ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH
Friday, April 23, 2021
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Dear Sons and Daughters of the King,
In the midst of suffering, sadness, heartache, and sorrow, it often seems like things can’t get better. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don’t. In this life, the Lord often turns our sorrow into joy. And if He doesn’t, He walks with us in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death and dry bones. The resurrection of Jesus turned the sorrow of His disciples into joy. Their sadness at His death was replaced with joy at His being alive. In fact, it was such a joy that not even suffering and death—often horribly—could take away that joy! When Jesus promises to turn our sorrow into joy, He doesn’t just mean He’ll make us feel better. True joy in Christ is living in the promise that God really is going to work all things for good through His Son. It’s the glad confidence that no matter what happens in this life, Jesus is going to raise us from the dead and give us everlasting life. The proof that’s true is that He is risen from the dead. You can’t get more sorrowful than the Son of God crucified. You can’t get more joyful than the Son of God risen and alive again. The time will come when Jesus will turn your sorrow into joy and that joy will last forever! That’s the Good News coming up this Fourth Sunday of Easter!
ZAP SUNDAY THIS WEEK
The fourth Sunday of the month has been designated to highlight the work of our ZION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ZAP). Remember to save your dollar bills with the letters J, G, or L on them (Jesus, God, Love). This Sunday, though, consider a larger offering that you can place in the ZAP Jar in the Narthex. ZAP helps those in need with everything from rent and utilities to groceries and other needs people might have. Thanks for your contribution!
SOFTBALL THIS WEEK
Come on out and cheer for our Zion Zephyrs at their first game of the season. They’ll be playing on the Township Fields (past Walmart, by the Moose Lodge) at 7:30 PM on Field 1. Bring a chair to sit and watch and help cheer them to a win!
UPCOMING CALENDAR ITEMS
Here are some dates to note coming up soon.
SUNDAY, MAY 16 – VOTERS MEETING, 9 AM (No Bible Study/Learning the Faith)
SUNDAY, MAY 23 – FIRST COMMUNION SERVICE, 10:30 AM. We will also have a 9 AM service that day to accommodate those who would normally got to the 10:30 AM service.
SUNDAY, MAY 30, 10:30 AM – First Worship at Fish Lake (through Labor Day Weekend).
JUNE 7-11, 9 – Noon – Vacation Bible School
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL IS BACK
We’ll be having VBS this Summer, the week of June 7-11. If you’d be willing to help us make it happen, let Pastor know. We will be having a VBS PLANNING MEETING THIS SUNDAY AFTER LATE SERVICE, about 11:30 AM.
LIVE STREAM INFORMATION
You can watch our services live-streamed Sunday at 7:45 or recorded for later.
You can watch live and find recorded services here:
We stream live on our FACEBOOK PAGE HERE.
Our videos are also live and recorded on YOUTUBE HERE.
The simplest way to watch online (not live) is probably through our church’s website HERE.
Cheer up! Well, sometimes we can, and sometimes we can’t. Sometimes we expect others to “cheer up!” too. There is something much deeper and more profound at work in Jesus’ promise that our sorrow will be turned into joy. It’s the promise that the side effects of sin and death—sorrow— must give way to joy that never ends because of the everlasting life given to us by a Savior who has stomped down sin and death by His death and resurrection. Jesus is always with you in your sorrows and He promises to carry you all the way to eternal joy. See in you in the joyful Divine Service this week!
In Christ,
Pastor Buetow
Download this week’s Bulletin, Daily Devotions, NewsNotes and Volunteer Schedules from our website here:
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