Pastor Philip writes

We have a new Bishop! Pastor Carla Blakely was ordained Bishop of the Eastern Synod on Saturday, September 28, at St Matthews. The service was both a delight to see and to hear. A massed choir of local choirs and Inshallah, soloists and instrumentalists and a bell choir added to the majesty of the day. Many of our members either participated in some way or attended this special occasion.

Bishop Carla was surrounded by a sea of robed pastors, eight of them members of Mount Zion, as she said her vows.

You can watch the service at https://hawkeyefilms.ca/stmatts-ordination/

Bishop Michael Pryse was bishop for 25 years, and it will be different to see someone else fill those shoes as it will be for her actually to do it. Let us continue to hold her in our prayers as she takes on this significant role as leader of the synod.

We have heard of the recent massive storms in the Southwestern US and British Colombia.  Atmospheric rivers threaten parts of BC with a deluge.  Hurricane Helene devastated parts of Florida as it moved inland. This morning. I read of a person taking refuge in a kayak in his living room to escape the rising waters. We had devastating fires, and the City of Jasper was one of many that faced its wrath.

Increasing violence around the world, especially in the Middle East, is threatening to blow up into something bigger and is contributing to the suffering of scores of people, especially children. Failed policies and promises all around have contributed to where we are now.

As Canadians, we find it somewhat amusing to observe the extreme partisanship in the political realm in the United States. However, there is a lingering concern that we may also be heading in the same direction. There is disorder, and we are uncertain about when another election may be forced upon us.

I mention these things not to instill fear in anyone but rather to draw attention to the realities that we see around us. It is cause for dismay. Unfettered human activities and our way of living are affecting the health of the planet. The use of faith as a tool to divide and instill fear and terror rather than foster unity, love, and peace is indeed disturbing.

We need to take a moment to pause and reflect on how people of faith should respond responsibly and authentically to these issues. As we complete the Season of Creation, we should consider how we can uphold the values of the kingdom, promote the right relationships with each other and with nature, and participate in the fight for justice, peace, and love.

One ought to recognize that our Justice Through Service Committee does commendable work in the area on our behalf. 

The Canadian Council of Churches is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year.  The group of 10 that came together in 1944 has grown to 26 with 8 observer churches. The Council has been at the forefront of struggling for issues of unity, peace and justice for 80 years of shared mission and ministry.  As part of the celebrations, there is a campaign to raise funds for the council's work.

In Our Prayers

Don Stewart passed away on Friday, September 13. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Erb and Good Family Funeral Home on November 24 at 2 pm. Let us hold Jean and Tai, and the rest of the family in our prayers as they mourn his death.

The service of celebration for the life of Ruth Stromberg was held at Mount Zion on Saturday September 21.

Let us pray for Barbara, Christine, Marilyn, Konrad, Mary-Helen, Sandra, Julian, George, Betty, Rosalie, Thelma, Helen, and Jean and Tai as they mourn the death of Don. Let us continue to pray for peace in the world, especially in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Ukraine, Russia, Yemen, Sudan and other places, for wisdom and discernment to the leaders to work towards peace. Let us remember all those affected by natural disasters, especially in Florida. Let us remember our own congregation as we look to the future together.

In Christ,

 

Pr. Philip

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Music Notes

Mount Zion's choir is up and running and preparing for several special occasions ahead -Thanksgiving, Reformation, All Saints and, of course, Advent and Christmas.

We are pleased to have our new intern Leo singing with us.

Several choir members participated in the service of ordination for the new Bishop last Saturday.

There is a fundraising concert for Music on the Mount in the works -"Mount Zion's Got Talent" scheduled for Nov.10. Should be a lot of fun!

We are also planning for a German Carol Service on Dec. 20.  Sarah

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Financial Update – September 2024

Results for the first nine months reflect a deficit of $32,450 in the Ministry & Mission (current) account. This is $44,584 better than plan due to Excellent Member support, higher rental income and reduced expenses. Richard Brubacher  Click for the full report 

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Synod Benevolence Offerings

The synod reports that as of August 31, benevolence offerings were tracking 5.4% below the amount that was received for the comparable year-to-date period in 2023.  A decline of 5% has been budgeted for 2024 so we are slightly below the budgeted level.  Looking at the month of August this year compared to August last year, the offerings received are almost exactly the same year-over-year.  Thank you for your continued faithful benevolence contributions to the Synod.

Did you know that 24 cents from every dollar of your benevolence offerings supports congregations throughout the Eastern Synod?  The Eastern Synod is made up of approximately 170 congregations, stretching from Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario to Dartmouth in Nova Scotia.  Our support comes in many forms and looks different for each congregation, each committee, and each group within the Eastern Synod family. We are grateful for your contributions, which allow us to support the work of our congregations. 

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Care Ring  

Hold the Phone; we are delighted to report that the Care-Ring Ministry has returned. A small group of volunteers will call those people they think might appreciate a call and a chat. We hope that these calls will offer a smile and support. Call Dennis Eaton if you are interested in either volunteering or receiving a ring.

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Member Sunday

On Sunday, September 28 we celebrated Member Sunday and recognized the contributions of others in our congregational life and ministries.  We welcomed 22 new members and friends, since our last such event in 2021. Those new folks are Marie Besong, Stephen Brown, Sarah and Ken Cardwell, Sharon Heeralal, Britney Jaganathan, Hailing Huang, Cindy and David Jacobsen, Marc and Marnie Jerry and their daughter Carmen, who is at school in Regina, our new intern Leo Nupolo Johnson, Funmy Kehinde-Obanewa, Carter Klandernd, Eugenie and Leonard Maitland, Jessie Mills, Margrit Notter, Grace Soucie, Sarah Storms, Steward Weber.

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Food Card Ministry

The Justice through Service Committee reports that although it was a bit of a scramble, the $900 worth of Food Cards have been replaced after the break-in in the office. We understand that our insurance will cover some of the loss.

 

News from The Kitchen

The Mount Zion Kitchen is again cooking wonderful hot meals for pickup or delivery this year. At this time, we are providing meals for our congregation members and seniors. Please call the church office (519-886-5820) to order your meal(s) before noon on Wednesdays. 

Thank you to Mrs Bell for setting up our menu and cooking our delicious meals. Also our many volunteers for chopping the veggies on Wednesdays and packing the containers on Thursday mornings. A big thanks to Patrick Seliske for operating our new dishwasher!

Please remember to return your bags with your containers

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Nov 6 - Day of Learning and Evening of Celebration

The Canadian Council of Churches will hold “Day of Learning and Evening of Celebration” here in Waterloo, ON, on Wed. Nov. 6, 2024. The Day of Learning will take place at Mount Zion, while the evening musical celebration highlighting the work of Project Ploughshares will take place at First United Church, Waterloo. Please plan to join us for this exciting day celebrating 80 years of ecumenism through the Canadian Council of Churches. A save-the-date advertisement will be available shortly.

Please keep the CCC in your prayers.   Peter Kuhnert

 

Oct 4 - Climate Vigils

Faith Climate Justice will again hold Climate Vigils at Waterloo Town Square from 8 to 9 p.m. every Friday from October 4 through November 29, 2024.

 

October 5  Unthinkable: Gaza One Year Later

Sadly, we are facing the anniversary of the unthinkable, brutal genocide of Palestine. Waterloo Region Friends of Palestine( WRFP) is hosting an important event, a very impressive lineup of leaders for a discussion "UNTHINKABLE - Gaza One Year Later". We gather to observe the genocide in Gaza to share grief, seek hope & take action.  The event is on Saturday, October 5, at 7:00 pm, held at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church (Weber/Queen in Kitchener); it is a free event, not to be missed; please join us.

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Oct 9- Mount Zion Café

Join us at the Mount Zion Cafe on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., in the Fellowship Hall. Bring a friend! Join in the conversation and meet new and old acquaintances. Learn some health tips that you may find helpful. Call Margaret in the church office by 9:45 a.m. if you need a ride.

 

October 20, 2-4 pm   Soil Safari

On the afternoon of Sunday October 20, 2  to 4 pm, we will have a Soil Safari to celebrate the end of the gardening season at the Community Garden.  This family event is being held in collaboration with Redeemer Lutheran of Toronto and is being presented by the Compost Council of Canada.     The Compost Council will be setting up the Register with Eventbrite link or the sign-up sheet in the narthex.

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Oct 27 - Sunday Lunches Return

Pre-COVID, once a month, we used to gather for lunch and fellowship and also discuss a topic of interest for our edification. It was a very meaningful and profound time. Recently, there has been interest in reviving this practice, and we will have our first gathering after this long break on October 27, after worship. 

We will gather in the Glebe Room and be done by 1:20 pm. Dr. David Jacobsen will lead the discussions on October 27. He will share his insights on the book by Willie James Jennings, Acts, where he explores the relevance of the book of Acts for the struggles of today.

We will have sign-up sheets for attendance and food by mid-October.  Pastor Philip

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Oct 24 & 25 - Inshalla Sing the Journey Deep

You are invited to attend Sing the Journey Deep, a conference being hosted by Inshallah and the Kanata Centre, on October 24 and 25.

Featured guest Mark A Miller is a distinguished composer, hymn writer, and educator known for his profound contributions to contemporary worship music.  Mark is committed to use his gifts of music to advocate for social justice and help create “the beloved community”.  Mark serves as Minister of Music at Christ Church in Summit, New Jersey, lecturer at Yale University's Institute for Sacred Music, and professor of church music, director of chapel, and composer in residence at Drew University.

Big Sing

Anyone who likes to sing will enjoy the "Big Sing" from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 24 at St. Matthews Lutheran Church.  The cost is only $10.00 per person.  Mark Miller will lead participants in several of his compositions and will turn us into a massed choir.

Questions? Please contact admin@inshallah.ca

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Oct 28 - Book Study Sponsored by Health Council

Here Be Wonders: The Gospel’s Pulse in Unsettled Times is a newly published book by Nancy Vernon Kelly, a member of Mount Zion. Nancy was pastor of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Kitchener, from 1995 to 2013.

During that time, she witnessed numerous occasions within the congregation and community where the Spirit of God continued to pulse in ordinary activities. In the book, she tells 40 of these stories. They invite our attention and perhaps give clues for future directions.

We are pleased that Nancy will participate in the discussion in the Fellowship Hall on Monday, October 28, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. Please register in the church office.

Copies of the book are widely available, including from Words Worth Books. All royalties from the sale of this book go to St Mark’s Place, forty-three units of supportive housing in the former St. Mark’s Lutheran Church building.

If you have questions, please get in touch with Mary Slethaug

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Nov 6 - Day of Learning and Evening of Celebration

The Canadian Council of Churches will hold “Day of Learning and Evening of Celebration” here in Waterloo, ON, on Wed. Nov. 6, 2024. The Day of Learning will take place at Mount Zion, while the evening musical celebration highlighting the work of Project Ploughshares will take place at First United Church, Waterloo. Please plan to join us for this exciting day celebrating the 80 years of ecumenism through the Canadian Council of Churches. A save-the-date advertisement will be available shortly.

Please keep the CCC in your prayers.   Peter Kuhnert

 

Nov. 23 - Two Rivers and Grand River Area Round Table Forum Saturday Nov 23

Presenters from "Releven" (formerly Trinity Centres Foundation) will be on hand to facilitate this Round Table forum hosted by St. Matthews Lutheran Church, 54 Benton Street, Kitchener. It will take place on Saturday, Nov 23, from 9:30 am to 3 pm. This event is in continuation of the ministry area talks that have been hosted by the MinistrAarea Deans with the intent of moving the conversation forward into action. 

"Join us for an inspiring event where Lutheran churches will explore how to reimagine their mission and utilize land assets for greater community impact. Discover innovative ways to repurpose space, foster partnerships, and create sustainable change in your local area. Whether you're looking to expand your outreach or transform your resources, this event offers practical insights and collaborative opportunities to help your church make a lasting difference."

Please note that registration is required, as a lunch will be provided.  The registration form can be found either in the QR code on the Poster or through this website: Two Rivers Grand River Round Table — Relèven .  

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