Addresses of those serving in the military will be available at the display in front of Fellowship Hall until November 11. Blank cards are also available, and if cards are left in the mailbox at the display, will be stamped and mailed for you.

There is also still time to leave an address for someone you would like to add to the list. If you know anyone serving in the military who might appreciate some extra mail, please email us their current mailing address, also include what branch they serve with, your own name, and how you are connected to them. They do not need to be a member of Zion or your relative, and if they’d also like to pass on the addresses of others they serve with, we’ll include those too.

Cub Scout Troop 358 is partnering with Zion to send popcorn to military personnel.  Each $10 contribution sends one bucket of caramel corn. Talk to a Cub Scout or stop the display before Sunday, November 1, to order popcorn.

On Sunday, November 8, we will take time in worship to honor all those serving and having served in the US military. Please plan on attending!

This month, take time to send a card or write a short note to someone serving in the military. And if you have a name to add to that list, please email details to the office.

We recently received this letter of thanks from the director of the VA Medical Center in St Cloud:

This month, members of Zion are sending greetings and thanks to military personnel stationed around the world and on active duty stateside.

If you know anyone serving in the military who might appreciate some extra mail, please email us their current mailing address, also include what branch they serve with, your own name, and how you are connected to them.  They do not need to be a member of Zion or your relative, and if they’d also like to pass on the addresses of  others they serve with, we’ll include those too.

The first list of names will be available this Sunday in the narthex, along with blank cards. You are also welcome to use your own cards or donate cards for others to use. There will also be a place to return cards to be mailed. We will continue to make updated address lists available until Remembrance Day, November 11.

We also want to extend beyond “our” immediate family to other members and friends. For example, Pastor Judy would love to have members of Zion write to Ben G. She’s known Ben since he was three, his mother is her “best girl friend,” and his sister is her daughter’s best friend. Ben is serving in Afghanistan. He has also served in Iraq. At this point in his life, Ben does not have a family of faith. Zion would provide a wonderful ministry to him by letting him know his service is important and that he is being prayed for. I am sure many of us have someone who could be added to our list. To do this, we will be looking for current addressees of your best friend’s son or your cousin’s daughter.

Leave any current address in the office or send them on to Pastor Judy and we will have a weekly list update. Also watch for pre-addressed cards in the Fellowship Hall, at meetings, at places where we gather, that are all ready for your signature! And remember to lift up these servants in prayer!

On August 5^th, Jake Swanson’s military service to his country officially ends.  He is moving back to Minnesota and will attend Ridgewater Community College in Hutchinson this fall.  I would like to thank my Zion family for their prayers and support, especially during his deployment to Afghanistan.  When asked by a former teacher what she could send him, he replied “You don’t have to send me anything but your prayers.  I know the only reason I am getting through this (the deployment) is because God has lifted me up and is carrying me.”  Your prayers do make a difference in the lives of these soldiers.  Please continue to pray for all of our military.

Kathy Swanson

A complete list of suggested items can be found on the VBS page, and items should be brought to Zion by Sunday, June 21. They will then be be distributed amongst military personnel who have some congregational connection to Zion and the surrounding community.

And lastly in the words of Pastor Steve:

Homemade cookies/bars that are vacuum sealed or at least heavy duty zip locked are HUGE here. Thank you for doing this, you are going to make a lot of good people that you will never meet very happy.

We have a vibrant chapel culture here on base; I have responsibility for one of eight different service offerings here, working with the contemporary worship service at 1000 and 1900 every Sunday.  Between both services the contemporary serves 100-150 each week, and we have the best combat praise team in the CENTAF AOR.  We work very closely with our Army Chaplain counterparts and have a great relationship with them.

Oil is abundant here.  The night sky is very black, with the exception of an orange glow on the horizon from any of several refineries located nearby that burn ‘waste products’ 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Our FOB is an old Saddam era fighter base.  The two planes in the picture – a MiG 21 and an older MiG 17 were damaged/grounded in the initial invasion and they have been here ever since.  Dust storms are about as common as thunderstorms in MN and if it rains afterward (it actually does sometimes) it literally rains mud for the first few minutes.

One of the self-help projects we coordinate on base is to collect and distribute school supplies to the local people in Kirkuk and surrounding towns and villages.  Again, we work very closely with the Army to do this.  The attached picture was taken one day as we filled this Humvee with student school kits.  We really did fill the vehicle – 200+ student kits; 54 teacher kits.  On top where the gunner rides, we filled the turret with soccer balls.  These (and tennis balls) get thrown down to children en-route.

Our chapel facility is very comfortable; it is air conditioned all over, has a quiet, library room filled with reclining, easy chairs for troops to come read, nap, or enjoy a break from the constant noise generated in a military environment.  We also have a common room with café style tables and chairs, a large, flat panel TV, coffee, cold drinks, snacks and cookies for those who need a break.  We even have Wi-Fi internet for those who want to call home or connect with loved ones via e-mail.  The entire building is hardened all around against attacks, allowing the occupants to shelter safely indoors.  Chapel services hardly miss a beat!  One of the most popular rooms here is the “Airman’s/Soldier’s Attic”; a place stocked with some fast foods, instant comfort foods and snack foods, hygiene items such as toothpaste, razors, shampoo, deodorant, etc that people can pick up as needed.  These small things make a big difference in people’s lives.  Everything in the chapel facility is free of charge – the vast majority of it being donated and shipped from groups and organizations back home.

Appearances here are deceiving.  We are reminded continually that Iraq is still a deadly dangerous place to live and work.  You can be extraordinarily proud of the men and women who are here, carrying out the will of our nation.  The competence, resilience, restraint, excellence and ingenuity with which they do their jobs is proof of our strong homeland, and proof of a people with a great will and an even greater heart.

I hope this finds you all healthy and thriving,
Pastor Steve Svoboda

Things continue to go well in my job as the Chief of Staff for NSWC PHD. My day is filled with ensuring that the staff runs smoothly. I mainly work with the non-technical side of the business. This Friday afternoon was very busy. One employee was warned that he had to evacuate his home in 15 minutes because of the Santa Barbara fires. He eventually did not have to evacuate but it was close. Then a small earthquake struck about 20 miles away. No damage or injuries, but many people felt it. Finally, the ambulance and fire truck showed up because one of our employees was having chest pains. He was taken to the hospital and released the next day.

I am working on deconflicting two groups that were promised the same building for expansion, answering an OSHA complaint, getting performance evaluations in on time and improving the Commanding Officers suggestion box process. I have also emceed an awards ceremony, scheduled training for the staff and am working on developing a strategic alignment with an engineering program at one of the University of California campuses.

I really like my job, the commanding officer is great to work for and all of the people have been wonderful. I do miss everyone at home. I hope they are getting ready for a great summer and I look forward to seeing as many people as possible over the 4th of July weekend.

Dirk

Cody Bauman

Cody Bauman is still stationed with the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg.  His Mom sent us this new photo: