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Zion Messenger
A Monthly Publication of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church--Elgin, ND
Volume 33, Number 6 *Phone: 584-2902 * Email: zelc@westriv.com * June-July 2021
Retraining Our Eyes to View the World “If God Does Exist …”
Biblically by Clayton Zacher
What do you see when you step outside and look at When we were young
the ground, the grass, or a tree? What do you see people, we would hang
when you lift up your eyes to a cloud or, at night, around the street of our
to the stars? As a modern person, you see small town at night. At
elements of creation. Grass to mow. A tree for some point, a few kids
shade. Pretty stars. If you are of a more scientific got their driver’s licenses,
mindset, you may think of weather patterns, and some kids even had a
astrological facts, or horticulture. car to drive. So, we
would pile in and drive
All of those perspectives are fine; they are also around town.
incomplete.
One dark night, we were
I challenge you to retrain your eyes to see the driving with a friend and
world—both in its totality and in its individual a discussion came around
parts—as a kind of pictorial book, a graphic novel about proving that God
by God, readable by those whose vision has been exists. At some point, the
informed by the Scriptures. driver stopped the car
near a street light. “Okay,” the driver said. “If God
What is a star? A “self-luminous, self-containing does exist, ask him to turn out that street light. God
mass of gas, etc.”? Yes, but that is incomplete. should do that for you as proof.”
The stars in the night sky are iconic of Abraham’s
offspring (Gen. 15:5). Step outside, look up, and I’ll admit at that point I was trapped. I knew that
each shining light from heaven mirrors back the God could do that, but I also knew that it was not
whole multitude of the church, the children of likely to happen. God stepped in and saved me by
Abraham, heirs of the promise. (And that’s only inserting a thought in my brain. I replied that it
the beginning of the biblical view of stars.) did not make sense for God to do that because
people need that light to see where they are going
What is a tree? A “tall, woody plant having great at night.
height and a single trunk.” Yes, but that is
incomplete. To see a tree is to see the image of Over the years, as I think back to that night, I
person, rooted in the earth, reaching toward believe God’s answer was right on target. Why
heaven, who brings forth either good fruit or evil would God turn off that street light? God is very
fruit (Matt. 7:17-19). To see a tree is to see the well pleased with the light that he created. Why
kingdom of God, full of branches, where the birds would he extinguish that light just because some
(=believers) rest (Ezek. 17:23; Mark 4:30-33). To wise guy wanted to prove a point?
see a tree is to see where sin and the curse began
(Genesis 3) and where sin was atoned for by Jesus, And one last thing … it may not be in our best
who became the curse for us (Galatians 3:13). This interest for God to waste His time on ridiculous
too, is only the beginning of the biblical view of requests. God likely has more important matters
trees. to attend to.
(continued on page 2)
WELCA News Retraining Our Eyes …
(continued from page 1)
Serving - Group 3 serves next. It was decided at
the May meeting that WELCA will resume serving In today’s Unveiling Mercy devotion, we talked
for funerals. about wormwood, (la’anah [ )] ַל ֲענָה, a plant that
produces a bitter oil. But in the biblical view, that
Personal Care Kits - Thank you to everyone who is incomplete. Wormwood is iconic of idolatry,
contributed supplies or money to purchase adultery, divine punishment, and the star which
supplies for personal care kits. WELCA was able falls from heaven to embitter the world (Rev.
to send 77 kits to Lutheran World Relief. The 8:11).
value of these kits is estimated to be about $539.
Of course, we can go on and on with examples
Bibles for Prairie Recovery Center - Thank you from creation.
to everyone who helped our neighbors at Prairie
Recovery Center by donating Bibles and other Here’s my challenge: look at the world with fresh
Christian books. eyes. Read it as an iconographic book that teaches
us about God, humanity, sin, redemption, the
Next Meeting - Tuesday, June 8, at 4:30 pm. July kingdom, and so much more. Don’t just see grass;
meeting is on Tuesday, July 6, at 4:30 pm. see the picture of humanity’s short-lived life.
Don’t just see water; see the image of baptism,
Pies in the Park - June 25 life, the Spirit. Don’t just see bread; see the Word
of God, Holy Communion, our total dependence
We are happy to be able to on our Father’s gracious provision.
again join the Lion’s at
Hamburgers in the Park. On The world around us is waiting to be read with
Friday, June 25, WELCA eyes that have been trained by the Scriptures to see
will be selling pies. reality in the ancient way.
If you would bake (or Chad Bird. (2021, May 27). Retraining Our Eyes to View the
World Biblically What do you see when you step outside and
purchase) a couple pies to look at the [Status update]. Facebook.
bring, it would be greatly appreciated. Please sign https://www.facebook.com/writingsofchadbird/
the sheet on the table in the narthex so we know posts/328744055287990
approximately how many pies we’ll have.
Get Your Cards from WELCA
Pie keepers will be available for you to pick up in
the church kitchen. Bring your pies to the park by Beautiful Father’s Day,
4:30. And then stay and enjoy a delicious wedding, and
hamburger and a scrumptious piece of pie! anniversary cards are
for sale for only 50
Council Seeks Bids cents! You can find
these cards on the
The church council is library table. Father’s
seeking bids for the remodel Day, which is on June
of the bathroom in the 20, is rapidly
parsonage basement. For approaching.
information on the project,
please contact Lance Rada quick mixes (soups, dips, and desserts) have
Ottmar at 584-2729. been moved to the counter in the library. Just pick
out your selection and drop your payment in the
slotted box in the corner of the library.
Identification statement: Zion Messenger,
A Church Newsletter Published Monthly
June-July 2021 For where there is forgiveness of sins,
Contents not necessarily views of
Zion ELC or members. there is also life and salvation.
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
400 2nd AVE NE
Elgin ND 58533 ~Martin Luther
2
Worship Assistants for June
In the event you are unable to be present, please
switch with someone. Thank you!
June 6 June 20
Acolyte: Senora Acolyte: Sloan
Summer vacation is here! Time to register for this Lector: Kay Lector: Yvonne
year's local Vacation Bible School Program. Bible Communion: Joy Communion: Yvonne
lessons, songs, memory verses, great games, and Organist: Elijah O Organist: Lance
fun activities in a Christ-centered environment
await! Don't miss out on this faith-enriching June 13 June 27
experience for your kids! Acolyte: Kade Acolyte: Jaden
Lector: Kaci Lector: Fred
This year the Elgin/New Leipzig Community Communion: Steph Communion: Bridget
Vacation Bible School program is hosting a 5-Day
Club by Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) for Organist: Virginia Organist: Elijah O
students ages 5-12. Alongside the program,
preschool students ages 3 and 4 are invited to Worship Assistants for July
attend Preschool VBS. Preschool VBS will be at
the same time and place as the 5-Day Club. It will In the event you are unable to be present, please
be coordinated and run by volunteers helping with switch with someone. Thank you!
the Elgin/New Leipzig Community Vacation Bible
School program. July 4 July 18
Acolyte: Quincey Acolyte: Kylor
The program will be held on June 21-25 at the
Lector: Shawna Lector: Eric
Elgin Assembly of God Church. It will be held
from 3:30-5:00 each day. It is FREE for all Communion: Rosemary Communion: Jill
children to attend! Organist: Virginia Organist: Elijah O
REGISTRATION LINK - https://forms.gle/ July 11 July 25
jSqvMdjA1wbiam8d8 or visit the Facebook page Acolyte: Aiden Acolyte: Mykayla
"Elgin/New Leipzig Vacation Bible School" for a Lector: Joy Lector: Kay
direct link. Contact Kaci Ulrich at 605-850-3866 if Communion: Steph Communion: Shawna
you have any questions. Organist: Lance Organist: Virginia
Congratulations, Graduates!
Connor Ottmar, Trevor Rafteseth, and Christy Finck were
honored on May 16 with a blessing during worship and a
reception afterward. They, along with Isabelle Boyer and
Ethan Hoffman (not pictured) graduated from Grant County
High School on May 23.
Congratulations, graduates! We pray God blesses each one of
you richly as you embark on the next chapter in your life
story.
May the Lord go before you to show you the way,
behind you to encourage you,
beside you to befriend you,
above you to watch over you, and
within you to give you peace.
3
Offerings & Gifts - May What is Mission Support? What is a Synod?
Undesignated Attendance
The term, “Mission Support”, has been used for over
May 2 $2,645 74 thirty years. Yet, in some congregations there is still
May 9 1,730 82
May 16 2,140 77
confusion about what it is. Some congregations use
May 23 1,250 48 other terms, such as “benevolences” or “missions”
May 30 1,393 59 for the shared offerings they send to the synod.
Total Undesignated $9,158 Avg Attendance: 68
When individuals and families make a financial gift
Bulletins 20 or offering to their congregation, the congregation
Audio 100 sets aside a portion of that gift for Mission Support.
Parish Ed 100 The congregation then sends the Mission Support
dollars to the synod office, and the synod office
Miscellaneous 33
sends a some of these dollars to the churchwide
Missions 400 organization. These dollars flow back to members
Sun School/Conf 11 Avg SS/Conf Att: 12 and congregations through the synodical and
churchwide ministries.
Income & Expenses - Year to Date What is the synod office? The English word “synod”
Income Undesignated Other
comes from two Greed words, syn hodos, which
literally mean “a way together.” This word points to
$47,361 $44,880 $2,481 the fact that we are part of an interdependent church.
Expenses Budgeted Designated Funds The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
28,011 27,247 764 (ELCA) has three expressions: nearly 10,000
congregations, 65 regional synods, and the
Income vs Expense
churchwide organization. The Western North Dakota
19,350 Synod is a regional expression of the ELCA. (The
synod office is located at 1000 Tacoma Ave., Suite
300, in Bismarck.)
Our synod covers nearly 2/3 of the state, has 162
congregations, and four outdoor ministry sites. We
are divided geographically into 7 conferences, each
represented by a dean who serves as liaison between
the bishop’s office and the congregations in the area.
Your offerings and Mission Support make it possible
for synod staff to offer care of congregations, offer a
candidacy process for new Pastors and Deacons,
walk with congregations in the call process, and
enables the Bishop to be able to support
Fri, June 18, 8:00-5:00 congregations in crisis if needed.
Sat, June 19, 8:00-noon In 2020, congregations of the Western North Dakota
at Zion Synod shared $1,063,396.29 in offerings. These
offerings were shared in the following manner:
You may bring your donations for the sale and
place them in the southeast corner room in • 47% with ELCA Churchwide,
Fellowship Hall. The best time to bring your • 40% with synod ministries, operations, and
donations is Wednesdays from 8:00-5:00, but facilities,
another day and time may be arranged by calling • 9% with Lutheran Campus Ministry, and
Virginia at (701) 400-9393. Please ensure your • 4% with Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota
items are clean and not torn or broken.
Thank you for your generosity, your financial gifts
Watch the weekly bulletins and emails for days make ministry possible.
when you may help set up for the sale.
Faith Simonieg, Associate to the Bishop
Then come and shop on Friday and Saturday! for Stewardship and Generosity
4
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church 2) Endowment - Committee has not yet met.
Council Meeting 3) Non-Essential Pantry Suggestion – No action.
May 9, 2021 4) Committees – Lance will contact someone for the
Audit Committee.
Present: Lance Ottmar, Stephanie Lince, Ryan 5) Review of Secretary/Bookkeeper Job
Rivinius, Marty Heid, Quentin Pfutzenreuter, Aaron Description – No contacts received; will post
Friesz, Clayton Zacher, Tabitha Zimmerman, Fred again near fall.
Eslinger, and Virginia Rivinius. Absent: Cindy 6) Request to Install Privacy Fence on West Side
Marxen and Verrick Schock. of Trees on East End of Cemetery – Ryan stated
the City’s position is the fence needs to be on the
The meeting was called to order by Lance Ottmar, east side of the trees or on the fence line that is
president, and the Lord’s Prayer was recited. there. He will see how the trees come back this
spring, and made a motion, seconded by Fred to
Secretary’s Report: It was moved by Ryan and table it. Motion carried.
seconded by Tabitha to approve the minutes of April
11, 18, 23, and 25, as distributed. Motion carried. New Business:
1) Superintendent – Lance will contact Kaci about
Treasurer’s Report: April income was $12,253.98; another term as Superintendent.
expenses were $5,291.93. Aaron moved and Ryan 2) Use of Fellowship Hall – It was moved by
seconded to accept the treasurer’s report. Motion Clayton and seconded by Marty to allow the use
carried. of the hall on June 20 for Karen Sabin’s brother’s
memorial service. Motion carried. It was moved
Correspondence: None. by Ryan and seconded by Marty to allow use of
the hall on June 2 for Becca Zetocha’s bridal
Committee Reports: shower. Motion carried.
1) Parish Education – Committee has not met. 3) Synod Offering – Kenny and Doris Friedt are not
After this week, confirmation students’ status will able to attend the Synod Assembly. Post in the
be tabulated, and letters will go out to parents. bulletin if anyone wants to attend. It was moved
The committee will need to look at teacher needs by Ryan and seconded by Marty to send $250 for
for the fall in Sunday School and Confirmation. offering at Synod Assembly. Motion carried.
2) Property – No change, except the parsonage 4) Summer Worship – Consensus to table.
window has been replaced by Delbert Weishaar.
It was moved by Stephanie and seconded by Other Business:
Marty to go ahead with getting the parsonage Work day – Rescheduled to May 15.
plumbing issue resolved. Motion carried. Jim
Zimmerman will repair the roof leak on a warmer It was moved by Fred and seconded by Quentin to
day. Clayton will take his diagrams for the bell adjourn. Motion carried.
wheel to Stelter’s Repair. It was moved by Marty
and seconded by Quentin to proceed with the bid Virginia Rivinius, Recording Secretary
process for the parsonage basement bathroom
remodel. Motion carried.
3) Everlasting Care – The committee will mail
postcards tomorrow, May 10, asking for donations
to help with financial support of our cemeteries.
They will go to our church members and other
family members we have found who have family
buried at the cemeteries.
Old Business:
1) Status of Worship and Activities – After
discussion about concerns regarding Pastor
Gene Anderson’s fit as an interim pastor for our
congregation, it was moved by Aaron to keep
looking for another interim pastor, amended by
Clayton to discontinue moving forward with
Pastor Anderson. Motion was seconded by
Tabitha. On a roll call vote, with all members
voting in favor of the motion, the motion passed
unanimously.
5
Abbreviations
L - Lector
G - Greeter
A - Acolyte
AG - Altar Guild
U - Usher
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5
AG: Luann D
Patty Z
Gavin H
Gertie O Leona H Ramona W Rhonda H
9:30Worship
Worship
9:30
10:30 Fellowship
via Facebook 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
AG: Carol H
A: Senora
L: Kay 4:30 WELCA Dorita H
C: Joy
O: Elijah O
Jace R
Jacob & Kayla H Kade R
Travis F Shawna O Glenn & Yvonne S Amber S
9:30 Worship 13
10:30 Fellowship /
14 15 16 17 18 19
Council Meeting 9:00-11:00 & AG: Nicole B
5:00-7:00 9:00-11:00 & Sydney B
A: Kade Setup for 5:00-7:00 8:00-5:00 8:00-noon
L: Kaci Rummage Sale Setup for Zion’s Zion’s
C: Steph Rummage Sale Rummage Rummage
O: Virginia Ember L
Perry & Velvet F Sale Sale
Dr John & Mary S 12:30 Pack up
Alan & Evelyn A Brian & Amber S Remaining
Blake & Kaci U Russell & Colette W Arlene K Ashley L Allen & Misti H
9:30 Worship 20
10:30 Fellowship
21 22 23 24 25 26
AG: Thelma H
Helena R
A: Sloan 5:30 Pies in the
L: Yvonne Park (Have
C: Yvonne your pies there
O: Lance
by 4:30)
Jpy O
Leona Z
Merlin & Lorele L Shelly B
Blaine & Linda O Colleen E Clarence & Ashley L Scott & Brenda E
9:30 Worship 27 28 29 30
10:30 Fellowship
A: Jaden Is prayer your steering wheel
L: Fred
C: Bridget or your spare tire?
O: Elijah O
~ Corrie ten Boom
Sydney B Daniel & Ember L Barry & Sheila H Jim Z
Church Office: 584-2902 Church Email: zelc@westriv.com
6
Deacon Deb: (703) 463-6905 or Parsonage: 584-2263 Deacon Deb’s Email: zelcpastor@westriv.com
Abbreviations
L - Lector
G - Greeter
A - Acolyte
AG - Altar Guild
U - Usher
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3
AG: Virginia R
Faith sees the invisible, believes the Kim B
incredible, and receives the impossible.
~ Corrie ten Boom Alma R
Dale L Butch & Linda K
Sherri R Ben & Heidi M Lynn M
9:30 Worship
10:30 Fellowship 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
AG: Dorothy M
A: Quincey 4:30 WELCA Darleen B
L: Shawna
C: Rosemary
O: Virginia
Judy R Jade S
Matt & Jan B Jim & Wanda Z Cathy E Connor O Kip & Danielle H Heston S Jaden L
9:30 Worship
11
10:30 Fellowship / 12 13 14 15 16 17
Council Meeting AG: Velvet F
Christy F
A: Aiden
L: Joy
C: Steph
O: Lance
Nancy K
Quentin P Janice K Rhonda B
9:30 Worship
10:30 Fellowship
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
AG: Shawna O
A: Kylor Cyndy Z
L: Eric
C: Jill
O: Elijah O
Eric F
Quentin & Rosemary P Ricki R Thelma H
9:30 Worship
10:30 Fellowship
25 26 27 28 29 31 31
AG: Chris G
A: Mykayla Dani G
L: Kay
C: Shawna
O: Virgnia
Butch K
Bob L
Clay L Ivy S Darvin & Robin B Daniel L
Church Office: 584-2902 7 Church Email: zelc@westriv.comYou can also read
