The Scammers are at it again!

Dear Zion Friends,
Unfortunately, once again fake text messages and emails have been circulating to Zion members ... the messages appear to come from "Rev. Dr. Grimenstein or Rev. Edward" and request the recipient to "reply as soon as you get this, there is something I want to discuss with you." If they receive a response, then they request money or gift cards. THESE MESSAGES ARE A SCAM. PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THEM!  

Pastor Grimenstein will NEVER ask for gift cards. You can verify that a text is fake by looking at the phone number it is sent from ... most fake texts are not even from our local area code!

Any legitimate text from Pastor will come from his cell number 412-523-7896. 

LCMS Stewardship Ministry Thoughts

LCMS Stewardship Ministry Thoughts 

Luke 18:35 – “As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.” Who is not a beggar? All that we have is a gift of God. We are all beggars before Him. Knowing this can leave us with nothing but thankfulness in our hearts. And this thankful acknowledgment of all the Lord’s gifts is also what forms the basis of our own generous giving. 

Matthew 6:19–21 – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What more is there to say about stewardship beyond this? These are the words of our Lord Jesus, and we would do well to heed them, for they flow from His heart of love. 

Matthew 15:27 – “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Faith receives what God gives, because faith knows that God only gives good things. Indeed, God has given us so much more than just the crumbs that fall from the table — He has given us life, salvation, body and soul, eyes and ears, possessions and income. That’s where our stewardship starts: with faith in the God who is the greatest Giver. 

Philippians 3:19 – “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” St. Paul does not want us to set our minds on earthly things, for they are passing away. This is similar to what Jesus says about storing up treasures on earth rather than storing them in heaven. Our heart tends to go where we put our treasure. This is why God commands us to live generously: not to spoil our fun, but to help train us in keeping our priorities straight and our minds off earthly things. 

-- From your Stewardship Committee (please contact Mike Kroeger at michael.k.kroeger@gmail.com if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions) 

VIDEO: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 - Complete Service

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Worship Service: 2:00 p.m. with communion
Bible Study: 2:30 p.m. - Book of Jonah (30 min.)
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

Visit our YouTube channel — Click the red “subscribe” box, and then click on the “bell” next to that box to receive Live Streaming notifications. You must be logged into YouTube to activate these features.

Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of BULLETINS

AUDIO: Readings & Sermon for Wednesday, May 21, 2025

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Worship Service: 2:00 p.m. with communion
Bible Study: 2:30 p.m. - Book of Jonah (30 min.)
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

Visit our YouTube channel — Click the red “subscribe” box, and then click on the “bell” next to that box to receive Live Streaming notifications. You must be logged into YouTube to activate these features.

Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of BULLETINS

Leviticus 23:23-44
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall present a food offering to the LORD.”

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the LORD. And you shall not do any work on that very day, for it is a Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whoever is not afflicted on that very day shall be cut off from his people. And whoever does any work on that very day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall not do any work. It is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath.”

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the LORD. On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. For seven days you shall present food offerings to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work.

“These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the LORD food offerings, burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its proper day, besides the LORD's Sabbaths and besides your gifts and besides all your vow offerings and besides all your freewill offerings, which you give to the LORD.

“On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD seven days. On the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. You shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”

Thus Moses declared to the people of Israel the appointed feasts of the LORD.

Luke 12:35-53
“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Confession
What is Confession?
Confession has two parts. First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.

Bulletin: Wednesday May 21, 2025

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Worship Service: 2:00 p.m. with communion
Bible Study: 2:30 p.m. - Book of Jonah (30 min.)
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

Visit our YouTube channel — Click the red “subscribe” box, and then click on the “bell” next to that box to receive Live Streaming notifications. You must be logged into YouTube to activate these features.

Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of BULLETINS

New Study on the Book of Jonah begins TOMORROW (Wed., May 21, 2025)

New Study on the Book of Jonah begins TOMORROW (Wed., May 21, 2025)
Each Wednesday at 2:00, Zion has a Mid-Week Service of Prayer & Preaching, followed by a Bible study.  Tomorrow we begin the book of Jonah.  
Mid-week service and Bible study is a great opportunity for those who may be unable to attend worship and Bible study on Sunday -- the service is 30 minutes, followed by a 30-minute study. 
Join Us!

Thank You from the Oelschlager Family

Dear Members of Zion, 

During a time like this we realize how much our church family really means to us. Your expressions of sympathy will always be remembered. A special Thank You to Pastor Grimenstein for his comfort and support. 

– The Oelschlager Family