Usher Sign-Up

Can you help Usher on Sundays?  We are looking for additional volunteers (men, women, confirmation students, parent/child) to help usher during the 8:30 and 10:30 services.

Please stop at the information desk on Sunday and select any month of the year that may work into your schedule. If you are unable to help for an entire month, maybe you could indicate a couple of dates within that month you would be able to help serve.

Confirmation Students will have a separate form in the office  to fill out the day you usher so we can make sure you get your service hours.  Students who will be beginning confirmation in the fall may also volunteer and start receiving service credits now.  Any questions, please contact the church office.

Worship at Marysville Country Church begins June 2

During June, July & August services are held at the Marysville Church, on County Road 9 between Buffalo and Waverly, each Monday evening at 7pm.

The Swedesburg (AKA Marysville) Church was organized by Pastor Nelson in February 1873. The same pastors served the Swedesburg and Carlslund (later know as Zion) congregations until Swedesburg disbanded in 1950 and the members joined Zion. In 1973 the building was restored to celebrate the centennial of Swedesburg and Monday evening summer services commenced at that time.

Hear Rachel Kurtz on June 22

Rachel Kurtz will be at Zion on Sunday, June 22, participating in worship services in the morning, and in concert at 1pm.

“Rachel Kurtz is a fulltime singer/songwriter originally from Cokato, MN. She travels the country singing about faith, life, love and the freedom we have in Jesus. She enjoys traveling and meeting people from all around the world and hearing their stories. Rachel has been involved with youth ministry for the past 9 years. She loves to encourage students with her stories and also see and affirm their gifts. Rachel sings in a variety of venues, from coffee shops to colleges, pubs to house parties, youth weekends to churches. Rachel has also sung in both ELCA and LCMS national gatherings, synod events and has had the pleasure of singing in India and West Africa. Rachel hopes to continue traveling the world singing for the Lord. “

The afternoon concert will be free and open to the public. You can learn more about Rachel or check out her CDs at rachelkurtz.com.

July Pulpit Exchange

The Worship and Music committee will be asking for your feedback during the month of July on a new positioning of the pulpit in the Zion sanctuary. The altar and pulpit in the sanctuary will be rearranged for the month to give the pastors an opportunity to preach from a position may be more central to all of the pews.

Listen with open ears and give us your thoughts. Is it easier to hear the pastors? Can you see them better when they’re preaching from the pulpit? Come to worship during the month of July and give us your input. We’ll be waiting to hear from you.

Wear Red on Pentecost

This Sunday, May 11, is Pentecost Sunday:

• You are invited to wear red to church as part of Zion’s celebration.
• If you can read in a language other than English and would be willing to read part of the Scripture Lesson in that language on Sunday, please contact Sherilyn Burgdorf at 763-682-1245 or sburgdorf (at) zionbuffalo (dot) org.

This is also the last day of Sunday School for this school year. Sunday School students will be singing at the 8:30 and 10:30 services. The middle school Rock N U worship band will be playing at the Family Express service.

Communion Card FAQ

Why Do We Fill Out Communion Cards?

There are three reasons:

• Zion’s constitution defines a voting member as a confirmed member who has ‘communed and made a contribution of record during the current or preceding year,’ so we need a list of those that have communed to be able to determine voting members.
• Each year, we need to report to the Synod how many of our members communed during the year.
• It helps our pastors keep a handle on the spiritual health of our congregation.

Who Should Fill Out A Communion Card?

Anyone who receives communion at Zion should complete a communion card. It is very helpful to the office staff and volunteers if you complete one card per household rather than a card for each individual. Having less total cards makes the task of alphabetizing and entering them into the computer much easier.

What Do I Write On The Card?

The only piece of information that we use from the communion cards is the name or names. Please include the first names of all family members that are communing as well as the last name.

Common problems with names on communion cards are:

• “LASTNAME Family” . . . Zion is a large church, and there may be another family with the same last name as you, even if it is uncommon. If we cannot tell which family is indicated, your communion will not be recorded.
• “LASTNAME (4)” . . . If you have 5 people in your family, we are not going to guess which 4 of those 5 took communion. If we cannot tell which family members are indicated, your communion will not be recorded.
• And, of course, illegible names . . . Please print clearly.

Can I Put My New Address On A Communion Card?

If you have a new address, phone number, email, prayer request, or other concern, please use the yellow pew cards. Communion cards are often not processed for several weeks or longer and we do not look at the back.

Holy Week and Easter at Zion

Alleluias will be heard as Easter fills our sanctuary and our lives on March 23. This Easter day will be an early spring reflection of the new life we find in Christ.

At Zion, the 40 Days of Community that has been central to our Lenten worship and small group study will be completed. Extend our community by inviting friends, family and neighbors to worship at Zion on a festive Easter day.

Be sure to take note of the Holy Week schedule as we journey with Jesus from the palms and hosanna of Palm Sunday to the cross on Good Friday.

March 16—Palm Sunday

• Sunday School palm procession during 8:30 and 10:30 worship services
• 9:45 Family Express with palm procession

March 20—Maundy Thursday

• Noon —Worship with Holy Communion in the Sanctuary
• 6:30—Worship with Holy Communion in the Sanctuary. Joyful Ringers provide special music.

March 21—Good Friday

• 10:00am—Family Good Friday service at Zion
• Noon—Ecumenical Good Friday service
• 7:00pm—Good Friday Tenebrae service at Zion

March 23 —Easter Sunday

• 7:00—Sunrise Service
• Easter Breakfast 6:30-10:30am
• 8:30—Festival Worship led by Senior Choir with brass and organ
• 9:45—Family Express
• 10:30—Festival Worship led by Jubilee

Notice that there is a family Good Friday worship offered at Zion at 10:00am on March 21. This worship service is a way to introduce children to the story Jesus’ crucifixion and death in a thoughtful, understandable way.

Easter Garden
Volunteers

Lenten Worship Volunteers (Updated)

Please contact Sherilyn in the office to fill any of these worship needs.

Wednesday Lenten Services
Ushers for 6:30 pm Lenten services

• March 5
• March 12

Holy Week
Ushers and Greeters

• Maundy Thursday (noon or 6:30 pm services)
• Good Friday (7pm service)
• Easter Sunday (7am, 8:30am or 10:30am services)

Family Express Greeter families

• Easter Sunday for the 9:45am service (2 families)

Communion servers (senior high or adult) for Easter Sunday

• 7am (5 servers)
• 8:30am (11 servers)
• 10:30 (11 servers)

Communion Assistants (confirmation students) on Maundy Thursday

• 6:30 service (2)

Acolytes (confirmation students) Maundy Thursday (1) at 6:30pm

• Good Friday (1) at 7pm
• Easter Sunday (1) at 8:30 am
• Easter Sunday (1) at 10:30 am

Easter Garden Setup
Volunteers are needed at 11am on Saturday, March 22 to set up the Easter Garden in the sanctuary.

Holy Week Services

Lenten Services

Two mid-week worship services are offered during Lent. If transportation is needed call Zion for information.

February 6—Ash Wednesday:

Easter Garden

Every year Zion has a beautiful display of all kinds of different plants and blooming flowers for our Sunday morning Easter Services. The plants/flowers are usually given in memory of or in honor of someone special to you and/or your family. It is a nice way to recognize your loved ones and to show gratitude for God’s many blessings.

The plants are arranged on Saturday at noon. If you can help, please feel free to stop in, and lend a hand.

If you would like to donate a lily or other plant:

Lenten Devotions

Lent is a time to be renewed. Take a few moments for Bible readings and devotions and let prayer and scripture mark each of your days.

Zion members have contributed to a daily devotion booklet that will be used during Lent and the 40 Days of Community. Devotions will be posted online daily and are also available by email. The devotion series will be preceded by a week of prayers beginning on January 27. The email subscription offers a choice of devotions only or devotions plus other 40 days news.

Subscribe to 40 Days of Community Daily Devotions by Email:
Devotions Only
Devotions PLUS Announcements

Tell friends, co-workers, and neighbors about them, too!

Epiphany [ i-pi-fə-nē ]

Come to worship on Sunday, January 6th to celebrate the Epiphany. Ring Forth Handbells will present a special telling of the Gospel ‘The Wise Men and the Star” at the 8:30 & 10:30 services.

Epiphany
[ i-pi-fə-nē ]
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English epiphanie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin epiphania, from Late Greek, plural, probably alteration of Greek epiphaneia appearance, manifestation, from epiphainein to manifest, from epi- + phainein to show.

1. Epiphany : January 6 observed as a church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ
2. an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being
3. (1): a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2): an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3): an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure b: a revealing scene or moment

Christmas Services

On Christmas Eve, 3pm and 5pm services will include a special time for the children to come forward to see Jesus’ birthday cake up close, and hear a special message. At 11pm the popular Candlelight service will include the Zion Christmas Choir.

On Christmas Day there will be worship at 10am with Holy Communion.

We Saved You a Seat!

The Sunday School students will be presenting “The First Christmas” at the 8:30 and 10:30 services on Sunday, December 9 . . . . see you there!

Tinsel & Tears

The Tinsel & Tears program will be held on Sunday, December 9th at 9:30 am in the Zion Library and is available to everyone, sponsored by Zion’s Stephen Ministry. Jean Fobbe, Wright County Human Services Resource Coordinator, will speak regarding the experiences of grief and stress during the holidays and give helpful suggestions on how to cope.

Holiday time can be a difficult time for many of as we deal with the loss of a loved one, as we grieve and suffer from loneliness, loss of a job, or other struggles in which we may develop mixed emotions and feelings of being overwhelmed. During this holiday season, think about how you can take care of yourself during this vulnerable time.

Did You Miss Martin Luther?

Martin Luther visited our services last Sunday. If you missed it, you can catch it on Zion’s podcast (scroll down past the reading for the ‘listen’ button).

Martin Luther at Zion on Sunday

By special arrangement Dr. Luther will be here at Zion for all three of the services this Sunday, October 28 to be interviewed by one of Zion’s pastors.

We will observe the 490th anniversary of the Reformation, which began the protestant movement in Germany. The Reformation started when Martin Luther, university professor and parish priest, posted 95 statements on the town bulletin board in Wittenberg, Germany, which he wished to debate with authorities of the Roman Catholic Church.

Thanksgiving Eve Service

On Wednesday, November 21 at 8:00pm, the annual Ecumenical Festival of Thanksgiving and Praise will take place. This is truly a faith-filled experience for all families. Each year entire families have been blessed in a special way by coming together for this worship.

Pastors from the Buffalo area churches join to give leadership to this community-wide time of worship. Choirs from many of the churches in Buffalo will combine to present anthems of thanks and praise. The handbell choirs from Zion, Buffalo Covenant, St. Johns Lutheran, and Buffalo United Methodist churches are preparing pieces to be rung in a massed choir. There will be over 130 musicians from different churches. Nursery is provided.

Service of Remembrance November 4

Zion’s annual “Service of Remembrance” will be held on Sunday afternoon, November 4, “All Saints’ Sunday”, at 4:00 pm in the Sanctuary. Everyone is invited to take this time to honor our loved ones who have died in the past year or previous years.