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Holy Trinity Sunday

Kurt Christenson

Sunday, June 15, 2025

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HOLY TRINITY SUNDAY

June 15, 2025

10:00 a.m.

PRELUDE

Come Join the Dance of Trinity KINGSFOLD arr. James Kasen

Holy God, We Praise Your Name arr. Diane Bish

The text of “Come Join the Dance of Trinity” was written by Richard Leach for Trinity Church on the Green in New Haven, Connecticut for their church’s 250th anniversary hymn search in 2002 and was the winning entry. Since then, it has appeared in a number of hymnals, most often paired with the tune Kingsfold. The final verse starts with “Within the dance.” We have moved past being invited to the dance, we are now within it. The interweaving nature of the dance of the Trinity including us, making this hymn as very active one, and more than the words on the page. It’s a lovely hymn to remember at any time, but especially around Trinity Sunday, to remember that we are part of the divine, as much as they are a part of us. Richard Leach holds a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary (1978). He was first inspired to write hymn texts during a course at Yale Divinity School in 1987, an inspiration that has led to the composition of more than two hundred texts.

Within the dance of Trinity | Before all worlds begun

We sing the praises of the Three | The Father, Spirit, Son

Let voices rise and interweave | By love and hope set free

To shape in song this joy, this life | The dance of Trinity

“Holy God, We Praise Thy Name” was first published in 1774, written by Ignaz Franz (1719-1790), a German

Catholic priest, primarily remembered for his important eighteenth century study of Catholic hymnody. This

particular hymn is based upon the text of the 4th century Latin hymn, Te Deum. Some have said that the early

hymn was spontaneously created and sung by Ambrose at the baptism of Augustine! It is currently credited

however, to Nicetas of Remesiana, a bishop of the 4th century. Te Deum was also translated by Martin Luther

in his hymn, “Herr Gott, Dich Loben Wir” or “Lord God We Praise You” published in 1529.

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS

CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Baptized into Christ, let us confess our sin. Merciful God, you free us to love others,

but we neglect our neighbors and follow our own way.

You lead us by the Spirit of joy and peace,

but we turn away from the abundant life you offer.

You surround us with patience, kindness, and generosity,

but we grow weary in doing what is right.

In your mercy, forgive us.

Do not give up on us.

Heal us, break our bonds,

and show us the path of life. Amen.

You belong to Christ Jesus and you are God’s children through faith. In the

cross of Christ, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, your sins are forgiven.

Clothed with Christ, you are a new creation.

Amen.

GATHERING HYMN Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!

GREETING

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy

Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Almighty Creator and ever-living God: we worship your glory, eternal Three-in-One, and we praise your power, majestic One-in-Three. Keep us steadfast in this faith, defend us in all adversity, and bring us at last into your presence, where you live in endless joy and love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

FIRST READING: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31

In the Bible, wisdom is portrayed in terms sometimes human and sometimes divine. Often, wisdom is personified as feminine. In this passage, Woman Wisdom is depicted not only as the first creation of God, but also as God’s helper, rejoicing in God’s creation, especially in human beings.

1 Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice?

2 On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand;

3 beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries out:

4 “To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all that live.

22 The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago.

23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.

24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,

when there were no springs abounding with water.

25 Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth—

26 when he had not yet made earth and fields, or the world’s first bits of soil.

27 When he established the heavens, I was there,

when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,

28 when he made firm the skies above,

when he established the fountains of the deep,

29 when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his

command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,

30 then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight,

rejoicing before him always,

31 rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race.”

Word of God. Word of Life. Thanks be to God.

ATHANASIAN CREED

On Trinity Sunday the Athanasian Creed may take the place of the Psalm

Whoever wants to be saved should above all cling to the catholic faith.

Whoever does not guard it whole and inviolable will doubtless perish eternally.

Now this is the catholic faith: We worship one God in trinity and the Trinity in unity,

neither confusing the persons nor dividing the divine being.

For the Father is one person, the Son is another, and the Spirit is still another.

But the deity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, equal in glory,

coeternal in majesty.

What the Father is, the Son is, and so is the Holy Spirit. Uncreated is the Father;

uncreated is the Son; uncreated is the Spirit.

The Father is infinite; the Son is infinite; the Holy Spirit is infinite.

Eternal is the Father; eternal is the Son; eternal is the Spirit:

And yet there are not three eternal beings, but one who is eternal; as there are not three

uncreated and unlimited beings, but one who is uncreated and unlimited.

Almighty is the Father; almighty is the Son; almighty is the Spirit:

And yet there are not three almighty beings, but one who is almighty.

Thus the Father is God; the Son is God; the Holy Spirit is God:

And yet there are not three gods, but one God. Thus the Father is Lord; the Son is Lord;

the Holy Spirit is Lord: And yet there are not three lords, but one Lord.

As Christian truth compels us to acknowledge each distinct person as God and Lord,

so catholic religion forbids us to say that there are three gods or lords.

The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten; the Son was neither made nor

created, but was alone begotten of the Father; the Spirit was neither made nor created,

but is proceeding from the Father and the Son. Thus there is one Father, not three fathers;

one Son, not three sons; one Holy Spirit, not three spirits.

And in this Trinity, no one is before or after, greater or less than the other;

but all three persons are in themselves, coeternal and coequal; and so we must worship

the Trinity in unity and the one God in three persons.

Whoever wants to be saved should think thus about the Trinity. It is necessary for eternal

salvation that one also faithfully believe that our Lord Jesus became flesh.

For this is the true faith that we believe and confess: That our Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son, is both God and man. He is God, begotten before all worlds from the being of the Father, and he is man, born in the world from the being of his mother—

existing fully as God, and fully as man with a rational soul and a human body;

equal to the Father in divinity, subordinate to the Father in humanity.

Although he is God and man, he is not divided, but is one Christ.

He is united because God has taken humanity into himself;

he does not transform deity into humanity.

He is completely one in the unity of his person, without confusing his natures.

For as the rational soul and body are one person, so the one Christ is God and man.

He suffered death for our salvation.

He descended into hell and rose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again

to judge the living and the dead.

At his coming all people shall rise bodily to give an account of their own deeds.

Those who have done good will enter eternal life, those who have done evil will enter

eternal fire.

This is the catholic faith. One cannot be saved without believing this firmly and faithfully.

From sundaysandseasons.com.

SECOND READING: Romans 5:1-5

Paul describes the life of faith with reference to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Even now, we have peace with God through Jesus, and our hope for the future is grounded in the love of God that we experience through Christ’s Holy Spirit.

1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Word of God. Word of Life. Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Holy, holy, holy is the | Lord of hosts;* God’s glory fills | the whole earth. (Isa.6:3)

GOSPEL READING: John 16:12-15 Glory to you, O God

Jesus’ ongoing presence with the disciples will be made known through the coming Spirit who will guide them and communicate to them Jesus’ will and glory.

Jesus said, 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON Pastor Kurt Christenson

HYMN OF THE DAY Come, Thou Almighty King

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

*after each petition:

God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

THE NICENE CREED

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father;

through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,

was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary

and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures;

he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

EXCHANGE OF PEACE

The Peace of Christ be with you always.

And also with you.

OFFERING

Give online using the QR code to the right

Music Great is Thy Faithfulness

To all the Fathers out there who are celebrated and also those in our memory today…Engel

OFFERING PRAYER

Let us pray…God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures forever. You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine. Nourish us with these gifts, that we might be for the world signs of your gracious presence in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.

PREFACE

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places

give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God. You reveal your glory

as the glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: equal in majesty, undivided in splendor, one Lord, one God, ever to be adored in your eternal glory.

And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

SANCTUS

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

On the night our Lord Jesus was betrayed…

Remembering, then, his death and resurrection, we take this bread and cup, giving you thanks that you have made us worthy to stand before you and to serve you as your priestly people.

Send your Spirit upon these gifts of your church; gather into one all who share this bread and wine; fill us with your Holy Spirit to establish our faith in truth, that we may praise and glorify you through your Son Jesus Christ; through whom all glory and honor are yours, almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit, in your holy church, both now and forever.

Amen.

THE LORD'S PRAYER

Lord, remember us in your Kingdom and teach us to pray:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

AGNUS DEI Lamb of God

COMMUNION MUSIC Maker God, Who Breathed Creation

COMMUNION BLESSING & PRAYER

Now may the body and blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ strengthen and keep you in his grace.

Amen.

We thank you, generous God, for the refreshment we have received at your banquet table.

Send us now to spread your generosity into all the world, through the one who is our dearest treasure, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

SENDING SONG HOLY GOD, WE PRAISE YOUR NAME

BLESSING & DISMISSAL

The love of God abound in you; the grace of our Savior Jesus Christ fill your hearts;

and the life of the Spirit bless you and give you peace. Amen.

Go in peace. Live by the Spirit.

Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE Holy Holy Holy, Lord God Almighty NICEA arr. Hancock-Engel

Reginald Heber 1783-1926, whose ministry spanned continents and races, is careful to describe the Trinity without encroaching upon its mystery. This is especially evident with the phrase, “though the darkness hide Thee” in stanza 3, and this separation between God and man is exacerbated by sin (“though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see”). Though we may not see or completely understand the Trinity in its fullness in this lifetime, Heber’s and Dykes’s collaboration reminds us those are not reasons that preclude our worship of the Triune God.

John Bacchus Dykes was not quite as copious in his output with hymn tunes as Heber was with hymn texts, but of his hymn tunes, NICAEA was his best-known work. He worked as the choir director of the Durham Cathedral for most of his life and passed away in northern England at the age of fifty-three. It is safe to say Dykes would be pleased his NICAEA has stood the test of time paired with “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty,” and may that it “evermore shalt be.”

Sanctuary Flowers are given by Dan & Bobbie Plough, who are thankful and blessed to celebrate 48 years of marriage on June 19th.

The Rev. Kurt R. Christenson, Pastor

Bill Engel, Music Director

Earl Vaults, Tenor Saxophone

Michael Ruy, Guitar

Paul Engel, Cantor

Erin Pfaff, Lector

Chuck Leib, Assisting Minister

David Pohl, Deacon Randy Sensmeier, Joyce Sensmeier, Paul Engel,

Jan Neuhaus, Billie Thompson, Elizabeth Connolly, Victoria Pearson, Singers

Brian Jensen, Rebecca Kjonegaard, Melodie Baker, Analiese Christenson, Sound, Video, & Computer

Ruth Clayton, Melinda Person, Kersten Sutter, Ushers

Melinda Person, Fellowship Snacks

confession & forgiveness, prayer of the day, offering prayer, and dismissal

from Sundays and Seasons 2021, Year B

reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies annual license #SB137579

kyrie, preface, eucharist, sanctus, agnus dei, nunc dimittis

from Evangelical Lutheran Worship setting 2

reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies annual license #SB137579

hymn of praise

from Evangelical Lutheran Worship setting 3

reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies annual license #SB137579

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License A-710629.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Today after worship: News Headlines of the Day

Politics, the environment, immigration, higher education, the weather, new trash collection fees; whatever you’d like to collectively discuss in a safe, faithful and friendly setting will be the topic. Or maybe you’ll just want to share stories about your fathers.

First ThursDIY: June 12

Our first ThursDIY was a success! Rich Masters and Paul Engel power-washed and then painted the safety strips on the stairs leading down from the parking lot and fixed the rattly fan in the men’s room. Richard Phillips and Wayne cleared out a dead bush and cleaned out a mess of unmentionable items from underneath the shrubbery along Ash St. Many thanks to them. We were done by noon. Since next Thursday is the Juneteenth holiday, our next ThursDIY will be June 26. Hope to see you there. Please let Pastor Kurt know if you will attend. 8:00am to noon.

Thursday June 19: Book Group

This month we have the privilege of enjoying a book written by one of our own beloved First Lutheran members, Heidi Hoxie. In her memoir, Space Made Within: Reflections on Life, Love and Letting Go, Heidi invites us to look over her shoulder as she recounts moving first-hand stories of her childhood in Germany at the onset of World War II. Reflecting back on her life, on the hardships she faced and the self-discovery she embraced, Heidi enables us to draw strength and inspiration as well as joy in our own inevitable struggles. Heidi will be joining us at our meeting so bring your reflections and questions! It will be Thursday, June 19, 4:00PM in the church library. All are welcome! Chuck Leib will host. Books can be purchased from Heidi, or on www.amazon.com.

June 27th @ 7:00: Artists Respond--This is Our Lives!

Visual artists, photographers, and performers respond with their own State of the Union answers to where we are right now re: race, gender rights, black history, arts funding. Among the artists contributing: Dorothy Annette, Donna Woods, Becket Logan, Yvette Deas, Portia Gregory, Frank DeLouise, Ron Christopher Jones, Bill Radatz, Kenny Ha, Kailey Madoka Agpaoa, and Michael Ruy. With new theater by Roy Sekigahama and Bil Wright. Suggested donation of $15 but pay what you can! Refreshments provided.

Construction Update

This is the week our tower and exterior is getting a wash and makeover! Thank you to Bill Engel and others who have been working hard behind the scenes to design a new beacon of Christ’s light in the heart of the city. The work will be completed Saturday.

TACO July service

Monday, July 7 is our next regularly scheduled day to volunteer for the TACO dinner service. The volunteer coordinator has asked if we could move our volunteer day to Monday July 21 instead, due to a scheduling issue on their end. Please check your calendars and see if this might work for you. We would need no more than 8-10 volunteers to help us out on that date. Please let Joann Masters know if you’re interested. Thank you very much for being flexible and considering this change.

Pride Parade July 19

Pride parade planning is underway! The parade will take place on Saturday, July 19, followed by a Pride-themed worship on July 20. Our float will be a “Super hero speech bubble” theme (Think Batman)! Float construction will be the weekend of July 12-13 (location TBD). More information and T-shirt link can be found in the Heartbeat.

This week at FLC

Monday	12:00 AA in the lobby
Tuesday	6:30 FLC Council Meeting (Zoom-only)
Wednesday	10:00 TACO Starbucks and snacks; Clothing closet
Thursday	12:00 Al Anon in the library 4:00 Book Group in the library
Friday	9:00 TACO meal 12:00 AA in the lobby
Saturday	6:30 NEW AA in the lobby
Sunday	9:00 Bible Study 10:00 Worship 3:00 Chinese Bible Church Worship