Search Results

The Voice of Zion October 2023 - Doctrine and Life Article -- The Reformation material principle succinctly states that a person can be acceptable to God by faith alone, by grace alone, by the merits of Christ alone. What Is Faith? The word faith has many meanings. In the sentence “I believe in God,” faith is not merely an acknowledgement that God exists, but rather it tells of a deeper kind of believing. Faith comes close to trusting and placing hope in something. As such faith is much more than holding something to be true. Faith can exist without structured knowledge, but knowledge cannot give birth to faith. On the other hand, faith causes a desire to study the Word of God and learn more about it. Faith Is a Gift of God When we say that faith is a gift from God, we mean many things. First, faith is free. Secondly, a person cannot demand faith for himself or herself, nor can the person on his or her own choose to believe. Thirdly, a person cannot develop faith for himself or herself (Eph. 2:8). Faith is essential for a person’s salvation (Heb. 11:6). Such faith is belief in a distinct God, to whom faith establishes a connection. This faith is given by God through the gospel proclaimed in the congregation (John 20:22,23; Rom. 10:17). The Contents of Faith, Christ The contents of faith can be summarized in one word: Christ. Faith receives the Word, which is Christ. In the Word, the living gospel, preached through the Holy Spirit we can own Christ’s righteousness by faith (1 Cor. 3:12; 2 Cor. 5:17–21). Christ’s work had two aspects: on the one hand, He conquered sin, death and the power of the devil (redemption); on the other hand, He appeased God’s wrath (atonement). Both these works were possible only for Christ, who was both God and human (2 Cor. 5:14–19). Faith brings to the Christian Christ and, along with Him, His work, His victory over the power of sin and atoning for God’s wrath. Redemption frees a Christian from the power of sin while atonement removes from upon him or her the wrath of God. Owning Christ through Faith Owning Christ is far more comprehensive than any earthly ownership. In faith, a fortunate exchange occurs: on the one hand the Christian’s sins are so completely borne by Christ as if they were entirely His own (Isa. 53:6). On the other hand, the righteousness of Christ is so completely the Christian’s as if it were his or her own. The Christian himself or herself remains completely sinful, but in Christ he or she is completely righteous (Gal. 2:19,20). Owning Christ makes a Christian free from sin. This does not remove his or her sinfulness, however. The Christian continues to be completely sinful. He or she does not only commit sin, but rather he or she is sinful the whole time (2 Cor. 5:17–21; Rom. 7:20). Owning Christ by faith transforms the whole person. It leads him or her to love God, righteousness and goodness. As a fruit of faith, the Christian desires to battle against sin (Matt. 7:18). Faith, Law and Works Christ is perfect righteousness. Therefore every effort by a person to augment his or her own righteousness is wrong. The person’s righteousness is not then the righteousness of Christ received as a gift, but rather his or her own righteousness, which is based on works (Gal. 2:21). Christ did not overturn the law but rather fulfilled it to the last letter. The law still demands perfection, but a Christian receives that perfection in faith which owns Christ. On the other hand, a person who tries to be acceptable to God through his or her own deeds is under the demands of the law (Rom. 13:10; Gal. 5:4). The Relationship between a Christian and the Law Freedom from the judgment of the law does not mean freedom from the contents of the law and its teachings. God’s grace instructs a person to love God’s will. Then His law appears holy and right. As a fruit of faith, the Christian loves that which is good, true and just and hates sin (Rom. 6:17,18; 7:22). Christian freedom is often mistakenly understood to mean freedom to sin. This understanding is fundamentally wrong. If one gives oneself permission to sin, he or she becomes a slave to sin. A person cannot simultaneously believe and live of grace and permit himself or herself to sin (Rom. 6:11–23). A Christian desires to obey God’s law and pursue righteousness. The Christian is taught this by God’s grace, not the demands of the law (Titus 2:11,12; Rom. 5:21). This distinction is crucial from the standpoint of righteousness. If a seemingly right action is not the fruit of faith, its motive is either an obligation or a merit. That is then no longer righteousness that comes by faith. In place of following rules, the life of a Christian is living in grace as a sinner. The battle within the Christian between these two forces – righteousness and sin – is not resolved with rules of externally imposed regulations. When Christians encounter a situation in life where they ponder how to act, they wish to find a solution that is agreeable to God. They are taught this by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit also gathers believers into one congregation, which has one faith. The congregation ponders together in its midst what is agreeable to God (Eph. 4; Heb. 10:24,25). Two Sides of the Endeavor Christians love righteousness and desire to live according to the will of God. Meanwhile they constantly find themselves acting against their deepest desires. Within the Christian there is a struggle between the old and new self. In this struggle, the Christian does not want to allow his or her sinfulness to gain control, but rather he or she wants to let the Holy Spirit guide his or her life (Rom. 7:14–25; Gal. 5:16–18). A Christian, however, experiences that sin attaches. For that reason, the Christian wants to hear the gospel of forgiveness of sins. In the Christian endeavor – the battle of faith – there are two sides. On the one hand Christians themselves cannot do anything to preserve their righteousness. The endeavor of faith is God’s work within us, not our own work. On the other hand, the battle in a Christian is real. Falling under the power of sin and losing faith is a real possibility. But as long as a person has faith given by God, it creates in him or her love for God, hunger and thirst for the Word of God as well as the desire to battle against sin and preserve a good conscience (Phil. 2:13; 1 Tim. 1:19). The Relationship between Faith and Works Faith is evident in the life of a Christian and causes good works. Good works are a part of faith. All good things are nevertheless fruits of the Spirit. People themselves are unable to do anything good to be acceptable to God (Eph. 2:8–10; Gal. 5:22,23). Faith works through love. Good works always stem from faith and are fruits of faith. They can never be a precondition of faith. One cannot obtain, maintain or improve faith through works (Gal. 5:6; Titus 2:11–14; 3:4–7; 2 Tim. 1:9,10). Faith, Knowledge and Reason It is good for Christians to know and understand the basics of faith and the Bible so that they would not stray into wrong doctrine. Knowledge is not the opposite of faith. Saving faith is not born based on knowledge. It is obtained only as gift of God, through the word of the gospel. Meanwhile it is nonetheless so that true faith possesses the correct doctrine, even if the believer is not able to describe it precisely. Faith is also not the opposite of reason, but rather the opposite of faith is unbelief. Reason cannot bring faith, but faith gives reason a direction and meaning. The situation is correct when reason is subordinate to faith and faith guides the understanding of reason. If faith dies, reason – along with everything else in a person – turns away from God and begins to serve the enemy.

Arvin Pirness | The Voice of Zion October 2023 - News and Notes Article -- Fall changes are now displayed in nature and we feel the excitement when the season’s activities begin. We look forward to many congregations hosting Fall Services, the first months of Sunday school and fall camps. LLC representatives went to Longview in September to help launch the planning activities for 2024 Summer Services. It was so nice to plan and discuss with those in attendance and join in their enthusiasm to serve the believers. We remember this work in prayer. Updates on LLC Activities Facilities All camp boards are reviewing the 2023 camp season and analyzing how the facilities have served. Feedback has been received from staff and participants following each camp event with suggestions and comments. The camp boards will consider these suggestions at their respective meetings. Pastoral To date in the past year, there have been ten brothers called in various congregations as servants of God’s Word. We have rejoiced as new brothers have been asked to serve. We are planning to hold a new ministers’ workshop at the LLC office in early 2024. Foreign Mission Work Numerous trips have happened following summer services and will continue in the Fall. The believers in mission fields eagerly await the trips. They remember us in their prayers and ask that we remember them. We will focus on finalizing the trip plans for 2024 and adjusting trips and plans so they remain within our budget. Education Camp season is winding down. This season there were: – 438 participants at Hasscib Lake – 761 participants at Kamp Kipa – 1814 participants at Stony Lake – 569 participants at West Coast camps – We are still waiting to hear the number of participants at Prairie Shores. A Zoom Sunday School has been created to provide Sunday School instruction to believers who may live in areas without a congregation or where it is difficult to attend Sunday School in person. Zoom Sunday School is held at 12:15 pm Eastern Time most Sundays. The link to attend is as follows: https://zoom.us Meeting Room: 544 905 6387 Password: SHUft5 Communication Mid-September believers from across North America gathered under sunny autumn skies at our second annual Content Creators Workshop. Attendees are involved in many areas of our publications and communications work. Music: workshop participants worked on composing introductions for Songs and Hymns of Zion as part of our ongoing Introduction Book project. Others created choral arrangements and melodies. Visual art: artists gathered to discuss and practice illustration and decorative art techniques. Art is present in many LLC publications, both in print and in digital format. LLC staff compiled a display of art from LLC and SRK publications for workshop attendees to view and ponder. Services broadcast: the broadcast coordinator team gathered to plan programming themes and content for 2024 LLC services and beyond. A presentation and brainstorming session with the whole group of workshop participants helped give insight on what kinds of programs support believers in many phases and stages of life. Writing: presentations and workshop sessions focused on plot development in fiction and on children’s poetry. Attendees also had time to discuss and work on their own projects. LLC Print Publications Committee: during the workshop weekend, the committee met. The contributions of workshop participants and many others across Zion were acknowledged with gratitude. It truly is so that it takes the volunteer work and contributions of content from many to make it possible to publish all that we publish in print and digitally. The committee made plans to hold another Content Creators Workshop next fall at Stony Lake Camp. In 2025, the aim will be to hold such workshops in other areas of Zion.

Cheryl Skoog | The Voice of Zion September 2023 - Home and Family Article -- From a young age, we learn the golden rule and strive to live by it. This instruction is found in God’s Holy Word, taught by Jesus to His disciples during his Sermon on the Mount: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matt. 7:12). In Luke 6:31, Jesus again teaches, “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” How do these teachings of Jesus pertain to us in our homes? We naturally wish to love one another in our own family. Those closest to us are the easiest to love. But sometimes, they are also the ones that see our own sinfulness the most, as our contact is continual. Can we acknowledge our own sinfulness and forgive one another our faults? Not one of us is perfect and without sin as Jesus was. We can be so thankful that we have been given this gift of forgiveness, where our shortcomings and failings can be washed away in the blood of Jesus and love can be restored. Goodness is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22,23). Our flesh itself is sinful. Our conscience guides us, and we are aware when we do evil. Then, we desire to take care of this sin or offense. With a clean conscience, we again desire to do good. As believers, we wish to be obedient to God and His teachings. When we do this, our fruits will show. When His Holy Spirit is within us, guiding our actions, the fruit of goodness can be seen. We are kind and treat each other with respect. We love one another and accept the faults of a sinful loved one. In our home, I see this in how our children treat one another. They love and care for one another. They help each other with homework and chores. The older ones protect the younger, and the younger ones look up to the older ones. It is so special to see how even a young child notices when another is hurting or having a bad day. I especially remember one incident years ago. I had had an especially hard day with the kids and fell into the flesh with grumbling and anger. When I went to bed that night, I found a little note on my nightstand that read, “Mom, I know you had a bad day. I hope tomorrow is better. I love you.” This brought me to tears and I had to seek out the young writer and ask for the gospel. My heart still flows with love for this little touch of kindness! We would love it if our children would always be obedient and kind. But how can we expect them to be perfect as we are not perfect ourselves? As parents we must acknowledge our own humanness and humble ourselves before our children. Each child has their own personality and temptations, which could be a trait such as being quick to anger or even slow to confess. We parents need to recognize how to best teach each one. It is important to teach the children to confess their sins and apologize to the offended one for the wrongdoing. Teach them by example to do nice things for one another and to love others despite the faults we all have. Teach them to ask for the gospel even as you ask it of them for yourself. Let the children see the love between the parents, too. Sometimes in the busyness of life we don’t take time together as a couple. But let the children see that you desire to be together and even if sin comes between you, the gospel flows freely! We desire to serve one another in love. The love of a family is one of life’s greatest blessings! It is a gift from God. Today there are many broken homes, broken marriages, broken family relationships. Sometimes in believing homes the love is broken. This is because of sin, sin that is not taken care of and washed away in the sea of grace, whether it be an individual’s or conflict between two people. But God gives strength and willingness to take care of these matters. Prayers are often sent up to our heavenly Father, “Please, give me humility, a forgiving heart, and patience!” We can be so thankful that we own the forgiveness of sins and can bless each other with the gospel message that renews bonds broken by sin. I pray our home would be a refuge, the door always open to our children and grandchildren. May they come home often and bring their friends and families with them. I want to know about their lives as they begin to make their way out on their own. No matter where life takes each of them, I hope they remember their childhood home as one where goodness and love and forgiveness prevailed with God’s help, where they are welcomed with open arms. May God bless our home! Good Citizens and Neighbors Ray Waaraniemi According to God’s Word, goodness is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22; Eph. 5:9). Yet as children of God, we feel our sin-corruption closely. We scarcely even want to look for any good within ourselves. David writes in his psalms that the Lord looks on people and sees there are none that do good, no not one (Ps. 14:2,3, Ps. 53:2,3). Nonetheless, when we endeavor in faith, the Holy Spirit is the home teacher that overcomes the effects of our sinful flesh and guides us into all truth. We are at the same time righteous and sin-corrupt. Despite corruption, fruits of faith, through the Holy Spirit, are evident in God’s children. The songwriter even writes of this in song of Zion 400. O Lord of life and mercy, I cannot do the good unless the Spirit guides me to do the things I should; so, use Your rod and staff, and by Your grace direct me and counsel and protect me, Your sinful, wayward child. Remove self-admiration, conceit, and vanity; let sacrifice, forbearance, and kindness live in me. May I not count it paid: the debt to love my neighbors. May all my daily labors increase their joy and peace. (SHZ 400:1,2) In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells His own that they are a light to the world: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Being a light to the world as children of God is first that we don’t live in sin. It also follows that we want to be good citizens and neighbors in our communities. In our interactions with our neighbors, we want the light of Christ to shine through our sin corruption. In our conversations, we should be kind, friendly, honest and truthful. In addition, we want to be helpful to our neighbors. Especially when they are in times of distress and trials, such as sickness, unemployment or loneliness. May we find time to be there for them to help with tasks that need to be done. We can provide meals, run errands, do yard work, help with farm work, or to simply visit them when they are lonely. In a broader sense, we can serve our neighbors in our communities. Believers have served and can serve in local and municipal government offices as mayor, city council members, school board members, and other boards and committees. In this way believers can help make policy in ways that are not contrary to God’s Word. Other things that believers do in their communities are volunteering in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, or doing yard work for the elderly and disabled. There are many volunteering opportunities. Young people are encouraged to volunteer; it’s good training for life, a fulfilling activity and beneficial to our neighbors. In our home congregation there are multiple ways to serve. God’s kingdom relies heavily upon “cheerful givers” of both monetary gifts and of time. Those who contribute to the work by volunteering may not always be noticed in the background. But all work forms are necessary. Let us serve willingly when we are asked and take the initiative to offer our service when we see a need. Let us serve our brothers and sisters in times of trial. It is heartwarming to see how the children of God come to help, whether it be financial, providing meals, or attending to things that need to be done. Most important is praying for the ones in need, visiting them, and assuring them with the gospel. Reminding them that God has promised to never forsake His own, even when He allows times of trials. When we do good in serving our neighbors in our communities or our brethren in faith, it’s not our merits but it’s the fruit of the Spirit. When we have received so much through grace, the gift of faith, and the forgiveness of all of our sins, it’s a small thing for us to serve our neighbor. God’s Word instructs us: “Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:9,10). God’s Goodness Shows in Us Linda Landa Goodness is a fruit of the Spirit. God has created us out of His own goodness: “God saw everything that He had made, and it was very good” (Gen. 1:31). God guides us and protects us. We experience His goodness every day. His goodness is a promise we can rely on. God’s goodness shows in us in the way we live, in our thoughts, and in our actions. As I write this, my thoughts surround my dear father, Walter Muhonen. June 30 would have been his 96th birthday. God’s blessings in his life were many. God’s goodness led my father’s life. The greatest blessing he received was the grace of repentance as a young man. He was united in marriage with my mother and together they raised their family of 13 children. They were blessed with a long life together. They shared joys and sorrows and were helpmates one to the other on their journey to heaven. Their journey together ended when they were both called home this past March. People remember my father as a gentle man with a quiet nature. He was one who noticed another sitting alone and stopped to visit. He noticed good qualities in others’ characters and remembered them for those qualities. It was interesting to hear such observations even many years later. My father often told of his childhood in the small town of Greenville, N.H. We heard of his love of nature, his adventures as he explored the woods between his home and his grandparents’ home. He listened to birds and learned to imitate their calls. He helped his grandparents on their farm and learned about edible plants. My mother often said, “Daddy has always been a nature boy.” Music was a source of joy for my father. He sang with a clear voice. In the Minneapolis church on Fourth and Newton he sat with two other song leaders in the bench near the organist. He was one of the lukkaris. An early memory is when we were tucked into bed, my father sometimes sat at the organ and played some hymns. It felt good to listen as I drifted into sleep. My father was a carpenter. His shop in the basement contained many tools, machines and stacks of wood. The aroma of freshly cut wood was wonderful. He went there many evenings. When I peeked in to see what he was working on, it might be a bench, a cupboard or another piece someone had custom-ordered for their home. Once he was working on an item I didn’t recognize. He explained that it was called a baptismal fount. It would be placed in a church to hold the bowl of water used for a baby’s baptism. He was able to use his gifts in this way to serve in the work of God’s kingdom. Father used his carpenter skills to make a living to provide for us, his family. He also taught these skills to his sons, who kept busy in their youth building houses alongside my father. These small examples show the presence of goodness in one person’s life, the goodness that reflected the character of the believing heart. Examples of appreciation for the goodness around us, of using God-given gifts to serve others, of showing compassion to others without expecting anything in return. We are all created differently, with unique gifts. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). May it be our prayer, amid the weakness we feel within us, to endeavor to use the goodness within us to show love and compassion, help and support, understanding and forgiveness to one another on the way to heaven. May we in meekness remember to let the light of the Spirit shine in this dark world. The Holy Spirit can work through us to call others from this darkness into God’s kingdom. A blessing we can all enjoy are the songs and hymns we can sing to express our thankful praises. One songwriter expresses so beautifully the goodness our heavenly Father blesses us with: “God gave life to ev’ryone. All good things from Him have come, for through grace up to this moment, gifts have come through His bestowment” (SHZ 430:1). Questions for discussion: Goodness often shows in our actions and attitudes toward others. Discuss. What actions showed Jesus’ goodness? What does goodness look like? Discuss a time when you have experienced and seen goodness in others. When might it be especially hard (and yet important) to show kindness and goodness to our neighbors? How is goodness tied to love for God and love for our neighbor?

Kathy Waaraniemi | The Voice of Zion September 2023 - What Does the Bible Say Article -- Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. – 3 John 1:11 Do I follow that which is good and not that which is evil? This passage causes me to pause. It seems that I can readily relate to what Paul writes to the Romans: “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” (Rom. 7:19). What is this third letter of John teaching us? The writer of the letter, the elder mentioned at the beginning of the text, is the Apostle John. He is writing to a specific individual named Gaius who seems to be a worker in the congregation in Asia Minor. John greets Gaius and testifies that he and Gaius travel in the same understanding of faith. John expresses joy that he has received testimony of Gaius’ faith from the other brothers who have visited the congregation: “For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee…I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 John 1:1–4). Even today it brings great joy when we hear that a dear friend is still endeavoring in faith! When we visit one another, it doesn’t take long to know that this brother or sister believes the same way that I do. “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom. 8:16). John writes that it has brought him great joy that Gaius shows love and hospitality to the brothers who have traveled to his congregation spreading the gospel of Christ. He says, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. John expresses how the brothers felt Gaius’ love and hospitality towards them and felt how he lovingly sent them on to the next place of mission work. John exhorts the believers to show hospitality and to support the brothers, and in this way they also do the work of God in spreading the gospel (3 John 1:5–8). There also appeared to be one who was not in unity. As John writes, Deiotrefes seemed to have “preeminence among them” (v. 9), or great self-importance. Deiotrefes did not want to welcome the brothers who visited the congregation, and rather than showing them hospitality and love, he gossiped and spoke maliciously about them. He also tried to prevent other congregation members from showing them hospitality. John writes to Gaius that when he comes to visit the congregation he will call attention to what Deiotrefes is doing (v. 9,10). This is familiar to the child of God and to the living congregation of God today. As believers we want to care for another when we see a brother or sister going astray or growing in themselves. We also want to care for those who serve the congregation. This kind of care is a service of love done in the hope of restoring the fallen one into the fellowship and love of the congregation. John, at this point in the letter, instructs Gaius and others with the words of our text: “Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God” (v. 11). When we consider John’s words to Gaius and his warning about what Deiotrefes was doing, what can we consider about this text for us in our day? We can ponder: Do I carry the work of God’s kingdom with love and in prayer? Do I speak maliciously about the work, about board members or servants of the Word? Do I speak well of my neighbor and put the best construction on all he or she does? Do I gossip about the difficulties of others? Do I serve others with Christian hospitality and love? Do I keep the mind of Christ in all my interactions? While our flesh would more readily follow that which is evil, John instructs us to follow that which is good. Goodness follows faith and is a fruit of the Spirit. Paul writes to Timothy, “Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12). At the end of the letter John names another brother, Demetrius, who walks in the truth. John gives a good testimony of his faith. John writes that he hopes to visit the congregation soon and that he has many other things to write about but he will wait until they can visit in person (3 John 1:13,14). He concludes the letter wishing Gaius the peace of God. He sends Gaius personal greetings from the brothers he is with and wishes Gaius to personally greet friends that he is with by name. Even today we send greetings of love and peace to one another in congregations around the country and around the world. It is heartwarming to receive greetings by name from friends in faith. God’s children want to remember and serve one another with love. Yet, we often find that the good we would desire to do, that we don’t do, and the evil we don’t want to do, that we do. How good it is that even these errors and offenses can be cared for freely with the gospel! Reference: Soronen, Mauno (2017). Johanneksen kirjeet. In Se sana seisoo vahvana – Raamatun historiaa ja sanomaa, Ed. Olli Lohi. SRK.

Elizabeth Juntunen and Arvin Pirness | The Voice of Zion September 2023 1. What are dues? Dues are the money you give to an organization that you are a member of. In our organizations, there are congregation dues and LLC dues. Congregation dues are paid by individual members to their congregation. The recommended congregation dues are typically set at a congregation’s annual meeting. LLC dues are paid to LLC by the congregations, as only congregations are members of LLC. LLC dues are set at the LLC’s Annual Meeting and approved by the congregation delegates. In addition to LLC dues, there are the camp support dues for Hasscib Lake, Kamp Kipa, and Stony Lake camp facilities. The camp support area dues help fund the camp facility expenses. Additionally, there are some individuals that live remotely and send donations to LLC on a monthly basis. The financial support from the congregations and these individuals is much appreciated. 2. What portion of the LLC budget is funded by dues? LLC dues support 50% of the annual budget. Camp support dues support 10% of the annual budget. Total LLC and camp support dues pay for 60% of the annual budget The remaining 40% of our budget is provided through donations, camp fees and publication sales revenue. 3. How does a person start paying dues? Each congregation has their own approach to how individuals begin paying dues and becoming a member. If an individual is not a dues-paying member and wishes to be, the best place to start is to contact a congregation board members. 4. What is the benefit of someone becoming a member and paying dues instead of someone donating the same amount of money? When an individual becomes a member and pays dues, they are making a commitment to the congregation that they will support the congregation financially as well as voluntarily. The commitment to pay assists the board treasurer and other board members to prepare and manage their annual budget as well as to work on short and long-term financial planning. 5. How much are dues? How is this amount decided? At the 2023 LLC Annual Meeting, the member congregation delegates approved $38/member/month dues amount. The congregations report their membership numbers to the LLC Annual Meeting, and then they pay LLC the monthly obligation according to their reported membership. In addition to the LLC dues, the congregations in camp support areas provide dues as follows: Hasscib Lake: $15/member/month Kamp Kipa: $15/member/month Stony Lake: $20/member/month Camp support dues for Stony Lake also cover an SLC expansion loan and the Silver Springs land purchase loan. 6. How is the money used? Personnel/Travel 60% (which includes all personnel for office staff, camp staff/workers, and foreign and domestic workers) Publications 6% Services/Mission Work/Opisto 14% Office Expense 8% Camps 12% (less Personnel/Travel)

The Voice of Zion September 2023 - Editorial -- In our everchanging world, everything has its time. Generations pass, and new children are born. Each child is born at the precise time God has intended. It is no accident that those who are children now are meant to live as children in this very moment. It is as God intended. God has given each of us the gift of life, a span of years in which to live on this earth. God knows what kind of time we are born into. He means for us to be here now, to do our work and His work and to live through the phases of our lives. In the span of a person’s life, each phase has its place – everything happens in its own time (Eccl. 3:1). We each are given roles and tasks and the gifts with which to fulfill them. Our Lord, in whose kingdom we dwell, leads us and shows us our place and our duties. His kingdom is our refuge in this world at all stages of our lives. Throughout all our experiences, the light of God’s Word shines. The light of His Spirit shines even from within us. Children, too, shine this light as they go about daily life, at school and at play. Being a light unto the world means living in a way that reflects the teachings and example of Jesus, spreading goodness and love and compassion through one’s actions and attitudes. It means having a positive influence in one’s surroundings, perhaps showing others God’s truth and where God’s kingdom is. At school, children and young ones can model kindness among their peers: helping others, including others and supporting those with challenges are all ways to practice kindness. Respecting others is also important. Schoolchildren show respect to schoolteachers and staff and also toward peers. We want to follow rules as well and show respect to authority. We can show respect toward the class and its activities by participating fully, setting a good example and being a good sport. In all our conduct at school, we want to do what’s right and good. Goodness is a fruit of the Spirit that dwells in the heart of a believer. A believing schoolchild exhibits this goodness in speech and actions and thoughts. It is good and right to be honest and fair. We strive to be forgiving toward those who do not treat us with love. In our school day, we may encounter those children and adults who live in ways that are contrary to what God’s Word teaches. God has given us the duty of treating all people, including the ones we encounter at school, with compassion and gentleness. These qualities are part of the light that shines from within us. In the light of God’s Spirit, God can reveal His truth and His Word to any human. With eyes of faith, we view the world we live in. This is our time, our world. Around us, we see beauty and we can also see suffering, the suffering that is caused by sin and turning away from God’s Word. The light of God’s Spirit, our words and our actions proclaim the word of peace: there is yet time to find grace and the key to eternal life. Jesus still saves. Dear schoolchild, wherever you are, the light of your faith shows. You don’t have to do anything special for this to happen. When you are a believer and conduct yourself as a believer, others notice. They notice the fruits of the Spirit, which include gentleness and goodness. On some occasions, we can explain to others how we believe. Being a believer doesn’t place you above your schoolmates. You don’t have to feel that you need to be anything other than what you are. When a person tries extra hard to be or do something to set themselves apart, that is called self-righteousness. Instead, the light shines from you even through your own faults and imperfections. God allows this to happen. This serves a double purpose: it helps protect against falling into sin, and also it calls the world by example. As a believer, you may feel separate from the world in some ways. Perhaps there are school activities you cannot participate in because they might damage your conscience. It is okay if you feel separate in some way. This can help remind you that you are a believer and it might remind you of why you want to remain a believer. You can see a blessing even in this. May God bless your school year!

Arvin Pirness | The Voice of Zion September 2023 - News and Notes -- Fall is now around the corner. I am reflecting on the busy summer of camps and the teaching that God has allowed. May God bless the instruction received during this important time in a young one’s faith life. Father dear, to You we pray as our children leave today and return to school and study. You have given them this duty; be with them and bless them! Father dear, You hear our prayers, You know all our hopes and cares, all our dreams and expectations, all our fears and tribulations. Father, help our children! (SHZ 447:1,2) Updates on LLC Activities Facilities Last winter Kamp Kipa sustained damage from snow that accumulated over the winter. The most expensive damage was to the condensing units for the freezer and coolers. Due to delays in repairs, kitchen staff have worked through an exceedingly difficult camp season. The freezer and cooler should be in service by September 1. Education Third grade Sunday school teaching material was distributed to congregations in August. The curriculum was updated to include the Illustrated Home Bible as a resource and the objectives were consolidated into an explanatory paragraph of the lesson topic. Practical activities and ideas for teachers to use in their lessons were also developed. The committee worked on this project with an overarching premise of escort building. A video that accompanies the third grade teaching materials can also be used as a guide for local congregations to hold local teachers’ workshops. Mission Department LLC Ministers 2023 Webinar 3 was held August 24. Servants of the Word discussed Communion-related issues at this session. LLC Ministers 2023 Webinar 4 will be held at the LLC office on the morning of October 21. SRK Mission Speaker Matti Kontkanen will keep two sessions on pastoral counseling. Ministers and Wives Camp will be held at Stony Lake Camp September 22–24. The theme for the camp is from Psalm 103: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” The biennial meeting of the LLC Area Mission Committees will be held October 10. At this fall meeting we will discuss area budgeting relating to scheduled events. SLC Bible Course will be held October 6–8. The course will cover Passion Week through Pentecost. Bible Courses allow for a more in-depth study of selected topics. Ministers and Bible Class teachers and those who are interested in Bible study are especially encouraged to enroll. Please sign up if you would like to attend. The 2024 events have been added to the LLC Service and Events Calendar. Rotation and special congregation services, mission trips and camps are some of the events that are found on this calendar. An interesting note – the calendar contains nearly 350 entries for the 2024 calendar year. God has blessed with many opportunities to be in the hearing of His Word and in the fellowship of brothers and sisters in faith. Communication Department The LLC Music Committee met in August for its annual in-person meeting. There was much discussion on selecting appropriate music for church and family functions. The discussion touched on questions of what music believers listen to and what the mission and purpose of music is in the life of a believer. The committee discussed the question of what church music is appropriate for believers. God blessed the discussion. These discussions will continue with the hopes that these questions would be discussed on the local level as well. In August, 15 students from North America traveled to Finland to begin their opisto year. We wish them and all opisto students and staff a blessed opisto year! Opisto Scholarship recipients for the 2024–25 opisto year were selected at the end of August. The list of recipients will be published as soon as all recipients have confirmed their acceptance of the scholarship offered. Material and slides from the 50-year history exhibit will soon be available to view on the LLC website. Watch for more information soon. This is a wonderful opportunity to deepen your knowledge of LLC history. Our second annual Content Creators Workshop will be held at Stony Lake Camp September 15–17. We welcome all who create content or who are interested in creating content for LLC print and digital publications. At the workshop, writers and visual artists will have lessons and work sessions along with opportunities to brainstorm and workshop creations with others. It’s time to submit your Christmas greetings to be published in the December Voice of Zion. See our website for more information.

Jean Simonson | The Shepherd’s Voice August/September 2023 - Home and Family Article -- Gentleness is the quality of being kind, tender or mild-mannered. It can also be softness or lightness in action. What comes to mind when you think of gentleness? In our homes we may experience gentleness in many ways. I often marvel at the gentleness that comes into a home with a precious new baby. Last year we were blessed with a baby girl after four boys. With so much energy and the nature of boys, I am amazed again and again at the gentleness they show to their baby sister. In nature there are many examples of gentleness through the seasons. In summer we feel the gentle warm breeze blowing through our hair. Colorful leaves fall from trees in autumn, and snowflakes gently fall from the sky in the winter months. In spring many animals give birth to their young. Even there we can see gentleness toward smaller ones. Gentleness brings peace. In the Bible it says, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger” (Prov. 15:1). We often want to respond to tense situations with harsh words and actions. Yet, the Bible instructs us to be gentle to others. A gentle heart comes from having love for others. When love is broken, we can ask for forgiveness and hear that our sins are forgiven in Jesus’ name and blood. In this way, Jesus, our gentle Shepherd, continues to care for us. Things to visit about: How do we show gentleness to people of all ages? What does it make us feel like when others treat us with gentleness? What helps us remember to be gentle and kind?

Allen Pirness | The Voice of Zion August 2023 - Bilingual -- The 11th chapter of the Letter to the Hebrews begins with an explanation of what faith is. Faith is described as a substance or confidence in something hoped for in the future and as evidence or assurance of something that remains yet unseen. We most often think about physical things, so trying to understand the reality of faith can be difficult. It’s more important to understand what faith does, rather than what it is. The picture of faith being a staff or a shield is apt when we consider their attributes as they relate to faith. For example, faith must be leaned on for the journey of life (Mark 6:8), or faith is our defense tool against the attacks of the enemy (Eph, 6:16). Regardless of our ability to conceptualize it, faith is very real and powerful. Faith is not the opposite of knowledge; saving faith is nonetheless not born based on what a person knows. Faith comes solely as a gift from God. Faith is also not the opposite of reason. Reason cannot bring faith, but faith can give reason direction and meaning. Faith can open or deepen understanding when we find ourselves before seemingly incomprehensible mysteries. Faith guides understanding and reason and puts what we know and learn into perspective. A young person needs to have hope that what they are doing now in life will have a payoff in the future, especially when it feels like the goal is so far away. Without an expectation of a future reward, it becomes impossible to stay the course. The goal of a child of God is to make it to heaven. We are only heaven-acceptable through faith. Faith guides our footsteps on our journey. Therefore, the life of a child of God is a journey of faith. Living faith is a faith that is alive in the heart of a person who possesses the Holy Spirit as their guide in life. It is a gift from God. We cannot do anything of our own to preserve faith. God reveals to us that only sin can separate us from Him. Our endeavor in faith is God’s work in us. As long as we have faith given by God, it affects in us the desire to fight against sin and maintain a good conscience. When we hear and believe the gospel of forgiveness of sins, God grants us His peace. One day faith will no longer be necessary. What we have not fully understood in time, we will see in eternity. God’s Word promises the faithful an eternity of only peace and joy. Usko Allen Pirness Heprealaiskirjeen 11. luku alkaa selityksellä siitä, mitä usko on. Uskoa kuvataan toivotun asian ilmenemisenä tai luottamuksena sellaiseen, jota toivotaan tulevaisuudessa. Uskoa kuvataan myös todisteena tai vakuutuksena jostakin vielä näkymättömästä. Useimmiten ajattelemme aineellisia asioita, joten uskon todellisuuden ymmärtäminen voi olla vaikeaa. On tärkeämpää ymmärtää mitä usko tekee, kuin mitä se on. Uskon kuvaaminen sauvana tai kilpenä sopii hyvin, kun tarkastelemme niiden ominaisuuksia uskon näkökulmasta. Esimerkiksi niin, että uskoon täytyy nojata elämänmatkalla (Mark. 6:8), tai että usko on puolustusvälineemme vihollisen hyökkäystä vastaan (Ef. 6:16). Huolimatta kyvystämme hahmottaa sitä, usko on hyvin todellinen ja voimallinen. Usko ei ole tiedon vastakohta. Pelastava usko ei kuitenkaan synny sen perusteella, mitä ihminen tietää. Usko tulee ainoastaan lahjana Jumalalta. Usko ei ole myöskään järjen vastakohta. Järki ei voi tuoda uskoa, mutta usko voi antaa järjelle suunnan ja merkityksen. Usko voi avata tai syventää ymmärrystä, kun löydämme itsemme käsittämättömiltä vaikuttavien tilanteiden ääreltä. Usko ohjaa ymmärrystä ja järkeä ja antaa perspektiivin sille, mitä tiedämme ja opimme. Nuorella ihmisellä täytyy olla toivo siitä, että se mitä hän tekee nyt elämällään, tuottaa tulosta tulevaisuudessa, vaikka tavoite tuntuu olevan hyvin kaukana. Ilman odotusta tulevasta palkkiosta on mahdotonta pysyä lujana. Jumalan lapsen tavoite on päästä taivaaseen. Olemme taivaskelpoisia ainoastaan uskon kautta. Usko ohjaa askeleemme matkallamme. Elämämme on siis uskon matka. Elävä usko on usko, joka elää sellaisen ihmisen sydämessä, jolla on Pyhä Henki oppaanaan elämässä. Se on lahja Jumalalta. Emme voi tehdä mitään itse säilyttääksemme uskon. Jumala osoittaa meille, että vain synti voi erottaa meidät Hänestä. Uskonkilvoituksemme on Jumalan työ meissä. Niin kauan kuin meillä on Jumalan antama usko, se vaikuttaa meissä halun taistella syntiä vastaan ja säilyttää hyvä omatunto. Kun kuulemme ja uskomme syntien anteeksiannon evankeliumin, Jumala suo meille rauhansa. Jonain päivänä uskoa ei enää tarvita. Sen, mitä emme ole täysin ymmärtäneet ajassa, näemme iankaikkisuudessa. Jumalan sana lupaa uskovaisille ikuisuuden, jossa vallitsee ainoastaan rauha ja ilo. Translation: Matthew Keranen

Arvin Pirness | The Voice of Zion August 2023 - News and Notes -- An estimated 8,300 guests gathered for Summer Services where the Monticello congregation hosted at the LLC property at Silver Springs. We thank the diligent work of the host congregation and the many volunteers who served so the service event could go so smoothly. I still find myself replaying those special moments in my mind – the peaceful and productive annual meeting, unity of faith and understanding at the speakers and board members meeting, meeting new people from North America and abroad, the large continent-wide choir of all ages filing in to sing during the 50-year commemorative celebration, the nostalgia of 50 years of work of our church while visiting the exhibit booth, on and on. Above all we thank the Heavenly Father whose blessings we experienced most abundantly. The motto, “Upon this rock I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18) was referred to in many sermons. Weary travelers were comforted and refreshed. LLC Board Meeting July 6 Visiting ministers Valde Palola, Matti Niemelä and Mauno Soronen from Finland and Timo Löppönen from Sweden attended the meeting and brought greetings from LLC’s sister organizations, SRK and SFC. Many comments expressed appreciation of the numerous occasions we have been able to connect in-person and virtually to discuss the work of our organizations in serving the believers and those seeking God’s kingdom. Board members reviewed planning updates for the current Summer Services and future Winter and Summer services. The 2024 Phoenix Winter Services will be held March 14–17. The motto for those services is “Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1). 2024 Summer Services will be in Kelso, Washington, July 4–7, 2024, hosted by the Longview congregation. The motto for those services is “I will be glad and rejoice in thee” (Psalms 9:2). LLC Annual Meeting July 7 LLC delegates reviewed and gave support for the proposed 2024 LLC Operating Plan and supported a dues increase of $4 per member per month. Delegates re-elected Carey Simonson, Dean Simonson (Northwest Area), Sam Roiko, Rick Nevala (East-Central) and Lauri Nevala (Southwest Area) to another three-year term on the LLC Board. Delegates will be prepared to give a detailed report to congregations when the meeting minutes have been finalized. This August, there are still many camps to attend and also opportunities to serve in the kitchens and as camp counselors. Whether your footsteps are taking you to a new school year or to spend another day of summer vacation, may they be blessed. We join with the prayer expressed in song 528, verse 7: Oh, pour on me Your gospel show’r; revive me by Your Spirit’s pow’r and by Your Word of pardon, that fruits of living faith would grow, and I would thrive on earth below, within Your summer garden. Updates on LLC Activities Mission Department The fall foreign mission trips resume in August, following the July hiatus for Summer Services. We continue to monitor travel and on-ground costs for the remainder of this year and as we plan for 2024. The LLC Ministers and Wives Camp will be at Stony Lake Camp September 22–24. Please enroll for this event if you will attend so we can adequately accommodate participants. Communications Department In July, 69 youth from three countries gathered along with an international staff at Hasscib Lake Camp. Language skills were practiced as friendships were formed in a beautiful camp setting. Following the camp, the Finnish language camp group traveled through Eastern Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota before returning to the Midwest for the final leg of their journey in North America. We thank the group of 56 travelers for their visit, and we thank the group leaders Marko Niskanen and Hannu Kinnunen for serving with God’s Word in the locations the group visited. At Summer Services, there was a fundraiser for the LLC’s Opisto Fund, which was established earlier this year to help offset opisto tuition costs for scholarship recipients. A small amount per recipient was already awarded for the 2023–24 opisto year, and we will disburse funds again next spring for the following opisto year. Please consider supporting this area of work! You can make a donation at https://www.llchurch.org/donate, where you can select Opisto Fund as the target of your gift. The LLC Opisto Scholarship Committee meets later this month to select opisto scholarship recipients for the 2024–25 opisto year. We are happy to note that there was wide interest in scholarships for that year; the committee will award 14 scholarships to some of the nearly 30 that applied. It’s not too early to consider applying next spring for opisto scholarships for the 2025–26 opisto year! If you are a high school junior, now is the time to begin pondering applying if you wish to go to opisto directly after high school. We welcome applications from any applicants ages 17–22. The Opisto Meet-and-Greet at Summer Services shows how important an opisto year is to many. It can have a lasting impact on the opisto student’s life and friendships. We will hold our second annual Content Creators Workshop at Stony Lake Camp the weekend of September 15–17. Sessions will be devoted to writing, visual arts, music composition and LLC services broadcast content planning. We had planned to record an album of congregational singing at Peace Garden Youth Days. Now that those Youth Days are canceled, we are making alternate plans to record an awaited new album of congregation singing this fall. We are planning a second LLC International Choir Camp for August 2024. This time the camp will be held in Reisjärvi, Finland. We will issue more information and details on this camp opportunity soon. Education At the time of this writing I am sitting in on a confirmation lesson on Creation at Stony Lake Confirmation 3, the last week of 2023 confirmation camps. Camp season continues to go well. 2023 camps have been well attended. Camp work is Gospel work and brings refreshment to the believers. Camp Boards for each area continue to look for additional ways to serve LLC membership. Facilities The site setup, the use of temporary and permanent structures served very well. All RV camp sites were reserved and used. We now see Summer Services in the rear-view mirror. An estimated 8300 people attended the services on Saturday. This festive time was met with an immense amount of joy in being reminded how good it is to dwell within the congregation of God.