Visitor,

Announcements for the week through February 26, 2012

WORSHIP ASSISTANTS
8:00 Lector/Lay Assistants – June McCormick, John Long
8:00 Ushers – Lynn Duffy, Mike & Debbie Kepner, Charlie Will
9:45 Lector – LuAnn Gallup
10:45 Lector/Lay Assistants – Lore-Lee Walak, Dave Myers
10:45 Ushers – Cheryl & Kelly Laudermilch, Nancy Weikel, Jim Abraham
10:45 Acolytes – Andrew & Ryan Sullivan

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES, FEBRUARY 22ND, 12:15 PM & 7:00 PM
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of our Lenten journey to the cross. The imposition of ashes is a sign of repentance and comes from an ancient practice often mentioned in the Bible (i.e., Jonah 3:5-9 ; Job 42:6 ; Jeremiah 6:26 ; Matthew 11:21 ). Ashes symbolize several aspects of our human existence:

• Ashes remind us of God's condemnation of sin, as God said to Adam, "Dust you are and to dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19 ).
• Ashes suggest cleansing and renewal. They were used anciently in the absence of soap. On Ash Wednesday ashes are a penitential substitute for water as a reminder of our baptism.
• Ashes remind us of the shortness of human life, for it is said as we are buried: "earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust."
• Ashes are a symbol of our need to repent, confess our sins, and return to God.

We will hold two Ash Wednesday services - a spoken liturgy at 12:15 p.m. in the Chapel as well as a 7:00 p.m. service in our sanctuary.

2012 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL INITIAL PLANNING MEETING - MARCH 18TH - NOON
We will hold a planning meeting on March 18th immediately following the third worship service, downstairs in Leatherman Hall. We are looking for dozens of volunteers to help with this year's program - Themed: Daniel's Captivity in Babylon. New this year will be Zion's own production of video each night to reinforce the bible theme. This video script was written by our youth, and will be produced this Spring. You won't want your children to miss out!

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Please contact Deacon Roscoe at marsharoscoe@zluth.org if you are interested in helping in any way (helping plan VBS, preparing decorations, planning the snacks, crafts, games or bible stories, taking groups around, helping with music, buying donations of supplies, etc). We are always in need of extra hands!

Please save the dates for VBS 2012: Sunday, June 24th through Sunday July 1st.

GOD'S GLOBAL BARNYARD MISSION KICKS OFF THIS SUNDAY
The Social Ministry Committee will launch "God's Global Barnyard" mission project this Sunday, February 26th, in the church parlor between services. The Barnyard project supports the ELCA's World Hunger Mission Project which through financial donations, purchases animals for families in need across the globe. Sunday mornings in Lent, you will have the opportunity to purchase a variety of animals that have the ability to provide income and sustenance across the globe.

More information at www.elca.org/goodgifts. This mission will continue through March 25th.

WOMEN'S BIBLE STUDY TO RESUME FEB 29TH
The next gathering of the Women's Bible Study will be on Wednesday, Feb. 29th at 11:00 AM. Please join us as we continue to explore Questions and Topics from The Apostles' Creed.

BEHIND THE FACES OF LENT BEGINS WEDNESDAY ON FEBRUARY 29, FROM 6:00 - 7:30 P.M.
This year's Eat 'n Pray Series themed Behind the Faces of Lent will go behind the scenes to look at the biographical perspective of those characters we don't often want to talk about: Judas, Pontius Pilate, and others. We will also look at the three disciples we find with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane during his final hours. This year's Eat 'n Pray series will use video footage from the History Channel's bio series, and will offer a rotation of leadership from Pastor Wayne, Deacon Roscoe and our youth director, Bennett Williams. Plan now to join us Wednesdays in Lent for dinner and biblical character discovery!

February 29 - Cheeseburger Soup, Salad Bar, Dessert
March 7 - Vegetable Soup, Hot Dogs, Salad Bar, Dessert
March 14 - Pork BBQ, Chicken Noodle Soup, Waldorf Salad, Dessert
March 21 - Chili, Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Salad, Dessert
March 28 - Chicken Pot Pie, Relish Tray, Coleslaw/applesauce, Dessert
April 5 - Seder Meal - Stuffed Chicken Breasts, Green Beans, Corn, Dessert

If you plan to attend any/all of the Eat 'n Pray sessions, please contact our office at 566-2589 or juliegray@zluth.org so we can plan the meals accordingly.

FLOWER DELIVERY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
If you are willing to deliver flowers to our home or hospital-bound members following worship on Sunday or Monday morning, please contact Pat Richmond at 566-0884 or vzer3li0@verizon.net

NEXT A.W.E. SERVICE - MARCH 11
4:00 - 4:30 - Fellowship / Live Music; Service begins at 4:30 p.m.
Sensitive to the needs of our worshipping community, the AWE worship service provides an alternate Lutheran worship experience that engages God's presence in our lives, helps us enter into the mystery and awe of God, and through God's grace, return to the world transformed with energy and passion for service. March 11's theme is Passion for God.

HERSHEYPARK TICKETS F0R SUMMER 2012
The Zion Lutheran Preschool has the opportunity to offer discounted Hershey Park tickets good for the 2012 season (May 4 through September 30, 2012). If you are interested in purchasing the discounted tickets, please complete the form below and put in the offering plate or in the Preschool office mailbox (the black mailbox found on the wall right outside the preschool office) by March 25, 2012.

Tickets prices are $35.00 Regular Admission (Ages 9 – 54), $30.00 Junior/Senior Admission (Ages 3-8 & 55-69), $23.00 Senior Plus (Ages 70+). To order tickets, contact the preschool.

EASTER CANDY DONATIONS SERVE TWO OPPORTUNITIES
The Activities committee will once again host an Easter Egg Hunt here at Zion during Lent. They are asking for donations of wrapped candy to be used to fill the Easter eggs. In addition, this year Zion Lutheran Preschool would like to undergo a Lenten mission project of buying and filling Easter baskets for children whose families utilize the Hummelstown Food Pantry. The students will be buying the Easter baskets, but we would love the support of the congregation to help them fill the anticipated 50 baskets. We thank you for your support of both initiatives!

FIRST COMMUNION INSTRUCTION - NEXT CLASS ON 2/26
Pastor Wayne and Deacon Roscoe will lead first communion instruction for anyone in the parish interested in receiving this sacrament. The second and final session for this winter will be offered on Sunday February 26th at noon. A light lunch will be provided. If you are interested in attending, please let Deacon Roscoe or Pastor Wayne know.

MAKING SENSE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH - SUNDAYS AT 9:30 A.M.
Sundays in Lent, Deacon Roscoe will lead a faith formation series on Sunday mornings that helps us make sense of the Christian faith. We will talk about God (theology), faith and doubt, and Scripture as confessions of our faith. We invite you to live the questions - rather than rush to answer them - and when we live them, we end up with a deeper relationship with God. See you Sundays to learn more!

EAT GREAT FOOD, SUPPORT A GREAT CAUSE!
MARCH 19, APRIL 23 from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Isaac's Famous Grilled Sandwiches (Hershey) will host three fundraisers to benefit Team Fill My Cup, which will be travelling to Guatemala with Thrivent Builds & Habitat for Humanity!

Twenty-five percent (25%) of the cost of your meal will go directly to Team Fill My Cup! Please come and support us!

WHERE: Isaac's Famous Grilled Sandwiches, Park Village Plaza
597 E. Main Street Hummelstown

You can download the flier here

THE AMERICAN COMPOSERS' CHORAL FESTIVAL
The American Composers' Choral Festival is scheduled for March 10th, 2012, beginning at 7:30p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Camp Hill. Join The Harrisburg Singers and 9 local church choirs, including Zion's Chancel Choir, for an evening of music composed and directed by the head conductor of The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Dr. Mack Wilberg. Participants in this historic central PA event include a mass choir of approximately 250 voices, strings, brass, harp, and woodwinds, all lifting their gifts of music to celebrate the glory of God!

The public is welcome to attend. Tickets are available at Trinity Lutheran Church, 2000 Chestnut St., Camp Hill, PA 17011, and can be purchased at the church office, $10.00/ticket, Monday-Friday, 9:00a.m.-4:00p.m., or by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to the church with your request. The phone number for Trinity is 737-8635. Tickets will also be available at the door unless the event is sold out. For additional information, please contact Sally Cummins at 215-1090.

WE HAVE REACHED OUR GOAL WITH MORE THAN 200 GLOVES DONATED!
Thank you for your donations of warm men's gloves this winter. We have exceeded our goal of 200 pairs of gloves. If you still would like to donate a pair, you are welcome to bring them in on Sunday.

SAVE THE DATE! ZYG SPAGHETTI DINNER - APRIL 14TH
SILENT AUCTION ITEMS NEEDED
We will once again be holding a Silent Auction . If you have any interest in donating gift cards, or items that can be auctioned off, please contact Deacon Roscoe at marsharoscoe@zluth.org. We are most appreciative of your support of youth ministry here at Zion!

HUMMELSTOWN ELDER EXPRESS IN NEED
The Hummelstown Elder Express is looking for volunteers to help staff their office between 9:00 a.m. and noon, Monday through Friday, three hours a month to answer the phone for scheduling appointments of their senior citizens. Training provided. Please call Jay Stanton 566-3415 or 645-2950 (cell).