Zion E-News (1-13-2022)

A year ago yesterday, my older sister’s father-in-law died after a long journey with Alzheimers. Wayne Leys was a friend and mentor to me for many years. When I lived in Chicago, he was pastoring a church in the suburbs and he and his wife Christine let me stay with them when the lease on my apartment ran out a week before my job ended. When we were living in Colorado, I spent 4 days with Wayne, my dad, and brother-in-law hiking the Grand Canyon from the North rim to the South rim. He gave me some wise counsel on some perplexing issues. It was hard watching this wise, well read, and thoughtful man lose so much of what made him uniquely Wayne.

But this morning, my sister posted a picture of Wayne with his arms raised by Lake Michigan in a posture of worship with pure joy etched into every line of his face. The one thing he remembered almost all the way to the end was worship songs, hymns and contemporary praise songs. He simply loved to worship God.

It reminded me of my Grandma Brower’s last few years. She died of Alzheimers while I was in seminary. Several times in those last few years, I would visit her while visiting shut-ins from the church at which I interned. She frequently did not remember me or even that she had grandchildren. Often, I would tell her I was a pastor from her church, which seemed to help her feel safe and comfortable. My favorite visits were on the afternoons when they would sing hymns in the nursing home. She may not have remembered me, but she knew every word of every verse of Amazing Grace.

I am thankful for two things as I reflect on these memories today. First, I am thankful for wonderful mentors and spiritual leaders who went before me and prayed over me in people like Wayne Leys and my Grandma and so many more. The support, wisdom, and prayers of older generations for teens and young adults are a gift to God’s church.

And second, I am thankful for all those who lead God’s people in worship. Our worship teams and audio/visual teams are not simply making music for a service, they are orienting our hearts to God. They are furrowing spiritual grooves in our brains that shape how we see God and ourselves. Music disciples and shapes us spiritually. That is why I am also thankful for the care Jeremy Zoet takes in choosing new songs for our congregation.

The music we sing shapes how we follow Jesus.

– Greg

Connect to God
This week we will gather for worship at 9:30 am. The service will be live-streamed and replayed again at 11 am. This weeks service will be at zionreformed.online.church and streaming on our YouTube channel. We will also rebroadcast a version of the service on WCET at noon on Friday and 4pm next Sunday. 

This morning, we continue a sermon series entitled Upside Down Kingdom. This series draws from the gospel lectionary readings, predominantly in Luke, to help us see the counter-cultural values and ways of God’s kingdom. Our text today comes from the gospel of John as Jesus begins his public ministry at a private wedding. In this surprising story, Jesus defiles holy objects to turn water into wine and keep the party going. We rightly wonder what is happening here and what might it mean for us to live in a kingdom that turns sacred objects secular for the sake of a wedding.

Grow in Community
As Covid cases have risen significantly in the past few weeks, please join me in praying for the many people in our church who are or have been quarantined, the kids missing out on school, the teachers and substitutes filling in the gaps, and the hospital staff caring for the many who have been hospitalized. We can be very thankful as this new strain spreads quickly that it is also fairly mild for many and continue to hold up those affected by more severe cases.

Following Kent County Health Department guidelines, we are no longer be requiring children to wear masks in Zion Kids as of last Sunday, January 2, 2022.

Serve the World
Thank you all for your generous donations of money, clothing, diapers, and prayers for Threads clothing ministry. Since Threads opened at Zion in September, we have given away 2,943 pieces of clothing! On average, we give personal care products to 18 families each month and provide diapers for 25 families each month. Currently, we are in need of new underwear and new socks for all ages / sizes, and also in need of plastic white shirt hangers and pants hangers.

Threads will be having a semi-annual sale, which will be open to the public, on Saturday, March 12 from 9am – 1pm. Each and every item in the boutique will be priced at $1. The money raised from this sale is used to self-fund our ministry and purchase needed items. All are invited to come in and shop!

Every fifth Sunday of the month City Chapel, our church plant, celebrates Embrace Sunday. On Embrace Sundays  they go out into the community to bless downtown Grand Rapids in some way. City Chapel invites you to join them on their next Embrace Sunday, January 30th, at  Degage Ministries where they will be making birthday party kits.  If you would like to join them and learn more about this important church plant partner of Zion meet them at 11:15am, Sunday, January 30th at  Degage Ministries 121 Sheldon Ave SE, GR.

If you need help, either with food, personal care items, help grocery shopping, or with financial needs, please contact Jerrod Holzgen, our chair of deacons, and he can help connect you with the appropriate resources at Zion. His e-mail is Jholzgen@yahoo.com and his phone number is 616-520-1771.

Administration
The remodel of our bathrooms began this week. Fixtures are being removed. Walls knocked down. It is a little noisy at times in the offices! You can check out the progress this Sunday when you come for worship. As a reminder, during the remodel, the only restrooms available on the main floor of church can be accessed through the doors at the front of the sanctuary. They are single stall uni-sex restrooms.

We continue to thank God for his provision of all of our needs and for the generous support of our congregation with their time, talent, and treasures.

Fiscal Year 2021/22 Budget:  $358,728.64
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Contributions: $315,455.75
Giving Last Week: $21,400.65