The Church Gathered

This past Sunday, we launched a time for conversation for people in our congregation.  The conversation took place at the Christian Education Building at 10:00.  We have only just begun.  Our first meeting was simply to discover the questions and concerns people had.  We wanted to know where we should begin the conversation.  As we discovered, we all wrestle with faith, with family, and with life.  Personally, I was moved by the breadth and depth of the questions.  How do we interpret the world to our children?  How do we respond to the needs of the world?  How do we fish for people?  How do we understand prayer when prayers are not answered?  How do we feed our faith?  How do we deal with adult children?  How do we juggle the demands of life?  What do we say about other religions?  The list goes on, but this gives you an idea of where we will be spending our time.  These will be the questions that launch our effort. 

I believe the conversation we are undertaking will be important in the life of our congregation.  Where else can this conversation take place?  The questions are critical.  We all carry them around.  We all want answers or, at least, some clarity.  I believe this is one of the functions of a community of faith.  God designed us to be in community.  The scripture says where two or three are gathered, God is our midst.  Part of the beauty of community is that, in a community, we have the opportunity to share with each other and experience that presence of God.  In the Jewish community, it is understood that God is revealed in the conversation between people of faith.  I believe that is true.  I have heard the voice of God as we have discussed in the Book of Faith.  I have heard the voice of God in the give and take of confirmation.  I have heard the voice of God in the conversation around the table at Discipleship.  My prayer is that we will also hear the voice of God as we gather for conversation on Sunday morning in the CEB.  Join us this Sunday!

Peace,

Pastor Summer

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On September 20, we began a new pattern for coming together on Sunday morning at Zion.  We returned to our regular schedule of worship at 8:30 at the church, but then things began to change.  We gathered for fellowship at the Christian Education Building at 9:30.  At 9:45, we lifted our voices in song and joy.  At 10:00, the young people headed to classes and the adults stayed for conversation.  The plan is that every week, except on Family Worship Sunday, a new question will be explored in this adult conversation.  With suggestions from those who were gathered, the discussion will range from prayer, to juggling life, to fishing for people, to learning about other faiths.   This past Sunday, the question was “What does it mean to be Lutheran?” and the new member class joined us.  At 10:45, the classes and conversation ended and we had the opportunity to worship at 11:00 at the church.  If you haven’t already, come and experience this special time yourself.  You are even invited to bring others with you.  See you Sunday!

Conversation topics for the month of October will be:

October 4 – How to Fish for People — Kathryn Schaefer

October 11 – Family Worship

October 18 – Growing Older:  Wills, Bills, and Continuing Care – Scott Curtis

October 25 – When Prayers Go Unanswered – Pastor Summer