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Hilltop Headlines
March 19, 2023
Serving this Week
8am:
Organist: Ruth Neumann
Elders: Mark Breckenridge, Bert Holmstrom
Greeter: Diane Andersen
Audio: Chad Mathews
Tech Director: Cody Stephens
10:45am:
Elders: Jaime Urias, Mark Tlapak
Greeters/Ushers: Carmen Domel, Peggy Lemanski, Dawn Efaw-Muchow
Parking Lot/Golf Cart: Rick Zinsmeyer
Hilltop Cafe': Darlene Zinsmeyer
Connections Coordinator: Josh Hobratsch
Presentation: Savanna Wilmoth
A Return of Our Blessings
Offerings/Electronic Giving:
Home $7,693.30; General $8,586.12; Learning Legacy Endowment $160,102; Pam Hight Scholarship Fund $25; Landscape Improvements $160; Missions $150; Cemetery $15; Sr High Mission Trip $139.27; Annual Fund $375; Capital Campaign $300; Attendance: 8am - 85; 10:45am - 223.
10% of General Funds go to the following organizations: TX Dist LCMS, The Caring Place, CHS Round Rock, Water Mission, The Locker, Camp Lone Star, Driving Hope of Texas, Brookwood in Georgetown and Concordia University: $954.01
From Your Pastors
Dear Zion family –
What began as a warm week has turned chilly toward the weekend. Bundle up and we’ll see you in church this Sunday!
Easter Lilies
There’s still time for you to help decorate our sanctuary and worship center for Easter by purchasing a lily or two. Look for the yellow order forms in the lobby. Please return your order form to the church office by March 26.
New Member Welcome
This Sunday is our new member welcome! Join us right after 8 am worship as we welcome 23 new families to our family of faith. This is our largest group of new members ever. Our Connections Coordinator, Josh Hobratsch, will introduce our new families, you’ll have a chance to meet and greet them, and we’ll have breakfast tacos available for all. Come and join in all the fun!
Bible Studies
This Sunday, we kick off two new adult Bible studies during Connection Hour from 9:30 to 10:30 am. Join Rev. Dr. Jerry Kieschnick in the sanctuary for “Husband and Wives of the Old Testament.” He’ll look at some “power couples” in the Old Testament as we discover what we can learn from their lives for our relationships. In the Art and Science room, join Professor Phil Hohle for “Faith and Film,” where he will be presenting short films and then discussing what we can learn about our faith from these films.
Confirmation Sunday
Next Sunday, March 26, at our 10:45 am service, we’ll confirm 16 eighth graders in their faith. By God’s grace, He continues to raise up new generations of faithful people. Congratulations to all our confirmands. We’re looking forward to celebrating with you!
Holy Week
We have a whole team of people working hard to put together Zion’s worship services for Holy Week. It’s going to be an incredible week of worship that you won’t want to miss!
· Palm Sunday, April 2: We will celebrate Communion together and remember how Jesus began the final week of His life at 8 am and 10:45 am.
· Maundy Thursday, April 6: Steve Cohen will offer a special presentation on how Christ is the center of the ancient Jewish celebration of Passover at 5 pm in the worship center. A boxed meal will be served at 6 pm, followed by a service with Communion at 6:30 pm in the sanctuary. Watch for an RSVP next week for this event so we can make sure we have enough meals for everyone.
· Good Friday, April 7: Join us in the worship center at 6:30 pm for our Good Friday Tenebrae service. We’ll focus our attention on the seven last words of Jesus and sing beautiful Lenten songs as the light in the worship center slowly dims, reminding us of how Jesus took on the darkest depths of our sin on the cross.
· Easter Saturday, April 8: Join us in the worship center at 10 am for our kids’ service! We’ll read the story of Easter and each child who attends will receive a free book. After the brief service, we’ll head outside for an egg hunt. It’ll be lots of fun for the whole family!
· Easter Sunday, April 9: Our celebration of Jesus’ resurrection begins bright and early at 6:30 am in the Garden of Praise with a sunrise service. We’ll sing some favorite Easter hymns together and share in Communion. For this service especially, you're invited to wear comfortable shoes, because the Garden of Praise is not paved. Then, we’ll celebrate Easter in worship again at 8 am in the sanctuary and at 10:45 am in the worship center. A delicious Easter breakfast will be served in the lobby between the 8 am and 10:45 am services. Proceeds go to support Zion’s high school summer mission trip.
Message Series
This Sunday, we continue our series, “The Power of the Name of Jesus.” Pastor David Kluth will be with us, and he will consider what it means to call Jesus both “Son of Man” and “Son of God.” We'll look at a section from Jesus’ trial in Matthew 26:63-64
Jesus kept silent. Then the Chief Priest said, “I command You by the authority of the living God to say if You are the Messiah, the Son of God.” Jesus was curt: “You yourself said it. And that’s not all. Soon you’ll see it for yourself: The Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Mighty One, arriving on the clouds of heaven.”
When Jesus calls Himself the “Son of Man,” He is making a claim about His humanity and His divinity. Join us this weekend at worship to learn more! We worship at 8 am in
our beautiful sanctuary, at 10:45 am in our fabulous worship center, or online at zionwalburg.org.
Your pastors love you!
– Pastor Zach & Pastor Kevin
Lent Worship Schedule
Wednesdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – Lenten Midweek Services 6:30pm in the Sanctuary
Thursday, April 6 - Maundy Thursday Worship 6:30pm with Communion in the Sanctuary
Friday, April 7 - Good Friday Worship 6:30pm in the Worship Center
Sunday, April 9 - Easter Sunday, 6:30am Sunrise Service; 8 and 10:45am Easter Worship
New to Zion - The Church Center App!
Welcome to the Church Center App!
The Church Center App (https://churchcenter.com/setup) is a great way to connect with the latest information and opportunities here at Zion Walburg. You can use the app to check-in at services/events, donate online, register for events, and receive member updates.
How to Login to Church Center
To access Church Center via the mobile app, you first need to download the app. You can download Church Center from the Apple App Store here, and from Google Play here.
Once you download the app, you can grant it permission to access location services on your phone. If you allow this, then Zion Lutheran Church Walburg be displayed as an option when you first open the app.
If you prefer not to share your location with the app, then search for “Zion Lutheran Church Walburg” to find our organization in Church Center.
Once you have selected Zion Lutheran Church Walburg in the app, you can log into your own personal profile via your phone number, or click “Use email” to login with your email address. A six-digit code will be texted or emailed to you to verify your account. Enter this code into the app when prompted.
We have transferred all existing profiles from the previous Realm software to the new Church Center software. If you had a profile in Realm, then you already have a profile in Church Center. Logging in with your phone number or email address will allow you to access that existing profile.
If you didn’t have a profile in Realm, logging in with your phone number or email address will allow you to create a new profile in Church Center.
Once you are logged into your profile you can start using Church Center to engage with Zion!
You can also access our Church Center page in your browser by going here: http://zionwalburg.churchcenter.com/login.
If you have any questions about Church Center, please contact admin@zionwalburg.org.
Important Changes Regarding Online Giving
Zion is updating its church management software to Church Center. The new software will integrate all church functions into one solution, including member profiles, volunteer planning, donation tracking, attendance records, VBS registrations, and more! As a result of this update, online giving links will change! To give online using the new Church Center software, please visit the new giving link (https://zionwalburg.churchcenter.com/giving). From there, you can choose your donation amount, fund, and frequency. Online payments can be made from a bank account or credit/debit card. In addition, if you add your email address to Church Center, you will receive a donation receipt via email every time you donate. All donors will still receive an end-of-year contribution statement as well. Attached is additional documentation to help you get familiar with the new Church Center software.
ACTION REQUIRED: Members with an existing recurring donation through the old software (VANCO and Realm) are requested to CANCEL their existing recurring donation so that Zion can disable those software systems. To configure a NEW recurring donation in the new Church Center software, simply visit https://zionwalburg.churchcenter.com/giving and follow the prompts. See the attached "Instructions for Recurring Online Donations" for step-by-step instructions on how to transition your recurring donation. If you need help or have any questions, please contact Zion's Business Manager, Steve Cashio (steven.cashio@zionwalburg.org or 512-863-3065). Thank you so much for supporting Zion Lutheran Church and School!
Easter Lilies!
Confirmation March 26
New Member Welcome March 19
Belize Mission Trip
The Belize Mission Trip is scheduled for August 12-19, 2023.
We have an 5 spaces available. Cost is $1000 per person ($150 administration fee plus $850 ground fees). This fee pays for your room and board for the week. Individuals are also responsible for airline fees in addition to those costs. Total cost is $1500-$2000 depending on airline pricing.
Duties may include: working at some small construction jobs, health checks (if we have nurses), various relational ministries in Seine Bighte and possibly VBS at Riversdale. We also may host a vision clinic, spend time at a nursing home/rehab center.
$150 commitment and Mission application due April 1st. Applications are available in the Church Office.
Must be 18 or older but can be 15+ if accompanied by parent.
Contact Jennifer Jordan with any questions. 512-635-1006.
Informational meeting Sunday, March 19 following late service in the Zion Parlor.
Mission Trip Opportunity to Costa Rica
When: June 10-17 (possible second team June 17-24 if high demand)
Purpose: Return to help our Genesis Foundation friends with various activities that will support the school and church, help with care and rehab ministries, purchasing and delivering food to families in need, building improvement projects, visiting centers and worshiping
Age Minimum: youngest taken so far was 15 with a parent, open to discussion for confirmation age with parent
Estimated cost: $1500-1700 per person; usually 50/50 airfare/all else
Zion will provide support of $750 for 6-8 people
Deadline to register is April 16 – reach out to Pastor Kevin with questions or to sign up!
Coming Soon!
Zion Community Outreach - Laundry Love
Zion hosted a Laundry Love event on February 23 at Washatopia in Georgetown.
9 volunteers from Zion served 56 family units.
Zion funded their washing and drying for 4 hours on that evening.
Books and coloring activities are provided for the children. This is a special opportunity to show
the love of Jesus to those in need in our community. Thank you to our Mission Board for providing
the funds for this outreach.
If interested in serving contact:
Gail Gajewski 440-537-7551 gailgaj@aol.com
Zion's 125th Anniversary History Book
If you would like to have a printed copy of the Zion History Book published in 2007 (our most current) please contact the Church Office at 512-863-3065. The cost of a spiral bound printed copy will range between $20-$25 depending on the demand.
Greeting Cards Available
Confirmation and Easter cards are available at the Card Ministry cabinet area by the Church Nursery. Send family or friends a Thinking of You, Get Well, Sympathy, Birthday or other cards. Boxes of cards ($6.00) and individual cards ($0.50) Thank you from LWML Zion Evening Circle.
Landscape Improvement Fund
The Board of Trustees are beginning the process to provide new landscaping within the asphalt driveways surrounding the Sanctuary/Worship Center (new building) to the South parking lot. The costs are estimated to be around $180,000. Therefore, the Landscape Improvement Fund will be created as a new church dedicated account to help fund these efforts. Please prayerfully consider donating to the Landscape Improvement Fund to help cover these costs to beautify Zion’s campus.
Giving Tree
The Senior High is very excited to go on our Mission Trip to Florida this summer to help with Hurricane Ian Relief. And we need your help! Prayers would be much appreciated for our safety, our impact on this community, and the strengthening faith of our Senior High youth. If you’d like to support us financially, we will have a Giving Tree in the Worship Center for all the Sundays in March. You can match your amount of giving to the number on the envelope and put it in our drop box OR you can scan the QR Code on the back of the envelope and give that way! Help us reach our goal of $5,000. Thank you so much for your support to our Senior High Youth Ministry!
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Personal Evangelism Encourages Man
Alexander is 45 years old and has been a Lutheran for most of his life. The church he attended closed, and he had nowhere else to go. He experienced disappointment in his life, which led him to turn to bad habits to cope with his problems. He began drinking alcohol excessively and felt like he had lost hope in his life. A pastor who volunteers for LHM-Kazakhstan reached out to him and ended up being the new pastor at the church that Alexander used to attend. The pastor was working on restoring the church and invited Alexander to help with the restoration efforts. Alexander was excited to have something to work toward and knew he wanted to attend the church again once it reopened. Alexander gave up alcohol and is now working on turning his life around.
Sermon Schedule
March 19
"Bad Karma vs. Good Creator"
Speaker: Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler
When bad things happen, is it "bad karma" or an opportunity for our Good Creator to be doing a greater work? (John 9:3)
You can listen to The Lutheran Hour on KLBJ on Sunday mornings at 7 a.m. or online at lutheranhour.org, through a mobile app, and on new media platforms like Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Sirius XM satellite radio.
Pastors: Zach McIntosh and Kevin Hintze
Principal: Thomas Wrege
Church Office Hours: 8-4:00 Monday-Friday
Church Phone: 512-863-3065
School Phone: 512-863-5345 Fax 512-686-5807
6001 FM 1105, Georgetown, TX 7862