Pastor’s Corner
Stewards of God
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. 1 Peter 4:10
This time of year, it is very common for people to be “thankful.” Even the unbelieving world around us can pause and appreciate all the stuff they have. But Christians do something unbelievers never can and never will do. We go further. We realize EVERYTHING we have not only comes from God, but everything also belongs to God. We are simply “using” those gifts from God for a while in this life. God is essentially “loaning” everything to us, just for a time.
Click the link below to read the complete story ….
Stewards of God
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. 1 Peter 4:10
This time of year, it is very common for people to be “thankful.” Even the unbelieving world around us can pause and appreciate all the stuff they have. But Christians do something unbelievers never can and never will do. We go further. We realize EVERYTHING we have not only comes from God, but everything also belongs to God. We are simply “using” those gifts from God for a while in this life. God is essentially “loaning” everything to us, just for a time.
For example, think of the food we give thanks for. We did not create this food, God did. And God has loaned that food to you so you may eat. You have become a steward of that food. And after you eat that food which God has created it gives you energy to do . . . what? That could certainly vary. You could use the energy from that food and go out and shoplift, or shoot someone, or have a sexual affair. You could use the energy from that food to sin. That would mean we were a very poor steward of what God had entrusted to us.
But we don’t have to sin. We could use the energy from food to speak God’s Word to others, to do good works God has prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). You could use the energy from that food and sing praises to God. In short, you could be a good steward of what God has entrusted to you.
On November 9th, we are going to celebrate “Stewardship Sunday” at Zion. For just this one Sunday all of our readings, hymnody, sermon and adult Bible study will focus upon “stewardship.” I know you may cringe when you hear that word thinking it is all about money, but I assure you money will not be our focus. Our focus will be very simple and yet profound: God has entrusted (loaned) everything to us for a time. Because of that, we are now all stewards (a person entrusted with managing something on behalf of God, with the understanding we are merely caretakers, not owners of those things.)
After a while of entrusting everything to us, it will all return back to God. The question is this: how did we steward what God had entrusted to us? Were we poor stewards, hoarding God’s gifts for ourselves? Or were we faithful stewards realizing we own nothing in this life, and all of it has been entrusted to us, loaned to us, by God for a time. Stewardship is far more than something simple like “money.” Stewardship is about you, and you realizing everything you have, everything you are, is a gift to you from Christ. I hope you can join us on Nov. 9th!
Community Event: Sugarplum Artisan Marketplace
Sugarplum Artisan Market – FINAL DAYS!
It’s time for our 6-day sale with 2 rooms FULL of handcrafted gifts, seasonal decorations, handmade jewelry, fashion accessories, original wall art and more, all locally made. Upper St. Clair League for the Arts.
FINAL DAYS:
It’s time for our 6-day sale with 2 rooms FULL of handcrafted gifts, seasonal decorations, handmade jewelry, fashion accessories, original wall art and more, all locally made. Upper St. Clair League for the Arts.
VIDEO: Sunday, November 9, 2025 - 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.
Audio: Readings, Sermon & Men’s Choir for Sunday, November 9, 2025
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 Sunday, November 9, 2025
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins
Old Testament Reading -- 1 Kings 3:5-14
At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”
Epistle Reading -- 1 Timothy 6:3-19
If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the thirteenth chapter
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.
Men’s Choir -- Jerusalem the Golden (8:00 a.m.)
BONUS Recording
The Lee Family - Jesus Loves Me (10:30 a.m.)
"Thankfulness"
"Thankfulness" …
… said Dr. Martin Luther, "is a virtue characteristic of real Christians; it is their worship of God at its best. They thank God and do it with all their hearts." Luther went on to say, "To thank with all your heart is an art—an art taught by the Holy Spirit. You need not worry that the man who can say, 'Thanks be to God' with all his heart will ever be proud, stubborn, or will work against God with his gifts."
"Thankfulness" …
… said Dr. Martin Luther, "is a virtue characteristic of real Christians; it is their worship of God at its best. They thank God and do it with all their hearts." Luther went on to say, "To thank with all your heart is an art—an art taught by the Holy Spirit. You need not worry that the man who can say, 'Thanks be to God' with all his heart will ever be proud, stubborn, or will work against God with his gifts."
Lutherans for Life
“Babies are born into the world wrapped in surprising packaging like disabilities or poverty, but even so, God has a perfect plan for each one of them. Abortion is a tragic end to the countless blessings in store for those who would have surrounded these children.”
Brad Mattes, Life Issues Institute –
A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life • lutheransforlife.org
“Babies are born into the world wrapped in surprising packaging like disabilities or poverty, but even so, God has a perfect plan for each one of them. Abortion is a tragic end to the countless blessings in store for those who would have surrounded these children.”
Brad Mattes, Life Issues Institute –
A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life • lutheransforlife.org
Bulletin: Sunday, November 9, 2025 + This Week at Zion
Download/view the latest bulletin. It’s filled with our hymns, the order of service, all the readings from scripture, prayer requests for family & friends, service participants, communion statement, about our worship, the schedule of events for this coming weeks, along with announcements, news updates, happenings, and more!
View the bulletin for Sunday, November 9, 2025
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins
THIS WEEK AT ZION
Saturday, November 8
3:00 p.m. - Lee Children’s Birthday Party in the Fellowship Hall (Additional Details)
Sunday, November 9
Stewardship Sunday
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
11:45 a.m. – Packing of Preschool Christmas Goodie Bags
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)
Monday, November 10
6:00 p.m. - 1st Year Confirmation Class
7:00 p.m. - 2nd Year Confirmation Class
7:00 p.m. - Board of Education Meeting
Tuesday, November 11
6:15 p.m. - Bell Choir
Wednesday, November 12
2:00 p.m. - Midweek Worship Service with Communion
2:30 p.m. - 30-min. Bible Study, The Book of Nahum
(Service streamed on our YouTube channel)
Thursday, November 13
7:00 p.m. - Council Meeting
Friday, November 14
6:45 p.m. - Paint & Sip Event (additional details)
Saturday, November 15
No Events Scheduled
Sunday, November 16
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
6:00 p.m. – Youth Group
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)
CLICK THE UPCOMING EVENTS GRAPHIC to go directly to our UPCOMING EVENTS page