Zion Lutheran Church | 74 First Street Pittsfield Massachusetts

Stockbridge Sinfonia Anniversary Concert

admin — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 00:17:01 +0000

Under the baton of Music Director Simeon Loring, the Stockbridge Sinfonia presented a 40th anniversary concert at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church on Sunday, August 19, performing Meyerbeer’s Coronation March from Le Prophète, Nicolai’s Overture to The Merry Wives of Windsor, Delibes’s Le Roi S’Amuse, Ferdinand David’s Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra, and Haydn’s Symphony No. 100, “Military.” The trombone soloist was Alfred Brewer, a 2012 graduate of Monument Mountain Regional High School.

The Stockbridge Sinfonia was founded in 1972 by flutist and composer Joy Robin Dronge. The all-volunteer Sinfonia comprises about sixty students and nonprofessional and retired professional musicians from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York State, ranging in age from the teens to the eighties. For more information about the Stockbridge Sinfonia, visit www.stockbridgesinfonia.org.

Bishop Hazelwood’s “Bishop on a Bike” Blog

admin — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 00:16:55 +0000

Our new bishop in the New England Synod, the Rev. James Hazelwood, has a website which includes regular news, photos and videos of his travels throughout the synod. Visit his blog at http://www.bishoponabike.com!

Every Tuesday & Thursday: Help with the Garden!

admin — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 00:16:52 +0000

The Berkshire Food Net, in conjunction with Berkshire Co-Act and First United Methodist Church, has planted two rows of vegetables in Zion’s backyard near the Common. Over 120 pounds of squash and green beans have been harvested already, with several hundred more pounds expected by the end of the season.

A work party from Co-Act stops by the church every Tuesday and Thursday, 11 A.M.–1 P.M., to work on the plot.

If you’ve got an interest in urban vegetable gardening and would like to learn more, please come by on a Tuesday or Thursday and check it out!

Zion’s Annual Picnic Held at Camp Ashmere

admin — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 00:16:31 +0000

Zion celebrated its annual Rally Day on September 9 with a picnic at Camp Ashmere in Hinsdale. The morning began with a lakeside worship service followed by lunch, conversation, and games for the kids! In celebration of the new Sunday School partnership among the churches, Zion was joined by the congregation of First United Methodist Church of Pittsfield. What a great day!

Constitution, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions Review

admin — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 00:16:24 +0000

As a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Zion has a constitution and accompanying bylaws. If you’ve never set eyes on Zion’s Constitution and Bylaws, you may be surprised to know that it is a very lengthy document—about 10,000 words—and it has been adopted, amended, and re-written throughout Zion’s 152-year history.

Why have a constitution? Why review it? David Swartling, who serves as the Secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, has written that these documents “remind us again and again that this is not our church, but God’s church.” We adopt a constitution because God calls us to carry out God’s mission in the world—and this document grants us the necessary legal framework to do so.

Zion’s current constitution was last updated in 2003. Over the summer, the Congregation Council named a Constitutional Review Team which spent several months reading and reviewing our governing documents. Their work was forwarded Congregation Council, which subsequently recommended the [\revised draft to the congregation for its review. This will happen through a series of two special Congregation Meetings in November 2012 and January 2013.

Download the Revised Draft

Click here to download the draft Constitution, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions in PDF format.
If required, click here to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Contact

Pastor Timothy Weisman
pastor@zionlutheranpittsfield.org
(413) 442-3525

Front Steps Construction

admin — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 00:15:53 +0000

We’ve got quite a mess! Zion recently embarked on a project to replace the original stone steps which lead into the sanctuary. Until construction is complete, please use either the north or south doors on the far sides of the building. As always, a handicap accessible entrance into the sanctuary is available on the north side of the building, nearest the Common.

Jazz Vespers | Thursdays 6:00PM

admin — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 01:35:09 +0000

Please note: Jazz Vespers will NOT be held on Thursday, December 27 or Thursday, January 3. The last Jazz Vespers of the calendar year will be on Thursday, December 20. Jazz Vespers will resume in the new year on Thursday, January 10.

“This service helps me get through the week. It helps me find my center.”
“You have created a nice chance to breathe and pray. Thank you.”
“I added Jazz Vespers to my calendar. It’s important to me.”

“Vespers” is the name of an evening service—which specifically includes prayers for the close of the day—that has been observed for the last 15 centuries. Zion’s Jazz Vespers incorporates elements of jazz, blues, and gospel into this tradition, from the song arrangements, to the harmonies, to the instrumentation (including combinations of piano, flute, saxophone, trombone, bass, and drums).

Jazz Vespers exists because we worship on Thursday evenings quite a lot differently than we do on Sunday mornings. Perhaps we’ve had a long day at work and we need a chance to be still. Perhaps we’ve had a long week, and we’re not sure how we’re going to make it through another day. Perhaps there’s still more work to be done by the day’s end, but we need a few quiet moments to talk with God. If this describes your own experience, then Jazz Vespers—and the centuries-old tradition of evening prayer—begs for your presence and prayers.

Come and worship at Jazz Vespers. Every Thursday at 6:00pm, a group of people, sometimes many in number, sometimes few, is gathered at Zion to pray quietly through jazz and song. May all who gather for this time of prayer come to know God’s steadfast love for all God’s people.

2015 ELCA Youth Gathering Announcement

admin — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 02:31:16 +0000

This just in! The 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering will be held in Detroit, Michigan!
Watch an intro video here:

Day Five: Closing Worship

admin — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 02:20:18 +0000

What does Holy Communion for 33,000+ look like?

Closing worship was an event in itself. Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson preached and presided following an amazing procession including candles, dancers, paper doves, and even umbrellas (and we all know why!)

This afternoon we took a swamp boat tour, and, yes, there were alligators involved!

We fly back to Boston in the morning!

Day Four: Practice Peacemaking

admin — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 12:40:10 +0000

Our Practice Peacemaking Day yesterday began with a game: how many Lutherans can we fit on an escalator?

OK, our day really began with worship. And we really do know how to fill a room!

We also joined in a friendly competition of mini golf at the convention center. (Pastor Tim didn’t win.)

Last night’s dome event was another great one, including musical performances by Rachel Kurtz and Switchfoot. Our final worship at the Superdome is coming up this morning!