The holidays are upon us. Black Friday has past and our "One Family at a Time" effort was a tremendous success. Through our combined efforts, we were able to supply Thanksgiving dinners to more than 80 families. What a marvelous expression of God's love!
 
Speaking about the place of service in the life of a Christian, Richard Foster wrote, "We are called to serve through the many little deaths of going beyond self. And, as we live out our lives for the good of others, amazingly, we find ourselves; we discover our sense of place."
 
As a church, we want to live out that call to serve this holiday season. One way is through the ministry of Angel Tree. This is an opportunity to provide gifts for children of incarcerated adults. The process is simple: You can pick up a name of a child, which will include all the necessary information, and go shopping for him or her. Then on December 12th at 1:00 pm, we will host a Christmas party and the kids will receive their gifts which will be given to them in the name of their parents. Through this expression of love, we send a message to the parents that we care about them. Through the Christmas party we share the eternal truth of God's love.
 
But Angel Tree isn't the end. I am asking you to go beyond yourself this holiday season through some simple acts of kindness. We are calling this The Gift Revolution. Whether it is through cutting someone else's grass or delivering a pie, we want people to know Zion cares about them. You might buy someone's groceries or pay someone's toll. Whatever simple act of kindness you display, we want people to know God loves them. Cards will be provided that remind them of God's greatest gift, the gift of His Son and to let them know that Zion is interested in their life.
 
This holiday season is our season of focused service. Service cannot be done in absentia. It requires personal involvement and sacrifice. Saint Francis of Assisi taught that truly following Christ meant touching the leper and reaching out to the one in need. 
 
Ultimately, we serve God by serving others.

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Church, we want to thank you for providing Thanksgiving to families in need. Through your contribution, Zion was able to give out 80-plus Thanksgiving containers filled with a complete Thanksgiving meal. We commend you for signing up, purchasing the food, packaging the meals, contacting the families, and delivering the dinners. What an amazing example of God's love.

Thank you for blessing others this Thanksgiving! 

 

 

During the Christmas season it is all too easy to lose focus on Jesus and concentrate only on gifts, parties, decorations and fun. If adults have trouble keeping Christmas as a celebration of Jesus' birth, imagine how difficult it is for children caught up in the excitement and mystery of Santa Claus. But you can help them learn the true meaning of Christmas by incorporating some of these ideas into your festivities this year:
 
Have a Nightly Christmas Story Time
Libraries and bookstores are full of Christmas books. Find enough to read one book each night in December. Choose books that tell the story of Jesus' birth rather than a story about Santa, Rudolph or Frosty. Some good choices for young children include:

Make the nightly story time special, perhaps snuggling up in front of the Christmas tree and reading by candlelight or flashlight with a cup of hot cocoa. On Christmas Eve, read the story of Jesus' birth directly from the Bible in the book of Luke.
 
Give to Others
Opportunities abound to give to others at Christmas time. You can use "Angel Tree," where you can choose a child for whom to buy gifts. Children especially enjoy choosing gifts for another child their own age. As you shop together, talk about how happy the recipient of the gift will be. Talk about how Jesus is a gift for us and how we can share His love with others. (For more info about Angel Tree, call the church office )
 
Have a Birthday Party for Jesus
Whether or not December 25 is the day Christ was actually born, it is the day we celebrate His birth. So, why not celebrate with a birthday party? This can be as simple as a birthday cake as part of your Christmas dinner or hosting a children's party with games, food and gifts of baby items that you donate.
 
Cool website of the month: http://www.biblegamezone.com  It's free and safe. 

 

Find out how the Veggies discover the true joy of giving to others at Christmas time and throughout the year!

Laura Carrot's Christmas stocking might be empty this year because her dad is in danger of losing his job. While Larry thinks a letter to the North Pole should fix the problem, Bob knows what will really help.  He tells the story of a little boy named Nicholas who made a discovery in Bethlehem that changed Christmas forever. But what did Nicholas learn and how can it help Laura and her family?

 

Year 2009 is almost history, and we are thankful for your financial partnership in reaching the world for Christ! Here is some information on how to make the most of your year-end giving opportunities.
 
When and Where Can I Give?

When Will I Receive My 2009 Giving Statement?
Contribution statements should arrive in the mail by January 31. To ensure you receive your statement on time, please communicate  any address changes or updates by emailing your information to Mary Koob at mary@ziononline.com.

 

You've heard the saying "Timing is everything." Timing may not be everything, but is important to the health of a Home Group. 
 
Members feel valued when their time is valued. Starting on time communicates the value of the group as a whole; and especially for those who make an effort to be on time. Ending on time is also important and shows concern for the needs of adults and their kids, especially since most Home Groups are held in the evening. 
 
So what about in between? Spending too much time on any portion of the evening, whether it's fellowship, study or prayer, can take away from the total experience.
 
"How can too much Bible study or prayer be anything but good?" While it's true that we all need to study the Word and to pray, it is also true that we are designed for relationship. We need to be able to connect and help one another 'do life' together, and that is what Home Groups are designed for. When you find balance between study, prayer and fellowship--within a measured amount of time of 90 minutes--then your timing will be everything, and your timing will be perfect!
 

 

 

 

 

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