Zion Lutheran Church Harrisburg

Newsletters

February 19, 2023

Dear Members & Friends of Zion,
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
[Jesus said,] “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30
“In our sometimes stressful, anxious, overworked lives, Jesus’s words in these verses offer such hope. Self-help approaches to dealing with stress usually require more effort: do this, try that, practice this, eat that. By contrast, Jesus calls us to come to Him. Then He gives us rest. We find rest in a person, not in a method. Go to Jesus in prayer. Give Him your burdens. Allow Him to teach you. Because His yoke is light, consider whether you are putting burdens on yourself that He never asked you to assume. Pray about what He wants you to do and be faithful with that.” -The Abide Bible
Oh no, here comes that challenging season of Lent with the disciplines of prayer, fasting, and alms-giving; lots of WORK and not much fun! Actually, Lent is a journey back to God, answering the call of the prophet Joel, “Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love” (2:13). Fasting is not simply a giving up of favorite foods or pastimes, but a call to a re-orientation of our lives. Are there ways in which we regularly use our time, talent and financial resources that feel good for a moment, but hurt us long-term? Is the Lord calling us to leave some harmful habits behind and to move into more life-giving ways of growing in love for Him and our neighbors? Are we called to let go of heavy worries and grudges to experience freedom in the forgiveness and mercy of Jesus and to extend that grace to others? Maybe the 40-day journey of Lent is not burdensome, but about Jesus lifting the burdens from us. That is truly joyful Good News!
Available at Zion is a devotional booklet to encourage prayer throughout the season of Lent. May we hear how Jesus calls each of us to live in the Joy of Salvation in our individual lives and as together as His body, the Church, every day.

A Belated Note of Thanks
Todd and I are overwhelmingly blessed by the generous Christmas gift providing time away at a Bed and Breakfast. We value the opportunity to nurture our marriage and to be refreshed in ways that strengthen our abilities to serve Christ among you.

In the Peace and Love of Christ,
Pastor Karin Pejack
February-April 2023 Newsletter (PDF)

Previous Newsletters:
November/December 2022/January 2023 Newsletter (PDF)
September/October 2022 Newsletter (PDF)
May/June/July 2022 Newsletter (PDF)
March/April 2022 Newsletter (PDF)
February 2022 Newsletter (PDF)
December 2021/January 2022 Newsletter (PDF)
October/November 2021 Newsletter (PDF)
September/October 2021 Newsletter (PDF)
June/July/August 2021 Newsletter (PDF)
May 2021 Newsletter (PDF)
February/March 2021 Newsletter (PDF)
December 2020/January/February 2021 Newsletter (PDF)