A special sampling of Aunt Else’s Æbleskiver (pronounced EB-el-sku-wyr) will be provided this year by Linda Engwall. Æbleskiver is Danish spherical pastry, described as cross between a pancake & a popover (this had been planned as part of the Santa Lucia supper last month but had to be rescheduled).

The cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children sixth grade and younger with a maximum of $15 per family. Come join the fun and fellowship and support some great causes.

This event includes a 6pm Dinner & 7:15pm Variety Show. The menu includes Garden Salad, Baked Ziti, Chicken Alfredo, Garlic Toast, & Desserts.

Advance Tickets available online and in the narthex on Sundays:

• Adults $12, Children (12 & under) $6 (prepaid tickets will be held at the door)
• At the door $15/$7

All proceeds support Zion’s 2010 Senior High Mission Trip to Chicago

This annual dinner brings people from all over the area to Zion. A special thanks goes out to all of the volunteers who donate their time year after year to make this event a success, the new people who volunteered this year for the first time, and youth who volunteered.

To keep the price from increasing and to satisfy those who never seem to get their fill of this delicacy, $1 contributions were collected for second helpings. The money raised from seconds went to the Buffalo Food Shelf and to others in need.

The money that is left after expenses will again be used in a number of ways:

• Buffalo Food Shelf
• Our partner church Redeemer in North Minneapolis
• Zion’s Sunday School
• Zion’s Youth Ministries
• Zion’s kitchen

Lastly, a portion of the proceeds will be supplemented by matching funds from Thrivent to help fund the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund to aid those in need.

Mark your calendars now for next October 29 – the 2010 Lutefisk and Meatball dinner.

Pastor Becky Sogge

Pastor Becky’s sabbatical is ending this month, and there will be a farewell reception on Saturday, October 10, starting at 5pm.

If you wish to be included in the congregation’s gift, please make a donation (marked with Pastor Becky’s name) by Wednesday, October 7.

Zion’s Annual Lutefisk Dinner will be on October 30th this year . . . get the full scoop & purchase tickets online

The Scandinavian delicacy known as lutefisk – which means, literally, “cod soaked in plutonium”- dates to the Viking era.

Journals from that era tell us that Vikings often came ashore and shuffled along with their hands in their pockets. Their funny appearance (huge, musk ox trousers) and vocabulary (“Whooaa! Like Svenjornssen, dude! Whooaaa!”) frightened the villagers.

So one day, women from the Jvoorssen, Bjaastivik and Njorkssen families prepared a special meal for the Vikings.

First, they gathered cod in the traditional Scandinavian way. That’s right, they wrapped their sturdy arms around the middle sections of seals and squeezed real hard. (This would later become known as the Heimlich maneuver, which today is used to save the lives of people who have an entire codfish lodged in their throats.)

After gathering the cod – despite what I may have implied earlier – they did not soak the fish in plutonium. No, the women really wanted the Vikings to suffer.

So they soaked the cod – here I am not kidding – in lye. The same lye, as you know, that is an industrial chemical and is used today as a drain cleaner.

With that lutefisk information in my head I went to our village’s annual Lutefisk Dinner recently, a marvelous night of traditional Scandinavian dining put on by the local Sons of Norway club. The main course, not surprisingly, was the very same delicacy served to the Vikings.

Anyway, the Vikings ate heartily of this marvelous new food, despite having to chew so hard and long on the rubbery fish that in many cases, horns actually grew out of their heads (see encyclopedia drawings).

Textbooks tell us that within a few years the Viking era had ended. Most historians think the advent of more powerful weapons doomed the proud, sea-faring warriors. But some historians cling to another theory: It’s pretty hard to wander the globe plundering and pillaging when you cannot wander more than 50 feet from the toilet.

From http://netnet.net/~pineaire/Lutefisk.html

What Is Homecoming Anyway…Homecoming is a celebration of this community of faith and a time to move back into the rhythms of worship, education, support, and service.

• Worship in the Sanctuary at 8:30, 9:45, and 10:30am
• Ministry Fair in the Narthex from 9:30am
• Parent Meeting in Trinity Hall at 9:40am
• The Great Big Photo Shoot on the Lawn at 11:30am
• Lunch in Fellowship Hall at 11:45am
• Carnival on the Lawn at 11:45am
• Senior High go to Jesus Justice Jazz at Augsburg College
• Golf Outing at Buffalo Heights at 4:30pm

Get all the details at ZionBuffalo.org/Homecoming

See you there!

• Grillers: Pastor Chris, Bill Husom, Larry Scherber, Dave Schmidt, and Doug Schmidt
• Kitchen : Sandy and Roger Brenny, Idella Ziegler, Jane Crawford, Quinn, Josiah and Kacey Crawford, Lana Scherber, Holly Husom, Sherilyn Burgdorf
• Worship: Myron and Rock N U, Children‟s Bell Workshop
• Activities: Holly Husom, Roxie Otten, The Kats Pajamas, Jennifer Weese, Dawn Johnson, Pastor Judy Burgett Winzig, Angela Bengtson and those who helped out in other ways!

And a great big thanks to everyone who came, had fun, praised God, brought bars and cookies and ate over 300 hamburgers, veggie burgers and hotdogs!

PS: here’s a video recap of the August 2nd Wednesday, and photos from July & August

We are having a great Homecoming Sunday on Sunday, September 13! There will be three great worship opportunities, a meeting for the parents of Sunday School children, a Mission Fair, lunch for everyone, a carnival, “The Great Big Zion Photo Shoot”, a golf outing, and even more surprises. You will want to be there!

Why do we want to start out the fall season with a big bang? Because it is time to return home, to return to this church home, this community of faith. It is time to move back into the rhythms of worship, education, support, and service known as the Zion Lutheran Church community.

An unknown author once said: “Homecoming means coming home to what is in your heart.” Deep within, our hearts yearn to know the presence of God, the peace of God that helps us build a faithful life. We can attempt to build such a life alone, however God never meant for us to be alone, but to be in community with one another. Jesus’ life demonstrated a shoulder rubbing, walking together, encouraging each other kind of life. It’s here at Zion. Come Home!

Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said: “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” Zion offers our children and youth tools and opportunities to anchor their futures in God’s loving through worship education, and service. It is time to bring your children and your youth home!

And it is time to rejoice and have fun with one another. The great German composer Richard Wagner once said “joy is not in things it is in us.” Come home and experience joy with your sisters and brothers.

It will be a great beginning for what God has open for Zion in the days to come. Come home!

Supper will be served from 5-6pm.

• Hamburgers, Coleslaw, Chips & Fruit
• Meals will be picnic style. Free-will donations to cover the cost accepted.
• Volunteer Grill masters are needed: contact Pastor Judy or Myron to volunteer.
• Cookies & bars are needed for dessert: no need to sign up, just bring something if you are able.

There will be a short worship service from 6:15-6:45pm

• Worship led by Rock N U Youth
• Special music by students attending Young Ringers’ Mini Camp

At 7pm there are options for everyone

Holy Humor with Pastor Judy for adults. Come and share a laugh or two over some tweaks at our Christian faith such as “What if Starbucks Marketed like a Church?” For adults attending the education program, nursery will be available for children 3 years and under from 7-8pm.

Graceland for Senior High: “What Are You Worth?”

Mini-Carnival for Families. Including a duck pond, pop walk, and jumper.

To wrap up the Summer Second Wednesday series, we will finish the evening with ice cream Sundaes for all.

Golfers of all ages and abilities are welcome to join in the 4-person scramble, and may sign up as teams of 4, in groups of 3, in pairs, or as individuals.  Sign up online or at the information desk. Deadline for registration is Sunday, September 6.

Cost will be $20 per golfer for 9 holes including a cart, payable to the golf course that day.

Meet and greet members of our partner congregation, Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Minneapolis. Representatives from Redeemer will include:

• Pastor Kelly Chatman
• Marilu Thomas, director of Redeemer Center for Life
• Cindy Stenson, President of the congregation

This will be a great time to hear Redeemer’s story, ask questions, and deepen our work together in God’s mission. This evening is hosted by the Global Missions committee.

PS: Contact Charles Krause to volunteer or provide a pie.

More Details

Supper will be served from 5-6pm and the concert will be from 7-8pm.  See you there!

For those of you who have never attended a historic Marysville service, this is the perfect opportunity to give it a try. A free will offering will support the Marysville Preservation Fund. If you would like to donate a pie for the occasion, please sign up by July 24.

All are welcome!

Each year high school students all over the state audition for the 40-65 voice choir. In June, the choir assembles [to] participate in eight days of rehearsal, Bible study and discussion concerning the meaning of the texts they will be singing on the tour.

The concert will be on June 24 at 7:30pm in the Sanctuary. A free-will offering will be collected during intermission.

Zion needs to provide supper for the choir before the concert.  Zion also needs to provide housing for the choir, including some with pet/smoke allergies.  Hosts need to house at least two students.  Students will depart the following morning around 9am.

The up-front cost of this concert is not a budgeted item, but could be covered by five individuals or families that would provide sponsorship of $50 (smaller sponsorship amounts are also welcome).

If you can help provide supper, host students, or would like to help sponsor this concert, please contact Sherilyn.

The Wright County Chamber Chorus is directed by Mike Walsh (you may know him better as the director of Zion’s Senior Choir), and the wRight Ringers are directed by Jill Starr and Sherilyn Burgdorf.

Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for students and are available with a $1 advance purchase discount at Gartner’s Hallmark downtown.

It’s a terrific way to spend a cold winter evening and meet new families and friends at Zion.  The scrapbooking & craft group will be meeting at the same time.

If you have other questions, please contact Beth Hanson, Vicki Schenk, or the church office. The movie room and /or gym could also be available for activities if there is a volunteer to supervise.