The News of Zion

"It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

Deuteronomy 31:8

June 2, 2020

Musings ~ The Teacher

Through the course of my life there has been no shortage of good teachers, formal and informal, that I have had the privilege to learn from. Some of them were challenging and pushed me to think beyond what I considered myself capable of. Some of them simply asked one question after another until I was led to the best answer. Others still, sought to instill a sense of wonder and joy for the process of learning, something I continue to revel in each time I pick up a book, watch a documentary, or have a conversation with another person.

But Jesus in speaking with the disciples spoke of another teacher, one who continue the teaching that Jesus himself began. Jesus tells them about the Teacher in John 14 saying,

I will ask the Father, and he will send another Companion, who will be with you forever. This Companion is the Spirit of Truth, whom the world can’t receive because it neither sees him nor recognizes him. You know him, because he lives with you and will be with you.

Later in the same conversation, Jesus answers a question and adds,

Judas (not Judas Iscariot) asked, “Lord, why are you about to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”

Jesus answered, “Whoever loves me will keep my word. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word that you hear isn’t mine. It is the word of the Father who sent me. I have spoken these things to you while I am with you. The Companion, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I told you.

Just having celebrated Pentecost, we are keenly aware of the Holy Spirit from the preaching and liturgy. Quite often, Pentecost serves as our only reason for talking about the Holy Spirit. But in these days of isolation and separation from one another, I think perhaps a refresher on the Holy Spirit might be in order. Let’s notice a few things about the Holy Spirit from this conversation Jesus is having with his disciples.

First, the Holy Spirit is a Companion, by implication, in the same way Jesus was the companion of the disciples. The Spirit is one who will be present with the disciples in a very real and visceral way after Jesus has been crucified and resurrected. Second, it is the Spirit of Truth. In this case, truth is something beyond fact or falsehood, something more akin to meaning and being. It is something known to the depths of our soul in a way that connects us to God and Creation. Third, the Holy Spirit is in us. For those of us who have chosen the Way of Jesus and are truly living into that, the Spirit is very real and very present in our being. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the Holy Spirit speaks the Word of God and the teaching of Jesus to us. That deep, meaningful truth that we were just talking about is something that comes from the God through the Spirit. It is both reminder of what Jesus taught and teaching for our current life and circumstances. Of course, we have to recognize the Spirit as true children of God and listen/respond to the Spirit when we hear.

There is certainly much more that could be said, and I encourage you to read through the bible for instances of the Spirit speaking and see what it says. Perhaps something that has already been said will speak to you and then the Spirit speak new things into that. You’ll only know if you try.

Pastor Michael

On Sunday, June 14, we plan to have our first In- Person Worship at Zion since our closing in March at 11:00 AM in the Thompson Family Life Center. The building will be sanitized before and after our service. We do ask each one who chooses to attend to please follow the guidelines we have adopted so that we all remain safe. We will enter the life center from the covered walkway. This will be the only entrance and the doors will be propped open. There will be tables set up with limited seating around the tables for families and the tables will be spaced apart. There will not be any printed materials or hymnals used and the worship service will be somewhat different than our traditional service. Following worship, everyone will be asked to exit the life center through the double doors where the bus drop off is. We will not be passing offering plates for the offering however, as you leave, there will be a drop off container for you to drop your offering in as you exit. Everyone is asked to please adhere to the following:

· Do not attend if you are sick.

· Keep a distance of at least 6 feet away from other members.

· Please do not hug or shake hands (socially distanced waves are the new thing!!!)

· Utilize hand sanitizer (which will be available at the entrance and throughout the facility) and use good hand washing skills before and after worship.

· Wear a mask or face cloth that covers both your nose and mouth (masks will be available at the entrance for those who do not have one.)

· We ask that members please do not wear gloves as gloved hands touching multiple surfaces and not being changed frequently further spreads bacteria.

We hope and pray that this will be a good move forward in these unprecedented times. May He be with each of us as we try a new way forward.

High School and College

Graduate Recognition:

We are planning on honoring our High School and College Graduates with a drive thru celebration!! We are planning for this to happen on Sunday, June 14 from 2:00-2:30 PM. Our college and high school graduates are invited to be recognized and honored and we hope many of you will take the time to come and drive by the bus drop off where our young adults will be socially distancing. Everyone is asked to enter at the lower parking lot and drive up and past the covered porch and honk and wave at our graduates!! Our 2020 High School graduates are: Emma Curtis, Taylor Faile, Luke Massey, Zachary Parker, Caleb Payne, and Hannah Steen. Our college graduates are Ashley Cauthen, Ashley Thomas, and Keli Thomas.

Ashley Cauthen has graduated with her Doctorate of Dental Medicine, Ashley Thomas has graduated with her Masters in Nursing, and Keli Thomas has graduated with her Masters in Sport and Fitness Administration.

We are so very proud of each one of these!!

We hope you will come out and show them your support

on June 14th!!!

Join us each morning at 7:00 AM for Prayer and meditation. Join us, also on Thursdays at 12:00 Noon for Bible Study. Pastor Michael is hosting these LIVE from our Facebook page. If you are unable to log in LIVE, these offerings remain available for viewing after on our website and FB page.

While the church office remains closed, you are encouraged to reach out if you have a need or know of a need. You may call Pastor Michael at 1-859-475-8800, call the church office, 285-3864 and leave a message, call Missy at 804-2434 or email [email protected] or [email protected]; these emails are being monitored daily. The answering machine will also be checked daily. During these troubling and unprecedented times, we ask everyone to pray together for each other, our church family, our community, our country, and our world. May God be with us all.

Please remember these in prayer:

Nancy Ackerman

Angela Bailey

Francis Bell

Gene Blackmon

Marion Boswell

Carol Boyles

Randy Boyles

Caleb Catoe

Sue Catoe

Brandy Champion

Ann Chappell

Linda Coker

Sandra Cope

Bill Dingler

Sophia Dixon

Angie Dobson

Heather Elder

John Elder

Ashley Fort

Betsy Gardner

Mike Gay

Steve Ghent

Judy Goodnight

Travis Gordon

T.R. Grier

Ovedia Griffin

Catherine Hammond

JoAnn Hinson

Rev. Shelly Holder

Julia Horne

Kevan Horton

Eric Hough

Libby Hunter

Melinda Hunter

Rick Joyner

Henry Ray Knight

Mary Jane McAteer

Kevin McCorkle

Ann McManus

Tammy McMillian

Debbie McWaters

Marie Moree

Rusty Mosier

Bell Perry

Betty Jo Phillips

Ann Powers

Vicky Pickett

Ann Reed

Kathleen Robinson

Mayme Jo Robinson

Nancy Rushing

Bonnie Sears

Eva Small

Greg Smith

JoAnne Smith

Mike Smith

Billy Sowell

Robbie Stepp

Jim Thomas

Laverne Thompson

Mike Vick

Pat Vick

Ellen Walters

David Woodruff

Kim Yost

Our President & Troops

Those affected by the COVID-19 virus

Online Worship this Sunday!!!

Worship will begin

at 11:00 AM.

If you are unable to join us live, the service will be available online on our FB page or on our website at www.zionumc.com

The Upper Room daily devotionals are available for pick up at the church. We will place some of these in the church vestibule and some in the plastic communication box outside of the life center doors where the buses are for those who do not have access to the church for you to pick up.

While our United Methodist Women will not be meeting for now, our thoughts and prayers remain with each one of you and with all in need during these trying times! If you know of a need that our women can help with, please contact an officer in the women’s group so that we can try and meet any needs! Executive officers are Sharon Haile, Darlene Hallman, Terry Robinson, Missy Snipes, Dianne Sweatt, and Mary Knight.

June 3: Autumn Webster, Joyce Weathersbee

June 4: Mary (Mrs. Jack) Knight, Hannah Rowell, Emmie Lou Haigler

June 5: Danny Thomas, Matthew Snipes, Mr. and Mrs. Wade McAteer

June 6: Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Neal

June 8: Pat Snipes, Daniel McManus

June 9: Jessica Walker, Frank Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. Terry Catoe

Our United Methodist Men's third Sunday meeting and our weekly Saturday Bible Study meetings have been suspended until the stay at home order has been lifted and we are told that we can begin to gather again.

To all church members: please understand that we are unable to allow folks to meet inside the buildings at this time. If you had a reservation for personal use inside of one of the buildings over the next few weeks, we are unable to honor those reservations at this time and will announce when we will again be able to honor reservations. As it is, gatherings inside our facilities is not possible.

The members of Zion ARE CONTINUING

to support the ministry and outreach

of the church!!!

Thank you to each one of you who have adjusted to this change in our lives and have continued to support the ministry and outreach of Zion UMC and for your continued presence at online worship!!! Each ONE of you ARE the CHURCH! You can continue to give online through the website, www.zionumc.com by clicking on the donate tab. You do not need to have a PayPal account to use this option, simply click on the donate button and follow the prompts, you can text your giving to 803-525-1834 and follow the secure link, or you may give by mailing your tithes to the church at 1665 Zion Road, Lancaster, SC, 29720. Pastor Michael is also available on Sunday afternoons at the church from 2:00-3:00 PM to accept your donations and have a word of prayer with you! If you have misgivings about online donations or mailing your donations, a locking mailbox has been installed under the covered carport where the buses are. You may place your contributions in the box and it will be checked daily.

Together we can move forward.

Together we can continue and make a difference!

TOGETHER, WE ARE the CHURCH!!

Special Gifts to Zion Church

In Honor of:

My Mommy on Mother’s Day Love, Colton

My Dah Dah on Mother’s Day Love, Colton

My big brother, Colton on his 4th birthday Love, Sadie

In Memory of:

Bennie Moseley, Sr., Julie Horne and Dillon Knight by Barbara Hall

Julia Horne by Pat Threatt and Mary P. Knight

Walter and Lorraine Knight by Lex and Kim Ford

Julie Horne and Bennie Moseley, Sr. by Ryan and Miriam Griffin

Special Gifts to Building Fund

In Honor of:

Dwayne and Kristina Ray by Beth Craig

“Mae Mae” on her birthday by Jack and Becky H. Steele

“Mothers” (5/10) by Jack and Becky H. Steele

“ Fathers” (6/21) by Jack and Becky H. Steele

Those mowing the church grounds—Thank you ! By Carolyn Massey

All of our 2020 Graduates by Carolyn Massey

In Memory of:

“Gypsy” by Jack and Becky H. Steele

“Paw Frank” on his birthday by Jack and Becky H. Steele

Special Gifts to Altar Cloth/Banner Fund

In Memory of:

“Paw Frank” by Jack and Becky

Our seven confirmands, who have concluded their classes online with Pastor Michael, will be joining the church in the next few weeks. We look forward to rejoicing in these new members of our church!!

The Record Speaks.....

May 31, 2020

Present for online Worship: 26

Needed each week for the General Fund $4,360

Received for General Fund $3,378

Received for Building Fund $670

Received for Epworth $50

Received for Altar Cloth/Banner Fund $100

"...because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to."

Deuteronomy 15:10

285-3864 - www.zionumc.com