Weekly News from Zion and our Ministries Under the Cross: Evergreen Academy & Nina's Place

February 15, 2023

The Restoration Continues

The roofing company has completed their work on the church, and the new roof has passed all necessary inspections! (See pictures below.) The next step in the process is for another company to come in and clean, sand, and re-stain all of the wood in our sanctuary, including the portico, sides, and ceiling of the nave.

This is messy work, and we are required to not only vacate the space for the duration of the work, but have had to remove all items from the church sanctuary, including the books, displays, kitchen equipment, and the sound system. Thank you to everyone who assisted with a portion of this removal on Sunday.

Beginning this coming Sunday, our worship will be held in Katie Luther Chapel for the short-term future. (This is particularly special since KLC is the original church building at Zion.) We will continue to live stream services on Facebook, but will not be using PowerPoint (e.g. the screens). Those who worship online with us will see a slightly modified bulletin that leans on the Today's Reading insert and using the printed hymnals for singing.

If you would like to borrow a hymnal during this time, please let us know and we can arrange to have one ready to be picked up at Nina's Place or the Preschool during the week.

We look forward to this time together in another of our sacred spaces and give thanks for all of the people who keep this restoration process moving forward behind-the-scenes!

Whether you call it Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, it's a day to celebrate all things delicious! Join us for free pancakes for lunch or dinner in KLC before we enter into the discipline of the season of Lent. Our preschool families and Nina's Place friends are also warmly invited for food and fellowship.

On Ash Wednesday, you are welcome to worship, to receive ashes as a remembrance of your humanity, and to come to the Lord's Table to receive his gifts of grace for all people. Join us as we begin a 40 day journey of prayer toward the cross.

Free Exercise Classes Continue

Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to Noon in Katie Luther Chapel

Those who wish to participate should wear comfortable clothes and sneakers and bring a bottle of water. Come when you can for gentle stretching and chair yoga for all levels of ability and comfort!

Wednesdays in Lent begin March 1st

Opportunities to Serve Joyfully & Give Selflessly

Nina's Place: We Need You!

We continue to find ways to prepare and operate more efficiently at Nina's Place. We are so grateful for all those who are volunteering their time and talent and giving from their treasure to make this ministry sustainable.

If you are retired or have an unusual work schedule, we have volunteering opportunities available during the weekday afternoons (especially Thursday and Friday) to prepare items to be given away on Saturdays. There are jobs for all skill and ability levels. Please consider volunteering (if you can) by following the sign-up links below.

This Sunday: Transfiguration of Our Lord

This Sunday’s festival is a bridge between the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany cycle that comes to a close today and the Lent-Easter cycle that begins in several days. On a mountain Jesus is revealed as God’s beloved Son, echoing the words at his baptism. This vision of glory sustains us as Jesus faces his death in Jerusalem. We turn this week to Ash Wednesday and our yearly baptismal journey from Lent to Easter. We put aside the alleluia at the conclusion of today’s liturgy. This word of joy will be omitted during the penitential season of Lent and will be sung again at Easter.

• Two AA Groups meet weekly at Zion: Women's AA (Mondays at 7:00 p.m. in the Boardroom) and Old Timers AA (Saturdays at 7:00 p.m. in Katie Luther Chapel).

Zion is a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) community, and extends God's radical welcome to all people, because we're all created in God's image.