ZION'S STONE CHURCH PARTNERS WITH THE WORD-FM ON "CENTS OF HOPE"

What is a penny worth?
When you see one penny on the sidewalk, do you bother to pick it up?

          This year that penny and all those other pennies in your car, in the cuhions of your couch, and wherever else they might be hiding can do some real good and make a real difference in the lives of children in Honduras suffering from malnutrition.

          The Word FM, the Christian radio network serving our area and much of the eastern and central parts of the state, is collecting pennies in 2008 in support of The MAMA project and their work in Honduras.  Zion's Stone Church is partnering with The Word FM in this effort.  Our Sunday School classes, our committees, organizations, and other groups will be collecting pennies at meetings and classes.  In worship on the 2nd Sunday of each month our children will be collecting a "Joyful Noise" offering - think pennies rattling around in a metal pail - toward this ministry.

          Find those hidden pennies.  Pick up the strays on the street and sidewalk.  Save those that wind up in your pocket at the end of the day and bring them to church.  Even pennies, when we put enough of them together, can make a difference.

The following links will give you more information on the project.

www.wordfm.org

www.mamaproject.org 

Our “Cents of Hope” Make a Difference Again!
            On Sunday, August 10, Dave Baker, Station Manager for The Word FM, was with us for worship and he brought some friends: Charlie Loughery, the owner of the Word-FM Radio Network and Dr, Herman Sagastume, a native of Honduras working for MAMA Project.  Dr. Sagastume shared with us the kind of work being done by The MAMA project in Hondouras, work funded by our pennies and those of so many others participating in "Cents of Hope".
            The offering of pennies (and other coins and bills) brought in that Sunday came close to filling up our two plastic pretzel jars again, as they were in April.  Dave and Charlie took all those pennies back to the radio station and then to the bank to be counted and added to the grand total of well over 800,000 network-wide so far.  When the report came back later in the week we learned that we had collected 21,364 pennies, $69.45 in other coins, and $41 in paper money.  When added to the first delivery made in early April, these are our grand totals:
                                       45,148 pennies
                                     $89.30 in other coins
                                     $50.00 in paper money
            There are four months left in 2008, more than enough time to fill those jars one more time and make one more delivery to The Word-FM studios in Souderton, PA some time in December.  The network-wide goal for the "Cents of Hope" was ONE MILLION PENNIES.  With over 800,000 already brought in, we should be able to smash through that goal easily, but only as you save your pennies and bring them in every month, on the second Sunday of the month, when our children will be glad to receive them in our Joyful Noise offering.

Bible Study - The Book of Genesis

Summer vacation is over - time to get back to Bible Study!

            When last we checked in on the patriarchs, the leaders of God's chosen people, Jacob had left Uncle Laban's place and come home again.  He has been reconciled with his twin brother Esau (who had sworn to kill him for stealing their father's blessing) and everythinbg seems right with the world.  We are at chapter 37 of The Book of Genesis, ready to dive into the stories of Jacob's favorite son, Joseph - the one who receives the coat of many colors, much to his brothers chagrin.  He's a dreamer, this Joseph, something that will turn out to be very helpful.  But let's not give away too much of the story before we get there.
            After taking the summer off, We will resume our regular weekly Bible study on Thursday, September 4th at 10:30 a.m.  Hope to see you then.  New members are always welcome - members and friends all.  The sharing, the fellowship, and the fun are all top-notch.  Come and join us!     

Thoughts on how we confess our faith
          The Apostles’ Creed is our primary statement of faith.  It is our declaration to each other and to the world of exactly what we believe about God and about ourselves as the people of God in Jesus Christ.  The text of the creed has been handed down from generation to generation throughout the history of the Church beginning either in Greek or in Latin in earlier centuries before finally appearing in the familiar form around 700 A.D.  Somewhere along the line it was translated into the languages of our particular faith traditions, i.e. German and English.
          In the most recent years those worshipping here at Zion’s Stone Church have confessed our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed in three slightly different forms.  The Service Book and Hymnal (SBH) of the Lutheran Church, The Hymnal of the Evangelical and Reformed Church (and the UCC), and The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration which we use now.  While there are distinct similarities among the three, no two of the three are exactly the same; each has its specific uniqueness.  Some say Holy Ghost while another says Holy Spirit.  Some say Jesus descended into hell while the third says “into Hades.”  Some say “we believe in “the holy Christian church” while the third says “catholic church.” 
          A newer translation, widely and ecumenically accepted across much of the length and breadth of English speaking Christianity, was introduced here on October 1st.  We used it for a number of weeks and asked for feedback.  Some came forward and said it was more difficult to say because the version in their memory was so strong that it became hard to read different words.  Some said that while they would prefer the more familiar version, they would be okay with using the newer one if that’s the way we decided to move.  At the Nov. 12th Board Meeting we discussed this matter, considered your comments and the reasons for using the new standard version.  The Board’s final decision was a vote to continue using the newer version feeling it might be more helpful as we seek to reach out to our neighbors, especially new residents moving into the community.
          The Board wants you to know that voices on both sides were heard and all possibilities were seriously considered before the decision came to a vote.  We thank all those who were willing to speak up and voice their feelings on this matter.  It is only through this kind of open sharing that we can deal with the important matters of our worship life and our ministry with one another and to our community in a positive and most effective way.
          However we put the words together, whether in forms that reach back to the earliest days of the church or in modern forms seeking to speak to 21st Century people, the bottom line is that our faith is in God.

Apostles' Creed (English Language Liturgical Consultation - 1988)
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
     creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
     who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit,
     born of the Virgin Mary,
     suffered under Pontius Pilate,
     was crucified, died, and was buried;
     he descended to the dead.
     On the third day he rose again;
     he ascended into heaven,
     he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
     and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
     the holy catholic Church,
     the communion of saints,
     the forgiveness of sins,
     the resurrection of the body,
     and the life everlasting. Amen

Nicene Creed (English Language Liturgical Consultation - 1988)
We believe in one God,
     the Father, the Almighty,
     maker of heaven and earth,
     of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
     the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father,
     God from God, Light from Light,
     true God from true God, begotten, not made,
     of one Being with the Father;
     through him all things were made.
     For us and for our salvation
     he came down from heaven, 
     was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
     and became truly human.
     For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
     he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again
     in accordance with the Scriptures;
     he ascended into heaven
     and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
     He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
     and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
     who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
     who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
     who has spoken through the prophets.
     We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
     We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
     We look for the resurrection of the dead,
     and the life of the world to come. Amen.