April 16, 2020
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
Dear Zion,
At our first ever virtual Church Council meeting using Zoom, the Trustees and Deacons of Zion discussed the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic Emergency Measures response is having on our financial situation. Everyone involved in this Zoom meeting has felt the effects in their personal lives. Businesses have drastically reduced staff; jobs have been put on hold; retirement funds have eroded.
But even in the midst of all of this, our God has been faithful to us, and we are sharing God’s generosity with our church, to ministries such as Kinasao, CLWR, LuMinHoS, and many others.
On behalf of the entire Church Council, we say Thank You. To those who have maintained and even increased your faithful giving by PAR or authorized withdrawal, thank you. To those who send a monthly donation by cheque, thank you. To those who drop by the church for a few moments with the Lord alone or a visit with one of the staff and leave a donation, thank you. To those who pray for the ministries of Zion, thank you. To those who keep in touch and carry the burdens of intercession for the frail, the sick, and those who are not doing well with social isolation, thank you. As the apostle Paul wrote in 2nd Corinthians 9:12, “for this ministry is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.”
From Luke 6:68: “Give, and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put in your lap, for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” We are certainly having our resources pressed down and shaken together!
The promise of God’s providence is just as true! So many people in our congregation are finding ways to give hope, love, and faith even with social distancing. So many are providing prayerful support to the ministries, services, and needs of God’s people through Zion. The Lord has already supplied and continues to supply, according to the measure of grace in the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Let us pray for His blessing as we continue to dedicate ourselves, our time, and our talents and treasures, to the Lord’s mission.
We believe that God always provides everything that is needed to all who continue to trust in his grace when times are difficult. Pastoral care and support is here; the prayers and love of our whole congregation are here for us all. Our hearts are only a phone call, a text, an email, a Facebook message away.
With gratitude, on behalf of Zion Lutheran Church Council,
Margaret Fast, Chairperson
Darlene Wilson, Accounts Manager
Ron Bestvater, Pastor
Zion Lutheran Church - Saskatoon 