Sunday School News

End of Year Party . . . We are finishing up our 2024-2025 Sunday School year with a party on June 1. We’ll enjoy some treats, fun, Bible stories, and a goody bag full of fun things.
Thank you to all our children, parents, teachers and subs for another great year of learning! 

Summer Sunday School starts Sunday, June 8.
We will be using "Serving with Joy" from Concordia. The summer program is geared mainly for children in PreK-K and grades 1-3. Older children are welcome to attend and help with the younger children, or are encouraged to attend Pastor's adult/teen Bible study. We will not have our infant/toddler Sunday School class during the summer . . . expect it to return in the fall, when regular Sunday School begins. 

Sept. 7th -- Rally Day! Mark your calendar for the kick-off our 2025-26 Sunday school year. We'll have a special combined opening for adults and kids at 9:15 am in the fellowship hall, and announce those students moving up to new classes. 

July 7th - 11th 9-11:30 am 
Get ready, get set … VBS is almost here! 
We're looking forward to a great week of sharing God's love in Jesus with 80 children!
There's still time to join us for this fantastic week … learn more at zlcb.org/vbs. 

Pastor’s Corner

Christ Died for the Weak 
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Romans 5:6-8 

As Christians, we can sometimes forget it. We can forget Christ died for the “weak”. We can forget Christ died for those who brought absolutely nothing to the proverbial “table.” We can forget Christ died for us precisely at the time when we had nothing to give Him. 

Verse 6 in the above passage says it all. “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” This word “weak” in the Greek conjures up the image of someone who is sick. The word describes someone who is frail, helpless, and so weak they are not even able to raise an arm to care for themselves. The image is almost like that of someone who is on their deathbed. That is quite different from a “righteous” person; who might be deemed “worthy” of dying for. That is quite different from a “good” person; whose kindness in the world might warrant their being saved. No, all of these pictures of “good” and “righteous” people are thrown out the window when it comes to our being saved by Christ. Jesus came to die for the sick, the frail, people so weak they can’t even raise an arm to care for themselves. 

The image is stark: a deathbed, with a person so frail, so sickly, that they are moments away from dying. That is us. Jesus could have found such more “noble” people to save; people much cleaner, much healthier, much wealthier. Instead, Jesus chose us. Jesus chose to save us when we are at our lowest in life; literally at death’s door. I hope we never forget this. As Christians, we can so easily forget how it is we have been saved, how it is we have such hope, how it is we have the Holy Spirit; it’s all because of Jesus’ mercy shown to you at the darkest moment of your life. All this because at just the right time, while we were still weak, Christ died for us, the ungodly. 

- Pastor Grimenstein 

VIDEO: Sunday, June 1, 2025 - Complete Service

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CLICK TO Register for Zion’s 2025 Vacation Bible School
July 7th - 11th — 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Click to VOLUNTEER for Zion’s 2025 Vacation Bible School

AUDIO: Announcements, Readings & Sermon for Sunday, June 1, 2025

View the bulletin for Sunday, June 1, 2025
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
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CLICK TO Register for Zion’s 2025 Vacation Bible School
July 7th - 11th — 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Click to VOLUNTEER for Zion’s 2025 Vacation Bible School

First Reading -- Acts 1:12–26 
Then [the apostles] returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 

In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” (Now this man bought a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, 

“‘May his camp become desolate,
and let there be no one to dwell in it’; 

and 

“‘Let another take his office.’ 

So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. 

Epistle Reading -- Revelation 22:1–20 
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the seventeenth chapter
[Jesus said:] “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” 

What About … Death & Dying?

What About … Death & Dying?
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. As Christians we have a unique perspective on death, a per-spective that is radically different from the world around us. This pamphlet is intended to help you, or someone you know, face death and understand what death is, and how Christians face death and deal with grief. 

What is death? 
The Bible teaches that death is not an annihilation in which we cease to exist. The Scriptures teach that death is the separation of our eternal soul from our mortal bod-ies. Our bodies rest in the grave, awaiting the final day when soul and body shall be reunited. At the moment of death, our souls, and the souls of all those who die in faith, immediately are in the presence of Christ, and will enjoy His presence, peace and joy until the great day of the resurrection of all flesh. 

Is Death Natural? 
It is popular to think of death as something that is “natural.” Some people even are heard to say, “Death is a friend.” Nothing could be further from the truth! Death is a horrible reality. It is the enemy we each face at the end of our lives. Death is the awful curse that fell on creation through the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Through that sin, death came into the world and so death spread to all of humanity because all people sin. 

God did not create human beings to die, but to live—to live forever and enjoy Him forever. Death was not part of our created nature, but only something that came about as a result of the sinful disobedience of our first parents—a sinful disobedience that has been passed down to every human being since that time. 

Why must Christians die? 
Scripture clearly indicates that Christians too must pass through death to life. We learn that our bodies are actual-ly dead right now because of sin (“The body is dead be-cause of sin” Rom. 8:10). And so Christians too must die. 

The sting of death and sense of God’s judgement are horrible punishments on those who have no faith in Christ as their Savior. They face, at the end of their life, only the prospect of an unknown future, or a terrifying vision of eternal damnation. 

However, the death of a Christian is not death in as full a sense as it is for non-Christians. For the Christian, eternal life and joy follows death, for our Lord Jesus is the One who walks with them through the “valley of the shadow of death” (Ps 23). 

What is the Christian’s response? 
“Yea, through I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” These familiar words of Psalm 23 chart the direction of a Christian individual or family facing the reality of death. Here God identifies our greatest enemy in such times—fear. Since none of us among the living has ever tasted death, we respond to the prospect of death with fear. Fear is natural. 

Now, if fear is the enemy, who is our ally? The Psalmist continues: “For thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.” Jesus, our Good Shepherd, the One who laid down His life for the sheep, is our companion on the dark road that leads through the valley of the shadow of death. The journey is not optional. Sooner or later each of uswill walk that path. This will happen until that day when Jesus comes again—when, at that last trumpet, the faithful will be changed in the twin-kling of an eye (1 Cor. 15:51-52). 

But here is the important part: I walk through the valley. The One who is with us in that journey, who leads us on, bears the scars of death in His living body. He was dead, but now He lives forev-ermore. All who believe and are baptized will be saved; they have a share in His victory over death. Christians, therefore , are able to see death not merely as an unfortunate reality to be endured, but as a defeated enemy. 

What happens after we die? 
For unbelievers, there is the “second death” (Rev. 20:14) in which their souls are imme-diately in the presence of Satan and immediately begin to suffer the torment of eternal punishment in hell, from which there is no possibility of escape. On the day of judgment, their bodies join their souls in hell. 

Those who trust in the redemption won by Christ our Lord pass from death to life. This is why the Bible uses so many comforting images to describe the death of the child of God. Here are some of the phrases the Holy Spirit uses to describe a Christian’s death: being gath-ered to one’s people; departure in peace; departure and being with Christ; a turning away from the evil to come; sleep; rest; passing from death to life; deliver-ance from all evil; and, finally, “gain.” 

Gain? How can death be gain? When a baptized child of God passes through death—a son or daughter of God who has been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God—then death is gain. Through death the children of God pass into an eternity of joy and peace. 

Each Christian, therefore, may rejoice in the life that Christ has won and gives to him or her through the Word and Sacraments. When we die, our souls await the final consummation of all things on the day Christ returns. We shall receive glorified bodies that are free from tears, pain, sickness and age—perfectly renewed and glorified resurrection bodies. In these new and glo-rified bodies, we shall spend all eternity in heaven, en-joying the presence of God and all His saints forever. The overwhelming joy of this truth is almost too much for us to even begin to comprehend, but it is true! 

How do Christians face death? 
Christians face death as they face life—with their eyes fixed firmly on Jesus. We cling to the promises of His Word, which, when facing death, seem even more wonderful and powerful. One of the most beautiful promises our Lord gave to us is found in John 14:2-3 where He says, “In my Father’s house are many rooms ; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” 

We realize that no matter how our lives may end, there is one thing of which we can be absolutely cer-tain. We shall pass from death to life, from this life to the life beyond, with our Lord. And there we shall re-join all of our loved ones and others who have gone before us trusting in Christ the Savior. 

How does a Christian deal with grief? 
Christians should not hesitate to cry. Our Lord wept at the tomb of His friend Lazarus. We too find our-selves in tears at the pain of our loss. But we do not sorrow in the same way as those who have no hope. Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep (1 Thess.4:14). We look forward to a grand reunion with loved ones who have died in faith. Still, we miss them. The separation can seem over-whelming at times. This pain is part of grieving; it is to be understood, not resisted. 

Grieving for most people is a journey. It is a journey from the initial pain of parting, toward healing and rec-onciliation with our loss. The pain gradually subsides, but the loss remains. Grief has many dimensions and may seem unpredictable in its ebb and flow; yet in Christ we find strength along the way. For in this jour-ney we are not alone. 

Christians find that family and friends are God’s gift to help them bear the pain of loss, which at times seems unbearable. Such company must be consciously sought out by those who mourn. Most who mourn find it very helpful to tell the story of the death of the loved one to family and trusted friends. The repeated nar-rating of that story brings release and insight into the joy and sorrow of the parting. “Bear one another’s bur-dens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2). 

Above all, Christians will turn to the worship fellow-ship of the church and the comfort of God’s Word and Sacrament. For Christ abides within His church through His sacred means of grace. Through these channels He bestows forgiveness, life and salvation now, and to eternity. One day we too shall stand with that great multitude of heaven to hear these blessed words: 

“Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God him-self will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Rev. 21:3-4). 

Dr. A. L. Barry
Past President (1992-2001)
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Bulletin: Sunday June 1, 2025 + This Week at Zion

View the bulletin for Sunday, June 1, 2025
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins

CLICK TO Register for Zion’s 2025 Vacation Bible School
July 7th - 11th — 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Please note: There are Bibles, Handmade Wooden Wall Crosses and Pocket New Testaments/Psalms on a table in the back of the Sanctuary. They are free to anyone who would like to have them for home use, or to give as gifts!

THIS WEEK AT ZION

Saturday May 31
No Events Scheduled

Sunday June 1
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:15 a.m. — Adult/Teen Bible Study & Youth Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)

Monday June 2
6:00 p.m. - Confirmation Class

Tuesday June 3
No Events Scheduled

Wednesday June 4
2:00 p.m. - Midweek Worship with Communion
2:30 p.m. - Bible Study; Jonah (30 min.) - Each Bible Study starts with a recap from the previous lesson
(Wednesday’s service will be streamed on our YouTube channel)

Thursday June 5
7:00 p.m. - Elders Meeting

Friday June 6
No Events Scheduled

Saturday June 7
No Events Scheduled

Sunday June 8
PENTECOST
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:15 a.m. — Adult/Teen Bible Study & Youth Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)

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June 2025 Newsletter

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