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2024 Annual Report
Eye on Zion
A Quarterly Newsletter for the People of Zion Lutheran Church
Out of Time (Nov, Dec, Jan)
This year at Zion, we are leaning into an “extended Advent” with our worship theme “Out of Time.”
Traditionally, the season of Advent is recognized in the four weeks leading up to Christmas. This year, we will begin our Advent observance on November 19, giving us six Sundays before Christmas (including Christmas Eve!).Newsletter NovDecJan 2023-2024 for the WEB
Entrusted (August, September, October 2023)
What has God entrusted to you? Every one of us has someone or something, maybe many someones or somethings. There are times that what we have received in life may not feel like much. We compare ourselves to the neighbors, or ad campaigns make us feel like we’re lacking. But whatever God has entrusted to you is precious and valuable, and should never be taken for granted.
Newsletter AugSepOct 2023The Heart of Faith (May, June, July)
Have you ever wondered what exactly makes a person a Christian? You could give all kinds of answers to this question. Many Christians point to their baptism, while others could emphasize the role of faith or belief, and still others may place importance on living in the way Jesus has shown us. What’s at the heart of faith for you?
Newsletter MayJunJul 2023 for the WebSeeking: Honest Questions for a Deeper Faith (February, March, April)
Newsletter FebMarApr 2023 for WEB
There is a movement within American Christianity that identifies “seekers” as people who are new to church or to the Christian faith. These churches pay special attention to every aspect of their ministry to make sure they are welcoming to those unfamiliar with church. They make sure their messaging and communication don’t have words that are only used and understood by those familiar with church.
A Geography of Christmas (November, December, January)
I have always loved maps. As
a kid I would stare at two-dimensional maps and imagine
myself exploring new worlds.
Re:Boot (August, September, October
This time of year is often a time of renewal, especially for children, faculty, and staff who are returning to schools. Even for those who haven’t been in a classroom for many years, the rhythms of life as we transition from summer into fall schedules invite reinvention and renewal, or at least getting into a different routine. As you read through this issue of the Eye on Zion, you will see many examples of “new beginnings” and “fresh starts.”
Newsletter AugSepOct2022 for the WEB
Surprise: May, June, July 2022
I can only imagine being with the women coming to Jesus’ tomb, finding the stone that had sealed it shut rolled away and the tomb empty. I can only imagine being in a locked room, and suddenly Jesus (who they all saw crucified) is standing there with them, inviting them to touch him. I can only imagine walking along the road, mourning Jesus’ death with an unknown traveler and inviting him to stay with them, only to realize their guest is Jesus himself.
Newsletter MayJunJul 2022 for the Web
Full to the Brim: An Expansive Lent (February-April 2022)
When I was younger, I couldn’t help but think of Lent as that period of days associated most notably with an emphasis of having to give something up. I dreaded the decision—would it be chocolate, soda pop, pizza, or maybe even fried foods? I would contemplate carefully what I thought I might be able to give up and not slip up with a cheat. Either way, especially as a teenager, it seemed like an eternity of time marching through those forty days toward Easter where I longed to break the deprivation and be able to indulge in the tasty delight once again.
Newsletter for the WEB
Close to Home Nov, Dec, January
Newsletter NovDecJan 2021-2022 for the WEB
Dear Friends in Christ,
It is difficult for me to believe that I am writing about Advent and Christmas already, but time seems to be moving at different rhythms in a world fraught with as much anxiety and change as we have experienced over the last two years. Our theme for this Advent season is “Close to Home.” When the worship planning team first encountered this theme, many of us struggled with whether it was appropriate to our lives today. After all, some of us have been home much more than we want, and this theme only reminds us of that. As we approach Christmas, and even Thanksgiving and our New Year celebrations, maybe this theme will make us more aware of what we’re missing.
