by Cherylene Brueckner, Zone 7 President
April greetings from Zone 7. I write this article on the eve of our Spring Event, Young Women & the Young at Heart, Sisters in Christ! . . . In this ever-changing world, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8. As we gently ease ourselves from the pandemic, we are once again having our event on Zoom. We are excited about getting together, and we are most thankful for God’s gifts that enable us!
Friday evening, we are hosting a Zoom Pajama Party, with fellowship, encouragement, and a candlelight devotion as we re-connect. Saturday morning, we will continue with the Main Event with devotions, “fast track” business meeting, Bible Study with Pastor Nick, exercises to God’s Word, Miss Penny video, Mite challenge, District Rep. Roxan, music, and prayers.
We are borrowing this theme and model from a retreat held by the Northern Illinois District. Do any other zones have an interest in teaming up with us to host an online winter retreat in January? The idea of having a pajama party with our sisters near and far from Crescent City to Reno, to Bakersfield, to Hilo, and all points in between sounds like fun to me! Let me know your interest. We can make this happen!
Benicia Lutheran Church – by Sherry Bell
Our church has not had a specific women’s activity over the past year. However, at Christmas 2020, many members of the congregation used Amazon Smile to donate wish list items to Noah’s Ark Preschool. Books, arts and craft items, playground equipment and classroom supplies were donated--a double benefit because the preschool received the needed items and the church received donations via Amazon Smile. The church youth group used some of their funds to purchase Christmas gifts for a needy family. This was sponsored through Benicia Community Action Council, a local nonprofit that provides many vital services for underserved families in Benicia. Our church has worked with the CAC many times over the years, usually at Christmas, but also during the year with food donations.
First Lutheran Church, Concord - First Lutheran Ladies – by Lynnette Campbell
During the COVID 19 pandemic our ladies have continued to contribute our mites. We participated in 2 Thrivent Action teams. One which involved marking Bibles for a Prison Ministry based in El Paso, TX. We were able to provide 100+ Bibles in English and Spanish. The second project was to host a Virtual Easter Egg Hunt and Food Drive for our local community. We are excited about the upcoming Zone Event on Zoom and hope that there will be in person gatherings in the not-too-distant future.
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Livermore – by Susan Contreras
Kris Back continues to lead the quilting group, aiming for another 100 quilts this year.
Beth Young has skillfully led us through the Lois Tverberg book, Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus, as a Bible Study. The book has chapters with an essay and then questions to answer, so we had to read many passages from the Bible, and we gained an understanding of how the Hebrews viewed Jesus and His Ministry. Ms.Tverberg gave us a new understanding of ancient Hebrew thinking and practices. Did you know that Hebrew boys had to memorize the Torah, and Psalms and the Prophets? That is why they could understand Jesus’ statements that indirectly pointed to Him being the Messiah.
St. Philip Lutheran Church, Dublin – by Andrea Green
The Mary-Martha group put together over 50 boxes for Christmas Child this last year. For Easter this year, we built a Living Cross for our altar display.
Resurrection Ministries, Brentwood – by Jan Perry
Like all our sister churches, we have held on-line services since the beginning of the Pandemic, along with on-going Bible Studies via Zoom and even Zoom communion services, preceded by the recipe for making unleavened bread if we wished to make it in our homes! We have recently been holding services in the church parking lot and plan to move inside in the coming weeks.
Our Human Resources ladies and our youth have made a point the past year to periodically put little “thinking of you” tokens on the porches of various members, which have resulted in pleasant surprises and smiles.
At the end of 2020, Resurrection members were challenged by Pastor Dave to engage in a pledge to read the entire Bible in 2021 and were provided with a few guided options as suggestions. A good number of members have taken up the challenge and are using the App found on bibleinoneyear.org (led by Nicky and Pippa Gumbel). For anyone interested, it is a wonderful study and format. I highly recommend it!
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Concord – Women of Holy Cross – by Joyce Liebe
Our ladies’ group continues with Monday morning “Coffee & Conversation” Zoom calls – 4-12 gals attend. We held our 1st evening "Keeping Connected" Zoom call in March (pix at left). We had a topic "share a funny story from high school". We also shared pictures. What a joy to learn & share with one another! And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25
We hosted our 1st annual Ragin’ Cajun Valentine Occasion. It included a sled full of Shrimp Boil (prepared by Pastor Mundinger), Gumbo over Rice, & Mardi Gras decorated cupcakes. It was a fun, socially distant, tailgate meal with several meals taken to-go. $384 collected from free will offerings was sent to Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano County
Our Savior Lutheran, Pinole - by Karen Mauer
The ladies of Our Savior, Pinole did not meet during the shut down of the church. Their last meeting in 2020 was on March 2. They continued to contribute to the society with their dues and mite offerings. After services on You-Tube and meetings on Zoom each Sunday, the church members were happy to get together again with indoor services on February 28.
LWML had its first meeting on April 5, 2021. What a glorious day to be able to meet again. Some ladies did not feel they could attend yet and we hope that will change in the near future. During the past year they continued to support the student food banks quarterly at Concordia Fort Wayne and Concordia St. Louis. Also, Bethesda Home and Lutheran Bible Translators were supported. Our mite projects received $833 at this time. Looking forward to getting back to meeting together and activities.
April greetings from Zone 7. I write this article on the eve of our Spring Event, Young Women & the Young at Heart, Sisters in Christ! . . . In this ever-changing world, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8. As we gently ease ourselves from the pandemic, we are once again having our event on Zoom. We are excited about getting together, and we are most thankful for God’s gifts that enable us!
Friday evening, we are hosting a Zoom Pajama Party, with fellowship, encouragement, and a candlelight devotion as we re-connect. Saturday morning, we will continue with the Main Event with devotions, “fast track” business meeting, Bible Study with Pastor Nick, exercises to God’s Word, Miss Penny video, Mite challenge, District Rep. Roxan, music, and prayers.
We are borrowing this theme and model from a retreat held by the Northern Illinois District. Do any other zones have an interest in teaming up with us to host an online winter retreat in January? The idea of having a pajama party with our sisters near and far from Crescent City to Reno, to Bakersfield, to Hilo, and all points in between sounds like fun to me! Let me know your interest. We can make this happen!
Benicia Lutheran Church – by Sherry Bell
Our church has not had a specific women’s activity over the past year. However, at Christmas 2020, many members of the congregation used Amazon Smile to donate wish list items to Noah’s Ark Preschool. Books, arts and craft items, playground equipment and classroom supplies were donated--a double benefit because the preschool received the needed items and the church received donations via Amazon Smile. The church youth group used some of their funds to purchase Christmas gifts for a needy family. This was sponsored through Benicia Community Action Council, a local nonprofit that provides many vital services for underserved families in Benicia. Our church has worked with the CAC many times over the years, usually at Christmas, but also during the year with food donations.
First Lutheran Church, Concord - First Lutheran Ladies – by Lynnette Campbell
During the COVID 19 pandemic our ladies have continued to contribute our mites. We participated in 2 Thrivent Action teams. One which involved marking Bibles for a Prison Ministry based in El Paso, TX. We were able to provide 100+ Bibles in English and Spanish. The second project was to host a Virtual Easter Egg Hunt and Food Drive for our local community. We are excited about the upcoming Zone Event on Zoom and hope that there will be in person gatherings in the not-too-distant future.
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Livermore – by Susan Contreras
Kris Back continues to lead the quilting group, aiming for another 100 quilts this year.
Beth Young has skillfully led us through the Lois Tverberg book, Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus, as a Bible Study. The book has chapters with an essay and then questions to answer, so we had to read many passages from the Bible, and we gained an understanding of how the Hebrews viewed Jesus and His Ministry. Ms.Tverberg gave us a new understanding of ancient Hebrew thinking and practices. Did you know that Hebrew boys had to memorize the Torah, and Psalms and the Prophets? That is why they could understand Jesus’ statements that indirectly pointed to Him being the Messiah.
St. Philip Lutheran Church, Dublin – by Andrea Green
The Mary-Martha group put together over 50 boxes for Christmas Child this last year. For Easter this year, we built a Living Cross for our altar display.
Resurrection Ministries, Brentwood – by Jan Perry
Like all our sister churches, we have held on-line services since the beginning of the Pandemic, along with on-going Bible Studies via Zoom and even Zoom communion services, preceded by the recipe for making unleavened bread if we wished to make it in our homes! We have recently been holding services in the church parking lot and plan to move inside in the coming weeks.
Our Human Resources ladies and our youth have made a point the past year to periodically put little “thinking of you” tokens on the porches of various members, which have resulted in pleasant surprises and smiles.
At the end of 2020, Resurrection members were challenged by Pastor Dave to engage in a pledge to read the entire Bible in 2021 and were provided with a few guided options as suggestions. A good number of members have taken up the challenge and are using the App found on bibleinoneyear.org (led by Nicky and Pippa Gumbel). For anyone interested, it is a wonderful study and format. I highly recommend it!
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Concord – Women of Holy Cross – by Joyce Liebe
Our ladies’ group continues with Monday morning “Coffee & Conversation” Zoom calls – 4-12 gals attend. We held our 1st evening "Keeping Connected" Zoom call in March (pix at left). We had a topic "share a funny story from high school". We also shared pictures. What a joy to learn & share with one another! And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25
We hosted our 1st annual Ragin’ Cajun Valentine Occasion. It included a sled full of Shrimp Boil (prepared by Pastor Mundinger), Gumbo over Rice, & Mardi Gras decorated cupcakes. It was a fun, socially distant, tailgate meal with several meals taken to-go. $384 collected from free will offerings was sent to Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano County
Our Savior Lutheran, Pinole - by Karen Mauer
The ladies of Our Savior, Pinole did not meet during the shut down of the church. Their last meeting in 2020 was on March 2. They continued to contribute to the society with their dues and mite offerings. After services on You-Tube and meetings on Zoom each Sunday, the church members were happy to get together again with indoor services on February 28.
LWML had its first meeting on April 5, 2021. What a glorious day to be able to meet again. Some ladies did not feel they could attend yet and we hope that will change in the near future. During the past year they continued to support the student food banks quarterly at Concordia Fort Wayne and Concordia St. Louis. Also, Bethesda Home and Lutheran Bible Translators were supported. Our mite projects received $833 at this time. Looking forward to getting back to meeting together and activities.
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