Zion Lutheran Church Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor’s Corner

He breaks the pow’r of canceled sin;
He sets the pris’ner free.
His blood can make the foulest clean;
His blood avails for me.
— Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing LSB #528, st. 4

In just a few weeks we will begin the season of Lent. This is a solemn time for us Christians. It is not necessarily a time to focus upon ourselves. Practices of self-denial are good for Christians to engage in, especially during the season of Lent, but that does not mean our focus is upon ourselves. I would actually propose Lent is a time to take the focus OFF of ourselves and place it where it truly belongs: Christ.

For forty days we enter a period of repentance, a turning away from our sins, and a re-focusing upon the One who takes those sins away. We especially focus upon the price it took for Jesus to take our sins away. Jesus’ own life was given on a cross for each and every one of our sins.

The stanza at the top of this article reflects something I think all Christians struggle with. We know and believe our sins are forgiven because of that work of Christ on the cross, but we still feel sorry for our sins. Our sins still bother us. We still remember our sins. So, what should we do when we are still sorry for sins, they still bother us, and we still remember them? The answer is simple, we are to take our attention off of ourselves and fix our eyes on Jesus. As the hymn stanza above says, “He breaks the pow’r of canceled sin . . . His blood avails for me.”

We all know Jesus died on a cross to forgive sins. Even a child knows this. In fact, it is so simple we adults can easily forget what we are to do when the “pow’r of canceled sin” rears its head and bothers us. Instead of looking at yourself and your sins, look to Christ. Every time you are bothered by present or past sins, look at what Jesus did for you on the cross so that you can be certain without a shadow of a doubt that your sins really are forgiven; He died for them, every single one of them. Believe me when I say this, you truly are forgiven of all of your sins – every single one of them. You are forgiven, just look at what Jesus did to give you that forgiveness!

Pastor Grimenstein

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AUDIO: Announcements, Readings, Sermon & Adult Choir for Sunday February 4, 2024

View the bulletin for Sunday, February 4, 2024
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins

Old Testament Reading —Isaiah 40:21–31
Do you not know? Do you not hear?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;
who brings princes to nothing,
and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.
Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,
when he blows on them, and they wither,
and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
To whom then will you compare me,
that I should be like him? says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high and see:
who created these?
He who brings out their host by number,
calling them all by name,
by the greatness of his might,
and because he is strong in power
not one is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
and my right is disregarded by my God”?
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

Epistle Reading — 1 Corinthians 9:16–27
If I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the first chapter.
Immediately [Jesus] left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

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From the Elders

Each new year the Elders are assigned responsibility for around 16 individuals and/or families to maintain regular contact. The list is broken down by alphabet order. The Elders are available to help you and your family with your spiritual care, questions and comments that you might have about the church throughout the year. This list is also posted on the bulletin board in the narthex.

— Bob Schmidt, Chairman of the Board of Elders

DOWNLOAD PDF OF ASSIGNED FAMILIES

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Bulletin: Sunday February 4, 2024

View the bulletin for Sunday, February 4, 2024
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins

THIS WEEK AT ZION:

Saturday February 3
No Events Scheduled

Sunday February 4
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:15 a.m. — Adult/Teen Bible Study & Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:00 - 10.25 a.m. - BBQ Order Distribution in Preschool Lobby
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)

Monday February 5
6:00 p.m. - 1st Year Confirmation Class
6:30 p.m. - Faith Bell Choir Practice
7:00 p.m. - 2nd Year Confirmation Class
7:00 p.m. - Trustees Meeting
7:00 p.m. - Board of Education Meeting

Tuesday February 6
6:15 p.m. - Grace Bell Choir Practice
6:30 p.m. - Adult Choir Practice

Wednesday February 7
2:00 p.m. - Mid-Week Worship Service with Communion
2:30 p.m. - Bible Study (30 min.)

Thursday February 8
6:00 p.m. - Adult Confirmation Class with Pastor Grimenstein
6:00 p.m. - Events Committee Meeting
7:00 p.m. - Council Meeting

Friday February 9
No Events Scheduled

Saturday February 10
No Events Scheduled

Sunday February 11
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:15 a.m. — Adult/Teen Bible Study & Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)

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The Missing/Delayed "Readings & Sermon" Recordings

Some of the audio recordings of the “Readings & Sermons” listed below were unavoidably delayed due to technical issues. We are now up-to-date with all the audio and video recordings. Below you will find every audio and video recording for January 2024.

Sorry for this inconvenience,
Zion’s Webmaster

Wednesday January 3, 2024
Audio Recording
Video Recording

Saturday January 6, 2024
Funeral Service for Judy Meier
Audio Recording
Video Recording

Sunday January 7, 2024
Audio Recording
Video Recording

Wednesday January 10, 2024
Audio Recording
Video Recording

Sunday January 14, 2024
Audio Recording
Video Recording

Wednesday January 17, 2024 - No service due to (window) construction in the sanctuary)

Sunday January 21, 2024
Audio Recording
Video Recording

Wednesday January 24, 2024 - No service, Pastor away at a conference

Sunday January 28, 2024
Audio Recording
Video Recording

Wednesday January 31, 2024
Audio Recording
Video Recording

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