Peace can sometimes seem so elusive that we are afraid to ever assert that we have some of it. I will take this space this month to say thanks for peace in a variety of areas that we are enjoying as church members and citizens of the United States. I am thankful to be in a church that seeks and promotes peace in so many ways. Thanks be to God for:

· Faithful believers who have shown those left behind how to die with dignity and confidence in the One Who holds forever in His hands.

· Persistent believers who love on your pastor and his wife and give us courage to fight and stay strong through each new treatment and each new day.

· Generous believers who allow MTZ to move forward in ministry and rejoice when things come together like our plumbing project which will be fully paid through generous donations from the MTZ family already given. · Welcoming believers who welcome new people who come to join us for worship, mission projects, fun activities and more. I’m happy to see the peace of our congregation spreading to new households. I am also thankful to have some peace in the world through the leadership of the United States of America. As always there are concerns people have about leadership and the direction of the country. For now, however, I am thankful for glimmers of real hope for lasting peace in the Middle East as a result of their courageous leadership on the world stage. Jesus says “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.” The word for peacemaker that Jesus uses implies active peace making. Again, I am thankful for active peacemakers I see and those I read about every day. In the Message version, Matthew 5:9 reads “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of competing or fighting. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.”

May we continue to seek the ways of peace so all can find their place in the family of God.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Jim Simonds,

Mt. Zion UCC

336-682-9649

pastorszion@gmail.com