On Sunday, May 31, 2020 Zion will gather as an online community for Sunday worship and fellowship. We invite you to join us! Link to Livestream/Recording on Facebook (link goes live at 8:59 AM Sunday)
9:00 a.m.: Service of the Word led by Pastor Andrea Myers will be streamed live on Zion's Facebook page. An online bulletin with readings and responses is available to download.
9:30 a.m.: Musical offering by Sheldon Meyer, Zion's regular organist. He will be going live on his own Facebook page and we will share it to the Zion page as well.
10:00 a.m. Join us for a virtual coffee hour! Click on the link below with a device that has a camera. (If you've never joined a Zoom meeting before, you'll want to download the Zoom Client app before the start of the gathering.) You’ll be asked to allow the program to use “computer audio” – please agree. We look forward to seeing and hearing from you!
Meeting ID: 662 798 543 Password: 028537
Or Call: 1 312 626 6799 and provide the Meeting ID and password listed above.
The season of Easter (which continues through the Feast of Pentecost on May 31) is a joyful celebration. This year we observe it in a time of difficulty and worldwide sorrow. Still, we believe that Christ is with us in his word, by his Spirit drawing us together as one before God. And we believe that the gospel of Christ gives us strength amid distress and comfort in the face of our sufferings.
This Week's Announcements:
Send Zion your mask photos! One of the ways our community is loving and serving our neighbors is with masks - wearing them, making them, donating for them, delivering them. Please send Zion your mask pictures so they can be included in a future worship service! Email to photos@zionluthlakecrystal.org or text to Pastor Andrea: 507-402-1114.
Sign up today for the new Zion News email list and receive periodic updates about worship and life at Zion Lutheran! A signup form is located on the church website. Email will allow us to share more frequent updates with our church family, which is especially important as the present health crisis continues to impact our ministry.
Invitation to Ecumenical Prayer: From Pentecost Sunday through the first Sunday in September, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and her Episcopal counterpart Presiding Bishop Michael Curry welcome congregations and individuals to regularly pray “A Prayer for the Power of the Spirit Among the People of God.” This prayer – crafted by a team of Lutheran and Episcopal prayer leaders in light of the COVID-19 pandemic – will connect us in common prayer and revive us for common mission, wherever and however we may be gathered.
Please give us your input regarding Online Worship and Fellowship. The Worship, Music, and Adult Education Team invites you to complete a brief online survey to help us gather feedback and suggestions regarding our current online offerings for worship and fellowship. Your participation will help our efforts to meet members where they are, and keep them engaged in congregational life during the present disruptions. The survey will be open until June 1 and can be found at: https://forms.gle/5ratSt22aDLMWNsX6
Caring Coins donations will be received through today and will be divided between Partners for Affordable Housing (April’s designee for which gifts were not collected) and Committee Against Domestic Abuse (May’s designee). Gifts can be given by check, cash or through regular eGiving options (online or the Give+ app). If paying by check or with cash, be sure to indicate that your gift is for Caring Coins so our weekly counters are aware. Thank you for your kindness and generosity during these challenging times!
ECHO Food Shelf Food Drive! Zion Lutheran Church of Lake Crystal and Cornerstone United Methodist Church of Lake Crystal are joining together to set up a food drive for the ECHO Food Shelf in Mankato. The collection date to pick up food is Saturday, June 6th. All items should be in plastic bags and set out on the curb by 10:00 am. We are looking for volunteers to pick up and deliver food as well as food donations. Contact Rod Isebrand: 507-380-3351 or randli@mchsi.com. Volunteers will meet at 10:00 at Zion Lutheran Church on that morning. Items needed include toilet paper, soap, shampoo, tooth paste, deodorant, and tooth brushes. Food needs include canned chicken, canned tuna, peanut butter, flour, sugar, canned vegetables and cooking oil. Please check expiration dates. Cash Donations are also accepted. Checks should be made out to ECHO Food Shelf. Thank you for your help supporting community needs!
Thank you for your faithful financial support of Zion’s ministries during this challenging time. It’s been wonderful to see how many of you have continued to share your offerings as you’d planned for 2020. Offering can be mailed to the Church Office (PO Box 236, Lake Crystal) or dropped off at the church. Please consider our eGiving options for making one-time or recurring donations electronically. Details available at: https://www.zionluthlakecrystal.org/giving.
Church Office Update: If you are picking up or dropping off materials for the Church Office, please use the table in the Narthex provided for that purpose, in order to limit traffic in the Church Office and protect our staff. Visitors in the church building are expected to wear masks or other face coverings. New summer office hours begin Monday: 8-2:30 pm Mon, Wed and Thursday, 8-noon Tuesday, and closed on Fridays.
In-Person worship services continue to be suspended until further notice. Worship services are being streamed via Facebook so that we can gather as a virtual community for prayer, reflection, and praise.
Plans are being developed for the time when we are able to resume in-person worship services. We will need to plan for sufficient physical distancing as well as mitigate the risks of virus spread through the aerosols that are an inevitable part of breathing, speaking, and singing as we usually do in worship. One possibility under consideration is to hold smaller, possibly outdoor services while continuing to gather online on Sundays mornings.
As future plans come together, Zion leaders will be guided by public health recommendations from our synod, the ELCA, and our state officials. If you have questions or concerns, please contact a member of our Worship, Music, & Adult Education team (Mackenzie Jones, Mary Goodrich, and Jan Becker), our current Zion president (Dan Lowis), or Pastor Andrea.
In-Person Zion activities for small groups may now resume, and the Congregation Council has approved the following guidelines so that these groups can meet safely.
No more than 10 people, including leaders, will meeting in the building at any time.
Only certain places of the building should be occupied (for cleaning purposes): Narthex, Fellowship Hall, New Bathrooms.
Groups should contact the church office (507-276-2849) to reserve the building.
Visitors will register at the front door with sign in and sign out.
Social distancing must be observed (6+ feet).
Wearing masked is expected.
No singing or unison speaking/praying (Lord’s Prayer).
No communal food or beverages, and no use of the kitchen (may bring your own, but no sharing).
Zion groups should observe these guidelines whether they're meeting in the building or elsewhere. Phone or video conferencing options should continue to be used when appropriate, particularly for individuals over 65 and those with underlying health conditions (such as heart or lung disease or diabetes) who are at greater risk of severe illness or death from Covid-19. If your group would like assistance with setting up a Zoom video conference, please reach out to Pastor Andrea.
News and updates are being shared primarily through the church website and Facebook and, when appropriate, by mail. The May newsletter will be mailed May 27.
Pastor Andrea is available for conversation and prayer! Please reach out to her by phone or text at 507-402-1114. She’s also happy to schedule one-on-one pastoral visits via Zoom video conferencing.
The Monday “Dwelling on the Word” study is now meeting online via Zoom. Newcomers are always welcome to join in this time of prayer, reflection and conversation centered around the gospel reading for the upcoming Sunday. To join us on Monday at 11:00, please go to: https://zoom.us/j/322134420