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March 2005 Newsletter OUR SCHEDULE FOR LENT AND HOLY WEEK AT ZION
Palm Sunday, March 20: Our Traditional Passion Sunday Service at 8:00 a.m.
ZION'S CONGREGATIONAL MEETING: (FEBRUARY 23, 7:00 P.M.)
Several of our Elders spoke about their areas of ministry - Renee Schrader (Learning), Bob Lancashire (Parish Life), John Davis (Resource) - before adjourning with the Lord's Prayer. Great News From The ZION SUNDAY SCHOOL
Saturday, March 19, 10 a.m.: Dress Rehearsal for Children's Easter Play, Following the rehearsal, there will be a pizza party to celebrate all of the children's hard work! We will finish around 12:30 p.m. Sunday, March 20 (Palm Sunday): Easter Play 10:30 a.m. Service Only One performance will be a change for the children and the congregation. We thank you in advance for your support as we try something new this year. Sunday, March 27 (Easter Sunday): Our Easter Egg Hunt during Sunday School! We will have the children's Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday during Sunday School. The children will meet in the Sanctuary at 9:15 a.m. to start the search. Please have the children bring their own Easter baskets. After, we will have refreshments and games in the gym. "Wake Up, Jerusalem!" is coming to Zion on Palm Sunday at 10:30 a.m.! Join us, as the hottest morning show on the Sunday School Circuit, "Wake Up, Jerusalem!" broadcasts live from our very own sanctuary. Our two news anchors, an investigative reporter and the rest of the cast present a look at several major figures in the Easter Story, attempting to uncover the truth about Jesus' missing body! Imagine how Katie and Matt might have handled such a miracle as Jesus' resurection, and the mystery of faith surrounding it. This is one morning show you won't want to miss. There will be only one "airing" this year, and that will be at the 10:30 service. Don't forget that practice for the Easter Play practice continues during Sunday School through to March 13th. The children will continue to meet in the Sanctuary at 9:15 a.m. Finally, there will be no Sunday School Choir during the month of March due to the children's Easter Play. The children will resume Sunday School choir practice on Sunday, April 3rd, at 9:10 a.m. in the Sanctuary with Dale Jacobs! We would like to thank Dale for his commitment to our kids!
February's Council Meeting enjoyed good attendance. We received our brand new Treasurer's first financial report, and we thank you that he came equipped with good news. We know that we have our work cut out for us with the 2005 Church Budget. So, we decided to split our seasonal offering envelopes equally between General Funds giving and support for the Lutheran College Fund. It turns out that our support of this Lutheran College Fund is a benefit both to the Lutheran college we support and our members who attend it. In this case, when we contribute $500 to Capital University, Capital University credits the tuition of our members who attend by twice that amount. Actually, we've done this for years, and we are happy to be in a position to do it again this year, when we have two members attending Capital University. This applies to other Lutheran colleges as well, but if you are interested in learning more about Capital from the point of view of a student who goes there, I am sure that Kayle Frock and Melanie Slease will be glad to fill you in. February is a time for sending our annual reports for 2004 to the Northeastern Ohio Synod. Our membership roster showed little change overall, but there was movement within each category. We received a total of 19 baptized members in 2004 through baptism (5), transfers (7), affirmation of faith (5), and statistical adjustment (2). On the other hand, we lost 16 members in 2004 through transfers to other Lutheran congregations (10), to other non-Lutheran congregations (4), and statistical adjustment (2), while 4 members were called to their heavenly home through death. So, we began 2004 with 432 baptized members, and we ended the year with 431. CONGRATULATIONS TO ZION'S 2005 BIBLE BOWL TEAM!
Way to go 2005 Bible Bowlers: Captain Matt Slease, Caroline Amatangelo, Todd Cizek, Becca Coulter, Laura Kay and Taylor Roman. This team received the highest rating of Superior for their efforts, and set new high ground for Team Zion, scoring more points than any other team before them. The strong foundation of the past has set the table for a very bright future for future Team Zion Bible Bowlers. We are all very proud of the team, and their leaders, Wayne Slease and Todd Elsass, and honorary team member, Chad Riffle. Together they studied the Gospel of Matthew and knew it inside and out! The competition on Sunday, February 13th, was fierce but friendly. Five teams from the Canton-Massillon Conference met at St. Jacob's Lutheran Church on State Road in North Canton. All five teams scored superior ratings, the highest possible rating, which added to the intensity and excitement. The oral rounds were nail-biters, with teams separated by as few as 3 points, or partial credit for an answer. The crowd was filled with supporters, for all teams, including a vocal group of Zion well-wishers. We celebrated the accomplishments of our 2005 Bible Bowl Team between the worship services on Sunday, February 20th, with delicious cake, along with many kind remarks from Pastor Sherwindt and Wayne Slease. So, again, congratulations to Team Zion 2005, and your leaders. We are all looking forward to another great Bible Bowl in 2006, and a victory! MORE YOUTH NEWS AT ZION: We extend our thanks to all of our youth, to their parents and friends, and to our youth leaders for a great evening of fun and a great evening for food on February 27. The food was delicious - three kinds of lasagna (meat, cheese, and spinach), salads, desserts, and drinks of all kinds! The Youth of Zion followed up their expertise at the Bible Bowl with their own rendition of Matthew's Passion Narrative. We had a great cast of characters - Corey Beaber, Todd Cizek, Valerie Cizek, Becca Coulter, Todd Elsass, Laura Kay, Chad Riffle, Melissa Riffle, Taylor Roman, Brooke Roman, Matt Ross, Nicole Ross, Matt Slease, Melanie Slease, Wayne Slease, Anna Sherwindt, Chase Weinman, along with Dale Jacobs, Margaret Reichenbach, Pastor Sherwindt, Dean Yoder, Steve Ross, and, last, but not least, the entire congregation as the crowd! Those who are interested in planning our future YOUTH MISSION TRIPS will need to meet and talk further about possible destinations, near-term and long-term goals for our youth program, the need for leadership and participation, along with taking stock of present and future resources. Let's meet during the Sunday School Hour, in the Resource Room, on Sunday morning, March 13th, at 9:15 a.m. We've got lots to talk about; our meeting will be interesting, quite encouraging and, in some respects, very surprising. See you there! March Anniversaries & Senior Birthdays
March 21 Mabel Snyder A Note to Our Readers:
Food, food, and more food! February was a month for table fellowship at Zion, with dinners for Wednesday evening workshops and congregational meetings, for Sunday Evening Lenten Services, with receptions for Bible Bowlers, and just plain fun with the Saturday Evening Entertainment Group. Roast pork loin for the workshop, chicken with gravy for the congregational meeting, with soup, sandwiches, chili, and lasagna for our Lent, and a moist, creamy cake for the kids. February has been a great month for food at Zion. Our thanks to all who have made February so delicious! The Saturday Evening Entertainment Group chose to enjoy dinner at Lolli's in February. As usual the food was great, and the com-pany, even better! FYI: Our group meets after the Saturday Evening Service on the 4th Saturday of the month (usually). We use our Entertainment Books to enjoy some fellowship and a nice dinner in the area. All are welcome to join us. We'll be dining out on the 3rd Saturday in March due to Easter. We'll probably go to Napoli's, a very nice family-owned Italian restaurant in Canton. Think COED SOFTBALL: The North Canton Ministerial Association is getting ready to host another great season of Coed Softball. We had a great experience last year, and we look forward to more of the same. Our own Bob Lancashire will be the league's Chief Administrative Officer; so give him a hand - a helping hand - as he tries to get eight teams ready for a season that will begin at the end of May and run through August. Watch for sign-up sheets and practice schedules. It won't be long before we will hear the crack of the bat … and knees and backs and who know what else!
Last month we indicated that Zion needs about $18,000 monthly to meet targeted expenses. Some of this income comes from rental agreements, some from designated gifts, but most of our income comes through regular offerings. The Good News is that January and February saw these various forms of income meet our budgeted targets. That is great news, for which we thank you. Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, our actual expenses for January and February exceeded our budgeted targets. This was due mostly to two factors - seasonal snow-plowing in December, which was billed in January, and utility bills. Winter can be tough on church budgets in northeast Ohio. For the most part, Zion's financial facts for January and February report good news. Still, we'll need a little extra generosity in March so that we can pull even with our expenses. When the Stewardship Task Force met in February, a quick look at our 2005 Church Budget suggested that if our members could give about 10% more this year than we gave last year, then everything would probably turn out okay. We know that everyone's circumstances in life are unique. Clearly, we have no interest in asking for what some cannot give. But, if increasing your giving a bit is something you could consider, a small increase from you would make a big difference for Zion. Food, food, and more food! Zion's Food Pantry continues to serve as the North Canton satellite for the Stark County Hunger Task Force. These are difficult times for many in Stark County, and it is important for all of us to remain vigilant in caring for those who have fallen upon tough times. This is exactly what we are doing through Zion's Food Pantry & Clothing Closet. We thank you for your generous support, with your time, your talents, and your treasures - if you can call getting extra toilet paper and paper towels treasures … and they most certainly are! We are beginning to reap the benefit of a change put into effect at the end of last year, when Zion opened a special checking account for the Food Pantry. This allows Shirley and Margaret to respond quickly to opportunities to buy food and supplies for our clients as specials are announced and/or advertised. The Akron/Canton Regional Food Bank is the main supplier of what we stock and offer; and our faithful leaders, with their faithful helpers, head up to Akron around 9:00 a.m. on the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays of the month to stock up on weekly specials. You are always welcome to go along for the ride: your help is invited … and needed. We especially need your help in assisting with the Clothing Closet, for a little while longer yet, until Karen is able to get back into the swing of things. The Food of the Month for March is not a food, but it is very much needed by those whom we serve. Think bars of soap, newly bought from the store (not saved up from motel stays) and hand lotion. Little things, like these make a big difference for those who are just trying to hold things together. ZION'S FELLOWSHIP HONOREES FOR MARCH JACK AND PAT TAYLOR
Jack and Pat Taylor now reside at The Waterford at St. Luke's. Within this past year they moved from their beautiful home on Edgewood Street off East Maple in North Canton to The Waterford, and, more recently, from the third floor to the second so they could enjoy a balcony with their apartment. Mabel Kolarik and I [Juanita Bathol] had a delightful visit with them in their lovely new residence. Pat and Jack have been married for eleven years. They were married in North Carolina on July 9th. It was a second marriage for both of them. Pat has a son, Michael, who lives in North Carolina. Jack has two daughters, Carolyn and Susan, who live in the area. Between them, they have seven grandchildren. When they consider their hobbies at home, the joy of their families, and their brief winter respites in Deltona, Florida, the Taylors have been blessed with a wonderful life. Jack was born in Bellville, Ohio on August 27, 1921, and graduated high school there. He received a Bachelor's degree in accounting at Kent State, and later studied business at the Carnegie Mellon Institute in Pittsburgh. He retired from Goodyear Aerospace in Akron after forty-two years of service. When he retired he served as Vice-President at Goodyear Aerospace, and later, after retirement, he served on the Board of the St. Luke Foundation. Pat was born on April 7, 1935 at Connellsville, Pennsylvania. She has been a member at Zion for eleven years, and both Jack and Pat miss being involved with activities both here at Zion and in the community with friends. Pat was one of the first female ushers at Zion. Jack served with the Finance Ministry for many years. Pat is a retired nurse, which turned out to be a good background, since Jack has had Parkinson's disease for the past five years and Pat has a full time job caring for him. If any had visited the Taylors when they lived on Edgewood, all would recall how much Jack loved taking care of the yard, with all the stately trees, and how he loved growing roses of all kinds, which decorated their home and filled their yard. Pat still marvels at how spectacular they were. Life, of course, brings many twists and turns; and now they enjoy their surround-ings at The Waterford.Pat likes football, the Pittsburgh Steelers - sorry, Browns fans. Their favorite hymns are In the Garden and Rock of Ages. Their favorite scripture is the 23rd Psalm. These are reminders of how close God is to us, and how inviting and approachable our God can be. Jack and Pat are also inviting and approachable. They would love for you to visit them. Just give them a call and pay them a visit. Juanita Bathol, from Zion's Fellowship Ministry
Congratulations to Andrew and Barbara Purdum on the birth of their daughter, Aylah Grace Purdum, who was born on February 7th, and checked in at 7 pounds, 6 ounces, 20 inches tall! For those who would like to send the Purdums a congratulatory note, their new address is: Andrew, Barb, and Aylah Purdum We extend our heartfelt sympathies to Ruth Storch and to the family of Norman Petty, Ruth's brother, whose death, while not unexpected, has brought sadness to many. We also extend our heartfelt sympathies to Jim and Stella Smiley, who have recently suffered the loss of Stella's brother-in-law, Thomas Ashburn. Finally, we extend our heartfelt sympathies to the family of Lucille Snyder, a member of Zion who was called to her heavenly home on January 27.
A long look at 2004 revealed some pretty impressive facts about Zion. The list of ministries outside of the congregation that we support financially includes everything we do through the Northeastern Ohio Synod and the ELCA, Lutheran Outdoor Ministries of Ohio, World Hunger and Disaster Relief, the Wernle Children's Home, the St. Luke's Lutheran Community, St. James Lutheran Church in East Cleveland, our missionaries in Kenya, the Schmalzle family, our Synod's Youth Mission Trip to South Africa, campus ministry at Kent State Stark Campus, the Stark County Hunger Task Force, Zion's Food Pantry and Clothing Closet, and a host of additional local centers of outreach. Our support for the North-eastern Ohio Synod and ELCA-related ministries in Ohio and around the world totaled $27,400.00! Wow! Our support for local ministries here in our own neighborhood exceeded $12,750.00! All I can add to this great news is the hope that we outdo even these impressive results in 2005!- On behalf of Wernle Children's Home, I would like to express our deep felt thanks for your generous contribution to our ministry. Charity is at the center of our ministry, and without your support we would be greatly hindered. We continue to look to the future and set our goals high in terms of helping our kids. With generous support such as yours, our dreams become realities. Thank you for your generosity and loving support for the kids at Wernle. In His Service,
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