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Windows Into Zion is the monthly newsletter of Zion Mennonite Church. The publishers are Dorothy Hartman, Julie Hottinger, Fern Nisly, and Myrna Piper. Return to the Newsletter Archives. September 2004 Please note that calendar information and the Worship Schedule are located on the Calendar page.
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| Volume 9 |
Number 11
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September 2004
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September's mystery person
A prize from Dairy Queen will be given to the person who correctly identifies the mystery person. If more than one person is correct, the winner's name will be drawn from the correct entries. Only one prize will be awarded each month. Give your answer to Myrna Piper or email pipermr@aol.com by September 26. Family members of the mystery person are not eligible. True evangelical faith. ...cannot lie dormant. ...it clothes the naked, ...it feeds the hungry, ...it comforts the sorrowful, ...it shelters the destitute. ...and it serves those who harm it. ...it binds up that which is wounded. ...it has become all things to all people. --Menno-Simons, 1539 |
Transition time for Windows In November 1995 the first issue of Windows Into Zion was published has been published on a monthly basis since then. For the past 9 years the newsletter has provided windows into the various activities of small groups, Sunday school classes, commissions, youth groups, Mennonite Women, our mission workers, and girls and boys clubs. In addition it has provided opportunity for Zion attendees to share personal stories and celebrations; newcomers have been introduced; and we've enjoyed and been inspired by articles, poetry, recipes, family vacation tales, and regular features contributed by the many gifted writers from within our congregation. We appreciate the many positive comments about Windows and we thank all those who have gathered information, conducted interviews and submitted articles and information over the past nine years. Windows has helped members of the congregation stay connected. As we begin our 10th year, we feel it's time for a transition. There has been a steady decline in articles/information being submitted, and in the interest of saving time, paper resources and money, we've decided to change the publication schedule of Windows to every other month. The new schedule will be: November/December, January/February, March/April, May/June/ July/August, and September/October. The next issue of Windows will be distributed on October 3. The first combined issue will be distributed November 7 and include activities for November and December. As you are planning activities for the year ahead, please include Windows in your distribution of news. It would be wonderful to hear from the CLT, Commission chairs, Sunday school classes, and other groups and organizations from within the congregation. If you've "dreamed" of having your writings or stories published; if you have an idea for and/or are willing to provide a "regular feature"; if you want to share you thought about upcoming holidays, happenings in the church, family life, community or world; or as you come across jokes, bloopers, humor or other articles you think others would find interesting, we encourage you to put them in the Windows mailbox at church or email them to pipermr@aol.com (the editors reserve the right to edit or not use). Thanks for understanding. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Dorothy Hartman or Myrna Piper. |
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Congratulations! |
Musings - Traveling at the Same Speed --Katherine Donnelly Goins "We kind of fell in love at sewing circle," says Martha Whissen of the affectionate relationship she developed with Joanna during Joanna's pre-school years. "I've been specially interested in her ever since." For Christmas one year Martha made Joanna's doll a lovely set of doll clothes, which are now carefully stored in our attic with Joanna's other childhood treasures. I have been so blessed through my relationships with Zion's seniors. They have wisdom to guide, stories to inspire, and humor to lighten our day. Here are a few of my observations. JP and Retha Alger have invited countless Zion guests to their home for Sunday dinner. JP does all the dishes by hand after the guests leave. The last time Kenny and I were there, JP inquired as to who was coming the following week. To Retha's reply of, "No guests," JP responded with his impish grin, "Oh, so we get a breather?" Eula Showalter and Gladys Ropp shared with the Pathfinders' Sunday school class. Eula impressed us with stories of her mission work in Ecuador after her retirement as a nurse. Even the discomfort of sleeping on concrete floors could not lessen her satisfaction in being able to offer her nursing skills in the eye clinic where she was working. Gladys's profound compassion was evident as she shared moments from her's and Herman's work as chaplains at Rockingham Memorial Hospital. The heartbreak of diabetes patients who first lose a toe, then a foot, and then a leg; the loneliness of those who have no one to listen to them; the privilege of praying with those who wish - these were among the images she presented to the class. Gladys shared the joy she and Herman found in entertaining college age grandchildren and their friends. Just picture the mountains of mashed potatoes and gravy the students consumed. One Valentine's Day Gladys prepared a romantic candlelight dinner for a grandson, a granddaughter, and their dates. She set the table with china, candles, and her grandmother's tablecloth. To her chagrin both couples broke up shortly after the dinner. Several years ago I was part of a women's Bible study with Ida Showalter. I knew that Ida was involved in water aerobics, but imagine my surprise when at her home I noticed several stylish water fitness swimsuits hanging on the back of the bathroom door. Her suits were more fashionable than mine, and she was thirty years my senior. Ida has a great sense of humor and an infectious laugh. Ruth Alger, another former member of the Bible study, never fails to ask about Katie. How is she doing? Where is she living now? How far along is she in her degree program? Katie appreciates Ruth's ongoing friendship. "You're traveling at the same speed," was a pearl of wisdom Elizabeth Showalter gave me before she died several years ago at the age of ninety-one. She was one of the most creative thinkers I've ever met. I used to see Betty Byler at EMHS functions when her grandson Holden was living with her. While I was exhausted, Betty would smile and say, "This keeps me young!" Ask her about her travels with friends and grandchildren. For years Phoebe and Dewey Brenneman have sat in front of us at church. Their quiet presence is an important part of our Zion roots. And what would Sunday mornings be like without Ray Kuykendall's warm greeting and friendly handshake? Or Ellis Detwiler's gorgeous handmade oak dry sink? Sunday school classes, small groups, Bible studies, dinner in each other's homes, and morning coffee visits are all ways we can enjoy friendships with Zion's seniors and allow their experiences to enrich our lives. |
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Daphna Community Picnic --Anne Juarez Mark your calendar for September 18, the date for the 6th annual Daphna Picnic. The meal will begin at 5:30, and this year we will be having pork bar-b-que prepared by Wes Showalter and friends. Daphna Creek will provide music. Members of our congregation are being asked to bring two dishes to share. You may also wish to bring a lawn chair to sit on. Hay bales will be provided for seating as well as table seating for the older members of the church and community. There will be games and face painting for children, as well as door prizes. Speaking of which, please consider contributing a door prize for either a child or an adult. Homemade goodies and gift certificates have been popular items in the past. We hope to see many of you for this annual event. It's a wonderful way to spend time in communion as a church family, as well as a way to touch bases with those members of the Daphna community that attend. Library News --Jennifer Showalter If youšve been in the library recently, youšve noticed a major change. There are some empty shelves! In July the library was closed for a week to sort through books. Many stacks of books have been removed. You will have an opportunity at the Daphna Picnic on September 18th, and Sundays, September 19th and 26th to look through the books to be discarded. During these times you may make a donation to take any books that you want. A donation box will be available. At this time you can also make requests for a book to be returned to the church library. Please see Jennifer Showalter with your request. All books remaining after this will be donated to Book Savers of Virginia. The money from the donations will go towards purchasing new books to begin filling all those empty shelves in the library. In order to purchase new books, the library committee wants your ideas and suggestions. You may put your suggestions in the donation box or in Jennifer Showalteršs mailbox. |
???Did you know??? MMA's Stewardship University returns to Harrisonburg (Eastern Mennonite Seminary) on Saturday, October 30. Visit the web site, www.StewardshipUniversity.org for online registration. How do we use the gifts God gives in ways that honor God? Stewardship University helps you find the answers to these questions and more! Thanks a heap!! to Susan Stoltzfus and Marci Myers for thanking the teachers and helpers in the Children's Department during the past year with a special breakfast. |
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???August's who am I??? Ray Kuykendall!
No one identified Ray. He will recieve the gift certificate to Dairy Queen. Congratulations! |
The swimmer bargaining with God Burt Reynolds starred in an old film entitled The End. In the film he decides to commit suicide by swimming out as far as he can until he is exhausted and then just go under. But after going under he is looking at the surface from the underside and decides not to go through with it. As he breaks the surface of the water he screams: "I want to live! I want to live!" He then begins to try to swim to shore, but it is a very long way off. As he begins to swim he talks to God. He promises to obey all of the Ten Commandments, and then realizes he doesn't know what all of them are so he promises to learn them. Then, in his panic he says, "Lord if you get me out of this, I will give you 80% of everything I have." But as he continues to swim he feels his strength holding out and says, "Lord, if you help me to get to shore alive I will give you 10% of all my earnings." And, finally, he struggles to the place where he sees that he is just going to be able to make it to land and says, "Well, Lord, let's just forget about what I said before. I think I can make it from here on my own." Reynolds attitude is reflective of the attitude of many people today. Giving to God or living for God is sometimes thought of as "paying our dues" or fulfilling an obligation. What should our attitude toward giving be? What is the proper way to give and think about giving? The first point we need to understand is: Giving is an act of worship. It is an expression of gratitude to a faithful God for all his goodness to me. Giving is not just a response to a need in the church; it is a response of gratitude. |
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September Birthdays Worship schedule |
Coming Up
September 10 Youth Workers Meeting at Zion 6:00 p.m. September 12 "A Song for the Nations" Choir Pot-luck dinner at noon September 18 Daphna Community Picnic 5:00 p.m. at Zion. September 19 EMU President Loren Swartzendruber will join us during the Sunday School hour and worship service. Congregational Business Meeting 6:30 p.m. October 1-2 Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale, Rockingham County Fairgrounds October 3 Myron Augsburger will preach Please place news items for the October issue in the Windows mailbox by September 26. You may also send your news by email to: pipermr@aol.com. We appreciate all your comments, ideas, and submissions! Dorothy Hartman, Julie Hottinger, Fern Nisly and Myrna Piper publish Windows Into Zion. |
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