Weekly News from Zion and our Ministries Under the Cross, especially Evergreen Academy

September 7, 2022

This Saturday, September 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Set-Up on Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

First Shift Volunteers Arrive on Saturday before 9:00 a.m.

Pursuing a Radical Welcome at Zion: Part 2

At its July meeting, the Congregation Council gave its blessing for Zion to begin the journey toward becoming a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation. This is an important, national designation consistent with our commitment to be a congregation that radically welcomes all people.

This is the second of two weeks in this newsletter describing the RIC commitment, why it's important to us at Zion, and how we plan to proceed. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me or any of our council members (Robin Larson, Gail Schmidt, Scott McElroy, Michele Clancy, and Debbie Burns).

In Christ,

Cantor Kurt R. Schmidt

5 Great Reasons for Zion to Claim "RIC"

1. Everyone we speak to that knows Zion is legitimately surprised that we aren't already an RIC community.
2. We are already doing the work required of the RIC commitment.  We have called both an LGBTQIA+ pastor and a BIPOC pastor in the past, and there is no reason to think we wouldn't do so in the future, if that individual were determined to be the best candidate. We have also engaged in anti-racism studies and discussions, and have no reason to expect that will stop. All we really have to do is craft a welcome statement, which is something we need to do, RIC or not.
3. Remember the doors?  If "God's Doors Are Open to All," then we should say so! 
4. We are surrounded by churches in Deerfield Beach that are very much anti-LGBTQIA+, if not overtly, then by their messaging and interpretation of the Gospel. Do we want to be grouped with other "Christian churches" being seen as unwelcoming?
5. We have an opportunity to meet people where they are, validate their worth as children of God, and potentially undo years of unfair treatment in the name of Christ and religion.  If we can communicate that we are different (in a good way) from what others have experienced as "church," who knows who will "come and see" what God is up to at Zion? (Fun Fact: Experience has shown that the demographic most drawn in by the RIC designation is young families with children.)

Mark Your Calendars!

• Sunday, September 11th – “God’s Work, Our Hands” Sunday: Cantor Kurt Schmidt will introduce the ministry of ReconcilingWorks and the Reconciling in Christ (RIC) designation. As part of the process, we will be crafting a "Welcome Statement" to include specifically the LGBTQIA+ community and our commitment to anti-racism work.
• Sunday, September 18th and Sunday, September 25th: Following worship on both Sundays (in person only), we will be administering the Faith Community Assessment, a Reconciling Works tool that allows a congregation to measure where they are in terms of diversity and inclusion for marginalized individuals and groups.
• Sunday, October 2nd and Sunday, October 9th: Following worship (in person), we will facilitate a two week study of "A Lutheran Introduction to Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression."  Curricula will be provided, and an informal RSVP is requested so that we have enough materials. 
• Wednesday, October 5th and Wednesday, October 12th, both at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom: We will repeat the study on Zoom for those who cannot attend in person. An informal RSVP is requested so that we have enough materials.
• Sunday, October 16th: Following worship, we will open an  anonymous exploratory vote on the New Welcome Statement.  Paper ballots will be distributed to those worshipping in person, and an online ballot will be live for 72 hours.
• Sunday, October 30th – Reformation Sunday: If our RIC journey results in a New Welcome Statement affirmed by the congregation (70% of total votes) and adopted by the Council, we will celebrate this new commitment to a radical welcome and that “the church is always reforming” by lifting up our New Welcome Statement and relationship with Reconciling Works.

Ordinary Time: Part 2

This week in Sunday worship, you'll notice that we are switching to our "Fall/Autumn" worship pattern that takes us all the way through the rest of the church year to the season of Advent.

Other than what we hope is some beloved service music and seasonal hymns and songs, we want to make you aware of three pivotal changes:

1. The prayer of confession and forgiveness has moved to right before the celebration of Holy Communion.  There is good historical backing for this, as it connects confession (our "making things right") with the peace (our gesture with God and others that "everything is right").  Luther himself used a prayer of exhortation in the same liturgical place.
2. The prayers of the people have been written responsively.  This follows a seasonal tradition taken from the Book of Common Prayer, the service book for our Episcopal siblings.
3. At the end of the prayers of the people, there will be an open ended period of silence for you to lift up petitions aloud.  This can be more than just a person's name, but any particular issue or circumstance that is on your heart.  We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to share your prayers out loud; you never know who is praying in solidarity with you!

We invite you to open your hearts and your minds to new liturgical customs and ideas.  Even if you don't like something we're doing, remember this: it's only for a season!  And besides, worship isn't always about us, right?

ELCA Vital Congregations Training – Fall 2022

Are you ready to try some new things, share some ideas, gain a greater understanding of the broader mission, bring clarity about your own congregation’s mission, acquire knowledge on how to live that out in community, gain confidence to share what you have learned with the world, and find new allies from within a cohort of congregations? Then, you are invited to attend the 2022 Fall Session of the ELCA Vital Congregations Training.

 This will be a four-session training. The training sessions will be held two times per day from 1:30-3:00 p.m. (eastern time) and from 7:30-9:00 p.m. (eastern time) on October 6, October 20, November 3, and November 17. You may choose the best time each day that works for you. All sessions will be recorded and available to all registered participants.

Cantor Kurt Schmidt, Robin Larson, and Gail Schmidt have attended previous iterations of this training and highly recommend it.

It's not just for current leaders, council members, or church staff! Anyone who has a desire to see our churches revitalized should attend, participate, and come to the conversation at Zion with new ideas for mission and ministry. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity!

Click here to register.

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Noon 

Whale's Rib

2031 NE 2nd Street

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

(The Whale's Rib is located next to Flanigan's on A1A. Cross the intracoastal waterway bridge, make a left onto A1A, and follow the curve around. The Whale's Rib will be on your left.)