June 2016
The Pastor’s Ponderings Pastor David’s cell phone—348-330-4170 and email address—fleeneda@gmail.com Summer is nearly here, which usually means a whole new set of responsibilities for us. Instead of school, kids have camps or sports or other summer activities. Farmers are finishing the spring planting, taking advantage of whatever dry weather they can. Many of us, shaking off the long winter, plan family vacations or take time to work in our gardens. And I, with the blessing of the council, will be taking some time away from my usual responsibilities to rest, read, pray, and discern how I can best continue to serve Zion, the wider church, and God. On Monday, June 13th, I will be driving north to
St. Augustine’s House, a Lutheran monastery (yes, there is such a thing!) near Oxford, Michigan, for a two-week retreat. You can check them out on their website: www.staugustineshouse.org. I am looking forward to this time of rest and reflection. Following that time, Sarah and I will visit family in Minnesota and Iowa. I will return on Monday, July 11th. The congregation will be in capable hands during that time. Your elders, Jody Stanley and Larry Hile, will be available to handle needs that arise. Prs. Susan Finley and Dustin Jones will be on-call in case of an emergency. And worship will be led on June 19th and July 3rd by Chad Adamik, a Lutheran pastor on leave from call, whom I have great confidence in. On June 26th,
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
you will have a hymn-sing worship service (always popular) and another lay-led service on July 3rd. Kathy Sharp and Louise Clamme will be making shut-in visits as well. Sometimes, pastor and people can benefit from taking time apart, just as spouses can benefit from the same. I pray that we will all use this time well to discern how we can be a better team together on behalf of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you have questions or concerns about this time, you can always come talk to me, in person, on the phone, or by email. Love to you all, Pr. David
June 2016
Donations to the Food Pantry June is one of Zion’s months to collect items for Community and Family Services of Blackford County. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Please leave your donations on the table in our fellowship hall.
We have a Facebook page!
150th Anniversary Coffee Hour Zion's History Committee will host a coffee hour on th Sunday, June 12 before worship at 9 a.m.. Muffins, juice, coffee, tea, and milk will be served. This will also be an opportunity to chat with members of the history committee about their work. Pre-orders for the updated history books, to be released later this year, will be taken.
If you're on Facebook, you'll want to like Zion's Facebook page. Pr. David updates it at least twice per week. And if you're not on Facebook, tell your internet-savvy friends about it. Check it out here: http:// www.facebook.com/ zionhartfordcity.
June Lectionary Readings Pentecost 3 - June 5th 1st Reading - 1 Kings 17:8-24 Psalm 146 2nd Reading - Galatians 1:11-24 Gospel - Luke 7:11-17
Pentecost 4 - June 12th 1st Reading - 1 Kings 21:1-21a Psalm 5:1-8 2nd Reading - Galatians 2:15-21 Gospel - Luke 7:36—8:3 Pentecost 5 - June 19th 1st Reading - 1 Kings 19:1-15a Psalm 42—43 2nd Reading - Galatians 3:23-29 Gospel - Luke 8:26-39 Pentecost 6 - June 26th 1st Reading - 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 2nd Reading - Galatians 5:1, 13-25 Gospel - Luke 9:51-62
Zion’s Prayer List Please keep the following people in your prayers and if you would like to add to or remove someone from the prayer list please contact the church office. Marie Uhrick Marilyn Scott Bob Thomas John Guion Dontae Newsome Brian Jennerjahn Barbara Thomas Kelsie Ring Wilma Martz Carolyn Hughes Jim Rinker Tom Kolden Zach Forrester The family of Judy Stephey The family of Lanetta Smith
Rita Ferguson Eileen Lewis Fred Walker Jo Ellen Nelson Ellen Hiday Kathryn Rogers Dakota Faith Morse Tyler Atkinson The family of Gabe Kolden
June 2016
April Council Minutes Congregation Council met on April 14, 2016. Present: Pastor David Fleener, Jody Stanley, Kathy Sharp, Tom Armstrong, Barb Hardwick, Max Langdon, Mark Prout, Larry Hile and Scott Clamme Absent: Tiann Coy, Drew Walker, Chris Stroble and Allen Stallsmith The meeting was called to order by Jody Stanley. Devotions were given by Pastor David. A motion was made by Tom Armstrong to accept the minutes of the secretary’s report. Kathy Sharp seconded. Correspondence: Wheels in Motion Benefit 2016. Men with a terminal illness were selected this year, Jim Turner of Blackford County and Milton Tripplett of Grant County. Max Langdon made a motion to take $50 out of the Deacon’s Fund to help support Wheels in Motion. Scott Clamme seconded. Approved. Add items to agenda: Pastor David wanted to give an update about synod assembly delegates. Pastor’s report: Pastoral Care— For March: 7 shut-in visits (2 by telephone), 7 sick/hospital visits, 2 funerals (Esther Cortright and Mark Love), 13 communed. Soul Care Team: 0 Christian Education—VBS: I have ordered the starter kit for Group’s Cross-Culture Thailand VBS. It is from last year, so I was able to buy it at a discount. I am currently looking through the curriculum, comparing it to last year’s. I should have a fuller report by next
month. We are hoping to have VBS July 18th-22nd at Trinity. For the young adults, we are currently watching some of the Rob Bell Nooma series. Mission and Ministry—Met on March 17th. We spoke about a few possibilities we might consider for outreach this year. First – a rummage sale to support an outside ministry. We all have things we don’t need. Rummage sales are popular here. And there are ministries we can support: Wernle, Grace Village, ELCA World Hunger, LWR, CFS, etc. This won’t fill the pews on Sunday but at least it could let people know that there is a Lutheran church in Hartford City. Someone (hint, hint) could use a Thrivent Action team for supplies and publicity. Second – a cookout at the Hartford Square apartments coordinated with a VBS recruitment drive. The idea came originally from the Lighthouse church, but it could be a way to meet people who live there. Third – Don Goetz and Carol Kachur like the idea of providing a lasting contribution to the community as part of our 150th anniversary celebration. One possibility discussed was a band shell on the west lawn for the community to enjoy. Of course, this (or any other lasting project) would take a significant amount of organization and would need the support of the whole congregation. It would also take coordination with the various committees (150th and Land Use) as well as permits, etc. The team is open to feedback. The team also noted that we
could show better hospitality by installing restroom signs at the main entrance. We also talked about the difficulty of retaining inquirers and new members. (Oral report.) Worship and liturgy—This year, I conducted an experiment during Holy Week, having a worship service every night of the week. Monday and Tuesday, as might be expected, were sparsely attended – 2 and 3 people worshiped at those services respectively. Wednesday, with an additional soup supper, was very well attended – about 25. Maundy Thursday (32) and Good Friday (20) both showed significant decreases in attendance from last year. 11 came to Easter Vigil. A number of people have raised concerns about the length of service and starting on time. I have been resistant to the length of service complaint because I believe that during worship we enter God’s time. Also, when we say that church is “too long”, what is it too long compared to? How long is too long for the last minute of a basketball game? Nevertheless, since I think coming to worship, hearing the word and receiving communion is more important, I am willing to shorten parts of liturgy – cut the Kyrie and Gloria, a spoken psalm, fewer verses on hymns, shortened Eucharistic prayers – to try to keep us within an hour. Continuing Education outline—I am formally requesting a two-week period for a pastor’s retreat in June, to be followed by two weeks of vacation. The two-week retreat is selfdirected, so I will outline as best I (continued on next page)
June 2016
April Council Minutes continued can my goals and methods for that time. Retreat place: St. Augustine’s House, a (no kidding!) Lutheran monastery and retreat center near Oxford, Michigan Time: The two-week retreat period would be Monday, June 13- Friday, June 24. Total time requested including the vacation period - Monday, June 13-Sunday, July 10. This includes four Sundays (so I am asking for two extra Sundays off this year). We would perhaps require pulpit supply for two of those Sundays; the other two could be led by elders or others. Cost to congregation from continuing education line: $385 ($35 suggested per night donation). I will deduct mileage from my taxes. Objectives: 1. To rest and be renewed spiritually as a child of God and as a pastor. 2. To consider ways in which the Christian life can be brought into fuller intersection with secular (i.e. “everyday”) life. Books: The Christian Life from Using Evangelical Lutheran Worship series, by Dennis L. Bushkofsky and Craig A. Satterlee. Go Make Disciples: An Invitation to Baptismal Living ed. Bushkofsky, Burke, Rouse. Bonhoeffer as Youth Worker: A Theological Vision for Discipleship and Life Together by Andrew Root. John and Bree Hendricks and Sarah Fleener will be attending the Indiana/Kentucky Synod Assembly, June 9-11, 2016. Bree will be attending as a visitor. Other events in March: 1 – 150th committee; 7, 14 – Class at CTS; 7, 14, 21 – Joe and Jesus at Common
Grounds; 8 – ECIC ministerial meeting at Church of the Cross, Muncie; 8 – GV board meeting; 10 – BCMA ministerial meeting; 25 – Community Good Friday service at St. John’s Catholic Church (serving as BCMA president); 29 – John 23rd Center board meeting Committee reports—Parish Ed: in the Pastor’s Report Worship/Music/Memorial: Hand rails for the sanctuary steps. The trustees will check into this. Chose hymns through May 29th. Donation of $1,000 to wash stained glass windows was placed in the general fund. This money needs to be moved to the Memorial fund. An AED cabinet will be purchased. Land use: Max will talk to Chris Coy about an integrated bell/plaque. 150th Anniversary Committee: Nolan Willman, Louise Clamme, and Peggy Willmann have been meeting every week about the history of our church. Pastor David will call a larger committee meeting. Constitution Committee: Met on April 7th to discuss council size, duties, and responsibilities of each office. Mission and Ministry: in the Pastor’s Report Larry Hile made a motion to accept the committee reports. Kathy Sharp seconded. Approved. Council reports—Deacons: Deacon’s Fund usage—assisted one person with $25 at Marsh for food Attendance Report—3/2 (Lent) – 23 attended; 3/6 – 73 attended, 69 communed; 3/9 (Lent) – 16 attended; 3/13 – 64 attended, 60 com-
muned; 3/16 (Lent) – 21 attended; 3/20 (Palm Sunday) – 75 attended, 70 communed; 3/21 (Evening Prayer) – 2 attended; 3/22 (Evening Prayer) – 3 attended; 3/23 – 25 attended, 25 communed; 3/24 (Maundy Thursday) – 32 attended, 32 communed; 3/25 (Good Friday 3 p.m.) – 20 attended; 3/26 (Easter Vigil) – 11 attended, 11 communed; 3/27 (Easter) – 103 attended, 87 communed Trustees: Pastor had a list of repairs that need to be done at the parsonage. Treasurer: General Fund $4,844.07 minus last Sunday’s offerings There was discussion about accuracy of mid-month reports. Max agreed to report only end-of-month finances. There was another discussion about improving the reports clarity. Pastor David will talk to Courtney about making the QuickBooks reports clearer. Motion to accept the committee reports by Scott Clamme. Seconded by Larry Hile. Approved. Old Business: Synod assembly Pastor David nominated John Hendricks and Sarah Fleener to serve as delegates to synod assembly in South Bend June 9-11. He also asked that Zion pay for John’s wife, Bree, to attend as a visitor. Approved by council. Kathy Sharp made a motion to adjourn. Scott Clamme seconded. The meeting closed with all praying the Lord’s Prayer. The next meeting will be on May 12, 2016. Pastor David will have the devotions. Respectfully submitted, Barb Hardwick Recording Secretary
The Zion Herald June 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 9:00 AM with Worship at 10:00 AM
June 2016 Lay Ministry Servers Greeters
June 5 June 12 June 19 June 26
Tom and Peggy Willmann—Max and Sandy Langdon Edi Tarter—Roger and Judy Willmann Bill and Joretta Hiday—Ray and Linda Stanley Barb Hardwick—Chris and Megan Stroble
Ushers June 5 Scott Clamme, Drew Walker, Allen Stallsmith June 12 June 19 June 26 Lectors
June 5 June 12 June 19 June 26
Sandy Langdon Carolyn Smith Ray Stanley Megan Stroble
Assisting Ministers
June 5 June 12 June 19 June 26
Mark Prout Jody Stanley Mark Prout Jody Stanley
June Birthdays Ryne Clamme Chris Monce Russell Stanley Tamara Wise Sydney Stroble Peggy Holsten Buck Sharp Reece Walker Neil Stroble Jesse Digman Douglas Prout June Ladd Rita Ferguson
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