Love God
Love People
~Luke 10:27
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Musings: How Did the Disciples Learn?
The greatest moment in human history was the resurrection of Jesus. If there is no resurrection, the followers of Jesus most likely disperse back into their lives and the Jesus movement becomes a footnote for religious scholars. We would have Judaism to be sure but Islam or some other expression of faith becomes the dominant religious force. The world, particularly the western world, becomes something different. With the resurrection, however, the Jesus movement changed world history and shaped the entire world with its influence. We have the rise of the Catholic and Greek churches, the monastic movements, the great doctors of the church, the Reformation, and the many other influential moments and events.
But another event went hand in hand with the resurrection and became the engine that drove the early church and continues today. Acts 2 talks about it this way:
When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak. – Acts 2:1-4
But before that, Jesus told the disciples this would happen whole responding to a question about the Kingdom.
…those who had gathered together asked Jesus, “Lord, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?”
Jesus replied, “It isn’t for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority. Rather, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. – Acts 1:6-8
They were looking for a physical kingdom to help rule. Jesus was teaching them about a Kingdom where God already reigned in and through the Spirit. This Kingdom of the Spirit, this Age of the Spirit, was to become the force behind the Jesus Movement. And the movement lived into it. They didn’t have the New Testament, they were the new testament, a new way of testifying about God through the direct influence of God’s Spirit. Jesus told the disciples, “I will ask the Father, and he will send another Companion, who will be with you forever. This Companion is the Spirit of Truth, whom the world can’t receive because it neither sees him nor recognizes him. You know him, because he lives with you and will be with you” (John 14:16-17). This new way of interacting with God changed the human landscape everywhere it went.
And it still does.
People all over the world offer personal testimony, saying they have encountered the Spirit, the Spirit has come over them, the Spirit has got hold of them. What they are all responding to is the same thing the disciples responded to and the very thing we should be responding to.
The Holy Spirit.
The disciples at Pentecost—and all those who came after them—found at their center an experience, an encounter with a divine presence defying explanation and with the power to change their lives. Some have listened and changed. Others had a one-off moment and went their way. Worse yet, some had an encounter began to change and stopped well before the transformation to being like Jesus was finished, the Quasimodos of the faith world.
For us to become true disciples, we have to be open, attentive, and listening to the Spirit of God. Somethings we hear may be reflected in the writings of the Bible and Christian writers and theologians. Frighteningly enough, some may not. Some things may require us to act in faith, to step out into waters unknown, untested. But we, like our spiritual predecessors, need to get to know the Spirit, learn to feel the rhythms and movements of the Spirit, learn to embrace and welcome the Spirit as it leads us to continue the work of Jesus, the work of teaching others about the Jesus Way and inviting them to live it with us.
Pastor Michael
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We will continue worship services socially distanced in the sanctuary at 11:00am. We will continue with the service in the same way we have been worshiping but we will be moving out of the Thompson Family Life Center. The children will begin having activities in the Life Center at the same time, also socially distanced. We will be using a format like Lancaster County Schools.
- Children will be dropped off at the front door entrance of the Family Life Center to be assessed.
- Children will have their temperature checked as they enter and any child with a temperature above 100.4 or with any cold or flu like symptoms will need to stay home
- Children will be socially distanced during activities
- Children will be required to wear a mask
- Parents must wait until their children are cleared before the parents leave
Youth will also be meeting at the same time but in the fellowship hall.
- Youth will wait outside the fellowship hall door until they can be assessed
- Youth will have their temperature checked as they enter and any student with a temperature above 100.4 or with any cold or flu like symptoms will need to stay home
- Youth will be socially distanced during activities
- Youth will be required to wear a mask
We look forward to the opportunity to see everyone joining us for worship and activities on Sunday morning. We hope to have a great and safe time worshiping together.
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The Staff Parish Relations Committee is asked to meet this Sunday, December 6 at 5:00 pm in the fellowship hall. Members are: Marcene Plyler, Judy Humphreys, Laura Everall, Steve Moseley, Mike Vick, Wanda Murphy, Margie Vincent, Dwayne Ray, Becky Barton, and Steve Duell.
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The Chancel flowers will be placed in the sanctuary this Sunday to the glory of God and in memory of Tony Neal and Bruce Lathan Love, Laura Everall and Shawn, Keli, Colton, and Sadie Grace Thomas
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With the recent bad weather and high winds, a lot of loose flowers from arrangements in the cemetery have been blown around the grounds. You may wish to make sure that your arrangement is in tact. Several flowers were picked up and are placed beside the men's club building. Our appreciation to each one who helped in picking up all of the flowers around the cemetery!
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Our Children and Youth groups continue to meet on Sundays at 11:00 am. We hope that your youth or children can come out and participate and this will allow parents the time to attend in-person worship. Our appreciation to our youth and children’s leaders for volunteering for this outreach!
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Morning Walking Club: Our weekday morning walking group has resumed meeting in the life center Monday through
Friday at 8:00 AM. Church members are welcome to come out and enjoy getting in some exercise out of the elements and in a secure location!
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Toys for Tots!! Faith Sunday School class will again be sponsoring the collection of toys for needy children this Christmas. Donations of toys need to be delivered to the church by Sunday, December 6. Please place your donations in the church vestibule. For toy suggestions, please contact Dianne Sweatt at 803-804-1602.
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2021 Offering Envelopes will be available in the church vestibule. As we are not meeting for Sunday school, the vestibule will be the best collection site for your yearly envelopes. As in years past, assigned numbers are not necessary. Thank you!!!
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Poinsettias will be placed in the sanctuary to the glory of God and in honor and in memory of loved ones on December 13 and 20. If you would like to place a poinsettia, please bring same and place in the church December 13. Please let the church office know how you would like these placed by Monday, December 7 by leaving a message on the church answering machine, calling Missy at 803-804-2434 or emailing the information to zionumc@comporium.net.
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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. |
· As of Sunday, we had 26 Senior Adult Christmas Shoebox gifts and lots of extra needed items in bulk that have been delivered to Lancaster County Council on Aging from Zion! Thank you to each one who has donated gift bags or items for gift bags to help in making a difference in the lives of our senior adults in Lancaster county!!! Thank you, also to our United Methodist Women for the continued financial support of this outreach in our community!
· Our church collected and delivered 25 Samaritan’s shoebox gifts to the collection site this month!! Thank you to each and every one who completed a box!!! What a wonderful outreach!!! Thank you also, to Terry Robinson for delivering the boxes to the collection site!!!
· Thank you, Thank you, Thank you (and still not enough!) for each one who came out and helped to decorate our Chrismon tree last week and prepare our sanctuary for Advent!!! Each one of you don’t realize how very much you are appreciated!!! THANK YOU ALSO to Steve and Lori Moseley for donating our lovely Chrismon tree in honor and in memory of Zion’s past, present and future members and pastors!! Steve also delivered the tree and helped set it up (Steve is the BOMB!!) Thank you, again to each one that helped to make our Advent season at church memorable for each one of us!!
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Please plan to join us for a socially distanced Christmas Eve Candlelight Service on Thursday, December 24 at 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary of Zion. |
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. |
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Please remember these in prayer:
Nancy Ackerman
Angela Bailey
Francis Bell
Phillip Bell
Sue Catoe
Carol Cauthen
Angie Dobson
John Elder
Myra Funderburk
Mike Gay
Catherine Hammond
JoAnn Hinson
Rick Joyner
Bill McCorkle
Kevin McCorkle
Marie Moree
Harris Plyler
Marcene Plyler
Ann Powers
Kathleen Robinson
John Rollins
Virginia Rollins
Bonnie Sears
Eva Small
Greg Smith
JoAnne Smith
Billy Sowell
Robbie Stepp
Matthew Sweatt
Pat Vick
Myrtle Walker
Donna Walters
Ellen Walters
Kim Yost
Our President and Troops
Those affected by the COVID virus
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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 in the church vestibule on the table and some in the plastic communication box outside of the life center doors where the buses are for those who do not attend worship or have access to the church for you to pick up. There are large and regular print copies available. January/February issues will be out before the end of December. |
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December 2: B.J. Griffin, Amanda Johnson
December 3: Nancy Ackerman
December 4: Sherri Whitley
December 7: Sadie Grace Thomas
December 8: Brandon Belk, Mr. and Mrs. B.J. Griffin
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Special Gifts to Zion Church
In Honor of:
Mike Gay by Ryan and Miriam Griffin
Special Gifts to the Building Fund
In Honor of:
Marcene and Harris Plyler and Donna Walters by Margie and Ray Vincent
In Memory of:
Robbie Sue Knight and Peggy Knight by Margie and Ray Vincent
Our Chrismon Tree was given to Zion Church
In Honor and in Memory of:
Zion’s past, present and future members and pastors by Steve and Lori Moseley
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The Record Speaks....
November 29, 2020
Present for Worship: 39
Needed each week for the General Fund $4,360
Received for General Fund $2,637.51
Received for Building Fund $25
There are many options available to give to the continuing ministry and outreach of Zion UMC. You may drop your offering in the offering plate as you arrive or leave worship service on Sundays, give through the website www.zionumc.com through Paypal, text your giving to 803-525-1834 and follow the secure link, or if you are not comfortable attending worship at this time and do not wish to give online, you may drop your offering in the mail to Zion UMC at 1665 Zion Road, Lancaster, SC 29720 or drop off in the mail drop box that is located beside the double doors where the buses are. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Missy at 8003-804-2434 or leave a message at the church office, 285-3864 and your call will be returned. Thank you for your continued support of the Mission that is Zion!!
"...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,,
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803-285-3864 - www.zionumc.com |
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