News and updates
FAITH WEAVERS
Faith Weavers will continue to take place during the Lenten season at our regular time, unless otherwise announced, but we do ask that the congregation and parents use caution during student drop off and pick up with the weekly Lenten services in mind. Also, as we continue through the month of March, please remember to check our website, Facebook page, and News Channel Nebraska for program and weather-related updates and cancellations. While we do not hope for any more unplanned cancellations for the remainder of this year, it is always better to be prepared. Again, if the public school cancels due to weather, or other factors, on a particular Wednesday, Faith Weavers will be likewise canceled for that evening. Parents can find more information and register on our church website under “Educational Ministries” and “Faith Weavers.”
Also, if you would be interested in donating to support this program, besides monetary donations, included below is a list of some requested food items. As always, your support and encouragement is greatly appreciated!
Please put non-perishable donations in the marked bin in the kitchen with a note (from whom, for whom) and alert church staff about your donation. Cold items should be put in the refrigerator, and frozen items should be placed in the freezer. For more information, contact Mr. Jareske.
For March
1. 16oz packages of spaghetti noodles
2. 24oz jars of spaghetti sauce
3. Large packages of frozen chicken nuggets
4. Large packages of frozen french fries
5. Boxes of Kraft macaroni and cheese
6. Regular cans of fruit cocktail
7. Regular cans of mandarin oranges
8. Regular bottles of ketchup and mustard
9. Regular cans of corn
FAITH WEAVERS HELP
If you feel called to help with Faith Weavers in 2025, weekly, please contact Kim Baumann, Suzie Wachter, or Mr. J (402-329-4313). Although there are only two months left for this academic year, you could always jump in now, so you have some training for next year. At this time, we are specifically looking for, at least, one new volunteer to assist by cooking, several volunteers to help by serving the meal without cooking, and several volunteers to assist with the Crafts Station. For details, please contact Mr. J to inquire.
ZION TUITION ASSISTANCE FUND
If you would like to help provide students with a Christian education, please consider donating to the Zion tuition assistance fund. It is easy to donate! Make checks payable to Zion Lutheran School and just write in the memo tuition assistance. Have a special student in mind for assistance? Contact the school office at 329-4658 to set up a donation for them.
SCRIP
If you would like to purchase Scrip, order forms are available in the Narthex. Order forms and/or RaiseRight purchases need to be submitted before Tuesday of each week. Contact the school office at 329-4658 with any questions.
ZION NEWS
If we have an email address on file, we will be emailing you rather than sending out a hard copy in the mail due to rising costs of postage. You can view the Zion News on the church website as well. If you would still like a hard copy mailed out to you, please let the office know. An email was sent out with the most recent Zion news a few weeks ago. Thank you.
79TH CONVENTION OF THE NEBRASKA LLL DISTRICT
The 79th Convention will be taking place on March 28th-29th at Christ Lutheran Church in Norfolk, NE. Jeff Craig-Meyer will be the keynote and banquet speaker. Registration (includes lunch and banquet) is $60 per person by March 1st and $70 per person after March 1st. Banquet only tickets are $18. The registration deadline is March 20th. Register at lhm.org/ne-lll. For more information, please contact Larry Silhacek at 402-329-4787 or ljsilhacek@ptcnet.net.
USHERING
If any youth students would be willing to assist during church services on Sunday mornings, please call 402-329-4313 to let the church office know. We are currently looking for both ushers and technology booth assistance, and training will be provided for anyone willing to serve in either capacity.
TECH HELP
If you have a general interest in sound, video, or computers, and would like to use those talents to help on Sunday morning, please call the church office (402-329-4313) to inquire. We are currently looking for a few new people who would like to assist in the technology booth running the sound board, managing the video camera, and/or running the slides, and if you would like to help in this way, an opportunity to receive some training can absolutely be organized.
LWML AGAPE CIRCLE
LWML will meet at 6:30pm, Thursday, March 13th, for a mission project of cutting crosses from greeting cards for missionaries to distribute. Please bring scissors. The regular meeting will begin at 7:00pm.
AFTER CHURCH COFFEE
Join us every Sunday for coffee and a snack that will be served after both Sunday morning church services. Last week, when we served puffins, we had so many people stay and visit, and we would like to see that continue.
PAST STUDENT FILES
Any past students that would like their cumulative file are welcome to stop by the school office to get them. If you do not want the files, they will be shredded. Please contact the school office with questions 402-329-4658.
THRIVENT CHOICE DOLLARS
Eligible benefit members (age 16 and older) of Thrivent Financial, can help choose
where Thrivent distributes part of its charitable funds each year. Call 1-800-847-4836 and say “Thrivent Choice” or visit www.thrivent.com/thriventchoice. The deadline to designate for 2024 is March 28, 2025. You do not need any certificate number or birth date. It is very simple. Zion Lutheran Church or the School both can receive these choice dollars.
VISITOR CARDS
Please make sure to have visiting family members, or new visitors, fill out the visitor cards, not attendance cards, if they are only attending for the week.
PASTRY PUFFINS
Thank you to everyone who placed an order to help the youth with their fundraising initiatives! Barring any other weather related delays, the Pastry Puffin orders should be available for pick up starting on March 18th. Again, thank you for your understanding and patience. If anything changes, we will make sure to keep you updated.
ZION APPAREL
The last day to place your orders for Zion apparel will be Wednesday, March 12th, so you had better act soon if you would like a few clothing items featuring our church and youth group logo. To view options and prices, make purchases, and learn more details, please check out our online store portal (https://zionlutheran25.itemorder.com/shop/sale/) provided by Stadium Sports. The link can also be found on this website and Facebook page. Also, if you can’t see yourself wearing any of these items, but you would like to possibly donate to buy an item for someone else, please feel free to let Mr. J know.
ALUMINUM CAN COLLECTION
If you would like to collect and donate your aluminum cans to Zion Lutheran Church, bags of cans can be placed in the fenced in cage in the gravel parking lot near the garage. We do ask that all cans be completely empty before being donated, cans be bagged together, and because we will not be inspecting the bags, that only aluminum be included, not other garbage. It would also be our preference that cans are crushed, so that way we are getting the most from each bag, but this is not a necessity. Also, if you happen to notice in your donation attempts that the cage has become full, please feel free to alert the church office. We appreciate your help!
VICAR NEWS
In the month of May, the Zion Lutheran 5th and 6th grade students are going on a trip to Ponca State Park. Our theme for the trip is "God is with us!" Just as God is present and served us throughout life, we try to be servants throughout our community. Right now, they are starting to fundraise for their trip by selling Ready to bake pizzas from Pizza Ranch. These pizzas are bought from us frozen and then given to you. We are going to try to raise 800 dollars. Please show your support by putting in an order and
stay tuned for a second fundraiser. If you would like to donate any money for food or expenses, please see the vicar. We are also looking for a large camping stove for the trip and two female adult volunteers for the trip. Please let us know if you're interested.
FUSION YOUTH GROUP
Our next monthly Fusion Youth Group meeting for 7th-12th grade youth students is currently scheduled to take place Sunday, March 16th, from 5PM to 8PM in the Zion gym/fellowship hall. If you are considering joining us for the fun, consider bringing a friend! A meal will be served, and no money is needed for this portion of the meeting.
15TH ANNUAL WILD GAME FEED
This year’s Wild Game Feed will be held on Saturday, March 22nd at the Pavillion on the Pierce County Fairgrounds! All are invited to join us for the food, auction, games and fun at this family friendly and Christ centered event. The buffet will open at 5:00pm and the live auction and music will begin around 7:30pm. Donations are now being accepted for the Wild Game Feed Buffet (fish is always needed) and the Live and Silent Auction. If you have questions or would like to donate, please reach out to Kyle & Ashley Halsey or Lydee Jo Krueger. Please follow the Wild Game Feed on Facebook, and if you need any additional information or have questions, please reach out to on the Wild Game Feed Committee Members!
LIFE LUNCH
Norfolk Area Lutherans For Life will be meeting on March 11, 2025, at noon in the chapel at Christ Lutheran Church in Norfolk. Feel free to bring your lunch! We will be discussing possible changes to help us move into the future and continue our ministry to defend God’s precious gift of life at all ages. All defenders of life are invited!
LETTERS FROM ZION ALUMNI AND FRIENDS
On the south bulletin board in the narthex, there are messages from former members, students, and friends of Zion Lutheran School and Church. We have received a couple of them within the past couples of weeks. Please take the time to read these notes from members, classmates, and friends that you may know.
SWEET TREAT SIGNUP
Sweet Treat sign up for the Wild Game Feed is in the NARTHEX.
YOUTH LENTEN MEAL
If any youth families would like to assist with this endeavor, please look for more information, and a way to sign up to volunteer, on our church website under the “Youth Ministries” tab.
COLOR RUN & WALK
In support of Mrs. Lavonne Fleer, the FFA is hosting a ALS color run & walk on Sunday, April 6th at 12:30-2:30pm. Proceeds will go to the Fleer family for medical expenses. The deadline to signup is March 24th. To sponsor, please contact Pierce High FFA Service project managers Scarlett Babl (402) 750-8453 or Claudia Riggert (402) 649-4083.