy Ferry, Renee Schrader, Bob Lancashire and Pastor Sherwindt). A good part of our discussion focused on the May Congregation Meeting, which we missed. We brainstormed about make-up dates, and then decided to wait until after the summer to give ourselves a boost for the start of the new program year.
Financially speaking, April was a month that brought income even with expenses. The summary below shows a slight surplus through four months. What is even better, May has carried this momentum forward. We now look forward to completing our fund-raising for the new sound system. We still need to move forward in terms of looking for options when it comes to our aging heating system. Repair costs for our present system have been considerable.
We anticipate two baptisms, one for Holden Edward Nist, the son of Doug and Cheryl (Swartz) Nist (scheduled for Saturday, May 27), another for Avery Valentina Kitzmiller, the daughter of Aron and Nikki Kitzmiller.
STEWARDSHIP NOTES
Generosity is not measured by the size of the gift itself, but by the motivation. In Mark 12: 41-44 we see how Jesus valued the small offering of this poor widow over the large sums of money from the wealthy people. Jesus knew that she had given all she had. He could see that her heart was in the right place.
The great Psalmist David, King of Israel, said he would not give to the Lord that which cost him nothing. In other words, we are not to give our leftovers to God, but our best. When you think about it, is it really too much to ask? After all, He gave His best to us when He sent His own dear Son to die in our place.
Our attitude toward giving should be like that of the generous believers in Macedonia, who eagerly came to the aid of the church in Jerusalem during its time of need. “For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the gracious privilege of sharing in the gift for the Christians in Jerusalem.” [2nd Corinthians 8: 3-4]
When you question how much of your income should be spent on God's work, remember this promise: “God loves the person who gives cheerfully.” And what is more, “God will generously provide all you need.” [2nd Corinthians 9: 7-8]
Chris Thomas, and the
Stewardship Committee
(Cindy Ferry, Steve Ross)
GREAT NEWS FROM ZION'S SUNDAY SCHOOL
Upcoming Events - Mark your calendars!
Sunday, June 4: The Last day of the 2005-06 Sunday School year!
Sunday, June 11: First Sunday of Summer Sunday School Program
Our Curriculum focuses on The Incredible Race
June 10 thru 17: Zion's "Helping New Orleans Heal" Mission Trip
Sunday, June 25: Reception for Zion's Graduates, 9:15 a.m. in Luther Hall
July 17 thru 21: Vacation Bible School at Zion from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
THE CHILDREN'S CHIOR SCHEDULE
Sunday, June 18th, Father's Day: Sing at 10:30 a.m. service
Just a reminder: Choir Rehearsal begins at 9:10 a.m. on Sundays Our thanks to Suzanne Walters for a beautiful year of Sunday School music. We appreciate your hard work. The kids love to sing, and they do a great job!
SUNDAY SCHOOL: PRE-K THRU SIXTH GRADE
Sunday June 4th, will be our last day of the 2005-06 Sunday School Year. We will get together at 9:10 a.m. in the Choir Room and rehearse our Father's Day song. We will then work on our Father's Day Projects and play games to celebrate the year. Thanks to all of our teachers - Lisa Frock, Melissa Riffle, Annie Lemmo, Janet Slease, Connie Riffle and Renee Schrader - for a great year! We appreciate you so much! We would also like to thank Vicki Givler and Courlene Coulter for all their help this year! We truly have a great group!
Debbie Fox & Lisa Roman
THE CONFIRMATION AND HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES
Our thanks to Mark Morris for teaching our Confirmation class this year. We are so grateful for his time and dedication to our kids! We also extend our thanks to Wayne Slease and Todd Elsass for leading our High Schoolers this year! We appreciate their love and commitment to our young adults!
CO-ED SOFTBALL NEWS
The North Canton Ministerial Association Co-ed Softball League is about to begin. June 4th is the day. Dogwood Park in North Canton is the place. We have 14 teams, two divisions. Each team will play seven regular season games, and then the playoffs begin.
The teams are as follows: St. Paul's Catholic Church (Blue), Cornerstone Chapel, Inter-faith Campus Ministry, Zion United Church of Christ, Zion Lutheran Church, Trinity Baptist Church, Northminster Presbyterian Church, Grace United Methodist (Team 1), St. Paul's Catholic Church (White), Grace United Methodist (Team-2), Mt. Pleasant Church of the Brethren, Faith United Methodist Church, Crosspoint United Methodist, Church of the Lakes (UM).
The schedule for Team-Zion is as follows:
06/04 5:00 p.m., Field #1 Trinity Baptist
06/11 6:00 p.m., Field #4 Grace UM-1
06/18 6:00 p.m., Field #1 Cornerstone
06/25 5:00 p.m., Field #4 Northminster
07/02 No Games This Weekend
07/09 5:00 p.m., Field #1 St. Paul's (B)
07/16 6:00 p.m., Field #1 Interfaith CM
07/23 5:00 p.m., Field #4 Zion UCC
07/30 Round Robin Playoff Games begin!
08/06 Our Round Robin Playoffs continue
We've got a great team assembled for this year's playoff run: Mike Aquilo (Manager), Becky Aquilo and Tim Aquilo, Randy Cizek, Todd Cizek and Valerie Cizek, Michelle Cohen, Todd Elsass, Zach Fitz, Dean and Debbie Fox (Manager), Johanna Henderson, Mary Humbert, Laura Kay, Bob Lancashire, Debbie Lancashire, Matt Leasure, Tina Morris, Melissa Riffle, Alex Robbins, Shelly Rocco, Doug Roman, Taylor Roman, Linda Ross, Nicole Ross, Steve Ross, and Jon Votaw.
NEW PICTORIAL DIRECTORY
Our four photo days are now past. We had a great turnout, and things are moving forward. We would like to thank all of our members and staff for helping this process to go smoothly. We would also like to thank the members of our directory team for their helpfulness as hosts: Kay Davis, Nick and Cora Lanzalotta, Annie Lemmo, Darlene Milavickas, Evelyn Moore, Jayne Schrader, Renee Schrader, Mark Votaw, and Brian Walters. We have to confess that we could not be happier with the turnout and support.
We do, however, still have much to do. We still need to gather together action shots to show off Zion as an active church. We still need to get photographs of our shut-ins, families that weren't able to meet with Olan Mills, newer families who were still in the process of joining as members. We can take your picture ourselves, by visiting you at your home, or taking your picture when we see you here at the church. Or, you can submit a photograph yourself. It's your choice. How can we help?
Once we have done our homework, gathering all the photographs we can, plus putting together a great display that shows Zion-in-action, then we will send off the materials. At that point, we'll wait 10 to 12 weeks for the finished product. Every member will receive a copy of our new pictorial directory free of charge, and the church will have quite a few additional copies as we incorporate new members into our congregational life. We really appreciate your help, your interest, your support … and your photograph! That's what makes it all work.
God's blessings,
Steve Ross
ZION'S FOOD PANTRY
This year's postal food drive was slightly easier than in the past. It was still the weekend of Mother's Day, and we were not only there for our own pantry that day, but also responsible for overseeing five other area pantries. The Good News was that with the assistance of three volunteers from our church, the job went a lot easier; and during the following week, Zion's awesome Food Pantry Crew pitched together and sorted and stocked all the donated food in under three hours! I thank the Lord for sending such awesome people to carry out his work.
By the way, the June Food of the Month club needs your participation. Many of Zion's food pantry children are on state-assisted lunch programs throughout the school year. School will soon be out for the summer. All of us hope that parents will be working, but the children will still need to eat during the day. What we need from each family at church is a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter for the month of June. I know if we put our heads, our tummies and our hearts together, we can make this happen.
God's blessings,
Shirley Cavender
THE CLOTHING CLOSET
A Note of Thanks from the Clothing Closet: Special thanks to Carolyn Elsass for all the socks given to share with our families. We have some additional needs as we approach the summer months: men's tennis shoes or dress shoes sizes 9 and 10; linens, such as sheets, towels, and curtains; and, of course, children's toys. Thanks for your interest.
Karen Kirk
SERVANTS OF GOD AT ZION
Remembering the Hasselbachs
Written by Chuck Danner
On May 3, Jane Schrader's meditation on Why We Worship included this thought on God's will: “I once read that faith is not a means of getting man's will done in heaven; it is the means of getting God's will done on earth.” []
On this same day, May 3, God's will on earth was revealed to us in the life of Margaret Hasselbach as she passed from this life into life with God in His kingdom. Margaret was the mother of one of our present members, Peggy Leed, and the wife of the Rev. Charles Hasselbach, a wonderful man who served as an Assistant Pastor at Zion (1966-67) during the tenure of Pastor Ruth. Pastor Hasselbach also served in a part-time capacity at St. Luke's Lutheran Home during that time, and became the full-time chaplain at St. Luke's upon leaving Zion.
I remember the Hasselbachs as loving servants of God, with his role of advising our young adults group, complemented well by her supportive role. One of the reasons I have such vivid memories of the Hasselbachs is deeply personal. During a time when Pastor Ruth happened to be on vacation, my mother passed away, and Pastor Hasselbach presided and preached at her funeral. It was July of 1967. I guess we never forget the many details that crowd our time during moments filled with such love and emotion.
Celebrations of life: that's what we do when God calls those whom we love to their heavenly home. Celebrations of life: what a
beautiful reminder of God's will for us on earth and His plan for our redemption.
THE WOMEN OF ZION
The monthly Women's Bible Study will meet on Tuesday, June 20, and continue their focus on Acting Boldly with health and wellness as the topic for the summer. Pastor Ron Glusenkamp and his wife Sue Ann are writing a three-session (June-July/August) study on health, wellness, and abundant living. This study lifts up the Women of the ELCA's Act Boldly triennium theme, Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls. Using New Testament resources, this study will explore health assessment and balance, seeking and receiving healing, and striving for and achieving goals. We'll talk about health and wholeness, shaping attitudes, changing behaviors, and improving health.
The Chancel Guild Luncheon is set for June 13 in the dining room at The Water-ford beginning at Noon. The cost is $9.50; reservations need to be finalized by June 4.
Letters of Thanks to the Men of Zion:
Many thanks for the delightful brunch for Mother's Day. The food was scrumptious and service with a smile inspired one in response. Thanks, too, for the beautiful roses. We're looking forward to next year!
Ten thousand thanks,
The Women of Zion
Thank you so much for the delicious Mother's Day Breakfast you served us this Sunday. It was outstanding! The personal invitation, table centerpieces, and food were super!! Then you topped it off with a beautiful red rose. You men are special. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your thoughtfulness.
Sincerely, Barb
THANK YOU'S AND MORE
Dear Pastor (and Friends at Zion),
My Sunday visit to Zion Lutheran Church [on Mother's Day] was great. What a marvelous congregation. So friendly - I would like to have brought a few members back to my church to show them what friendliness means to a congregation and how, as the hymn Bind Us Together teaches us, we ought to think of each other. I truly wish I could have complimented each and every one of you.
It was great meeting you, the breakfast, where I met so many members, the rose, and the contemporary service. Also, thank you for the devotional book. It will not be read just once and laid aside. I have read it several times already. It's great. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the prayers.
I was impressed by the large crowd and the age span, plus so many families. You should know when you witness that yours is an excellent congregation.
Peace to you and Zion,
Janet Pehrson
Dearest Friends at Zion,
I would like to thank each and every one of you for all of the many cards, flowers, calls, thoughts, and prayers that I have received during the week while I was ill and recovering from surgery. I would also like to thank Pastor for his visit in the hospital. I so appreciate everyone's concern and thoughtfulness. The Lord has blessed me and my family with the gift of all of you. Zion is a beautiful place, filled with wonderfully caring people! May the peace of our Lord be with each of you every day.
Suzanne Walters
THE MEN OF ZION
The Men of Zion met in May to plan their strategy, which they implemented perfectly in preparing for this year's edition of the Mother's Day Breakfast. More women were served, more roses distributed, more voices at worship, more men contributing to the cause: all in all, it was everything we had hoped for and more.
It was nice to see a few new faces at our May meeting - Mark Keaveny, Jeff Frank, and Mike McCartt, along with Ian, too. We missed Fred Elsass, but in his absence we volunteered him to plant all the Pentecost geraniums that members donate for church use! All will agree that Dad Elsass, as he is known affectionately to many in the Elsass family who are members of Zion, led a team of horticulturists last year that brought out the beauty of our church, both inside our hearts and outside on the church grounds.
We plan to meet again, as usual, on the first Wednesday of the month, which is June 7, at 6:00 p.m. for dinner. We would love for more of Zion's men to join us. The food is good; the fellowship, great; and the fun, always the best part of the evening. Come and join us. You'll be glad you did, and so will we.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
Mark your calendars! We have scheduled Vacation Bible School for the week of July 17 thru 21, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Join us on our Adventure to Son Treasure Island as we find a treasure on the island that is more precious than gold or silver, namely, GOD'S LOVE!
The children will be learning how God's Love is giving, kind, caring, forever and forgiving. It is going to be a great week of fun, fellowship and learning.
As is always the case, we will need plenty of volunteers to make our Vacation Bible School a success. Please consider helping and contact Debbie Fox at 330-966-2433. If you are not available during that week, there are still many other ways to help out.
We will have donation cans, sign up sheets for food and supplies needed for the week, and work days to do all of the prep work for VBS. We truly appreciate the support we receive. Zion's family always gives generously for this great event!
We will have more information about organizational meetings and registration materials as the month of June unfolds. While July 17th is still a ways away, we are planning for success right now!
ANNIVERSARIES IN JUNE
June 3 Cherie & Michael Henson
June 6 Eddie &Mary John
June 10 John & Margaret Brokloff
June 18 Rick & Sharon Stout
June 21 Scott & Kathleen Gross
June 21 Gary & Shirley Horton
June 23 Walter & Cheryl Dietrich
June 24 Jim & Stella Smiley
June 25 Blair & Marge Woodside
June 27 Len & Vicki Swartz
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