Zion E-News 8-29-24
ZION E-NEWS (8-29-24)
AS WE GATHER in person for Worship each Sunday at 9:30am the service can also be viewed on our website at zionreformed.online.church and streaming on our YouTube channel. As of August 31st, Zion’s morning service will no longer be broadcasted on WCET and WKTV, two local public television stations. However, our services will continue to be live-streamed through our website and YouTube. If you need any assistance in learning how to access the services through those sites, please call the church office and someone will be happy to show you.
NEW SERMON SERIES beginning September 8! 
PRAYER REQUEST: Continue to pray for those in our congregation who deal with ongoing health issues.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: We are looking for more people willing to serve on the First Impressions Team – particularly in the area of Ushers and Welcome Table. Contact Angie at awalker@zionreformed.org if you would like to know more or are interested in serving.
OUR FALL Kick-Off Party is just a week away! To help us plan please take a moment to RSVP by clicking here Kick-Off RSVP
THIS FALL, Zion will kick off a church-wide learning opportunity for all ages. We will be hosting a Serving with Dignity class on Sunday afternoons from 4-5:30 PM, with dinner available to follow. The class will be taught by facilitators from Love Your Neighbor. It is a chance to not only learn how we might serve others with dignity in our ministries at Zion, but also how we might be a better neighbor, friend or coworker in our everyday lives. Pastor Marcia, Pastor Jeremy and Angie have been attending the classes this summer in preparation for the fall, and the material is excellent. This course will challenge every one of us to grow in our own personal discipleship. We truly want everyone to be involved – from the youngest to the oldest. There will be age-appropriate learning and activities for kids. Classes will be held Oct 6, 13, 20 and Nov 3, 10 and 17. Watch for sign ups to begin the week of September 8th!
MORNING OF SERVICE: As part of our intergenerational learning opportunity on Serving with Dignity this fall, we will be hosting a church-wide Morning of Service on Sunday, October 27th. We will begin in the sanctuary at our normal service time of 9:30 AM, and will open our time together with a song, meditation, and prayer. We will then spend the rest of the morning serving together! EVERYONE is welcome to join us for the Morning of Service, even if you are not signed up for the Serving with Dignity class. We will have options available for all ages and abilities. Stay tuned for more details and look for sign ups to begin the week of September 8th. And for those who sign up, you will receive a new Zion t-shirt to wear that day!
You can RSVP for this event by clicking here 
OUR CHURCH has been accepted to receive the RCA Renovations Grant which is for $5,000 on up. Part of the process for this grant was having 7 congregants from different age groups ,as well as a couple of staff, answer survey questions. Based on those results, a proposal can begin to be written. The survey results highlighted how great we are in the area of local missions and outreach! This is something we should be proud of! A couple area’s that the survey indicated needed some improvement was in relationship building and discipleship. Our proposal will include ways in which we can provide space and atmosphere for facilitating hospitality, relationships and discipleship. This could include asking for funds to supplement the upcoming Serving with Dignity Class and meals, it could include renovating our lobby/narthex to incorporate an area where all ages could feel comfortable having conversations together, it could include updating how we serve coffee and cookies on Sunday’s, better signs outside for the entrances, etc. Here is a link for more information on this grant: https://www.rca.org/equipping-congregations/the-renovations-project/ If you have questions or just want to chat about this some more, reach out to Angie Walker in the next week or two.
ZION’S YOUTH GROUP is kicking off on September 8! We are meeting at Zion and staying at Zion for some Olympic competitions (with a youth group twist – volleyball with a giant beach ball, fencing with pool noodles, funny break dancing, creating a team flag, etc).
We will be meeting during our regular weekly Sunday evening youth group times:
4:00-5:30 pm – High School (9th-12th grade)
5:45-7:15 pm – Middle School (6th-12th grade)
For youth group meetings on Sundays, please enter through door “D” in the back of church, next to the youth room/chapel.
With a new youth group year, we need everyone to fill out new Release/Registration Forms. You can do that online here or visit the Youth Group page on Zion’s Website for a link.
DONATIONS of the following items (full size – not travel size) are needed for the Personal Care Pantry and can be placed in the box in the narthex marked “pantry donations”. Laundry Soap, Bar Soap, Dish Soap, Disposable Razors, Shampoo, Conditioner, Toothpaste, Paper grocery bags, Deodorant, Tampons, Maxi Pads, Paper towels (1 or 2 pack) and Toilet paper (1-4 pack).
IF YOU need help, either with food, personal care items, or financial needs, please contact Austin DeHaan, our chair of deacons, and he can help connect you with the appropriate resources at Zion. His e-mail is austin331@gmail.com and his phone number is (269) 762-9748
WE CONTINUE to thank God for his provision of all of our needs and the generous support of our congregation with their time, talent, and resources.
2024/25 YTD Budget: $149,735.17
2024/25 YTD Contributions: $116,290.49
Giving Last Week: $5,980.73
Benevolent Fund Offering: $1,637.00
with three families who will be presenting their children for baptism. Baptism is a sign and seal of God’s covenant of grace with us and our children. The sacrament of baptism is done in community; we as a church make promises to help nurture these children in their faith. One way we as a church family can tangibly express this commitment is by writing and sharing a blessing with the child being baptized. Since this is something new we will be doing with baptism, we want to give you time to reflect on this and to prayerfully learn about and think of a blessing you could write down to share with each baptism. You may write this blessing on your own piece of paper you have at home and bring it with you on August 18th, or you can write it out on the 18th on the piece of paper that we will provide. A blessing can include words of encouragement, empowerment, commendation & protection. You can find a scripture passage to use or you can write your own blessing. If you really want to make it personal, you can use the name of the child being baptized in your blessing. Their names are: Gibson DeHaan, Ruthie Eling, and Lucy Moore. If you have questions about this, feel free to reach out to Pastor Marcia, Pastor Jeremy, or Angie.
