Zion Lutheran Church Photo Album

Photo Collection
2008

Advent Soup and Sandwich Supper December 17, 2008
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Folks lined up for the last "soup and sandwich" supper prior to Advent vespers on Wednesday, December 17. Martha Canning (partially obscured) attended to sandwiches and desserts while Margaret Stephens doled out chicken soup. Kerry Williams retrieved some soda at the far end. Betty Pitcher, Becky Vasko, Charlie Canning, Tina Lyrene, Steve Vasko, and Peter Midgarden (l to r) joined in the meal.	When dinner is over, there is always clean-up. Betty Pitcher, Cindi Johnson, Martha Canning, Ruth Ann Bultinck, Becky Vasko, and Charlie Canning (l to r) all pitched in.

Thrivent Annual Christmas Party
December 13, 2008.

Chapter Vice President Ernie Burnett was recognized for his fraternal Lutheran service at the Thrivent Annual Christmas Party on December 13, 2008, at the PZK Hall in Robertsdale, Alabama. He completes four years of volunteer work with the Thrivent South Central Alabama Chapter come January. Thrivent Chapter rules require an orderly turn-over of chapter leadership after four years of service. Burnett continues to serve on the Zion Lutheran Church Council in Silverhill, Alabama.

Women's Christmas Tea - December 13, 2008
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Participants at Zion's 2008 Women's Christmas Tea included Vera Avera, Henrie Burnett, Linda Gibbs, Martha Canning, Cindi Johnson, and Ruth Ann Bultinck (l to r) who shared a program and those famous Christmas cookies on Saturday, December 13.	It was a good time for the ladies, but there was some serious talk too, as they remembered the Christmas story. Martha Canning, Cindi Johnson, Ruth Ann Bultinck, Linda Gibbs, Vera Avera, and Henrie Burnett (clockwise from 9:00) shared discussion.	Linda Gibbs and Henrie Burnett shared the Christmas story. Cindi Johnson shared an allegory which spoke to God's gift at Christmas. Linda Gibbs, Vera Avera, Henrie Burnett, Martha Canning, Cindi Johnson, and Ruth Ann Bultinck, (clockwise from 9:00) shared a moment of meditation and prayer.

December 3, 2008
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Edges on sidewalks don't just happen. Becky Vasko worked on making lines straight. You can see that our lawn has been healthy this year, so there was lots of work. Becky was working on the hard part-- cleaning up!	Flower beds were another labor-intensive project. Darlene Tasso was a "terror to those weeds." And she planted a thing or too by the Fellowship Hall. She also worked at the flower beds on each side of the church entryway, eliminating some of the shrubs and sprucing up others with a bit of pine straw.	Steve Vasko, Becky Vasko, Pete Midgarden, and Charlie Canning all spent some time on this scaffold. The "ragged metal molding" on this half-round window was replaced and refurbished--one of the bigger jobs in our 2008 renovation because of the rotten wood inside the window casing. Now painted, the window looks "pretty sharp."

Renovation Project
December 2, 2008

Refurbishing Work
December 1, 2008

Church Decorating
November 30, 2008

Wedding Ceremony
November 26, 2008

Saga of Zion's Steeple Cross
November 20, 2008

Work Project November 18, 2008 - Click each to enlarge.
Zion's Thrivent-Sponsored Work Project was winding down. Railings and some detail work were left to be done. Pastor Dave on the scraper, Ralph Utter on the brush, and Ed Kinsey with brush and paint in hand (l to r) spent several hours painting the railing on the ramp on the east side of the church.	Charlie Canning worked on the overhead painting on the west side of the church, taking care of the door coverings and flashing along the roof line of the museum. (Ed and Ralph were wondering how Charlie got to work in the shade rather than the bright sunshine on their side of the church.)
Ralph Utter (far end) and Ed Kinsey painted toward one another. (Ralph asked Ed whether he was sitting down on the job.)	Ed Kinsey took the detail work to heart. He, with neck brace engaged, lay on his side to paint the under side of the railing.


Mats Olsson visited Silverhill on Heritage Day, October 18, 2008, stopping at a number of sites in Silverhill, Alabama, USA. No, he is not wearing any Gothenburg Indianer sweatshirt. That's a "real" Alabama "t" shirt.	Mats and Marie Olsson from Sollentuna, Sweden, spent several hours at Zion and in its historical museum.	Mats Olsson, Pastor Dave Johnson, and Marie Olsson, posed outside of Zion. Mats works in the Stockholm postal service and Marie works at a "H&M" store, a Swedish clothing chain that also has stores in Atlanta. The couple resides in Sollentuna, Sweden."

Work Detail July 30, 2008 - Click each to enlarge.
Vera Avera worked on those flower beds in front of the church today. Those briars and things are a real pain! She has cut them back and then painted the leaves with a potent herbicide. Speaking of painting...	Charlie Canning was sanding and painting those church windows on the west side of the church today. (Becky and Steve Vasko had already done their piece of the paint job before my camera arrived.)

Austin and Stewart
Recognition Dinner
July 20, 2008

Swedish visitors - July 14, 2008
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Daphne, Alabama, residents Gene and Rosemary Stovall (l to r) accompanied Swedish visitors Andreas Lindgren (Linkoping), Malin Liljeblad (Gothenberg), and Jonas and Paulina Lindahl (Gothenberg) on a visit to the museum of Zion Lutheran Church in Silverhill. Zion church chairman Peter Midgarden (far r) welcomed the group to the museum of "Swedish Lutheran Zion Church," a.k.a., today's "Zion Lutheran Church." Silverhill, along with Thorsby and Fruithurst, Alabama, were described as "Swedish Colonies" a century ago. The Zion museum has nurtured an archive of a variety of historical Swedish documents and memorabilia going back to the Silverhill founding fathers. The Stovalls are hosting the Scandanavian group. The two Swedish couples have a varied background. Andreas is in insurance, Jonas in electronic design, and Paulina in history and English education. Malin is pursuing higher education in the media industry. Gene has retired from Scott Paper and Rosemary from a urology practice. Pete, an engineer and pilot by training, fielded a variety of church-related questions. Pastor Dave Johnson (not pictured) detailed the history of the area for the visitors. A Swedish flag (center) is mounted on the wall behind the visitors along with other artifacts from days gone by. "Svenska boken" with various topics and foci are displayed on a table in the picture foreground prepared by museum curator Ernie Burnett (not pictured). - Click to enlarge photo.

Repairs - July 12, 2008
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Zion has been working on repair and upgrade of our windows. We have recognized the need for fresh paint and putty for some time. On Saturday, July 12, 2008, a lively group descended (and ascended) on the east side of the church, applying paint remover and elbow grease to old paint. Working away (l to r) are Ernie Burnett, Mack Gibbs, Ed Kinsey, Steve and Becky Vasko, Pastor Dave Johnson, and Pete Midgarden. Behind the lense? Charlie Canning. - Click to enlarge photo.

Zion Works!
May 10, 2008

Power Washing
May 6, 2008

Girl Scout Troop
April 21, 2008
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"Juniors" from Girl Scout Troop 8564 worked on a service project on Monday, April 21, 2008. Their goal was to beautify the outdoor picnic area of Silverhill's Zion Lutheran Church with seasonal flowers. Juniors design and implement their own service project as part of their leadership training in the Scouts. Troop Leader Tamara Pactor shows Juniors Kristen L. and Cassidy D. (l to r) some gardening fine points as part of this project.

Violet Buonauro's Departure
April 13, 2008

Spring Fling
March 30, 2008

     "It was looking so tired. We had it dry-cleaned and did some repairs," Paraments Chair Henrie Burnett noted. This church banner is unique because it is in pastels and it was home-made. The banner is 21 years old and embodies a memory that is treasured by the people of Zion Lutheran Church of Silverhill. Fabric by its very nature is transient and difficult to maintain, particularly in a climate that encourages mildew and other kinds of fabric deterioration.

     The church had supported the Bill Peacock family in the early 1980s with a rent subsidy while Seminarian Bill Peacock pursued studies at Southern Seminary. Zion's former Pastor Jolliff would reminisce before his death, that Bill was a musician who had answered God's call from music education to congregational ministry. Wife Gretchen filled in at Zion as an interim organist at the same time.

     William Peacock was a native of Mobile. He had married Gretchen Almer, daughter of Pastor Carl Almer from St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Mobile. And, they had several children at the time Bill entered Seminary.

Seminary was followed by internship and finally on May 26, 1987, William Peacock was ordained at Zion Lutheran Church in Silverhill. That special banner for his ordination had been assembled by the Peacock family. That's the banner which has just been renovated. The church was in celebration mode for that Sunday and festivities were capped off with a pig roast!

Easter Sunday
March 23, 2008

Repairs - March 21, 2008
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Steve Vasko places cardboard over stained glass window to make a template or pattern for the window opening in preparation of window sealing renovation on March 21, 2008. This is the first step in a long process.

Cross Display
March 21, 2008

Gideon Recognition Dinner
February 12, 2008.

Council Member Ernie and wife Henrie Burnett (l) joined Pastor Dave at the Gideon Recognition Dinner on February 12, 2008, representing Zion Lutheran Church of Silverhill. Zion has been a regular supporter of the Gideon Bible-Distribution Work.

The Traveling Steeple
February 12, 2008

Zion Officers - February 10, 2008
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The Congregation of Zion Lutheran Church, Silverhill, installed its 2008 officers on Sunday morning, February 10. Pastor Dave Johnson (l to r) officiated, installing Peter Midgarden (Silverhill), Mack Gibbs (Summerdale), Becky Vasko (Silverhill), Vera Avera (Foley), Milt Luoma (Summerdale), and Ernie Burnett (Fairhope). Darlene Tasso (not pictured) continues to serve the congregation as Treasurer.

Conference - January 23, 2008
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Pastor Dave (r) brings warm Alabama greetings from Silverhill's Zion Lutheran Church to Elden Nelson, the new President of the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations, the fourth largest Lutheran Church group in the United States. The occasion was the Annual Pastors' Conference meeting outside of Amery, Wisconsin, in late January. "It was 17 degrees below zero when I got up that morning," Pastor Dave noted. You will note that he warmed his hand by shaking President Elden Nelson's hand and keeping a warm cup of coffee in the other.

New Year Cleaning
January 12, 2008