Complete Advent/December Service Schedule

Sunday’s in Advent (December 1, 8, 15 & 22)
Service Times at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Adult/Teen Bible Study and Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

Wednesday’s in Advent (December 4, 11 & 18)
Service Times at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
No Bible Study on Wednesdays until Jan. 8, 2024

Christmas Eve (December 24)
Service Times at 2:00 p.m. and Special Candlelight Service at 7:00 p.m.

Christmas Day (December 25)
One Service Only at 10:00 a.m.

Sunday December 29
Service Times at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Adult/Teen Bible Study and Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

New Year’s Eve (December 31)
Service Times at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

New Year’s Day (January 1, 2025)
No Services

Wednesday Service with Bible Study returns on january 8th at 2:00 p.m.

Women’s Book Club: Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Women’s Book Club
The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold
Wednesday January 15, 2025 — 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

The Divine Proverb of Streusel
Shaken by her parents' divorce and discouraged by the growing chasm between herself and her serious boyfriend, Nikki Werner seeks solace at her uncle's farm in a small Missouri hamlet. She'll spend the summer there, picking up the pieces of her shattered present so she can plan a better future. But what awaits her at the ancestral farm is a past she barely knows.

Among her late grandmother's belongings, Nikki finds an old notebook filled with handwritten German recipes and wise sayings pulled from the book of Proverbs. With each recipe she makes, she invites locals to the family table to hear their stories about the town's history, her ancestors--and her estranged father.

What started as a cathartic way to connect to her heritage soon becomes the means through which she learns how the women before her endured--with the help of their cooking prowess. Nikki realizes how delicious streusel with a healthy dollop of faith can serve as a guide to heal wounds of the past.

Link to Amazon Book Store

PLEASE NOTE: January 8th “Streusel Baking NIght” has been canceled

NOW LIVE on our YouTube Channel

Our Sunday School Christmas video is complete
THANK YOU Tess Carter for all the time and hard work producing it, and thanks also to the kids for participating.
December 15th is a big day for our Sunday School families … see details!

Our 4th - 6th grade Sunday School class provides an excellent foundation upon which Confirmation instruction builds in 6th grade. One hour with Jesus...9:15-10:15 Sunday mornings … time beautifully spent with the Savior of our Souls!

Music from #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larsse... License code: AFSSQFCBXMMV8SJQ

VIDEO: Life Together Digest with the Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison

In this Life Together Digest, the Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), talks about the history of military chaplaincy in the LCMS, including Chaplain Friedrich Wilhelm Richmann, who served as chaplain to the United States Army in the Civil War, Chaplain R.C. Hohenstein, who survived the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, and Chaplain Henry Gerecke, who preached the Law and Gospel to Nazi war criminals during the Nuremburg trials. Today, our nation still needs faithful LCMS pastors to serve as chaplains. We pray the Lord of the harvest that more pastors will answer the call to LCMS military chaplaincy, administering Word and Sacrament to service members and their families. View this month’s Life Together Digest at https://mailchi.mp/lcms/life-together...

VIDEO: Sunday December 15, 2024 - Complete Service

View the bulletin for Sunday, December 15, 2024
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins

AUDIO: Announcements, Readings, Sermon & Bell Choir for Sunday December 15, 2024

View the bulletin for Sunday, December 15, 2024
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins

Old Testament Reading — Zephaniah 3:14–20 
Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear evil.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save; 
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,
so that you will no longer suffer reproach.
Behold, at that time I will deal
with all your oppressors.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.
At that time I will bring you in,
at the time when I gather you together;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes,” says the Lord. 

Epistle Reading — Philippians 4:4–7 
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the seventh chapter
The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” 

When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, 

“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’ 

I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least
in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 

Merry Christmas, Pastor, Deaconess & Staff

Dear Brothers and Sisters of Zion,

Once again we begin a new church year. As we move through the season of Advent, we prepare for the celebration of the birth of Christ, our Savior. It is a joyful season, when we focus on giving to others because we have been given so much, including the forgiveness of sins and salvation.

It is the tradition of Zion to take a collection for Christmas gifts for the Pastor and Staff to show our appreciation for their efforts throughout the year. Enclosed are three envelopes in which you may contribute a free will offering toward their Christmas gifts.

• In the envelope marked Pastor insert either cash or a check made out to Pastor Edward Grimenstein.

• In the envelope marked Deaconess insert either cash or a check made out to Joanna Lee.

• In the envelope marked Staff, please insert cash only. Monies collected will be distributed between six staff members: Susie Bishop (Office Admin), Jim Oelschlager (Custodian), John Migyanko (Treasurer), Mark Killinger (Music Director), Sandra Quinlan (Lead Organist), and Doug Krantz (Asst. Organist).

You may deposit the envelopes in the large collection box in the Narthex up until Dec. 24th.

We also want to gratefully acknowledge our Preschool Staff. Zion members Tracey Harris .(Preschool Director), Kari Gresh (Asst. to the Director) and Barb Oechslein (STEM Curriculum Leader) -- together with 17 additional teachers and aides in the classrooms - diligently share Christ's love with hundreds of children each week. Their efforts are vital to Zion's mission, and they have received a Christmas gift from the operating budget of the preschool, thus are not included in the church staff collection.

On behalf of the congregation, we thank you for your generosity in donating toward the Christmas gift for Pastor, Joanna, and the Staff.

Merry Christmas,
The Board of Elders
Bob Schmidt, Mike Wallace, Roger Diederich, Tom Erbrecht, Mike Sterba, Jim Neill, Sam Gar/off, & Mike Kroeger