The interesting thing about writing these newsletter articles is I’m writing them a month before you read them. It’s like those movies that jump around in time during the story and you never know if you are in the present (i.e., the past) or in the future (i.e., the present). So, please indulge me as I address events from October and November, as well as thoughts about the congregation as we enter the Christmas season.
Why the title of family? Well, on the last Sunday of October I was honored with introducing the Confirmation Class of 2022. In several parts of the ceremony, I noted the reference to the confirmands becoming adult members of their Christian family. Now, each of these references noted the family of Zion, the Lutheran family, and the congregational family, but they all mentioned family. Holly and Tammy, our Directors of Youth Ministry, even mentioned the idea that it takes a village, but in historical terms, most villages are extended families intertwined with a common goal of supporting one another.
So how does this translate to when you are reading this? In December, we enter one of the most important celebrations of the Christian religion. A time when Christians come together as a family. One of the most dramatic examples is the 1914 ceasefire on the Western Front during WW I. French, English and German soldiers ended up celebrating Christ’s birth in no man’s land spontaneously. No general ordered this, it was simply men subjected to unbelievable circumstances reflecting on the meaning of Christmas.
Why am I referencing this event over one hundred years ago? Because, as families have dynamics that can create friction among members, so can the people of faith. A congregation is a family, with members that disagree on matters of any number of topics. But, what we can all agree on is the ministry of our faith to our church and to our community. The ministries of Zion are focused on spreading our message, helping those challenged by life, and reaching all those we can with the word of our Savior. If these men could come out of their trenches, we can come out of ours and combine to move Zion forward.
Okay, maybe I’m being a little pollyannish in all of this but after the last two years as council president, I have seen very dramatic and positive changes for Zion. We may not be all the way out from under the shadow of the COVID experience but I’m bolstered by the rise in attendance, the increase in volunteers, and the energy I see in the Congregation.
Thank you all for your support of Zion Lutheran and the great works we do.
Sincerely,
Jameson Wakefield
