Dear Members and Friends,   Here we are in 2025 facing a radical time of transition for our beloved Zion church.  We have been in times...

Transitions can be bittersweet. As we bid farewell to our beloved pastor, who has faithfully shepherded us for six  years, we may feel a...

What is Important to You?         A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22.        ...

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)                               ...

In a small, forgotten corner of the forest, where sunlight struggled to penetrate the dense canopy, stood an old oak tree. Its gnarled...

Not long before his death, Henri Nouwen wrote a book called Sabbatical Journeys. He writes about some friends of his who were trapeze...

Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she did not know how she was going to make it....

Well, we have made it through another year. I have written many newsletters. I sometimes wonder how many are read. I sometimes wonder if...

Mirrors are generally symbolic of spiritual and psychological depth. They don’t just reveal our appearance. They can reveal who we are on...

When things get really bad, flood yourself with God’s word.  Sound easy doesn’t it? If we don’t follow this advice we tend to see things...

I read this story on a Facebook page “The Monk who sold his Ferrari”. A very simple but motivational story. I found it worth sharing, I...

None of us worry, RIGHT?  If we tell each other not to worry or be anxious in a world plagued by sin, you need to have a good reason....

I came across this Young Man’s Story about Answered Prayers. (From the Sunrise Chapel)           A young man had been to a Wednesday...

I found this little story back in 2015.  I tried to find it again so I could give credit, but I guess it is too old to find it and I...

By the time you read this the big event of the year has already happened. The Eclipse has come and gone, and I have all the faith that we...

Easter, the cross, is a good reminder of why we should do everything we can to forgive.  Knowing that Jesus suffered such extreme pain...

It is February the month when we remember our Valentine.  We are also in Lent with Easter coming in March. So, I ask you again, “What are...

It was late afternoon when a fishing trip with family turned into a tale of horror. A boat engine stalls and refused to start. Gallons of...

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. ( John 3:16) We are in the month of December; people everywhere are...

Hal Borland wrote: October is the fallen leaf, but it is also a wider horizon more clearly seen. I am happy and blessed to say that Joyce...

I always try to get a good story! Whether it is in my newsletter or in my sermons. I hope you all enjoy them. Once in a village lived a...

A crow was flying in the beautiful sky with a large piece of meat in its beak. Suddenly the crow noticed a flock of eagles following him....

Being thankful should come in times other than being served with turkey and mashed potatoes. What are you thankful for? Who are you...

In a world full of darkness (EVIL) how do we become a light that shines brightly for others? The first step is making sure we choose not...

An old man lived in the village. He was one of the most unfortunate people in the world. The whole village was tired of him, he was...

Who Are We? A long time ago in a small town, lived a farmer. One day he got tired of his daily routine of running the farm and decided to...

Spring Clean Your Heart There is something about longer days, birds singing their songs, and being able to get out into the sunshine. It...

A New Life Through the blood and death of Jesus comes eternal life. The old is gone, a new life is beginning. It happens each spring and...

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love....

A Journey for the New Year This New Years Joyce and I did something that we haven’t done in many years. We actually saw the clock turn...

From Christmas to Easter Looking at the Christ child this Christmas Eve, we find ourselves beckoned to Easter, called to travel not to...

What type of fruit are you bearing? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,...

The Fisherman and the Businessman I came across a story I thought you would enjoy. Once upon a time there was a businessman who was...

Do you hear Him calling? I Could I Might I Can I Should I Will! (Thom Rainer) What is your response to anything God asks of you? One of...

Attitude and Caring All of us are surrounded by and benefit for the results of someone’s’ perseverance. Above my head is a bright...

Riches from God “Money can buy medicine, but not health. Money can buy a house, but not a home. Money can buy companionship, but not...

What are you doing with your hyphen? Joyce and I attended a Memorial Service for the brother of one of her friends who had died suddenly...

A Cherokee elder was teaching his young grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight...

The Paschal candle is one of the most sacred and enduring elements in Christianity. Made of beeswax to represent the purity of Christ,...

Love is a choice, not a matter of destiny. It is a choice renewed each day! -Dean Francis Alfar We are starting into our journey of Lent....

Story of St. Valentine The story of Valentine's Day begins in the third century with an oppressive Roman emperor and a humble Christian...

Well, we have made it through another year. We are all making New Year hopes and wishes. I hope starting to attend church is one of them....

“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 Believing in what God demands from us, knowing...

A Short Lesson on Gratitude Today I want to share a short story I found with you about gratitude. We are coming near Thanksgiving and I...

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn,...

Building Your House An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building...

My son Alan enjoys watching stories about the Texas Rangers. He does enjoy the TV shows, but he also enjoys watching and reading about...

A member of the church who previously had been attending services regularly stopped going. After a few weeks the pastor decided to visit...

Responsibility and Faithfulness We all know the story of the five maidens who took oil lamps and extra oil, in case the bridegroom was...

I read a story of a man sitting at a local restaurant having lunch and taking a break from the daily grind, sitting there thinking about...