Buzzworthy News for the Week of:
May 24, 2020
Worship with Zion @ Home

Guest Preacher, Rev. Dr. Larry Stoterau

Sermon Title: "Passing the Torch"
Text: John 17:1-11

Sharing Christ, Changing Lives!
Please remember to pray for…
  • Nikki, Sharon Beadoin's niece, is still doing cancer treatment and will have a new MRI on the brain at the end of May. Please continue to keep her in your prayers for healing and comfort.
  • Wilbur Thompson, 94 year old father of Laura Benoit, has been brought home for hospice care until he goes home to be with the Lord. Prayers for a peaceful passing in God's perfect time. Also, prayers of peace for the family during this time.
  • Zion School Parent, Melissa Ferguson, who is currently on #6 of 12 big chemo treatments. She goes every Monday for treatment and the side effects are coming on stronger. Please keep Melissa in prayer for the effects to not be so strong and for continued strength and energy. Let us pray for God’s miracle of healing for Melissa and that her journey may be used all for God’s glory! This is Melissa's Victory Verse: Jeremiah 29:11
  • Larry, dear friend of Brad & Donna Heinecke, has been hospitalized for Covid-19 also while battling MS. Please pray for Larry to receive the best of medical care under his condition and a complete recovery from the virus.
  • Sorrell Hanson, who is recovering from a fall that resulted in a hairline fracture on the right ankle and a mild sprain on the left. Please keep her in prayer for a complete and speedy recovery.
  • Bob Gardner, friend of Glenda Flora, as he goes through rigorous physical therapy to regain some use of his legs and for his loving supportive family.
  • Continued prayers for Jackie Salonisen, who is now home with hospice care. May God who understands each and every need, who listens to every prayer, bless and keep Jackie and her family in His tender loving care.
  • Infection rates to slow and cease; that those who have been infected will heal quickly; that healthcare staff and first responders will be sustained as they carry this very heavy burden; that our churches, schools and preschools would be sustained and reliant on our loving God and His guidance; for courage and peace for our pastors, lay leaders, church and school administrators, faculties, and all church and school workers who are making difficult decisions, creating innovative solutions for continuing to reach people for the sake of the Gospel; for our federal, state and local leaders to seek God's will as they make important decisions and take actions against this disease; for God to bring many, many people to faith through this situation, and that His Church would be more effective than ever in sharing the Gospel with the lost and loving our neighbors.
  • All our church and school families. We pray for our families whose members are on the front lines working in health care, law enforcement, public service, food industries / services, new media, financial institutions, construction, safety, sanitation and many more. We pray for our families who are worried about finances, and for our families who have health concerns.
  • Don Robinson, Lisa Kott’s Father, for continued healing and comfort from a second stroke. And also for Lisa's mother for encouragement and comfort as these times are difficult for her to be away from her lifemate.
  • Jane Muccillo, who suffered a stroke back in December. Please keep her in your prayers for a full recovery.
How to Add Prayers:
We would be honored to pray for your loved ones and include
them in the weekly bulletin and also online in the Zion Buzz.
All prayer requests will be listed for a maximum of four weeks
and then rotate off the list. 
If continued prayers are needed, please send us an updated Prayer Request
by calling the Church Office at (714) 535-1169 or click on the
Submit Prayer Request button below:
Opportunity to Give Online
Zion encourages you to continue giving as best you can, now more than ever.
Because of your generosity, we are able to continue with our mission of "Sharing Christ, Changing Lives". Your tithes and offerings, are used to expand the reach of our ministries to share the love and hope of Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your support!

DONATING BY CASH or CHECK:
For those of you that do not want to use online giving options, please feel free to mail your offerings to the Church Office at:
Zion Lutheran Church
222 N. East Street
Anaheim, CA 92805
Please Read Pentecost Update
Zion invites you to join on  Pentecost Sunday, May 31st , in the divine gift that is communion and the human experience that comes to those who receive the gift in faith. We are also going to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2 records the first Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon and filled the Apostles. Just before that in Acts 1 we are told the apostles with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers " all joined together constantly in prayer ". In the same way, we would like to provide a time for prayer in the courtyard adjacent to the North of the sanctuary. There will be four outside stations that may be reserved by appointment prior to your communion appointment time.

We had a wonderful turn out for our last Communion by Appointment on Mother's Day. This time we will be offering appointments for the Prayer Vigil, Communion and/or Both by scheduling individual household appointments from 9:00am - 12 noon. These appointments will consist of a 15-minute Service of Confession, Forgiveness and Communion. If you were unable to make it last time we encourage you to sign up. Please know that Zion takes the health and safety of our congregants very seriously, and are doing all we can possible to maintain the mandated social distancing, along with other saftey precautions by providing masks, gloves and sanitizing all areas between each communion appointment.

The link button at the bottom of this message will take you to a form through which you can RSVP for a Communion Appointment, as well as, Time of Prayer" for you and your household. If you have other family members who are also members of Zion, you can attend together ONLY if during these stay-at-home ordinance days you  have been spending time in each other's homes and company ; though  no more than 6 family members  can attend together.

VERY IMPORTANT to NOTE:
  • If you or a member of your household is sick do not register at this time!
  • If you have a compromised immune system or are in an “at risk” category, out of extreme caution, please contact Elder Mark Hirzel (elders@zionanaheim.org) or Roanne in the Church Office (church@zionanaheim.org) for a Special Individual Appointment. 

Once we have received your RSVP, we will provide confirmation of your scheduled Communion Appointment along with further instructions for this special service.

PLEASE CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT:
If you are having trouble accessing the Communion Appointment Link, please send
Roanne Saucedo an email at  rsaucedo@zionanaheim.org
Zion Lutheran Church & School Staff
will not be available on Monday, May 25th
in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.
Are You in the Know?
Stay Connected and Download the Zion App
Download the  Zion Lutheran Anaheim App  on your iPhone or Android and at your finger tips have access to Church & School calendars, the ECEC & Lion's Tale Newsletters, Sports Schedule, and receive the latest news and updates through push notification!
OFFICES ARE CLOSED
Church and School Offices are closed but our dedicated teams are still working and available to you.

  • CALLS: Please leave a message for -
Church Office: 714-535-1169
School Office: 714-535-3600
We will respond. 

  • CHURCH EMAIL:  
Christ - Community - Connect
The Pacific Southwest District
puts out a weekly newsletter
every Thursday.
Click on the link below to enjoy this week's info:
Message from President Gibson
My Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Pacific Southwest District,

“I thank my God every time I remember you.    In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy   because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Phil. 1:3-5)

I pray that each of you are doing well, sustained by God’s grace, and empowered by His Spirit for this “long obedience in one direction.” (a favorite Eugene Peterson quote about ministry).

Here are a couple of things I want to share with you:

First, I want to encourage you to remember, on this Memorial Day Weekend, to honor the dedication of the men and women who are active duty and veterans of the Armed Forces and to ask God to comfort the countless families who have made the ultimate sacrifice of their loved one in service to our nation. We are so very blessed!

Everyone is Talking about Reopening
Today (May 22th), President Trump stated,  “Today I'm identifying houses of worship - churches, synagogues and mosques - as essential places that provide essential services," Trump said during a hastily arranged press conference Friday. He said if governors don't abide by his request, he will "override" them, though it's unclear what authority he has to do so.   https://abc7news.com/politics/trump-calls-on-churches-to-reopen-this-weekend/6204510/   

I just completed a LCMS Council of Presidents’ meeting during which we discussed President Trump’s statement. Many District Presidents have recently written to ask governors to identify churches as essential for the well-being of our communities and for permission to reopen as soon as it is safely possible. (President Lange of CNH and I co-wrote and sent letters to the Governors of California and Nevada for that purpose.) Yes, as leaders of the LCMS we are greatly encouraged. But it is also important to remember, “just because we can, doesn’t mean we should.” This is an issue of Christian Freedom, not unlike what the Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, wrote to the Corinthians, Romans, Galatians – and to us. In our freedom, we should never use it to cause our brothers and sisters to stumble. I encourage you to be cautious and not rush to reopen this weekend. Many of our congregations are just not ready to do so. Let’s make sure that we do the hard things right. 

As a District that covers parts of three states, there is a great deal of diversity in the what, when, and how congregations can reopen. Arizona is ahead of California and Nevada in the process. I rejoice with those congregations who have be able to reopen! Many of our congregations cannot reopen because they have yet to establish clear reopening protocols. Other congregations are in regions where the number of COVID cases continue to climb and gathering could be unsafe. Still others have yet to communicate to high-risk members that they should not feel guilty about staying away out of concern for their health. It is important that we show charity to one another as our congregations find their way forward. Several of the districts where congregations have already reopened worship report that the number of returning worshipers is much lower than they anticipated; many people are just staying home.

A couple of thoughts on reopening:
  • Please continue to follow the guidance of local authorities for reopening.
  • Survey your congregation – ask if, when, what they expect when they return to church, youth group, Sunday School, small groups, and school
  • Give permission to your members to stay home if they are uncertain about gathering.
  • Review the significant resources we’ve accumulated on the PSD site regarding reopening protocols.
  • Ask your liability insurance carrier what they will and will not cover.
  • Liability insurance companies state: establish a plan based on local requirements, communicate it to your people, and then follow it. Failure to follow a stated plan could open you up to liability.
  • Earlier this week I was on a Zoom meeting with Circuit 23 (Yuma and Imperial Valley area) and Pastor Jonathan Sites, Shepherd of the Hills, Yuma shared the “best practice” of creating a virtual video tour of what the congregation can expect when they return to worship. The idea is to show in advance how social distancing, distribution of bulletins, communion practices, etc. will be done once they reopen. I can see that working for all aspects of a congregation and school’s ministry. Great idea!

Gathered and Scattered
Over the last couple of months, we’re all thinking about how ministry will be different going forward. To guide that conversation, we are using the concept that the ministry will be both “Gathered” and “Scattered.” Reminds me of tabernacle and temple concepts of the Old Testament, of the diaspora of the early church in Acts 8, and beyond. Our God shows up in all those places! A book that I’m rereading is,  “And – The Gathered and Scattered Church”  by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay. I hope you find it helpful.

What’s Next in Streaming
 A number of you have stated that some form of worship streaming needs to continue even after the all-clear is sounded. In the initial days of COVID, with the scramble to establish online worship, many cobbled together resources and tech from available equipment and expertise. If you’re interested in taking a step into higher quality streaming tech and improving your ability to connect with others, please take a look at the resources Aaron Lucas, our Director of Communications has put together at  https://www.psd-lcms.org/online-worship-resources . Scroll down to the Software and Equipment section for package recommendations by the outstanding church tech firm, CCI.

A Free One-Day Conference – Small Church Essentials
On Saturday, June 27, the PSD is excited to provide you with  Small Church Essentials , a free on-line conference with Pastor Karl Vaters, author of  The Grasshopper Myth  and  Small Church Essentials . The conference is available to everyone and anywhere there is a computer with internet - your sanctuary, office, or dining room! The conference will be livestreamed to the PSD Website (information is on the registration site). You will have the opportunity to interact with Karl throughout the conference by submitting comments and questions in the chat box. We do ask you to register in advance by going to:  https://www.psd-lcms.org/psd-events

Karl will cover the following topics:
·      Redefining Success In Ministry
·      Big Church, Small Churches – What’s the Difference?
·      How To Discover And Use What Your Church Does Well
·      COVID-19: What’s Working In Churches That Are Thriving

Taking Care of Yourself
As I talk with DCEs, pastors, school administrators, educators, and lay leaders during countless Zoom meetings, it’s quickly apparent that we are all in the same boat. We’re tired of all of this! A number of you have shared with me feelings of weariness, discouragement, and depression. This morning I came across an excellent blog post that speaks to this reality. I hope that you’ll take a few minutes to read it and take it to heart. While the title addresses pastors, it applies to all of us, no matter our role in Kingdom work.  https://johndobbs.com/the-coming-pastoral-crash/

Your family, church, and community need you during and after COVID. Please take care of yourselves. You are precious to your Savior, to me, and to your Church!

May God bless, protect, and sustain you.


In Christ,

Rev. Dr. Mike Gibson
PSD President
 
 
1540 Concordia Drive East
Irvine, California 92612
949-854-3232
Letter to Governor Newsom
Pastoral Call Committee:

Eron Jacobson
eron.jacobson@cui.edu

Brad Heinecke heineckeb@lhsoc.org

Brittany Ryan brittany.ryan53@gmail.com

Jennifer Giddens jgiddens@pacificcoachways.com

Glenda Flora
glflora@aol.com

Kat Benne kbenne@zionanaheim.org

Annie Karr
anniekarr@yahoo.com

Ernilda Milla mmilla@princeofpeaceanaheim.org
Call Committe Update
The Call Comm. has been given a strong list of potential candidates and after significant review and discussion, we have narrowed the field down to our top six candidates. President Gibson has advised that during the current COVID crisis, we refrain from scheduling formal interviews. As he put it "Any Pastor that would leave their congregation during the current situation is not going to be the right fit for Zion".
Instead, we will continue to evaluate each of the top six candidates from afar with the hope of being able to speak with them in person once life returns to some sense of normalcy. We appreciate your prayers as we continue the search for "Pastor Next". 
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to any of the members of the Call Committee.
Helpful Resources for our Local Community
Need Assistance or Know Someone that Does?
Search  online  or call them. 2-1-1 is a free and confidential service that helps people find the local resources they need. Available for you 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.
Please note, there are no walk-ups allowed!
THRIFT SHOP WILL BE CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
During this time, we are monitoring circumstances around coronavirus (COVID-19), and will determine if additional days or weeks may be needed beyond the initial closure.
Zion Thrift Shop
Shop, Volunteer, and Donate
to the Zion Thrift Shop!

LOCATED AT:
1109 E. Commonwealth Ave.
Fullerton, CA 92831
Only 2 short miles from Zion

THRIFT SHOP HOURS:
Monday - Friday 10 AM - 4 PM
Saturday - 10 AM - 3 PM
Please contact Michele Brown
at 714-879-1147 or email
to volunteer.
Please call the thrift shop
to set up a time at
714-879-1147 
(leave a message if no one answers and we will call you back) or email Michele Brown at:  mbrown@zionanaheim.org
Dear Zion Church & School Families,
We know that many of you have taken this quarantine time to clean out cupboards and closets and are itching to get the stuff out of the garage!
We would like to offer you an opportunity to do so.
Donations will be accepted at the Church by appointment only  by the entrance to the Café on Wednesdays and Saturday from 9:00am - 1:00pm.

WEDNESDAYS WERE MADE FOR US!
Hey Zion Youth!

We are meeting for Jr. High Youth Group on Wednesdays at 6pm on Zoom!
BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR EMAILS ON WEDNESDAY FOR THE ZOOM LINK.
WHEN:  May 27, 2020 6:00 PM
We look forward to seeing you WEDNESDAY!!!  

Should you have any questions please call:

Saul Mejia @ 951-532-9845

Tracy Mejia @ 951-415-5301
WE ARE WORKING ON SOME IDEAS FOR
FUTURE ZOOM MEETINGS FOR
HIGH SCHOOL MINISTRY...
WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED!
JOIN US FOR A TIME OF BIBLE STUDY, COMMUNITY & PURPOSE
HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH 
(9-12TH GRADE)
2ND & 4TH SUNDAY
OF THE MONTH
LOCATED IN Café 10:31
from (5 - 7 PM)
ANY QUESTIONS: PLEASE CALL
OUR MINISTRY LEADERS -
SAUL MEJIA: 951-532-9845
 TRACY MEJIA: 951-415-5301
youthministries@zionanaheim.org
NOTE: Please be sure to click on the link below to fill out the 2019-2020 Release Form
and bring with you tonight:
‌
Are You Following Us?
We have a NEW School Facebook & Instagram
Be sure to LIKE Zion Lutheran School's NEW Facebook page: Zion Lutheran School of Anaheim and follow them on Instagram @zionlionsanaheim
Click on the Links below to follow now:
Enrolling for next school year
2 year old - 8th Grade
SHARING CHRIST, CHANGING LIVES
  • Christ Centered education since 1939
  • WASC & NLSA Accredited
  • Affordable tuition with small class sizes (K-8th)
  • Pay-As-You-Use before & after school-age -care available from 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM
  •  Experienced, Caring, Credentialed teachers
  • Music, Athletics, Arts, & Leadership
SHARE ZION
WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Well Done Good and Faithful Servant!

On May 31, 2020 we say good bye to Mrs. Denice Valdez’ as she begins her retirement from Zion Lutheran ECEC. Mrs. Valdez has been a faithful and loving servant to our PreK children since September 4, 1985! She has touched the lives of hundreds of children during her thirty five years at Zion. A former student from the 2017-2018 school year, Ruby had these word to say about her teacher, “ I liked how Mrs. Valdez made me feel comfortable and loved. I also liked all of the different centers that Mrs. Valdez set up in her classroom.” Ruby’s mom, Brynn added, “I appreciated her dedication to teaching her kiddos. She always showed them how much she cared and wanted only the best for them.”

Mrs. Valdez has four daughters, all whom graduated from Zion Lutheran School. She and her husband George live in Corona – we are sure she won’t miss the commute into Anaheim every day! Mrs. Valdez is looking forward to retirement so she can spend more time with her grandchildren and vintage shopping.

We will miss seeing her smiling face every day around the ECEC, but she has promised to come back as a sub if needed! Once we are allowed to gather together again, we will have a BIG celebration for her.

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:4-6

In Christ's Love,
Mrs. Lori Knapp
ECEC Director
SCRIP will be sold ONLINE ONLY effective immediately...
scrip
SCRIP will no longer be sold from the Church Office

Due to the Covid-19 situation we will no longer be selling physical scrip from Zion's Church Office.
However you may still go online to shopwithscrip.com
and use the enrollment code: 4B1BE5F912L3L
Should you have any questions or require assistance with ordering online please c ontact Linda Stewart at:
(714) 315-1738 for complete details on the Zion SCRIP Program.
Credit Card payment is available if you are signed up for Shop with Scrip or My Scrip Wallet. Click on the button below for instructions on how to sign up for online payments.
ZION SUMMER DAY CAMP
ZION SUMMER DAY CAMP

222 N. East Street
Anaheim, CA 92805
714-535-3600, ext. 501

June 8, 2020 through August 7, 2020
The campus is closed on July 3rd
in observance of Independence Day!

Hours of Operation:
Monday — Friday
6:30am to 6:00pm

Director:
Amy Jacobson — ajacobson@zionanaheim.org

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Zion Families,

Zion Summer Day Camp is moving forward with our planning and enrollment. With the understanding we may need to pivot and make some adjustments to the trips.

Please contact Amy Jacobson if you have any questions at  email  or 714-535-3600 ext. 501

 Covid-19
We will continue to monitor and adhere to the CDC and State/County Health Department guidelines for all scheduled trips and daily activities.