Zone 15 News

by LaVada Terrell, Zone 15 President
The month of April, the three larger churches – Peace, Fresno; Emmanuel, Clovis; Grace, Visalia – opened their doors for worship. Also, these three societies also had their first meeting since March 2020. PTL!  I attended all six meetings to hear about their plans for the future. 

• First Lutheran, Dinuba: ongoing collections of diapers and other baby items for local Pregnancy Resource Center; Dorcas Quilters started meeting again on Monday mornings; quilts go to LWR and local nursing homes; spent the month of April preparing for the Spring Rally.
• Our Saviour’s, Caruthers: monthly Bible Study using the LWQ have continued since October with six in attendance; had their yearly LWML meeting in January making plans for the year. April brought the installation of their pastor, Rev. Scott Jacobsen; plans in place for their annual aebleskiver/ham breakfast on May 16th.
• Grace, Visalia: have knitted 541 caps for the Cancer Society; have set a date for their annual Fall/Christmas Boutique on Nov 6; working on cookie baskets for shut-ins; craft dates will soon begin.
• St. Paul’s, Selma: working toward their annual yard sale on May 8th; have lots of items since they couldn’t have one last year.

• Emmanuel, Clovis: planning a tea in June to bring their ladies back together; many of their ladies died this last year or moved away, including two of their officers; however, two ladies came forward to fill these positions.
• Peace, Fresno: planning to put together school backpacks with supplies for Sept at the local school; hoping to have their annual Oktoberfest; have resumed weekly Bible studies and craft days.

Our Zone SPRING RALLY was held at First Lutheran in Dinuba on Saturday, April 24th with 32 in attendance. This was our first Zone gathering since January 2020. Our Zone Counselor, Vicar Travis Wright, led us in a Bible Study on Mission Deo (Mission of God). Vicar Travis has been on mission trips to Guatemala; shared how he got started going there, and what they did while there: built stoves, water filters, VBS, worship. Also, Heather Borders shared about an orphanage they also support there in Guatemala – One Child Beyond Int’l. She is now a director for the organization and based out of Redeemer in Fresno. They presented a lovely video showing some of the beautiful landscape, the orphanage, the children, as well as the cardboard dwellings. Raffle items included a beautiful quilt made by a member of First, a Guatemalan handmade tapestry, and numerous gift baskets. Raffle monies and a generous offering was given to the mission fund and to One Child Beyond. First Lutheran LWML provided a Mexican luncheon of enchiladas, rice, beans, chips/salsa along with assorted salads and desserts. Such a fun day was had by all!