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FEBRUARY

Sunday Morning Worship 9:00 a.m. February 3, 10, 17 and 24

Tuesday Morning Bible Study

10:00 a.m. February 5, 12, 19 and 26

FEBRUARY

2019

Zion’s Good News

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH

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Ecumenical Worship Service in the Family Center

Led by The Mill Church, St. Joseph, St. Andrew, Ebenezer UCC,

and Zion Lutheran. February 24, 2019

4:00 p.m. Worship in song, prayer

and candle lighting. Soup supper following.

Bold Women’s Sunday Feb 17, 2019 Don’t Miss It!

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What’s in Your Backpack? One of my greatest joys is walking down the church hallway outside of the Family Center each afternoon as the YMCA after school kids gather or when the J-Team and Little Lutherans arrive. I’ve never counted the number of hooks along the hallway, but they are usually all full—of what? Backpacks! I often wonder what’s in those back-packs? Obviously, they are important, because every kid has one. That got me thinking, what do we carry in the imaginative backpack of our faith? While school kids have pencil, pens, paper, home-work, FOOD, and other items of importance, what is essential for a faith backpack? The good news is that God, in God’s abundant love, fills our back-packs freely with just what we need to walk as followers of God’s way. Here are a few items in your backpack of faith. • Unmeasurable worth that you can neither earn nor lose! • Grace upon grace and blessings abundant. • Identity and belonging—a child of God deserving of love and

respect. • Freedom from guilt and shame. Forgiveness is real! • Reconciliation and a community surrounding you. • A place in God’s story: past, present, and future. • Eternal life.

The backpacks kids use are all handy, with pockets and zippers to help keep item in order, or not. Basically, if we did get a chance to investigate those backpacks, they’d tell us a lot about the children carrying them. What about your faith backpack? Are you carrying what God so graciously gives you to carry? Does it make up who you are? That is God’s intent. Everything you need is available and free. Carry it lightly!

Pastor Sue

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YOUR CHURCH STAFF

COUNCIL MEMBERS

President: Brenda Castellano

V. Pres.: Maryel Schoenfuss

Secretary: Angie Guralski

Treasurer: Marge Redetzke

Evangelism: Cory Wiesman

Faith Formation: Jackie Fischer & Brooke Grell

Property: Lee Spindler

Stewardship: Amy Cournoyer

Worship: Lois Miller

PASTOR: Sue Eidahl

Home Phone: 687-4381

E-mail: eides@zionlc.com

Secretary: Lori Lang

E-mail: office@zionlc.com

WAYS TO CONNECT

WITH ZION

Write us at Zion Lutheran Church, 213501 Legacy Street, Stratford, WI 54484-9632

Phone us at 715-687-4110 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or leave a voice mail message.

Or email us at office@zionlc.com or directly to emails above. WEB SITE: www.zionlc.com

TRADITIONAL WORSHIP 9:00 a.m.

INDEX Page 1 February Schedule 2 Pastor Sue’s Letter / Pastoral Acts 3 Library News / Thank You 4 Christ Jam 2019 / J-Team and

Little Lutherans / Mmm Mmm; Pie! 5 Confirmation Electives / Council

Minutes / Building Update 6 Anniversaries and Birthdays / VBS 7 Church Staff and Index Pull out: February Calendar and Serving Schedule NEWSLETTER DEADLINE The 21st of each month. ANNOUNCEMENT DEADLINE Wednesdays by 9:00 a.m. WEEKLY E-MAIL Goes out on Monday morning. Email office@zionlc.com to be added to the receiver list. PLEASE keep the office updated: • Address & email changes • Births, Deaths, Hospitalizations • Phone / Cell changes

PASTORAL ACTS Pastor Sue officiated at the wedding of Nicole Patoka and Eric Joswiak.

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LIBRARY NEWS: New books have been added to the church library. Among them are: THE WRONG SHOES by Caryn Rivadeneira (ages 7-8). Call no. +/Ri This book teaches kids about money, work, and the true value of things we own. MAYBE GOD IS LIKE THAT TOO, by Jennifer Grant. Call no. +/Gr A young boy asks his Grandma where God is in his city. His Grandma shows him that where there is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, good-ness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, there too, is God. The IMAGINE series by Matt Koceich. Call no. +/Ko There are 3 fast-paced, action-packed adventure stories in this series.. The settings are the Biblical stories The Ten Plagues, The Great Flood and The Fall of Jericho. The reader participates in these stories which bring them to life. THE OXFORD ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE HOLY LAND ed. By Robert G. Hoyland. Call no. 933/H0 A detailed account of the history of the Israelites and the development of 3 major religions in the Holy Land. An in-depth look at information from archeological sites and ancient manuscripts. ELDERS RISING by Roland D. Martinson. Call no. 248/Ma Ways in which the elderly can become a vital force in their churches and communities.

THANKS to everyone who donated to the 2018 Operation Christmas donations for the Marathon County Start Right program! We blasted our

goal and provided 27 gift baskets for their client families. What a generous congregation! If anyone has a thought or recommendation for a program for Zion to support through a future Operation Christmas, please contact June Krueger, (call or text 715-897-0617 or email at rajmkrueger@gmail.com). Thanks!

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS 2 - Cari Frueh 3 - Angela Ford 4 - Bonnie Zawislan Kris Homann 6 - Kristine Blyton Patrick Greenberg Alex Pupp 7 - Tammy Draper 8 - Darin Grell 10 - Rob Hughes 12 - Doris Weber Wes Manecke Colin Rasmussen 13 - Kathy Ballerstein 14 - Darrel Schraeder Julia Nikolai 15 - Judy Polege Charlotte Schoenherr

John Schuette Bryce Ford

16 - Terry Hoesly Anika Weber

17 - Grayson Cole Cole Kramer Jordy Spindler 18 – Grace Kobs 19 - Brenda Van Der Leest

Mikayla Foley Troy Kuyoth

Piper Balz 20 - Jacob Federwitz Patrick Kilty

Melissa Meyer 21 - Robert Ulrich Dawson Moen 22 - Richard Anderson 24 - Eliot Waddell Brock Fischer Lee Spindler 25 - Jeanne Griesbach 26 - Amy Schoenfuss 27 - David Marg 28 - Karen Rock

Keith Grell

FEBRUARY ANNIVERSARIES 2 – Brandon and Jordan Aschenbrenner 16 - Gary & Lori Lang 23 – Ted & Pam Wilde

Vacation Bible School dates have been set! Mark your calendars:

Sunday, July 14 through Wednesday, July 17th

from 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm. Our theme this year is inspired by

the African jungle! At “Roar VBS” kids will explore God’s goodness and celebrate a ferocious faith that powers them

through this wild life. Each day at “Roar VBS”, kids will travel

through field-tested rotations that reinforce relevant Bible Points and immerse kids in new adventures!

More info to come!

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COUNCIL MINUTES Zion Lutheran Church Council met on Monday January 21, 2019

President Brenda Castellano called the meeting to order Maryel Shoenfuss led with devotions.

During the meeting the council:

• Approved the Secretary Report.

• Approved the Treasurer Report.

• Approved the Ministry Team Report

• Received Thank You from Staff for Christmas gifts

• Pastor is getting ready for the Annual Meeting, Lent and First Communion Classes

• “Epic” will be held on February 2nd in Rice Lake

• Soup and Sandwich was decided

• Germanfest request came in

• Accounting Review Team was notified the paper work is in Respectfully submitted by Angie Guralski, Secretary * A full copy of the Secretary’s notes is in the office.

Building Update 2018 Payment Bi-Weekly Start Payment Interest Principal Ending Dates Balance Amount Paid Paid Balance 10/12 & 10/26 $367,612.43 $ 3,100.00 $1,106.44 $ 1,993.56 $ 365,618.87 11/09 & 11/23 $365,618.87 $ 3,100.00 $1,100.42 $ 1,999.58 $ 363,619.29 11/28 $363,619.29 $13,000.00 $13,000.00 $ 350,619.29 12/07 & 12/21 $350,619.29 $ 3,100.00 $1,062.18 $ 2,037.82 $ 348,581.47 12/28 $348,581.47 $13,500.00 $ 13,500.00 $ 355,081.47

Total monthly principal payments $ 32,530.96 Total monthly interest payments $ 3,269.04 Balance of loan as of 12-28-2018 $ 335,081.47

Partners Bank Building checking acct balance as of 12-31-2018 $ 9,172.95

Little Lutherans (K– 3rd Grade) and J-Team (4th – 6th Grade) will meet on Wednesday, February 6th and February 20th, at 3:00 p.m.

• Pumpkin • Blueberry • Raspberry • Blackberry • Pecan • Apple • Cherry • Caramel Apple • Custard • Peach Basket with order forms and $$ drop will be in the Narthex. Pay in advance or at delivery. Contact Keith at 715-650-1976 for more information.

CONFIRMATION ELECTIVES February 6th ~ 4:00 p.m. February 13th, 20th and 27th Meal at St. Vincent’s 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Core Class: The Apostles’ Creed February 22nd and 23rd. Retreat: The Apostles’ Creed

$8 per π – Pre Order Now !!!!

Last day to order is Ash Wednesday,

March 6th.

Delivered on 3/10/2019

Christ Jam - Middle School Youth Gathering 2019 Middle school-aged synod youth (6th-8th grade), lead by the pas-sionate Synod Youth Board, are invited to attend Christ Jam on March 9th! This year Christ Jam will be run in tandem with the synod's Walking Together event, and will include awesome work-shops, worship, group games, and service project, and more! Hope you'll join us!

7:00-8:45 Registration 9:00-10:00 Opening 10:00-12:00 Workshops 1 & 2 12:00 - 1:00 Lunch 1:00-4:00 Christ Jam Activities

We need your name and

T-Shirt size to register.