Zion E-News 9-5-24

ZION E-NEWS (9-5-24)

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.

NEW SERMON SERIES beginning September 8! 

YOU MAY have noticed over the summer a few different configurations of chairs in the sanctuary. We recognize people have different needs and preferences, and we are working towards a more hospitable space for all. Thanks for helping us make Zion a welcoming place!

PRAYER REQUEST: Continue to pray for peace and comfort for Tom and Megan MacGraw and their family in the passing of their mom, Darlene Childs, who went to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday, August 29. A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, September 14, 2024 from 1-3pm at Palmer Park (1275 52nd St SW Wyoming, MI 49509) in pavilion C.

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 this Sunday, September 8 after worship!  Please bring a dish to pass, (hamburgers and hot dogs will be provided) and a lawnchair.

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.

THREADS UPDATE: September 2024 marks 3 years since Threads has been located at Zion!  My oh my, how we have grown!!  We originally started with approximately 60 families and have currently grown to 139 families that regularly shop at Threads.  On September 14, 2021, our first shopping day, we had 21 families shop and 582 articles of clothing were given away.  This past Tuesday we had 57 families shop and 1,157 items were given away.

Here is the breakdown of the numbers from our busy day on Tuesday:
57 Families Shopped
200 People Received Clothing
1,066 Pieces of Clothes Given
91 Accessories (Shoes, Purses, etc) Given
48 Families used PCP Store
6 Haircuts Given (salon open 4:30-7:00)
Continual praise and glory given to Christ our Lord and Savior, who faithfully provides for this ministry!  It is an honor to show HIS love and compassion to the families that we serve at Threads.

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:  $61,253.26
2024/25 YTD Contributions:  $123,873.22
Giving Last Week:  $7,582.73