A Message from Pastor Summer -- February 2019

This past Saturday, the council retreat was held at Cross Roads.  Once again, we met as a council to plan the new year.  In the coming weeks, we want to share those plans will the whole congregation and invite your comments and suggestions.  We will meet between services at the CEB to discuss the ministries of Zion.  In anticipation of those conversations, I would like to lift up three areas in particular that were discussed at our retreat.

First, this will be a year of transition for Zion with my retirement at the end of June.  The council spent time talking about expectations, retirement celebrations, and timetable.  In particular, we talked about what I do behind the scenes and what information I have gathered over the years.  For example, who knew that I dig the holes for the memorial garden?  One of the Sunday conversations with the whole congregation will be focused on the transition.  What do people want to know?  What is the timetable?  How will it unfold?

Second, we spent a good deal of time focused on evangelism.  Evangelism tends to be a challenging area in almost every congregation.  We have been blessed with people who have taken up the challenge, but we would like to expand the scope and participation in this vital ministry.  We are renaming the evangelism committee to the communication committee.  We already have a communication group that we plan to fold into this newly named committee.  Evangelism doesn’t have to be scary.  At the heart of evangelism is the idea of sharing the good news.  The word communication better captures that idea for the world is which we live.  We want to do a better job of communicating what we are doing for the sake of Christ (the Good News) both within our congregation and out into the world.  Social media has opened so many new opportunities.  Who would have thought my recent sermon before the snow storm would get a response from Japan?  We also want people to understand that communicating the good news is about invitation more than conversion.  As the disciples of old said, “Come and See”.  Again, we will have a Sunday to talk about this area of our ministry.

Third, we want to build on the gains that have been made in youth and family ministry.  As the council rated the ministries of Zion, it was in the areas of youth and education that we saw the biggest increase in effectiveness.  We still have a ways to go, but the overall feeling is that we are headed in the right direction.  As we celebrate what we have accomplished, we’re excited about where God will be taking us.  In exploring those possibilities, we want to hear from the whole congregation.  That conversation will be taking place during one of the upcoming Sunday meetings. 

These are just three areas.  There are many more.  This is going to be both an exciting and challenging year for Zion.  Keep an eye open for those Sunday conversations.  Please plan to attend.  We want to hear from everyone.  And we certainly want everyone to participate.  The ministry we do, we do together.  May God continue to bless our congregation and the ministries we do in God’s name. 

January Council Highlights

The Church Council met on January 17, 2019.  Below are the highlights of that meeting.

· The Finance Committee presented the Council with the latest draft of the 2019 budget, to be approved by the congregation at the February 10 Annual Meeting.  The Council voted and agreed on the budget to be presented.  Copies of the budget will be available at church on Sunday, February 3, in order for all to have an opportunity to review prior to the meeting.

· Fourth graders will receive their First Communion on Sunday, March 10, at the 10:00 a.m. service.  This is a change from the usual tradition of First Communion taking place on Maundy Thursday.

· Carbon monoxide detectors are being installed at the church and CEB, per updated fire code requirements.

· The proposed Phase IV Preservation Plan for church renovations will be presented to the congregation on February 10.

· The Tewksbury Historical Society will hold their annual Art Show at the CEB on October 6-19, 2019.

· The Health Kits that were leftover from 2018 God’s Work Our Hands have been donated to the Blessing Bag Brigade.  The Social Ministry committee is looking into ideas for 2019’s service project.

· Thank you to:

* Sandy Matsen for staying with Family Promise guests on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

* Debra Kaufman for providing a New Year’s Eve party for our Family Promise guests.

* Sean Dalgauer for playing bagpipes on Christmas Eve.

* The Bell Choir and Parish Choir for the special music on Christmas Eve.

* Todd & Stacey Rothermel for donating a new computer to the Parish Office.

* John Rzeplinski for providing technical support and set-up of the office computer.

The next meeting of the Church Council will be on Thursday, February 21.  Meetings are open for all to attend.

Annual Meeting of the Congregation -- February 10

The 2019 Annual Meeting of the Congregation will take place on Sunday, February 10, immediately following the 10 a.m. Second Sunday Single Service.  The congregation will receive the 2018 Annual Report, and vote to approve the 2019 budget.  The meeting will be held at the CEB and will be followed by a Potluck Luncheon.

Youth & Family Ministries

Dear Members and Friends,

There is little debate that successful leaders lead successful programs. We have seen the power a strong volunteer can make in the life of the church. Our volunteer leadership at Zion Lutheran Church make it possible to do so many wonderful ministries. Wouldn’t you agree?

I remind you of this for two reasons. First, in the coming months, we will start implementing a Child Safety Policy. This policy is a win-win-win for our children, volunteers, and our church. We have two strong leaders taking training courses right now, and those leaders will be instrumental in bringing our congregation to the forefront of abuse prevention. This will be made stronger with your involvement as well. We will need all of our teachers, volunteers, parents and older youth to participate fully in the process. I know you won’t let the church down!

Secondly, we have a big need at the Sunday school right now. Our Sunday School Superintendent position is vacant as of February 1^st. The church needs an individual (or a small team) to work towards keeping our Sunday School program alive and well! The position requires about 5 hours a week of your time. The main responsibilities are getting our teachers in place to teach and lining up shepherds for each class. Additionally, attendance must be recorded, and attendance at the Christian Education committee meeting is highly appreciated. Engagement with our students, parents, and volunteers is a must have quality for the superintendent. Are you the right person for the job? If so, please reach out to me as soon as possible so we can work together!

Peace,

Miss Courtney

Your Help is Needed

Members and friends of Zion,

I have recently become aware of a family in need that lives locally (Branchburg) and is asking for donations of used items.   (There is a newborn in the family - a little boy.)    If you have any of the following items to donate, please call me at 908-236-6934.   I will be happy to pick up (preferably at CEB but will pick up at your home if needed) and deliver smaller items (anything that would fit in a Malibu).  Please note that for the larger items, I would need someone willing/able to provide a truck and some help to deliver.     The list is as follows:

Couch

Recliner

End tables

Coffee table

Lamps

Book shelf

Toy box

Pots and pans

Set of dishes

Small handheld electric mixer

Baby toys/books

Baby clothes (boy) - 3 months & up

Changing table

Dresser

Crib

Crib mattress

Crib bedding

Baby headrest (for car seat or swing)

Large garbage can (indoor)

This is a wonderful opportunity to clean out those things you no longer need and give them a new home!  Thank you for your consideration in helping this family.   

Carolyn Schroeder

Feed My Starving Children -- March 29-30

Once again Zion is hosting 500 volunteers over two days at the CEB to pack more than 100,000 meals!  Early registration will be open to Zion members and friends from 2/1 – 2/8.  To register during this period, use the passcode “zion 12” at the www.fmsc.org website, on the Zion mobile pack event page.  After Feb 8, the event will be open to the general public for registration and spots will fill quickly.  Other opportunities to help will be available – to check in volunteers and provide food for our FMSC staff during the event. 

The Social Ministry committee would like to shore up the long term financial viability of this program through recruitment of corporate or other sponsors. If you are aware of a corporate group that would like to participate and help sponsor this program, please contact Rebecca Melick at (908) 229-3744 or rrmelick@gmail.com. 

Social Ministry Update

Alternative Giving update:

Thank you to everyone who made donations to Zion’s Christmas Alternative Giving charities.  We have sent checks to the following organizations:

Tabby’s Place - $180

Riding with Heart -$280

Caring for Cambodia - $436

ELCA Good Gifts (Back Pack Project) - $430

Coffee Collection for Faith Kitchen:

Zion will be collecting coffee for Faith Kitchen until the end of February.  Our goal is to collect over 200 pounds of coffee.  Faith Kitchen is open Monday – Saturday and serves a meal to approximately 100 people daily.  For some this might be the only food they eat that day.  Last year Faith Kitchen served over 36,000 meals.  If each of those meals was accompanied with a cup of coffee…well, that is a lot of coffee! 

Please leave coffee donations in the Narthex of the Church or the lobby of the CEB.  Thank You.

Family Promise update:

Thank you to everyone who volunteered for Family Promise in January.  It was a unique hosting week as two of our guests, who needed wheelchairs for mobility, could not access the Family Promise Day Center.   Zion was asked if we could help host this family round the clock for the entire week.  Without hesitation Zion answered, “yes” to the call.  It required many more volunteer hours, but we did it.  Social Ministry would like to extend a special “thank you” to Jenny Gelson who graciously helped.   Kay and Glenn Beagle must have been smiling down from heaven, because, Zion is one of the few Churches in the Family Promise network that can handle a situation like this due to Glenn and others who saw the need for an elevator.  And Kay’s selflessness in volunteering still inspires us to say “yes” to Family Promise and their mission today.  

Our next group of Family Promise guests will be here March 3^rd – March 17^th. 

It takes many volunteers to make Family Promise successful.  Our guests are here for two weeks.  That breaks down to:

208 hours that we as a congregation need to be at the CEB with our guests. Granted 108 hours are overnight hours, but 100 hours are spent with our guests during the day and evening.  Please consider spending a few hours with our guests. 

Social Ministry upcoming events:

Jan/Feb – coffee collection for Faith Kitchen

March 3^rd – March 17^th – Family Promise

March 29/30 – Feed My Starving Children

May 4^th – Tag Sale

June/July – Food Pantry Drive (emphasis on children breakfast/lunch items)

July – Blood Drive (?)

August 18^th – September 1 – Family Promise

Sept/Oct – Coat Drive

Oct 20^th – Oct 27^th – Family Promise

Veterans Day -  Collection/Honors

November/December – Alternative Giving and Giving Tree

Other Considerations not firmed up yet:

Suicide or mental health awareness program

Good News Home for Women project/service

Thank you to everyone at Zion for your ongoing support of the Social Ministry committee and our outreach to the community and world around us.

Meet Our Members

Linda & Fred Herder, Jr.

Fred has been a life time member of Zion and Linda a member since the 70’s.  Fred’s Mom and Dad, Lillian (Melick) and Fred Herder were married at Zion in 1944.  We met in 1970 at Johnson & Johnson in Raritan, NJ where we both worked until we retired almost 40 years later.  We were married at Zion in 1971.

Fred was a sergeant in the U.S. Army serving in the Vietnam War from 1967 to 1968.  Fred and I also volunteered for the Whitehouse Rescue Squad for 15 years helping out our community which we enjoyed very much.  Our daughter Vicki also joined at 16 and loved it, not so much her sister Brandi though.  :)

Fred has lived in Whitehouse Sta. his entire life except for 7 years we lived in Bridgewater until Fred said we had to get out of the “city” and back to the country. We still live in Whitehouse Sta.  Fred also loves his job at Stanton Ridge Country Club.  He works in the maintenance department and enjoys working outside and hanging out with the guys. 

We have been blessed with 2 wonderful daughters, 2 great sons-in-law; Brandi and Andy Berenty and Vicki and Phil Colasurdo.  Both of our daughters were baptized, confirmed and married at Zion.  

We also have 5fabulous grandchildren, Shelby, Dillon and Kaitlyn Berenty and Brianna and Madisyn Colasurdo.  They have all been baptized at Zion with 3 being confirmed so far.

We enjoy spending time with family and watching our grandchildren grow so much right before our eyes.   

I would like to also thank our Church family for all the prayers during my breast cancer battle.  I really do appreciate them and know they are helping.

Vicki & Phil Colasurdo

Phil and Vicki met while volunteering in Whitehouse Station.  Phil is a member of the Whitehouse Fire Co.  Vicki was a member of the Whitehouse Rescue Squad.  They met when Phil was 19 and Vicki was 16.  Phil is still currently volunteering with the fire company and recently made 25 years of service for Readington Township.  Vicki volunteered for 11 years until their first daughter was born. 

Phil graduated from New Hope Solebury High School in New Hope, PA.  Vicki graduated from Hunterdon Central Regional High School in Flemington, NJ.  Phil works for United Parcel Service (UPS).  He worked in Bound Brook as a package car driver.  He now works for the feeder division out of Parsippany for the past 14 years.  He has been working with UPS for 24 years.  Vicki attended Raritan Valley Community College working towards a RN degree.  She became a medical assistant for a general surgeon’s office in Bridgewater from 1997 to 2001.  In 2001, she moved to Hunterdon Surgical Associates in Flemington, NJ.  She currently works as a surgical coordinator, coordinating all aspects of general and vascular surgeries and preparing patients for pre-operative testing/clearances that may be required for specific surgeries.  She schedules surgeries for 5 surgeons and enjoys assisting patients to make their experience easy and less stressful as possible. 

Phil and Vicki were married in 1998 by Pastor Summer at Zion.  Vicki was baptized by Pastor Carroll at Zion, attended Sunday School and received her confirmation in 8^th grade. 

Phil loves to garden and enjoys his fig trees.  Vicki enjoys spending time with family and going to the beach.  They have 2 daughters, Brianna 14 years old and Madisyn 8 years old.  Brianna is in 9^th grade at Hunterdon Central Regional High School and Madisyn is in 2^nd grade at Whitehouse School.  Both daughters were baptized at Zion and Madisyn attends Sunday School.  Brianna recently made her confirmation last spring.

Brianna loves basketball and plays year round since 2^nd grade.  Madisyn also enjoys basketball too and also plays softball in the spring.  The family enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends especially going on trips to Bethany Beach.

Vespers -- February 7 and 21

Vespers will meet at 7:00 p.m. on February 7 and 21.  There will be NO Soup Supper. This worship experience has been deeply meaningful to many people.  Please join us!

Lunch Bunch -- February 14

The Lunch Bunch will be going to King Tut, 1271 US-22, Lebanon, on February 14.   The phone number is 840-4668.  Join the fun.  We’ll be looking for you!

Discipleship -- February 28

Discipleship will be meeting next on February 28.  It begins with a potluck supper at 6:30 and discussion at 7:30.  All are invited.  We would love to see you there!

Women of Zion

Winter Weather Vacation!

No WOZ activities in February.  Stay tuned for another Bollywood Dance Class in March!

A Message from Pastor Summer -- January 2019

New Year’s is always a time of new beginnings.  We all make our New Year’s resolutions.  The Wellness Center is filled on January 1 with people intending to live healthier lives.  A fresh attempt on a new diet begins.  People pull back on their spending.  We make a thousand different promises that are all aimed at improving our lives and having a better year.  Of course, by February, most of these promises have been abandoned or, at least, reduced in scope.  Ah, such is human nature.  Our best intentions fall short.

Our faith understands this dynamic.   As people of faith, we speak of new beginnings.  The language of baptism clearly captures this sense of a new start.  By the grace of God, through the water and the word, our failings are forgiven, and we are made new.  However, this is not a one-time event.  What we say is that this “being made new” in an ongoing process.  Luther talked about our needing to be baptized every day.  Not literally, but with the clear understanding that every day we fall short of what God intends for us in the living of our lives and that every day we need the grace of God to forgive, heal, and strengthen us to go out into the world again.  We need to be made new every day.  And the good news is that God gives us that grace each and every day.  Faith is not a destination, but a journey.  We are all on the way to becoming the people God would have us be.  Our journey of faith is not based on our best intentions.  Our intentions alone will not get us there.  Our journey of faith is based on a loving God who understands our shortcomings and failures and, again and again, makes us new in love so that we might continue the journey.  My resolution this year is to hold on to that good news of God’s grace.

Peace,

Pastor Summer