A Message from Pastor Summer

I’m still reflecting on our anniversary celebration on August 3. The day was truly amazing. The church was packed and the energy was palpable. Gathered for worship were not only members of our congregation, but also descendants from the original families who had gathered 300 years ago. I felt a profound sense of history and a greater awareness of the significance of Zion and her story. I preached on the five loaves and the two fish. I preached that, by the grace of God, those five loaves and two fish fed 5,000+. I preached that we at Zion embody that story and promise. Consider our beginning. 300 years ago a handful of people (five loaves and two fish) came together in the home of a freed slave with a vision of a church on the American frontier (5,000+ fed). Who could have envisioned such a hope? Our forbearers did. By faith, those first members of Zion embraced that vision and, by the grace of God, that vision became a reality. As I looked around the congregation on August 3, I was in awe of that reality, but most of all, I was in awe of God at work. We are living proof of God’s labor and God’s promise. And the good news is that the story has not ended. The vision is alive and the promise continues. God is still at work. We are writing the new chapters of the story of Zion.
I continue to be humbled by that realization which leads me to a deeper appreciation of the challenges and possibilities that face us in the future. Where will God lead us in our 301st year and beyond? What will be our legacy? How will we, like our forbearers, continue to be bold in faith? These are the questions that excite me and also keep me up at night. These questions have been a part of the conversation we have had as a congregation for the past couple of years. That conversation continues. The church council spent the last meeting in discussion about the future of Zion. Out of that conversation, we talked about wanting to be more “hands on,” living the faith. We talked about our new staff position focused on youth and families. We talked about social media. We talked about being the church in changing times. I want to invite other people to join this conversation. We need to hear all the voices. How do you see us continuing the work of Zion? We are part of a great story. We can feel the weight of the witness and faithfulness of those who have gone before us. That weight, that legacy, came into sharper focus on August 3. May we use that energy and excitement of that day to move us into our 301st year and beyond. God is leading the way. Let us follow.

Peace,
Pastor Summer