Love God
Love People
~Luke 10:27
|
|
|
Musings ~ Why Were You Sent??
Learning a trade or a craft from someone requires a lot of things from the student. The student must be disciplined enough to follow instructions over and over and dedicated enough to believe in the what the master is teaching. The student must also practice for hours, days, weeks, years, to master the craft and be able to practice the necessary skills well enough to do it on their own. If the student cannot be dedicated and disciplined, they will likely fail as a student, learning the craft poorly or not at all.
Jesus talks of learning the craft of discipleship in Luke 6. He talks to the disciples about learning to be like but not greater than the teacher. He talks about seeing the student being able to see their faults before seeing the faults of others—a practice teaching humility—and he talks about good fruit having to come from good plants. These are all great lessons in and of themselves, but Jesus is using them, I think, to lead into something else, something jarring but necessary for the disciples to hear.
Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and don’t do what I say?
This almost seems like common sense and in truth it should be. If Jesus is master/teacher/rabbi/lord, it seems common sensical to allow ourselves to be taught and then to follow the teaching. Unfortunately, much of Christian theology has tried to move the focus of being Jesus’ disciples toward a type of belief more interested in confessions and proclamations and less focused on learning and following the actual teachings. Why? I think the answer is simple: the teachings are hard. The teachings call us to do things that are, many times, in opposition to the way our culture has developed over the past two millennia. The teachings call us to connect with and serve the poor, the disenfranchised, the outcast, the immigrant, and the enemy. They call us to put aside self, comfort, and status, to embrace these ideals taught by Jesus. They call us to see the world in an almost upside-down way from what we are taught and see our success in life as being nearly the opposite of what many, if not most, people in our culture see it.
The fact is Jesus is only master and Lord when we not only believe but act according to his teachings—teachings that extend far beyond moral platitudes—and live as true followers of the Way. What we need, as followers of Jesus, is to either do as the master/Lord has said or renounce our claim to call him that.
Pastor Michael
|
As we continue to gather for worship together, just a few reminders....
- If you are sick or have been sick in the last week before gathering, please stay home. We want to see you but more importantly, we want to see you get better. If you are immune-compromised or part of an at-risk group and concerned about your health, we suggest you consider staying home for your safety.
- On Sunday mornings, we will continue to gather underneath the covered walkway that leads into the family life center nearest the sanctuary. The ground will be marked by at least six-foot intervals to keep people separated as we enter. Once inside, there will be more markers. Once inside the gym, an usher will direct you to chairs that will be at least six feet from any other chairs. Please stay in these areas during the service. Please do not hug, shake hands, or make physical contact with others gathering, for their safety and yours. When the service is over, we will file out one area at a time, going out the doors nearest the area where the buses are parked.
- Masks will continue to be available for folks to wear during the service. These are not optional. Please expect to wear a mask if you join us for worship.
- We will continue our prohibition of all other activities other than worship for now.
For the safety and well-being of each person that gathers with us, we pray that you will be willing to abide by these safety measures. We also STRESS the need to SOCIALLY DISTANCE! Please do not compromise the health of yourself or others during this time. May we all continue in prayer for our church family, community, and country.
|
Communion will be offered during worship this Sunday, September 6. Individual pre-packaged communion sets have been purchased and will be able to safely offer and you can safely receive communion.
|
The Lay Leadership Committee (Nominations) is asked to meet this Sunday, September 6 at 5:00 pm in the TFLC. Members are: Pastor Michael, Dennis Hall, Margie Vincent, Beverly Knox. Beth Craig, Diane Rape, Susan Broughton, Ryan Griffin, and Kristina Ray.
|
To My Church Family, A note to let you know how very much I appreciate your prayers, concern, calls, texts, and the beautiful and encouraging get well cards that I received. Also, thank you very much for the honorariums that were given.
~ God Bless Each of You, Barbara Hall
________________________________________________
Dear People of Zion, Thank you for the lovely cards,
phone calls, and the memorials to the church for Gary! I miss you all very much!! Hope to see you all soon.
Thank you most sincerely for all of the love! ~ Joyce Weathersbee
|
You are invited to a drive up wedding shower honoring
Brittany Jordan and Mitchell Montgomery
on Sunday, September 13, 2:00-3:00 pm.
Please, don’t leave your car!
Just drive up to the car drop
off at Zion’s Thompson Family Life Center
and the happy couple will greet you!
In case of rain, please drive under the carport
entrance to drop off gifts.
Brittany and Mitchell are registered at
Amazon and Belk.
Gift cards to Home Depot and Walmart would also
be greatly appreciated.
|
Our church leaders are working on nominations and
budget requests for 2021. This is quite an unusual year in the life of the United Methodist Church and in the life of our church of Zion. If you have any concerns or
requests, please contact the chairperson of the committee that oversees that area of outreach. If you have any other specific questions regarding budget, please feel free to reach out to Susie McDonald, our Finance Chair (803-283-7476) or to Missy Snipes, our Financial Secretary (803-804-2434). We are all in prayerful consideration of our church’s financial direction and our ministry outreach for the future of Zion.
|
A virtual Charge Conference will be held on Thursday, October 15th at 7:00 PM via Zoom. We need to prepare for our nominations and our budget for 2021. Please watch for scheduled socially distanced meetings so that we can complete the business needed for the New Year for our church.
|
General Fund Expenditures: July 2020
Oriental Trading (children)....................................................258.04
Pastor Jarrell (worship, cont ed, travel)..................................178.13
McDaniel Envelopes (offering envelopes)..............................286.13
P&J Sales (cleaning supplies)....................................................17.82
Rural Garbage..........................................................................145.00
Wycliffe Bible Translators.......................................................333.34
Comporium..............................................................................214.05
US Treasury (federal withholding)............................................79.56
SC Conference Direct Billing..................................................620.00
Staff Salaries.........................................................................3,539.80
People Facts...............................................................................16.20
Wespath.....................................................................................48.25
Christianbooks (worship)..........................................................65.30
Duke Energy..........................................................................1,076.78
SC Conference Treasurer (apportionments).........................3214.70
Constant Contact.......................................................................21.60
The Energy Center (parsonage stove).....................................640.19
Driver Support (office supply)....................................................9.99
LCWSD.....................................................................................152.73
LCNGA........................................................................................91.81
Southern Mutual Ins (buildings)..........................................2,444.75
Chris Massey (lawn mowing).................................................600.00
Custodial..................................................................................756.00
US Postmaster (stamps)..........................................................110.00
Wells Fargo (service charge).......................................................2.00
SC Dept of Revenue (state withholding) ....................................8.28
|
Be a light in the Darkness
Please remember to call and check on your church family and friends during these troubling times. Many of our members are unsure or afraid of returning to worship together and have also lost the connection of Sunday school. A call or a card can make a world of difference to those who are struggling with fear, loneliness, and isolation.
|
Pastor Michael continues to offer morning prayer and Bible study. Join us each morning at 7:00 AM for Prayer and meditation. Join us, also on Thursdays at 12:00 Noon for Bible Study. Pastor Michael is hosting these from our Facebook page. If you are unable to log in LIVE, these offerings remain available for viewing after on our website and FB page. |
While the church office remains closed, you are encouraged to reach out if you have a need or know of a need. You may call Pastor Michael at 1-859-475-8800, call the church office, 285-3864 and leave a message, call Missy at 804-2434 or email lmjarrell@umcsc.org or zionumc@comporium.net; these emails are being monitored daily. The answering machine will also be checked daily. During these times, we ask everyone to pray together for each other, our church family, our community, our country, and our world. May God be with us all. |
|
 |
Please remember these in prayer:
Nancy Ackerman
Angela Bailey
Francis Bell
Phillip Bell
Rick Black
Marion Boswell
Chance Bowers
Carol Boyles
Randy Boyles
Caleb Catoe
Sue Catoe
Carol Cauthen
Brandy Champion
Ann Chappell
Linda Coker
Sandra Cope
Bill Dingler
Sophia Dixon
Angie Dobson
Heather Elder
John Elder
Ashley Fort
Betsy Gardner
Mike Gay
Judy Goodnight
Travis Gordon
T.R. Grier
Ovedia Griffin
Catherine Hammond
JoAnn Hinson
Rev. Shelly Holder
Kevan Horton
Eric Hough
Libby Hunter
Melinda Hunter
Rick Joyner
Henry Ray Knight
Mary Jane McAteer
Kevin McCorkle
Ann McManus
Tammy McMillian
Debbie McWaters
Marie Moree
Rusty Mosier
Bell Perry
Betty Jo Phillips
Ann Powers
Vicky Pickett
Ann Reed
Kathleen Robinson
Mayme Jo Robinson
Nancy Rushing
Tom Salisbury
Bonnie Sears
Eva Small
Greg Smith
JoAnne Smith
Billy Sowell
Robbie Stepp
Matthew Sweatt
Jim Thomas
Mike Vick
Pat Vick
Ellen Walters
David Woodruff
Kim Yost
Our President and Troops
Those affected by the COVID-19 Virus
|
|
|
|
Even as we offer in-person worship, our services will still be made available online on our Facebook page. Log in to our Zion United Methodist Church Facebook page this Sunday for our service if you are unable to make it to church!! The service will also be available on our website at www.zionumc.com |
Current Upper Room Daily Devotionals are available for pick up at the church! We will place some of these on the table as you enter the life center and some in the plastic communication box outside of the life center doors where the buses are for those who do not have access to the church for you to pick up. There are large and regular print copies available. |
While our United Methodist Women will not be meeting for now, our thoughts and prayers remain with each one of you and with all in need during these trying times! If you know of a need that our women can help with, please contact an officer in the women’s group so that we can try and meet any needs! Executive officers are Sharon Haile, Darlene Hallman, Terry Robinson, Missy Snipes, Dianne Sweatt, and Mary Knight.
|
|
|
|
September 2: Linda Pardue
September 4: Marie Knight, Tammy Cooper, Mr. and Mrs. Billy Sweatt
September 5: Mark Hammond, Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Parker
September 6: Lee Waters, Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Walters
September 8: Joe East
September 9: Kayla Strait, Cameron Middleton
|
Our United Methodist Men's third Sunday meeting and our weekly Saturday Bible Study meetings have been suspended until the stay at home order has been lifted and we are told that we can begin to gather again.
To all church members: please understand that we are unable to allow folks to meet inside the buildings at this time. If you had a reservation for personal use inside of one of the buildings over the next few weeks, we are unable to honor those reservations at this time and will announce when we will again be able to honor reservations. As it is, gatherings inside our facilities is not possible.
|
The members of Zion ARE CONTINUING
to support the ministry and outreach
of the church!!!
Thank you to each one of you who have adjusted to this change in our lives and have continued to support the ministry and outreach of Zion UMC and for your continued presence at online worship!!! You can continue to give online through the website, www.zionumc.com by clicking on the donate tab. You do not need to have a PayPal account to use this option, simply click on the donate button and follow the prompts, you can text your giving to 803-525-1834 and follow the secure link, or you may give by mailing your tithes to the church at 1665 Zion Road, Lancaster, SC, 29720. If you have misgivings about online donations or mailing your donations, a locking mailbox has been installed under the covered carport where the buses are. You may place your contributions in the box and it will be checked daily.
Together we can move forward.
Together we can continue and make a difference!
TOGETHER, WE ARE the CHURCH!!
|
Special Gifts to Zion Church
In Honor of:
Carol Cauthen by Ellen Walters
Ellen Walters, Bryan and Donna Walters, Betty Crook, and Carol Cauthen by Judy Humphreys
In Memory of:
James Rollings, Clyde Walters, and Gary Weathersbee by Ryan and Miriam Griffin
Happy Birthday Colon Williams, Jr. by Max and Myra
Funderburk
Patsy Plyler by Ellen Walters
Clyde Walters, Chris Crook, Patsy Plyler, and Gary Weathersbee by Judy Humphreys
Special Gifts to the Building Fund
In Honor of:
Becky H. Steele, Doreen Catoe, and Kathryn Hicks by
Darlene Hallman
|
|
Our seven confirmands, who have concluded their classes online with Pastor Michael, will be joining the church on Sunday, September 13 during worship in the TFLC!!! We look forward to rejoicing in these new members of our church!! |
|
The Record Speaks....
August 30, 2020
Present for Worship: 35
Needed each week for the General Fund $4,360
Received for General Fund $4,280
Received for Building Fund $100
Received for Needy Fund $10
"...because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to."
Deuteronomy 15:10,,
|
|
803-285-3864 - www.zionumc.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
