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August, 2005
Catechism Class Begins this Month
Catechism instruction for 7th graders will start with
an orientation night for parents and pupils on Wednesday, August 24 at 6:30
p.m. Classes will be conducted on
Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., taking breaks during the
Advent/Christmas and Lenten seasons.
The first regular class session will be on August 31.
This year’s class will cover the six chief parts of
Christian doctrine from Luther’s Small Catechism. It is the first year of a two-year
program designed to prepare young members of Zion to receive the Lord’s
Supper.
Parents of pupils entering sixth grade this fall are
encouraged to speak with Pastor Schurb about possible inclusion of their
children in this year’s class.
Catechism Countdown
Catechism Countdown is a voluntary three-year program
of instruction for pupils in grades 4-6, designed to prepare young pupils
for their study of the catechism in 7th and 8th grades. Class activities include analyzing and
memorizing the six chief parts of Christian doctrine from Luther’s Small
Catechism, learning Bible stories, locating Bible passages quickly,
discussing worship, and singing hymns.
Pupils write reports on sermons.
Catechism Countdown classes are held on Wednesday
afternoons from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., taking breaks during the Advent/Christmas
and Lenten seasons. The first class
session this year will be on Wednesday, August 31.
Parents of this year’s Catechism Countdown pupils are
invited to a brief meeting with Pastor Schurb. It will be held following church service on Sunday, August 28.
Concordia: The
Lutheran Confessions
The Lutheran “Confessions” are statements of
faith. These include such documents
as Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms and the Augsburg Confession. Collected into one volume called the Book
of Concord in 1580 (that is, 425 years ago this year), these
confessional writings give a true exposition of Scripture and define what
it is to be Lutheran.
In honor of this 425th anniversary, Concordia
Publishing House has released a new “reader’s edition” of the Book of
Concord. It has historical and
doctrinal introductions, timelines, a glossary, picture gallery, and
more.
Dr. C.F.W. Walther, first president of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod, wrote that “the Book of Concord should be in
every Lutheran home.” Here is a
great opportunity to get a copy for your home, and at a reasonable
price. For a limited time, this
book will be available for $20.00 plus shipping. Why wait until the last minute? Please sign the sheet on the lectern in the narthex soon, and
we will order a copy for you!
(Payment can be made when the books arrive and the exact cost of
shipping is known.)
Church and Preschool Telephone Numbers
Zion’s church office telephone number is
263-3256. Our preschool’s telephone
number is 263-7663. Callers can be
most helpful, and accomplish what they are trying to do in calling, by
selecting the appropriate number.
Earlier this year, Zion’s church council decided to dedicate these
lines to save preschool staff members from interrupting their work to
answer church office calls. Church
calls do not come in to the preschool telephone.
If no one is available in the office to answer the
church phone when you call, then please – if at all possible – leave a
message. Pastor Schurb’s home phone
number (269-9400) and emergency line number (676-4967) are given on the
outgoing message on the church line, and you are invited to call those
numbers as appropriate. Similarly,
if no one is able to answer the preschool phone when you call, please leave
a message on the preschool’s answering machine.
Sunday School Rally Day
Sunday
School Rally Day will be August 28.
On this day, Sunday School children will be assigned to new classes
as appropriate.
Zion’s
two adult Bible classes will continue to be held each Sunday morning. On August 28, Pastor Schurb will begin a
study of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. (The First Corinthians study will also be offered on Saturday
evenings from 4:45 to 5:15 p.m., prior to church services.) Jeff Downing will be completing a study
on the teachings of Christ on Aug. 28.
He will begin on the Passion of the Christ in Sept.
Myth or Faith?
Is it
true that . . .
. . . God expects me to change before I am acceptable to
Him?
. . . Jesus descended into hell to take the punishment
we deserved?
. . . we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in our
conversion?
. . . our love for God is the motive for all we do in
the Christian life?
. . . the main point of the Bible is how to live a good
life?
. . . my confession of sins makes God’s forgiveness
possible?
. . . as long as we speak words from the Bible, our
worship is bound to be Christian?
Have
you thought about these questions, or others like them? Then Myth or Faith? is for you!
Misunderstandings and myths concerning the Christian
faith can confuse people. Myth
or Faith? is a fifteen-week course in the basics of Christianity,
designed for adults. Students in
this class prepare each week, listen to tapes on the various topics, and
join in class discussion on what they have learned. In the process of exposing the myths, we
learn the truth from God’s Word -- the truth of the Christian faith.
The fall Myth or Faith? session at Zion begins
on Thursday, August 25. The class
will meet on Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m., with a couple of nights off in
November. Please come, and bring a
friend! The Myth or Faith?
class can be of great service to adults who are interested in the Lutheran
Church. It can be a prelude to
membership, although there is no pressure to join.
By the
way, the answer to all the above questions is “no.” Come to Myth or Faith? and find
out why!
College Bound?
As the beginning of the academic year approaches,
please give to Pastor Schurb and/or to the church office any pertinent
information on college students from Zion.
We would like to know the school each is attending, campus address
(as soon as it is known), phone number, and e-mail address. This information is helpful to keep contact
with students, especially those studying away from home. Referrals can be made to the appropriate
campus ministries.
This fall, Pastor Schurb will again teach a noon
Bible study on Wednesdays at Moberly Area Community College. This study is for the benefit of
students, faculty, and staff members on the central campus of the oldest
community college in Missouri.
Wade Fundraiser
Austin Wade is 10 months old. His grandmother is
Eileen Long of the Lutheran Family and Children’s Services office in
Columbia. When Austin was born, he did not receive the vitamin K shot which
is essential for promoting blood clotting in a newborn. As a result,
Austin's blood did not clot. He
suffered a severe brain bleed which has left him with brain damage to more
than half of his brain. Austin has endured several surgeries and many
tests. His family remains optimistic. They pray daily for their son's
improvement.
On August 13th there will be a fundraiser for Austin
at the Peachtree Catering and Banquet Center in Columbia. Tickets are
available at the door. This fundraiser is to help Austin receive the kind
of extensive care he needs. (Please visit the KOMU-TV web site to see the
Wade Family Story. Http://www.komu.com/html/htmlSummer2005/stemcell.htm)
Donations can be made at Mizzou Credit Union under the name of Austin Wade.
(Mizzou Credit Union-111 E. Broadway, Columbia MO 65205).
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