February 2016
The Pastor’s Ponderings Pastor David’s cell phone—348-330-4170 and email address—fleeneda@gmail.com The sermon-writing process, as I learned it in seminary: Know your texts a few weeks, even months ahead of time. Give yourself time to plan out themes. Read. Work with Greek and/or Hebrew. Read commentaries. Read other works of literature as good examples of writing. Relate the text to your congregation and what’s going on in the world. Talk with colleagues and/or parishioners. Find one insight, summed up in a sentence, that encompasses our malady (sin), God’s goal for us, and the means God uses to get us to his goal (grace). Write a draft of the sermon by Wednesday or Thursday. Polish on Saturday. Ready to go on Sunday morning. The sermon-writing process, in reality (for me, anyway): Show up to Joe and Jesus (our lectionary study) on Monday barely knowing what the texts are. (If I’ve been proactive, I may have looked at
what the texts were a couple weeks in advance to draw out a comprehensive theme.) Talk with parishioners. Minimal Greek/Hebrew work, using Bible Works or Olive Tree. Try to think of a title (this congregation seems to like titles). Run through a dozen potential titles, drawing on a common theme among two or three readings. Pick a title. Throw out that title. Agonize. Free write. Agonize some more. Pick another title. Goof off on the internet. Do other pastor stuff. On rare occasions, have a draft by Thursday. Usually don’t. Procrastinate. Friday off. Saturday comes. Procrastinate more. If I wrote a draft on Thursday, more often than not the world will have changed by Saturday, necessitating a new sermon. Panic at about 11 on Saturday night. Decide to sleep. Wake up around 6 Sunday morning. Drink a half-gallon of coffee. Write, write,
Zion’s 2016 Council Members Elder & President ...................................................................... Jody Stanley Elder & Vice-President ................................................................. Larry Hile Secretary ............................................................................... Barb Hardwick Deacons ................................................................................... Scott Clamme Drew Walker Allen Stallsmith Trustees .................................................................................... Chris Stroble Tom Armstrong Mark Prout Treasurer ................................................................................. Max Langdon Financial Secretaries .................................................................... Tiann Coy Kathy Sharp
write under duress. Deliver sermon on Sunday morning, which is always not quite the draft I’ve written. Sometimes I’m amazed that God gets anything done through me, as deaf as I can be to his word at times. It’s a bit of a dirty secret among pastors, but few of us are the super-spiritual people that congregations think we are. At least I’m not. No, we’re just like everyone else. We struggle with the same sins like everyone else. The only difference between me and a person in the pews is a call to administrate an office in the church – the office of word and sacrament. And somehow, God gets the word preached and the sacraments administered through deeply sinful human beings like me. Every Sunday to me is a lesson in grace. And I continue to learn more about this community, more about God’s will for them and for me, and more about how God works “in, with, and under” my work, as sloppy as it may be at times. And of course, I learn more about how I might be more cooperative with God’s work! Surely God works in a similar way in your life, too. God works to bring grace, the good news of Jesus Christ, to the world through human beings like us. After all, God became human to save the world. Never forget your importance to God’s work in this community and the world. Love to you, Pr. David
February 2016
Ash Wednesday
February
and Lenten Services
Lectionary
Zion’s Ash Wednesday service with the Imposition of Ashes and the celebration of Holy Communion will begin at 7:00 p.m. on February 10th in the church sanctuary. Lenten services will be held in the fellowship hall on Wednesday evenings from February 17th— March 16th at 7:00 p.m. The services will be preceded by a Soup Supper beginning at 6:00 p.m. The Soup Suppers will be pre-
paired by different committees and groups in the congregation.
Tentative Soup Supper schedule:
Feb. 17th - Kitchen Committee and Judy Willmann Feb. 24th - Stewardship Mar. 2nd - Council Mar. 9th - Choir Mar. 16th - Mission and Ministry Mar. 23rd - Sunday School and Parish Education
Food Pantry February is one of Zion’s months to collect items for Community and Family Services of Blackford County. Your help would be greatly appreciated in col-
Stewardship
February 9th to 12:00 p.m.
Stewardship Ladies will meet twice in February to work on quilts. They will meet on and 23rd from 9:00 a.m.
lecting items such as: paper products, laundry soap, personal hygiene items, peanut butter, and canned goods of any kind. Please leave your donations on the table at the north wall in our fellowship hall.
Readings Transfiguration of Our Lord February 7th 1st Reading - Exodus 34:29-35 Psalm 99 2nd Reading - 2 Cor. 3:12—4:2 Gospel - Luke 9:28-43a Ash Wednesday - February 10th 1st Reading - Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 Psalm 51:1-17 2nd Reading - 2 Cor. 5:20b—6:10 Gospel - Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 Lent 1 - February 14th 1st Reading - Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 2nd Reading - Romans 10:8b-13 Gospel - Luke 4:1-13 Lent 2 - February 21st 1st Reading - Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 Psalm 27 2nd Reading - Philippians 3:17—4:1 Gospel - Luke 13:31-35 Lent 3 - February 28th 1st Reading - Isaiah 55:1-9 Psalm 63:1-8 2nd Reading - 1 Cor. 10:1-13 Gospel - Luke 13:1-9
February 2016
December Council Minutes Congregation Council met on December 10, 2015. Present: Scott Clamme, Cindy Knote, Chris Stroble, Sandy Langdon, Jody Stanley, Tom Armstrong, Max Langdon, Chris Coy, John Hendricks, Madeline Lennon, Drew Walker, Pastor and Anita Reid The meeting was called to order by Chris Coy. Devotions were given by Chris Coy. Jody Stanley made a motion to approve the secretary’s report. Scott Clamme seconded. Soup supper was added to the agenda. Pastor’s report: Pastor visited 6 shut-ins, 1 sick/hospital, 1 funeral was conducted for Sue Davis and 8 home communions Soul care visited 1 shut-in and did 2 home communions The Lutherans in America class concluded on November 23rd. Revelation texts will be read during Wednesday nights in Advent. Hands-On-Bible curriculum was ordered for winter and spring quarters for the youth. Pastor is planning to take another class at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis on Monday nights starting late January. The class is call “Atheism: Old and New”. The Community Thanksgiving service held at First Presbyterian on November 22 raised $296 and was
given to Community and Family Services food pantry. Zion’s Thanksgiving service raised $189, which was split between Community and Family Services food pantry and Wernle Youth and Family Treatment Center in Richmond. Pastor’s other events in November: Nov. 2, 16, 23, 30 – Joe and Jesus at Common Grounds Nov. 2, 16, 23 – Lutherans in America class Nov. 3 – Pericope study at Grace Village Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24 – Community Choir rehearsal Nov. 4, 11, 18 – Evening Prayer Nov. 5 – Mission and Ministry Nov. 6-7 – Campus Ministry Meeting at IK Synod offices, Indianapolis Nov. 8-10 – ECIC Retreat at John XXIII Center, Hartford City Nov. 12 – BCMA meeting Nov. 14 – Catch the Spirit dinner for John XXIII Retreat Center at Cornerstone Center, Muncie Nov. 17 – worked at Food Pantry Nov. 19 – lunch with Pastor (no one showed) Committee reports—Worship/ Music/Memorial: The committee met on 12/9 and picked music to end of January, still waiting on new paraments for Fellowship Hall Chris and Dennis Walker made the new black table for the nativity scene.
Land use: Chris Coy reported that he was still waiting on Jim Barry to finish with the memorial stones. Council report—Deacons: Nov. 1 – 122 attended, 117 communed; Nov. 8 – 76 attended; Nov. 15 – 82 attended, 65 communed; Nov. 22 – 68 attended, 65 communed; Nov. 25 – 28 attended; Nov. 29 – 74 attended, 73 communed Trustees: John Hendricks reported that Courtney Clay will be getting the information to Connie Miller soon so the audit can be completed. Training for the new AED will be done on January 16, 2016. The cost is $35 per person. Those attending are Jody Stanley, Chris Coy, Pastor, Drew Walker and Scott Clamme. Treasurer: Report was given by Max Langdon. Drew Walker made a motion to approve the committee reports. John Hendricks seconded. New business: The 2016 budget was presented and discussed. Jody Stanley made a motion to approve the 2016 budget. Sandy Langdon seconded. The council went into executive session concerning church personnel. John Hendricks made a motion to adjourn. Scott Clamme seconded. The meeting closed with the group praying the Lord’s Prayer. The next meeting will be January 14, 2016 with Jody Stanley giving devotions. Respectfully submitted, Anita Reid Recording Secretary
The Zion Herald February 2016 “Happy are those whose strength is in God, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.” (Psalm 84:5)
Zion Lutheran Church 308 S. Monroe Street Hartford City, IN 47348
Serving the Lord in Gladness David Fleener, Pastor Church Office: 348-3157 Zionluth.hc@gmail.com www.zionhc.org
Sunday School at 9:15 AM with Worship at 10:30 AM
February 2016 Lay Ministry Servers Greeters Feb. 7 Feb. 14 Feb. 21 Feb. 28
Pat Gillis—Dorothy Hale Gene and Aneta Gardner—Anita Reid Anita Reid—Tom and Vikki Armstrong Tom and Vikki Armstrong—Louie and Joyce Willmann Ushers
Feb. 7 Feb. 14 Feb. 21 Feb. 28
Scott Clamme, Allen Stallsmith, Drew Walker and Max Langdon Scott Clamme, Max Langdon, Mark Prout and Bill Hiday Drew Walker, Max Langdon, Mark Prout and Bill Hiday Allen Stallsmith, Max Langdon, Mark Prout and Bill Hiday Lectors
Feb. 7 Feb. 14 Feb. 21 Feb. 28
Chris Coy Cathy Willmann Neil Stroble Libby Stroble
Assisting Ministers Feb. 7 Feb. 10 Feb. 14 Feb. 21 Feb. 28
Denise Hile Sarah Fleener Mark Prout Denise Hile Jody Stanley
February Birthdays Tim Stanley Allen Stallsmith Drew Walker Makenna Walker Griffin Banter Grant Banter Don Ladd Raymond Arlo Boozer Denise Hile Vicki Willman
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