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August 2016
the
DOVE
Zion Lutheran Church, LCMS
“Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. ” —Psalm 125:1
Read This If You Haven’t Been To Church In A While
So, I have noticed that you haven’t been in church lately, and that when you do come, it is just every once in
a while. Has it been a few months? Was it Easter that we last saw you here? Maybe you’ve even lost track of
when the last time it was that you came to Zion on Sunday morning.
We might pretend we don’t notice, but we do. We might even keep track. And yes, when you come next
time, we will know that is has been a while, even though we might pretend that we just saw you yesterday.
We’re probably worried about you. Is something wrong? Did we do something wrong to you to keep you
away for so long? Did I say something offensive, or that was just downright stupid? Or worse, have you lost
faith? Have you fallen into unbelief? I know that when I’ve not been regular in church, it was because I
didn’t particularly care about Jesus, or His Word and Sacraments. Have you forgotten who you are? Have
you forgotten what Christ has given you in your baptism? That is my fear for you.
The good news is that when you come back, we will not shame you. We will not call your name and put a
scarlet letter on your shirt, and we will not call you a backslider. When you come back, we will be so happy
to see you again, because we’ve missed you. Because there is a place in this church that is only filled by you,
and when you aren’t here, part of our body is missing. When you come back, we will rejoice. Maybe you
haven’t been out messing around like the Prodigal Son, but nevertheless, we are waiting for your return,
because we love you, even when you’ve been gone.
I know it can be hard to get to church every week. You’ve got kids. You’ve got breakfasts. You were up late
on Saturday night. Sunday morning is the perfect time to work out. Oh, I know, the list of things you could
be doing instead is really long. But I promise you, it is worth it. And it really does have to be weekly. The
Lord set up the universe to run on a seven day week. You absolutely must have at least one day to rest and to
remember who you are. That is what you lose when you stay home for too long! You forget who you are!
You are God’s creation. You are His creature. You are worth so much that the Lord saw fit to send His Son
to die for YOU, and then He thought you were important enough to baptize you, and bring you into the
fellowship of the church. Yeah, you are really special.
For the most part, the world doesn’t think that highly of you. Sure, you serve some roles. You have some
things to do. But you are just another brick in their wall. The world thinks you are expendable and
replaceable. And when you stay away from the church for too long, you start to believe what they have to
say about you! Your identity, though, is way more than just a cog in a machine. You
INSIDE THIS EDITION
are actually loved, by the church and by Christ. We love you. So, when you come
back, that is what you will find, and who you will be.
ARTICLE
PAGE
Pastor’s Letter
1
Summer Classes @ Zion 2
Church Notes
3
What About
4
Stewardship
6
Thrivent Members
6
Zion Preschool
7
VBS
7
LSSA
8
Calendar
9
It is kind of like eating. When you don’t eat for a long time and are really hungry,
you don’t have to eat a bunch more and make up for the meals you skipped. Instead,
you just have a normal meal, and you’re satisfied. Never think that you’ve got a
debt to repay with Christ or His church! He has put us here together to be fed. So
come back and eat!
- Pastor Kyle Mietzner
JULY 16
JULY 23
JULY 30
AUGUST 6
AUGUST 13
AUGUST 20
2
CHURCH NOTES
Christian Education Opportunities
BIRTHDAYS
Children’s Sunday School — Sundays at
11am
Adult Bible Study — Sundays @ 11:00am &
Wednesdays @ 6pm (no study 8/3)
Novus Vetus Adult Instruction — Saturdays
@ 10am
Human Care
This is an outreach program to help feed
residents at Brother Francis Shelter and
Clare House. On the 2nd Friday of each
month, the Helping Hands meet in the kitchen
at 10am to prepare meals and deliver them to
the shelters. We are in need of more
Helping Hands! If you would like to get
involved, you can do so by meeting to
prepare the meals, volunteer to prepare a
menu item in advance, help deliver the
meals, or donate ingredients, such as elbow
noodles, fish, oil & vinegar dressing, ranch
dressing, salami, hamburger meat, or hams.
Also, Brother Francis would appreciate
clothes for men & women; Clare House would
like clothing for women & children, as well as
toys. If you have any questions, please call
Cayre at 337-1008 or 242-5280 (cell).
Jason Hess
7/29
Ina Mueller
8/2
Cayre Saden
8/4
Rawlin Mascelli
8/5
Christie Mascelli
8/7
Cheryl Erickson
8/10
William Feltey
8/10
Michelle Anderson
8/15
Sid Anderson
8/18
Darrell Lampert
8/19
Lisa Wilson
8/21
Anita Hunsucker
8/28
Kyle Flanick
8/30
ANNIVERSARIES
Sam & Debby Dickey
8/22
Church Contacts
Summer Midweek Services
Church Office:
Church Office Fax:
Preschool Office:
Pastor’s cell phone:
Midweek services are held during the
summer on Wednesdays at 7pm. There will
be no service August 3rd due to VBS.
Zion has a new website!
Visit us now at:
ZIONANCHORAGE.ORG
3
338-3838
333-4014
222-3838
317-5112
What About . . .
Islam
What are the five most important practices of Islam?
Everyone who claims to be a Muslim is expected to follow
the “Five Pillars of Islam” and therefore to:
1. Daily recite the Shahadah.
2. Pray five times every day facing Mecca—at morning,
noon, mid-afternoon, after sunset and before going to
sleep.
3. Give alms. The Muslim is expected to give 2.5 percent
of his income annually and to give other alms directly
to the poor and for other needs.
4. Fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
5. Make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during one’s
life.
What is Islam and who are the Muslims?
The word “Islam” comes from an Arabic word, salama,
that has a double meaning: “to surrender” and “to be at
peace.”A “Muslim” is a person who surrenders his entire life to
the will of Allah.
A sincere, devout Muslim is a person of deep religious
conviction and faith, not unlike a devout Christian. Negative
stereotypes of Muslims in the Western world are partially due
to the fact that our culture has become so secular that people
have a hard time understanding anyone who holds to religious
beliefs strongly.
As of 2010, there were approximately one billion Muslims
in the world. There were about 2.6 million Muslims in the
United States.
Are there differences among Muslims?
Each national group of Muslims has a distinct culture and
traditions. While the five pillars of Islam are common
throughout Islam, there are three major groups of Muslims.
Ninety percent of the world’s Muslims are either Sunni or Shia
Muslims who believe that Allah is eternal and that the Koran is
also eternal. They believe that Allah’s most important
characteristic is omnipotence. They believe that because man
has a free will, Allah rewards and punishes according to man’s
behavior.
The other group of Muslims are Shi’ite Muslims. While by
far a minority group within Islam, Shi’ite Muslims have
captured much media attention because most major terrorist
organizations that claim to be Muslim are associated with the
Shi’ite branch of Islam. For instance, Shi’ite Muslims
predominate in the country of Iran. Shi’ite Muslims trace their
origin to the death of Muhammad’s son, Ali. They have added
to the creed of Islam, “There is no God but Allah, and
Muhammad is his prophet,” the phrase, “And Ali (the first
Imam) is Allah’s confidant.” They also have added a sixth
pillar to Islam, namely, “Jihad” or “holy war.” This concept is
understood to refer not just to literal warfare, but also to the
effort to spread the Koran, and hence Islam, throughout the
world.
How did Islam begin?
Muhammad, an Arabian trader, became familiar with
Christianity and Judaism as a result of his work as a camel
driver. Muhammad was deeply troubled by the status of
religion and morality among his people. In the year 610 a.d., he
claimed that the angel Gabriel revealed to him the name of the
one and only true god, “Allah.” At that point, Muhammad’s
career as the founder of Islam began. Islam spread rapidly
through Muhammad’s military conquests.
What do Muslims believe?
Above everything else, a Muslim believes that: “There is
no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.” This motto,
called the Shahadah, is used in every aspect of Muslim life.
The sacred book of Islam is the Koran (often spelled Qur’an),
which is believed to be the record of Allah’s revelations to
Muhammad. Muslims believe in Allah’s angels, in Allah’s
books and in Allah’s messengers and prophets (Jesus is
considered one of Allah’s prophets). Most Muslims also
believe that Allah predestines people to go either to heaven or
hell. Muslims believe in a paradise after death for those who
are worthy, that is, those who have adequately fulfilled Allah’s
requirements and are chosen by Allah. They believe that
Muslims may spend some time in hell, but will eventually end
up in paradise. Muslims believe all who do not worship Allah,
following the five “pillars” of Islam, will be cast into hell when
they die.
Are there any similarities between Christianity and
Islam?
Like Christians, Muslims have a profound sense of the
presence of the Deity in their lives. They believe that Allah is
totally in control and believe it is their duty to submit
4
What About Islam
completely to his will. Like Christians, Muslims try to live
according to clear moral codes of right and wrong, and want
the same for their children and for their societies. Muslims are
interested in supporting traditional morality in regard to issues
such as marriage, sexuality, abortion, homosexuality and the
breakdown in the family. In these ways, there are similarities
between Christians and Muslims.
they are very much aware of his constant presence and his
control over their lives.
Muslims believe that they can be saved if they follow the
five pillars of Islam well enough, and thus earn the favor and
blessing of Allah. But they can never be certain or confident of
their eternal salvation. Christians who have converted from
Islam describe how liberating it was for them to come to know
and believe in the true God of love and kindness, who gives
them forgiveness, life and salvation as a gift because of what
His Son, Jesus Christ, did for them.
Do Christians and Muslims believe in the same God?
Christians know and believe in the Holy Trinity, that is,
one God who has revealed Himself as being three equal, yet
distinct, persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Islam
rejects the Trinity and insists on belief in “Allah.” Muslims
believe that the doctrine of the Trinity is blasphemous idolatry.
Therefore, it is important to understand that when Muslims use
the word “God,” in English, they are referring to Allah, the
subject of the Koran, and are most certainly not referring to the
Holy Trinity, when they use the word “God.” One must be a
bit cautious in making this point, simply because, among
Arabic speaking Christians, “Allah” is the word used for
“God” in Arabic translations of the Bible. The point to be made
is that Christians and Muslims may use similar words but don’t
mean the same thing when they speak of “God.”
How can Christians reach out to Muslims?
Discussions about religion with Muslims should not be one
-sided. Christians must be willing to listen respectfully and
learn about the faith of Islam. Christians should pray that God
will touch the heart of their Muslim friends and neighbors and
make them open to the Gospel. In many cases, the best
opportunity for outreach comes when Muslims move into our
communities and neighborhoods. Rather than trying to engage
Muslims in heated debate (which generally is unsuccessful),
Christians can reach out through meaningful friendships and
relationships with Muslims, demonstrating what Christian love,
compassion and forgiveness is all about. As is usually the case,
a Christian’s lifestyle can go a long way toward helping
Muslims at least to consider the possibility of the Christian
faith. On the other hand, if Muslims witness behaviors that are
unloving and reflect a prejudice against them, this can turn
them away from Christianity.
When opportunities for discussion about religion arise,
Christians need to stick to the most important issues. God is a
God of love and mercy, who gives us forgiveness freely, as a
gift, because of Jesus, who is the Son of God, not merely a
human prophet. Encourage Muslims to read the New
Testament for themselves. Most Muslims know Jesus only
from what little is said about Him in the Koran.
What do Muslims believe about Jesus?
Muslims have great respect for Jesus, believing Him to be
the prophet who announced the coming of Allah’s greatest
prophet, Muhammad. Muslims even believe that Jesus was
sinless, born of a virgin and did many miracles, but only
because he was one of Allah’s prophets.
Christians believe, teach and confess that Jesus was not just
a prophet but actually the Son of God, true God and true Man,
sent by the Father to be the world’s Redeemer. Muslims do not
believe that Jesus died and rose again from the dead to win our
salvation. Muslims generally respect Christians as “People of
the Book” and do not view them with the same displeasure that
they view persons who are atheists or agnostics.
What resources are available to help us reach out to
Muslims?
A short presentation on Islam is How to Respond to
Muslims, by Ernest Hahn. A longer treatment of Islam is
available in the respectful and sensitive presentation of the
Muslim world view by Roland Miller in his book Muslim
Friends: Their Faith and Feeling. Both books are available
from Concordia Publishing House.
How do Islam and Christianity differ over salvation?
Above all other differences, this is the most important.
Christians believe that salvation is a gift of love from God—a
gift earned for us by our Savior, Jesus Christ, who willingly
came into this world of sin and death, living perfectly in our
place, fulfilling all of God’s demands, giving up His life as a
sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, and then finally rising
from the dead as the complete victor over sin, death and Satan.
Forgiveness of sins is a gift from God and cannot be earned.
Christians know God to be their loving heavenly Father, a
concept that is nearly unknown among most Muslims, who do
not speak of a personal relationship with Allah, even though
—Dr. A.L. Barry
President
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
5
STEWARDSHIP
“Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift” (2 Cor. 9:15)! This is St. Paul’s exclamation upon hearing
the Corinthian church’s response to the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his request for support
for the Church in Jerusalem. The Christians in Corinth heard and received God’s mercy in Christ, and they
responded to St. Paul’s call to support Christians in Jerusalem with a collection. The Corinthian’s joy
filled Jerusalem’s need.
This is the reality of stewardship. Because of God’s generosity in the giving of His Son to die on the cross
for us, we are to be generous with all that we receive from Him. What do we receive? Everything. All that
we are and all that we have is the Lord’s. He is the creator and the giver. We are His creatures and those
who receive what He gives.
It sounds easy. And it is. But then again, it isn’t. Stewardship is easy because it’s God’s work. Through
what God gives, we give to others. Through what God gives, we support the work of the church for the life
of the world. He gives; we receive. And like our generous Father in Heaven, we, as His children, use what
He gives to us to love and serve others.
But stewardship is also difficult. That is because it goes against our natural inclination to think that what I
have is mine to do what I want with. This is our sinful nature. It is our selfishness and our greed. How can
we who have been given everything—life, food, clothing, house, home, forgiveness, divine sonship, an
eternal inheritance—be so stingy with what we give to the church, the place where we hear about and
receive all that God gives us and does for us? We are all guilty of this kind of thinking. And the only godly
response is to repent and trust in the Gospel.
For if God has given you His own Son, will He not give you all things? Yes. He will. This is His sure and
certain promise. God provides for His people. He provides everything we need for this body and life and
for the life that is to come.
The church is a mercy place. It’s a place where God’s mercy in the death and resurrection of His Son,
Jesus Christ, is given and received. For we who believe in Christ, it means forgiveness, life, and salvation
in the face of sin, death, and the power of the devil. Here in the church, we inhale God’s mercy in Word
and Sacrament, and exhale this same mercy in love and service to our neighbor. And that is an enduring,
joyful thing to do. Our joy fills our neighbor’s need because His joy filled ours (Heb. 12:2). Thanks be to
God for His inexpressible gift!
lcms.org
Attention Thrivent Members:
If there are any Thrivent members in the congregation willing to fill out a short online form through
Thrivent's Team Action Project, please contact Leah Rawlins ([email protected]). We have many
projects, including new furniture for the preschool, that could be funded very easily through the $250 per
project that Thrivent makes available to its members. Thank you!
6
Zion Preschool
Happy Summer! We hope your summer is going as well as ours is!! Our Summer
Safari came to an end on July 28th. The children had so much fun learning about
dinosaurs and exploring in Antarctica.
Where did the summer go? So many things to do, places to go, and people to see! Our
New School Year begins on August 15th!!! Enrollment is open. If you know someone
who would like to enroll with us, please give me a call and I will be happy to show
them around our school! Our schedule will remain the same as in the past with 3
classes. If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call at 222-3838.
Donations are welcome for recyclables, school supplies, Lysol spray, baby wipes, Lysol
wipes, plastic spoons, napkins, paper towels, construction paper, etc! Even small toys
for our treasure box are needed.
We absolutely appreciate all that Zion families do for our school, and we appreciate
your continued support!
Blessings!
Ms. Gloria Vuocolo
Zion VBS: “The God You Can See”
July 31—August 4
5:45-8pm Dinner is provided!
One thing that makes our God different from all other gods is that He is
visible. He has been seen in many different ways throughout history, and
is now seen in His Son, Jesus Christ. We will spend five days learning
about “The God You Can See.”

Children preschool-age through 5th grade are invited and there is no
cost.

Registration will be on-site when the child first attends.

Dinner is provided. Let us know if your child has any food
allergies during registration.

Parents will need to sign children in and out.
Bring your children and their friends, tell your neighbors, spread the
word!
7
We begin this school year with excitement. We’ve taken the summer to work on our programs and technology, and we’ve
updated parts of our curriculum. I’m thankful God is allowing us to impact so many children, working in partnership with
Christian parents to share the Gospel while teaching academic content and life skills.
It truly is our teaching staff whom God uses to make the most powerful difference here at Anchor each year. This month, let
me introduce our current teachers:
Jr. High Teacher: Kerrick Sawyer (3rd year, all at ALS)
B.A. in Science Education & Special Education endorsement, Concordia University Nebraska
Jr. High Teacher & Music Teacher, K-8: Lindsey Weidner (7th year, all at ALS)
B.S. & B.M.E. (Bachelor of Music Education), Concordia University Nebraska
6th Grade Teacher: Heather Slayton (3rd year, all at ALS)
B.A. in Education, Lutheran Elementary Ed. Major, Concordia University Irvine
5th Grade Teacher: Rachel Jones (2nd year, all at ALS)
B.S. in Education, Lutheran Elementary Ed. Major, Concordia University Nebraska
4th Grade Teacher: Megan McMullen (2nd year, all at ALS)
B.A. in Science Education, Language Arts Major, Concordia University Wisconsin
4th Grade Teacher (Part Time): Dan Milosch (43rd year, at ALS since 1982)
B.A. in Education, Science & Math Majors, Concordia University Chicago
3rd Grade Teacher: Natalie Dean (6th year, all at ALS)
B.A. in Education, Major in Early Childhood, Concordia University St. Paul, MN
Working on Master’s Degree in Early Childhood, Concordia Nebraska
2nd Grade Teacher: Donna Josephson (30th year, at ALS since 1991)
B.S. in Education, Minor in Music, St. John’s College, Winfield, KS
Master’s Degree in Educational Technology, Concordia Wisconsin
1st Grade Teacher: Sandi Goerisch (22nd year, all at ALS)
B.A. in Elementary Education, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Master’s Degree in Educational Technology, Concordia Wisconsin
Kindergarten Teacher: Judy Scriven (16th year, at ALS since 2010)
B.A. in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Emphasis, Concordia University St. Paul, MN
Master’s Degree in Educational Technology, Concordia Wisconsin
PE (K-8) and Spanish Teacher (4-8), Athletic Director: Laura Dirksen (23rd year, all at ALS)
B.A. in Education, Minor in Physical Education, Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage
Butterflies Teacher (4- & 5-year-olds): Heather Cox (10th year, ALS 2003-2007, since 2010)
B.A. in Children’s Ministry, Central Bible College, Springfield, MO
Bumblebees Teacher (4- & 5-year-olds): Manilyn Hermann (6th year, at ALS since 2011)
B.A. in Business Technology, Cebu State College of Science & Technology, Cebu City, Philippines
Ladybugs Teacher (3- & 4-year-olds): Whitney Gobbi (6th year, at ALS since 2010)
Pursuing Child Development Coursework
Caterpillars Teacher (3- & 4-year-olds): Jennifer Carpenter (2nd year, at ALS since 2015)
Pursuing Child Development Coursework
As we begin this new school year together, I ask that you continue to lift these dedicated individuals up in prayer, that God
may use them to convey the message of His love and purpose for our lives through all they do at ALS.
Yours in Christ,
8
Allison Chandler, School Administrator
[email protected]
522-3636
Lutheran Social Services of Alaska
The annual HUGSS (Help Us Give School Supplies will be on Tuesday, August 16th at East
High School from 9am to 6pm. Coats for Kids will take place in late September at the
Salvation Army Community Center.
School Supplies that are still needed for K through 2nd grade are 24 count Crayons, scissors, #2
pencils, glue sticks, large pink erasers, and peechee 2- pocket folders. For 3rd – 5th grade, we
need #2 pencils, rulers, glue sticks, and pointed scissors. And for 6th- 12th grade, we are looking
for #2 pencils, colored pencils, pens black or blue ink, and rulers. If you wish, you can make a
financial contribution on our website and we will shop for you.
We have the following opportunities to volunteer for set-up and distribution at East High
School.
Set-up:
Distribution:
Monday, August 15th
Tuesday, August 16th
10am to 1pm or 1pm to 4pm.
8am to 10:00am
10am to 12pm
12pm to 2pm
2pm to 4pm
4pm to 6pm
You will find a link to the volunteer sign-up on-line at lssalaska.org or on the Catholic Social
Services website by clicking on Get Involved and then Events and scroll down to HUGSS. You
can also sign-up by calling the LSSA office at 272-0643 ext 10.
The annual Harvest of Hope Auction and Dinner is scheduled for September 23rd from 6pm
to 10pm at the Sheraton Anchorage. We still need live or silent auction items, so if you can
donate something, please call the LSSA office. We are always looking for volunteers to help
with our fundraising efforts, so give us a call if you would like to get involved. You can reserve
your seats at this year’s dinner by calling the LSSA office at 272-0643 ext. 10.
Mark your calendars for the 2016 Anchorage Crop Walk scheduled for Sunday, September 25th
at First Congregational Church, 2610 E. Northern Lights Blvd. Registration begins at 12:45pm,
and the walk starts at 1:30pm with a celebration at 2:30pm. FISH and LSSA are the recipients
of this year's local share of the funds raised.
Together caring for others.
Alan Budahl
Executive Director LSSA
1303 W. 33rd Ave.
Anchorage, AK 99503
907-272-0643
9
Zion Lutheran Church (LC-MS)
2100 Boniface Parkway, Anchorage, AK 99504-3166
Phone No. 907-338-3838/Fax No. 907-333-4014
e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
AUGUST
Sun
Mon
31
9am Matins Service 5:45pm VBS
Tue
1-Aug
Wed
2
5:45pm VBS
Thu
3
5:45pm VBS
Fri
4
Sat
5
6
10am New Member
class
5:45pm VBS
9:30am Divine
11am Adult Bible
Study/ Sunday
School
5:45pm VBS
7
8
9
10
9am Matins Service
6pm Education
9:30am Divine
7pm Council Meeting 7pm Midweek Service
11am Adult Bible
Study/ Sunday
School
12pm Elders' meeting
7pm Prayers &
Squares
14
15
Election Day
9am Matins Service Election materials
delivery
9:30am Divine
7pm Prayers &
Squares
Preschool begins
11am Adult Bible
Study/ Sunday
School
16
21
9am Matins Service
23
22
17
12
13
10am Helping Hands 10am New Member
Meal Prep
class
18
19
20
10am New Member
class
25
26
27
1-Sep
2
3
Election materials
pickup
6pm Bible Study
7pm Midweek Service
7pm Prayers &
Squares
9:30am Divine
11
6pm Bible Study
24
6pm Bible Study
7pm Midweek Service
11am Adult Bible
Study/ Sunday
School
28
9am Matins Service
29
30
7pm Prayers &
Squares
31
6pm Bible Study
9:30am Divine
11am Adult Bible
Study/ Sunday
10