News from Pastor Wokoma
Beloved Sponsors of St. Barnabas West Africa Lutheran Mission; Have A Blessed New Month of March, 2026, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ who for us all and for our salvation came down from heaven fasting forty days and forty nights in the wilderness. Amen.
As you join in this year's Lenten walk and meditate on the suffering of our Lord, please include in your prayers the safety of the Christians in Africa who are suffering from persecution especially the Confessional Lutherans of JEM Lutheran Seminary. The Seminary cannot afford to experience any more insecurity this time that she is financially scrambling/struggling to survive, among others, the increased number of new students, and new faculty on campus as required by the Accreditation Board of the National University Commission.
In all, we thank the Lord who continue to protect and sustain the students and the faculty as the Seminary was able to observe its usual combined Ash Wednesday Service of the Seminarians, the Lutheran High School students, the Lutheran Nursery School pupils, and LCN Synod staff. God Be Praised!
Click the link below for even more information …
A Blessed Ash Wednesday and Beginning of Lent!
Oh Lord, throughout these forty days You prayed and kept the fast;
Inspire repentance for our sin, And free us from our past.
You strove with Satan and You won; Your faithfulness endured;
Lend us Your nerve, Your skill and trust In God's eternal Word.
Through parched and hungry, yet You prayed And fixed Your mind above;
So teach us to deny ourselves, Since we have know God's love.
Be with us through this season, Lord, And all our earthy days,
That when the final Easter dawns, We join in heaven's praise.
(LSB 418)
Beloved Sponsors of St. Barnabas West Africa Lutheran Mission; Have A Blessed New Month of March, 2026, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ who for us all and for our salvation came down from heaven fasting forty days and forty nights in the wilderness. Amen.
As you join in this year's Lenten walk and meditate on the suffering of our Lord, please include in your prayers the safety of the Christians in Africa who are suffering from persecution especially the Confessional Lutherans of JEM Lutheran Seminary. The Seminary cannot afford to experience any more insecurity this time that she is financially scrambling/struggling to survive, among others, the increased number of new students, and new faculty on campus as required by the Accreditation Board of the National University Commission.
In all, we thank the Lord who continue to protect and sustain the students and the faculty as the Seminary was able to observe its usual combined Ash Wednesday Service of the Seminarians, the Lutheran High School students, the Lutheran Nursery School pupils, and LCN Synod staff. God Be Praised!
Below are a few pictures of the Ash Wednesday Service at the Synod Headquarters
Click on photo to expand and view as a slide show
Easter Break will begin on Monday of Easter, known as “Easter Monday” in some parts of Africa and the world. The reason is to enable the Seminarians to have hands-on-deck experience of the Trieduim.
PRAYER REQUEST(S)
Yet again, please continue to pray for my safety, and the safety of all the persecuted Christians in Africa especially this season of the church year as we are about to celebrate our Lord’s resurrection.
Almighty and everlasting God, You despise nothing You have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent. Create in us new and contrite hearts that lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness we may receive from You full pardon and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Sincerely in-Christ,
Fr. Wokoma
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. – 1 Tim. 1:15
Sunday School News
Children’s Song Performance Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday. March 29th, the Sunday School kids will be singing a piece with the adult choir at the late service. Mark Killinger has been practicing with the kids each week before class begins , so please make every effort to have your children in the school wing by 9:15 each Sunday so we can begin on time.
Sunday School Mission
Please don't forget our fundraising project, "Praise Him Africa", where we are raising money for song books printed in Swahili! Each five dollars collected buys one song book. The M&M ("Mission Money") tubes that we handed out earlier in the year are a good place to collect your change! And if you have extra change, please contribute to LWML. Container for both contributions will be located in the school lobby on Sunday.
Children’s Song Performance Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday. March 29th, the Sunday School kids will be singing a piece with the adult choir at the late service. Mark Killinger has been practicing with the kids each week before class begins , so please make every effort to have your children in the school wing by 9:15 each Sunday so we can begin on time.
Sunday School Mission
Please don't forget our fundraising project, "Praise Him Africa", where we are raising money for song books printed in Swahili! Each five dollars collected buys one song book. The M&M ("Mission Money") tubes that we handed out earlier in the year are a good place to collect your change! And if you have extra change, please contribute to LWML. Container for both contributions will be located in the school lobby on Sunday.
Spring Forward this Weekend!
Daylight Saving Time in 2026 begins on Sunday, March 8, at 2:00 a.m. (clocks move to 3:00 a.m.) and ends on Sunday, November 1, at 2:00 a.m. (clocks move back to 1:00 a.m.). This "spring forward" provides more evening light.
Daylight Saving Time in 2026 begins on Sunday, March 8, at 2:00 a.m. (clocks move to 3:00 a.m.) and ends on Sunday, November 1, at 2:00 a.m. (clocks move back to 1:00 a.m.). This "spring forward" provides more evening light.
VIDEO: Wednesday, March 4, 2026 - Complete Service
Each service at Zion Lutheran Church (normally the first of our two Sunday services) is streamed LIVE on our YouTube channel. These streams are for Sunday’s, Wednesday’s, Lenten, Advent, and special services. The entire service is streamed from beginning-to-end. Weddings and Funerals can also be streamed, if requested in advance.
View the bulletin for Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins
2:00 p.m. - Worship Service
2:30 p.m. - Bible Study: Nurturing Your Faith, Patient Urgency
7:00 p.m. - Worship Service
Audio: Readings & Sermon for Wednesday, March 4, 2026
This audio-only file includes all the readings from scripture, along with the sermon — and when available, the announcements, adult choir, men’s choir, and/or bell choir. Also posted along with the audio file is the text for all the scripture readings, and a link to the current bulletin, and our YouTube channel if you prefer to watch the LIVE Stream.
View the bulletin for Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins
2:00 p.m. - Worship Service
2:30 p.m. - Bible Study: Nurturing Your Faith, Patient Urgency
7:00 p.m. - Worship Service
First Reading -- Hebrews 2:11–18
For He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one origin. That is why He is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will tell of Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise.” And again, “I will put My trust in Him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given Me.” Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that He helps, but He helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore He had to be made like His brothers in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.
Second Reading -- Mark 1:9–13
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when He came up out of the water, immediately He saw the heavens opening and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son; with You I am well pleased.” The Spirit immediately drove Him out into the wilderness. And He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And He was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to Him.
Third Reading -- Mark 14:32–52
They went to a place called Gethsemane. And He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” And going a little farther, He fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Remove this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.” And He came and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” And again He went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer Him. And He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, My betrayer is at hand.”
And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize Him and lead Him away under guard.” And when He came, he went up to Him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed Him. And they laid hands on Him and seized Him. But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture Me? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” And they all left Him and fled.
And a young man followed Him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.
Sunday School News
In the Classroom:
During March, we continue with Unit 4, "God Calls A Nation":
Date Lesson
Sunday March 1
Lesson 3: A :Laughable Promise — Isaac is Born
Sunday March 8
Lesson 4: A Merciful Substitute — Abraham & Isaac
Sunday March 15
Lesson 5: A Servant’s Mission — Isaac & Rebekah
Sunday March 22
Lesson 6: Twin Troubles - Esau & Jacob
Sunday March 29
Lesson 7: A Family Grows - Jacob’s Family
Sunday April 5
EASTER SUNDAY — NO SUNDAY SCHOOL
We’ll have a sticker craft for kids at the Easter Breakfast during the SS hour
In the Classroom:
During March, we continue with Unit 4, "God Calls A Nation":
Date Lesson
Sunday March 1
Lesson 3: A :Laughable Promise — Isaac is Born
Sunday March 8
Lesson 4: A Merciful Substitute — Abraham & Isaac
Sunday March 15
Lesson 5: A Servant’s Mission — Isaac & Rebekah
Sunday March 22
Lesson 6: Twin Troubles - Esau & Jacob
Sunday March 29
Lesson 7: A Family Grows - Jacob’s Family
Sunday April 5
EASTER SUNDAY — NO SUNDAY SCHOOL
We’ll have a sticker craft for kids at the Easter Breakfast during the SS hour
Food Bank Sunday: March 8th
Bridgeville Area Food Bank
The March collection for the Bridgeville Area Food Bank is Sunday, March 8th. The “item of the month” is FRUIT (canned & dried). Items may be placed in the wicker bin in the narthex near the coat rack.
During the February 21st distribution, 106 families were assisted. Thank you for supporting this vital community service!
Bridgeville Area Food Bank
The March collection for the Bridgeville Area Food Bank is Sunday, March 8th. The “item of the month” is FRUIT (canned & dried). Items may be placed in the wicker bin in the narthex near the coat rack.
During the February 21st distribution, 106 families were assisted. Thank you for supporting this vital community service!