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The Tower For Members & Friends of Zion Lutheran Church, Ann Arbor, MI

June 2019

Know Christ! Grow in Christ! Make Christ Known!

June Focus Statement

Pentecost: The Spirit of God, fiery, sweeping, enters Jesus’ followers, enabling them to embody the ministry that Jesus had begun. A time for bridging the words and witness of Jesus with our words, our witness. (Imaging the Word, Vol. 1)

June 9th Confirmation Sunday

On Sunday, June 9 at the 11:11AM service, nineteen students will participate in the Rite of Confirmation. These students have studied for a three-year period, participated in a group retreat, completed service pro-jects, had an interview with a pastor and are now ready to take this next step in their faith walk. Please pray for this year’s confirmands:

George Berry Katarina Hannah Bauer

Amelia Anabel Bertrand Evan David Person Cohen

Cole William Darby Poppy Dudley

Auguste Rafael Earl Gago Dakota Richard Gerard Hanson-Meier

Lucy Lou Hoffman Andrew James Johnson

Gregor John Morton Grant Allen Nelson

Jeremy Stephen Raab Jonah Russell Rogers

Lillian Elaine Sawin Luca Frikke-Schmidt

Grace Elizabeth Sharon Lucas David Wentzloff

Elizabeth Woodman

Summer Worship Hours

May 26-September 1

8:30AM Drive In Service / Outside—Communion the first Sunday of the month.

9:30 AM Sola Worship / Sanctuary

11:11AM Ignite Worship / Sanctuary—with our Praise Band

The 11:11 Ignite service will be held outside (weather permitting) on June 30, July 28 and August 25. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on and enjoy the summer weather as we worship.

Youth Leader Update Exciting news!! The Young Discipleship Team is pleased to announce that Zion will be hosting a summer intern for the youth leader position. While our Personnel Team con-tinues to search for a permanent youth leader, Maddie Parker will serve as a student intern from May 19 through August 11. This is a wonderful opportunity for Zion to help develop another leader in the church. Maddie will be helping with VBS, the youth mission trip, middle and high school summer outings, family nights, as well as creating a fall calendar full of fun for our stu-dents. We are thrilled to welcome Maddie to the team! Take a moment to say hello to her.

Here’s a word from our intern: “Hi! My name is Maddie Parker and I will be a junior at Central Michigan University in the fall. My intended major is Family Studies, with a mi-nor in youth studies. I have been very involved in church since I first began high school. I attended youth group every week, volunteered any time I could, and went on a handful of mission trips. I chose youth ministry because I not only want to grow my relationship with God, but I want to help kids grow their relationship with God and show them God will meet them wherever they are! I’m excited to be at Zion.”

Zion Adopts Affirmation of Welcome Statement

A specially-called congregational meeting was held on Sunday May 19 at 9:45AM to adopt an Affirmation of Wel-come statement. The statement says that we open our doors, hearts and arms to all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression [the full text of the Statement may be found on page 8].

The tallied vote was 133 yes and 12 no, a 92% margin of affirmation. There is plan a to recognize this event with a celebration in the fall.

West Liberty Repaving this Summer

The City of Ann Arbor will be repaving W Liberty St be-tween Stadium and Crest this summer (specific dates have not been set). The road will remain open east-bound only during the 3-4 week project. Watch the Tower for detours and more details in coming months.

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Worship Core Ministry

Christmas Tableau Task Force Due to the hugely positive reception of the Christmas Tableau, Zion is planning to offer it again as part of our next Christmas celebration. We need help in many different areas to help make this project come to life. We would like to invite anyone who is interested in helping with this project to join our task force to plan for this special event. If you are someone who would like to contribute ideas and/or volunteer time (costumes, dance, acting, set design, sound, lighting, fundraising), we invite you to join the group if you are interested in helping. The task force will start planning in the summer. Those who are interested, please contact Natalie Downs ([email protected]).

June Lectionary June 2 Acts 1:1-11, Revelation 22:12-14,

John 17:20-26 June 9 Genesis 11:1-9, Romans 8:14-17,

John 14:8-17 June 16 Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, Romans 5:1-5,

John 16:12-15 June 23 Isaiah 65:1-9, Galatians 3:23-29,

Luke 8:26-39 June 30 1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21, Galatians

5:1, 13-25, Luke 9:51-62

Summer Music

We are in need of special music during the 9:30AM worship throughout the summer. If you are interested in sharing your musical gifts, please contact Natalie Downs ([email protected]).

Family Life and Young Discipleship

Worship Services Expanded to Hillside Terrace and Brecon Village

Zion’s pastors are leading worship services once a month at Hillside Terrace and Brecon Village. The Hillside Terrace service is on the second Sunday of the month at 3PM. The Brecon Village service is on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 3:30PM. The congregation of Zion is welcome to participate in these services along with the pastors. Romans 10:14-15 says, “And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” Join us in bringing good news each month to those at Hillside Terrace and Brecon Village.

Confirmation Retreat

On April 26-27, a group of thirty students and parents attended the annual Confirmation Retreat held at the Emrich Retreat Cen-ter in Brighton, Michigan. The theme of the retreat was “Living Lutheran Mindfully.” Students and parents engaged in hands-on activities to deepen their un-derstanding of the Lutheran faith. They walked a prayer laby-

rinth, participated in a drum circle, enjoyed thought-provoking activities and devotions, engaged in deep dis-cussions, built relationships with one another, and a whole lot more.

Many thanks to the Liberty Street Praise Band for leading the group in worship; to Danielle Groth and Pas-tor Vicky for planning the retreat; to Pastor Jim for videotaping and lead-ing Holy Communion, to Jan Groth, Ken Utsunomiya, and Jen Olive for being amazing group leaders. It was a spirit-filled weekend!

Bibleland Wrap-Up

We had a fantastic second year with the Or-ange Curriculum. The kids learned some pretty big words, their meanings and applying them to their everyday lives! Words like initi-ative, contentment, individuality, and this last month perseverance! Wow!

In Bibleland Jr. the kids learned about God and that Jesus loves them, with monthly themes. Some of the themes were…God Keeps His Promises, God Made Me, Jesus Is My Friend, and lastly God Helps Me Do Big Things!

Lastly, Nina gives a big thank you to all our volunteers! Bibleland wouldn’t happen if these folks didn’t give of their time. So thank you to Barbara Debner, Mary Weber, Trevor Downs, Natalie Downs, Karen Gehring, Amy Carlson, Abby Woodman, Olivia Hollenbeck, Kristin Bohac, Jeff Sova, Ann Hollenbeck, Charlotte Nickodemus, Natalie Hensel, Re-becca Schneider, Matthew Schneider, Dana Heusel, Brian Heusel, Ross Newman, Krista Newman, Bryce Pilz, Rebekka Darby, Chris Gajar, Lynn Hutto, Allison Rullman, Peg Johnson and Tim Johnson!

mailto:[email protected]


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Family Life and Young Discipleship (cont.)

The Next Generation Is Worth Fighting For

“Orange” is a nationwide Christian ministry that partners with local churches to help parents and volunteers influence children and youth (the next generation) in following Jesus. The name is derived from the color Yellow (representing Light) and the color Red (representing Love).

Orange provides curriculum, events, leadership, resources, and community to help churches create a better Christian faith experience for kids, teenagers, and families.

Orange believes that the way to accomplish this goal is to follow this guideline: “It’s PERSONAL!” What that means is that all our encounters with children and youth must have a very personal touch, creating relationships that assure the next genera-tion that they are loved and valued – by Jesus and by us.

Zion’s Family Life Coordinator Jessica Rudy attended Orange’s conference 2019 last month in Atlanta, Georgia. While there, she was able to hear the vision from Orange founder Reggie Joiner: “It’s PERSONAL!”

Reggie’s presentation centered on the story of Zacchaeus. Through the story of Zacchaeus we learn from Jesus that every kid needs someone to call them by name, know what matters to them, know where they live, know what they’ve done, and know what they can do and can become. Something amazing happens when we see people through Jesus’ eyes, and tell them the potential they have for good through their God-given talents. We all have potential because we are created on purpose in the image of God and Jesus!

The Big Take-Away: I pray for Zion that we are able to look at kids, teens, and each other, and see them as Jesus sees them! At Zion we strive to Know Christ, Grow in Christ, and Make Christ Known. And we certainly want this for “the next generation.”

Again, look for these themes and attitudes to be strong among us in the year ahead!

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Congregation Council

Council Meeting

April 16, 2019—Highlights

Financial Report

Highlights from David Beck’s financial report for March:

Cash: Available cash at the end of March was $57,673.

Cash in the operations account as of 4/11/19 is approxi-mately $50,500. We currently have sufficient cash on hand for the next several months. If current calculations are correct, cash could be tight at times over the next year. But we should have enough cash over the course of the year if we can stay on budget and meet income goals.

Income: For the month of March contributions were

$68,374. This was $2921 less than was anticipated in the budget. This compares to contributions of $66,860 in March last year. YTD, contributions are $218,019. This is $3,157 less than anticipated in the budget, and $10,876 more than YTD last year.

Expenses: Two ministries were over budget for the

month. Two ministries are over budget YTD. Overall spending was $7,488 under budget for the month and $13,140 under budget YTD.

Dedicated Accounts: As of the end of March there is one

Dedicated Account overdrawn. This will be replenished in the coming weeks. Zion got notice that we will be part of a bequest, but have not yet received further details.

YTD Attendance and Offering through March 31

2019 2018 Variance Attendance 3,884 3,659 225 --Including Bibleland 4,748 4,399 349 Offering $218,019 $207,143 $10,876 Offering per Person $56.13 $56.61 ($0.48) Avg Weekly Attendance 299 305

Personnel Update

Part Time Custodian: Pastor Jim shared that there are 4-

5 potential candidates for this position. Valerie from per-sonnel is working on scheduling interviews. Thoughts are that we will have a recommendation for hire prior to the next Council meeting.

Youth Leader: Margie Reynolds from personnel is help-

ing get the word out to Lutheran colleges, local universi-ties, Facebook, the website, and several Lutheran job posting sites. We are hoping that this time next month that we will have something in place for this role [see page 1 for update].

Sound Technician: Pastor Jim shared that Thomas Mur-

phy was interviewed and has been recommended for the hourly position. Council approved extending the offer.

Liaison Assignments

Each member of Council also attends one of the core minis-try meetings. The current assignments are:

Personnel: Pastor Jim and Dan

Mission: Pastor Vicky and Dan

Adult Discipleship: Pastor Vicky, Carrie

Young Discipleship: Pastor Vicky, Sharon, Sarah

Welcome and Member Caring: Pastor Vicky, Vickie Mat-

thews, David Reed

Building and Grounds: Pastor Jim, Marc W.

Stewardship and Financial: Pastor Jim, David Werner

Worship: Pastors Jim and Vicky, Chris

IT: Pastor Jim, TBD

Endowment: Pastor Jim, TBD

Monthly Committee Dinner/Meeting

In an effort to build community in the congregation, pastors are proposing a new monthly night to have a meal together, have a devotion, and then divide into different ministries/core committees for their meetings and to collaborate with each other. It would help solve having so many evening meetings for the pastors and church leadership, build community, and unite the different ministries together. Council approved ap-pointing a task force to brainstorm what this could look like and will present ideas at the next meeting.

Synod Assembly

Usually Zion sends 2-3 delegates to the synod assembly meeting. The 2019 assembly will take place on Friday, May 17 through Saturday May 18 at Calvary Lutheran church in Clarkston, MI. Dan offered to attend as a delegate. [See page 10 for report.]

Synod Capital Campaign/RISE UP

These are stewardship support mechanisms for the synod. Bob Thompson will take the initiative to look into what a stew-ardship campaign could look like this fall. Zion has already given $30,000 towards a $150,000 6-year pledge. 2019 is year 3 of this pledge.

Girl Scout Gold Project

A high school student would like to do her Girl Scout Gold project at Zion. She would like to have a pantry / cabinet to give out needed supplies. She and Pastor Vicky came up with an idea to renovate the Youth room space as an alterna-tive worship space (e.g., for God and Grub) and something new called “The Table.” If people were to come to “The Ta-ble,” they could also utilize the pantry. We would reach out to communities around Ann Arbor to attend. They estimated the cost of renovation to be $20,000. The young lady would have to fundraise $5,000, and we would help fundraise / provide the other $15,000. Funding could potentially come from the Waymaker Fund, the congregation, or maybe the Capital Fund. The Girl Scout portion of the project would need to be completed by May 2020. Council embraces this concept pending the receipt of a formal proposal.

Welcome Statement Meeting

The date and time of the Welcome Statement vote was dis-cussed and confirmed. The Pastors and Dan will call a con-gregational meeting to vote on acceptance of the Welcome Statement on May 19, 2019. A letter will be sent to the con-gregation the first week in May announcing the special con-gregational meeting [see page 1 for update].

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From Pastor Jim

I’m in the season of life where my year begins in August and ends in June. I try to catch my breath in July. When the calendar flips from summer to fall, I soon feel like I’m on a treadmill that’s running too fast. Winter and spring breeze by in a blur and before I know what hit, the kids are five inches taller and the buds on the trees are blossoming again. How did that happen? Where did the time go? What did I accomplish? What did I miss? How did I survive? Do you ever feel that way?

After spending months making to-do lists (only so I can add already completed tasks to them so I can actually check something off), running from activity to activity, squeezing in ten pounds of craziness into a five pound day, I often blurt out, “If only I had one more day in the week!” And then I’m reminded of this verse from Genesis 2:3, “God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” Hmph. So, I guess an extra day in the week is out of the question. Not a part of God’s master plan, eh?

It seems wherever I look these days, I see the words from Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Am I the only one getting this divine message? Or do many of us need a gentle reminder that taking a pause does a whole lot of good? Maybe this summer would be a good time to start. I wonder how different our lives would be if we would remem-ber to slow down to smell those flowers, to ditch the to-do lists and be present in the moment…to rest.

Now I recognize that some of you are already in the stage of life where you’ve learned how to slow down and be still. Obviously, God knew what God was doing when creation was given an entire day dedicated to resting and now so do you. Teach us the way, oh wise ones!!

For those of us in the infant stages of understanding the whole “be still” concept, let’s take baby steps together. How about we carve out a few minutes a day to breathe in the smell of fresh cut grass, chew our food more slowly, notice the clouds in the sky, hold our loved ones a little longer, trust that God purposely built resting into the week? And maybe, just maybe, by the time that calendar flips in August, our treadmills will be trucking at a whole new pace. This sounds glorious to me. Who’s in?

Life in the Spirit For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:3-4

The season of Pentecost begins 50 days after Easter. Its history comes from a Jewish festival known as the Feast of Weeks. There are parallels and contrasts between the Feast of Pentecost in the New Testament and the Feast of Weeks in the Old Testament.

At the first Feast of Weeks, God provided the law. God had given the children of Israel freedom from bondage and slavery, so He then gave them the law to guide them in living. As slaves they were told what to do by their masters, but in freedom they needed guidance from their new Master, the Lord God of Heaven. It should be noted that God gave them freedom, salvation from slavery, before He gave them the law. Keeping the law was not a condition for receiving their freedom; it was a response to God’s grace in setting them free.

At the first Feast of Pentecost in the New Testament, God provided His Holy Spirit for guidance, empowering us and maturing us for life in the Spirit.

There is one important contrast between the Old Testament Feast of Weeks and the New Testament Feast of Pentecost. In Exodus 32:28, we find that three thousand men died on the day the law was given, but in Acts 2:41 we read that three thousand people were saved on the day the Holy Spirit was given. The law brought death, while the Spirit brought life! That remains true to this day!

St. Luke writes in Acts 3, about life in the Spirit. He describes a man unable to walk since birth. Shoved to the margins, this man begs for alms to survive. Peter sees this man and commands: "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene--walk!" (Acts 3:6) Yet the man refused to obey Peter. Instead, he leaps! He leaps before he walks. The author of Acts is so taken by his response that he mentions this man's leaping, not once, but twice. "And with a leap, he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God." (Acts 3:7)

Imagine if the power of the Holy Spirit made it so that we were able to not just walk in faith, but we were so filled with joy and energy that we could not keep from leaping. When the children come forward for their message on a Sunday morning, many times they come running and leaping. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to leap in faith, to leap in joy and praise of God? May God so fill us with life in the Spirit that we bust out of our standard stride and take leaps of faith with joy, praise, and delight in all God has done and all God is doing.

Pastor Vicky’s Corner

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2019 Uganda Mission Trip A group of twenty people are prepar-ing for a trip to Uganda on December 26, 2019 – January 3, 2020. They will be leading two basketball camps for the Ugandan children. In addition, the team will experience the culture, participate in the life of the church, sample the different foods, and visit Mama Sara’s chicken farm. The team is made up of 15 teens and 5 adults. If you would like to join the team, please let Pastor Vicky know as soon as possible. If you would like to sponsor a child or donate to the cost of the trip, the team would be thrilled! Just let Pastor Vicky know at [email protected]. Prayers for the team are greatly appreciated.

Good Neighbor Ministry The Good Neighbor Ministry at Zion continues to meet the needs of Zion mem-bers and neighbors who need limited home repairs. It is our mission to know the needs of our community and to do our best to have a willing heart to serve the kingdom of God by being a blessing to the people of our community and their needs.

Teams of servants are sent out one Saturday each month from 9:30AM to noon. To help those who may need assistance, here is a list of possible tasks that can be completed by our teams: replace smoke detector batteries, replace furnace filters, replace light bulbs, clean ceiling fans, replace light switches, patch holes in drywall and paint, move things in the house or outdoors, move water softener salt, help diagnose problems, adjust doors, wash windows, and ceiling cob web dusting. Please call the office 734-994-4455 to schedule your appointment for work this summer. Our next scheduled work date is June 15.

Blood Drive June 3 The next Zion-hosted American Red Cross blood drive is set for Monday June 3, 1—6:30PM in Piper Hall. You can help ensure that blood is on the shelves before it is needed for trauma victims, transplant recipients and those being treated for cancer and other diseases.

There are still appointment times available. Please sign up in the Wel-come Center, or on line at www.rcblood.org/appt using the sponsor code ZionLutheran or by sending us an email at [email protected]. You are eligible to give if it has been 56 days since your last donation (i.e., before April 8). Hope to see you on the 3rd!

Faith and Food Garden Blessing

The Food and Faith Garden was blessed on May 5 following the Ignite service. We gave thanks, we read from Genesis 1 and prayed that Zion’s Food and Faith Garden may bring forth an abun-dant harvest, that others may have nourishment of vegetables on their tables. Then we sang from For the Fruit of All Creation, “In the just reward of labor, God’s will is done. In the help we give our

neighbor, God’s will is done. In our world-wide task of caring for the hungry and despairing, in the harvest we are sharing, God’s will is done.” God’s will is in-deed done as we plant and reap and share the produce of the garden with the hungry. Join this important ministry by volunteering your time to help plant, weed, and harvest the fruits of creation.

Mission Core Ministry

Uganda Mission Update Another well is complete! It is wonderful to see how Zion is helping to share the love of Christ all around the world. Through the generosity of the people of Zion and their friends, we have completed a second well in the village of Sayyi. The people in the area are praising God for this an-swered prayer! It has literally changed their lives. This well was built on land that we were able to acquire in the heart of the village. The goal is to build the Zion Medical Center on this land.

An architect has drawn up plans for the future medical center and brainstorming is now underway as to how to bring this plan to fruition. Does it excite you to be a part of such an endeavor? Would you like a room in the clinic named after you? Perhaps it is your dream to start a hos-

pital in Uganda? Pastor Vicky is looking for a team who would like to join in the effort of making this dream become a reality. If the spirit is nudging you, please contact Pastor Vicky at [email protected].

In May, Mama Sara made a visit to Zion. As usual, she blessed us with her presence and words of encouragement. She mentioned how wonderful it is to feel the Holy Spirit at work at Zion. Mama Sara’s 50 Child Project continues to care for the orphans in Uganda. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Pastor Vicky.

Grace in Action Service

Project

On May 19, middle and high school students along with several leaders from Zion went to Mexicantown in Detroit to serve at Grace in Action. The team was welcomed by Pastor John Cummings of Grace in Action. They spent an afternoon working hard and serving the people of De-troit. What a blessing this project was for all involved. Special thanks to Andrew Olive from the Young Disci-pleship Team for organizing this spe-cial event.


http://www.rcblood.org/appt




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Financial Stewardship

How Hard is it to Ask Others to Support Something That You

Won’t?

Frequently, my wife and I discuss our charitable giving above and beyond what we devote to our church. Who doesn’t get overwhelmed with charitable re-quests? Half if not more of our US Mail is related to such requests! While the vast majority of these requests are for good if not great causes, my wife and I discuss them after we have made our giving to our church (e.g. “first fruits”). We do our very best to lead by example in order to avoid asking others to con-sider giving if we have not already prayed and given.

In addition to my request to pray about your church giving, I ask you to imagine how hard it must be for church staff and leadership to plan, not knowing whether they will or will not have sufficient funds to do X ministry, hire Y staff, pay for Z needed building repairs. Are you aware of what proportion of our total church budget aligns with financial commitments from our church members? The total number of Zion commitments (also known as “pledges” or “giving units”) in the recent past has typically hovered around 100, and the total funds committed ranges up to about 60% of the budget. What level of support might you consider “good” or “not so good”? If 80% of our members filled out commitment cards, would that be good? How about if we have 80% of our annual budget covered by financial commitments from members? Would that be good? During your weekly prayers, please pray for our church leaders as they attempt to manage church expenses, activities and ministries. When it comes time later this year, I pray that you and/or your family consider filling out a financial commitment card (a faithful but not binding commitment) to support Zion and all Zion does inside and outside our church walls. - Bob Thompson

Mission Core Ministry (cont.)

Calling Adventure-Seeking Travelers:

2019 Zion Haiti Mission Trip to Living Hope Ministries

If you are interested in traveling to a developing country and want to help out in Christ’s mission field…. Zion has an opportunity for you! We are starting to gather interested trav-elers for a week-long trip in September to visit our ministry partners, Mary Jane and An-dris Jolibois. They are co-directors and pastors at Living Hope Ministries - Haiti. This will be our 9th annual trip. We will take photos and measurements of all primary students for the Sponsorship Program. We’ll engage with the students through crafts, projects, games and fun. Any spare time will be spent helping out with light maintenance projects or running errands into town with Mary Jane. We hope-fully will squeeze in a relaxing afternoon at

the beach. Typical total cost is approximately $1200, which includes airfare, ground transportation, room and board. If interested or just want to learn more about Living Hope Ministries, please contact Mark Gunderson at 248-521-9240 or [email protected].

A Request from Hope Clinic

“At Hope Clinic we partner with you to make lives better through holistic care providing free medical, dental, food, care + prayer, in Jesus’ name. We currently have a need for volunteer physicians for our medical clinic and food donations for our pantry. For information on volunteering please visit www.thehopeclinic.org and click Get Involved. For information on our current food drive, visit the website. Join us in caring for our community this summer!” For additional information, please contact: Andrew Mast, Church Relations Coordinator at [email protected] or 269-625-1884.

Endowment Fund

News

A seven-person Committee manages Zion’s endowment funds. During the Commit-tee’s recent organizational meeting, Jeff Sova and Mike Weber agreed to serve as co-Chairs for the current year, while Ben Hoffman and Bill Malila will continue as Treasurer and Secretary, re-spectively. Other continuing members are Dave Daily, Gladys Knoll, and Karen Sal-amin. We meet quarterly.

All members recognize and thank outgoing member, Jill Goldstein, for her five years of service, most recently as Chair of the Zion Endowment Committee (ZEC). They also acknowledge and thank the generosity of a recent anony-mous donor to the Fund.


http://www.thehopeclinic.org


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Table Reservations If you would like to set up a table in the Welcome Center for your ministry, please sign the reservation form that can be found on the Welcome Desk. It is located where we keep gifts for our visitors. Please also email Joanne Dence at [email protected] with the number of tables and designated dates. It is our desire to have enough tables for everyone and the reservation system is helpful toward that end. Thanks!

Welcome Ministry

< - Elgin’s recital for Grace in Action

Baptism of Scarlett

June Ridinger - >

Thank You and Congratulations

A big thank you to Elgin Clingaman for a lovely piano recital on May 5th [see photo below]! We are blessed to have his musical talents at Zion. Thank you also to all who gave so generously to Grace in Action, our mis-sion focus at the concert. We raised a total of $1,120 that will all go directly to Grace in Action. Praise the Lord!

A note from Pastor John Cummings:

"I am so excited and grateful to hear this amazing news. It is humbling and encouraging to hear about this outpouring of support for Grace in Action. I am so thankful to all of you, and especially for Elgin, for making this concert happen, for the amazing turnout, and for donating the proceeds to Grace in Action. It comes at a great time - it will make it possible for us to give a small stipend to one of our music teachers, to allow her to devote a couple of hours a week to being our Music Coordinator, which will really help our programs to run more smoothly and at a higher level of quality for kids in our community. I am really excited, because we have just been con-sidering if that would be feasible with our current budget, and now it is!"

Special thanks to Metzger's German Restaurant and their amazing staff led by John Metzger for making our Taste and See dining experience in May a truly memorable event. This long-time family gathering place is a must for anyone that enjoys great hospitality and delicious desserts. We recommend returning to Metzger's frequently to savor the joy of German flavors this summer. We all loved our meals and raised our glasses to celebrate. We encourage everyone to dine with a friend here often. They have outside seating during the summer. We score them 5 silver spoons for excel-lence. Tell John that the Taste and See group from Zion sent you.

Affirmation of Welcome Statement—Full Text

We are intentional about living out our purpose at Zion Lutheran Church:

To Know Christ is to understand his message of love and forgiveness

To Grow in Christ is to trust in his divine forgiveness and to recognize that all people are God’s children

and are worthy of love and belonging

To Make Christ Known is to be open and affirming to everyone

To that end, we declare our intention to open our doors, hearts and arms in community to all people: every race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. We embrace our siblings in Christ and invite them to the sacraments of baptism and communion. We welcome all to the rites, rituals, ceremo-nies, activities and responsibilities of our church life. We are open and affirming. We welcome and accept all.

Seen Around Zion

Installation of elected leaders


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Member Caring Ministry

Love Lives Here Group June 9 at 6:30PM wonderful women are invited to meet at Barbara Debner’s home in Ypsilanti for under 2 hours. Bring your Bible and we will visit some important promises from God. Max Lucado will inspire us in a short video. There will be opportunities to connect, snack, pray and laugh. New faces are always welcome.

August 25 at 5:30PM we are having a summer potluck picnic. Please bring a favorite side and a cold beverage. We are discouraging sugary desserts. Pastor Jim will grill some meat and veggies. The meal will be served hot right at 5:45. All are encouraged to bring your family— children and spouses are welcome for this special night! Let Barbara know about your plans so we have enough food. Weather permitting we will enjoy our meal on the pergola in our yard, but we will meet rain or shine. Feel free to park along Summerdale Circle.

Contact Barbara for more information - [email protected].

Taste and See Group There is a place to connect with others and enjoy a meal together in your summer. Our Taste and See foodie group invites you to join us around a table and in a stroll through the market. The Ann Arbor Farmer's Market is

celebrating 100 years and Zingerman's is rec-ognized as one of the Top 25 Food Markets in the world by Food and Wine Magazine. They and Zingerman’s Roadhouse have also been nominated for the James Beard Award.

Breakfast in downtown Ann Arbor is always fun. We are gathering on Saturday, June 22 at 8:30AM at Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor and then wandering through the Farmers Mar-ket. Park in the Community High School park-ing lot or in a space nearby. Inside the Deli there will be bagels, pastries, coffee, breakfast sandwiches and more. Everyone pays for their own meal. We meet rain or shine. You can bring an empty egg carton for the fresh eggs you can purchase at the market. What favor-ite veggie or flowers will you celebrate with this June? Bring a bag to take home your treasures.

July 13th we are meeting at 12:30PM for lunch at the Red Brick Restaurant in Dexter at 8093 Main Street. If you want to work up an appetite beforehand, join a few of us to walk the nearby trail at 10:30AM. Watch for Barbara Debner in a hat at the bottom of the Dexter Library wood-en steps. This will be a slow 1 hour walk on the paved trail below the library. Remember there is also a Dexter Farmer's Market in that same area. Sign up at the welcome desk or email Barbara at [email protected] this month.

August will bring a chance for a yummy pot-luck picnic. Watch the July Tower for more information when and where.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” - Ps. 34:8 NIV

Zero Waste Zion is moving towards trying to reduce our garbage waste from cof-fee hours and meals to zero waste. This means that our cups, lids, napkins are all compostable and 100% biodegradable. We also have plates, bowls and cutlery that are also compostable. Our goal is to reduce our landfill consumption and be good stewards of the earth. This means that you need to be watchful as to where you dispose of your cups and napkins when you are finished. Please look for a com-postable receptacle rather than just a garbage waste receptacle.

SISTERS in Christ Retreat

The SISTERS in Christ team enjoyed their first “away” women's retreat at the amaz-ing Weber Center in Adrian on the first weekend in May. Around 22 women experi-enced fun, fellowship and faith

while digging deep into Lara Casey's book Cultivate.

Every woman clearly heard the message that they are loved. Our leaders exposed us to scripture, worship, music, wisdom, nature, crafts, and prayer. All were offered time for growth, laughter and rest. Our garden focus allowed us to seek new relationships that nurture seeds of grace. We are reminded that God's faithfulness helps us cul-tivate a meaningful legacy.

We ate some amazing desserts prepared by Carolyn Schmidt and Mary Weber. The musical team of Nancy Zaeh Eckart, Barb Hansen, Bernadette Quist, Rebecca Lindsey and Abigail Walton provided ma-jestic songs of praise. Pam Warwashana and Kathy Ratliff focused on the 10 truths from the Cultivate book. Other leaders who served on the planning committee are Barbara Debner and Risë Rudy. Danielle Groth provided us a guided meditation to calm our hearts. We give thanks for the opportunity to grow what we sow.

SISTERS stands for Support Inspire Serve Teach Encourage Re-spect Share. These are the goals that this ministry will be developing in the coming years. Watch for future events that Zion's new SISTERS in Christ team will hold. If you have questions about getting involved in this or other women's ministries, contact Barbara Debner.



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Other News

Oberammergau Passion Play Tour

The renowned Oberammergau Passion Play will once again be presented in 2020. This play, celebrating the events of Holy Week, has been produced every 10 years by the people of Oberammergau, Germany for almost 400 years, as their pledge to God for sparing their city from the plague.

Pastor & Carolyn Schmidt are combining the passion play with a tour of Italy (to include Rome, Assisi, Flor-ence and Venice), plus Salzburg and Munich. Tour dates will be May 14 -24, 2020. The total cost for this 11-day tour is $4499 person/double occupancy, which includes round-trip airfare from Detroit. We are still

taking reservations through 2019.

Brochures are available in the Welcome Center and the church office. Please contact Pastor Walt Schmidt at 517-962-5055 or [email protected] if you have questions or for further information.

Part-Time Weekend Custodian

We are still seeking a part-time weekend custodian to provide custodial service within and on the grounds of our church fa-cility. The person employed in this position will work mostly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of each week and, on occasion, substitute for other custodial staff. Applicants for this position should have experience working in a custodial-related position and have basic knowledge of institutional cleaning and maintenance. The successful candidate will have the ability to work around and support congregational members as they volunteer in and around the church. This is a part-time posi-tion working nineteen (19) hours per week. The desired candi-date will have a high school diploma or the equivalent, and experience working in a custodial-related position.

To apply, please send your cover letter, resumé and any other information that supports your application to Pastor James Debner at [email protected] or by mail at 1501 West Liberty Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48103.

Southeast Michigan Synod Assembly

The Southeast Michigan Synod gathered in Clarkston, MI for its annual assembly. Calvary Lutheran was the host con-gregation. The voting members from Zion included Pastor Jim and Pastor Vicky, Dan McConnell, Bob Thompson and Emmeline Weinert. Visitors to the assembly from Zion were Vera McEwen and Barbara Debner. Margie Reynolds was a member of Synod Council. Dale Eckart attended in his role as an intern for Licensed Lay Ministry at Zion, Chelsea, MI.

We heard reports from many of the ministries of our synod and from the ELCA. The Synod budget of $1,139,885 for 2021 was adopted. There were elections to many of the councils and committees in the synod. Four resolutions were adopted and three memorials to the ELCA were also adopted. Detailed information is available on the Southeast Michi-gan Synod web site: www.semisynod.com

Synod News

Samaritan Counseling

Charity Golf Outing

Samaritan Counseling Center will hold its 18th annual chari-ty golf outing on June 14 at Tanglewood Golf Course, South Lyon. $135 per person includes: 18 holes of golf, a cart, driving range, lunch, a steak dinner and prizes. To reserve your spot call the SCC office (248-474-4701) or visit their website at www.sccmich.org. Zion part-ners with Samaritan Counsel-ing by offering office space. All net proceeds from this golf outing go into the Client As-sistance Fund, which is used to help those using Medicaid or who may be unable to pay the full counseling fee.

Dementia Awareness Program

In partnership with the Alzheimer Association, Holy Faith Church in Sa-line is sponsoring a free dementia awareness pro-gram to give individuals and their families reliable information about Alzhei-mer’s and other demen-tias, caregiving skills, and where to get information and help from multiple sources. The program also seeks to dispel its social stigma. Visit www.holy-faith-church.org for more information. Sessions run 7—8:30PM weekly:

June 5 – Conversation About Dementia

June 12 – Understanding and Responding to Dementia Related Behaviors

June 19 – Legal and Financial Planning Concerning Persons Living with Dementia

June 26 – Brain Changes and Interaction Skills: pt. 1



http://www.semisynod.com

http://www.sccmich.org

http://www.holy-faith-church.org

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JUNE CALENDAR

Monday, June 24

6:30 AM Men’s ChristCare/Sunday Spot

1:00 PM Samaritan Counseling/Counseling Office

7:00 PM Kesler’s Small Group/Omega Room

Tuesday, June 25

10:00 AM Samaritan Counseling/Counseling Office

6:30 PM Worship Core Ministry/Church Office

Wednesday, June 26

12:00 PM Mid-week Worship/Yeager Chapel


12:45 PM God & Grub/Youth Room

5:30 PM Staff Meeting/Garden Room

6:00 PM Way of Life/Omega Room

6:45 PM Praise Band Rehearsal/Sanctuary

7:30 PM Al-a-teen meeting/Omega Room

7:30 PM Al-Anon Meeting/The Gathering

7:30 PM Alcoholics Anonymous/Piper Hall

Thursday, June 27


12:00 PM Ruth’s Circle/Stellhorn Lounge

Friday, June 28

9:00 AM Washtenaw Literacy ESL/Garden Room

Saturday, June 29

Sunday, June 30

8:30 AM Drive-In Worship/Outdoors

9:30 AM Sola Worship/Sanctuary

11:11 AM Ignite Worship/Sanctuary

11:00 AM Korean Baptist Church/Yeager Chapel







Thursday, June 13


9:00 AM Activity Day/Piper Hall

3:30 PM L. Erickson/Alpha Room

Friday, June 14


Saturday, June 15

9:00 AM Set up for VBS, 2nd floor

10:00 AM S. VanRiper/Piper Hall

Sunday, June 16





12:30 PM VBS Set up

Monday, June 17


9:00 AM VBS/Everywhere


7:00 PM Ruth’s Small Group/Stellhorn Lounge

Tuesday, June 18



7:00 PM Church Council Meeting/The Gathering

Wednesday, June 19










Thursday, June 20



5:00 PM VBS Picnic/Outdoors

7:00 PM Mission Core Ministry/Stellhorn Lounge

Friday, June 21


9:00 AM Washtenaw Literacy/Omega Room

4:30 PM Amanda/James Wedding Reh./Sanctuary

Saturday, June 22

8:30 AM Taste & See/Zingerman’s

4:00 PM Amanda/James Wedding/Sanctuary

Sunday, June 23





1:00 PM AA Summer Picnic/Backyard

Saturday, June 1

10:00 AM Organ Guild Meeting/Stellhorn Lounge

6:00 PM Couples Night/Piper Hall

Sunday, June 2


9:00 AM Blood Pressure Clinic/Counseling Office




12:15 PM Confirmation Rehearsal/Youth Room

Monday, June 3


1:00 PM Red Cross Blood Drive/Piper Hall


6:30 PM Prayer Team Meeting/Alpha Room

7:00 PM Ruth’s Small Group/Stellhorn Lounge

Tuesday, June 4


5:30 PM Personnel Committee Mtg./Church Office

7:00 PM Building & Grounds Mtg./Creation Station

7:00 PM IT Committee Mtg./Church Office

7:00 PM Life’s Lessons Book Club/Stellhorn Lounge

Wednesday, June 5









Thursday, June 6


10:00 AM Visitation for Donna Hollowell/Stellhorn

Lounge

11:00 AM Memorial Service D. Hollowell/Sanctuary

12:00 PM Memorial Luncheon/Piper Hall

3:30 PM L. Erickson/Alpha Room

Friday, June 7


Saturday, June 8

Sunday, June 9



11:11 AM Confirmation Sunday/Sanctuary


6:30 PM Love Lives Here/Debner Home

Monday, June 10



5:00 PM Audit Committee/Library

6:30 PM Weber’s Small Group/Lounge

7:00 PM Kesler’s Small Group/Omega Room

Tuesday, June 11

9:30 AM Good Thyme Garden/The Gathering


Wednesday, June 12



Calendar notes:

The memorial service for Donna

Hollowell is June 6. Visitation will begin at 10AM in Stellhorn lounge. The memorial service begins at 11AM, with a meal in Piper Hall following the service. The burial will take place in Bethlehem Ceme-tery following the meal. Members of Zion who knew Donna are invit-ed to join in the celebration of her life and faith.

Please note date change for

June’s Ruth’s Circle. We will be meeting on June 27 rather than June 20, due to VBS scheduling. We will start at 12:00 noon with our pot-luck lunch and then continue to our meeting. We will still be meet-ing in Stellhorn Lounge. There will be no Ruth’s Circle for July or Au-gust and we’ll start back up Sep-tember 19. Any questions or con-cerns, please contact Marianne Rauer (734) 954-0057. See you June 27!!

12

The Tower Zion Lutheran Church 1501 West Liberty Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Permit No. 436

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Return Service Requested Date Sensitive Material Please Deliver by June 1, 2019

Elected Ministry Leaders

Congregation Council

President: Dan McConnell ([email protected]) Vice-Pres: Vickie Matthews ([email protected]) Secretary: Sarah Wentzloff ([email protected]) Treasurer: David Werner ([email protected]) At Large: Chris King ([email protected]) Carrie Morton ([email protected]) David Reed ([email protected]) Sharon VanRiper ([email protected]) Mark Warwashana ([email protected]) Emmeline Weinert ([email protected])

Core Ministries

Worship: Steve Johgart, Christine Nelson Welcome/Member Caring: Lynn Hutto, Joann Dence Adult Discipleship: Ron Delph, Peter Bertocci Young Discipleship: Chris Gajar, Ken Utsunomiya Missions: Larry Groth, Robert Ranger

Support Ministries

Personnel: Margie Reynolds, Valerie Lehmann Building & Grounds: Jim Love, Gary Matthews Financial Stewardship: Bob Thompson, Lisa Rombes IT: Tyler Dence, Bernadette Quist Endowment: Jeff Sova, Mike Weber

Staff

Senior Pastor James Debner ([email protected]) Associate Pastor Vicky Lovell ([email protected])

Finance Manager David Beck ([email protected])

Office Administrator Diane Rinehart ([email protected]) Bibleland Coordinator Nina Johnson ([email protected]) Family Life Coordinator Jessica Rudy ([email protected]) Director of Choirs & Special Music Natalie Downs ([email protected]) Organist Elgin Clingaman ([email protected]) Organist Emerita Carol Muehlig ([email protected]) Contemporary Worship Leader Alison Roberts ([email protected]) Sound Operator Thomas Murphy ([email protected]) Worship Media Coordinator Eddie VanRiper ([email protected])

Resident Custodian Chris LeVasseur ([email protected])

Weekend Custodian Vacant Wedding Coordinator Emmeline Weinert ([email protected]) Nursery Care Givers Anna Peters, Emma Johnson, Addy Lovell Librarian Carleen Vanderbok ([email protected])

Website: www.zlc-aa.org

Office phone (734) 994-4455

Like us on Facebook. Please submit news items to [email protected] by the 10th of the pre-

ceding month.

May Life Passages at Zion

BAPTISMS:

WEDDINGS: Andrea Martin & Bryan Smith

FUNERALS:

NEW MEMBERS:


























http://www.zlc-aa.org


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