Celebrating God's Faithfulness! Welcome!
Sunday Services
10:00 Zion United Service In-Person and Livestream (Sanctuary)
11:00 Swahili/Kinyamulenge Service In-Person (Music Room)
1:00 Mizo Service In-Person (Sanctuary)
5:00 Swahili/Kinyamulenge Service In-Person (Music Room)
7:00 Mizo Service In-Person (Sanctuary)
Sunday School at 11:30
Zion Lutheran Church Des Moines
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Zion Comfort:
We love you! How are you holding up? Is there anything we can do for you and your loved ones? Please call us at 515-270-8142, if you need anything. We are here for you!
Zion Giving:
Mail: Zion Lutheran Church
4300 Beaver Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50310
Website: www.ziondsm.org
Online: paypal.com
Upcoming Events:
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The Street Outreach Ministry needs blankets and sleeping bags to provide the homeless. Please bring what you can to the office.
Pray for Other Churches:
This week we pray for Reach Church. Please pray for the Pastor Cullen Allen, for strength and wisdom provided by the Holy Spirit, and that their congregation is moved to lift, honor, and glorify our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
YOUTH EDUCATION:
STARS: Stars Happens on Wednesday Nights! Join us! 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Wednesday night STARS begins at 5:30 with worship, followed by a hot meal and then Christian programming. Zion Lutheran Church needs the support of Christian Volunteers to help with these students. Please reach out to us at 515-270-8142 to find out how you can help with the Lord’s Work. Bless you!
MISSION PARTNERS:
ICoach at Zion
Zion has partnered with ICoach to support their after-school programming for 100 children. They will be meeting at Zion every weekday from 10am to 5pm.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
Be A Second Sunday Volunteer: Help needed with set up, serving and take down after Second Sunday meals. Three teams available.
Need Stars for STARS: STARS been rolling along, so as the count of kids. If you have any free times on Wednesday nights, we need you here at Zion. We need help serving food, teachers, some role models for the young ones. We need the kids that have been here long enough to step up and be the change. Hope to see you there!
Bus Drivers or Van Drivers: If you are interested in getting your bus license or In the progress of getting it and want to help us drive the bus or van for the kids please report to Pastor Robert.
A huge thank you to all of those who volunteer around the church, giving of their time and money to help Zion do God’s work in our community.
Clothed By God, the Clothing Closet:
Clothed By God needs a Ministry Leader and volunteers to sort/fold/restock the clothing closet. Please contact Pastor John. The Clothing Closet is open for shoppers most Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10am to noon. We are accepting donations during office hours. Thank You!
Homeless Outreach:
Our Homeless Outreach Program is in need of blanket and sleeping bag donations to provide those in desperate need this dangerous winter season. Please make donations to the Zion Lutheran Church Office. Our wonderful team of volunteers will do the rest. You can come every third Saturday of the month to come help out and give out food, clothes, blanket, etc. Mark it on your calendar!
Money Counters for Sunday: We need a couple of volunteers to help count the offering after Sunday morning services. Your help would be greatly appreciated, thank you for supporting our church! Contact Pastor Robert for any further details.
Furniture Ministry: Is open for donations. Due to an increase in demand, we are accepting furniture donations. You may drop off donations, M-Th from 9-3.
ADULT EDUCATION:
Classics Reading Group in 2026:
Good books spark the imagination and draw us toward God by helping us think on whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, whatever is excellent or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).
You can come to Zion for in person conversation or tune in on Zoom. Send a request to Pastor John for a Zoom invitation. The invitation will be sent before noon.
Feb 3: The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
As always, you may order the books from Beaverdale Books or the bookseller or library of your choice. Beaverdale Books can be reached at info@beaverdalebooks.com or 515.279.5400
Women’s Bible Study
Join the Women’s Bible Study monthly on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, at 6:30pm, at the Urbandale Library. This is a friendly, supportive group with a heart to grow in the Word and our daily, spiritual walk. Questions?. Please email Julie Smith @ julie@juliesmithcoaching.com for the location or more information.
Grace Reading Group:
Join Grace for a deep dive into Mind Of The Maker by Dorothy Sayers. The book is about looking into God as a model for all our creative activities and pattering our lives in the image of the Trinity. Join us every Sunday except on second Sunday..
Third Thursday: Our meetings will resume in April.
CALL TO PRAYER
First Saturday Prayer
Come every first Saturday from 10-12 and pray for our world and our nation and our church. It is an experience you will not soon forget.
4 CHAPTER GROUP (M’CHEYNE)
Jan 18: Gn 19; Mt 18; Neh 8; Act 18
Jan 19: Gn 20; Mt19; Neh 9; Act 19
Jan 20: Gn 21; Mt 20; Neh 10; Act 20
Jan 21: Gn 22; Mt 21; Neh 11; Act 21
Jan 22: Gn 23; Mt 22; Neh 12; Act 22
Jan 23: Gn 24; Mt 23; Neh 13; Act 23
Jan 24: Gn 25; Mt 24; Esth 1; Act 24
Sunday Scripture
Acts 15:1-35
The Jerusalem Council
15 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”
6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
16 “‘After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
and I will restore it,
17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old.’
19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”
The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers
22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, 23 with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. 24 Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
30 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. 33 And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.