December 2018 VOLUME 59 ISSUE 12

THE ZION ZEALANT

Zion Lutheran Church, 101 E. North St., Columbia City, IN

Phone: 244-5513 E-Mail: zionccdq@embarqmail.com

Web Page: http://www.zionlutherancc.com/index.html

Rev. Phil Rittner

Cell Phone: 260-415-9078 (I text if you’d like!)

Email: revrittner@reagan.com

Pastors Article for Zealant Dec 2019

And the Angel came to Mary and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with

you!... Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will

conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great

and will be called the Son of the Most High.” (Luke 1:28–32)

The mere presence of this Child in Mary’s womb made John leap for joy in his aged mother

Elizabeth’s womb. And when this Child was finally born, a multitude of angels announced His

birth to shepherds watching their flock by night. This was no ordinary Child.

What Child Is This? The angel answers the question this way in the presence of the

shepherds: “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). The hymnwriter answers it this

way: “This, this is Christ the king” (LSB 370:1). They both want to leave us with no doubt

regarding the identity of this Child. Here, during this wonderful time of Advent, we here at Zion

will be partaking in a wonderful series of sermons and Bible studies titled “What Child Is This”.

The schedule for this series is:

Midweek 1: “The Child Who Is Zechariah’s Hope” (Is. 40:1-5; Lk. 1:5-25)

Midweek 2: “The Child Who Is a Virgin’s Great Son” (Judges 13:2-7; Lk. 1:26-38)

Midweek 3: “The Child Who Is John’s Joy” (2 Sam. 6:12-23; Lk.1:39-45)

Christmas Eve: “The Child Who Is The Lord” (Is. 9:2-7; Titus 2:11-14; Lk. 2:1-14)

Christmas Day: “The Word Became Flesh” (John 1:1-14)

Please note we’ll enjoy our now yearly “Congregational Christmas Celebration” during

worship on December 16th at 10:15 AM; and we’ll have treats for all the kids! We will be singing

many favorite Christmas carols and hymns, and of course, a light Christmas message…

During our Sunday morning Adult Bible Study, we will be using a resource following our

Advent theme this year, “What Child Is This?”. We hope you’ll come and enjoy this as well!

If you’ve not been to one of our Bible studies in a while, please come. We meet every

Sunday morning at 9 AM and every Thursday evening at 7 PM till 8:30 PM. Both offer a

delightful discussion (where you get to ask questions and hear your fellow members share their

thoughts too!) As your pastor, I come away many times from these discussions enlivened and

enriched too! So, consider this a formal invite to join us!

From Katie and I, our prayer and wish is that you all have a blessed and joyous Christmas

season! See you in church! Soon!

Pastor Phil Rittner

Reposting the 2019 Budget :

Zion Lutheran Church

BUDGET OVERVIEW: 2019 BUDGET - FY19

January - December 2019

TOTAL

Revenue

4162 General Offering 104,280. oo

Total Revenue $104,280. oo

GROSS PROFIT

Expenditures

Board of Education

$104,280.00

6712 Adult Bible study 300.00

6713 Sunday School 600.00

6714 Confirmation Costs 400.00

6715 Vacation Bible School 900.00

6719 Lutheran Witness 100.00

6722 Portals of Prayer 380.00

6723 Miscellaneous 1 oo.oo

6725 SS Recognition 100.00

6726 Library 50.00

Total Board of Education

Board of Elders

2,930.00

61 1 1 Minister's Salary 14,720.00

6112 Minister's Housing Allowance 24,000.00

61 13 Guest Speaker 1 ,ooo.oo

61 18 Concordia Plans 4,271 .04

6124 Seminary Student Mileage 1 ,ooo.oo

6312 Pastor Conferences 1 ,ooo.oo

6314 Altar Guild 550.00

6315 Pastor Mileage 2,000.00

6319 Elder Miscellaneous 800.00

District Pledge 3,600.00

Total Board of Elders

Board of Outreach

52,941.04

6911 Reaching Out 800.00

6913 Advertising 550.00

6915 New Member Welcome 300.00

Block Party 1 ,ooo.oo

Total Board of Outreach

Board of Trustees

2,650.00

6115 Secretary's Salary 1 0,500.oo

6411 Office Supplies 1 ,500.oo

6412 Postage 250.00

6414 Professional Fees 1 ,320.00

6416 Trustees Miscellaneous 90.00

6511 Heating Expense 4,100.00

6513 Water Electricity Sewage 8,400.00

6514 Telephone 1 ,300.oo Monday, November 26, 2018 03:38 PM GMT-8

TOTAL

66000 Payroll Expenses 1 ,300.oo 661 1 Janitorial Salary 6,520.00

6612 Janitorial Supplies 300.00

6613 Property Maintenance Equipment 2,750.00

6614 Insurance 5,500.00

6617 Property Yardwork/Snow 900.00

Bank Charges 25.00

Total Board of Trustees

Stewardship

44,755.00

681 1 Envelopes 500.00

Total Stewardship

Youth Board

500.00

6754 Convention Training 500.00

Total Youth Board 500.00

Total Expenditures $104,276.04

NET OPERATING REVENUE $3.96

NET REVENUE $3.96

SCOOP December 2018

S.S. Lessons for December

We welcome the new Church Year with CPH Sunday

School material for December-February:

Dec 2nd- “The Birth of John Foretold”

Dec 9th- “The Birth of Jesus Foretold”

Dec 16th- “Mary Visits Elizabeth”

Dec 23rd- “The Birth of John”

Dec 30th- “An Angel Visits Joseph”

Sunday School missions is supporting the Wittenburg Project- a

seminary in Germany training men to become pastors. We will

collect through December 30th. Thank you for your support to this

important ministry.

December 16th is “Christmas Jubilee” during the 10:15am

Worship Service. It’s our annual Congregational Christmas

Celebration featuring the birth of Jesus and many Christmas

Hymns. Please have your family and friends join us for this special

service!

Sunday School

Hour begins at

9:00am. With

opening in the

gym before

dismissing for

classes at

9:10-10:00 am.

Coffee and

Donuts

available.

Sunday school STATS for November 2018

Class Attendance:

Jr./High School: High School (Banner

Class)75%

Upper Elementary:

Catechism Class: 75%

Preschool/Kg: 100%

Tie between the Catechism and High

School at 75%

Perfect Attendance: Trevor, Tyler,

Andrew& Hailey Braun, Kaden & Caleb

Decker, & Zack Wilburn

Bible Trivia Questions 1) What was the name of Abraham’s first wife? 2) What did God do on the seventh day, after he had finished creating everything? 3) On what day did the apostles receive the Holy Spirit? 4) At the Last Supper, what was item of food and drink did Jesus give thanks for? 5) When Jesus was in the wilderness, what was he tempted to turn into loaves of bread?

Peabody Home (Hawthorn unit):

Alberta Warnick

Brookdale (Assisted Living):

John & Lois Duffy

Those at home:

Tom Auer, Martha Essex, Linda

Hobkirk, Gene Klopfenstein, Dortha

Marsh, Bill Niedermeyer, John Pullen,

Tim & Sandra Rueger,

Willie & Karen Scheumann, and

Jeannine Slavicek.

Those Serving in the Armed Forces:

Joshua Rittner, Jason & Ashley

Weatherly and Dayne Zielinski

Worship Services

SUNDAY

Sunday School—9:00 a.m.

Worship—10:15 a.m.

w/Communion

1st & 3rd Sundays

WEDNESDAY

Worship—7:00 p.m.

w/Communion

2nd & 4th Wednesdays

SPECIAL PRAYAER

REQUESTS

for

. . . and anyone else we have not

mentioned that might be in our

hearts. . .. Lord, hear our prayers.

A Christmas Poem By Sheila Lutz

A shepherd sat on the cold dank ground in the deepest dark of night.

“What a lousy, lonely, unheralded job,” He mused, bemoaning his

plight. “King David was once a shepherd, too, But a shepherd-king? Just a tale long

ago. Sheepherding was now a menial job Held in regard so low. Nothing great would

happen to him here. In this quiet corner of the world; No kingdom to see; no fanfare

to hear.” Then, suddenly, the sky unfurled. An angel spoke. Fear gripped his heart.

More angels came-a throng! They sang and shouted of a Savior Babe; One instant

proved his thoughts wrong. So, stunned he was. “Is this a dream?” Angels praised,

sang, and said, “Go find the Babe in Bethlehem. A manger is his bed.” “Could this be

true? Angels spoke to me- God’s messengers came to my hill? It would be crazy to

believe my eyes, But I’ll go and do their will.” He ran, and all the angels said was

true. This was the Son of God. The message came to his dirty crew – Not to royals or

ones whom men laud. He ran again with joy in his heart telling great news- with

shepherds few. “The Messiah’s come!” they eagerly shared, “God’s promised

Salvation is true!” We like the shepherd in the darkness sit and wonder, “Can God

make my life great?” We worry and fret about what to do When we should but sit and

wait. He brings joy and salvation into our worlds. So, with angels and shepherds no

sing. “Salvation He brings! He changes my life!” Go! Tell the news of our God Baby

King!

Altar Guild: The Altar Guild invites everyone to come and help

decorate the Church on December 8th @ 9:30 am.

LADIES AID The ladies are “sewing up a storm” as 80 cancer bed pads were returned to Cancer Services of N.E. IN and 100 pads brought back. Another 100 were ordered for March 1, 2019. The Annual Cancer Services of N.E. IN Volunteers’ Breakfast will be Friday, Dec. 7 with hopefully 8 or 9 of our ladies attending. It will be at Ceruti’s in Ft. Wayne, IN. Thanksgiving cards were sent to our 13 shut-ins. The Ladies Aid Annual Christmas Party will be held on Thursday, Dec. 20 at noon at Tri Lakes Restaurant. (See box for more details). All ladies are invited to come and enjoy a great time together.

SERVING WITH GLADNESS

YOU ARE INVITED TO

LADIES AID

ANNUAL

CHRISTMAS PARTY

December 20 ,2018

At

Tri-lakes RESTURANT

BRING A $3-$5 GIFT FOR GIFT EXCHANGE

ALL LADIES INVITED

Enjoy food-fun-fellowship!

For reservations and more info call Kathaleen 260-327-3911

December

SERVING AT CHURCH

Ushers

2- Ralph Sexton

9- Steve Smith

16- Ralph Sexton

24- Steve Smith

30- Ralph Sexton

Acolytes

Greeters

2-Kathaleen Reese

9-

16-Pat Decker

24-

30-

Alter Guild:

Happy Birthday Jesus!

HH

BIRTHDAY’S

3 Zane Lepper

4 Raney Clark

6 Wilmer Scheumann

6 Janet Jackson

8 Richard Lane

16 Justin Bachelder

22 Rev. Phil Rittner

29 Donald Gilbert II

BAPTISMS

Adalynn Branning

Lydia Childs

Tabitha Frick

Linda Gerbers

Daniel Knuth

Lydia Kyler

Julie Pressler

Gretchen Grant

Lindsey Lepper

Zane Lepper

Sara Sawyer

Wilmer Scheumann

Bryan Sexton

Sawyer Wilkinson

Kim Yann

ANNIVERSARIES

12 Kurt & Gayle Goshorn

26 Donald & Judy Gilbert

December 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

Altar Guild

Pastor’s

day off

2

S.S. 9:00 am

Worship

w/Communion

10:15 am

Bd. of Outreach.

11:30 am

3

Pastor’s

day off

4

5

Wed.

Evening

Service 7 pm

6

Bible Study-

7:00pm

7

8

Decorate

Church

@9:30am

Pastor’s

day off

9

S.S. 9:00 am

Worship 10:15

am

Bd. Of Ed

11:30am

10

Pastor’s

day off

11

12

Wed.

Evening

Service 7 pm

Elder’s

Meeting

After Service

13

9 am

Ladies Aid

Sewing

Bible Study-

7:00pm

14

15

Pastor’s

day off

16

S.S. 9:00 am

“Christmas

Jubilee”

w/Communion

10:15 am

17

Pastor’s

day off

18

Church Council

Meeting 7pm

19

Wed.

Evening

Service 7 pm

20

Zealant

Items due

Ladies Aid

Christmas

Party@12

21

22

Pastor’s

day off

23 S.S. 9:00 am

Worship 10:15

am

Youth Meeting

11:30

24 Christmas

Eve

Services

7:00 pm

25

Christmas Day

26

27 28 29

Pastor’s

day off

30 31

Merry

Christmas

Answers to Bible Trivia:1) Sara (Gen 17:15) 2) Rested (Gen2:1-3) 3) Day of

Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) 4) Bread and Wine (Matt26:26-27) 5) Stones (Matt 4:3) Dreaming of a new year:

May the New Year bring you nothing but Joy!

God Bless you All

Kami Wilburn Zion Lutheran’s Secretary

No items turned in:

Outreach: