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Showing posts from 2020

New Year's Eve Service, Discerning the Wills of God, 2021 Church Theme (Pastoral Emphasis for 12/27)

We praise God for Joselyne Cepeda who contacted us online to say that she trusted Christ as her personal Savior and is a candidate for baptism. Congrats to the following youth for participating in 6 of 10 Youth Bible Study Sessions from October to December.  Jadon Roberts (10 sessions)  David Acheampong (9 sessions)  Shaun Johnson, Jr (7 Sessions)  Celebrate bringing in the New Year by tuning into our New Year's Eve service where we'll have singing, testimonies, a brief sermon, and prayer. We are still putting together all the elements of the program so we'll announce this week when the broadcast will start exactly but it should not be before 11 pm ET.  Next Sunday, we will be celebrating the Lord's Supper for the first Sunday in 2021. So stop by the church this week during open hours to get your communion kits.  We often want to know the will of God but did you know that God has multiple wills? And how does our “free will” tie into God's will? Join us for a new

New Year's Eve Service, Be Safe during the Holidays, Merry Christmas (Pastoral Emphasis for 12/20)

There will be NO Bible Study for the next couple of weeks to allow everyone to spend time with family.  We'll kick off a new series in Romans on January 6. Join us for our Virtual New Year's Eve Service . And don't forget to submit your 2-minute video testimony for the service. We want to end the year praising God for what He has done in 2020 instead of just complaining about the year. Please be safe during the holidays . State health officials reached out to faith leaders in our community to let us know we are seeing an increase in the percent of positive tests and hospitalizations from COVID-19 as the virus continues to spread throughout our state. We must all do our part to stop the spread of this virus.  Remember that the traditions and gatherings that we hold dear provide an opportunity for the virus to spread. We know that gatherings can spread the virus rapidly. I’m sure you’ve heard of the many positive cases that have come from someone attending a small gathering

Virtual Prayer Rally, Newest Member, Last Outdoor Service (Pastoral Emphasis for 12/13)

Our next Virtual Prayer Rally is on Tuesday, December 15th, at 7:00 pm on WebEx . If you cannot attend, please submit your prayer request online .  I would like to welcome our newest member who has completed New Members Orientation and an elder interview: Bro. Jay Hagood  This is our last outdoor service for the year. We'll be switching back to our virtual-only service for the winter. In 2021, the elders and I will continue to evaluate each quarter regarding how we'll conduct our services.

Virtual Game Night, December Birthdays & Anniversaries (Pastoral Emphasis for 12/6)

Don't forget to register on Realm today for our first Virtual Game Night on Saturday, December 12th, at 6:00 pm. We will play Trivia (with a wide variety of categories). Happy Birthday to everyone celebrating a birthday in December! Happy Anniversaries to our December couples!

Thanksgiving, Virtual Game Night, Bible Study Resumes (Pastoral Emphasis for 11/29)

I hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving ! Even though we may not have been able to gather with family like we wanted or have all the fixings, we still have much to be thankful for! Join us for an evening of fun and games at our first Virtual Game Night on Saturday, December 12, at 6:00 pm. We will play Trivia (with a wide variety of categories). Please register on Realm by December 6 so we know how to prepare.  Don't forget that Bible Study resumes this Wednesday with the second half of Ephesians.

Virtual Game Night, Great Prayers Sermon Series, Happy Thanksgiving (Pastoral Emphasis for 11/22)

Today, Elder Bobby Dunn preached from Isaiah 26:1-4 on the topic " Whom Can We Trust Completely? ". He covered the root of complete trust in God... R -isk Of Trust: Count The Cost  O -bject Of Trust: Jesus  O -utcome Of Trust: Salvation  T -ype Of Trust: Forever Don't forget to join our new Community Bulletin Board group on Realm so you can share important events, accomplishments, prayer requests, photographs, testimonies, scripture, etc. with your church family.  Join us for an evening of fellowship and fun. We will pilot our first Virtual Game Night on Saturday, December 12th, at 6:00pm. We will kick off the night with some ice breakers, followed by a game of Trivia (there will be a wide variety of categories). Please register on Realm before December 6th so we know how to prepare.  As we close out this year with our church theme of " Being a House of Prayer ", our next sermon series will be called Great Prayers . We'll examine a few of the great p

Sentenced to Life, How should Christians respond after the Election (Pastoral Emphasis for 11/8)

Minister Lydia Amekuedi brought the message today from Genesis 3 entitled "Sentenced to Life...".  The serpent was sentenced to life on the ground. The woman was sentenced to life with painful childbearing. The man was sentenced to life with painful work and toil. But God promised that the seed of the woman would prevail over the seed of the serpent. We will all be sentenced to life. Either we will be sentenced to life in eternal torment and pain, separated from the loving presence of God. Or we will be sentenced to life in eternal joy and happiness in the loving presence of God. What shall we do as Christians when the election is over. Let us not demonize those with who we disagree but show love and honor . If your candidate won, I caution you not to put too much hope in the outcome of the election. And I remind you to show compassion to those struggling with fear over their loss. If your candidate lost, I remind you to not be deflated and give in to fear but trust that

What Christians Believe About Their Mission, November Birthdays & Anniversaries (Pastoral Emphasis for 11/1)

Today, we concluded our Christianity 101 series with a message on what Christians believe about their mission from Matt. 28:18-20 .  Since Jesus has the authority to command us, He tells us to go and make disciples. Jesus is NOT making a suggestion. This is the Great Commission , not the Great Suggestion .  Making disciples includes two components: evangelism and discipling . Evangelism is sharing the Gospel with the aim to persuade. Discipling is helping believers in their spiritual walk to be more like Jesus. It's an intentional relationship in which we invest in the lives of other believers to encourage, equip, and challenge one another to grow towards maturity in Christ. We have everything we need to obey Jesus and make disciples because Jesus is with us. So even when you and I fail at evangelism and discipling, Jesus is still there! Aren't you glad about that? He forgives and restores. Let us repent and get started again. Happy Birthday to all the November babies. Happy

Theological Seminar: American Gospel, Church Family Meeting (Pastoral Emphasis for 10/25)

Join us for our unique Theological Seminar. On Friday, 10/30 at 7pm, we're going to watch the film American Gospel outdoors. The American Gospel film examines how the prosperity gospel (the Word of Faith movement) has distorted the gospel message. Then on Saturday, 10/31, we'll have our virtual Theological Seminar at 9am to discuss the message and content of the film. The entire event is free but please register so we know how to prepare accordingly. (email subscribers: click here if you can't see the video) Don’t forget that we're having our last Church Family Meeting for the year today at 12 noon. We have a couple of cool announcements to make so all members are asked to attend. All members should have the special WebEx link for the meeting.

Prayer Rally with Trinity Park, Theological Seminar, Celebrating 155 Years (Pastoral Emphasis for 10/18)

Join us for a special Prayer Rally on Tuesday from 7 to 8 pm where we'll be joined by Trinity Park Church . Let's come together as two churches to pray to our Heavenly Father. Mark your calendars for a unique Theological Seminar . On Friday, 10/30 at 7 pm, we're going to watch the film American Gospel outdoors. The American Gospel film examines how the prosperity gospel (the Word of Faith movement) has distorted the gospel message. Then on Saturday, 10/31, we'll have our virtual Theological Seminar at 9 am to discuss the message and content of the film. Next Sunday, we'll be having our Church Family Meeting after the service. More details to come this week on how we'll do our meeting. Today is the day for our Virtual 155th Church Celebration . Tune in to Zion Live (or other streaming platforms) at 4 pm ET to watch the celebration. After it's over, jump on our WebEx for a special message from our Cary PD and a time of fellowship and reflections.

My Hope Message, Judgment but Hope, Virtual 155 Celebration (Pastoral Emphasis for 10/11)

We were supposed to have our first outdoor service today, but due to the rain, we weren't able to have it. Lord willing, we'll plan for our outdoor service next Sunday. Today was our My Hope Sunday . We invited people (unbelievers, unchurched) to tune into our service to hear a message about What Christians Believe About Salvation . We believe that people are dead in their trespasses and sins but God makes us alive through Jesus Christ. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Last week, we kicked off a new Bible Study series in Joel & Obadiah called Judgment but Hope . I definitely want you to join us this Wednesday as we'll be addressing these two statements from the State of Theology survey : God chose the people he would save before he created the world.  The Holy Spirit gives a spiritual new birth or new life before a person has faith in Jesus Christ. Our Virtual 155th Church Celebration will be next Sunday at 4pm ET on Zion Live . Mark yo

Outdoor Services, My Hope Sunday, Conversations with the Next Generation (Pastoral Emphasis for 10/4)

Starting 10/11, we'll start having outdoor services in addition to having our service online. We'll be meeting in front of the building in the parking lot.  You can bring your own lawn chairs but we'll provide seating that honors physical distancing. Even though we'll be outside, please bring your masks or face coverings in case you get closer than 6 feet to others outside of your family. We will also have disposable masks for those who need one. The church building will be closed except for use of the restrooms. Masks are recommended when going inside. I'm looking forward to seeing those of you who feel comfortable with coming out. If you're still not comfortable, no judgment, please continue to watch online. Next Sunday is also My Hope Sunday . We want every member to invite at least one unbeliever or unchurched person to join us for that service. This week, please follow up with those you invited. Continue to submit the names of those you are inviting so we

Christianity 101, 155th Celebration Trailer, Outdoor Services (Pastoral Emphasis for 9/27)

Next Sunday, we're starting a new series called Christianity 101 where we're going to review some of the basic beliefs that Christians have or should have. This will be great series to invite others especially those who have questions about Christianity.  This year, Mt. Zion is celebrating 155 years . Check out this trailer for our upcoming celebration. The virtual celebration will take place Sunday, 10/18 at 4pm on Zion Live , Facebook , YouTube , and Periscope .  My Hope Sunday is October 11th. We want every member to invite at least one unbeliever or unchurched person to join us for that service. Start praying for those you plan to invite. I'll be sending out a digital invitation that you can use to invite and share. Starting October 11th, we will start having service outdoors. Here are some details regarding the service: We'll have service at the front of the building in the parking lot. We'll provide seating at honors physical distancing but you can bring yo

State of Theology Survey, Looking for Teachers, My Hope Sunday (Pastoral Emphasis for 9/20)

Thanks to all of you who have taken the State of Theology survey.  About 70 people have responded. I would love to get at least 100 responses. If you're a member of Mt. Zion, please take the survey . Do you have the spiritual gift of teaching ? Our Christian Education ministry is looking for those who will join the Christian Education Teachers Team for 2021. New teachers will be assigned a mentor to help them grow in their gift over the next year and members can also choose to co-teach. Mark your calendars for My Hope Sunday on October 11. We want every member to invite at least one unbeliever or unchurched person to join us for that service. Pray about who you will be inviting. We'll have a digital invitation available next week. Don't forget we're having Worship @ the Z right after the service. So go jump on our WebEx for a time of fellowship, music, and prayer.

New Member Announcement, Worship at the Z, My Hope Sunday (Pastoral Emphasis for 9/13)

After completing the New Member's Orientation class, we welcome Sis. Janae Branch and her daughter Logan. If you've not heard about it yet, we've started an after-service time of worship and fellowship called Worship @ the Z . Right after we conclude here on Zion Live , go jump on our WebEx for a time to talk, fellowship, listen to music, and pray. It will last about an hour but even if you can only stay for a few minutes, it's a good way for us to maintain our fellowship since we're not seeing one another during church service. Mt. Zion members, please don't forget to take the State of Theology survey I sent out last week. Fifty people have responded. Given the size of our church, I would love to get many more responses that would be helpful for me in preparation for my next sermon series in October. Yes, we will be having My Hope Sunday on October 11. Again, we want every member to invite at least one unbeliever or unchurched person to join us for that servi

Sought After, September Birthdays & Anniversaries, Happy Labor Day (Pastoral Emphasis for 9/6)

We are very glad to have Minister Kevin Coppage back from his sabbatical. He preached today on Ecclesiastes 2 on the topic "Sought After".  He challenged us to examine what we are seeking after.  Because everything that we seek after is vanity without God.  We all have a void that we try to fill but only God will fill it.  Minister Coppage also shared his testimony as part of the sermon. You can download the Home Study Guide to review and apply the sermon. It's the first Sunday of the month, so we recognized our members who are celebrating birthdays and anniversaries. I hope everyone has a good Labor Day tomorrow.  Be safe and enjoy the time off from work if you have it.

Praying the Psalms Conclusion, Book Recommendations, New Bible Study Series (Pastoral Emphasis for 8/30)

Today, we concluded our series,  Praying the Psalms.  I hope everyone has enjoyed it. If you will pray the psalms, you will find that your prayers will be more God-centered, you will pray about things that you would not normally pray about, you will pray about things that you normally pray about but in new ways, and you will never run out of things to say. I want to recommend a couple of books to you that were very helpful to me during this series:  Praying the Bible by Donald S. Whitney  Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament by Mark Vroegop  We're starting a new Virtual Bible Study series, A Call to Repentance , on the book of Micah, on Wednesday, September 2nd, at 7:00pm. Everyone is invited to join us.

Prayer Rally, Preaching at Rooted Church, Back to School Prayer (Pastoral Emphasis for 8/16)

Our next Virtual Church-Wide Prayer Rally is 8/18 from 7 to 8pm. Make a  plan to join us so we can pray together as a House of Prayer . Next Sunday is our Youth Sunday. Also, I'll be preaching at Rooted  Church at their 10:30 am service which is being held outdoors at the Apex Community Park . School is starting on Monday (some have already started). We pray at the beginning of every school year but this year it is especially important. This start of the school year has parents trying to decide what is best for their children and family...do they do online virtual academy or let their kids go to school in person? Some parents may not want to send their children but they may not have any other options because they have to work.  This is why we should be praying for wisdom...for the parents, caregivers, children, school teachers, and staff. Here's my Back to School Prayer ... Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches

Praying Imprecatory Psalms, Church-wide Prayer Rally (Pastoral Emphasis for 8/9)

Today, we tackled the hard topic of how to pray imprecatory psalms .  My message was on Psalm 109 . An imprecation is a curse that invokes destruction or mishap upon one's enemies. The author of imprecatory psalms calls down calamity and God's anger and judgment on his enemies. One thing we must understand is that imprecatory psalms are not written to be vindictive or for personal vengeance. But they are prayers for God's justice. So as New Covenant believers, we SHOULD NOT pray imprecations against specific people (no matter how tempting it is). We are not to call down curses for our own personal vendettas. Rather, we can pray these types of psalms against our spiritual enemies such as Satan, our sinful nature, world systems of corruption and oppression, and God's enemies. Download the Home Study Guide for today's sermon to discuss and apply the sermon. Our next time church-wide prayer rally is 8/18 from 7 to 8pm on WebEx . Make a plan to join us so we can pray

August's Prayer Topic, A Psalm of Lament, Baby Announcement (Pastoral Emphasis for 8/2)

With our theme of Being a House of Prayer, we're having a pastoral prayer every Sunday. We'll have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. August's prayer topic is Suffering (physical, mental, depression). Today, Elder Wayne Bullock read Job 1:6-12  and led us in prayer regarding suffering. I resumed our series, Praying the Psalms , with a sermon called "A Psalm of Lament" based on Psalm 77 . You can download the Home Study Guide for today's sermon.  Congratulations to Donnell & Jenae Fordham on their birth of their son Weston Alexander . He was born on July 19th weighing 7 lbs, 7 oz.

Mt. Zion Update 7/26/20

Mt. Zion Family , Due to the extension of phase 2, the rising of COVID-19 cases, and children returning back to school next month, we have decided that we will postpone in-church gathering until the 4th quarter . We will reevaluate before October, the start of the 4th quarter. We may decide to start having outdoor service first if possible since the weather should not be as hot. Your servants in Christ , Pastor Willie Harris Elder Wayne Bullock Elder Sean Cherry Elder Bobby Dunn

Youth Sunday, Submit Family Photo, Church Reopening Update (Pastoral Emphasis for 7/26)

Today was our Youth Sunday and Sis. Tracy Dunn delivered a message on the Parable of the Prodigal Son entitled " 3 People. 2 Problems. 1 Promise. " Don't forget to submit your family photo for our  Virtual 155th Church Anniversary Celebration by 5pm on Friday, 7/31. Thanks to all the members who attended our Church Family Meeting today.  We gave an update on our church reopening plans . Due to the extension of phase 2, the rising of COVID-19 cases, and children returning back to school next month, we have decided that we will postpone in-church gathering until the 4th quarter. We will reevaluate before October, the start of the 4th quarter. We may decide to start having outdoor service first if possible since the weather should not be as hot.

A Psalm of Thanksgiving, Prayer Rally, Church Family Meeting (Pastoral Emphasis for 7/19)

We continue in our new series, Praying the Psalms, with "A Psalm of Thanksgiving" based on Psalm 136 . Download the Home Study Guide and Youth Personal Quiet Time to review and apply the sermon.  Praise is to admire or glorify God for who He is (His attributes) while thanksgiving often centers on thanking and showing gratitude to God for what He has done. Yet, praise and thanksgiving are so closely related and interconnected that it's hard to do one without the other. The one who praises God thanks Him too! Our next Church-Wide Prayer Rally is Tuesday, July 21st, at 7:00pm on WebEx . Let's come together and pray. If you can't attend, you can submit your prayer requests online. Next Sunday, we'll take a break from our series to have our Youth Sunday. Following the service, we'll have our Church Family Meeting via WebEx at 11:30 am. We will provide an update on our reopening plans as well as do a Board of Directors election. You'll receive a special We

A Psalm of Praise, New Member, Unity Prayer Rally (Pastoral Emphasis for 7/12)

Today, we started our new series, Praying the Psalms , with "A Psalm of Praise" based on Psalm 8 . Download the Home Study Guide and Youth Personal Quiet Time to review and apply the sermon. We want to recognize our newest member who has completed New Members Orientation: Sis. Ruby Franklin Mark your calendars: My prayer group (Pastors Praying Together) is putting together a Unity Prayer Rally on Saturday, 8/1 at 9 am. It will be outside at Ambassador Presbyterian Church in Apex. More details to come.

Pastoral Prayer for Wisdom & Discernment, 155th Church Anniversary, Praying the Psalms (Pastoral Emphasis for 7/5)

With our theme of Being a House of Prayer , we're having a pastoral prayer every Sunday. We'll have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. July's prayer topic is Wisdom & Discernment . Today, Elder Sean Cherry read Proverbs 2:6-10 and led us in prayer for wisdom. Mt. Zion is currently in the process of producing a virtual production to commemorate our church’s 155th Anniversary . We would like to add some member photos to the video. If you would like to have your family included, please email the best photo of you if you're single or a group photo of your family to specialevents AT mtzioncary.org. Photos will be accepted until 5:00 pm on July 31st. If you're like me, you may struggle at times with prayer. A lot of our struggle with prayer is because we get bored with praying the same way over and over. Next Sunday, we're starting a new series called Praying the Psalms . We're going to dig into the different types of Psalms and learn

Prayer for National Revival, Congrats to 2020 Grads, JA Lewis Scholarship Winner (Pastoral Emphasis for 6/28)

With our theme of Being a House of Prayer , we're having a pastoral prayer every Sunday. We'll have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. June's prayer topic is Revival . Today, I read  Jeremiah 18:7-11 and prayed for national revival . Here's a part of my prayer... Lord, grant us national repentance. Send Your Holy Spirit to bring repentance and saving faith to the lost. Help us to return to You by turning from our evil ways and doing what is right. You said, “Righteousness is what exalts a nation”. Lord, send a revival of righteousness. Turn the hearts of our local and national leaders to do Your will. Give us leaders who will do what is right for the people. Give us court systems that administer justice equally and fairly. May we create laws that better reflect Your law and Your character. May we acknowledge You in all spheres of our society. Lord, send a revival to our nation... Today was our Youth Sunday. Graduating senior Olivia Sallis delive

Prayer for Church Revival, Happy Father's Day (Pastoral Emphasis for 6/21)

With our theme of  Being a House of Prayer,  we're having a pastoral prayer every Sunday. We'll have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. June's prayer topic is  Revival . Today, I read 2 Timothy 4:1-5 and prayed for church revival. Here's a small portion of my prayer... Father, send a revival of Biblical preaching and sound doctrine! Give us godly men and women who will preach Your Word in season and out of season and not compromise to the prevailing culture. Father, send a revival of unity! Give us churches that are not divided along racial and denominational lines. But help us be unified on the truth. Help churches whether they are white, black, hispanic, or asian to fellowship and work together because we have one faith, one Lord, and one baptism. Father, send a revival of evangelism and discipleship! Restore the passion to take the Good News of the Gospel out of the church and into the highways and byways. Give us churches who are serious abou

Prayer for Family Revival, Home Study Guide, Virtual Prayer Rally (Pastoral Emphasis for 6/14)

With our theme of  Being a House of Prayer,  we're having a pastoral prayer every Sunday. We'll have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. June's prayer topic is  Revival . Today, I read  Joshua 24:14-15 and Malachi 4:5-6  and prayed for family revival. Here's a small portion of my prayer... There is so much brokenness and dysfunction in families today. Father, please send a revival to the families. Please restore families that are broken. Please turn the hearts of fathers back to their children and the hearts of children back to their fathers! Lord, help families to break sinful patterns that have been learned and passed down through generations. May your grace, mercy, and righteousness be passed down for generations to come. We have a Home Study Guide available to download for today's sermon. So whether you're single, have a roommate, or a family, sit down with the guide to review and apply the sermon. Our next Church-Wide Prayer Rally wi

June's Prayer Topic, Baby Announcement, Home Study Guide (Pastoral Emphasis for 6/7)

With our theme of Being a House of Prayer, we're having a pastoral prayer every Sunday. We'll have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. June's prayer topic is Revival . Today, I read Psalm 85 and led us in prayer for personal revival. Congratulations to Minister Ulysses and Deaconess Junève Toche on the birth of their daughter, Jade Arièle Toche. Baby Jade was born 7 lbs 6 ounces on May 31. We praise God for this wonderful new addition to their family.   We have a Home Study Guide available to download for today's sermon on James 5:7-12 . So whether you're single, have a roommate, or a family, sit down with the guide to review and apply the sermon.

Sermon Infographic, Mental Health Awareness, Communion (Pastoral Emphasis for 5/31)

Minister Brandi Hancock delivered the Word today. She preached on the topic "The Heart of the Matter" from Ezekiel 36:26-28 .  Infographic for today's sermon: On this last Sunday in May, I want to acknowledge that May is Mental Health Awareness month. Depression and other mental health issues are a form of suffering. The  Bible talks a lot about suffering. Without Scripture, we might think  that suffering is random and useless. Christians can struggle with mental health issues (anxiety,  depression, bi-polar, etc.) and yet have the joy of the Lord. It's not morally wrong to seek counseling, therapy, or take  medication. Just make sure that your ultimate hope is in Christ. If you struggle with mental health issues, you can fight for joy by  spending time with God-saturated people who help you to see God and fight the good fight. Thank you all for your generous donations to our food drive to help  students and famil

Youth Sunday, Reopening the Church, Happy Memorial Day (Pastoral Emphasis for 5/24)

Today, we resumed our Youth Sunday. Sis. Tikayla Downing delivered a message, "Are You Wheat or a Weed?" based on the parable of the weeds .  We're currently doing a food drive to help students and families impacted by the Pandemic. The food drive will run through May 30. Please drop off non-perishable food items at the church during the drop-off times: M, W 6-7pm; Sat. 10am-12pm Here's a quick update on the reopening of the church building .  The elders & I will be meeting this week to start developing our  reopening plan.  We do not anticipate that we'll be gathering inside the building  until NC hits phase 3 which may be in late summer or fall.  Please pray that God would give us wisdom. I'm r eminded of the Samaritan woman who asked Jesus about whether  they were to worship God on the mountain or in Jerusalem . Jesus responded that the hour is coming when it will be neither the mou

Youth Service Returns, Virtual Prayer Rally, Food Drive (Pastoral Emphasis for 5/17)

With our theme of Being a House of Prayer , we're having a pastoral prayer every Sunday. We'll have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. May's prayer topic is Discipleship (our walk with Jesus and making disciples). Today, Elder Bobby Dunn read  1 Corinthians 3:5-15  and led us in prayer for people who are God’s fellow workers. We're going to take a break from James for the next couple of weeks. Lord willing, we'll finish up James in June. Next Sunday, we're back to having our 4th Sunday Youth Service. If you attended yesterday's Theological Seminar on " Dating Backwards ", you know it was incredible! If you missed it, I encourage you to watch it here . Our next Virtual Prayer Rally will be on Tuesday, May 19th, at 7:00pm on WebEx . If you cannot attend, please submit your prayer request online . We're currently doing a food drive to help students and families impacted by the pandemic. The drive will run through May 30. P

Happy Mother's Day, Dating Backwards, Food Drive (Pastoral Emphasis for 5/10)

With our theme of Being a House of Prayer, we're having a pastoral prayer every Sunday. We'll have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. May's prayer topic is Discipleship (our walk with Jesus and making disciples). Today, Elder Bobby Dunn read Galatians 3:1-5 and 1 Cor 12:1-11 and led us in prayerful dependence on the Spirit of God . Happy Mother's Day to all the moms and spiritual moms. We thank God for you. But we should also recognize that today can be hard for those who have lost their mothers, those moms who have lost children, and those who desire to be moms but it has not happened.  May God comfort and strengthen you on what can be a difficult day.  Also, I want to remind all women that your identity is not found in motherhood but in Jesus Christ. Being a mother is not what gives you worth. Being a "super-mom" is not what gives you worth. It's having a relationship with Jesus that brings worth. Join us for our upcomin

May's Prayer Topic of Discipleship, Children's Church Lessons, Census (Pastoral Emphasis for 5/3)

With our theme of Being a House of Prayer, we're having a pastoral prayer every Sunday. We'll have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. May's prayer topic is Discipleship (our walk with Jesus and making disciples). Today, Elder Bobby Dunn read John 8:31-32 and 1 Peter 1:22- 2:3 and led us in prayer for the proclamation of the Word of God. We have a Home Study Guide available for today's sermon . So whether you're single, have a roommate, or a family, sit down with guide to review and apply the sermon. Parents, our Children's Church teachers are starting to provide lessons and content that you can share with your kids. I would like to encourage everyone to complete the Census. NC, in particular, has a very low return rate. If you've already filled it out, encourage others to do so. If you need help, reach out to us. We have a team that would love to assist you.

Fear Not, Church Family Meeting, Make Disciples When You Can't "Go" (Pastoral Emphasis for 4/26)

With our theme of Being a House of Prayer, we're going to have a pastoral prayer every Sunday. We'll have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. April's prayer topic is "the lost". Today, Elder Wayne Bullock read Psalm 146 and led us in prayer for the lost especially those who might be deceived into thinking they are saved. Minister Matt Darby brought a powerful word today on the topic "Fear Not In Times of Trouble" from Isaiah 41:10,13-14 . Next Sunday, we're back in the book of James for our series The Gospel & Works . We had our church family meeting today.  Please be in prayer for the following people who are experiencing bereavement: Sis. Minnie Liverman lost her brother recently due to COVID-19. He was the uncle of Sis. Betty Liverman, Theresa Vinson, and Debra Liverman.  Sis. Peggy Credle lost a first cousin (not related to COVID-19).  Former member, Bro. Cleveland Rich passed away (not related to COVID-1

Church Family Meeting, Come Through Jesus & Increase My Faith (Pastoral Emphasis for 4/19)

With our theme of Being a House of Prayer, we're going to have a pastoral prayer every Sunday. We'll have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. April's prayer topic is "the lost". Today, Elder Wayne Bullock read Acts 2:42-47 and led us in prayer for the lost in our city, Cary, our region, Raleigh-Durham, and our state, North Carolina. Next Sunday, we will have our church family meeting for members after our service at 11:30 am. We will give you an update on the first quarter as well as how we want to continue moving forward while we're in this pandemic. The meeting will be on WebEx. We'll be sending out information this week on how to connect to the video conference. Today, Evangelist Tayon Dancy brought us a sermon from Luke 24:13-35  entitled "Come Through Jesus and Increase My Faith" .  Just as the two men who were on the road to Emmaus did not recognize Jesus, we often cannot see God when we're suffering. But

The Peace of the Resurrection, Praying for the Lost in America (Pastoral Emphasis for 4/12)

It's Easter!  Most of us are disappointed that we cannot physically gather at the church to celebrate Easter this year.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all self-quarantining at home. Many people are anxious, afraid, and confused because they don't know what tomorrow will bring. But we're not the first people to experience this.  On the first Easter Sunday, the disciples were self-quarantining at home.  They locked themselves inside a house.  They were afraid of the Jews and confused about the future.  But Jesus showed up miraculously after having risen from the dead!  Jesus spoke peace to them as He continues to do so to us. The risen Christ should give us peace.  Since Jesus defeated death, those of us who know Him have no reason to fear.  Death is our greatest enemy.  But Jesus defeated death by rising from the dead. Don't miss the fact that the news of the resurrection was first celebrated in a house, not a church building!  So we can rejoice right in our h

April's Prayer Topic, Resurrection Weekend, Covid-19 Resources (Pastoral Emphasis for 4/5)

With our theme of Being a House of Prayer, we're going to have a pastoral prayer every Sunday. We'll have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. April's prayer topic is "the lost". Today, Elder Wayne Bullock read Psalm 23 and led us in prayer for the lost. I've provided a home group study guide that you can use individually or with your family to review and discuss today's sermon. If you don't have the study guide, you can download it here . On Friday, we'll have a Good Friday service at 6:30pm on Zion Live where we will remember the death of our Lord and Savior and then on Sunday, we'll celebrate the Resurrection at our Sunrise Easter service at 7 am. We also celebrate the Lord's Supper. We're asking members to stop by the church to pick up communion kits on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-7 pm and Saturdays from 10 am - 12 pm. As an alternative, you can use bread like tortilla and wine or grape juice. As

Home Group Study Guide, Pick Up Communion Kits, This Week's Fast (Pastoral Emphasis for 3/29)

With our theme of Being a House of Prayer, we're going to have a pastoral prayer every Sunday. We'll have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. March's prayer topic is "Repentance & Personal Holiness". Today, Elder Sean Cherry read Psalm 119:1-8 and led us in a prayer of repentance and obedience to God's statues. I've provided a home group study guide that you can use individually or with your family to review and discuss today's sermon. If you don't have the study guide, you can download it here . All members should make sure that they are registered in our church management software, Realm . We are also anticipating that we'll have our Sunrise Easter service online. But instead of starting at 6 am, we'll start at 7 am ET. And we will still celebrate the Lord's Supper on Easter. We're asking members to stop by the church to pick up communion kits on Mondays and Wednesdays, 6-7 pm and Saturdays 10 am -

Mt. Zion Update 3/24/20

Mt. Zion Family, Our prayer is that you all are doing well spiritually, physically, and emotionally as we shelter in place during this pandemic.  In light of our governor closing all schools until May 15 and the continued direction of our health officials, we are going to extend the cancellation of in-church gatherings and activities past the initial 15 days that we announced on 3/16 .  So for the near future, we'll continue to have Bible Study and Prayer Rallies on WebEx and our Sunday services on Zion Live and Facebook Live until we hear that it's clear for us to start gathering again. Please continue to give your tithes, offering, and love offering.  As usual, you can do online giving via PayPal.  You can also mail your giving to the church or drop it off at the church this week during our food donation drop-off times.  And we have added a new online giving option: Cash App! Mt. Zion's Cashtag is $mtzioncary. To give via Cash App : Open the Cash App  E

Prayer for Personal Holiness, Home Group Study Guide, Food Donations (Pastoral Emphasis for 3/22)

With our theme of Being a House of Prayer, we're going to have a pastoral prayer every Sunday. We'll have a different topic to pray for each month led by an elder. March's prayer topic is "Repentance & Personal Holiness". Today, Elder Sean Cherry read 1 Peter 1:13-16 and led us in praying for personal holiness. I've provided a home group study guide that you can use individually or with your family to review and discuss today's sermon. If you don't have the study guide, you can download it here . With us being confined to our homes, now is a good time for all of our members to make sure that you are registered in our church management software, Realm .  If you need help, please reach out to us at church. Thanks to everyone who has donated food to help families at West Cary Middle School that are affected by the closing of schools. So far, we've been able to help five families (with 5-6 members each). We'll continue to take food do