 Meet and Greet! This Sunday, February 10th, after our worship service and during Fellowship Hour, we will welcome our new secretary Beth Trigg and her husband Archie into Zion's family. Beth tells us she knows many here at Zion, but looks forward to reconnecting faces with names! Take a few moments to introduce yourself and help them to feel the welcome and warmth of Zion's Extravagant Hospitality!
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From the Pastor's Desk
Early this week I was headed to church to meet with a friend who had requested a meeting to discuss some disturbing news which he had received concerning his family. He was clearly in distress and I wanted to help, if I could. I wanted him to be comfortable during our time together (in a rather chilly and drafty church, in winter), so I volunteered to stop at Tim Horton's to get each of us a cup of coffee. His choice; a large french vanilla cappuccino. My choice; a large black coffee.
I pulled up to the microphone to place the order at Tim Horton's. I set the money I would need for the purchase on the seat beside me.
Imagine my surprise when I pulled up to the window, extended my hand with a $10 bill, only to hear my server say "Sir, no payment necessary, the person in the car ahead of you paid for your coffees."
I had heard of persons extending such kindnesses at fast food drive-thrus, but I had never been the beneficiary of such a random act of kindness. I will tell you, it warmed me in a very special way.
It changed my frame of mind immediately. I moved from an apprehensive attitude, anticipating an emotional and difficult meeting to an attitude where I couldn't wait to engage my friend with God's good news of support and healing and reconciliation which, I hoped, would help him through a difficult time.
In short, I had been touched by God's hand and heart of kindness reaching out to me by and through a stranger. God comes to us in mysterious ways. I will be preaching a message on Sunday during which I will suggest there are ways for God to "Come Off of the Page"; ways for God to come off and out of the pages of scripture into the world in ways that are real and meaningful.
Will the act of kindness I experienced at Tim Horton's change my life? No, I do not think so. But it certainly changed my day. Maybe that's what we are called to do; proclaim God's message of kindness, love and charity in our daily acts of living, one day at a time.
In Christ
Pastor Pete |
Saturday Women's Bible Study
A new Saturday Women's Bible Study is beginning this Saturday February 9. The  group will meet from 10:00 until noon at Donna Reed's home at 124 Trotter's Circle. The group will be studying Cynthia Heald's Becoming a Woman of Simplicity. The study will extend approximately 12 weeks (through April). The location will rotate between and among the homes of those engaged in the study. Please contact Donna Reed for more information if you are interested in participating. 614.560.7179 or dreed2@columbus.rr.com
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Super Sisters Soda Science Speculation!
Thanks to everyone who helped the Abahazi girls with
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CJ says "Good stuff"
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their "Super Sisters Soda Science Speculation " taste test! Emily & Lizzie will be using the results for their Science Fair presentation on February 20th. Many of you were curious what you were actually tasting. Cups A & B were both actually the same lemon-lime soda. The only difference was red food coloring added to cup B. What we learned is that color DOES affect the perception of taste, as only 6 out of 32 people said the two cups tasted the same! Cups C & D were both root beer. Cup C was name brand, "Mug" root beer. Cup D was Meijer brand generic root beer. What we learned is that it is NOT worth paying extra for name brand. Only 10 of 32 people preferred the name brand.  | |
Chuck must really like this one!!!
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The other 22 people either preferred the generic pop or said they tasted the same. Cup E was the girls' homemade concoction of Club Soda, Orange Extract, Vanilla Extract and Sugar. It was not very popular and Mike Newcomb even plugged his nose while tasting it!
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Well, what do you think Hannah?
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Thank you again for helping!!!!!!!!
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Happy Birthdays to: Bill Sheehy, Benjamin Cerda & Terry Williams!
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Ash Wednesday
This year's Ash Wednesday service at Zion will be on February 13. The service will begin at 7:30 p.m. According to our friends at Wikipedia, Ash Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.
According to the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke; Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, during which he endured temptation by Satan. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this 40 day liturgical period of prayer and fasting. Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of mourning and repentance. The ashes used are typically gathered after the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. If you go up to the Tower Room at Zion today you will see palms from last year's service hanging to dry, as they have all year, waiting to be burned for this purpose. Our Ash Wednesday service at Zion is a quiet, contemplative service of worhship together as we prepare for a time during the liturgical year when we are encouraged to pray, to fast, to sacrifice, to repent and to focus upon those things in our lives which we have not done which we should have done and those things we have done which we should not have done. We hope you can be with us. We'll save you a seat! |
Need A Dishwasher? 
Our Ministers of Property (MOP) indicate to Zmail staff that they are looking for a new home for Zion's dishwasher. Our dishwasher may not be the latest model, but it has had very, very little use and is almost new if we are talking about "use years". Please let Pastor Pete or one of our Ministers of Property (Pete Johnston, Cheryl Rogers, Shirley Keesee, Mike Newcomb, John Miller or Jason Abahazi) know if you have any interest.
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Immediate Prayer Concerns
Kay Lundy Jeff Burkam
Lowell Allen Donna Jarrell
Lucas Sandy Nichols
Charlotte Randolph The Families of Newtown
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This Week at Zion
Join us for worship this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. We will reflect on scripture texts from Exodus 34:29-35 and Luke 9: 28-43. Pastor Pete will bring us the message "Come Off of That Page."
Voices of Zion Handbell Choir Rehearsal at 6:00 Wednesday Rehearsal after worship on Sunday Thank you for serving Zion this Sunday:
Liturgist
Cheryl Rogers
Ushers/Greeters
Chet & Marilyn Hammond  Acolyte
Jason White
Nursery Care
Melissa Peterson & Sarah Newcomb Sunday School
Carrie Abahazi & Grace Fuchs
Fellowship Bill & Shirley Keesee
Office Hours
Monday, Wednesday. & Thursday 10-2
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