Tap water
this month:
More than one in six people around the world lack access to safe
drinking water. In the US, most of us are fortunate to have it only a
faucet away. This week, let's focus on our awesome gift of clean, local
water by committing to drinking only tap water for the week. No bottles
off the grocery store, just grab your own refillable water bottle!
Help with
Sunday School: Have you thought about serving in the
education ministry? we are looking for teachers and helpers for the
2010-2011 Sunday School year. If you'd like to help, please call the
church office - 320-983-3368 or email.
Remembering
the Poor and Hungry
If you offer your food to the
hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the
darkness and your gloom be like the noonday." – Isaiah 58:10
Activate! - It’s summer and for many
of us that means sunshine and adventures. This week ELCA World
Hunger encourages you to join in and get active! Whether
it is yoga on the beach, errands on foot or a hike with the family, we
encourage you to activate the body you have been blessed with, as you
are able.
When you are out for that morning surf or twilight walk through the
country be
sure to check out the awesomeness of Creation as well.
From our NEMN Synod Hunger,
Justice and Rural Life Concerns Committee
Ÿ
Root
Causes of Hunger in Our World: War and conflicts; Policies (land use,
trade,
leadership); Lack of infrastructure (roads, sewers, water,
transportation);
Birth rates (high birth rates due to felt need for more workers in
families,
high infant mortality rates encourages high birth rates, children are
the
"social security system" in many areas, little access to birth
control); Education; Disease; Racial disparity; Economic structures
resulting
in wealth being concentrated in the hands of a few; Low wages; Debt
We can
help through: Contacts with Congress and
other government leaders encouraging legislation that helps fight
hunger; Our
support of the ELCA World Hunger program and Lutheran World Relief,
programs
that focus on development; Our support of local food banks, sustainable
farming, and farmers' markets.
Attention
Thrivent Members -
Changes are coming for Thrivent distribution of what we have known as
“Congregational Matching Funds” On Sunday, August 15th
Doug
Halvorson our Thrivent Representative will be with us in worship and
during the
Fellowship Hour to explain and answer questions about how Thrivent
members will
have the authority to distribute funds to organizations of their choice
such as
Zion Lutheran, a Lutheran College, Bible Camps, etc. You will be
hearing about
this in mailings from Thrivent and through the magazine members
receive. This
does have a major impact of funds we are accustomed to receiving so
please do
what you can to learn more and respond when you are given the
opportunity.
Summer
Music -
while the choir is on
hiatus this summer, we would like to have individuals or groups provide
music during worship. Solos, duets, groups, piano, or any other
instrument. Please call Pastor Belnkush if you have questions or are
interested in sharing your talents.
Zion has
"adopted"Brittanie Wigren a camp staff member at Camp Onomia.
This means we are encouraged to pray for her throughout the summer as
she serves the youth attending camp. It means we are invited to send
her a note or two with words of support and encouragement. If you would
like to do this, please send it to Camp Onomia, 14202 Shakopee Lake
Road, Onamia MN 56359.
Remembering the Poor and Hungry
If you offer your
food to
the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the
darkness and your gloom be like
the noonday.” – Isaiah 58:10
Throughout
the Bible we are called to acts of
social justice. This week you are invited to take the time to memorize
a Bible
verse about hunger. Use this verse as a reminder whenever you need a
little
encouragement, or to keep the needs of the world and the love of God
present in
your mind always.
Thank you to all who purchased soup
bowls during this year’s Lenten soup suppers. We raised an
additional $120 for
the ELCA Hunger Campaign.
Noisy Offering—July 25th - As a part of our worship
on July 25th, we will receive a NOISY OFFERING! This is an opportunity
to
contribute your spare change and make some noise as the buckets are
passed
around. This monthly offering is especially designated for our ELCA
Hunger
Appeal and so far this year we have raised $798.01! And Zion was
recognized at the NEMN Synod Gathering as one of 24 congregations to
give more than $10 per confirmed member - we gave $12.73!
Earn a little money for Zion by doing your Internet
search on GoodSearch.com - just click the GoodSearch link on our home
page and Zion will get about
one penny for every search you do! One penny isn't
much, but add a penny for every search Zion members do and who knows
how much we could earn? Be curious - search often - earn cents for
Zion! And if you shop online, try GoodShop link on the GoodSearch page!
Many of your favorite shopping sites are listed along with the
percentage of your purchase that will go to Zion. Questions about how
all this works? Check the FAQ Page. Make
your search easier with the GoodSearch
Toolbar.
Souper Bowl of
Caring: on February 7th - Super Bowl
Sunday - Zion played in the Souper Bowl of Caring. Check the national campaign site and see
how much this year's Souper Bowl of Caring will raise. Whatever
you put in the soup pot
on Sunday the 7th will be given to the Milaca Food Pantry to help our
neighbors who face
difficulties far more challenging than any football game. You made
a difference! If you were not at worship on the 7th, you can still
contribute.
Missionary
Sponsorship - we need 10 more sponsors to give $20 each to
reach our goal of $1800 to support our missionary, Rev. John Lunn, in
his work in India and Liberia. If you would like to be a sponsor, fill
out the information in the bulletin, sign up on the bulletin board in
the entryway, or call the church office. If you can't manage the whole
$20, give whatever you can. Read more about John's work and his life on
the Mission Page and in his monthly
letters. And plan to come and see John on Sunday, July 4th when he will
preach at Zion.
Save your UPC codes -
when you shop at teal's Market in Milaca and buy their house brand -
the Our Family brand - save the UPC code on the label and bring them to
church. Each UPC code is worth 5 cents to Zion! And, beginning in
2010, ALL non-profit groups can save and redeem grocery sales receipts
for a 1% discount on qualifying purchases. The receipts will be used to
benefit the youth group. Do not bring these items to
the store - there are containers for them in the church kitchen!
Evangelism
Team : Any one who has an
interest in
expanding the love and grace of God are welcome to join this team. We
meet once a month on Sunday morning between services. You can make
yourself available for one event or project or many.
The Evangelism Team has been instrumental in the following ministries:
Get to
Know Zion Events, New Member Reception, Senior Moments Potluck and
Gathering,
the newly established Young Adult Group, the Blessing of the Golden
Couples,
the clothing drive for the Marie Sandvik Center, Meals on Wheels, the
Noisy
Offerings for Lutheran World Relief, coordinating Zion’s
Missionary Support,
ministry to Zion’s homebound members, the Prayer Shawl Ministry,
to name just a
few. If there is a ministry that you are passionate about that would
either
reach out to the wider community or nurture our congregational
community—we
would love to hear about it. So, come join the conversation! Watch the
monthly calendar for meeting days.
Zion’s Endowment
Fund: What’s Your
Legacy? - In
1888 Alfred Nobel woke up one morning in Stockholm, Sweden and to his
surprise,
read his obituary. His brother had actually passed away, but the
newspaper
had accidentally gathered the wrong information on him instead. Alfred
read
that he would be remembered as the one who gained fame and fortune as
the
“Dynamite King”. This was not the legacy that Alfred Nobel
wanted to leave,
so he set about rearranging his finances in order to become a blessing
to
future generations and in the process established the distinguished
Nobel Peace prize. What legacy will you leave and how will future
generations remember and be blessed by us? Does your will and/or
planned gift play an important role in the answer to this important
question? Have you considered remembering and contributing to
Zion’s Endowment Fund? Got questions? Feel free to contact either
Pastor Blenkush or one of Zion’s current Endowment Committee
members.
Needed: Zion's Youth are
in
need of individuals who would be willing (and excited) to serve on
Zion's
Youth Ministry Team. What does this mean you might wonder? It means we
are
looking for a handful of folks from Zion who are not only interested in
enriching the faith development of our Zion's youth, but also
individuals
who have a passion for kids of all ages. We are looking for individuals
willing to step up to the plate and lend a hand--to be a part of an
important and vital ministry here at Zion. We are looking for folks who
would be able to serve not only in an advisory role, but also providing
some nuts and bolts assistance in some of the planning and execution
of youth ministry activities (i.e. .. mission trips, adventure trips,
Easter breakfast, 30-Hour Famine etc.) This does not mean you have to
participate in every event, but pitching in and helping make these
events
possible is really helpful. We are also looking for individuals willing
to head up ZAK (Zion's Amazing Kids! our elementary age youth
ministry).
This particular ministry's primary focus is organizing fellowship
activities
(i.e. .. bowling, sledding, swimming, games, etc.) on a quarterly
basis.
The mission behind this ministry is to help build relationships between
the kids, laying the foundation for future youth ministry
possibilities. Please give these opportunities some prayerful
consideration. If you have questions, contact either Pastor Blenkush,
Terry Hamblin, Mary Jo Gruba
or John Cook and they would be happy to sit down with you and help fill
in some of the gaps.
Holy
Cow! Congratulations! - Each year our NEMN Synod recognizes the
congregations who gave more than $10 per confirmed members (pcm) to the
World Hunger Appeal and the ELCA Disaster response and Zion was one of
the 24 congregations recognized for
giving $12.73 pcm! That is up from last year. This year’s Holy
Cow! Look What We Did for
World
Hunger Award went to Trinity Lutheran in Hovland as they
contributed $38.48 pcm! Congratulations and Good Work!
Circles of Hope comes to
Zion! - Circles of Hope is growing! Join us in giving thanks to
God that He brought 10 participants to the
Circles of Hope meeting in May. What a blessing to have such
a great turnout! But that leaves us in need of many more
allies (volunteers). Our hope is to have 2-3 allies for every
participant – we only had 4 total. Please consider joining
us
for the next Circles of Hope meeting on the first Thursday of the
month, from 6 pm
(for dinner) to 8 pm in the fellowship hall at Zion Lutheran
Church. All you need to bring is your compassion for those who
need healthy
relationships! Circles of Hope is a community–wide ministry that
invites
people to build relationships across class and race lines and make our
community stronger. Here’s who is invited:
Participants—struggling individuals and/or families who need
healthy relationships and who want to increase their self-reliance as
well as expand the meaning and friendships in their lives.
Allies—Community members who want to make a difference in their
community; find more meaning in their lives by sharing their time,
knowledge, skills, abilities and experience with others; and most
importantly share the love of Christ. Interested. For more information
contact either Pastor Blenkush or Trudy Ash at the CRC of Pease
(320-369-4228).
Got
Equal Exchange Coffee, Tea, Cocoa, and Chocolate? – What
are Equal Exchange products? These are products grown by farmers in the
poorest countries in the world without the multinational companies
ripping into their meager profits.
These are products full of flavor and full of opportunities. The
farmers make more money to help them support their families and local
communities. Zion charges enough to cover our cost and then pass
the profits on to our ELCA Hunger Appeal. And you get a great taste
and the knowledge that everybody wins! For more information visit www.equalexchange.com/interfaith.
Items can be purchased from display in Centennial Hall.
