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 1st. 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 3rd – March 17th.
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 3rd – March 17th – Family Promise
March 29/30 – Feed My Starving Children
May 4th – Tag Sale
June/July – Food Pantry Drive (emphasis on children breakfast/lunch items)
July – Blood Drive (?)
August 18th – September 1 – Family Promise
Sept/Oct – Coat Drive
Oct 20th – Oct 27th – 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 8th 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 9th grade at Hunterdon Central Regional High School and Madisyn is in 2nd 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 2nd 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!
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