“As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your

way” “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths

for him.’” Mark 1:2-3

Theme: “A Voice Cries Out” Text: Mark 1:2-3

Today we have John the Baptist coming out of the wil-derness, wearing wild animal skins, smelling badly, and preaching repentance. He is not genteel or polite, he offends all those who might be offended but he cuts right to the chase, “repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. You have been waiting for the Messiah, pay attention – he’s coming.” He is saying to the people of his time, and also to us, “repent, get ready, prepare the way of the Lord.” Cut through all the distractions, eliminate the nonsense in your lives and pay attention.

Stop turning away from God, God is in search of you so quit running after all that glitters. John the Baptist said, “but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals.” God is coming, pay attention; stop running after that which does not matter, listen to the word of the Lord. John’s message today, without any frills, is “Repent!” Take a look at your life, see where you have put your priorities, where your treasure really lies, and turn around and see God looking to guide you. Repentance is not a once-in-a-lifetime event, but a daily action. We need to “die daily to our sin”, as Luther reminds us. We hear that call as we turn to God’s Word and follow his command.

Questions: 1. Who was John? 2. What was John’s message? 3. What leads us to true repentance?

Zion Lutheran Church Phone: (701) 223-8286

Fax: (701) 258-2146 Email: zionlcmsbis@gmail.com

Website: www.zionbismarck.org Find us on Facebook, search: Zion Lutheran Church

December 10, 2017 2nd Sunday in Advent

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY will meet this Thursday, at 1 p.m. (Lesson 4)

CHANCEL CIRCLE members will meet at 8:30 a.m. on December 16 to put out the Christmas poinsettias in the Chancel area. We will not have our regular meeting.

The Get Acquainted Circle will

meet for our annual December luncheon on

Wednesday, December 13 at 11:30 a.m. at Ruby Tuesday. See you there.

QUILTERS will not meet this

month.

N U R S E R Y ROLL CIRCLE

will meet Dec. 12, 1:30 p.m. at the home of Mavis Goetz, 1007 N Hannifin St.

ALTAR FLOWERS today are given by Norm & Idell Albers in memory of loved ones.

DECEMBER ALTAR FLOWERS Please contact Carol Baker * 530-9981 The cost is $70 a pair.

ND District Annual Men’s Winter Retreat January 12-13, 2018 Shepherd’s Hill at the Crossroads.

Contact Corey Isaak to register: 701-281-0240 or e-mail:

corey.isaak@gracefargo.org

to everyone who decorated our church for Christmas. We appreciate the giving of

your time to beautify Zion for Christmas!

Martin Luther School would

love to hear from you! Please tell us where we are doing well and where we can improve. All completed surveys will be put into a drawing for a $100 gas gift card. If you have not completed the survey they are due Friday, December 22nd.

OUR STEWARDSHIP

LIFE AT WORK

Worship Attendance

Sat December 2 5:00 pm 30

Sun December 3

8:30 am (Comm) 127 (87) 10:45 am 140

November YTD General Offering

$26,177

Avg. Budgeted Monthly Expenses

$49,000

THIS WEEK AT ZION Monday, Dec 11 8:00 AM MLS Band/Chapel 10:50 AM MLS Choir/Chapel 2:00 PM Mrs. Stelter/Conf Rm 2:30 PM MLS Choir/Bsmt 2:30 PM MLS Choir/Chapel 7:00 PM AA Mtg

Tuesday, Dec 12 6:00 AM Leadership Mtg 8:00 AM MLS Band/Chapel 1:30 PM Get Acquainted Circle 2:30 PM MLS Choir/Chapel 3:45 PM Violin 7/8 Rm 6:00 PM Bd of Lay Ministry 6:30 PM MLS Bd Mtg/Conf Rm

Wednesday, Dec 13 8:30 AM MLS Chapel 10:50 AM MLS Choir/Chapel 11:00 AM Zion Staff 2:00 PM Mrs. Stelter/Conf Rm 2:30 PM MLS Choir/Bsmt 2:30 PM MLS Choir/Chapel 3:30 PM MLS Bells 3:45 PM Violin 7/8 Rm 5:00 PM Music/PK2 5:00 PM Supper 5:45 PM Hosannas 6:00 PM Confirmation/K.K. 6:45 PM Zion Bells 7:00 PM Advent Worship

Thursday, Dec 14 6:30 AM Bible Breakfast 8:00 AM MLS Band 1:00 PM Women’s Bible Study/lounge 1:15 AM Violin/Conf Rm 2:30 PM MLS Choir/Chapel 7:00 PM MLS Christmas Concert/BBC

Friday, Dec 15 8:00 AM MLS Band 2:00 PM Mrs. Stelter/Conf Rm 2:30 PM MLS Choir/Chapel

Saturday, Dec 16 5:00 PM Contemporary Worship

Sunday, Dec 17 8:30 AM Traditional Worship w/Comm 9:30 AM Bible Study 9:30 AM Sunday School 10:45 AM Blended Worship

Sunday, December 10

Elder Oren Danielson

Van Driver Oren Danielson

Acolytes 8:30 am - Wyatt Miller Lukas Hanson 10:45 am - Kaden Ell Gage Thiel

Greeters 8:30 am - Arlen & Gloria Henke 10:45 am - Marlin & Della Schick

Sunday, December 17

Elder James Rath

Van Driver Fred Ehrhardt

Acolytes 8:30 am - Madi Fast Aliyah Iverson 10:45 am - Evan Anderson Sara Anderson

Greeters 8:30 am - Fred & Nadine Ehrhardt 10:45 am - Harley & Betty Trautman

Page 2

Please pray for

Buck Thornton Bryce Johnson Marck Schlafman

Shaundra Ziemann-Bolinske Shannon Ziemann Austin Link Steven Trautman Jared Juntunen Brady Letteer Justin Koivula David Schneider Yurick Martis

December 13

Baked Potato Bar

5:00 pm

Please sign up in the binder on the counter in the lower

foyer. This allows us to have an accurate count for the

meal. Thank you!!

Wednesday, December 13 Advent Midweek Acolytes

7:00 pm Colton Ruud Tyler Hamkens

The next gathering of Men’s Network will take place on

Saturday, December 16, at Holy Cross Lutheran

Church in Bismarck, from 9-11:00 a.m. Join fellow

brothers in Christ for breakfast, fellowship,

and a Bible Study.

Simply Giving forms are located outside the Church Office.

OCTOBER 2017 Financial Snapshot

Page 3

Martin Luther School presents

Immanuel, God with Us

A Celebration of the Coming of our Savior through Scripture and Music!

Thursday, December 14, 2017

7:00 PM Bismarck Baptist Church

2211 LaForest Avenue, Bismarck

As you can see, our general offerings are behind budget by $33,000 and behind 2016 by $11,000. How can you be a part of growing the ministry at Zion?

We need

You!!

Live Nativity, Dec 20-22

6:30-8:00 pm.

Individual or family to

coordinate Zion’s Live

Nativity event (job

description available).

Hosts to be charge of

one evening.

If you are

interested,

please contact

the church office.

CHRISTMAS CARDS are available in the card racks in the upper foyer.

There are individual cards for sale as well as boxed cards.

Worship services

Advent midweek 2 ~ December 13th ~ 7 p.m.

Advent midweek 3 ~ December 20th ~ 7 p.m.

Christmas Eve (ONE MORNING SERVICE ONLY) December 24th 9:30 a.m. worship w/Comm

2:00 p.m. worship 4:00 p.m. worship

11:00 p.m. w/Comm

Christmas Day December 25th 9:30 a.m. worship w/Comm

New Year’s Eve December 31st 8:30 a.m. w/Comm 10:45 a.m. w/Comm 6:00 p.m. w/Comm

The women of Holy Cross would like to invite the women of Zion to our annual Advent by Candlelight on Sunday, December 17th at 4:00PM. The afternoon service will be filled with the anticipation of Jesus's birth, singing and a message from our guest speaker, Sister Kathleen Atkinson from Ministry on the Margins.

Ministry on the Margins is a volunteer-based ecumenical ministry committed to supporting those who have fallen

through the cracks during times of transition. We will be accepting an offering of goods for this ministry. Suggested

items are $5.00 gift cards to Subway or McDonalds, gift cards to grocery stores, white socks for men, gloves/

mittens, hand/foot warmers, chap stick, can openers, individual Kleenex packs, combs/brushes, deodorant, lg. size

shampoo/conditioner and Tide detergent.

We will conclude the afternoon with cheese & crackers, desserts and beverages.

Please join us for this special Advent service. Page 4

At this time of year as we share our blessings, we would like to thank Zion's staff for the hours of dedicated service they have shared with us this year.

For many years our congregation has taken the opportunity to share a monetary gift with the staff, and we would like to provide you with the opportunity to join us in thanking our staff for the many hours of dedicated ministry they have shared with us this year.

If you would like to contribute, there are envelopes on the table in the back; place your monetary contribution in the envelope and either give it to one of the elders or place it in the offering plate.

Thank you. Zion's Board of Lay Ministry

DAKOTA BOYS AND GIRLS RANCH GIVING TREE Please consider taking a candy cane ornament from the giving tree in the lower foyer and purchase a gift for the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch residents and staff.

Please return unwrapped gifts ALONG WITH CANDYCANE ORNAMENT to the church office by Sunday, December 17.

Donations of wrapping paper is also appreciated. Page 5

DECEMBER

13 Deliver Christmas packages in community

20 Family Christmas Event (NO regular class, students are encouraged to attend the Live Nativity & Christmas Event from 5:30-8:00pm at Zion

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ~ Colossians 3:15 During the second week of Advent we dwell on the thought of peace. Peace is a fleeting concept in our modern world. We talk about it and wish for it but we as humans can not attain it on our own. Eternal peace is only achieved through faith in Jesus Christ. At MLS we are able to proclaim Christ on a daily basis and put that faith into action. Thank you for giving us that opportunity.

In Christ's and Your Service, Josh Douglas

THE 2018 FLOWER

CALENDAR has been put up. I f y o u a r e i n te res ted in donating flowers, put your name a n d p h o n e number on the line by that date. A m e m b e r o f Chancel circle will contact you for any information you want printed in Li fe and Growth. The price for a set of two bouquets is $70.

Thank you.

We want to add

something to the chili cook-off.

How about adding soup? Don’t fret, we will have the dessert bake-off as well. We

want everyone to leave full and happy. Buy quarters or bring your own to vote! Kick off will be on January

28, 2018 right after the second service. Hope

to see you there. Sign up outside the

church office. Contact Stephanie Ell

595-1260 or email Steffy_colege@yahoo.com

Page 6

“For you were formerly in darkness,

but now you are in the Lord; walk as

children of Light.” Ephesians 5:8

Luminaries will be available for

purchase beginning December 4.

Cost is $10 per bag.

You can fill out a label to place on a

bag in honor or in memory of someone.

Luminaries may be taken home at the

end of the evening.

The bags will be placed on the

sidewalk around the church block for

you to walk and view the evening of

Wednesday, December 21 as part of

our Family Christmas Event.

***This event is a fundraiser for our

youth. Funds raised will help students

attend camps, gatherings and events.

Thanks for your support!***

Page 7

Hearing assistance is available.

Please Check with an usher.

The mission of Zion Lutheran Church is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people through Word and Sacrament, encouraging and supporting one another as a fellowship of believers.

Zion Lutheran Church Phone: (701) 223-8286 Fax: (701) 258-2146

Email: zionlcmsbis@gmail.com Website: www.zionbismarck.org

Rev. Thomas R. Marcis, Jr. Senior Pastor (701) 220-8437 Email: tmarcisjr@gmail.com

Kristin Nistler Director of Family Ministry (701) 400-2069

Email: kristin.nistler@gmail.com

Russ Weixel Director of Junior Youth Ministry

(701) 400-6492 Email: rweixelzion@aol.com

Gayle Little - Administrative Secretary Email: zionlcmsbis@gmail.com

Michele Agnew - Associate Secretary Email: magnewzion@gmail.com

ZION’S CHURCH COUNCIL

President James Rath

Vice President Jerry Cleveland

Secretary Bonnie Chase

Treasurer Fred Ehrhardt

Board of Church Properties David Kemnitz

Board of Adult Family Ministry Travis Rau

Board of Youth Family Ministry Stephanie Ell

Board of Lay Ministry Brian Rosin

Board of Stewardship Melody Hintz-Rau

Special Projects Board Lynette Schumaker

Zion Foundation Roland Huber

OTHER ZION MINISTRY LEADERS

Music Coordinator Melissa Piatz

Hosannas Director Kathy Rooke

Bells of Zion Director Melody Hintz-Rau

Acolyte Coordinator Gary Semmel

Stephen Leader Denise Agnew

LWML President Mavis Goetz

Bismarck-Mandan Lutheran School Association

Lisa Miller & Evelyn Orth

QUESTIONS for Personal and

Family Bible Study

Study Texts: The Second Sunday in Advent

Memory Verse: 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON: Isaiah 40:1-11

1. What does God want people to have? 2. How should a person speak to Jerusalem? 3. For whom should the voice prepare a way? 4. What picture is used to describe men? 5. What happens to the grass? 6. What stands forever? 7. What kind of tidings are to be

brought? 8. What is being said to the towns of Judah?

THE EPISTLE LESSON: 2 Peter 3:8-14

1. What one thing should they not forget? 2. What will the Lord do with His promises? 3. What does He not want to happen to anyone? 4. What does He want to happen? 5. How will the day of the Lord come? 6. How will the heavens and the earth be destroyed? 7. In view of the fact that everything will be destroyed, how should we live our lives? 8. To what promise are we looking?

THE GOSPEL LESSON: Mark 1:1-8

1. What does he call this writing? 2. Who is the lesson writing about? 3. What does God promise to send? 4. Who came as this messenger? 5. What kind of baptism did John preach? 6. Where was John preaching? 7. What did the people do? 8. To whom was John directing the people?

Lessons for Next Sunday:

The Third Sunday in Advent Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-8, 19-28

Stephen Ministry Mission Statement

“A Christian friend who listens, cares,

prays, supports, and encourages”

Please contact our Stephen Leaders:

Denise Agnew 400-1021

Llona Sailing 391-9374

Harley Trautman 391-3878

If you know someone who needs care and support at this time.

Week Ninety Two

Monday Ephesians 4:1 - 32

Tuesday Ephesians 5:1 - 6:24

Wednesday Philippians 1:1 - 30

Thursday Philippians 2:1 - 30

Friday Philippians 3:1 - 4:1

Saturday Philippians 4:2 - 23

Sunday 9:40 am

Adult Bible Study “Book of Acts”

Thursday 6:30 am

Bible Breakfast at the Ramkota:

“Hosea” Page 8

Zion is now offering Gluten-Free communion wafers.

If you wish to receive the Gluten-free wafers, pick up a white disk from the stands before the communion rail. Show the disk to the Elder distributing wafers and leave on the communion rail when finished.