“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” – 1 Peter 4:10
2016 was the first year that we had this committee. Members serve our congregation by setting up for weekly worship services. Each week they make sure the correct paraments are on the altar, hang the corresponding banner, fill the candles with oil, put out flowers for the services, prepare the banner for baptisms, set up for communion services and clean the communion ware after. Our members service in pairs and rotate monthly. As a committee they met once at the beginning of the year to discuss responsibilities and to set up the schedule. We are always looking for more people who are interested in serving the Lord and his people in this way!
“For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” -1 Thessalonians 5:9-10
Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet. -Acts 4:36-37
Christ died for us so that we can live with him. We live with him by faith now. One day we will live with him in sight. Until that day we are to “encourage and build each other up in the faith.” An example of a man who did this was Joseph. He was so well known for encouraging others that he was given the nickname, “Barnabas” which means “son of encouragement.” This ministry that is replacing our CD ministry is given the name “Barnabas Ministry.” We seek to encourage those who are in danger of losing the life Christ won for them because they are not making faithful use of Word and sacrament in the worship life of the congregation to which they belong.
Our Vision: We know we are going to heaven through faith in Jesus. We want the other members of our congregation to be there with us
Our Mission: We will reach out and encourage those who are straying through personal visits that share Jesus.
Our Goal: We will visit as many people as we can who have not been in worship in the past 4 weeks.
Our Challenge: The pandemic has changed our worship lives. We now offer online worship. We are not able to visit people as we have in the past. As we go forward we will explore ways to encourage people during a pandemic.
Mission Statement: The mission of the Care Committee of Morrison Zion is to support our called workers and their families, to encourage our called workers in their ministry, and to enhance the quality of their lives. God himself invites us to minister to those who serve us in the public ministry.
A few things we did last year were: met with the teachers that had calls, provided supper to the teachers during parent/teacher conferences, and gave the Pastors gifts during Holy week.
For the Food Pantry to be successful, it takes many volunteers and time to continue being able to serve our local community. Thank you to all those who are there every month helping. We need to have someone to grocery shop, put items away, attend monthly meetings with the Brown County food and hunger network, picking up items from Dicks weekly, and keeping the checkbook up to date in addition to serving the families. As you can see that is at least 10 -12 people putting in numerous hours every month to keeps it running. Please consider volunteering your time just one month of the year. We are open the first Saturday morning and the Monday evening following every month.
The food pantry is always in need of the following supplies: juice, cereal, black beans, pinto beans, corn, canned fruit, baking items, ketchup, soap, toothpaste, shampoo, laundry detergent, Kleenex, and toilet paper.
If you can help out with donations or volunteering, that would be awesome! If able to volunteer, please sign up here or contact Linda Bruegge.
If you know of anyone struggling with food insecurity, please give them the food pantry number 920-246-5435 or have them contact one of the pastors.
The Cemetery and Grounds Committee’s purpose is to maintain the church, school, and cemeteries’ grounds.
We pruned the shrubs, trimmed the trees, removed a tree from the front yard of the parsonage and cut brush around both the church and school.
As a reminder, the planting of shrubs and trees on grave lots is prohibited. Sitting benches must be a part of the headstone. If anyone would like to purchase a grave site, please contact Eric Uecker for more information.
The maintenance committee is there to act as plumbers, electricians, and carpenters whenever possible or practical. The less you notice means the more things they do big and small to keep it that way. Here is a list of some of the maintenance items tackled in 2020:
Replaced the sump pump in the school basement
Cleaned the AC Units (before installing them for the summer months)
Cleaned the gutters on the church parsonage
Replaced batteries on exit lights and smoke alarms, also replaced some emergency backup lights
Repaired some broken boards on jungle gym at school playground
Our awesome God has blessed our congregation mightily in the form of musical talent. And, throughout the years, Morrison’s congregation has certainly shown great energy in using these gifts – and rightfully so, as we’ve been instructed to do so in Psalm 96 of the treasured Word of God. It is written, “Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name. Proclaim his salvation day after day.”
Our congregation has the following musical opportunities:
-Choir (men and women)
-Band
-Opportunities to accompany worship with organ or piano
-Small groups, vocal or instrumental, to share music in worship
Contact Brenda Kuchenbecker if you are interested in sharing your musical gifts to glorify God!
What is the SCRIP Tuition-Credit Program?
It is a program that generates funds for families to earn credit towards their tuition obligation at Morrison Zion Lutheran school by using gift cards to shop at places you go to every day. The list of local and national retailers includes gas stations, grocery, department and specialty stores; fast food and fine dining; entertainment and travel. Our order form has many retailers but a full list can be found at www.glscrip.com. The credits earned by purchase of script are split 50/50; 1/2 of the revenue will stay in the scrip program for expenses and distribution to MZLC an 1/2 will be credited to a families tuition account.
For more information or to start using SCRIP, visit: www.mzluth.org/scrip
The Soup for Souls Ministry provides our congregation another opportunity to reach out to friends, relatives, neighbors, and co-workers in our community and show them Christian love. Care packages of meals, dessert, and homemade cards are given to individuals we encounter every day that may need some kind words of encouragement and love. Through this program we hope to reach individuals and show them the face of Jesus’ love and that we as a congregation care about them as they face a new, old or recurrent challenge in their lives.
If you know of someone who is going through a difficult time or could use some care, please make use of the Soup for Souls meals. Frozen meals are available at school and at church. Meals include a dessert. Free cards are included where you can write a message of encouragement or God’s Word.
If you would like to support this ministry special envelopes are now available at church. Thanks to everyone who helps with Soup for Souls and supports this great program that helps us show the love of Christ.
Sunday School is for children age 3 to Grade 6, and takes place Sunday mornings at 9:15 am from September-May. This year the students will study an overview of the Bible looking at stories from both the New and Old Testaments. A Bible Study on the topic of Christian Parenting will be held in the school commons at the same time. Contact Pastor Enderle (email Pastor Enderle or 920-864-2348) for questions or comments.
Our committee has one goal: to find ways to make worship better for all members of our congregation while still giving all glory to God.
Even though we were only able to worship online our committee still decorated for Palm Sunday, Easter, and Pentecost so that the livestream services would reflect the joy of these festival services. We ordered lilies and poinsettias, put up the Nativity set, and put up seasonal visuals to enhance our worship.
The committee offers many opportunities for service to our Lord.
Friends, Fun & Faith
This is a group set up for all confirmed high school students of our congregation. Pastor Enderle and Miss Sophie Birner are the current Youth Group advisors.
High school-age members of our congregation have long served our congregation through an organized Youth Group, which in the past was also known as the Young People’s Society. This assemblage of youth has participated in various activities, ranging from parades to summer softball leagues and open gyms to serving the congregation an annual “Pancake and Porkie” breakfast before and after select Sunday services and hosting blindsman volleyball tournaments.
The most important activities, though, are the ones that center around God’s Word. These include weekly Bible studies, now held each Sunday night at 7 p.m. in the school commons (we don’t meet during the summer months), and WELS Youth Rallies, which are hosted throughout the country and serve as a chance for young Lutherans to bond and glorify their God.
Youth Resources:
Northern Wisconsin District Committee on Youth Discipleship
TeenTalk – (WELS’ Forward in Christ articles)
Help in Troubled Times
Synod Youth & Family Ministry Website
Youth Rally Updates:
#welsyouthrally
Facebook: WELS International Youth Rally