Greetings from the Pastor:
A look back on 2011 provides cause for celebration. Giving was great ... again, as we wound up with a budget in balance for the sixth year running. For that we thank you. We continued our commitment to traditions that have helped to make and keep us strong: the Souper Bowl for our youth in January, the Sunday evening Lenten dinners and services in February and March, Holy Week and Easter in April, the Mother's Day Breakfast in May, our Father's Day Weekend Prime Rib Dinner fundraiser in June, Vacation Bible School to begin the summer, our End-of-the-Summer Party to bring summer to a close, the start up of Sunday School in September, the Youth Missions Craft Show in October, our Great Turkey Give-away in November, Advent and Christmas to end the year. It goes by so quickly; and we're already heading toward Ash Wednesday and Lent again with the arrival of February.
Before we move too quickly into 2012, it might be nice to take a look at the new members we welcomed in 2011. Elizabeth Balla, a friend of Len & Vickie Swartz, was officially received as a new member at our May Council meeting, along with Kim Burzycki and her parents, Loren & Cindy, and Steve & Mary Jo Robbins and their sons, Alex and Patrick. Alex has been a strength on our softball team for years, as has been his fiancée, Valerie Cizek. Loren & Cindy, and Kim as well as Steve & Mary Jo are 8:00 a.m. worshipers; Betty Balla was open to both services; and Alex mostly joins Val at the 10:30 a.m. service. The September Council meeting officially received Betty and Harold Lloyd as new members. You might know them as the parents of Terri Cizek, which really puts the Cizeks at the center of evangelism efforts this year. However, I should add that in addition to saying welcome to Terri's parents, we said goodbye to Randy's, as his folks, Fred and Sandy Cizek, transferred their membership to Grace Lutheran Church By-the-Sea in Nags Head, NC.
Of course, that's not all of the new member activity we enjoyed in 2011. We also received as new members Heather Hoffman, the Parkomaki family, John & Chrissy, with twins, Emma and Jacob, and Howard Lindeman, a good friend of Susan Everhart. Seven members were received as Confirmed members with the Affirmation of their Baptism: Savannah Heller, Natalie Henderson, Max Jacobs, Lya Milek, David Panzarello, Brandon Stout, and Kevin Walters. We congratulate each one. We also said farewell to several members, some through letters of transfer, and others, sadly, through death. Steve & Linda Ross, and Jan Deibel transferred to ELCA congregations in the communities where they now live. Members who were called to their heavenly home this year were Rose Marie Rapp, Doris Spall, Helen Edwards, Mabel Snyder, and Betty Balla. When all was said and done, added and subtracted, we added 9 baptized members to our rolls in 2011 and 14 confirmed members, as well.
It's nice to celebrate the good news of balanced budgets and a growing membership. But, as I said at this time last year, we'll need to start thinking of what we would like to do when our bicentennial rolls around. Now is a good time to start formalizing our plans with the establishment of a committee to get the ball rolling. So, get your thinking caps on and start imagining some great things for 2014 when Zion turns 200! Of course, we could use your help in imagining things that will make our 198th a great year. We've got a lot to do right now to make sure that we are moving in a direction that will make us healthier and stronger as a witness to the love God calls us to share with the world. 2012 is a year for actually getting started … both on the big tasks of planning important anniversaries and on the small things that will make this year a year to remember … for the good we do …in Jesus' name.
In His service, and yours,
Pastor Sherwindt |
