Zion E-News (5-27-2021)

As we approach the Memorial Day Weekend, I find my mind filled with many competing thoughts. First, I am thankful for people like my great-Uncle Marv who died while flying his 40-something mission (you could quit after surviving 25) over Europe in WWII and my Grandpa Brower who served in England during WWII and my dad who served in the Army during the Vietnam war, but would always be clear he served stateside because he would not want his service confused with those who served in Vietnam and all the risks and danger they were in. I think of people from our church who have served and still bear the physical and mental scars. And, I remember the many who served at New Hope Community Church in Colorado (we were near several military bases). I will never forget leading up to the second war in Iraq praying with John Gallo, a former base commander in the Air Force, who said, “No one prays more for peace than those who have to go to war.”

Just two weeks ago, I was at a conference led by a network of churches with a heart to reach every US military base in the world. A friend knew the Senior Pastor and so we were allowed to attend an in-house conference for their church planters, micro-site leaders, staff and volunteers. At their biggest campus, their security team is entirely made up of active Delta Force members. They were a little intimidating. They live and breathe a military ethos and a passion for Christ. I am grateful for the many Christians who faithfully serve our country in the military while also following the kingdom of God.

Thinking of all those people, I feel that pride welling up in my heart for our country. There is no other place I would want to be than here. And so I am thankful for those who have defended our country and risked their lives in the name of freedom.

And, I am also concerned. I am concerned by things like the Patriot Bible and another almost published Bible that put documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution alongside books like Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It is a dangerous thing for our faith to mix together our love for God and country.

It tends to work out well for the country, but not so well for us as believers because our country can so easily become an idol. It was this desire to connect our faith to our country that led the US to add the words “under God” to the pledge of allegiance in 1954. Much more sinisterly, it was this same confusion that allowed so many German Christians to commit atrocities for the Nazis who merged these two loves together into a dangerous Christian Nationalism that led to the holocaust.

And, I think about those early Christians. The Roman Empire was known for being very tolerant of lots of religious. On one condition, you had to also worship Caesar. You can worship anything or anyone as long as you also worshipped Rome. The Jews reached a compromise to offer sacrifices on behalf of Caesar, but gentile Christians were still expected to offer the sacrifice to Caesar. Their refusal to offer this symbolic sacrifice, not completely unlike saying the pledge of allegiance, led to the death and imprisonment of many believers.

As we enter the summer season of national holidays and parades and fireworks (I hope we can have them both) and lots of flags flying and hearts of patriotism, may we not only celebrate the gift of our country and be grateful to those who protect it, but also remember our hope and security is not found in a single country, in western culture, or in any military might. For we are a people from every country, tribe, and language, a people called together by our risen Savior who rules over every nation and has claimed people from every culture as his very own and called them our brothers and sisters. It is in him  we have found true abundant life and hope.

Greg

Connect to God
This Sunday we will gather in personal 9:30 am and online at 9:30 and 11 am. You can find the services either on our Facebook page or at zionreformed.online.church. We will also rebroadcast the service on WCET at noon on Friday and 4pm next Sunday.

The Christians to whom Peter wrote in 1 Peter feel alone, scared, and as if they no longer belong in their own country. Maybe you have felt similarly at times. Peter reminds them and us that our hope is not found in fitting into the culture around us, but in Jesus who is creating us to be a new kind of chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. As this letter concludes, Peter urges the believers to both lead and follow with humility and love for one another.

Mark your calendars and save the date to join us for a Youth Led Worship event on Sunday night, June 6 at 6:30 pm. Bring your lawn chair as we will be meeting outside. Youth will be leading us in worship and in some small group discussions about our experiences over the past year.

Grow in Community
On a personal note, thank you for all the cards, calls, text messages, and e-mails. I am doing well. My minor surgery went smoothly and I was home only 5 hours after arriving at the hospital. I am looking forward to worshipping with you all on Sunday and am thankful for Brandon Dieter, Jeremy Zoet, and Andrew Moore for filling in for me on Sunday.

Tricia Walcott, a regular attender of Zion, passed away on Tuesday, May 25 due to Covid complications. We extend our sympathy to her family (Jim Oudbier was Tricia’s uncle) and pray that they will experience peace and comfort during this difficult time. 

This Sunday we will have kids programming for kids ages 3 through entering 2nd grade. Older children are encouraged to worship with their families.

As we look ahead to the summer season and worshiping outside, we are planning to have coffee and some snacks available after worship. If you would be willing to help make coffee and set out snacks on a Sunday, you can sign-up to join one of first impressions teams here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409054aaeae23a6fd0-summer1

Nursery Update:  As more and more people are being vaccinated, and the number of Covid cases in our community are starting to decline, we feel it is the right time to try to reopen our nursery at Zion. To be able to do this, we need people willing to serve in the nursery!  We are planning on having a 5 week rotation, with 2 volunteers each week. Currently, we have 5 people willing to serve. We are looking for 5 more people that would be comfortable in the nursery, with a love for children, and a heart to bless young parents, many of whom had not had as much support as they normally would this past year. If we can find these 5 people, we’ll open the nursery!  And parents, please know that young children are also still welcome in the main worship service, as always! We’re simply thrilled you’re here, and don’t mind the wiggles and noises of young kids.

“Summer Sundays” in Zion Kids:  Starting on June 6, weather permitting, our kids ministry will be moving outside! This is for kids ages 3 through going into 3rd grade. We’ll be meeting by the picnic tables to read Bible stories, pray together, do other outdoor crafts/games, and play on our church playground! To make this work, we need your help!!  Please consider volunteering for a week or two this summer. There is no prep for our summer ministry, and training will be provided on the Sunday morning you serve. Here’s the link to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0a4fa8a72ba6f94-summer

We are reading through the New Testament over the next year as a congregation. The reading schedule for this coming week is below:
Monday: Romans 14
Tuesday: Romans 15
Wednesday:Romans 16
Thursday: 1 Corinthians 1
Friday: 1 Corinthians 2

You can also find the reading schedule on our website under the Ministries tab.

Serve the World
On Sunday, we received an update on the Nepalese Speaking Community Church and their need for additional space in their facility to care for the many children they are meeting. We already partner with their pastor, Yakuv Gurung, in planting churches in Nepal through Jibit Aisha.

A huge thank you to all the people who helped move clothes and other items for Threads from Solomon’s Porch to Zion on Tuesday evening. Truly, many hands make light work. Especially when they are hands that work real hard.

As we prepare for another great season of Camp Zion, we have built a little wish list for the summer. If you would like to help purchase some supplies and resources for the summer, you can do so from the list at this link.
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/M4D5CKCROXH5?ref_=wl_share

Camp Zion still has some volunteer slots available for the summer, If you would like to help out in the summer and invest in the kids in our neighborhood, you can sign up at the following link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050949a9a82aa2fd0-camp

If you need help, either with food, personal care items, help grocery shopping, or with financial needs, please contact Chip Harkes, our chair of deacons, and he can help connect you with the appropriate resources at Zion. His e-mail is chip@harkeslandscape.com and his phone number is 616-299-4804.

Administration
The Consistory approved remodeling our bathrooms at our April meeting. If you have been in our bathrooms recently you may have noticed they not only look dated, but also have a particularly uncomfortable scent and are in need of some significant repairs. The approved plan will intentionally fit with the larger building remodel plan we approved prior to Covid rather than simply updating the bathrooms. By doing so, we leave open the possibility of moving ahead with the building remodel after Covid and as the financial impacts of this past year become more clear. This small project, however, will cost about $125,000. We will not move forward with this remodeling step until at least half of those funds are raised. If you would like to give to the bathroom remodel, you can do so by donating to our building fund. We do ask that anything given to the building fund be in addition to your regular support of Zion ministries through the general fund so we  can still effectively fund our ongoing ministries.

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:  $535,820.28
Fiscal Year to Date Contribution: $514,264.30
Giving Last Week: $19,344.00
Bathroom Building Fund (total given): $2,310.00
Nepalese Speaking Community Church: $3,000.00