zion lutheran church · in a hymn festival, to celebrate the 10 th anniversary of the dedication of...

Zion Lutheran Church “Those who trust in the Lord shall be like Mount Zion,

which cannot be moved, but abides forever.” (Psalm 125:1)

August 16, 2020

Pastoral Letter............................................................................ Page 3

Liturgy ....................................................................................... Page 4

Catechumenate, Remembering .................................................. Page 5

Outreach and Mercy, Praying .................................................... Page 6

A “Note” from Kantor ............................................................... Page 7

News & Events .......................................................................... Page 8

October Hymn Festival Update ................................................. Page 9

Daily Communion: A Blessing for the Congregation ............. 0

Calendar (for the upcoming week)........................................... Page 11

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Newsletter Sponsorship

This week, the newsletter is sponsored

in loving memory of Dennis Bliese,

whose birthday was August 16,

from his wife, Verda.

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Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will

of God in Christ Jesus for you. (~ 1 Thess. 5:18)

Beloved Saints,

“These are bad times, Pastor.” So people will say to me, and I un-

derstand why. This year has been rough in so many ways, some of

which are only known to each of us individually. But, saints of God,

whenever you hear a brother or sister in Christ say so, or when you

sense in yourselves the desire to say so, I encourage you to pause

and ask yourselves: “Is it really a bad time?”

Just what time is it, now that Jesus is raised from the dead?

It’s the time of God’s favor, the Day of Salvation (2 Cor. 6:2). We’re

living in the Day of Grace that dawned when Jesus emerged from the

tomb, the uncreated Sun of Righteousness that never sets but shines

forever. Through Him, we live daily under the grace and favor of a

Father who will hear our prayer and provide us everything that we

need. Even if we die, we live!

Can any time really outweigh that endless season of grace?

Here’s my advice: start turning off the news. Seriously. We all

want to be informed, so I don’t mean doing it completely. But it’s

getting you down. I can see it, in your eyes, your speech, your souls.

When that happens, something is trying to displace the happiness

that Christ died to give you—it’s threatening to become an idol for

you. And really, how is the 24-hour news cycle helping you? Is it

even meant to help you, or is it trying to help others besides you?

Turn if off, and turn the Gospel on. Love Jesus and His Word. Lis-

ten to good music. Call a sick person, bless a child. God is enough

to “give thanks in all circumstances.” He’s enough to be so brave as

to be kind, so courageous as to breathe deeply, so happy as to be

merciful. He’s enough to say: Peace be with you!

Pr. Gjerde

Pastoral Letter

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Weekend Schedule

Saturday: Holy Communion, 5:15 PM

Sunday: Holy Communion, 9 & 11 AM

Live Radio Broadcast: 9 AM

WSAU 550 AM, 99.9 FM, 95.1 FM, www.wsau.com

Social distancing and extra care will be observed in keeping with the

recommendations of the public health department.

Daily Holy Communion Monday-Friday, 12:15 PM (about 20 minutes long; spoken service)

These smaller services are open to the public.

Social distancing and extra care will be observed.

Calling ahead is not required, but it will help us prepare for you.

Facebook Live Stream Morning Devotion: 8:30 AM, Monday-Friday

Compline: 8:30 PM, Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday

Vespers: 6:30 PM, Wednesday

Music at Midday: 12:00 Noon, Tuesday and Thursday

Most videos are mirrored on our YouTube channel and website

Readings for next Sunday, August 23:

Isaiah 51:1-6; Romans 11:33—12:8; Matthew 16:13-20

Liturgy receiving the gifts

Procession of Thanksgiving

Sunday + September 13 + 12 Noon

It’s time to give thanks! Christians give thanks in every circum-

stance, even times of suffering or doubt (1 Thess. 5:18). We re-

ceive more blessings daily than we could ever number. So come

away from your cares, worries, and distractions, and either join or

watch Zion’s outdoor process of thanksgiving to our Good Shep-

herd for His many gifts on Sunday, 9/13, at noon. We will begin

in front of the church (Grant Street) and circle through the

neighborhood back to the parking lot. Our only purpose: to give

God our thanks, praise, and adoration.

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Sunday School and Youth Education

Zion will hold both in-person and online options for Sunday School,

confirmation, and high school learning this fall. The curricula for

both in-person and online education will be the same and designed to

be friendly for use in the home as well as at church. Keep alert for

more information! The precautions taken at worship will be re-

spected for in-person learning, as well.

Bible Studies: Tuesdays and Thursdays

Zion church council has approved the resumption of our smaller, in-

person Bible studies. Tuesday morning Bible study at 9 AM will

resume on Tuesday, September 8. Mens’s Breakfast at 7 AM will

resume on Thursday, September 10. The precautions taken at wor-

ship will be respected for in-person learning, as well.

Online and In-Home Study Continues

Sundays: Bible Study, 10:15 AM

Live-Streamed and Posted to Website

Tuesdays: Table Talk, 9:00 AM.


Wednesdays: Word at the Middle of the Week


Weekly: “The Shepherd’s Voice”

Devotional Guidance, included with this mailing

Catechumenate learning the gifts

Remembering examples of the faith in August

August 24: Saint Bartholomew It is likely that St. Bartholomew and

St. Nathaniel are the same person, and that

Bartholomew (which means “Son of

Tolemy”) is his surname. Bartholomew is

the name used in the gospels of Matthew,

Mark, and Luke, whereas Nathaniel is men-

tioned in the gospel of John, both in relation

to the apostle, St. Philip (May 1). Tradition

states that Bartholomew preached the gospel

in India and was martyred in Armenia,

where he may have been flayed and cruci-

fied by the king’s brother.

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Monthly Mission Emphasis:

The Neighbor’s Place, Wausau, $1,000

The Neighbor’s Place (TNP) is located at 745 Scott Street, Wausau.

TNP is a unique, locally-supported nonprofit organization with a

strong multi-cultural and multi-faith heritage. Their mission is a

simple one: to help people in need. They are able to provide support

to people in need, with the help of businesses, organizations, and

individuals who donate their time, money, and other resources.

Did you know The Neighbor’s

Place is a member of the Feeding

America network? Feeding Amer-

ica is the nation’s largest domestic

hunger-relief organization—a pow-

erful and efficient network of 200

food banks across the country. As

food insecurity rates hold steady at

the highest levels ever, the Feeding

America network of food banks has risen to meet the need.

Outreach and Mercy sharing and being the gifts

Persecuted Christians in: Saudi Arabia, Maldives, Iraq

Sister Congregation: Lehurutshe Parish, South Africa

Missionaries: Elliot & Serena Derricks, Lutheran Bible Translators

For health and recovery: Sophie Seubert

For comfort and peace: for the family of Jody Slack, remembering

especially her son, Elijah, who was baptized at Zion

Those who need our on-going prayers: Hilmar Baumann, Karen

Baumann, Dave Bevington, Max Breon, Les Brolliar, Rich Cornell,

Ruth Draeger, Carol Edelburg, Barbara Ellen, Dennis Falk, Rita

Falk, Ben Fiedler, Lydia Hauge, Ken Heinzen, Avery Kluck, An-

nette Lach, Olivia Lang, Debra Mertes, Grace Mueller, Maggie Otto,

Tina Parker, Barb Ramker, Trandy Revie, Krista Salas, David Skola,

Richie Thiemer, Curt Thorson, Lexi Uttecht, Bonnie Waack, Mark

Wendorff, Nancy Ziebell, Nancy, Jim, Richard, Lenette, Mike,

Zion’s homebound members.

Praying in our prayers this week

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Built on a Rock, the Hymn of the Day for

August 23, was written by N.F.S. Grundtvig

and first appeared in 1837 with nine stanzas. The hymn sung today

contains five stanzas. “The opening thought ‘Built on the Rock’ is

not in the original Danish, but is drawn from Grundtvig’s thoughts of

the Church as ‘an old house’ or ‘an old building’ (‘et gammelt

Huss’) that stands even though towers fall and sink into the

ground.” [Lutheran Service Book Companion to the Hymns: vol.

1:807]. Perhaps the ruins of the old cathedral Church of Our Lady

in Copenhagen inspired him to emphasize the concept of ‘living

stones’ rather than the crumbled spires of the physical church.

Biblical quotations and allusions are characteristic of Grundtvig’s

hymns. Some of the portions of scripture he references are: Matthew

7:24-25 - where Jesus speaks about the wise man building his house

on a rock; Matthew 16:18 - “on this rock I will build My

church” (refers to Peter after his confession that Jesus is the Christ);

Acts 17:24 - “the God who made the world….does not live in tem-

ples made by man;” 1 Corinthians 3:16 - ‘do you not know that you

are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”

In stanza 3, “Jesus the children is blessing” could be understood as a

reference to baptism and “making with us his covenant” could be

understood as a reference to the sacrament of the altar. A more re-

cent translation makes those references to the Sacraments clearer:

“He through baptismal grace us owns” and “The altar recalls Christ’s

sacrifice and what His Supper here gives us.”

The final stanza contains a prayer that “many may come to hear

God’s Word.” That Word proclaims Jesus’ promise: “I know my

own, my own know me; you, not the world, my face shall see; My

peace I leave with you. Amen!”

Joy in Jesus,

Kantor Beethe

A “Note” from Kantor

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News & Events

Pastors’ Wedding Anniversaries

~ Pr. Christopher and Heather Johnson (August 19: 15 years)

~ Pr. Ted and Anna Gulhaugen (August 19: 42 years)

~ Pr. Steven and Jane Gjerde (August 23: 23 years)

Library News

We are currently in the process of getting our library better organized

here at Zion. We have limited space and have reached that capacity.

We are offering for FREE hard copies of books such as US history, bi-

ographies, etc. You may look at what we have to offer in the confer-

ence room on the shelf by the phone. Take whatever books you wish to

have. And, when done with the book, please keep it or pass it on to

family or friends. Thank you.

Looking for a Missing Bible

A white leather-covered Bible was brought to Zion and now is mis-

placed. The Bible is 8” x 10”, has gold-edge pages, and many colored

pictures. Written in the Bible are many family names, including Alvin

and Lucille Kasten, so it would be easily identified. If you have this

Bible, please return it to Zion. Thank you.

Funerals

Erma Singstock fell asleep in the Lord on August 8 and now awaits

the return of Christ and the resurrection of all flesh. Erma was given

Christian burial from Zion on August 14.

Elaine Edwards fell asleep in the Lord on August 9 and now awaits

the return of Christ and the resurrection of all flesh. Elaine was

given Christian burial from Zion on August 14.

Thomas Rahn fell asleep in the Lord on August 11 and now awaits

the return of Christ and the resurrection of all flesh. Tom will be

given graveside burial on Friday, August 28.

Huge Outdoor Rummage Sale

… Friday and Saturday, August 28 and 29, 9 a.m.

to 5 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church, 174701

Church Rd., Town of Easton. Social distancing

will be respected!

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From Kantor Beethe: October Hymn Festival Update

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith: A Hymn Festival on Romans

This fall on October 4, 2020, Zion was to host organist Jeffrey Blersch

in a Hymn Festival, to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Dedication

of the Kegg Organ. With other events being rescheduled, this time of

celebration has been postponed until we can all gather together to

make music in “unabated joy.” The hymns of the church carry a pow-

erful message and this hymn festival certainly was to be no exception.

Last week I shared the portions of Romans provided shape to the hymn

festival. Today I want to share the titles of the hymns we anticipate

singing, once we reschedule the Hymn Festival! Here is the list. LBW

refers to a hymn in Lutheran Book of Worship (the green hymnal),

WOV refers to a hymn in With One Voice (the blue hymnal), and LSB

refers to a hymn in Lutheran Service Book. If you’d like a copy of any

of the LSB hymns, please contact me. And if you would like a copy of

Lutheran Book of Worship or With One Voice for your home, please

contact the church office.

Rise, Shine, You People! - LBW 393

Faith and Truth and Life Bestowing - LSB 584

My Song is Love Unknown - WOV 661

The Day is Surely Drawing Near - LBW 321

There in God’s Garden - WOV 668

God’s Own Child I Gladly Say It - LSB 594

Water, Blood, and Spirit Crying - LSB 597

Beautiful Savior - LBW 518

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling - LBW 315)

So, as we wait to gather for the Hymn Festival, we have time to study

the texts of the hymns and perhaps even sing or pray them as a part of

your home devotions! God will use this time to strengthen our faith in

ways we cannot see now.

Spirit, water, blood entreating, working faith and its completing

In the One whose death defeating Life has come, with life for all!

[LSB 596:5]

Joy in Jesus, Kantor Beethe

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Daily Communion: A Blessing for the Congregation

Zion started celebrating daily Communion in mid-May, partly as a

way of extending the gifts of Christ during a time of pandemic. We

join several other Lutheran congregations that have long done so,

such as St. John’s in Wheaton or Redeemer in Fort Wayne. The

blessing of daily Communion is profound.

We remember, first, our Lord’s promise: since this Supper is His

own body and blood (the donation of Himself!), we may trust this

Supper to be:

~ more alive than we are

~ more righteous than all our devotion and prayer

~ full of more goodness than all our good works

~ more human than the human race

~ more joyful than a party of angels.

Even more, we remember our Lord’s next promise: this Supper is

yours. Its life is your life, yours for good! Whatever righteousness,

goodness, humanity, and joy it bears belong to you, to forgive you,

resurrect you, bless you, make you true men and women, and equip

you with joy despite every sorrow.

Why wouldn’t the Church, the body of Christ, receive His body as

its daily bread? We are what we eat. We will therefore continue

offering this gift daily into the future, at 12:15 PM, Monday-Friday.

That time serves us well. By 12:15 PM, most people are awake, and

those who work may have a time to break for lunch. With many

children at home for the start of school, they could come also. Like-

wise, it avoids conflicts with most other things on our church sched-

ule, and last but not least, it sets forth our Lord in His body and

blood at the same hour that He was crucified for us, a powerful re-

minder of why this Supper carries so much redeeming goodness.

God says, “Come!” He asks for no perfect people, only sinners who

trust Him. Truly, it’s a foretaste of the feast to come! Enjoy!

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Sunday • August 23 (Pentecost 12)

9:00 AM Holy Communion; Live Radio Broadcast,

WSAU 550 AM

10:15 AM Bible Study, Facebook

11:00 AM Holy Communion

Monday • August 24 (St. Bartholomew)

8:30 AM Devotion, Facebook

12:15 PM Holy Communion

8:30 PM Compline, Facebook

Tuesday • August 25


9:00 AM Table Talk Bible Study, Facebook

12:00 PM Music at Midday



Wednesday • August 26


6:30 PM Vespers, Facebook

Thursday • August 27


12:00 PM Music at Midday



Friday • August 28 (St. Augustine)




Saturday • August 29 (Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist)


Calendar for the upcoming week

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WAUSAU, WI PERMIT NO. 66

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH 709 N SIXTH STREET WAUSAU WI 54403-4791

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Where you can reach us: Church — 715-848-7286

Fax — 715-848-7286

Email —[email protected]

Web: zionlutheranwausau.com

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zion lutheran church · in a hymn festival, to celebrate the 10 th anniversary of the dedication of...

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