Welcome to Zion Lutheran Church

Week of November 25-December 1, 2019: “Tested, Proven”

… Luke 23:27-43.

Before anyone can be crowned as king, they must first be tested and proven ready and worthy of their position. Ancient kings often had to first defeat enemies on the battlefield and/or outmaneuver certain rivals for the throne. Here, the trials which tested King David come to mind.

Much more tested and proven was the “Son of David”, Our Lord Jesus Christ. He learned patience and persistence during His upbringing as a carpenter in Nazareth (Luke 2:52). He then took on His great enemy and rival Satan in the wilderness. He proved Himself against the opposition of the Jewish leaders. Finally, while being taunted by the surrounding crowds, He was tested and proven in His greatest battle against sin and death upon the cross (Luke 23:27-43).

Together with Him, we are meant to live and reign forever. This we celebrate in advance on Christ the King Sunday where we close out our Church’s year. But before we go on to eternal glory, we too will be tested and proven as Our Lord looks to remove the power and presence of sin from our lives. Some of this testing, as it was for Jesus in Nazareth, will involve our being called to be faithful in the routine and mundane things of day to day life.

Then, like Jesus, we will be tested by Satan himself. At times, like Jesus in the wilderness, we will be tempted directly. Other times, as it was for Jesus upon the cross, Satan will tempt and taunt us through those around us. All along, we are given the strength to bear our crosses and realize that our times of being tested and proven do indeed come to their end (1 Peter 5:8-10).

Yes, because of Jesus’ cross, we can bear our own crosses. Because of His resurrection, we too shall rise to live and reign with Christ the King!

Your Pastor  Pastor Bill Mugnolo   Hi, I’m Pastor Bill Mugnolo and I have been serving at Zion Lutherran and at our sister congregation of St Johns in Elyria since September 2017. I was born in Baltimore, Maryland and I grew up on Long Island in New York State, in Northern New Jersey, and in Atlanta, Georgia. Since my graduation from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, I have lived in and have had an ongoing family connection to the Rochester, New York area which I consider to be my adopted hometown. I was confirmed in the Lutheran Church as an adult in 1984. I went on to seminary at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. I was ordained on August 16, 1990 on the thirty-first anniversary of my baptism. I have served congregations in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (1990-1998), Newark, New York (1998-2016), and Columbia Station, Ohio (2016-2017). I was joined in marriage to Sabra LeClaire of Rochester, New York on October 1, 1993. We have two daughters—, Emilia and Rebecca. I enjoy power walking, cross-country skiing, dumbbell training, travelling, and a wide variety of music. It is my great honor and privilege to serve both the Lord and you as pastor at Zion.

Wednesday and Thursday

9 A.M to 12 

440-282-8418 

Email pastor.mugnolo@yahoo.com

440-282-8418 Pastor Bill