Zion Church - 2020 Magazine/Report by skyconmedia

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” - Isaiah 43:18-19 2

FLASHBACK TO NYE 2019

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MESSAGE FROM PASTOR BATTLE The 2019 New Year’s Eve Message (Part 4 of the

surface. The past year was a year of retreat from

series “In God’s Bag”) centered around the book

the “normal” way of life and for many, presented a

of Isaiah and a passage stating that God would

new way forward. In the pages ahead, this theme,

do a new thing in our lives if we partnered with

A New Thing, serves as a throughline that connects

Him. The new things we encountered in the year

us both to the anxiety and fear from the pandemic

to follow were not the new year’s resolutions that

and racial injustice to the triumph of the Gospel to

any of us pinned to our vision boards for 2020.

still prevail, still save, still heal, restore and prosper

Though it was a challenging year for all of us, the

us even in uncertain and unparalleled times.

reality is that new growth often begins under the

NEW STRUCTURE

WELCOME THE NEWEST PASTORS OF ZION CHURCH

Pastor Susan Kellum Colossians 1:10: “that I may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God” • Susan is a worshipper and has been walking with Jesus Christ as her Savior and Lord for 37 years. Susan has over 20 years of ministry experience and has been in full-time ministry for over 5 years. • She currently resides in Northern Virginia with her husband and best friend of 21 years, Pastor Eric Kellum (Zion Church Anywhere, Lead Pastor), and her amazing gifts that she affectionately refers to as her “five smooth stones;” Eric II, Taylor, Lauryn, Symone and Zoey. • She has been blessed throughout her journey to combine the multi-facets of her passion for God with her love for the arts, her value for academia, and her compassion for people and family. Pastor Dondrae McGee “A new thing God truly taught me in 2020 is if God said He would do it then it's going to happen and it doesn't matter what else is going on around me or in the world.” • Favorite Bible Verse: Romans 8:39 • Fun fact - I'm a Men's Style & Fashion Consultant • Pastor Drae loves God and totally adores his wife Veronica of 10 years and their two daughters; Riley (7) and Skylar (3)

Pastor Joy Oguntimein “God IS good. It’s not just what he does; it’s who he is — and who he is never changes. God is not good because we avoid danger, tragedy, or sorrow. God is good because when the storms of life hit, he comes closer to us than the storm ever could” • Favorite Bible verse - 1 Timothy 4:12 • Fun Fact - I enjoy Marvel movies, baking and puzzles as my COVID-19 hobbies. I am a learning and development consultant by day and a Netflix Nollywood binger by night • Since 2011, Pastor Joy has served on various teams at Zion Church including the Praise and Worship team and Volunteer Operations team. She specializes in bringing people together, integrating ideas, and unveiling human potential. Pastor Patrice Wooten “Through all of the changes of 2020, I find peace as I pause to remember that what is ‘news’ to me is ‘knowledge’ to God.” • Favorite verse - Judges 20:18 is one of my favorite verses. “Send Judah first!” • Fun fact - I would rather have grilled turkey tails than any other part of the turkey on Thanksgiving. • Patrice started attending Zion Church Landover in 2008 and became a member in 2010. Pastor Kevin Wright From corporate to Christ, Kevin looks forward to being a continual conduit for helping the hurting and yet lost. • Native of Prince George’s County, attending Largo High School and Bowie State University. • Kevin is the proud father of three teenagers (Jadyn – rising junior at Douglas High School, Tatiana – graduated from Bowie High School in 2020, Noah – 3rd year student-athlete at Virginia Commonwealth University), one young adult (Justin – graduated from Hampton University in 2020 Magna Cum Laude) and the husband of (the Proverbs 31 wife) Melanie Wright. • Kevin has served in the church for over 30 years and specifically at Zion for 15 years. After completing 20+ years in corporate America, Kevin is now the Director of the Zion Greenbelt campus.

NEW TERRITORY

2020 New Thing: I have a new perspective on life. It blatantly reminded me that God is sovereign. If he allows something to happen, there is a purpose for it. For every obstacle there is an opportunity, so then you start looking for the opportunities. “I am the husband to my best friend, father of two wonderful funny daughters and a grandfather. I enjoy cycling, swimming, puzzles, learning and family vacations.” - Pastor Matthews

PASTOR ELWOOD MATTHEWS

BLUEPRINT TO FRUITION

What did it look like to launch a campus in 2020? “It was kind of bitter sweet. The bitter side was that we were looking forward to coming together and put in a lot of hard work to open our doors and wanted to see that come to fruition. We conducted training and did all of the preparation and BAM... COVID-19. However, the sweet part was that we had options, an online platform. Many other churches didn’t have options but we did and that was exciting. We didn’t miss a beat.” - Pastor Elwood Matthews

GOOD SHIFTS: FROM ZION ICAMPUS TO ZION ANYWHERE PASTOR ERIC KELLUM

“While we are forever grateful of the legacy and foundation laid by Pastor Elwood and Zion iCampus, we wanted this chapter of Zion's internet campus to focus on literally connecting anyone from anywhere. All the Zion Church physical campuses are named based on the physical location (Zion Woodbridge, Zion Landover, etc). We want to make the statement that your Zion location is wherever you make it. In your living room, in the gym, in a virtual watch party… anywhere. And not only that, you can share life in life groups from anywhere. You can have communion together from anywhere. You can get baptized from anywhere. That's why we are Zion Anywhere.”

The pandemic has helped many churches to see the need for online streaming and digital touchpoints beyond just a Sunday service. Zion Anywhere has taken the previously known “iCampus” to the next level by creating virtual experiences outside of the weekend norm to include our first virtual baptism, a global communion experience, and midweek Bible study opportunities like Sunday Leftovers and Woke Wednesdays. Zion Anywhere also found unique ways to engage various people groups at Zion to include young adults and singles through live streamed ongoing virtual dialogue and engagement opportunities like Unmarried for singles and The Well for young adults.

“The Church has left the building, but the church has not left!” - Pastor Kellum

NEW VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES

CREATING THE WEEKEND EXPERIENCES: BRINGING ZION TO YOUR LIVING ROOM

As the world began to operate in a new normal, Zion Church pastors, staff and volunteers came together to ensure that the closing of buildings and physical structures didn’t hinder the reach, experience or community the Gospel of Jesus Christ creates.

As the world shut down, we knew that experiencing God, engaging in real community, being equipped for service, and being empowered to be the men and women God created us to be couldn’t be delayed or interrupted. So we did what Zion does best – we made our own space!

We have amazing Creative and Production Teams who work relentlessly, week after week to ensure the online experience is as robust, creative and exceptional as what we have been blessed to experience together in-person.

2020’s online views, participation, and salvations have continued to show us that God is still doing a new thing in our lives and helping us unify the church in heart, spirit, and mind without the need to be in the same physical space.

Video shoot date set

7 8 13 14

Teams and resources are gatherd and scheduled for the shoot

Music is uploaded and shared amongst editors to incorporate into their weekly service file.

All announcement graphics are gathered from each campus editor, uploaded, and inserted into the weekly broadcasts.

Weekly Production Debrief Call to review and improve for the next weekend experience.

Here’s a peek into part of the process behind creating an all encompassing online weekend experience at Zion Church...

Sermon and other videos get filmed and uploaded for editors

Each campus host sends their intro/outro to the campus editor to add to the overal video

Rough draft gets sent to the team for review and revisions if needed.

Final sermon file shared with all Zion campus editors.

Rough draft is submitted to Pastor Battle, Global Media Operations Director and Campus Pastors for review. Changes are made if needed until Final is approved.

Day of service, editors and volunteer chat hosts monitor each broadcast feed to ensure everything runs smoothly and provide tech support if needed.

Final weekly service is uploaded for each campus.

Weekly Service is then scheduled on all streaming platforms for each campus.

YEAR TO DATE NUMBERS (2020) CAMPUS

ATTENDANCE/VIEWS

SALVATIONS

ANYWHERE

85,970

286

FORT WASHINGTON

11,795

GREENBELT

8,474

LANDOVER

69,691

353

8,286

184,216 TOTAL ATTENDANCE/VIEWS

HERE’S WHAT A FEW OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS HAD TO SAY ABOUT 2020: Melvin Witcher: “As a Production Team we have been through a lot these past 9 months! But yet we still show up and keep the wheels rolling! No matter if we are tired or exhausted, God gives us the strength to push each other! 2020 was just the start!”

Chris Suggs: “2020 has allowed us to realize how important each member is to this team. This year has also allowed us to do church in a different way, but still be true to who we are as a church!”

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RECORDED SALVATIONS

Kristen Southerland: “I think that 2020 has been such a blessing to the Zion Production team because it has enabled the leads of each campus to come together and work as one unit. We each bring a specialty to the table. The pandemic allowed us to unite in a way that would not have been possible before, and it’s been dynamic to really get to know each other and to let our individual strengths shine. The organization as a whole is stronger because of this. The products that we are able to put out are also stronger. In my opinion, this core group is an example of how to pivot quickly, work together as a unit, and have fun doing it.”

Nate Buckner: “2020 has allowed the idea of church to be beyond the building and allow us to reach people globally through technology.”

Cynthia Cunningham: “Instead of campus production teams working in silos at the different locations, we have been working together as one unit to produce weekly content.” 15

As the production team created the perfect environment for our online weekend experiences to welcome and engage our audiences, our Global

GLOBAL MUSIC DEPARTMENT

Music Director, Josh Davies and his amazing leadership team had to make several pivots to ensure that our worship experience went uninterrupted and unhindered by using creative methods to bridge our homes to yours.

OPERATIONS AND LEADERSHIP PIVOTS: •

Department-wide serving opportunities in the following areas: Audio Performance and Video Performance Teams, Dance Ministry, Content, Connect, Care and Marketing Teams.

•

Daily Engagement via GroupMe and Text

•

Posts and engagement 3-5 times per week on

ZION CREATIVE ARTS LEADERSHIP TEAM MEMBERS

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube •

Zoom Leadership Team Meetings

VIRTUAL GATHERINGS AND EVENTS: •

Zion Music Instagram Talent Showcase, Weekly Team Nights, Comedy Night, Game Nights, Ladies' Nights, Team Worship Nights, Devotionals, 5 Love Languages for Team Members, One-On-One sessions with each team member to encourage and provide support during the pandemic

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ZION CREATIVE ARTS TEAM MEMBERS

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ZOOM REHEARSALS, TRAVELING MICS, LOTS OF LYSOL WIPES AND COPIOUS AUDIO FILES ARE JUST A FEW OF THE COMPONENTS OF CREATING A VIRTUAL WORSHIP EXPERIENCE. WATCH SOME OF OUR FAVORITE WORSHIP SETS AND COLLABORATIONS WITH ALL MEMBERS OF OUR MUSIC AND CREATIVE ARTS DEPARTMENT:

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Of course, Christmas was no exception to creating a memorable online worship experience that included a feature length musical produced and penned in-house by our stellar Global Music Department entitled,

THE GIFT.

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2020 VIRTUAL HOT SPOTS Throughout the pandemic, our Zion Church campuses worked together to create greater virtual opportunities to connect and engage without leaving the comfort or safety of our homes. A few of these virtual or distanced event highlights include:

Midweek Bible Studies and Deepdives Thomas Jefferson Simmons Equipping Institute Three-Piece Combo Youth Experience Virtual Baby Dedication Virtual Baptism Virtual Communion Virtual Town Halls Virtual Women’s Conference Xtreme Virtual Activities Zoom Prayer Calls

2020 SERIES

Pastor Battle and each of our campus pastors held us down throughout the pandemic with weekly sermons to keep us learning, growing and praying our way into 2021.

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NEW PERSPECTIVE

The Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) reported that there were a little over 24,876,261 COVID-19 cases in the U.S. since January 21, 2020. With that figure in mind, as a church family, we had to think differently about our daily lives and how we move forward in a time of global uncertainty.

“After 38 days of being in isolation and quarantine, dealing with the Coronavirus may have been one of the most difficult things I’ve faced in my lifetime. This virus was intense, stubborn, and tricky. It left me feeling fatigued, in pain, coughing, lonely and laboring to breathe. The symptoms continued to plague me and although I had family around me for support, it was in their best interest to remain separated from me - another one of the challenges of this illness. I’m so grateful for the prayers of so many of you who called on our All-Powerful God to help me through that storm. Your prayers sustained me.” - Pastor Battle

2020 ALSO BROUGHT SHIFTS IN PERSPECTIVE AS COVID-19 IMPACTED OUR COMMUNITIES IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. Families have experienced loss, dealt with the weight of separation and feelings of disconnection, unstable leadership in our country and the world was again confronted with the viral realities of injustice that people of color, particularly Black Americans, continue to endure in the United States. 24

We praise God for reminding us that the wilderness is the only road from one season to the next. And though we’ve faced adversity, 2020 has also been a time of remarkable opportunities to trust God, learn more about ourselves and our families, and to support one another through acts of service and kindness.

2020 WOW MOMENTS PLAY VIDEO

Campus and Community WOW Moments Chromebook Donations Global Face Mask Distribution Justice League Ballot Drop Box In-Kind Donations (furniture, clothes toiletries, backpacks, school supplies) Letters to Seniors

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Lunch Sponsorship for Essential Workers Monthly Xtreme Kidz Pack Distribution Senior Care Packages Virtual Back to School Events A Miracle on Z Street $6k Giveaway in Gift Cards to Children in Need $80k in Financial Support to Zion Contractors or Part-time Employees affected by COVID-19 $120k Given to 8 Churches Financially Impacted by COVID-19

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BY THE NUMBERS

80K

COVID assistance to contractors/small businesses

110K

120K 290K

COVID support to churches

35K

Annual support to local community non-profits/org (including World Hope, Offender Aid Restoration, Crisis Aid Int’l, Capital Area Food Bank)

58K

Benevolence support to individuals

Haitian Missions

Kenyan Missions

250K

Miracle on Z Street /local community support 26

Zion Church hosted the A Miracle on Z Street, a safely-distanced drive-through and online event featuring whimsical “worlds” with live performers, safely-distanced, interactive attractions, a main stage with musical guests, and nearly $150,000 in gifts & treats, community giveaways, and assistance to those in need. This unique, uplifting experience is open to the public and provides a safe and engaging opportunity for families to celebrate the Christmas holiday from the comfort of their cars or from home. A Miracle on Z Street was the brainchild of our Senior Pastor, Keith A. Battle. At Battle’s direction, Zion Church dedicated one week’s worth of giving to put on the experience and to bless individuals and families this season.

“In what has arguably been the most difficult year of this century, we want to help bring laughter, joy, and hope to all.” - Pastor Battle

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NEW LEVELS OF CONNECTION

WE HAVE TO SHOUT-OUT OUR VOLUNTEERS!

Despite our shift to being a virtual church, we have

Major shout out to the Xtreme Kidz Studio Director,

had volunteers who continued to serve during

Terry Bazemore, the XKS team, the Woodbridge

this time. Make no mistake about it, without them,

Director, Andrea Crest, former Fort Washington

Xtreme Kidz as a whole, would not be able to do

Director, Melanie Wright, our Lead Volunteer

what we are doing. We would not be able to host

Communicators Jason Arnold and Isaiah Chambers

events, activities, provide materials, etc. if it were

and to all those who helped make the Pandemic

not for the unwavering dedication and commitment

Pivot possible! As a result, we were able to create

of our Xtreme Kidz Team. Many of them have

events that would not only help our kids have fun,

experienced challenges along the way and some

but keep them engaged, encouraged, and spiritually

don’t serve currently but they continue to support

strong during this time. Xtreme Kidz as a whole did

us and pray for us during this time and that is felt

a tremendous amount of work to help parents grow

with every experience.

emotionally, relationally and spiritually healthy kids.

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REMNANT AND OFF SCRIPT

Zion Global Youth Ministry leadership, staff and volunteers facilitated a number of events to continue to engage and equip our youth to continue to connect with God and one another as a virtual community. Though many of our youth experienced the emotional rollercoaster of completing middle school and high school experiences away from their classmates and friends, Zion Global Youth Ministry leadership responded with cross-campus collaborations and a number of initiatives to ensure that Zion youth had a place to share, learn and have fun together in a safe, Christ-centered virtual environment that catered to their online habits and needs.

SOME OF THE MANY VIRTUAL CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDED: Socially Distant Drive-By Graduation, Off the Late virtual weekend experience, Virtual Graduation Celebration, The Bridge (students transitioning from Xtreme to Remnant), Back 2 School Drive-Up Day Party & School Supplies Giveaway, and the 3-Piece Combo shows via the Zion Youth Ministry YouTube channel.

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SINGLES MINISTRY

LESLIE GREEN SINGLES MIN. LEAD

As 2020 continued to challenge the way we experienced God together in community, more emphasis was placed on addressing the needs of our attendees and members on a more personal and practical level at all campuses. Thus, a new Zion Singles Ministry was born at our Greenbelt campus! This ministry seeks to join our additional campuses in serving the single population of Zion Church. So we took a few minutes to interview our new fearless leader, Leslie Green on the purpose and progress of the newly refreshed ministry.

1. WHAT’S THE VISION AND MISSION OF THE SINGLES MINISTRY Our vision is to be an innovative ministry that addresses the needs of both single men and women across a spectrum of age ranges and relational history at our Greenbelt campus and beyond. We aspire to be a community that encourages the development and growth of whole individuals who walk boldly in their singleness. We also aim to provide a safe space for dialogue, deeper connection, intentional development and aligned hearts with God’s will for singles of all ages and stages of life. 2. WHAT’S YOUR PRIMARY CAMPUS AND TITLE My primary campus is Zion Greenbelt and I am the Zion Greenbelt Singles Ministry Lead. 3. WHO CURRENTLY SERVES ON THE TEAM? The other members of the support team currently are LaToya Walker, Michelle Graham, Ashley East, Delmonica Glaze, Robin Newton, Ketia Ingram, Monique Fisher, Elena-Renee Jordan, and Troi Knight. 32

4. THE DATA: Our global Zion Singles Facebook Group currently has more than 640 members. 5. WHAT’S NEXT? We are looking to host another game night and other innovative virtual events to keep the singles connected until we can meet in person. Our first in-person event will be a Tailgate Game Day experience called Homecoming so we’re looking forward to planning that out.

NEW MILESTONES

ZION’S 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION A VIRTUAL CELEBRATION TO REMEMBER Our 20th Anniversary was our first large scale virtual event to celebrate and fellowship together outside of our normal weekend experiences. We had a blast interacting and reminiscing with our global Zion family as so many stellar artists graced our virtual stage and reminded us of God’s grace that has kept us and His love that propels us forward into new territory and a new normal.

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A NEW YOU

As 2020 came to a close, we looked up to see that many who started the year were no longer with us. What we considered “normal” would never be normal again, and through every challenge 2020 presented, we were also offered an incredible opportunity to meet, know, believe and trust God like we never had before. We know that 2021 is going to be LIT!

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Helping people Experience God, Engage in Community, Be Equipped for Ministry and Empowered to Serve. Thank you for being a part of the Zion Church community. Whether this is your first time or 100th time, you belong here. 37