The following is copied with permission from the August 2021 “From the Pastor” section of the Zion Lutheran Church Newsletter. Who are You? This month many of you will be starting school again, and one of the first things you are asked in a new classroom, whether in Kindergarten or High School, is what is…
Read MoreMost Christians are familiar with the Great Commandment. Matthew 22:36-40 says this: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it:…
Read MoreHave you heard this old adage? “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” It’s true. Think back for a minute. Who was your favorite teacher in school? Why were they your favorite? Did they make you feel special somehow? My guess is that you knew they cared about…
Read MoreThank you for joining us for this live workshop! I hope these 8 Greek words for love with help you as you talk about love with your children, especially this Valentine’s Day. As a special gift, submit the form below to get a copy of Nancy Ruth’s teaching notes. They are done in outline format…
Read MoreEach January, the air is full of hope. “This year will be better,” we tell ourselves. We set goals, make resolutions, and vow to be better. Is all this effort worth it? Can we really make ourselves better? The answer to this question is “yes and no.” There are things we can change. People quit…
Read MoreIf you haven’t heard, the U.S. Capital Building was stormed last week for the first time since the War of 1812. This whole thing upsets me so much that I’m not going to go into much of the whys, wherefores, justifications, morality, and responses. Others have done that. Here are just a few if you…
Read MoreIf you’re a stargazer or an educator, you probably know that tonight (Dec. 21, 2020) is a rare planetary alignment. Articles like this one suggest it may be the “Star of Bethlehem.” Is that true? Let’s talk about it. Planetary Alignment Some may be asking, “What’s happening Dec. 21, 2020?” That night the planets Saturn…
Read MoreWhat makes you a Christian? It’s not the things you do or labels you wear. You’re a Christian when you trust in Jesus as your Savior. Children’s sermons are often object lessons done more for the benefit if adults than for children. Nancy Ruth takes a different approach. She believes that children can live for…
Read MoreIn light of the current Coronavirus crisis, we’ve decided to release excerpts from the as-yet-unpublished book Why Do Bad Things Happen? A Devotional for Busy Families. This book will not be released until later this year, but we felt families could use these lessons to talk with their kids about what is happening now. Join…
Read MoreAre you stuck inside for quarantine or self-isolation? Are the kids driving you nuts? Are you trying to figure out how to still make Easter (Resurrection Sunday) special? Try this socially-distant egg hunt. It includes actions to do along with searching for hidden eggs. This is the shorter, preschool version for younger children. We’ll practice…
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