Sunday is Black History Month Celebrations at Mount Zion

It’s Black History Month service and celebrations on Sunday, February 25.  The service will begin at 11 am instead of 10 am, after which we will gather upstairs to continue our celebrations.  Bishop Michael Pryse will be our preacher during worship. Our speaker upstairs is Peggy Platt, a local historian.

​

Pastor Philip Writes about his visit to Guyana

Along with Pastor Peter Kuhnert, I was in Guyana from January 23 to February 5, leading several retreats for the pastors and deacons of the Evangelical Church in Guyana (ELCG).  The Eastern Synod has had a long-standing relationship with the ELCG, and this came about because of that partnership.

The church there has been impacted by the migration of their senior seminary-trained clergy to the US and Canada. This is true of the country as a whole.  Yesterday, at a meeting of the Eastern Synod and the ELCG, one of their senior members said that the Guyanese population has not increased for decades because of this continuous migration, and there are as many Guyanese people in diaspora as there are who live in Guyana now! I do not know if it really is what it is! The present clergy leadership there has not had extensive seminary training, and it was this need that they were trying to address.  The need there is so great, with many pastors and deacons looking after up to 4 to 5 congregations.  So, they go to all these congregations every Sunday to lead worship!  The deacons also have the same responsibilities as the pastors in that they are also authorized to preside over communion and other acts, except to marry people.  The church employs the pastors, but the deacons are ‘volunteers’ who are on a stipend! If the church is convinced of the gifts and calling of a deacon to be a pastor, they are ordained. It is a very different structure and process than we have here. 

January 25-27, we had the retreat for the pastors, and February 1-3, the retreat for the deacons. We touched on various topics on call, church administration, joys and challenges of ministry, boundaries, pastoral wellness, etc. More than lectures, the format was such that we talked about and discussed various topics.  It was a fabulous time of mutual learning and encouragement.  The commitment and passion of these clergy was to be commended.

The openness and willingness to learn was also very evident. It was edifying to hear of their joys and frustrations and how they face them in their own contexts. These retreats were held at the Lay Academy of the ELCG, and the facility also housed the national offices of the ELCG.

No cookies and coffee for Busy Pastors 

On the two Sundays, we were there, both Pr. Peter and I went to two different congregations and preached. So, it was rushing off to the second church after the first service was done. In two weeks, we did four sermons each! One congregation had a guitarist, but otherwise, everything, songs and chants, was done acapella! The congregations would participate with vigour and enthusiasm, and it was a joy to participate in the services and meet folks in their church contexts. Seeing a pastor’s schedule first-hand on a Sunday was also eye-opening. No cookies and coffee for them till they are done with all their congregations!

We are observing Black History Month and looking back at the contributions and achievements of people of African origin. We may not have had slavery to the extent it was in the US, but Guyana had the enslaving of people of African origin in the plantations there. A lot of Canadian people of African origin are part of this heritage from the  Caribbean. Once slavery was abolished, indentured labour from India filled the need for labourers in the plantations. I saw the Monument of Indian Arrival in New Amsterdam. Again, a people tricked into a slavery-like context by the colonial power, Britain.

Present Day Guyana

Present-day Guyana is a coming together of the African, Indian and other cultures of the land, and it is reflected in their culture, cuisine and so on. The government is pouring revenues from the new oil discoveries back into the communities. Roads, infrastructure, and the health system are just a couple of areas where this is noticeable. It is not that they do not have problems, but this blend and coming together of different peoples and cultures really fascinated and touched me, how a new thing emerged or evolved from the coming together.

In Our Prayers

Let us pray for Marilyn, Konrad, Mary Helen (mother of Bob Kelly), Sandra, Julian, George, Betty, Rosalie, James, Thelma, Helen, and Don and Jean and their daughter Tai. Let us continue to pray for peace in the world, in Palestine and Israel, Ukraine, Yemen, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and other places. Let us pray for all suffering the extremes of winter, especially those without shelter.

In Christ,

​

​

​

March 3 - 2023 Annual  Meeting

The 2023 Annual Report is available to pick up in the narthex. It is also available on our website https://www.mzlc.ca/_files/ugd/c9da21_c6f06634967a40a7907866adf9fccc86.pdf

The Annual Report is a snapshot of life at Mount Zion in 2023, so please take a look and plan to attend Mount Zion’s Annual Meeting on March 3 immediately after the service.

​

March 10 - Pastor Philip’s 10th anniversary

Celebration – following the service

​

What Can Just $1 A Day Do To Reduce Food Insecurity?

During This Lenten Season, It Could Do A Whole Lot For Our Food Card Ministry!

For most of us, the last time a dollar felt like major money was around 1960. But back then we were also taught that even pennies, set aside at regular intervals, could add up to something worthwhile. It was all about creating a habit … 

So your Health Council and Justice through Service Committee are asking you to start another good habit — setting aside just $1 for each of the 47 days of Lent.

According to our average combined in-person and online attendance of about 85, if all of us committed to this modest challenge, we could raise nearly $4,000 (that’s $3,995 Richard!) by Easter.

What could $4000 do?

It’s enough to give $60 in food cards to 66 needy families or $30 worth to 133 single people with chronic food insecurity.

In the recent past, Mount Zion has had to turn away recipients on our list because we ran out of food cards to give them.

And we can’t add any more new recipients because there isn’t enough reserve funding to sustain a more extensive program.

Why $1 a day?

We give families $60 in food cards every two months — for them that’s $1 a day in food security that they wouldn’t otherwise have. It may not seem much to us, but they always say thank you.

 

Mount Zion Women's  Retreat

It's that time of year when we look ahead to Mount—Zion Women's Retreat.  The dates are April 19th - 21st, and it will be held at Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp and Retreat Centre, west of New Hamburg.  Pastor Annette Smith will lead us in the "Voice of the Spirit" theme.  The cost is $130. and registration forms can be found on the Retreat poster in the narthex.  If you are interested, I suggest you register early, as women from other congregations plan to attend.  The deadline for registration is April 1st. For more information, you may call Carol Ziegler at 519-886-6675. 

​

Welcome Everett

Jana Kelly reports that Open Sesame teacher Samantha gave birth to a healthy baby boy on February 8. His name is Everett Jack. If you’d like to be in touch with Samantha, Jana would be happy to pass along any messages, and we hope that she and Everett will be visiting the classroom soon. 

​

The Distro Tree

Mount Zion’s Kitchen Ministry is honoured on a new plaque at Martin Lutheran University. We are a leaf on the New Distro Tree, displayed on the wall just outside the Distro.

​

Wednesdays in Lent

Hi everyone, please take note of this annual "Soup and Speaker Series" held on Wednesdays in Lent. The theme is "Spiritual Practices As Self-Care" and features speakers associated with the Centre for Action and Contemplation, the Canadian Community for Christian Meditation, the Kanata Centre for Worship and Global Song (Martin Luther University College) and pastors and leaders from our local congregations. Plan to take part and make this your Lenten practice this year. Pastor David Malina

It starts at 6: 00 pm in the locations noted below. Each evening begins with a Community Meal of Soup, Bread and Water at 6:00 pm followed by  7:00 pm Worship and Holden Evening Prayer. 7:15 The Presenter and Discussion ending at 8:15 pm with Blessing & Journey

Feb 28 Trillium Lutheran Church (22 Willow St) “Spiritual Practices with Children” with Rebekah Ludolph

March 6 Holy Saviour (WK Mennonite Church (15 George St.) “Spirituality of Singing” with Debbie Lou Ludolph

March 13 Mount Zion Lutheran (29 Westmount Rd S) “My Journey with Prayer” with Joanna Miller

March 20 Christ Lutheran Church (445 Anndale Rd) “Silence, Stillness, Simplicity” With Andre Choquet

 

Thank You Gladys, for Remembering Mount Zion

Gladys Roeder left Mount Zion a $5000 legacy. Glady's family decided that the funds will be divided equally between our Ministry and Mission Account and the Mount Zion Kitchen Food Ministry program. We remember the many years that Gladys spent in the kitchen managing funeral lunches and other events and her gift to the kitchen seems more than appropriate.

 

January Financials

We have started the year with a continuation of relatively good financial news in the Ministry & Mission (current) account.  While a deficit of $5,641 was realized, it was smaller than planned.  Higher receipts and lower expenditures resulted in the deficit being $6,066 better than planned.  Some of this favourable performance is timing related as one month of activity does not indicate a trend. Click here for the full report

• Member regular gifts of $12,875 are $1,295 better than the plan.   

• Rental Income from parking & facility of $8,187 is $2,667 better than the plan- (primarily a timing issue).

• Disbursements of $26,753 are $2,079 lower than planned, and there are timing issues.  

​

The Mount Zion Kitchen keeps on cookin'

The Mount Zion continues to make meals available to those who wish to order. Click here for the next few week's menus. ​

​

Exercise Classes continue on Tuesdays. 

Community Support Connections Exercise Classes continue on Tuesday afternoons at 1:00 pm.  The classes include cardio, strength, balance, and flexibility exercises in a one-hour time frame.  This is a free service.  

​

Mount Zion Cafe -10 am

Meet your friends and enjoy coffee and a few activities at the Mount Zion Café meeting every second and fourth Wednesday of the month.  Call Margaret the day before if you need transportation; she will arrange a driver or taxi.

​

Nurse Christine

continues to be on leave. Please keep her in your prayers.