30 Hour Famine

 

Assuming it takes you two minutes to read this announcement, 36 children under the age of five will have died by the time you have finished. 36 CHILDREN. And those deaths are from hunger, poverty, and hunger-related diseases — all completely preventable. The good news is that our youth group has decided to do something about it: World Visions’ 30 Hour Famine.

     The problem is huge, but the solution is not. Just $30 a month—roughly $1 a day — can help feed and care for a child in most developing countries.

     As older students go 30 hours without food on March 13 and 14, they’ll get a taste of what it’s like to be hungry, all the while reaching out to others in need. And as they do that, their compassion will grow: for people around the world, and right here at home.

     Please help our youth group by:

1. Praying for the Famine participants, and for those they’re working to save.

2. Supporting Famine participants with a donation. It’s through your gifts that lives are changed forever.

Younger students are asked to participate in a TV Blackout for 30 hours on March 13 & 14. For information see the special flier after church or at Sunday School.

Thanks and God bless! Barbara Debner (628-7131)

 

Scholarship Applications Being Accepted

High school seniors who have been members of Zion Lutheran Church for at least one year and will be attending an accredited college full time in the fall are invited to apply for this year’s scholarship. Click  below for the guidelines and application form. Applications must be received by April 1, 2009.

Scholarship Guidelines

Scholarship Application

2/25/09 – Ash Wednesday–Beginning the Journey of Lent (Pastor Debner)

Sermon:

 

Souper Bowl of Caring www.souperbowl.org

The Souper Bowl of Caring is a youth-led, grassroots movement of caring, the result of thousands of young people joining together to fight hunger and poverty in their communities. Since 1990, $34 million has been raised for charities across the country. Money raised here at Zion is donated to Bread for Life.

2/22/09 Contenders of the Faith – Fatigue (Rev. James Debner)

Sermon:

 

Karin DeManche Funeral Information

Karin DeManche, member of Zion Lutheran, passed away on February 19, 2009.  The funeral will be held on Monday, February 23 at 10 a.m. at Plantsville Memorial Funeral Home. The committal will immediately follow the service at South End Cemetery.

Calling hours will be Sunday evening, February 22 from 5-8 p.m.

Ash Wednesday is February 25

 

We will begin our Lenten journey on February 25 with an Ash Wednesday liturgy at 7 p.m. Ashes will also be available in the morning from 7-8 a.m. at the altar. The solemn service includes the administration of an ash cross upon the forehead, for those who desire it. These words accompany the smudge of ash, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.”  To assist in your Lenten discipline at 7:45 and 10:00 a.m. each Sunday, there will be a time for corporate confession and individual absolution at the altar. This early beginning will give more time for prayer and preparation for worship. Start your Lenten journey a little early at Zion on Sunday, March 1 until March 29 at 7:45 and 10:00 a.m.  Join us at Zion as we begin a new walk with God.

 

Pastor Debner Travels to Israel

Pastor Debner is currently in Israel. You can read all about his trip and see hundreds of pictures of the Holy Land simply by clicking on the “Pastor’s Blog” tab on the homepage. Please keep Pastor Debner and all of his companions in your prayers for a safe trip home on Thursday, February19.

2/15/09 – Rev. Rod Rinell

Sermon:

 

Holy Land – February 11, 2009

  

Wednesday, February 11, 2009
After breakfast we drove to Joppa, the ancient port city to view the home of Simon the Tanner. We read from Acts 9:32-43 and then Acts 10:24-ff. It talks about Peter going to Caesarea and Joppa. This is where I walked today. It was amazing to step into history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now we will begin our journey north along the coastal road to to Caesarea, built by Herod the Great. It was here that Peter was imprisoned for two years. Herod was a builder. We sat in a 5,000 person amphitheater and then saw pieces of his palaces by the sea. It actually had a fresh water pool right on the salt water beach. We also saw a piece of stone etched with Pontius Pilate’s name. We saw an aquaduct that ran fresh water 15 miles from the spring.

 

 Visit the Crusader’s fortress and Roman ruins.

 

Proceed to Beit Shearim, ancient seat of the Sanhedrin, to visit the Catacombs and the ruins of what was once the most important synagogue in Israel.

 

We ate lunch at Megiddo or Armageddon. See Revelation 16:16.

 

We continue to Megiddo ancient chariot city of King Solomon and Ahab. They had a stable with 700 horses.

Mt. Tabor, the traditional site of the Transfiguration. This will be the gospel text when I return on Feb. 22. It is a mountain with height. Jesus and the disciples would have been in good shape to hike to the top.

On top of Mt. Tabor we visit the Church of the Transfiguration, a Roman Catholic church that marks the traditional place of Jesus’ transfiguration.

We end the day by coming to our hotel (Nof Ginosar Hotel) right on the Sea of Galilee. We will stay here for two nights. Dinner was an amazing buffet of salads, main dishes and desserts. The black olives are great, but the desserts are even better. It’s all kosher-so no dairy in anything, but I can’t tell.

Tomorrow we will go around the Sea of Galilee, including a boat ride and going into the water for a remembrance of baptism. So far it’s all been so amazing. I can’t take enough pictures or movies to do it all justice. I’m recording the lectures our tour guide gives. I think we could do an adult education class, just on the pics and tour guide insights.

 

 

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arrive Ben Gurion Airport.

Meeting and assistance through customs to your waiting guide and motor coach.

There were no issues at the airport or going through customs. It was good to see my checked luggage arrive. Means everything got here.

I did have a multi-plug short cuircut, but nothing got fried but that, thankfully. I had a back-up so all is well.

We met our guide Ezra who will lead us each day of our tour. We are on a coach bus, so it will be nice moving from site to site. Very different from the Africa tour.

Transfer to Tel Aviv. Check into your hotel for dinner, group meeting, and overnight

Our first meal was a buffet at the hotel and there was a great variety of food. I sampled different foods and enjoyed the meal. It was good not to be on the plane.

We are staying at the Tal Hotel in down town Tel Aviv. We are only a block from the Mediterranean Sea. There is a thunder storm right now that blew in from the sea. There is lightening and thunder and the wind is blowing hard. We walked down to the sea, after dinner, but the storm was coming so I came back and worked on updating the blog and getting my luggage packed for tomorrow.

We have a 6:30 wake up, breakfast is at 7 and the bus leaves at 7:45. Tomorrow will be a good day as we head North to the region of Galilee.

Overnight: Tel Aviv, Israel

February 9, 2009

There are 36 pastors from all over the USA, from all different faith denominations. Our flight left just a little late, the 747 was full, with no empty seats. We will arrive in 10.5 hours. We had a meal of spaghetti, salad and a brownie.

We slept some, but after a few hours the Orthodox Jews got up and got dressed to say prayers. It woke up most of the plane. I slept a few more hours and then awoke for breakfast (omelet and bagels, with fruit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Page »