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

December 13, 2023

Christmas is Just Around the Corner

Christmas at Zion is a special time. The beauty of our sanctuary by candlelight is unmatched, and the fellowship of our community is a blessing. You are invited to be a part of it. Come as families. Come as you are. See what God has done.

Join us for a Christmas Eve candlelight celebration of Jesus’ birth, singing praise with the angels, worshiping with the shepherds, and contemplating with Mary and Joseph what it means to have “God with us.”

We will not have an 11:00 a.m. service on Christmas Eve. Please plan to join us in the evening to celebrate!

Casual Christmas has become such a beloved Zion tradition and an opportunity to give our worship leaders a “Sunday off” from their set up and clean up responsibilities.

Wear your favorite Christmas pajamas and come for Christmas carols, cookies, and hot cocoa. (We worship outside under the portico. Last year, it was *really* cold, so check the weather before you come.)

Opportunities to "Just Show Up"

Wednesdays in Advent Continue Tonight

We've been talking about it for a few weeks already, but the time has finally come. If the holiday season is stressing you out and you're looking for an opportunity to pause and refresh, this is it – and you're invited.

5:30 p.m. Dinner & Fellowship

6:00 p.m. Book Study & Discussion

7:00 p.m. Holden Evening Prayer

Don't have time to bring something to share for dinner? It's okay; just show up. Don't have time to read the book we're discussing? It's okay; just show up.

Can't make it for anything but evening prayer? It's okay; just show up.

It is so much more important that we prepare our hearts and minds for the celebration of Christmas any way that we can. See you tonight!

No Third Tuesday in December

December is an incredibly packed month. Our Third Tuesday Lunch Bunch will not meet in December and will start fresh in January!

Opportunities to Serve Joyfully & Give Selflessly

Thank you to everyone who has donated so generously. We will be collecting through the 12 Days of Christmas and concluding on Sunday, January 7th.

If you would like to donate financially rather than shop, click here. We will do the shopping for you. Food donations can be dropped off at the Evergreen Academy office or at worship on Sunday mornings. Thank you for your generosity!

Help Restock the Pantries

We are restocking our pantries in preparation for the holidays and in order to begin 2024 with plenty of items for our neighbors of all ages. If you would like to donate, click here for the wish list and Amazon will ship the items directly to Zion. Thank you for your generosity!

Sunday at 11:00 a.m. – In Person & Online

Third Sunday of Advent

“Rejoice always,” begins the reading from 1 Thessalonians. Isaiah and the psalmist make clear that God is turning our mourning into laughter and shouts of joy. “All God’s children got a robe,” go the words of a spiritual. It is not so much a stately, formal, pressed outfit as it is a set of party clothes, clothes we are happy to wear. We receive that robe in baptism, and in worship we gather for a foretaste of God’s party.

New Ways of Praying in Advent

This month, we began a new practice of praying for people by name on Sunday mornings. All names submitted online (click here) by Saturday at noon will be included in the prayers of the people the next day. Alternatively, those who attend Sunday morning worship in person will have the opportunity to fill out a prayer card each week to include whomever they wish in our community's prayers. In order to keep our prayer list current, all names must be resubmitted each week if you desire continued prayers.

Cantor Kurt R. Schmidt

954-421-3146, option 2 (Church) • 954-913-2125 (Cell)

kschmidt@zion-lutheran.org

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.