PANCAKES SUN, FEB 15! Come and eat pancakes, sausage, and bacon after worship today. Celebrate Fat Tuesday / Mardi Gras early, with a feast before the fast of Lent. There is no charge. Just come and be filled!

BLESSED ARE THE MERRY-MAKERS. This pancake feast is the first fruits of a shared hunger for connection, community, and fellowship among many Zion people. At breakfast today, find the new leader of the effort you’re most interested in:

  • congregational events and meals
  • small group meals in Zion people’s homes
  • game nights
  • one-off events like bowling or Bandits games
  • expanded hospitality on Sunday mornings

WELCOME ABDULKADER! Troy recently left Zion’s staff, and Abdulkader started this week as Zion’s new custodian. Abdulkader and his wife and four children (ages 5 to 14) are Syrian, refugees of the civil war there, and now residents of Davenport. He will work Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during office hours. Don’t be intimidated that Abdulkader is just learning English. He has a special app on his phone to translate what you say into Arabic, his native tongue, and what he says into English. The Spirit of Pentecost will translate our shared love of God and heart for service.

ASH WEDNESDAY & MIDWEEK LENT WORSHIP. Zion will mark Ash Wednesday, February 18, with worship at 6pm, with ashes and communion. On Wednesdays, throughout Lent, Zion people will gather for bible study at 10am and Lent prayer at 11am.

The Lent prayer theme will be “Unity in Diversity.” We will dwell in the scriptures that celebrate the one God who makes us one, without forcing us to be the same. These scriptures also teach us how to bear with one another even when we find ourselves challenged by our differences. In this spirit, we will celebrate communion at these midweek services.

STRATEGIC ACTION. This year, 2026, is a year to excite and engage young people. This is the first strategic goal in Zion’s new 5-year strategic plan. The Core Team, which will lead this effort, is already setting to work.

“Engage” is a key word worth considering. First, we all know what it’s like when we find something engaging. It draws us in and holds our attention. We find it meaningful, valuable, enjoyable. And this is certainly part of our strategic goal.

Second, and more importantly, to engage is intentionally not to attract. The goal is not to get more young people to attend worship and participate in Zion’s ministries. Why? Because a good goal focuses on what we can control, which is only ever ourselves. Numerical growth is wonderful, but it is a byproduct of doing good ministry over a long period of time. Aiming to attract focuses on the wrong thing - what others do. Aiming to engage focuses on what we do - good ministry.

Jesus is our gold standard of good ministry, and he spent a lot of time - maybe most of his time - outside of temples and sanctuaries, being with people in life-giving ways. So the Core team will lead Zion in going and building relationships and mobilizing us all, “insiders” and “outsiders” together, to do meaningful, exciting, life-giving things together.

We will learn what that is exactly as we go. What hungers need filling? What wounds need healing? What wrongs need righting? First, we get in touch and we get in relationship. We listen. Then, the Spirit will show us.

It’s so easy these days to broadcast to the entire world. But so hard to truly connect across the street. This strategic goal invites courage, creativity, curiosity, and commitment.

If you’re intrigued and invigorated by this challenge, talk to Beth Longlett or any other Core Team member. And mark your calendar: Sat Feb 28, 9am to 1pm - Listening Training.

Thanks and peace, PC