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Weekly News from Zion and our Ministries Under the Cross: Evergreen Academy & Nina's Place
April 10, 2024
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Dear Faithful of Zion, Evergreen Academy, Nina's Place, and Our Community,
I am the first to admit that the joy of the Easter season is wonderfully contagious (in every good way), especially after 40 days of discipline, prayer, and fasting. But, I would be ignorant of the human condition if I didn't also leave room for all of the emotions that are anything but joyful. People we know are courageously fighting illness, suffering, prejudice, and indifference. Loved ones are grieving a myriad of losses. Our neighbors are just trying to survive. Our world is broken.
And yet, our faith reminds us that hope is a cornerstone. Paul reminds us that "hope does not disappoint." (Romans 5:5) Hope means that, even in our lowest point, there is still the opportunity to bring good out of any situation. It is no coincidence that one of the mottos of our partner, Deerfield Beach Community Cares, is "an oasis of help and hope." DBCC has a new t-shirt where HOPE features prominently. Why? Because people who have hope have a reason to think and act differently.
The Easter season reminds us that we, too, are ambassadors of hope. God is still writing our stories. The worst thing is never the last thing. Let us be encouraged. Let us show up for one another. And let us share the hopeful message of resurrection we have with the world.
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Cantor Kurt R. Schmidt
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Opportunities to "Just Show Up" | |
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Third Tuesday in April
Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at Noon
SeaSide Subs
1645 SE 3rd Court
Deerfield Beach, FL 33441
Don't make lunch plans and come as you are! We enjoy delicious food and one another's fellowship. We each pay our own way, but everyone is invited to the table — friends, family members, and neighbors!
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Book Group Forming
"America's poverty is not for lack of resources. We lack something else."
(Have we stoked your curiosity yet?)
We are exploring the possibility of a community-wide book group to read and discuss this new book by sociologist Matthew Desmond with friends and volunteers from Deerfield Beach Community Cares, Nina's Place, and around the world. Everyone is invited to participate.
We don't have anything set in stone in terms of a meeting day, time, or frequency. But, if you're interested in participating, respond to this email, let Cantor Kurt Schmidt know, and we'll be sure to include your input in the logistical decisions.
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Spring Concert
We have been the host site for the New Directions Chamber Wind Ensemble since January 2024. Their spring concert is coming up on Sunday, April 28th at 4:00 p.m., and we are all invited and encouraged to attend. Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for students. 50% of the ticket sales from the concert at Zion will come back to us as a contribution to our mission and ministries. For more information or to receive flyers for distribution, please call Cantor Kurt Schmidt.
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Opportunities to Serve Joyfully & Give Selflessly | |
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2024 Florida-Bahamas Synod Assembly Service Project
Every year, the congregations of our synod participate in a service project benefitting the local community of the host site. This year, we will be collecting boxes of mac and cheese, toothbrushes, and toothpaste for the Orlando Union Rescue Mission.
As one of Central Florida’s oldest and largest homeless services providers, the Orlando Union Rescue Mission remains committed to helping the hungry, hurting, and homeless by providing programs and services designed to transform lives. Through short-term provision of basic needs, Christ-centered care, discipleship, and education, OURM aims to lead the homeless to permanent independence built upon a personal relationship with Christ.
Gail & Kurt Schmidt will be bringing items to the Synod Assembly on Zion’s behalf. All items must be brought in by Sunday, May 26th. We are the Church together!
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Let's Get Shayne to LSM
One of our beloved, Shayne Clancy, has been accepted to participate in Lutheran Summer Music, the national Lutheran high school music camp, held from June 30 to July 28 at Valparaiso University in Indiana. We are asking, together with Shayne, for contributions toward a matching grant of $500 from Zion’s scholarship fund and $500 from LSM. To contribute, mark an envelope on Sunday morning “Shayne” and leave it in the offering plate, or give to the Peth Scholarship Fund on Zion’s online giving form.
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Sunday at 11:00 a.m.
Third Sunday of Easter
Second Sunday Healing Service
The gospel for the third Sunday of Easter is always one in which the risen Christ shares food with the disciples, meals that are the Easter template for the meal we share each Sunday. In today’s gospel, Jesus both shares the disciples’ food and shows them the meaning of his suffering, death, and resurrection through the scriptures, the two main elements of our Sunday worship.
Sunday's bulletin can be found on the homepage of our website.
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Prayers of the People on Sunday Mornings
All names submitted online (click here) by Saturday at noon will be added to Sunday's prayers of the people. In order to keep our prayer list current, all names must be resubmitted each week if you desire continued prayers.
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Quick Links & Contact Information | |
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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.
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