A Message from Pastor Summer - August 2018

A couple of Sundays ago, Rod and I sang this song.  A number of people asked for the lyrics and so I am sharing them with you. 

Healer of the Nations Come

1.  She was crippled by the fear she held

No one knew her private hell

‘Cause no one saw her cry at night

Or knew the dread she had to fight

She’d wake up with the morning sun

Another anxious day begun

Afraid of what the world might say

Her strongest urge to run away

Refrain

Healer of the nations come

Our fear has left our lives undone

We need your grace to make us whole

The deepest wounds are in our souls

Healer of the nations come

2.  He was crippled by his guilt and shame

No one knew his hidden pain

He’d lie awake in bed at night

To find a way to make it right

He’d wake with the morning sun

Another guilty day begun

Haunted by the roads to took

Too ashamed to take a look

Refrain:  Guilt

 3.  He was crippled by his sense of rage

A tiger caught within a cage

He learned to hide his anger well

A violent storm, no one could tell

He’d wake with the morning sun

Another angry day begun

The fuse was lit so deep inside

When it went off no one could hide

Refrain:  Rage

4.  We all are crippled by our sin

No one escapes the fate we’re in

Yet we all try to pretend

We close our eyes, the truth to bend

We wake up with the morning sun

Another broken day begun

And wonder why we’re hurting so

And making sure nobody knows

Refrain:  Sin

July Council Highlights

The Church Council met on July 12.  Highlights include:

· The Youth Ministry Study Team has adopted a Purpose Statement, approved by the Council.

· The church bell restoration has been completed.

· The Annual Steak and Lobster Party will take place on September 2 at the home of Ron & Joanne Rupp.

· Vacation Bible School was held July 9-13 and went well.  Fourteen children attended.

· Cross Roads Director Anthony Briggs will be attending the August 16 Council meeting to discuss the future of the camp.

· God’s Work Our Hands will take place on September 9, and will include assembly of donations for the Flemington Food Pantry and Edna’s Haven.  Please see the article on page 5.

· Thank you to:

* Melanie Hodges for serving as Vacation Bible School director.

* Linda Held for constructing the boat that was used on stage for Vacation Bible School.

* Sam Jennison and Sue Schermerhorn for chaperoning the Zion attendees at the National Youth Gathering.

The next meeting of the Church Council will be on Thursday, August 16.  Meetings are open for all to attend.

Stewardship Review

General Fund Giving — 2nd Quarter

Our 2018 Operating Budget is based on a projected income of $408,600 from members.  This was comprised of pledges from 64 families of $306,100 and an estimate from non-pledging families of $102,500.  We received pre-pledges of $67,300 in December 2017.  Aided by the pre-pledges, actual giving from pledge families by the end of the second quarter was $174,000 or 114% of our projection for mid-year.  Eight families have met or exceeded their full year pledge.  Income from non-pledging families was $43,100 or 89% of our projection for mid-year.  This includes 14 non-pledging families who have already met or exceeded what they gave in 2017.  Total income was $217,200. 

Our giving as a percent of total year-end projected income is at 50.3%.  This trend was ahead of both 2016 and 2017 for the first quarter, but even with the larger pre-pledge amount it has fallen behind 2017 during the last three months.

Your giving keeps us on solid ground to carry out our ministry plans for the year.  Thank you for your support of Zion’s ministries.

In Christ.

The Stewardship Committee

Meet Our Members

Meet the Wieders!

Jay and Rachel Wieder met in ME33-Fluid Dynamics class while studying mechanical engineering at Penn State. Rachel was a dancer and Jay a rugby player – an odd combination to some but a perfect team.  They will be celebrating their 26^th anniversary at the end of August and have enjoyed following each other’s dreams and creating special memories.

They have made their home in Whitehouse Station since 1994 and enjoy raising their three children. Roxanne (14) will be a freshman at Hunterdon Central and enjoys art (selected for honors art at HCRHS), horseback riding, piano and playing lacrosse. JT (12) is going into 7^th grade at Readington Middle School and enjoys football, wrestling, lacrosse and Boy Scouts (he is working on First Class). Chase (9) is going into 4^th grade at Holland Brook School. He enjoys football, basketball, lacrosse and Cub Scouts (he is a Webelos).

Jay works at Merck as a Strategy Realization Leader for Vaccines Global Operations. Rachel, after 20 years at Merck, is a Sr. Consultant at TaygenPoint Consulting Group.  As a family they are seldom at home.  In the summer, they can be found on Lake Walenpaupack camping, floating, jet skiing, swimming and tubing. Spring and fall they are on a sports field and tailgating at Penn State.  In the winter they can be found in a gym or outdoors enjoying winter sports.

Bite-Sized Ministry Opportunities

Do you have nice and neat handwriting? Our Director of Youth and Family Ministries is looking for someone to help create the Sunday School birthday bulletin board poster for 2018. She has the poster and the list of names ready to go! If you could help with this one-time project that needs to be completed in August, please let Courtney know at courtney@zionoldwick.com.

Are you a retired teacher or administrator with a knack for attendance-keeping? Our Director of Youth and Family Ministries is looking for an individual or small team to assist in the record-keeping for our Sunday School students. This task would require a small weekly investment of time and record-keeping abilities, as well as mailing out friendly reminder/welcome cards. Courtney already has the template for keeping attendance (but you can use your own system if you don't like hers!) as well as all of the cards for mailing. If you can dedicate time on either a Sunday (after Sunday School) or Monday, please contact our Director at courtney@zionoldwick.com.

Are you handy? Do you enjoy tackling a furniture-building session with Allen wrench in tow? Our Director of Youth and Family Ministries is looking for an individual or two with a knack for putting things together! If you can help assemble our Puppet Theater (already in a box at the CEB) sometime in August, please contact our Director at courtney@zionoldwick.com.

God's Work Our Hands - September 9

God’s Work Our Hands is a national ELCA initiative whereby congregations perform some sort of service project in the name of our Lord to help those in need.  On September 9^th, after Second Sunday Single Service, Zion will once again meet at the CEB to complete a God’s Work Our Hands project.  This year, we will be making Thanksgiving Meal Bags for the Flemington Area Food Pantry.  We are asking the congregation to donate the food that is needed and then we will gather to create the bags in an assembly-line fashion.  Donations can begin immediately by placing items in the narthex or the lobby of the CEB.  Then, plan to be with us on September 9^th as we assemble the bags and then assemble ourselves for a fellowship potluck luncheon!  Here is the list of food needed:

Canned turkey breast / chicken / ham

Canned yams

Green beans

Turkey or chicken gravy

Stuffing

Cranberry sauce

Pie filing (apple or other)

Boxed pie crust

Fruit cocktail

Coffee or tea

Sugar

 Along with bagging groceries for the Flemington Area Food Pantry, our youth will be assembling health care kits for the clients at Edna's Haven, our ministry partner in caring for the homeless in Dover.  We are asking for the following donations for this project. All items must be NEW and sealed in packaging if applicable. Thank you.

washcloths 

travel-size deodorants

disposable razors

dental floss

small combs or hair brushes

gallon-size storage bags

Steak and Lobster Party - September 2

The Steak and Lobster Party is being held on Sunday, September 2nd (Labor Day weekend) at the Rupp home.  The cost is $20/person and includes wine, beer and soft drinks, one steak or lobster and a great time with your friends from Zion.  Space is limited to 40 people and payment is requested up front to hold your spot. Please make checks payable to Joanne Rupp, mail to the Rupp home or the office, or place in the offering plate (clearly marking Steak/Lobster Party).

If you are out of town and aren’t able to sign up on the list in the narthex, please email the office or Joanne (jzrupp51@gmail.com) or text her at 908-310-3122. Please indicate if you will be bringing an  appetizer, salad/side dish, or dessert and if you would like steak or lobster.

Women of Zion - September 5

Stretch & Tone Class on Wednesday, Sept. 5th, at 7:00 p.m. at the CEB

Come to our latest healthy and fun event!  All you need to do is sign up in the Narthex starting August 12th, and wear comfortable clothes that night.  As always, relatives and friends are welcome!  Just sign them up so we have a headcount.  Please contact Anita Zarate with any questions.

Church Renovations

This fall, we will be making an important decision as a congregation.  The council will be setting a date at the August council meeting.  We will be meeting to make a decision on the wainscoting at the church.  Through the generous efforts of Harold Wrede, a section of the paneling was removed in the church to see what was beneath it.  To our surprise, there was wainscoting that was in surprisingly good condition.

Before exposing the wainscoting, our decision was to paint whatever was under the paneling white.  A number of factors have suggested that we reconsider our initial decision.  One, the wainscoting is in good shape.  Two, the wainscoting will not take white paint.  We would be better served by replacing the paneling.  Three, the original wainscoting is more appropriate to the sanctuary.  Weighing these three factors, the council voted to bring the issue before the congregation.  It’s an important decision and we wanted everyone to be notified and to schedule the meeting at a time when most people would be able to attend.  The fall was selected as the best time.  An appropriate date will be chosen.  Please plan to attend.

Calling All Readers!

Do you ever find yourself looking for a good summer read? Do you know that Zion has a library FULL of books on the top floor of the CEB?  Well, they are there for you! And for a limited time, we are allowing you to come in and take any books that you would like as we are trying to pare down the number of items we have in the room.  We have fiction, non-fiction, adult, teen and youth books. We also have different version of the Bible, if you ever wanted to compare texts. So, come, take a look, and help yourself to a book or two and enjoy!