Pastor’s Message
Greetings Friends of Zion:
April was a very busy and Holy month for Zion. We had a great Palm Sunday service and a very moving Easter Service. The Continental Sunrise breakfast was well attended, (Thanks Connie Rutherford and helpers). It was such a treat to have a talented organ player like Carol Metcalf to enhance our singing. (Praise) Our Granddaughter Lily Haines was such a help on our Children’s Message as she helped me teach the kids “Lord I Lift Your Name on High” with all the motions, (great job Lily & all 15 kids), what a great testimony!
Thanks so much for our talented singer’s, Spencer and Linda as they sang a good old Gaither Standard, “I Believe in a Hill Called Mt. Calvary” and it was so moving. Our Church was especially beautiful Easter morning, with “The Cross” in the center of our alter area and all the flowers, Wow, we are blessed with so many talented people at Zion!
We were “Born to Rise” was the Easter Message and if we cling to Him in our hearts, our Spirit’s will rise in a very confident way, as we are assured of our own resurrection and that thought alone is our victory over death. Just, as Jesus told Martha about her brother Lazarus in.…John 11: 24-26 24Martha replied, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this? So, those who believe and follow, and I emphasize follow, are born to rise, and as we cling to Him, He will pull us from the mire of this life to the solid ground of His Love!
This is the confidence in Christ we can be assured of, If, we do as Jesus commanded, “Ye must be born again.” We must receive Him in our hearts! The resurrection of Christ Jesus, is the hinge-pin of our faith, without that it’s game over. Thank you, Jesus, for going to Calvary for me, and Your resurrection for my faith in You as we “Are Born to Rise.”
Linda and I took last Sunday off to refresh and we are so thankful for Mark Jacobs, Tom W., Connie R. and of course Jeff R. on the media part, for stepping up to lead in Worship, and all who came faithfully serving in your own special way, thank you, UR the Ch—Ch! We watched it on you-tube and Mark, you could be preaching in any church, so, thanks for a great message. Let’s “all” keep serving at Zion!
As we look ahead to May, our “Truth Seekers” group will be meeting on the last Sunday the 29th as Linda Spencer volunteered to bring us a message and Carol Metcalf and Linda Elton are bringing refreshments. Thank You in advance!
Since Mother’s Day is the 8th (Happy Mother’s Day All!), we will have our coffee hour on the 15th so invite a friend to worship and stay for fellowship! The West Ohio leadership team along with our Bishop are prayerfully seeking a new pastor for Zion Church so, let’s all pray for spiritual guidance that the right Pastor would be sent to serve at Zion. (Pray Specifically) That the gifts and grace of the new Pastor would bring the gifts and grace needed to minister to Zion Church and our mission for Christ’s Kingdom.
Serving the King at Zion
Pastor Elton
A Note from Linda
I know we are all looking forward to May and hopefully some warmer, sunnier, drier weather. Us mothers are also looking forward to Mother’s Day, the one day of the year we don’t have to feel guilty about not cooking! When our kids were young, I didn’t care if it was a bucket of KFC, as long as I didn’t have to cook it! Can I get an Amen? Also looking forward to May flowers. We all have our favorites. I’m partial to Hollyhocks.
I’ve been thinking lately about Matt 11 and being “yoked” with Jesus. One of our pastors introduced us to Yokefellows, Int., an organization founded by Dr. D. Elton Trueblood, a preacher and author. They do prison ministry and mission work around the world. We were given little gold yoke pins to wear as a reminder of being “yoked” with Jesus. For some reason we are reluctant to let Jesus carry our burdens or even help us carry our burdens. We pray about it but then still try to carry the weight by ourselves. Jesus tells us himself (red letters) only by being “yoked” with Him will we find rest for our souls. So, it is up to us whether we are burdened or free. By being “yoked”, we would be unable to walk our own way, to wander to the very edge of worldliness and Godliness, where we usually like to be, experiencing the best of both, causing all our own distress and misery.
The Bible also teaches us about the danger of being “unequally” yoked, stressing the importance of reading and studying God’s Word on our own so as not to be lured away by unbelievers or false teaches.
Thank you, Jesus, for willingly offering to walk with us, “yoked” together, through this life you have given us. The challenge is to picture ourselves “yoked” together with Jesus, and what that life might look like.
To Look Up: Matt 11:28-30
To Think About: 11Cor 6:14-18