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Zion United Church of Christ Weekly Newsletter
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 Family Promise Week Begins April 14
As soon as you are able, please let Mike Newcomb know of your availability to help with Family Promise Week here at Zion. We will welcome families to Zion on the afternoon of April 14. We are still in need of those who will prepare meals for our guests, and do "sleepovers". We also look forward, of course, to Zion families coming to church during the evenings of this week for no other reason that to be with our families, to share time and space with them, and let them know we  enjoy having them with us at Zion. Sharing with them Zion Extravagant Hospitality!
Please let Mike know what you are able to do by seeing him after church on Sunday or by contacting him at this email address or phone number: msn51@frontier.com or 740.363.2917.
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4th Annual Family Promise Dinner
Let's have another great turnout for the annual Family Promise Italian Dinner. The Italian Dinner will once again be held at St. Mary's Church. This year's dinner will be on April 18 from 5 until 8 pm. We have always been well represented at the dinner (great food!!). Let's continue that great tradition! How appropriate this year's fundraiser/dinner will be held during Family Promise Week at Zion!
All proceeds of the dinner benefit Family Promise of Delaware County, providing shelter and supportive services to homeless families. Dinners are $10 for adults and $5
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2012 Zion Entourage at Family Promise Dinner
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for students. There is a Silent Auction and a 50/50 Raffle. Please see Mike Newcomb for tickets.
What a joy it is to be blessed with this wonderful program in our Delaware Community! Family Promise has, for many years, provided emergency assistance to families in need of housing. With and through faith partnerships, Family Promise has been able to assist families in meaningful ways during periods of challenge and difficulty.
As you may know, a permanent Family Promise home located on the corner of North Washington and West Winter Street is currently undergoing extensive renovation. It will soon be open to welcome Family Promise families to a new home. More details will soon be forthcoming. (Please see Bricks for Dick story below).
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 | Pastor Vogt
Zion Pastor 1863 - 1892 |
From the Pastor's Desk
"Politics is broken. Politics is failing to address the great moral issues of the time. When that happens social movements rise up to change politics and the best social movements always have spiritual foundations,". These are the words of Jim Wallis who is perhaps best known as a founder of Sojourners and as the author of God's Politics.
The statement he makes above in regard to the "broken" nature of politics wouldn't find too make detractors. Regardless of where each of us fall on the political spectrum, I don't think there are many of us who think our system of politics and government is working particularly well. Maybe we shouldn't place all of our eggs in that one basket. Maybe social change, as Wallis suggests, emanates from sources other than institutional government. We will pursue this thought on Sunday with a scriptural focus on the work of the Spirit (here, the wind).
I am mindful of the abiding presence of the United Church of Christ and its predecessor denominations in many of this nation's historical moves toward social justice. Church leaders were historically connected to and passionately involved in the abolition of the slave trade, child labor reform, women's suffrage and, more recently, the civil rights movement. The great changes promoted and achieved by these social movements were rooted in Christianity. Today the church is engaged in the pursuit of equal rights for all persons regardless of sexual orientation.
On Sunday I will offer another Wallis suggestion for you to think about: "If politicians and institutional leaders simply follow the wind, perhaps it is our responsibility to change the wind" (my paraphrase). Come to church on Sunday with that question on your mind. I cannot wait to see you!!
In Christ,
Pastor Pete
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Spring Cleanup!!
Well, its almost time for us to open the garage, grab the tools which signify that spring is here, and begin our yard work. We need to do that work at Zion as well as at our homes. We will have our first "outside"  spring cleanup effort at Zion on Saturday April 27. If the weather is inclement on that date we will postpone our activities until the following Saturday, May 4. We will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude when our backs and blisters tell us it is time to cease our efforts.
Plan to be with us. Bring your ideas for what you would like our grounds to look like this spring and then come and make that happen!
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 Bricks for Dick
Family Promise is selling brick pavers to raise money for the final stage of renovating the new Family Promise home located two blocks from Zion. The pavers will decorate the walkway surrounding the home. Zion Church is a covenant partner with Family Promise which provides emergency services to homeless families in the Delaware area. Each paver is $100.
The church is purchasing pavers which will read In Memory of Dick Ellis. Dick Ellis was a strong and passionate voice  for Family Promise at Zion in the earliest days of our connection with these efforts. His sudden passing was a great sadness to the Zion family. Contributions for the bricks can be made to Zion UCC with brick mentioned in the memo space. Any amount, no matter how large or small, is welcome.
Members and friends will remember that, shortly after Dick's passing, collections were made to replace tables in the fellowship hall (Dick wanted this done!). The tables we use today are a testament to Dick's love and caring attitude for his brothers and sisters. The Memorial Service at Zion for Dick remains, to this day, a lasting and fitting tribute and testimonial to what God's love can and will do in the world. These gifts in his memory will provide another memorial to the time he spent with us sharing his gifts to God's glory.
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Delaware Community Chorus
Please join the Delaware Community Chorus on Sunday, May 5 at St. Peter's Episcopal Church. The DCC will perform a spring concernt, Camelot, Psalms and Haydn. The concert will be performed at 3:00 and again at 5:00.
The chorus will sing a medley from Camelot, the Broadway musical; unique arrangements of Psalms poetry; and Haydn's masterpiece, Te Deum. Tickets
cost $7.50 each and are available from chorus
members (John and Antoinette Miller at Zion!) or online at delawarechorus.org. Always a wonderful concert!!
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** Happy Birthday**
April 8 Laurie Campos
April 12 Peter Johnston
April 13 Brian White
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Immediate Prayer Concerns
Kay Lundy Jeff Burkam
Lowell Allen Donna Jarrell
Lucas Sandy Nichols
Charlotte Randolph The Families of Newtown
Tom Bordner Gary Zicht
Tim Flahive The Family of Eldon Wigton
Irma D'Epifanio Jill Glass and Family Pat Pressler Lisa Parks
Marylou Smith
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This Week at Zion
Our scripture readings this week will be Ezekiel 37:1-6 and John 3:1-10. This week's message is titled the Winds of Change. We can't wait to see you on Sunday!
Mobile Food Market. Eagles Parking Lot on Monday (April 15). 11:30 - 1:00. Voices of Zion Rehearsal at 6:00 Wednesday. Thank you for serving Zion this Sunday 
Liturgist
Cheryl Rogers
Ushers/Greeters
Chad Allen & Jeanette Morris
Acolyte
David Powell
Nursery Care
Melissa Peterson & Sarah Newcomb
Fellowship:
Jerry & Ann Elliot
Monday, Wednesday. & Thursday 10-2
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