March 31st Deaconess Update

Thanks be to God, our search for a Deaconess at Zion is progressing nicely! In recent weeks Zion's Call Committee has reviewed documentation from seven candidates, and from there narrowed its search down to two. Most recently, on March 20th the Committee interviewed the two candidates. Following the interviews and much discussion, the committee unanimously chose one Deaconess to whom they would like to extend a call. 

On Sunday, April 28th following the 10:30 a.m. service, a Voter’s Meeting will be held during which the committee will recommend the candidate for approval by the congregation. 

Please make every effort to attend this important meeting and learn more about the Deaconess candidate. 

---

Director of Family Life
The Director of Family Life will work alongside the pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in developing and maintaining outreach programs to the local community (primarily through Zion Lutheran Preschool). The Director of Family Life will also focus upon strengthening the relationships between existing Zion members.

The overall goals of the Director of Family Life position are as follow:

• Create a preschool outreach initiative.

• Plan all youth programming/events.

• Recruit & coordinate volunteers for programs.

• Oversee ordering of resources related to events.

Download the PDF for a full description

DOWNLOAD: DETAILS on the position of Director of Family Life

VIDEO: Sunday March 31, 2024 - Complete Service - Easter Sunday

View the bulletin for Sunday, March 31, 2024
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins

Old Testament Reading -- Isaiah 25:6–9 
Epistle Reading -- 1 Corinthians 15:1–11 
The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the sixteenth chapter

AUDIO: Readings, Sermon & Choir for Sunday March 31, 2024 - Easter Sunday

View the bulletin for Sunday, March 31, 2024
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins

Old Testament Reading -- Isaiah 25:6–9 
On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” 

Epistle Reading -- 1 Corinthians 15:1–11 
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 

The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the sixteenth chapter
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. 

Bulletin: Sunday March 31, 2024 - Easter Sunday

View the bulletin for Sunday, March 31, 2024
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins

THIS WEEK AT ZION:

Saturday March 30
No Events Scheduled

Sunday March 31
EASTER SUNDAY
View details about Easter Breakfast
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:00 a.m. — Easter Breakfast Buffet in the Fellowship Hall
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)

Monday April 1
6:30 p.m. - Faith Bell Choir Practice

Tuesday April 2
6:15 p.m. - Grace Bell Choir Practice
7:15 p.m. - Adult Choir Practice

Wednesday April 3
No Mid-Week Service this week
No Event’s Scheduled

Thursday April 4
6:30 p.m. - Event’s Committee Meeting

Friday April 5
No Event’s Scheduled

Saturday April 6
No Events Scheduled

Sunday April 7
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:00 a.m. — Adult/Teen Bible Study & Children’s Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)

View Details on Zion’s Congregational Art Show, coming in November 2024.

VIDEO: Thursday March 28, 2024 - Complete Service - Maundy Thursday

View the Bulletin for Thursday, March 28, 2024
2:00 p.m. - Worship Service with Communion
7:00 p.m. - Worship Service with Communion
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

Old Testament Reading – Exodus 24:3–11 
Epistle Reading – 1 Corinthians 10:16–17 
The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the fourteenth chapter. 

AUDIO: (7) Readings & Sermon for Friday March 29, 2024 - Good Friday

View the Bulletin for Friday, March 29, 2024
1:30 p.m. - Prelude Music
2:00 p.m. - Worship Service
6:30 p.m. - Prelude Music
7:00 p.m. - Worship Service
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

First Reading – John 18:1-11 
When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, ”I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” Then 

Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” 

Second Reading – John 18:12-27 
So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. 

Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. 

The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. 

Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed. 

Third Reading – John 18:28-32 
Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you. ”Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 

Fourth Reading – John 18:33-40 
So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” 

After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber. 

Fifth Reading – John 19:1-16 
Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.” 

From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. 

Sixth Reading – John 19:17-27 
So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” 

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, 

“They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” 

So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. 

Seventh Reading – John 19:28-42 
After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 

Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came 

out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.” 

After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 

So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. 

Strepitus slamming of the book 

A Good Friday Message

A Good Friday Message
from Rev. John Pingel, President of the Eastern District of the LCMS

Commentators report that Roman Law awarded the victims clothes as spoils for Roman executioners.
 
The soldiers who attended the cross on Good Friday consisted of a QUATERNION—a company of four. The garments belonging to Jesus would have likely included a head dress, sandals, belt, and outer garment—in other words, the clothing Jesus was wearing when he was arrested.
 
Apparently, according to John 19:33, the soldiers were able to decide ownership of these four articles of clothing WITHOUT gambling. If they were able to agree on consignment of the four articles of clothing, one item of clothes for each soldier---why did they also cast lots?

It is John who provides the clarification.
 “Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his outer garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, AND ALSO HIS TUNIC. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom, woven into ONE PIECE. They said among themselves, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it might be.’ This was so the Scriptures might be fulfilled, which said, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. Therefore the soldiers did these things.”
 
The tunic, a fifth item, a long shirt-like undergarment, was indivisible, and therefore unique from the other clothes, and very likely more valuable. It alone stood SEAMLESS and would need to be awarded to a single soldier only, rather than ripped into four pieces. For this reason they agreed to gamble in order to decide ownership of the tunic.
 
And so these four unnamed Roman military men, who just happened to be assigned crucifixion duty that day, and just happened to be in charge of the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, who happened that day to be wearing a seamless tunic—were operating out of their own impulses. They were not Jews. The had no familiarity with Jewish Scripture. They were not controlled by any external source. No unseen or mysterious force had control of their minds, to cause them to ROBOTICALLY fulfil a prophecy, written by King David many years earlier. As Roman soldiers, they were doing what Roman soldiers would do, with typically sinful human motive. They were one in their desire to profit from their victim by acquiring his material goods. With an extra garment in their possession, the act of trying to divide a seamless coat would likely have rendered it frayed and useless. The soldiers knew this and therefore decided to cast lots and leave it to chance WHO would get the entire garment.
 
So let us from this perspective approach this well-known incident. A bunch of Roman soldiers attempt to divide up a man’s last remaining earthly possession equitably among themselves. They gamble. The outcome is a matter of a roll of the dice. And yet—is not this incident, this seemingly minor detail, somehow ironic? Or shall we say, SURREAL?
 
DRINKING, LAUGHING, GAMBLING….while right above them, just over their heads, THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD…THE LORD OF ALL CREATION…is dying on a cross!
No concern. No sympathy. No compassion. Their only concern is who will get a piece of cloth. They gamble to determine who will get his undergarment. A cataclysmic event is going on, the pivotal point of all history….and there they are, seemingly unconcerned, another day at the job. Hey, at least gambling gives us something to do while we wait for him to die!  UNHOLY INDIFFERENCE.  Something really, really important is going on.  And what do we see?  Human beings, unaware of the significance of this event, occupied with what they consider “more important” things.

Characteristic of this world in which we live, wouldn’t you say?
 
Lamentations 1:2 reads: “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.”  
 
There is a painting I remember seeing at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. It was a contemporary depiction of Christ’ crucifixion. Jesus is hanging on a cross between two thieves, bleeding and dying. Going by him are a parade of people in modern dress. Doctors, nurses, lawyers, construction workers, policemen, postal workers, students, older people, just walking by, hardly noticing what is going on.
 
I often think of that painting on Good Friday as I go about town. Good Friday is such a sacred day. Kids have off from school. Some have off from work. But how many observe the sacred nature of the day? It’s just a day off. Few attend church. Few spend even a few moments with bowed head in remembrance of the Savior, who bleeds for us, and dies for us, in the most horrific fashion, in order that we might have the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
The soldiers gambled for his clothes. We gamble for many things. We place bets on horses and football teams. We drop by the convenience store and buy a lottery ticket. We gamble, sometimes habitually, sometimes for fun, sometimes in an attempt to get ourselves out of trouble.
 
We gamble on many things. But there is one thing we must not gamble with… our salvation.  The fact of the matter is---his death on the cross has eternal ramifications. And our response to it is of UTMOST importance.  
 
There will come a time, as it certainly came for those soldiers who found themselves at the foot of the cross that day—a time which will come for each of us—when we must stare eternity in the face.
 
But those who trust in the Savior, who truly believe that he bled and died for them, can enter eternity with confidence.
 
Trusting in Christ’s saving work on our behalf, we are on solid ground. Trusting in his shed blood on the cross, we can face death with a HOLY indifference…with sins forgiven, assured of a Father’s welcome home.