Zion's July Newsletter

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH • BUFFALO, MN JULY 2014

O f f i c e@ Zi on Bu f f a l o . o r g ( 7 63 ) 6 82 - 12 45 w ww. Z i on Bu f f a l o . o r g

Custodial Team Complete

Zion’s custodial team is now complete.

Joel Mackereth was hired as the

Building and Grounds Manager at the

end of his interim position

Lynn Botts has recently been hired as

the Facility Coordinator

Corey Sherman has recently been

hired as the Evening Custodian

Please take time to introduce yourself to

them and welcome them to Zion’s staff. A

huge thank you to Lyle Jans and Kelsey

Mackereth for helping cover through the

interim (along with Joel).

Pictured: Corey Sherman, Joel

Mackereth, Lynn Botts

Worship Musicians

Zion's musicians are active, even during

the summer. Three worship services each

Sunday plus Marysville on summer

Mondays are filled with many types of

music from traditional to contemporary.

If you'd like to do a solo or small

ensemble, either vocal or instrumental

music, for Sunday's traditional 8:30

worship or at the Monday worship at the

historic Marysville country church,

contact the church office or Mike Walsh.

9:45 Family Express and 10:30 worship

on Sundays will continue to be led with

contemporary music, leadership provided

by First Sunday and the Zion Worship

Team.

Living God’s Call

All In the Family

Mission Jamaica

Chad Peterson is a lifelong member of Zion. He was baptized here when he was three weeks old. His parents are Russ and Terry Peterson, and his siblings are Justin, Missy, Angie, Tyler, and Levi. His grandmother, Sharon Schmidt, three nephews, two nieces, and many other relatives are also members of Zion.

Chad graduated from Buffalo High School in 2013 and now attends the aviation program at Academy College in Bloomington, flying out of the Crystal Airport. In June he started a job at Thunderbird Aviation, filling the planes with fuel, de-icing them in the winter, and pulling them in and out of the hangars. He also works occasionally at Tires Plus and FH Schmidt Inc. and enjoys fishing and hanging out with friends.

As a youth at Zion, Chad most enjoyed a canoeing trip with Rodger and Myron, and went to Bible Camp several summers.

I never wanted to go but every year my mom would make me. I must admit, I always had a great experience.

This year, Chad was part of Zion's Mission Jamaica Team and worked with the J'Abode crew to build a 16' by 12' home for Rosalee and her family.

My parents had been going for a few years and continued to tell me what a great experience it was, so I thought I would try it out. I had been to Jamaica before but had spent most of my time there in the tourist areas. I thought it would be an experience to see other parts, and it was a trip I could go on with my parents. [The Jamaican people] are so poor and live with so little, but are so very happy all the time. That in itself was an amazing experience for me. It is amazing to help others and to get to experience working side by side with others from a totally different culture.

He most enjoyed getting to know the Jamaicans, sharing God’s word with them, and the experience of getting to know the other team members and watching the team building between everyone.

Engaging people in a process of discipleship which inspires them 2

Red Cross Blood Drive

Summer is 100 days of ball games and

barbecues. It’s 100 ways to dress a

burger, catch some shade, or get out of

town.

Over the course of the summer, there are

100 chances to give hope to patients in

need by donating blood or platelets

through the American Red Cross.

Be sure a blood donation with the Red

Cross is on your summer to do list.

Donating is quick and easy, and like all

good things this time of year, it’s worth

celebrating!

Zion is hosting a blood drive for the

American Red Cross on Monday, July 21,

from 12:30 to 5:30pm.

Schedule an appointment

Online at redcrossblood.org

By phone at 1.800.733.2767 (Red

Cross)

By phone at 763-682-2979 (Roger &

Sandy Brenny)

Volunteers are also needed to make phone

calls to previous donors, greet donors, and

serve snacks. Sign up in the church office,

at the information desk, or by contacting

the Brennys.

You're Born for This!

LifeKeys Retreat - July 30-31

People may tell you that you have a gift for something, or there may be a spark in the back of your mind about something that interests you. Take time this summer or fall for the LifeKeys class at Zion, and learn more about what energizes you.

LifeKeys gives you a chance to dig into who you are, why you’re here, and what you do best. It will be offered in a compact retreat style on July 30-31.

If summer retreat isn't possible for you, a Thursday night series will begin in the fall, running October 2, 9, 23, and 30.

The July class will begin on Wednesday evening at 6:30-8pm and finish with a full day together on Thursday from 8:30 am-2:30pm. The retreat will be held at Zion so no overnight stay is required. Please consider participating! Sign up now for the July retreat. The cost to cover materials is $20, and all other costs are being funded by a grant from the Zion Foundation.

If you have children Kindergarten-12 years old, consider signing them up at Zion Day Camp for Thursday. Cost for child care is $25/child (registration fee waived for this one day).

The LifeKeys Discovery Course offers participants a structured opportunity to discover or affirm their talents, spiritual gifts, passions, and personality-all that God made them to be. The printed materials use engaging stories, inventories, self-tests and other easy-to-use exercises while the class time offers explanation, support, and just a bit of fun! Pastor Sara Vanderpan will be teaching the class.

Discovering Talents

Jason Kabe has worked at Cargill for just over 22 years in a variety of Information Technology positions.

Currently, I lead a team of Business Analysts who, simply put, create the “blueprints” for new technology solutions.

Jason was raised Missouri Synod Lutheran in St. Joseph, Minnesota. His wife, Julie, was raised Roman Catholic in Apple Valley. They have been married almost 20 years. In July, 1999, they moved to Buffalo (where they did not know anyone) as it was mid-way between their families. Their first child, Parker, was born later that year, followed by Quincy (now 12) and Ella (now 9).

(Jason Kabe continued on page 14)

to trust in Christ, grow in faith, and serve God’s world. 3

Marysville Worship

Each summer (June-August) Zion offers members and friends the opportunity to worship at our historic Marysville church. This beautiful historic country church is located among farmland on County Road 9 between Buffalo and Waverly. The worship service begins at 7pm each Monday evening through the end of August.

Just remember … this is a little country church with no modern amenities :)

Services will be cancelled when severe weather (tornado or severe thunderstorm) threatens the immediate Marysville area. On evenings when heat indices and high humidity are a concern, scheduled services will be held and worshippers will be encouraged to make their own decision about attendance. Cancellations will be posted on the church website and on KRWC radio by 6pm.

Jubilee Sunday

After close to 25 years of music

leadership at Zion’s 10:30 worship

service, Jubilee will be retiring this

summer. These excellent musicians have

volunteered their time and musical gifts

for many years, and we’ll celebrate the

talents of Jubilee on Sunday, June 29.

Jubilee’s membership over the years has

grown from the original three, to at one

time as many as twelve. We have tried

to inspire and lead in praise, while

hopefully being somewhat entertaining,

with a certain quality that kept us

sustained and challenged. As we all

move on, our membership is less

constant and therefore unpredictable to

maintain the sound and quality that we

would like to provide. Therefore, we

have decided to close out in celebration

as a group. Some of us will no

doubt pop up in other music

capacities as opportunities arise.

The members of Jubilee are very

appreciative of the support that

the Zion family has given to us

over the years and for helping us

praise God through the inspiring

messages of song. ~ Doug

Gregerson

Jubilee will lead

the 10:30am worship that day,

and following worship (around

11:45am) all are welcome to a

catered meal in Jubilee’s honor

in the fellowship hall. The menu

is chicken or beef with potato,

vegetable, and salad catered by

Reds. Suggested donation is $5/person

at the door.

Following the meal, Jubilee will

perform a concert in the sanctuary,

at 1pm, to cap

off their service

as a group and to

celebrate God’s

Glory in Song.

Invite family and

friends to come

for a great

afternoon of

music including

Jubilee and

alumni of the

group.

Celebrating on Sundays

Creating Sunday morning experiences at Zion that invite, 4

Pictured: Jubilee throughout the years

Worship Services

8:30am traditional worship in the

sanctuary with nursery available,

Sunday school during the school year.

9:45am Family Express in Trinity Hall.

10:30am contemporary worship in the

sanctuary with nursery available,

Sunday school during the school year.

Lessons

Sunday, July 6 / Monday, July 7 Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Pastor Ted Preaching

Sunday, July 13 / Monday, July 14 Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Pastor Luke Preaching

Sunday, July 20 / Monday, July 21 Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43


Sunday, July 27 / Monday, July 28 Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52


The Baptism Class

Anyone wishing to schedule a baptism is

asked to attend a class prior to the date

of the baptism. Expectant parents, as

well as those who already are parents,

may attend the class. Scheduling of

baptisms will take place at the class.

The next classes are Sunday, August

10, and Sunday, October 12, at noon.

Register at ZionBuffalo.org/Baptism or

by calling the office.

welcome, engage and inspire people to live for Christ. 5

Sunday Morning Experience

by Pastor Luke

I often call it the SME. Sunday Morning Experience. It’s a big deal around church. I think about it a lot and every Sunday I’m making observations, taking mental notes, and pondering the future of our Sunday Morning Experience. Right about now, you’re wondering why you’ve never heard of it.

For most folks, the SME is exactly that, something you experience. I’ve thought of a few clever little descriptors over the years to explain it. The Sunday Morning Experience is: “everything that happens from street to seat” or “from parking lot to pew”. Clever, right? Basically, from the time you approach church in your car to the time you leave again is the Sunday Morning Experience. If the parking lot is too full, it impacts your SME. If you are a first time visitor and there are no signs telling you where the nursery is or where the sanctuary is, it affects your SME. If you are greeted by three different friendly people before you even get to the front door, it affects your SME.

I’m sharing this big picture vision of the Sunday Morning Experience so that you might understand the importance that you and every other person at Zion have when you are here at church. “Going to church” as we have called it for so many years is not just the worship service. Yes, we put lots of time and energy into the worship service itself, because excellence is God-honoring, but we value great fellowship, great community, great ministry, and a great welcome as well. They are all part of a meaningful Sunday Morning Experience.

We have recently put together a task force to look at making our Sunday Morning Experience the best it can be. The plan is to create teams of folks dedicated to excellence and genuine hospitality that take on the roles of ushers, greeters, coffee hour hosts, and worship hosts. This will happen in teams led by two lead families and made up of a group of folks excited to connect at church and serve on Sundays. Each team will take one Sunday of the month, so we’ll have a first Sunday team, a second Sunday team, and so on. Each month, when their Sunday rolls around, that team will be ready to go and excited to create the best experience they can. Truth is, in the midst of serving and helping others have a great morning at church, you’ll be connecting in community, making new friends, and getting a feeling of investment in this place you call your church home!

So, I’m excited to see things develop as we continue to gear up for the fall. You’ll be hearing more about how you can get involved and be part of creating a great Sunday Morning Experience for everyone as they join us each week.

God’s blessings,

Births

May 13

Jase Austin Henre, son of Austin &

Casey

Baptisms

May 25

Joss Brian Loberg

Sydney Elizabeth Samuelson

Avery Anne Spooner

Markel Allen Spooner

Charlie Edward Walker

Weddings

May 17

Beth Martinson & Eric Schreifels at

Zion

May 25

Emily Mischel and Bradley

Abramowski at Zion

May 31

Natalie Skinner & Eric Sunby at Zion

Funerals

May 2

Gordon Gerhardson

May 23

Taylor Fieber

June 5

Marlene Schroeder

Church Softball League

Zion has two teams in the this year’s

Churches for Christ men’s softball

league. Games are Friday nights at

Bentfield Mills Park (behind Target)

until late July or early August, and

spectators are welcome.

Creating a community where people are connected 6

Lutheran Night with the Twins

Two options are available for this year’s Lutheran Night at the Twins on Tuesday, July 22 (7:10pm game). A limited number of discounted tickets are available with the Zion group with seating in the section 102 field box, right field, for $35 each. A free bus is being provided by the Wright County MN Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. You must sign up online or at the info desk by Sunday, June 29 to be part of the group ticket order or bus reservation.

Summer Opportunities for Seniors

Zionaires ministry leaders have put together a very busy schedule for retirees and senior adults this summer! All are welcome at any or all of these events:

Thursday, July 24: Visit to the Annandale Heritage Center and lunch at Irish Blessings in Maple Lake, 10am-1pm

Tuesday, August 5: Fishing and picnic on Lake Pulaski, 9:30-noon

Tuesday, August 12: Sons of the Pioneers at St Cloud Paramount Theater, show at 1:30. Cost is $30 for tickets and transportation

Sign up at the information desk.

Women's Bible Study Series

Of Many Generations: Mary, Elizabeth, Lydia

Zion's women's ministry team is hosting a three session Bible study during the summer months. The study for these three sessions is written by Dr. Diane Jacobson, professor emeritus of Old Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. She writes, “We are women of many generations, many ages, many places, and many experiences. We have a calling to come, learn, and serve together, as well as to rebuild, repair, and restore not only our own relationships, but also the world around us. To do this we look to Scripture for stories that take us into this calling. We look for stories of women who come together, women who understand themselves to be part of a multi-generational community, and who have known both challenge and joy.”

Each month's Bible study will be held in the Fellowship Hall. Check your calendar and come to any or all of the sessions. Bring a Bible. Study guides and treats are provided. No charge for the study, but sign-up is helpful to plan for materials. Sign up online or at the information desk.

Session 2 is Tuesday, July 15 at 9:30am: Mary’s Song: The Magnificat, led by Mary Johnson

Session 3 is Tuesday, August 19 at 7pm: Lydia, led by Jill Davis.

Connecting With Care

Memorial Golf Outing and Social

The 2014 Zion Memorial Golf Outing will be held at Wild Marsh Golf Course on Monday, August 11, to benefit Zion’s Memorial Fund.

This event will be an 18-hole 4-person scramble.

The cost is $75 per golfer for golf, cart, and one drink ticket.

Course games and events include Magic Ball, Mulligans, Closest to the Pin, and Bean Bag Toss.

18 Hole sponsorships are available: $350 for golf (4) and memorial sign or $50 for memorial sign

Cart sponsorships are available: $25 for a memorial sign

Tavern at Wild Marsh will be open for dinner after golf

Please sign up by August 1 at ZionBuffalo.org/golf

Contact Harley Pommier at 763.229.6918 with questions.

New to Zion

Kathy and Glenn Carlson began attending Zion with their daughter, Krista Ross, and granddaughters. They have been part of a Bible study and plan to become members in the fall.

Her husband had to work Sunday mornings and she didn't want to come alone, so we joined her a few times. Then we started to come whenever our granddaughters sang on Sunday mornings and finally began attending every Sunday.

We saw [Rick Johnson's Bible study] in the bulletin and, since Glenn had been reading the Old Testament, it sounded interesting. I liked that we read the Bible out loud (just like in school)! Doing that made you read every word and not skip over the hard ones. It made me pay attention to things I might have missed.

This year, Kathy also helped with data entry during Zion's SERVE Weekend and occasionally comes in to the office during the week to continue with the project.

I've always loved typing (one of my favorite jobs was data entry and report typing) and working with records is interesting.

In the next few years the Carlsons plan to move to Buffalo and then hope to get involved in more Zion ministries.

We thoroughly enjoy Zion and the people we've met. It seems like a good church to belong to.

Kathy and Glenn live in Plymouth and have three other grown and married children and one other grandson. Kathy worked as a secretary until her third child was 6 months old, then became a full-time stay-at-home mom. She loves to read and enjoys arts and crafts like painting, cross-stitch, and card making.

in relationships and supported in need.

Active Military

Alex Euerle

Discharged from the Marine Corps

Joe Schmidt

Stationed in San Diego

Trey Wilson

Deployed to Bahrain

Cody Bauman

Stationed at Fort Knox, KY

Vinnie Pecarina

Stationed in Japan

Bradley Johnson

Stationed at Ft Drum, NY

Cory Nyholm

Stationed in Monterey, CA

Christopher Paulsen

Stationed in Norfolk, VA

Ben Pecarina

Stationed overseas

Doug Pecarina

Serving in the Army National Guard

Kevin Osfar

Stationed in Japan

Will Dobbins

Deployed on the USS Peleliu

Greg Bremseth

Stationed at Ft Bliss, TX

Deanna Strommen

Stationed in Washington, DC

Fred Pierce

Stationed in Miramar, CA

7

ZionBuffalo.Tableproject.org

A private network

aimed at

strengthening faith-

sustaining

relationships among

people at Zion.

May 2014 Financial Report

General Services Fund

Income May 2014 YTD 2014 May 2013 YTD 2013 General Offering $51,702 $312,091 $51,301 $292,878

Rent and Sunday School 1,509 6,489 2,241 11,965

WedNite Supper Income 476 3,359 444 4,179

Missions and Hunger 919 7,237 1,810 7,807

Other Designations 2,455 9,466 1,760 73,621

Total Income $57,062 $338,642 $57,557 $390,451

Expenses Synod Benevolence $1,000 $5,000 $1,000 $5,000

Other General Services 55,087 325,390 58,361 322,608

Total Expenses $56,087 $330,390 $59,361 $327,608

Checkbook balance as of 5-31-2014: $37,534

Building Fund

Income May 2014 YTD 2014 May 2013 YTD 2013 Offerings and Interest $12,692 $72,230 $13,458 $77,445

Other Receipts 0 0 0 0

Total Income $12,692 $72,230 $13,458 $77,445

Expenses Building Mortgage $15,869 $79,345 $15,869 $79,345

Bank Service Charge 0 0 0 0

Total Expenses $15,869 $79,345 $15,869 $79,345

Checkbook balance as of 5-31-2014: $14,030

“You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in

thanksgiving to God”

2 Corinthians 9:11

Memorial Gifts Received

A gift to the Memorial Fund in memory

of Frank Pfeifer from Betty Pfeifer.

A hymnal memorial in memory of

Beulah Molstad from Dorothy

Valentine.

A gift to the Kitchen Fund in memory of

Bea Specht from Jerry Specht.

A gift to the Memorial Fund in memory

of John Hoaglund from Jean Bengtson.

A gift to the Zion Foundation in

memory of Ken Bakke from Del Haag.

Summer Step Up

Join Pastor Luke in the Summer Step

Up! Find the opportunity that will

allow you to grow in your faith journey

as you take on something new. Here are

4 ideas:

1. Consistent giving – Sign up for

automatic giving at church

at ZionBuffalo.org/electronic.

2. Increased giving – Step up for the

summer and give it a shot.

3. Intentional giving – Study up for

the summer, get to know your

budget, and make giving a portion

to God a regular part of your

finances. Start at daveramsey.com/

tools/guide-to-budgeting/.

4. Memorial giving – Lift up the

memory of someone by giving a

special gift to the memorial fund at

ZionBuffalo.org/memorial-fund.

Sunday Announcements

The relationships of our members with

one another bring a richness to our lives

and we want to foster these

relationships. If you would like your

church family to be aware of any

special celebrations in your life or the

lives of your loved ones, please let the

church office know by Thursday at

10am and we will include them in the

written announcement insert in the

bulletin.

Finance & Stewardship

Please support the advertisers who make this newsletter possible:

seekandfind.com/find/zion-lutheran-church/supporters

ZionBuffalo.org/Give 8

See full size ads on pages 18 and 19

9

Stewardship Means Leaving A Will

By Pastor Ted

Writing a will is one way we can continue our good stewardship of God’s blessings even after we have passed away. Many people think they need to be wealthy when it comes to wills and legacies, but everyone should consider drawing up a will. Most of us will have something to leave behind when we die. It can be surprising how much we’re actually worth and how much of a difference that could make to people and organizations we leave behind.

Some of the things a will can do:

Provide peace of mind for you and your family

Your loved ones are properly cared for

Your wishes are respected

Reduce the difficulties of sorting out your estate

One way you can make a difference is to leave a legacy to your church. Once you have made provision for your loved ones, you have the opportunity to give back to the Lord through Zion. Your gift in a will can:

Continue God’s work after you’ve gone, helping those causes closest to your heart. These kinds of gifts are often used to develop new projects and initiatives here at Zion.

Be a way of giving more than you ever could in your lifetime. Many of us have a great deal of equity tied up in our home, or other assets for example, which cannot be accessed until our death.

There are many places a gift in a will can be given at Zion. The Zion Foundation was created in part for this very purpose. The Memorial Fund is a popular place for these gifts and the General Fund often receives gifts from estates.

There are many professionals that can help you write a will. You probably already know one or more. If you would like to talk about how you can leave a gift to Zion through your will, please call Pastor Ted in the Zion office, 763.682.1245.

Thank You Advertisers

This Newsletter is one of Zion’s primary communication tools. Through our arrangement with the Liturgical Publications Inc. (LPi), Zion does not pay for the newsletter printing, which saves us thousands of dollars every year. The newsletter is supported through the generosity of the advertisers—many of whom are our own congregation members or members of our local community.

Please support our advertisers with your patronage and tell the business owners that you appreciate their support of Zion through their advertising in the newsletter.

LPi will have newsletter representative Tim Browne on site the week of July 7 to service this newsletter. Thank you to the present advertisers for renewing your ad and continuing your support of Zion. For those interested in placing a new ad, this is your opportunity to visit with Tim. Contact him through the church office at 763.682.1245 the week of July 7 or directly at 1.800.678.4574 ext. 4050 any time.

Friday July 11

Youth at Camp Wapo

SEEDS Weekend at Wapo

6:30am Zion Day Camp

7:00pm Softball Team 1


Saturday July 12


Sunday July 13


8:30am Traditional Worship Service

9:30am Coffee Fellowship

9:45am Family Express Worship

10:30am Contemporary Worship Service


5:00pm First Sunday Rehearsal

Monday July 14


9:00am Quilters

9:00am Women's Ministry Planning

Committee Meeting

9:30am Women's Bible Study

7:00pm Marysville Worship Service

Tuesday July 15


9:30am Staff Meeting

9:30am Summer Women's Bible Study

Wednesday July 16


7:00am Men's 50+ Bible Study

9:15am Sunrise Devotions

5:45pm Worship & Music Committee

Meeting

7:30pm Worship Team Rehearsal

Thursday July 17

All Ages Missions Trip


6:30pm Youth Board Meeting

Friday July 18





Saturday July 19


Sunday July 20


Holy Communion at 8:30 and 10:30


9:30am WNS Team Leaders Meeting





2:00pm Parkview Devotions/Communion


Monday July 21

9:00am Quilters

9:00am Kitchen Cleaning


12:30pm Red Cross Blood Drive


Tuesday July 22


9:00am Harvest of Hands Crafts


5:00pm Lutheran Night at the Twins

Wednesday July 23


9:00am Newsletter Assembly

9:30am Devotions at Lake Ridge

10:30am Devotions at Park View

7:00pm Foundation Meeting

7:00pm Harvest of Hands Crafts


Thursday July 24


10:00am Zionaires - Pioneer Park and

Irish Blessings

Friday July 25


6:00pm Wedding Rehearsal




ZionBuffalo.org/Calendar 10

Tuesday July 1



Wednesday July 2


7:00am Men's 50+ Bible Study


Thursday July 3


Friday July 4

Independence Day - Church Office Closed

Sunday July 6

Holy Communion at 8:30, 9:45, & 10:30

Youth at Camp Wapo







Monday July 7

Youth at Camp Wapo


9:00am Quilters



Tuesday July 8

Youth at Camp Wapo


9:00am Harvest of Hands Crafts


Wednesday July 9

Youth at Camp Wapo


7:00pm Harvest of Hands Crafts


Thursday July 10

Youth at Camp Wapo


July 2014

Saturday July 26

Senior High Mission Trip

3:00pm Wedding

Sunday July 27








Monday July 28



9:00am Quilters


6:00pm Marysville Pie and Ice Cream

Social


Tuesday July 29




Wednesday July 30



6:30pm LifeKeys Retreat


Thursday July 31



8:30am LifeKeys Retreat

/ZionBuffalo

11

Marysville Ice Cream Social Do you have fond memories of childhood church ice cream socials? Have you

never yet experienced the delight of spending a warm summer evening with pie and friends and fun on the church lawn?

This year’s annual ice cream social will be held at the beautiful Marysville Church on Monday, July 28, starting at 6pm. Come and celebrate Zion’s

beautiful historic Marysville Church with some pie and ice cream before or after worship.

Worship services are held every Monday night during summer months at 7pm. For

those who have never attended a historic Marysville service, this is the perfect

opportunity to give it a try.

A free will offering will support the Marysville Preservation Fund.

If you would like to donate a pie for the occasion, please sign up by July 20 (pies

can be brought with you to Marysville or dropped off at Zion during the day on

Monday).

Check ZionBuffalo.org or KRWC radio in case of severe weather warnings.

Director of Youth Ministries

Myron Crawford

763-682-1245 ext. 308

[email protected]

Engage. Grow. Proclaim.

Zion Youth Ministries exists to

engage youth, help them grow

and proclaim faith in Christ.

Confirmation

Grades 6-8 Students entering grades 6, 7 and 8

should be registering now for fall

confirmation classes.

Zion’s Confirmation program is a three

year interactive program for middle

school students that will empower youth

to explore their faith and ask the

questions they actually wonder about

the Bible, creed, disciples, Jesus, other

beliefs, and hot topics. Zion bases its

Confirmation instruction on a three

year cycle of lessons including Old

Testament, New Testament, and

Lutheran theology and doctrine.

Classes are held on Wednesdays from 6-

7:30pm with occasional special events.

The schedule is built around the school

calendar to include 20-25 group

sessions (lessons and fun events). The

goal is to use study, testimonies,

fellowship, and worship to create a

strong community of young people who

have the tools necessary to live a life of

faith.

Grades 8-9 Remember that all confirmation

requirements for students entering

grades 8 and 9 are due by August 1!

Go to ZionBuffalo.org/confirmation for

registration as well as any homework or

other info that you might need.

1 Timothy 4:12

Don’t let anyone look down on

you because you are young, but set

an example for the believers in speech,

in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.

ZionBuffalo.org/Youth 12

The Other Side

Zion has been Emily Bengtson’s church home since birth, and this summer it is also her workplace as Zion’s first Children, Youth, and Family Intern.

My dad is a lifelong member at Zion. He is the son of Len and Phyllis Bengtson. My dad’s family has been part of the congregation since it began.

Emily was baptized at Zion in 1994 by Pastor John Folkerds, and confirmed at Zion in 2008. Her parents are Kirk and Angela Bengtson (also on staff at Zion as the Communications and Membership Secretary). She also has a brother, Trevor, (16), and a sister, Karin, (14).

Some of Emily’s earliest memories of Zion are from Sunday school, when preschool classes were held in the present-day bell room.

Some of the friends I made in those early Sunday school classes remain my closest friends today (shout out to Kirsten Olson and Katie Halvorson!).

Emily has been part of SONshine Choir, Joy Choir, and Youth Choir, and played handbells with Ring Forth, Class Ring, Joyful Ringers, and other pick-up bell choirs.

Though most of these memories seem to revolve around snacks and fun times with friends, my involvement in church choirs undoubtedly helped shaped my decision to pursue music education.

Emily is currently an instrumental music education major at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota.

Music fills much of my time. I play piano (thanks to years of lessons with Sherilyn Burgdorf), clarinet, handbells, and French horn (though I’ve only taken a semester’s-worth of lessons so far). At Concordia, I play clarinet in both band and clarinet choir, and I am in the touring handbell choir, Tintinnabula. In the fall, I plan to join the non-auditioned band, so I can continue with the French horn.

Aside from music, I am a lover of good books, thrift shopping, and getting together with family and friends.

Emily previously worked in Kelly Hanson’s law office during high school and last summer, and has two on-campus jobs at Concordia as an office worker in the English Department and a grader for two music theory professors. After a busy second year at Concordia, Emily was excited to return home for the summer, and

(Emily Bengtson continued on page 16)

Youth & Children’s Ministry

my involvement in

church choirs

undoubtedly

helped shaped my

decision to pursue

music education

Photo by Maya Bolduan

Director of Children & Family Ministry

Kirsten Kelly

763-682-1245 x331

[email protected]

Children & Family Ministry Assistants

Marsha Watkins

Kristin Lotthammer

763-682-1245 x308

[email protected]

[email protected]

Camp Wapo

Please keep the 80+ kids in your prayers

as they experience God's amazing love in

the setting of camp. Many of our staff

will be out at camp with the kids

(completed grades 2 and above) during

the week of July 6. Thanks for your

support!

Zion Day Camp

Summer Christian Childcare

June 16 - August 22

6:30 am - 6 pm

Monday-Friday

$25/day/child Kindergarten through age 12.

Daily activities include age appropriate Bible study and discussion, crafts,

snacks, games, reading time, skits, and so much more!

Sign up for 1 or 5 days a week - ZDC is flexible for all families’ schedules!

Contact Zion Day Camp at [email protected] with any

questions.

ZionBuffalo.org/zdc

More VBS Photos on Zion’s Facebook Page

VBS Thank You!

We had an amazing week of Vacation Bible School as we learned about Jesus' unconditional love! Thank you to the hundreds of volunteers that helped make it such a success and to the 360 children who attended and made the week so fun and amazing! We hope you will continue to share God's love with those around you this summer... give it away!!! When you are at Zion this summer, make sure to say hi and share your God sightings with us! We'd love to hear your stories and give you a high five and a hug!

ZionBuffalo.org/Children 13

14

Office Hours

With summer almost here, so comes the

changes in the church office hours:

Monday through Thursday from

8:30am-4:30pm

Friday from 8:30am-noon

Harvest of Hands

Craft groups work on a variety of projects

throughout the year in preparation for the

annual sale in November. The groups will

continue to work on numerous glass

projects in July, as well as finishing some

projects from past months.

The Tuesday morning group will meet

on July 8 and 22 at 9am.

The Wednesday evening group will

meet on July 9 and 23 at 7pm.

All are welcome at the craft groups, either

to work on the planned projects or to

bring your own projects and enjoy the time

with friends. Join us for fun, fellowship,

and a sense of accomplishment. Both

groups meet in the Wilderness Room.

Crafters can also work on projects at

home. Supplies are available for home

projects. Contact Joy Arens for more

information.

Harvest of Hands is an annual event held

at Zion to feed the hungry in our own

community and around the world.

Proceeds of the 2014 sale will benefit the

Buffalo Food Shelf and a global hunger

project.

Jason has many hobbies.

I love the outdoors and when not at work that’s usually where you can find me. Everything from hunting and fishing to skiing, snowmobiling, camping, and gardening are on my list of activities. In addition, I enjoy woodworking. From a young age (before I was allowed to use power tools) I have always had some sort of woodworking project going on. Back then it was go-karts and tree-houses. More recently my projects have included furniture, cabinets, and remodeling.

They had been members of Our Fathers Lutheran Church in Rockford for a while, but after moving to Buffalo, wanted a church within the community that would be a good place to raise their children.

The music drew us to Zion, and the size and variety of ministries influenced our decision to join.

Jason has served on Zion's Finance Committee for the past six years, and was involved in leadership of Zion’s last Capital campaign. He and Julie served as confirmation guides for a group of 8th grade boys who will be confirmed this fall. Jason has also been involved with Habitat for Humanity, building homes for over 20 years, and has traveled to Mexico with a group representing four churches in the community to build a home for a family in four days. He also volunteers with Feed My Starving Children and Bridging, a Twin Cities furniture bank.

Last year, Julie persuaded Jason to take part in the LifeKeys Gifts Discovery Course at Zion.

I saw it as a good opportunity to take a spiritual approach to understanding my gifts and learning more about how and where to apply those gifts.

Jason found that LifeKeys included many components that he had experienced elsewhere, such as the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, but that LifeKeys brought all those tools together to create a profile of his gifts and talents and help him better understand his unique mission in life.

It was really helpful to see how my preferences, passions, values, and spiritual gifts come together to put me in a better position to understand “why am I here?”

The culmination of the LifeKeys course is creating a Life Gifts sentence.

For me, this was the “ah-ha” moment. This was where I was able to more clearly connect my gifts and passions. If you haven’t guessed from my work, hobbies, and community work, at the heart of my life sentence is having the vision and ability to “create” solutions to problems.

Jason says that LifeKeys is a great way for anyone who might be unsure of God’s plan for the gifts and talents He gave them to gain more clarity, as well as a way to increase stewardship of time and talents.

(Jason Kabe continued from page 3)

(Jason Kabe continued on page 15)

I saw it as a good

opportunity to take a

spiritual approach to

understanding my

gifts and learning

more about how and

where to apply those

gifts

Biweekly Email Updates

In addition to this monthly newsletter and

ministry specific emails, a bi-weekly

update is now available which includes

information on a variety of events and

opportunities within the next two weeks.

Subscribe at ZionBuffalo.org/subscribe.

Keeping in Contact

Zion is a big place, and sometimes things

happen in life that keep us from being as

connected to the community as we would

like. We would like to make sure that all

Zion members feel like part of the church,

whether they are able to worship regularly

or not. If you or someone you know is

unable to worship regularly, or would

consider themselves homebound, or are

living in a senior care facility, please let

us know so we can make sure you are

receiving communion and pastoral care.

We want to make sure all the people of

Zion are able to stay connected. Please

call or email Ann or Dawn in the office

with information as to how we can reach

you or someone you know that you’d like

us to include in our visitation schedule.

Thank you!

Pastor Luke and Pastor Ted

Let Us Know

Address, Phone & Email Corrections

If you have had any changes to your

address, phone number, marital status,

etc. please contact the office with your

name, phone number and the changes that

need to be made in our database.

If You Are Ill

Hospitals no longer notify churches when

their members are admitted for care. Let

us know so we can support you with

prayer and presence.

Prayer Requests

Please use a yellow pew card, post on the

Prayer Wall of our online community, or

contact the office with your prayer

requests.

15

Leaving the Nest Safely

Before Your Child Heads Off to College

Adapted from the Spring issue of the Thrivent Financial Magazine

Your child is going to college. Congratulations! You’ve sent the deposit, started buying dorm room décor and made a checklist of things to pack. Time to relax? Not quite.

Although buying a new laptop might feel more crucial to your child’s campus success, it’s just as important to get ready for their health and finances away from home. Make sure you:

Find a good healthcare provider, and send health records

Plan for the worst-case scenario by drawing up a medical power of attorney

Talk about budgeting and credit cards

Buy renters’ insurance to protect electronics, bikes, etc.

Where Does Faith Fit?

When it comes to getting our children ready for college, we’re so busy taking care of all the external stuff that we forget to, or choose not to, talk about faith.

Encourage your child to:

Get involved in campus ministries

Check out nearby congregations

Attend Sunday services or just stop by and meet the pastor.

For the full article, please visit Thrivent.com/magazine. For information about Thrivent Financial and all its products that they offer, please call Mark Worner at 763-682-6011.

LifeKeys is a way to uncover our God-given gifts and to understand how we might use those gifts within the community or to support Zion’s efforts to share Christ’s word, strengthen faith, and serve those in need. Each of us was given gifts and talents, and we’re expected to use those gifts to fill certain needs. If we’re not using our gifts for their intended purpose, either someone else not as gifted in that particular area might be, or the need is going unmet. Life Keys can help align gifts with needs.

It would be great to see more people go through the course and out of it find their place, whether at Zion or elsewhere, to use their gifts to help others.

Jason's pro tip for the LifeKeys course is to take it with a spouse or someone else who knows you well.

It’s a great way to learn about each other and help one another identify their talents. As Julie and I went through LifeKeys, we often found that we had different perspectives of one another’s talents and also gained insight into how our gifts complement one another.

(Jason Kabe continued from page 14)

Our Mission... Zion seeks to

Share Christ’s Word,

Strengthen faith, and

Serve those in need.

Our Vision… Helping people experience the joy of

life in Christ by:

1. Celebrating on Sundays:

Creating Sunday morning experiences that invite, welcome, engage, and inspire people to live for Christ.

2. Living God’s Call:

Engaging people in a process of discipleship which inspires them to

trust in Christ, grow in faith, and serve God’s world.

3. Connecting with Care:

Creating a community where people are connected in relationships and

supported in need.

16

already knew that she wanted to spend parts of her summer at Zion when she heard about the Children, Youth, and Family Internship.

I knew that it could provide so many opportunities for me to grow in my faith while connecting with others at Zion in a new way.

Emily began her position as Summer Intern at Zion in mid-May. The first month of her time at Zion was almost exclusively devoted to Weird Animals VBS. A highlight of the week was seeing middle school students volunteering at VBS who had once been in her Sunday school class when she volunteered as a Sunday school shepherd.

Playing a role in planning VBS was a fantastic learning experience. I was able to connect with so many others who were excited about God’s love and the incredible children’s ministry at work at Zion (though I didn’t quite learn the names of all 360+ kids and 200+ volunteers).

As part of the intern position, Emily will join the Senior High mission trip to Indianapolis.

High school trips continue to stand out as some of my favorite memories…ever, not just as memories from Zion. I was fortunate to travel to Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming and Chicago, Illinois, for mission trips, as well as a local mission trip in 2011. I also loved going to Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp in Colorado as a final trip following my graduation in 2012. These trips brought me so much closer to friends from Zion and opened my eyes to God’s grace and love in different capacities around the country.

The rest of her summer will include adventures to Camp Wapo, working at Zion Day Camp as a counselor, and helping prepare for Homecoming Sunday in the fall.

The people I get to work with is by far the best part of working at Zion. I am so fortunate to get to work with my mom, Sherilyn, and Myron, who have been incredible mentors in my life for years, and Kirsten, Kristin, and Marsha, who make everything three times as fun. It’s also really cool for me to be on the other side of things. I’ve been a staff kid for a long time, and I love that I now get to be part of the process.

Emily will return to Concordia College in the fall as a junior.

(Emily Bengtson continued from page 12)

High school trips

continue to stand out

as some of my

favorite memories…

ever, not just as

memories from Zion.

Online Event Registration

The first place members will see the

effects of the transition to new software is

in event registrations. The very first

registration you complete in the

Fellowship One system will take just a

couple of extra steps … but will make

things so much easier for future

registrations and for the staff behind the

scenes. All future registrations will be

done through Fellowship One, so it is

important for every member with internet

access to create an account.

When you click any sign up link on the

website, you will be taken to a log-in

screen.

The very first time you will need to

click on [Create an account] on the

right hand side with the email

address and password you choose.

When you create your account, the

system will send you a verification

email with a link to activate your

Fellowship One account, and when

you click on the link in the email, you

will be able to finish creating your

account.

When your account is fully created

you will be brought to the registration

page (in future you will log in to skip

directly to this step).

Click on [Select] next to the name of

the person you want to register or [+

Add Person] to add someone new to

your household.

Now fill out the registration form.

If you have additional family

members to register, click [Register

Another Person].

Find more detailed instructions at

ZionBuffalo.org/vbs-registration-

instructions.

If you have any problems with the new

online registration system, don’t hesitate

to contact Angela in the office.

17

Elder Wisdom

Adapted from an article by Katherine Parent in the May 2014 newsletter of Redeemer Lutheran Church. Sketch also by Katherine Parent.

Jeanne Halonen, a member of Redeemer for over 65 years, was born in North Minneapolis near Robbinsdale. She graduated from Central High in 1945. Friends know her as an intelligent, outspoken extrovert who has always loved to speak her mind, debate and play cards.

Her godmother wanted to name her after the famous actress Laura LaPlante, and so she was baptized Laura Jeanne Plant. But she liked her middle name so much better than Laura that when she grew up she changed her name legally to L. Jeanne. Friends at Redeemer know her as Jeannie.

Jeannie met Redeemer member Eddie Halonen at a Latin American dance class at the Mari-gold ballroom. They danced together that whole evening, and then the next. Finally Eddie started to drive her home in his Hudson Club Coupe.

In 1948, Jeannie and Eddie were married, and she became a member of his church. Although Jeannie had grown up Catholic, and Eddie was a Lutheran, her godmother, a nun, told her that “it’s better that you’re both religious.” In the new member classes with Pastor Marlatte, she says she found out “that we’re all Christians.” Some parts of the Lutheran service puzzled her, like the confession of “things we have done, and things we have left undone.” What could I have sinned by leaving undone? Jeannie would wonder.

Eddie, a WWII veteran when they met, believed strongly in “fighting for his country” and remained in the reserves. In 1951 he fought in Korea and was wounded. Jeannie still has the bullet they removed from his head. Eddie’s injuries qualified him for full-time disability benefits. Jeannie had her hands full caring for Eddie and their seven sons: Dan, Doug, David, Drew, Dean, and twins Dirk and Dwight. With her support as bookkeeper, Eddie was able to start a very successful lawn care business.

Jeannie has always loved numbers. Years and figures simply stick in her head. As her first job, she worked as an accountant at the Red Owl grocery stores, and then worked at Northwestern National Bank. She served Redeemer for many years as church treasurer, carefully balancing the books.

Eddie died in 2005 of esophageal cancer, and is buried at Fort Snelling. Jeannie now has 7 grandchildren. She lives in New Hope, and rides to Redeemer with her friend Joanie. After health troubles last year, Jeannie has suffered some memory loss, but the church building is still full of so many memories. It "seems like I've been here forever," she says.

Jeannie still sits in the same pew every Sunday where she has sat for 60 years. She likes to spread her coat out a little so she can be alone, to give herself space to just listen and be.

The Voice

A monthly publication of Zion Lutheran Church

Upcoming Deadlines

June 16 at 8am for July Issue

July 14 at 8am for August Issue

Editor: Angela Bengtson

[email protected]

This Month’s Cover

Part of the VBS woodworking team prepping

projects for June

Contact Us

[email protected]

www.ZionBuffalo.org

Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30am-

4:30pm (closes at noon summer Fridays)

Ph 763.682.1245 / Fax 763.684.1967

1200 Highway 25 South, Buffalo

(across from 13th St S.)

PO Box 88, Buffalo, MN 55313

18

Zion Staff

Ted Vanderpan: Senior Pastor

ext. 304 | [email protected]

Luke Schmidt: Pastor of Congregational Life


Sherilyn Burgdorf: Shared Ministry Director


Kirsten Kelly: Director of Children & Family


Marsha Watkins: CFM Coordinator


Kristin Lotthammer: CFM Coordinator


Emily Bengtson: Summer Intern

Myron Crawford: Director of Youth Ministries


Jim Onstad: Youth Staff

Dawn Bestick: Office Administrator / Receptionist


Ann Lyons: Office Administrator / Receptionist


Angela Bengtson: Communications & Membership


Sue Stensrud: Financial Secretary


Joel Mackereth: Building & Grounds Manager


Lynn Botts: Facilities Manager


Cory Sherman: Part Time Custodian

Missy Peterson & Angie Smith: Nursery Staff

Pam Freer: Zion Day Camp Director

Frannie Pearson & Caley Paripovich: ZDC

Michael Walsh: Coordinator of Music

Bob Strommen: Sound System Coordinator

Jay Comstock: Video Technician

Congregational Council

Kelly Hanson

Alisa Ireland

Deana Jeske

Sarah Klett

Tom Moline

Heather Moseley

Mike Newman

Nancy Olson

Harley Pommier

Thomas Stanforth

Dave Tauscher

Kristin Wilson

Worship at Marysville Mondays at 7pm

Inside

Zion Lutheran Church

1200 Highway 25 S.

PO Box 88

Buffalo, MN 55313

www.ZionBuffalo.org

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Chad Peterson 2

Born for This 3

Jason Kabe 3

Jubilee Sunday 4

Sunday Morning Experience 5

Summer Bible Study 6

Memorial Golf Outing 7

Kathy Carlson 7

Newsletter Sponsors 9

Ice Cream Social 11

Emily Bengtson 12

Ju

ly 2

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Ice Cream Social July 28

Zion's July Newsletter

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Transcript of Zion's July Newsletter