Zion E-News (7-25-2019)
Last night, I was at church during Praise Team practice getting some reading and administrative tasks done when the office is a little quieter than in the day. I caught last few minutes of practice in the sanctuary and saw a Camp Zion staff member, Luke Austin, sitting at a table diligently writing. School’s not in session. No one writes letters any more. I wondered what he might be doing. So I asked.
For about an hour, he had been writing notes to Camp Zion participants letting them know how much he enjoyed being with them this summer, the strengths he saw in them, and offering words encouragement to them as they prepare to go back to school in a couple of weeks. I don’t know how many kids to whom he was writing notes, but it was not insubstantial. This took some time and thought. He was using the influence God had given him through his role at camp to bless, love, and encourage these kids and to also give them a glimpse of God’s love for them as well.
This sort of attention to others, diligence in the unseen activities of life, and encouraging spirit don’t happen in a vacuum. It is both taught and caught, Taught by parents and teachers and other adults in students lives in formal lessons and casual conversations. And, it is also caught when it is modeled by those same people in a young adults life.
I love Luke’s response when I asked him how he decided to do this. Had he been told? Had it seen others do it? And he said, “I guess it’s because of my parents. I probably don’t give them enough credit for how they have influenced me.”
When I think about the future in our church, this is what gets me excited. We want to create environments and opportunities not only for students, but also for us as adults, to grow in our ability and practices to be a positive influence for Christ in our workplaces, neighborhoods, schools, and homes. How might you intentionally use the influence you have to bless others today through a kind word or a helping hand in the name of Jesus? (To be clear, if people know you are a Christian, everything you do is in Jesus’ name whether you want it to be or not.)
I wonder what God could do with 300 people who, like Luke, used the influence they have to bless others and point them to Jesus.
Connect to God
This Sunday we celebrate all God has been doing in and through our Middle and High School students through their mission trips to Chicago, IL and Lincoln, NE this summer. Students will share testimonies and Pastor Jeremy will be delivering the message on John 4:27-42. In this text, we see the power of the Samaritan woman’s story as it brings others to faith in Christ. Is it time for Zion to put an emphasis on sharing our stories with each other and others? Today we propose that It’s Story Time.
If you would like a copy of the worship service, you can receive a complete copy by contacting Tom Verbrugge or you can find the weekly messages on our website.
Grow in Community
We extend out sympathy to Myra Renkema and family in the passing Loren Renkema on Monday. The funeral service for Loren will be held at Zion on Friday at 11 am. Please holy Myra in your prayers during this difficult time of loss.
Join us Thursday morning, August 8, from 9:30 to 11:30 for a playdate at our park. There will be light refreshments, a bounce house, and more. Come join us and invite a neighbor, too!
Following worship this Sunday, those two supported a high school student going on the mission trip as a shareholder are invited to a meal with the students. There will be time during dessert to talk with your student about their experience on mission trip. We look forward to seeing all our shareholders and students on Sunday.
Youth and Worship Pastor Jeremy Zoet will be on sabbatical from August 5 to October 1. During this time he will not respond to calls, texts, or emails. In his absence please direct all communication to the following people:
Worship: Sarah McAnally at (810) 434-6841 or feelinsnappy@gmail.com.
Middle School Youth: Rachel Verbrugge at (616) 258-3291 or verbrugge.family@att.net.
High School Youth: Shanda VandePol at (616) 308-0700 or shandavandepol@yahoo.com.
If an emergency arises, contact Pastor Greg at (616) 340-7785.
Serve the World
We continue to collect donations for School Supply Santa through this Sunday, August 4. You can learn more about what is needed in the announcement at the end of this e-mail.
Today, we concluded another great ministry season for Camp Zion. Just this week, one of our campers shared with a staff member that they think they are starting to believe in God because of what they learned at camp. Their parents don’t believe, but they are beginning to and they wanted to go to church. So, this Sunday, for the first time, they went to church with a friend and they thought it was really interesting and fun. Each year, we see campers make these first steps of faith, start reading a Bible for the first time, learning to pray, and more.
Week of Hope, the mission groups we host each summer, also conclude their ministry season this week. They have seen teens make first time decisions to follow Jesus, take new steps of obedience, and deepen their walk with God. Please pray for safe travels for Alison and Caitlin as they will be driving back to Loveland, CO this weekend for their end of summer debrief.
Administrative Details
Mark your calendars, our next Leaders Meeting will be on Sunday, August 25 from 5-7 pm. This will be a great night of food, worship, ministry specific training, and great time with friends. In addition, we will be conducting our annual training about our child protection policies this night. If you volunteer with children or teens in any capacity in our church, you are strongly encouraged to attend this meeting. You cannot serve in these roles without going through this training and a background check. We look forward to seeing you there.
We continue to thank God for his provision of all of our needs and for the generous support of our congregation with their time, talent, and treasures.
Fiscal Year to date budget: $99,826.38
Fiscal Year to date contributions: $84,621.04
