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Compassionate Love

By Vicar Lisa

“And now O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to all in all God’s ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”  Deuteronomy 12:12.

In a woman’s devotional guide, I came across, there was an article about love, specifically the love required by God from us for himself and for one another. This love is the highest form of love – agape love – love like God’s. It is a love of the head rather than a love of the heart. This type of love is one that determines to be concerned, first and foremost, for the loved one’s well-being in every dimension of their lives, whatever the cost to ourselves. How can we know that we love God? By being obedient. Jesus said, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.” John 14:21.

I always worry about not loving God enough. But reading that passage from John relieves some of my anxiety. It takes love out of the realm of feelings and into the realm of doing. Because I am all about doing! I love God by loving others and having compassion for them. I can love by doing.

Thank you, Lord, for these words of encouragement. Help me to remember that by doing what I can for other people, that I am loving them, obeying you and loving you. Amen

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, Sept. 24, 2023

10 a.m. Worship with Holy Communion

Serving Next Sunday, Sept. 24

Worship -- Vicar Lisa Rygiel, Mike McNeil

Musicians – David Lamb, Sharon Sorenson & Melodie Lanosga

Ushers – Sharon Sorenson & John Rygiel

Communion Preparations – Peggy Gustafson/Kathy Humphrey

Council Meeting Minutes

Zion's Lutheran church council met after worship on Sunday, Sept. 17.

  • Vicar Lisa reported that the God's Work Our Hands project at the park went very well. Pastor Clay and his wife Mary were given the "day off" and we took over preparing a meal for a group at Cimino Park.
  • We will be celebrating the 135th anniversary of our church on Sept. 24. A committee was formed to update our mission statement. They will be working on this in the coming weeks and have it ready by the annual meeting.
  • Vicar Lisa will be attending seminary Oct. 22-28. She will be working with Sangre de Cristo Hospice for her Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). As part of her TEEM education she will put in 300 hours at hospice beginning in mid-October.
  • It was decided that money collected for the fifth Sunday blessing in October would be split between ELCA Lutheran Disaster Services and our local food ministry.
  • Plans are underway for the Blessing of the Animals on October 7 (in honor of St Francis of Assisi) and a Blue Christmas worship service on Dec. 21.
  • The Fall Clean-up was held on Sept. 16. Special thanks to Vicar Lisa, Julie Wersal, Jennifer Erickson, Erin Ogletree, Paula Little, T.M. Garner, Cherie Holder, Lynn Chase, John Rygiel, and Kathy Nicolai, for their hard work.
  • In response to the work done by the transition team and church council during its retreat earlier this year, the proposed changes to the Constitution and By-Laws were finalized and are ready to send to the congregation for a vote. Voting members will be getting an email with the information next week and the congregational meeting will be scheduled for after worship on Oct. 29. Hard copies also will be available in the sanctuary next week. If you have questions, please contact Julie Wersal or any other council member.
  • Council discussed finding a cleaning person for 2024, maintenance that is going to be done on the organ, and the Ring fire detection system.
  • It is with regret that we accepted the resignation of Paula Little from church council.
  • Respectfully submitted,

Julie Wersal, Council President

Announcements

  • Schedule Updates: Sunday morning Bible Study will resume in October and Friday Women's Bible Study began this month. The next session will be on Friday, Sept. 22, in the Fellowship Hall with a study of the parables of Jesus lead by Carol Smith. All are welcome.
  • Gods Work Our Hands: Thank you to all the volunteers that were involved in our God’s Work Our Hands project. We had about 42 people show up to eat, plus the Zion’s gang and some of Pastor Clay’s usual volunteers. The food was a big hit, they especially enjoyed the fried chicken, green beans, and watermelon. It was a blessing to all who participated, and Pastor Clay and Mary were so grateful for the weekend off. They were able to go to Texas and visit family.
  • Fall Clean Up Day: We had a very productive Clean Up day last Saturday! We accomplished almost everything on our lists except cleaning the downstairs fellowship area.
  • Zion's 135th Anniversary: Don’t forget our 135th Anniversary this upcoming Sunday. We will have food and music and memories!
  • 5-Loaves Help Wanted: 30 is our next 5-Loaves lunch distribution. If you can help with meal preparation and/or deliveries next Saturday morning, please let Norine Hazen or Jo Moss know.
  • Now Available: Copies of the October-December Portals of Prayer are available in the back of the sanctuary and in the Fellowship Hall. Large print copies of Portals of Prayer are on the table in the Fellowship Hall.
  • Blessing of the Animals: Heads up all animal lovers! We will be having the blessing of the Animals at 10 a.m. on Oct. 7 in the lower-level lawn area. We are looking for fellow animal lovers to assist and bring treats for pets and people alike, please contact Vicar Lisa.
  • Flower Sign Up: here still are Sundays in 2023 available for flower dedications. The recommended minimum donation is $35, and the work of our flower guild is lovely. You can keep the flowers or donate them. The flower guild divides the donated bouquet into nosegays for nursing homes and for the homebound.

E-formation – 17th Sunday after Pentecost
Sept. 24, 2023

The parable we hear this coming Sunday might strike churchgoers as troubling: what, shouldn’t we get paid more if we work longer hours?! The last shall be first. Come to worship, to meditate on the good news found in this story and to receive the meal of God’s mercy.

Matthew 20:1-16

Once again, Matthew balances his earlier emphasis on righteous living with the assurance of God’s forgiveness. The allegory contradicts the commonplace religious idea that in the afterlife, heaven or hell will be assigned as deserved. In this allegory, God disrupts our notions of reward and punishment by surprising mercy. We receive this mercy already at the table.

Jonah 3:10—4:11

The conclusion of the short story of Jonah is chosen as a parallel to the allegory of the laborers in the vineyard. Like us, Jonah begrudges forgiveness for his enemies, and perhaps like us, he cares more about his own comfort than about the lives of 120,000 other people. Perhaps the reader can make clear the poignant irony that this brilliantly written story intends.

Philippians 1:21-30

Today’s excerpt from Philippians introduces the themes of the letter: joy in the faith and a call for unity. One connection with today’s gospel is that only because of God’s unending forgiveness for both sides of every quarrel can we accept one another and live in unity.

Zion's Lutheran Church

zionsluth@gmail.com

719-846-7785