Friday, May 22, 2026
Hi all!
Your positive thought for the week: “To leave the world better than you found it, sometimes you have to pick up other people’s trash.” – Bill Nye
May 24, 2026
- Pentecost Sunday
- Memorial Day Sunday
- Wear RED to worship symbolizing the Holy Spirit
- 9:00 a.m. – Sunday school
- 10:15 a.m. – Worship — join us to see drone video of our 3 cemeteries and sing a patriotic hymn sending us into Memorial Day
May 31, 2026
- Celebrating Memorial Day with patriotic hymns on the original weekend of the holiday
- 9:00 a.m. – Sunday school
- 10:15 a.m. – Worship – another chance to see the drone video if you miss it on the 24th!
- Noon – Confirmation class; we’ll make pancakes for lunch!
Great Opportunities!
- We’re looking for folks to assist with worship as greeters and liturgists. Please contact me if you’d like to enhance your Sunday mornings in this way. Greeters are needed for October 25.
- Thanks for your food pantry items for the 50 days of food challenge. Bring an item to the food pantry basket in the upper social hall so you can be counted in the challenge! This runs until Pentecost (May 24 – this Sunday!) when we ask you to wear red to church! After that, we return you to your regular support of our food pantry which is phenomenal!
Are You Hungry?
- June sale: Ham & cheese sandwiches (soup sale will resume in the fall). Pick-up orders on Thu, Jun 18 between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. More details on our website.
GriefCare
- Our next GriefCare session will run from June 3 to July 29, 2026, Wednesdays from 6:00–8:00 p.m. in the lower social hall.
- Invite your friends and family members who need some support after the death of a loved one.
- The program follows the same format and material as previous sessions. Many participants find that going through the program more than once brings additional healing.
- Free and open to all.
- More details available upon registration.
- Contact the church office or me for more information.
- Please spread the word! We must have 5 to run the class, but so far only 2 folks have registered.
Other News
- We are part of the UCC Keystone Conference. This means that we are one of the many UCC churches in the state of PA. Recently we were sent information and photos of a fire that destroyed a church in the Pittsburgh area. We will be showing pictures of that church in worship on May 24 and May 31 so you can see what has happened. On Sunday June 7, we will take a Joyful Noise offering to send to this church as a show of our support as a sister church. The church family was celebrating the 150th Anniversary of their historic building and the 175th anniversary of their congregation. More information will be available in the church newsletter. Consistory is asking if anyone would like to match the amount collected by our church family in our Joyful Noise offering. If you have any interest in learning about that, please let me know and we can discuss the various ways that can be done, On the day of the Joyful Noise offering you are welcome to put paper money and checks in the buckets as they pass through the congregation. You may indicate your gift also on your regular offering envelope or there will be special envelopes available. Thanks in advance for BEING the church of Jesus Christ!
- Our Social Media Coordinator has revamped our web site! Check it out and see if you can find some interesting facts or things that you didn’t know about our church.
- We are still collecting printer or ink cartridges to recycle at Staples. To date we have raised over $325 toward Staples purchases. I have small boxes at the front and ramp doors for your “contributions.” Or you can put bags of ink cartridges outside of my office. Thanks! Keep them coming. You are an awesome support of this interesting way to recycle and get credit at Staples for future purchases.
- NOTE: Please do not bring batteries any more. There is now a charge for battery recycling.
- New items to recycle: pens and markers that have run out of ink!
As always, we hold in prayer many of our members and friends who are walking through difficult seasons—facing grief, illness, loneliness, changes in living situations, and other challenges that weigh heavily on the heart. We also remember our brothers and sisters around the world who continue to recover from the devastation of war, oppression, and natural disasters.
At the same time, we give thanks for the many joys among us—birthdays and anniversaries, the gift of new life, healing and remission from illness, and countless other blessings that remind us of God’s goodness.
Peace to all,
Lori Esslinger
Part Time Pastor
Old Zionsville UCC
call or text: 610-393-3522