may newsletter

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH • BUFFALO, MN MAY 2014

O f f i c e@ Zi on Bu f f a l o . o r g ( 7 63 ) 6 82 - 12 45 w ww. Z i on Bu f f a l o . o r g

Online Event Registration

The first place members will see the

effects of the transition to new software

is in event registrations. The very first

registration you complete in the

Fellowship One system will take just a

couple of extra steps … but will make

things so much easier for future

registrations and for the staff behind

the scenes. All future registrations will

be done through Fellowship One, so it is

important for every member with

internet access to create an account.

When you click any sign up link on the

website, you will be taken to a log-in

screen.

The very first time you will need to

click on [Create an account] on the

right hand side with the email

address and password you choose.

When you create your account, the

system will send you a verification

email with a link to activate your

Fellowship One account, and when

you click on the link in the email,

you will be able to finish creating

your account.

When your account is fully created

you will be brought to the

registration page (in future you will

log in to skip directly to this step).

Click on [Select] next to the name

of the person you want to register

or [+ Add Person] to add someone

new to your household.

Now fill out the registration form.

If you have additional family

members to register,

click [Register Another Person].

Find more detailed instructions at

ZionBuffalo.org/vbs-registration-

instructions.

If you have any problems with the new

online registration system, don’t

hesitate to contact Angela in the office.

“Registered all three of my kids and the

registration was slick! Great

instructions on how to use the new

system! Looking forward to VBS”

~Suzie Meier via Facebook

Creating a community where people are connected 2

New Membership Software

Zion has new membership software, Fellowship One, and the staff have been busy learning all the ways that it will help us serve the congregation better.

Why did we change software? Here are some of the original reasons, as well as some of the unexpected things the staff have found that we love.

Ann loves that the pastors can now access member data from home or their phones so no longer have to call her for a look up when they are out visiting.

Lay leaders will eventually be empowered to manage their own small groups.

Kristin loves the detailed reports that can be pulled from the system and Pastor Luke is looking forward to how easy it will be to pull them.

It is quick and easy for staff to personalize and send emails to a custom group of people.

Kirsten loves that we can keep notes about members, and share them between staff or keep them confidential as appropriate.

Members will eventually have online access to their own contribution statements.

Sherilyn likes that information is always available to staff with less wasted paper and less out-of-date details than relying on printed lists.

Angela loves that we can track attender follow-up that is needed and completed, which is especially important with new visitors and potential future members.

Members will be able to self-edit contact information, and records will sync with contact information from the TableProject.

Marsha noticed the speed of F1. “I registered all my grandkids for VBS this year and it was so much faster and easier because I did not have to retype information. I was done in minutes!! I am sold on F1!”

Connecting With Care

If You Can’t Say Something Nice …

I remember well my parents’ words, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

As a youngster, I had to learn that what I heard through the grapevine was often not exactly accurate. More than once, I interpreted another person’s words or actions completely wrong. More than once, I repeated something about another person that hurt them and in the end was not true. I was embarrassed those times I had to own up to what I had said to other people. It was painful when I had to apologize to the one I had spoken about. That is where my parents’ wise words came in, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” But those are not just wise words from my parents. Actually it is God’s word, the eighth commandment.

The Eighth Commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

What does this mean?

We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way.

When you hear something or question someone’s actions, there are some pretty practical, everyday ways of understanding this eighth commandment:

assume the very best about someone, until you have a chance to talk to them about the matter

assume they are trying to do their best

assume they have good intentions

think the kindest, most gracious things you can

don’t repeat bad news

don’t think you know what someone is thinking – ask them

We have often seen sensational stories in the media that are later proven to be untrue or the facts significantly different than first portrayed. If there is a retraction, it is presented almost invisibly – hidden in a small paragraph tucked away in some obscure place. The harm is done.

We have become accustomed to ugly political advertisements that use questionable facts and are more personal attacks than substance. We get used to mudslinging to the point that it just seems normal.

Which brings me back to that pesky eighth commandment. Why is it so critical?

(If You Can’t Say Something Nice continued on page 17)

in relationships and supported in need. 3

May Suppers

There’s a tasty meal waiting for you on

Wednesdays from 5:00-6:15 in the

Fellowship Hall for a suggested

donation of $4 per plate/$15/family.

The best deal in town!

May 7: Pasta

May 14: Breakfast for Supper

Suppers will return in September.

Active Military

Trey Wilson

Deployed to Bahrain

Cody Bauman

Stationed at Fort Knox, KY

Ryan Bonde

Lackland AFB, TX

Vinnie Pecarina

Stationed in Japan

Bradley Johnson

Stationed at Ft Drum, NY

Cory Nyholm

Stationed in Monterey, CA

Christopher Paulsen

Stationed in Norfolk, VA

Ben Pecarina

Stationed overseas

Doug Pecarina

Serving in the Army National Guard

Alex Euerle

Stationed in California

Kevin Osfar

Stationed in Japan

Will Dobbins

Deployed on the USS Peleliu

Greg Bremseth

Stationed at Ft Bliss, TX

Deanna Strommen

Stationed in Washington, DC

Fred Pierce

Stationed in Miramar, CA

Meals on Wheels in June

Follow up Zion's April SERVE weekend

with a summer option.

Zion is asked to provide three drivers at

11:30am each day in June for

approximately an hour of meal delivery to

households in the City of Buffalo. This is a

most rewarding activity and makes a good

family service project.

Consider which days you can help and

sign up at the information desk or by

emailing Sherilyn. You can also check the

calendar at ZionBuffalo.org/MOW.

If you’ve driven before and prefer a

specific route please request it when you

sign up. If you’d like to try it but you’re

unfamiliar with Buffalo, let us know.

We’ll find a partner for your first drive.

Hosts for Swedish Singers

Check your calendars and consider being

a host for 2 or more of the Young

Swedish Singers on Sunday night, June

22 after their 7pm concert at Zion.

Families from Zion and from Buffalo

Covenant will work together to provide

housing for these great musicians.

The Young Swedish Singers, a gospel

singing group from Hasslehom, Skane,

Sweden, was founded by director Birgitta

Rosland in 1991, and comes from a very

musical Lutheran church in the far south

of Sweden. Choir members range in age

from teenagers to young adults in their

early 20s. This is their fifth US tour in

twelve years.

The Young Swedish Singers' concert, sung

mostly in English, will include gospel,

hymns, and Swedish folk music. The choir

is directed by Birgitta Rosland and the

choir's pastor, Rev. Bo Johansson, will

travel with the choir, providing spiritual

guidance to the tour.

Watch for concert details later in May.

Marysville Cleanup

Marysville church will be cleaned up on

Saturday, May 10, in preparation for

summer worship services starting June 2.

Volunteers are welcome from 9am to

noon (bring a bucket and rag if possible).

Living God’s Call

Fostering Spiritual Growth

Wendy Haas works at Northwinds Elementary School in Buffalo as an Educational Support Professional. Her husband, Tom, is a dentist at Metro Dentalcare in Maple Grove. They have two children, Alex, a senior at BHS and Rachel, an 8th grader at BCMS, and a goldendoodle named Stella.

The Haas family moved to Buffalo from Maple Grove eleven years ago, and then looked for a church in the community.

We really liked what Zion had to offer for us and our children.

In her spare time, many of Wendy’s interests center on her children’s activities.

I love to listen to my children sing, as both are involved in choir. I’m a big fan of watching my son play tennis and my daughter do gymnastics, play tennis, and run track. I enjoy skiing, both downhill and waterskiing, playing tennis, biking, and reading. Occasionally I train for and participate in area triathlons, my favorite being the Buffalo triathlon. On summer nights my husband and I like to take sunset pontoon rides on Lake Charlotte.

Wendy volunteers as a member of the volunteer ski patrol at Powder Ridge ski area.

Every time I volunteer I start out thinking it is me giving of myself to others. What I consistently discover is that in the process of giving, I am truly receiving.

In the past, Wendy has served as a Sunday school shepherd and confirmation mentor. She wanted to share the experience with daughter Rachel as she went through confirmation class, so Wendy was grateful for the opportunity to serve as a confirmation guide.

Fostering a young person’s spiritual growth is one of the greatest gifts we can give. I feel honored to share my faith and God’s love with young women in our congregation. Our youth face many challenges and confirmation class provides a place where they can strengthen their relationship with God and others who share their faith. The young men and women in confirmation are developing lifelong beliefs and habits that will carry over into adulthood.

Knowing firsthand what lessons have been taught in confirmation allows for great discussions with Rachel following each lesson, and Wendy has enjoyed getting to know the young women in her group and sharing their journey in faith

(Wendy Haas continued on page 15)

Engaging people in a process of discipleship which inspires them 4

Our youth face many

challenges and

confirmation class

provides a place

where they can

strengthen their

relationship with God

and others who share

their faith.

First Sunday Musicians

First Sunday is looking for people who

play instruments to help make music over

the summer. Existing group members are

busy and occasionally have to miss

practice. Groups find it hard to practice

without everyone present, so if there's

anyone out there who would like to fill in

over the summer they would appreciate

it. At the end of the summer you’d be free

to go or welcome to stay if all goes well.

Please contact Pam Freer or Sherilyn

Burgdorf for information.

Harvest of Hands

Craft groups work on a variety of projects

throughout the year in preparation for the

annual sale in November. In May they

will be working on ornaments including

etched balls, baby ornaments, and glass

ornaments.

The Tuesday morning group will meet

on May 13 and 27 at 9am.

The Wednesday evening group will

work on creating cards, envelopes,

meet on May 14 and 28 at 7pm.

All are welcome at the craft groups,

either to work on the planned projects or

to bring your own projects and enjoy the

evening with friends. Join us for fun,

fellowship, and a sense of

accomplishment. Both groups meet in the

(Harvest of Hands continued on page 17)

Upcoming Mission Trips

Mission Jamaica

Payments are now being accepted for the 2015, 2016, and 2017 Mission Jamaica teams. Future participants can start an account and add money as often as they like. Consider putting your tax refund towards a future trip!

Deposit $57 per week in your account starting May 1, 2014, to be fully paid for the 2015 team.



Fundraising will also be available.

A $25 deposit will hold your space in a team and an be paid directly to the office at any time.

Zion to Zambia

Planning is now underway for the next trip to The Village of Hope in Zambia. The trip will be next January, 2015 and last approximately two to three weeks. Sign up, or just find out more about this exciting opportunity to share your time and talents, at a meeting on Thursday, May 22, at 7pm in the Library.

Both of these mission partners highlight how resourceful they are with what they have … in this case containers that had been sent from the USA full of supplies. Mission Jamaica hosts a medical clinic in a converted container, and the School of Hope in Zambia has recently converted a container into a tenth grade classroom (interior photo on the front page).

to trust in Christ, grow in faith, and serve God’s world. 5

Special Summer Music Starts May 25

Use your talents this summer to provide special music for one of our summer worship services on Sunday mornings.

Instrumentalists, pianists, vocalists, groups or solos… you are invited!

There‘s a special music spot on Monday nights at Marysville too in June, July, and August.

Contact Sherilyn Burgdorf or Mike Walsh to volunteer.

New Member Orientation

The next New Member Orientation will be held after lunch on Sunday, May 4. This orientation to membership provides an introduction to Zion ministries and staff, an opportunity to meet others at Zion, and a little about what it means to be Lutheran. Those that decide to become members will be formally received into our congregation on Sunday, May 11.

The orientation will include:

Lunch for you and your family with the staff and Outreach Committee at 11:45am.

Meeting begins after lunch and will end around 1:45pm.

Child care and activities for children will be available after the meal if requested in advance.

Plenty of informal conversation with staff, existing members, and other prospective new members.

An overview of a wide variety of Zion programs and ministries.

Zion Pastors briefly introduce what it means to be Lutheran.

Your photo will be taken for the reception (or you may email your own photo to [email protected] in advance).

Information for church records will be verified.

Sign up online at ZionBuffalo.org/membership or at the information desk.

Baptisms

March 23

Braylin Caswell

April 13

Ian Roger Stender

Kallen James Wilson

Funerals

March 25

Arnold Rude

April 16

Ferne Peterson

The Baptism Class

Anyone wishing to schedule a baptism is

asked to attend a class prior to the date

of the baptism. Expectant parents, as

well as those who already are parents,

may attend the class. Scheduling of

baptisms will take place at the class.

The next classes are Sunday, June 13,

and Sunday, August 10, at noon.

Register at ZionBuffalo.org/Baptism or

by calling the office.

Sunday Announcements

The relationships of our members with

one another bring a richness to our lives

and we want to foster these

relationships. If you would like your

church family to be aware of any

special celebrations in your life or the

lives of your loved ones, please let the

church office know by Thursday at

10am and we will include them in the

written announcement insert in the

bulletin.

Celebrating on Sundays

Creating Sunday morning experiences at Zion that invite, 6

Global Mission Sunday

Zion will celebrate our global mission

connections on Sunday, May 18, with

festive worship at all services, a global

mission update, and Jamaican coffee

after worship.

The Global Missions Committee will

recognize the

contribution of time

and talents from

those who have been

part of any kind of

mission trip in the

last year.

Worship Services

8:30am traditional worship in the

sanctuary with nursery available,

Sunday school during the school year.

9:45am Family Express in Trinity Hall.

10:30am contemporary worship in the

sanctuary with nursery available,

Sunday school during the school year.

Lenten worship services are at noon and

6:30pm.

Lessons

Sunday, May 4 Third Sunday of Easter

Luke 24:13-35

Pastor Luke Preaching

Sunday, May 11 Fourth Sunday of Easter

John 10:1-10

Pastor Ted Preaching

Sunday, May 18 Fifth Sunday of Easter

John 14:1-14

Pastor Luke Preaching

Sunday, May 25 Sixth Sunday of Easter

John 14:15-21

Pastor Ted Preaching

welcome, engage and inspire people to live for Christ. 7

Part of the Family

Robert DuBois was born and raised in Kingston, New York as one of five children, and shares his name with his grandfather, father, and two older brothers.

After high school, he joined the Marines and spent six years traveling around the world in the service. During this time he met Haley Mattson. They were married in Hawaii almost 15 years ago, and moved back to Buffalo, Haley’s hometown, after completing their time in the Marines.

Bobby started working as a Corrections Officer for the Wright County Sheriff’s Office in 2000, and was promoted to Sergeant in 2006. After encouragement from his father-in-law, Gary Mattson, who had been a Buffalo firefighter for over 20 years, Robert also joined the Buffalo Fire Department.

Bobby and Haley have 5 children; Miranda (22), Isiah (13), Brooklyn (10), Macy (6), Ty (5); and two grandchildren, Quinten and Adrianna.

His mom always brought him to church when he was younger, and he tried to attend services when he could while serving in the military. When they came back to Buffalo, Robert and Haley looked for a home church for their family.

My wife and I spent time talking about finding a church and we always came back to Zion. She told me her dad was confirmed and a member at Zion. We slowly started attending services here and there and we decided to become members in 2013. This is an important part in both our lives and something we wanted for the kids.

Bobby has seen the impact on his entire family from being part of Zion, and the children really like all the people they have met here.

Getting to see people during worship is really nice. Everyone is always nice to us. I look forward to coming to church and feeling welcome, everyone has made us feel a part of the family here at Zion.

At dinner we pray together. I looked over one time and saw my 5 year old son Ty praying before dinner without being prompted. Even though I saw him just smiling with his eyes squeezed shut and holding his little hands, I am glad he is learning that this is just part of what we do.

Every Sunday I hear of something different that happened at church. Isiah tells me of all the things they do at Confirmation. He really likes it and has made a lot of friends through the church. Brooklyn is excited to attend Bible camp this year. She loves horses and this will be great for her.

(Bobby DuBois continued on page 17)

This is an important

part in both our lives

and something we

wanted for the kids.

March 2014 Financial Report

General Services Fund

Income Mar 2014 YTD 2014 Mar 2013 YTD 2013 General Offering $80,901 $188,131 $81,891 $188,609

Rent and Sunday School 1,330 4,055 2,643 7,487

WedNite Supper Income 981 2,280 622 2,786

Missions and Hunger 2,336 4,357 2,479 4,514

Other Designations 780 3,149 32,183 39,041

Total Income $86,328 $201,972 $119,817 $242,437

Expenses Synod Benevolence $1,000 $3,000 $1,000 $3,000

Other General Services 59,719 204,505 59,726 201,443

Total Expenses $60,719 $207,505 $60,726 $204,443

Checkbook balance as of 3-31-2014: $31,546

Building Fund

Income Mar 2014 YTD 2014 Mar 2013 YTD 2013 Offerings and Interest $17,014 $45,297 $18,613 $50,720

Other Receipts 0 0 0 0

Total Income $17,014 $45,297 $18,613 $50,720

Expenses Building Mortgage $15,869 $47,607 $15,869 $47,607

Bank Service Charge 0 0 0 0

Total Expenses $15,869 $47,607 $15,869 $47,607

Checkbook balance as of 3-31-2014: $18,834

…… for God loves a cheerful giver”

2 Corinthians 9:7

Memorial Gifts Received

Gifts to the Memorial Fund in memory

of Lillian Conzet from George & Brenda

Conzet.

Gift to Senior Ministries in memory of

Arnold Rude from Howard Burgdorf.

Gift to the Memorial Fund in memory

of Joe Lantto from Marcia Lantto.

Gift to the Memorial Fund from Jerry

Specht.

About the Memorial Fund

Zion’s Memorial Fund is a way for

people to make specific gifts, usually in

memory or honor of someone, to the

church or one of the currently pursued

memorial fund projects. Such

generosity preserves the memory of past

loved ones and honors those among us

still.

Gifts to the Memorial Fund are used in

total for the cause to which they were

designated, and typically are used for a

specific purchase of a tangible asset.

Undesignated gifts made in memory or

honor of someone are also welcome,

allowing the Memorial Fund Committee

to decide how the gifts will be best used.

Active Memorial Gift Opportunities: New digital highway sign. Plans

are ready and approved by the city

for a beautiful architectural sign

that enhances the current space and

makes use of a large programmable

LED sign so we can best keep the

community informed of all the

happenings at Zion.

New carpeting in the sanctuary.

The original carpet and pew

cushions are from 1989 when the

sanctuary was built and are ready

to be replaced. This would refresh

the sanctuary and make the whole

space seem new again.

Undesignated funds (used for the

greatest current need or special

church needs).

Finance & Stewardship

Please support the advertisers who make this newsletter

possible: seekandfind.com/find/zion-lutheran-church/supporters

ZionBuffalo.org/Give 8

Men's Softball

Please contact Myron

Crawford if you are

interested in being

part of the Churches

for Christ Softball

League which plays

from May through

July.

God, Girlfriends, and

Chocolate

Saturday, May 3 Life is often called a journey, complete

with all of the things we encounter on a

spring road trip through Minnesota: open

roads, rest stops, detours, potholes, and

road closures. At this year's women's

spring brunch, speaker Gaye Lindfors will

share stories about some of those

journeys. Through humor and heart-felt

stories, she will highlight the three travel

needs for our journey: God, girlfriends,

and chocolate.

Musicians for the brunch will highlight

the musical friendships of the Rainbow

Singers, college friends Amanda Burgdorf

and Katherine Lewiston, and workplace

friends Angela Bengtson and Sherilyn

Burgdorf.

Doors open at 9am on Saturday morning

with the brunch beginning at 9:30. If you

have a group of five or more, make a note

when you register and there will be a

table reserved for you. Invitation

postcards are available at the information

desk. Brunch is catered by Cornerstone

Cafe in Monticello.

Laugh, chuckle, and discover how to

experience the trip with joy, rather than

just going along for the ride.

Check in with friends and family members

to make sure they can come with you for a

great morning's journey on May 3. Cost

will be $10 for adults and $4 for children

12 and under. Sign up at the information

desk, in the Zion office, or online at

ZionBuffalo.org/women. A limited

number of tickets will be available at the

door.

9

Summer Step Up

by Pastor Luke

As the snow finally melts and the longest and coldest winter in recent memory fades away, I start to see the summer on the horizon. In the church, the summer is a unique season. We have all sorts of adventures like Vacation Bible School and Zion Day Camp, mission trips all over the place, Camp Wapo bible camp, and Historic Marysville worship every week. We all know that summer is a time of travel, vacations, and relaxation. For me, summer is a time I know that church experiences a giving dip because of all the people out enjoying life away from home. So I take that opportunity to increase my giving yearly and help fill that gap. This year, I’d like to invite you to join me. Join me in trying something new.

I’m calling it the Summer Step Up and it’s the second time I’ve invited people to join me in this. There are more options this time around, because giving should come from the heart. Find the opportunity that will allow you to grow in your faith journey as you take on something new. I’ve got 4 ways you can change your giving or hop on board below:

1. Consistent giving – Sign up for automatic giving at church ZionBuffalo.org/electronic

2. Increased giving – Step up for the summer and give it a shot

3. Intentional giving – Study up for the summer, get to know your budget, and make giving a portion to God a regular part of your finances. Start at daveramsey.com/tools/guide-to-budgeting/

4. Memorial giving – Lift up the memory of someone by giving a special gift to the memorial fund at ZionBuffalo.org/memorial-fund

At my house, we’ve done #1 and #3 and so this year are increasing our giving starting in June. Your situation may be different, but I’m inviting you to join me in the experiment. At the end of the summer, we’ll gather for a BBQ and reflect on how we experienced God in our giving. So let me know if you want to step out in faith in a new way by stepping up to give in one of the above ways over the summer. I’m looking forward to taking this step together!

Saturday May 3

9:30am Women's Brunch

Sunday May 4

Holy Communion at 8:30, 9:45, & 10:30

Books of the Bible Celebration

8:30am Traditional Worship Service

8:30am Sunday School

9:30am Coffee Fellowship

9:45am Family Express Worship

10:30am Contemporary Worship Service



11:30am TIM Team

11:45am New Member Orientation

12:00pm VBS Work Day

Monday May 5

8:30am Men's Bible Study

9:00am Quilters

11:00am CFM Staff Meeting

6:15pm First Sunday Rehearsal

8:00pm Mission Jamaica Board of

Directors

Tuesday May 6

9:30am Staff Meeting

7:00pm Jubilee Rehearsal

Wednesday May 7

9:30am Women's Bible Study

2:45pm Class Ring

3:45pm Ring Forth

3:45pm Kids’ Place

3:45pm SONshine Choir

4:45pm Joy Choir

4:45pm Youth Choir

5:00pm Wednesday Night Supper

6:00pm Confirmation

7:00pm Prayer Shawl Meeting

7:00pm Senior Choir

7:30pm Graceland Senior High Youth

Group

Thursday May 8

8:00am Men Seeking Wisdom Bible

Study

6:30pm Old Testament Spring Bible

Class

Friday May 9

TBA Softball

7:00pm Friday Night Fun Night

Saturday May 10

9:00am Marysville Church Spring Clean

Up

Sunday May 11

Mother's Day

Reception of New Members at all worship

services








Monday May 12


9:00am Quilters

9:00am Women's Ministry Planning

Committee Meeting



7:00pm Zion Book Club

Tuesday May 13

9:00am Harvest of Hands Crafts


6:00pm Outreach Committee

7:00pm Finance Committee Meeting

7:00pm Global Missions Committee


Wednesday May 14

Last day of School Year Activities


3:30pm After school choirs, bells and

Kids’ Place at Lakeridge Care

Center

4:45pm Youth Choir Pizza Party

5:00pm Wednesday Night Supper

6:00pm Confirmation

6:00pm Social Ministry Committee

Meeting

6:00pm FPU Small Group

7:00pm Property Committee Meeting

7:00pm Senior Choir

7:00pm Harvest of Hands Crafts

7:30pm Graceland Senior High Youth

Group

7:30pm Branding Task Force Meeting

ZionBuffalo.org/Calendar 10

Thursday May 1


Study

6:30pm Spring Bible Class - Old

Testament

Friday May 2

6:00am Friday Breakfast Crew

9:00am Women's Brunch set up

7:00pm Softball

May 2014

Thursday May 15


Study

6:30pm Old Testament Spring Bible

Class

6:30pm Youth Board

7:00pm Rebecca Circle

Friday May 16

6:00pm Wedding Rehearsal

TBA Softball

Saturday May 17

10:00am Wedding

Sunday May 18

Global Missions Sunday

Holy Communion at 8:30 and 10:30

Graduate Recognition at 10:30






2:00pm Parkview Devotions/Communion

Monday May 19


9:00am Quilters

9:00am Kitchen Cleaning



Tuesday May 20


9:30am Naomi Circle

5:30pm Stewardship Meeting


7:00pm Vision Team Meeting

Wednesday May 21

9:15am Sunrise Devotions


5:45pm Worship & Music Committee

Meeting

7:00pm Baccalaureate at Zion

7:00pm Prayer Shawl Meeting

7:30pm Church Council Meeting

Thursday May 22


Study

7:00pm Zion to Zambia 2015 Meeting

11

Friday May 23

TBA Softball

Saturday May 24

12:00pm Wedding

Sunday May 25






Monday May 26

Memorial Day


7:00pm Personnel Committee Meeting

Tuesday May 27

9:00am Harvest of Hands Crafts



Wednesday May 28

9:00am Newsletter Assembly

9:30am Devotions at Lake Ridge


10:30am Devotions at Park View

6:00pm Confirmation Meeting

7:00pm Harvest of Hands Crafts

7:15pm Youth Gathering Meeting

7:30pm Children & Family Ministry

Team Meeting

Thursday May 29


Study

6:00pm VBS Volunteer Training

Friday May 30

TBA Softball

Saturday May 31

12:00pm Wedding

4:00pm Spokes and Folks Packet

Pickup

Director of Youth Ministries

Myron Crawford

763-682-1245 ext. 308

[email protected]

Engage. Grow. Proclaim.

Zion Youth Ministries exists to

engage youth, help them grow

and proclaim faith in Christ.

Friday Breakfast Crew

Senior High Students are invited to

Perkins on Friday, May 2, at 6am, for a

chance to check-in, have good food and

great conversation.

Don’t forget to bring money for food

and a tip for our great servers!

Youth Board

The Youth Board meeting will be

Thursday, May 15 at 6:30pm.

TIM Team

TIM Team (Teens in Mission) will meet

on Sunday, May 4, at 11:30 in the Café

Corner.

Confirmation Classes

Confirmation classes will meet on

May 7 - Doubt and Fear

May 14 - Learning to Love God

This will also be the last night of

Confirmation classes for the school

year.

Remember that all Confirmation

requirements are due each year by

August 1!

1 Timothy 4:12

Don’t let anyone look down on

you because you are young, but set

an example for the believers in speech,

in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

ZionBuffalo.org/Youth 12

Graduate Recognition

Zion will be honoring the Class of 2014 on Sunday, May 18, at the 10:30am worship service. Graduates should dress nicely and meet in the library at 10am. If you are able to assist with worship, please contact Myron.

Baccalaureate

The Class of 2014 is invited to attend the Baccalaureate ecumenical worship at Zion on Wednesday, May 21, at 7pm.

Members of the class have been working hard over the past few weeks to put together a night filled with music, prayer, worship and fellowship. Family and friends are encouraged to attend.

Friday Night Fun Night

If you are a 6th-8th Grader, you are invited to the final Friday Night Fun Night of the school year on Friday, May 9 from 7-9pm.

This will be a night filled with Gaga Ball, Mighty Mighty Scoop Noodle Challenge, Exploding Enchiladas and some great food! Of course, the night is free and friends are welcome!

Confirmation Classes are Changing

Zion is moving to a three year Confirmation program this fall! To help students and parents understand how this will work, there will be an Intro to Confirmation night on Wednesday, May 28, at 6pm in the Sanctuary. This will be for all students who will be in 6th and 7th Grade this fall and their parents. This will also be the first night to register for the fall program and to answer any questions.

To help make this transition successful, many volunteers will be needed to assist as confirmation guides, musicians, readers and more. Please pray and consider stepping up into one of these roles.

2015 Senior High Youth Gathering

There will be a meeting on Wednesday, May 28, at 7:15pm in Fellowship Hall for current 8th-11th Graders and their parents to hear more details about the 2015 summer trip to the ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit, MI held July 15-19, 2015.

It is an opportunity for 37,000 senior high youth to engage in worship and fellowship with peers from across the United States and the world who share a common commitment and faith in Christ.

This will be the first opportunity to sign up for this amazing event and answer any questions.

Youth & Children’s Ministry

Weird Animals VBS

June 9-13; 9 am - Noon

Ages 3 years old (by 6/1/14) through 5th grade (6th grade and above encouraged to volunteer)

$15 before 5/28; $20 5/28-6/4 or $25 after 6/4 (including at the door). Optional Bible Buddies $5

Before Care is available 7:30 - 9:00 am, $5/day/child (light breakfast foods provided)

After Care is available Noon - 6 pm, $18/day/child (must bring cold lunch; snack provided)

Must register by June 2 for before/after care!

Register Now!

Help us to wipe out all walk-in registrations for VBS and sign up before May 27!

VBS is the first event at Zion to use our new membership software so there is one extra step (creating a Fellowship One account) that takes just a few minutes... once you have completed this, all future registrations for Zion events will be a snap (you won't have to re-enter basic information such as address, phone, etc. unless it has changed).

All feedback so far has been very positive and many have reported that it's super quick and easy! Contact Kirsten or Angela if you have any questions with the new system.

ZionBuffalo.org/vbs

Volunteers

Sign up to volunteer for VBS at ZionBuffalo.org/vbs! Help us to keep all of the volunteer info in one place and not miss anyone! We need your help so sign up today to join the fun!

Director of Children & Family Ministry

Kirsten Kelly

763-682-1245 x331

[email protected]

Children & Family Ministry Assistants

Marsha Watkins

Kristin Lotthammer

Jason Prigge

763-682-1245 x308

[email protected]

[email protected]

ZionBuffalo.org/Children 13

Sunday School Calendar

May 4: Naaman is Healed

May 11: Year End Celebration (last

day of Sunday School)

Thank your Sunday School

Teacher and Shepherds!

We are so blessed to have incredible adult

and youth volunteers in our Sunday

School ministry! Please remember to say

a special thank you to them as we wrap

up an amazing year of learning and

growing in faith! We couldn't do it

without them :)

Grade 4 Books of the Bible

The Grow in Faith event for 4th grade

(Books of the Bible memorization) has

been moved back to Sunday, May

4th. Kids will be demonstrating their

memorization in the large group time for

the other Sunday School kids (together as

a grade - no need to be nervous!).

Parents/siblings are invited to attend to

support their child and celebrate this

accomplishment! 4th graders will have a

special party afterwards in their small

group time.

We have been using songs to memorize

the books this year. The Old Testament

song can be found on iTunes (search for

ABC's Of the OT by Bryan Sirchio). We

don't have an audio recording of the New

Testament song but most kids that have

attended learned and know the song

already! Don't miss this fun day to

celebrate with our 4th grade!

Zion Day Camp

M-F from 6:30 am - 6 pm, starting June 16.

Incoming kindergarten through 12 years old

$25/day (flat rate)

Can be part or full time (no minimum number of days) and is very flexible... we cater to individual family needs!

Register Now!

Early Interest ZDC Registration continues as we work with Pam to develop and update our full registration forms. Indicate your interest in ZDC for this summer and reserve your space! We need to know how many kids to plan for before we hire staff in the next few weeks. Spread the word and keep ZDC in mind for your summer childcare needs!

ZionBuffalo.org/zdc

New ZDC Director

Pam Freer has been hired as Zion Day Camp Director for this summer! Pam has extensive experience in educating kids of all ages and has been a member at Zion for over 20 years. Pam

will assist Myron and Kirsten in the hiring and training of the summer counselors and will oversee the daily happenings at ZDC (including scheduling staff, planning curriculum, activities and field trips and overseeing the budget, payments and family schedules).

Zion is very blessed to have her on the summer team and look forward to a wonderful summer of faith, learning and fun!

Our Mission... Zion seeks to

Share Christ’s Word,

Strengthen faith, and

Serve those in need.

Our Vision… Helping people experience the joy of

life in Christ by:

1. Celebrating on Sundays:

Creating Sunday morning experiences that invite, welcome, engage and inspire people to live for Christ.

2. Living God’s Call:

Engaging people in a process of discipleship which inspires them to

trust in Christ, grow in faith, and serve God’s world.

3. Connecting with Care:

Creating a community where people are connected in relationships and

supported in need.

Seeking Wisdom

When Sam Monson was 20 years old, he entered the United States Air Force, attended several tech schools, and was assigned to the 6972nd Supron, better known as the Security Service Branch. He was stationed in Japan for two years, and then assigned to the National Security Agency, where all work was either secret or top secret.

After service, Sam attended the University of North Dakota and the University of Minnesota, majoring in accounting and finance with a minor in speech.

Speech was important to me because I needed to overcome my stuttering. I decided to face my problem head on to conquer it, which I did.

Sam moved to Florida and worked as regional VP for Savings of America. He also pursued an interest was in flying, obtaining his pilots license and then his instructors license for pilot training, and flying for the Florida Civil Air Patrol as a Captain and a Mission Pilot.

Upon returning to Minnesota, Sam became involved with banking, savings and loan, real estate and mortgages, and became owner and broker of a real estate and mortgage company.

Sam and Lois moved to Buffalo in 2001, and built a home next to the 10th fairway at Wild Marsh Golf course, where they still live. Sam enjoys both golfing and watching the other golfers. He also enjoys woodworking, building furniture, exercising, playing with his Cavalier King Charles pup, yard work, and spending time with his family. Sam and Lois have three children each, ten grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

They visited many of the churches in Buffalo, and found Zion to be warm and welcoming.

I was new and didn’t know anyone … Sherilyn to the rescue! She got me involved as a lector, communion server, and in many other ministries at Zion.

In 2004, Pastor Folkerds invited Sam to lead a weekly Bible study group of retired men.

We called our group the “Men of Wisdom,” and later changed the name to “Men Seeking Wisdom.” We are still going strong after ten years of study. I would encourage everyone to become a part of a small group bible study or form one or get involved in the great bible studies that are offered at Zion. It will increase your faith and knowledge of the bible, as it has mine.

Sam also serves communion to homebound members.

Sam and Lois like to vacation during the months of January and February. They spent many winters in Maui, and then started going to Gulf Shores, Alabama.

(Sam Monson continued on page 15)

14

Three Facilities Positions

1. Church Facilities Manager

This position is responsible for coordinating all facility use, working with outside groups for facility rentals, maintaining a weekly setup calendar, working with volunteers and the rest of the facilities and church staff, and providing custodial and setup help as needed. Up to 30 hours per week. Wage based on experience.

2. Building and Grounds Manager

This position is responsible for the overall cleanliness, presentation, and safety of the building and grounds of Zion Lutheran church. This includes event setup, snow removal, lawn care, basic repair and maintenance, cleaning and overseeing custodial staff, working with volunteers, staff, and the congregation. Up to 30 hours per week. Wage based on experience.

3. Part Time Custodian

This position is responsible for general cleaning and upkeep of Zion Lutheran church. Evenings and some weekend work required. Work includes custodial services and cleaning, event setup and takedown, and seasonal snow removal. Up to 20 hours per week. Wage based on experience.

Please submit resumes to Zion Lutheran Church, PO Box 88, Buffalo, MN 55313, by Friday, May 2.

Thank You Volunteers

As another school year winds down, the

staff would like to thank everyone who

has been involved with ministries that

follow the school year, including:

Wednesday night suppers, Joy Choir,

SONshine Choir, Ring Forth, Class Ring,

Joyful Ringers, Senior Choir, Youth

Choir, Kids’ Place, confirmation, and

Sunday school.

Start looking for sign up information for

next year towards the end of summer.

Triathlon Traffic

Plan for extra travel time on Sunday,

June 1, as 1500 Buffalo Triathlon

participants will be active throughout

downtown Buffalo. If possible, avoid

downtown streets and use Highway 55

and County Road 147 (Bradshaw Ave

NE).

Evening Childcare

Evening childcare for parents taking part

in evening activities on Wednesdays opens

at 6pm.

15

as sisters in Christ.

I particularly enjoy when a member of our group shares openly about struggles in her faith journey. The young ladies in my group have learned so much from each other, and we support each other by sharing God’s love. We end each night with a prayer circle where we hold hands and pray. It is powerful.

Sharing God’s love with them has come back to me tenfold. I am pleasantly surprised at how rewarding this has been for me spiritually and personally.

(Wendy Haas continued from page 4)

During one of our trips there I spent 11 days in ICU with a bacterial chest infection. When I was healed and discharged the doctor said “Congratulations, you lived, I didn’t think you would.” After this illness my faith has greatly increased.

Sam has been retired now for six years and says he is enjoying every minute of it.

God has given me many opportunities and has enriched my life with numerous adventures. I thank him daily for my many blessings.

(Sam Monson continued from page 14)

God has given me many

opportunities and has

enriched my life with

numerous adventures. I

thank him daily for my

many blessings.

Biweekly Email Option

In addition to the monthly newsletter and

ministry specific emails, a bi-weekly

update is now available which includes

information on a variety of events and

opportunities within the next two weeks.

Many households started receiving these

biweekly updates in May, and others can

sign up at ZionBuffalo.org/subscribe.

Let Us Know

Address, Phone & Email Corrections

If you have had any changes to your

address, phone number, marital status,

etc. please contact the office with your

name, phone number and the changes that

need to be made in our database.

If You Are Ill

Hospitals no longer notify churches when

their members are admitted for care. Let

us know so we can support you with

prayer and presence.

Prayer Requests

Please use a yellow pew card, post on the

Prayer Wall of our online community, or

contact the office with your prayer

requests.

ZionBuffalo.Tableproject.org

A private network

aimed at

strengthening faith-

sustaining

relationships among

people at Zion.

Redeemer’s Mike Simmons

The following article appeared in the February newsletter of our mission partner Redeemer Lutheran Church as part of an ongoing series of articles about the people of Redeemer.

by Katherine Parent, artist-in-residence at Redeemer

This month I interviewed Mike Simmons about how he became such an active leader in the Redeemer community. My first impression of Mike was probably when I visited Redeemer for the first time last year, shy and uncertain. I remember him standing up to announce a work party at the Glenwood House. Later during the passing of the peace, he welcomed me and gave me a hug. From Mike’s height, it was a little like getting hugged by a friendly bear.

How did he get here? Mike said the story started with his wife, an apartment and a paint job. She had been hoping to move into an apartment owned by the church. She kept telling him they should move in. Mike was not so sure, but he went to take a look. The apartment was still being fixed up. If I can finish the paint job myself, Mike said, I’ll move in. Redeemer agreed. Mike finished the painting, and he and his wife moved in to the neighborhood. At the time, he continued to attend another church where he had already put down roots.

Some time later, Mike’s recovery group needed a new place to meet. Mike asked Pastor Kelly if he could bring the group to meet at Redeemer. Pastor Kelly agreed, and so Mike became a leader of a new recovery ministry at Redeemer. The group meets every Monday night at 7 in the church basement. When a men’s group he attended needed a new space as well, Redeemer welcomed it as another important ministry. Little by little, Mike became more connected to the congregation, and he began to come to Redeemer on Sundays. One day, he remembers asking Pastor Kelly out to lunch. I really want to get more involved at church, Mike said. Pastor Kelly said, Mike, you already have a fantastic ministry here! But Mike wanted to do something more, and he began to work with properties ministry. These days, he is involved in all kinds of maintenance projects around Redeemer property. That is the story of Mike and Redeemer in a nutshell. If you want to hear more, ask Mike: ”I’m an open book,” he laughed.

Mike says that for him, being part of Redeemer is not about being Lutheran. It is about hearing God’s word, and being part of a community. Mike has done a lot of thinking about life, and can share some of the hard lessons he’s learned. One of the important things he learned from the recovery process is that different people have different ways of doing things. Whether it was a moral issue or the way to paint a window frame, “I used to think there was only one right way to do it,” Mike said. That made it hard for him to feel for others who seemed to be doing it wrong. He later grew to understand and accept that people have different worldviews and ideas of what is right. I’m still working on that, he said, and we laughed together.

Mike has also learned to see valuable lessons in difficult parts of his past. For example, while he has hard memories of his mother’s strictness, he also appreciates the values of hard work and conscientiousness she instilled. Most of

(Mike Simmons continued on page 17)

16

Prayer Shawl Group

A prayer shawl group will begin regular

meetings on September, and continue

meeting on the first and third Wednesday

of each month. Meetings will be from

6:30-8:30pm in the Prayer Room (north

end of the building). Yarn, knitting

needles, directions, and even knitting

instruction is available.

Contact Lyla West (612.518.6333) or

Barb Hinz (763.682.1693) with

questions.

Keeping in Contact

Zion is a big place, and sometimes things

happen in life that keep us from being as

connected to the community as we would

like. We would like to make sure that all

Zion members feel like part of the church,

whether they are able to worship regularly

or not. If you or someone you know is

unable to worship regularly, or would

consider themselves homebound, or are

living in a senior care facility, please let

us know so we can make sure you are

receiving communion and pastoral care.

We want to make sure all the people of

Zion are able to stay connected. Please

call or email Ann or Dawn in the office

with information as to how we can reach

you or someone you know that you’d like

us to include in our visitation schedule.

Thank you!

Pastor Luke and Pastor Ted

17

What’s the big deal? It is critical, especially in a church setting like ours because trust is a commodity without which communities cannot exist, nor continue. When we fail to explain each other’s actions in the kindest way, when we fail to assume the best about someone, when we assume someone has ill intentions, trust is broken. It happens in churches. It happens in towns. It happens in families. That pesky eighth commandment is a wonderful gift from God.

(If You Can’t Say Something Nice continued from page 3)

all he remembers her later words that she simply “did the best she could.” When Mike asked if I could understand that, I nodded. Mike began to ask about my life, and as he listened, I began to understand how much Mike’s mentorship must mean to many. He took my story in, not judging it but simply imagining how it would feel to be me. At that point, I put down my newsletter notepad and we started to have a real talk—the kind of life-supporting conversation that can happen in recovery groups, and in a community of faith like Redeemer. Thanks be to God!

(Mike Simmons continued from page 16)

Bobby enjoys fishing and hunting and cooking with his smoker. The family was active with Zion’s fishing group last year, and found it to be a fun way to connect with other members and the pastors.

Doing things with the family is always nice. We are always running on the go so when we can stop and just have fun it is always a good time.

Recently, Bobby became part of the newly formed Children and Family Ministry Team, which is a vision/sounding board for the children's ministries at Zion. It is a very active team that is instrumental in making decisions regarding the ministry and providing support to the staff in order to create longevity and a healthy ministry.

I am excited to get to know others in the congregation and to plan some fun things for the kids at Zion.

(Bobby DuBois continued from page 7)

Wilderness Room.

Crafters can also work on projects at

home. Supplies are available for home

projects. Contact Joy Arens for more

information.

Harvest of Hands is

an annual event

held at Zion to feed

the hungry in our

own community and

around the world.

Proceeds of the

2014 sale will

benefit the Buffalo

Food Shelf and a

global hunger

project.

(Harvest of Hands continued from page 5)

I am excited to get to

know others in the

congregation and to

plan some fun things

for the kids at Zion.

The Voice

A monthly publication of Zion Lutheran Church

Upcoming Deadlines

May 17 at 8am for June Issue

June 16 at 8am for July Issue

Editor: Angela Bengtson

[email protected]

This Month’s Cover

Tenth grade container classroom at the

Villages of Hope in Zambia

Contact Us

[email protected]

www.ZionBuffalo.org

Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30am-

4:30pm (closes at noon summer Fridays)

Ph 763.682.1245 / Fax 763.684.1967

1200 Highway 25 South, Buffalo (across

from 13th St S.)

PO Box 88, Buffalo, MN 55313

18

Zion Staff

Ted Vanderpan: Senior Pastor

ext. 304 | [email protected]

Luke Schmidt: Pastor of Congregational Life


Sherilyn Burgdorf: Shared Ministry Director


Kirsten Kelly: Director of Children & Family


Marsha Watkins: CFM Coordinator


Kristin Lotthammer: CFM Coordinator


Jason Prigge: Interim CFM Assistant

Myron Crawford: Director of Youth Ministries


Jim Onstad: Youth Staff

Dawn Bestick: Office Administrator / Receptionist


Ann Lyons: Office Administrator / Receptionist


Angela Bengtson: Communications & Membership


Lyle Jans, Joel Mackereth & Kelsey Mackereth:

Interim Custodians

Missy Peterson & Angie Smith: Nursery Staff

Aimee Bogren & Kathleen Schlink: Kids’ Place Staff

Michael Walsh: Coordinator of Music

Bob Strommen: Sound System Coordinator

Jay Comstock: Video Technician

Congregational Council

Kelly Hanson

Alisa Ireland

Deana Jeske

Sarah Klett

Tom Moline

Heather Moseley

Mike Newman

Nancy Olson

Harley Pommier

Thomas Stanforth

Dave Tauscher

Kristin Wilson

Inside

Zion Lutheran Church

1200 Highway 25 S.

PO Box 88

Buffalo, MN 55313

www.ZionBuffalo.org

Address Service Requested

Standard

U.S. Postage

PAID

Permit 11

Buffalo MN 55313

Address Label Here

New Software 2

The Eighth Commandment 3

Wendy Haas 4

Adult Mission Trips 5

Special Summer Music 6

Bobby DuBois 7

Memorial Fund 8

6th Grade Confirmation 12

VBS & ZDC 13

Sam Monson 14

3 Facilities Positions 15

May 2

014

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ZionBuffalo.org

may newsletter

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