James tells us to stop showing favoritism in the assembly, treating the rich visitor with more honor than the poor one. Jesus himself seems to show partiality in his first response to the Syrophoenician woman in today’s gospel. Was he testing her faith in saying Gentiles don’t deserve the goods meant for God’s children? Or was he speaking out of his human worldview, but transcended those limits when she took him by surprise with her reply? Either way, the story tells us that God shows no partiality. Everyone who brings a need to Jesus is received with equal honor as a child and heir.
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Changing Worship Schedule
Summer Worship services are:
- 9am indoors
- 10am online (pre-recorded)
- 10:30am outdoor / drive-in
For those who still prefer a bit more space, we have blocked off alternate pews in the west/pulpit side of the sanctuary. The other sections are fully open. Please remember that we all have different comfort levels with distance and contact.
The 10:30 worship service will be led from the outdoor platform as often as the weather allows, through September, giving attendees the choice of drive-in or bringing chairs or blankets to sit on the lawn. If weather prevents the service from being led outdoors, it will still be broadcast on the FM frequency for drive-in attendees.
Fall Worship services (beginning September 19) will be:
- 8:30am: Traditional & online (transitioning to live stream) Worship
- 9:30am: Coffee Fellowship / Adult Education / Family Events
- 10:30am: Contemporary Worship
- 10:30am: Sunday School
- Wednesdays at 6pm: Family Worship
If you have an interest in adult education or other forums during the 9:30-10:30 hour, feel free to give information to Sherilyn or contact the Zion office with your ideas.
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Holy Communion This Sunday
Holy Communion will be part of all worship services this week, Sunday, September 5.
If you are attending the online worship service, we know you won’t have the exact same elements that we use when we are in worship in the sanctuary. Gather any variety of wine or fruit juice, and any kind of bread product.
If you are receiving communion at any worship service, please complete an electronic communion card. Printed cards will also be available from a staff person at in-person worship services.
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The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends that everyone, both fully vaccinated and unvaccinated, continue to wear a well-fitted mask in indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission. Wright County is currently rated as an area with high Covid transmission.
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Staffing Update from Jameson
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Worship Volunteers
Sunday Welcome Crews
Individuals and families are welcome! Sign up to serve on a Sunday Welcome Crew, hosting one Sunday per moth. Tasks include greeting, ushering, and hosting coffee fellowship. For more information, email Sherilyn@Zionbuffalo.org.
Scripture Readers
If you would like to volunteer to read scripture at an upcoming worship service, please contact Sherilyn.
Online Hosts
Want to greet others, share announcements, and be part of our virtual worshiping community? Become one of our online hosts! Approximately one Sunday morning per month for an hour, during the online/livestream service (currently 10am, will be moving to 8:30am in the fall). For details and to sign up, please contact Kate at ktbottiger@gmail.com.
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Wednesday Supper Teams
Everyone is invited to join friends on Wednesday nights during the school year for a wonderful evening of fellowship and tasty meals, beginning September 15. If you'd like to help on a Wednesday Night Supper team, contact Lora@zionbuffalo.org.
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ZFest Lunch Orders are Due
Zfest on September 12 is Zion’s annual country festival to celebrate the year's ministries. This event is for everyone ... everyone who has faithfully been with us all summer, everyone who is returning to a 'more normal' schedule and getting geared up for fall Children Youth and Family ministry, and everyone who is new to Zion and would like to check out what we're all about.
🌻 Order your boxed lunch by September 5 (BYO picnic lunches also welcome)
🌻 Invite your friends to join us
🌻 Tshirts can still be ordered (those ordered prior to August 23 will be available for pickup at ZFest, and those ordered after August 23 will be available in early October).
New this Year! ZFest will include a Blessing of the Animals at 12:30pm! Please bring pets to the outdoor worship area, where we will have a short service during which minister Bristol Reading will offer a blessing for each pet. Leashed pets are welcome. Please clean up after your pet.
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Back to Sunday School and Confirmation
Sunday school, confirmation, and music registrations for the 2021-2022 school year are now open. If you have students in these programs, please register and help leaders plan the year (in particular, we need to know ASAP who plans to ride the Wednesday bus from elementary schools)!
Sunday school will start on September 19 with one week of getting to know one another, and then a four-week unit focused on Neighbors with a deep dive into the story of the Good Samaritan.
Tammy Zumbusch and Holly Husum will serve as Interim Confirmation Coordinators, and to give them an opportunity to get organized, we've pushed back the start of confirmation until early October for this year.
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Prayer Requests
Dick Mattson, Kathy Dann, Laura Lindquist, Emily Miller, Samuel Hanson, Sam Monson, Julianne Love, Pastor Heidi Hagstrom, Jeanne Griswold, Dawn Schmidt, Suzie Alsen, Sharon Schmidt, Mary Danielson.
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Rick's Fall Bible History Class
Rick Johnson will present a 9-week class beginning Monday, September 13, at 6:30-8pm in the Zion library. This class will examine stories of major Old Testament leaders in Genesis and Exodus as well as examine what the Hebrew Bible states about Judaism and Jewish interpretations of these stories.
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Online Connect/Communion Card
If you have questions, prayer requests, a new mailing address, etc., please fill out the online connect card. The same card can be used to record your communion.
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