First Lutheran Church

First Lutheran Church is live

3rd Sunday after Pentecost

Kurt Christenson

Sunday, June 29, 2025

Chat

Scripture

Playlist

Loading chat...

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

June 29, 2025

10:00 a.m.

PRELUDE I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go Music: Carrie E. Rounsefell, 1861–1930

Text: Mary Brown, 1856–1918 arr. James Kasen

It may not be on the mountain height | Or over the stormy sea,

It may not be at the battle’s front | My Lord will have need of me.

But if, by a still, small voice he calls | To paths that I do not know,

I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine: | I’ll go where you want me to go.

Shortly after receiving Brown’s text, Carrie E. Rounsefell composed the music using an instrument called a zither. Rounsefell was known as a singing evangelist throughout New England and New York.

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS

CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS

Blessed be the Holy Trinity, one God, who forgives all our sin, whose mercy endures forever. Amen.

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Most merciful God,

we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.

In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

GATHERING HYMN Faith Of Our Fathers

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.

Sovereign God, ruler of all hearts, you call us to obey you, and you favor us with true freedom. Keep us faithful to the ways of your Son, that, leaving behind all that hinders us, we may steadfastly follow your paths, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

FIRST READING: 1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21

In the story preceding today’s reading, the prophet Elijah flees for his life to the security of God’s mountain. There God reveals to Elijah that there are still other faithful people in Israel and commissions him to anoint new leaders, including his own successor, Elisha.

15 Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. 16 Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.”

19 So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. 20 He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” Then Elijah said to him, “Go back again; for what have I done to you?” 21 He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

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

PSALM 16

1 Protect me, O God, for I take ref- | uge in you;

I have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, my good a- | bove all other.”

2 All my delight is in the godly that are | in the land,

upon those who are noble a- | mong the people.

3 But those who run after | other gods

shall have their troubles | multiplied.

4 I will not pour out drink offerings | to such gods,

never take their names up- | on my lips. / R

5 O Lord, you are my portion | and my cup;

it is you who up- | hold my lot.

6 My boundaries enclose a | pleasant land;

indeed, I have a | rich inheritance.

7 I will bless the Lord who | gives me counsel;

my heart teaches me night | after night.

8 I have set the Lord al- | ways before me;

because God is at my right hand, I shall | not be shaken. / R

9 My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spir- | it rejoices;

my body also shall | rest in hope.

10 For you will not abandon me | to the grave,

nor let your holy one | see the pit.

11 You will show me the | path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy, and in your right

hand are pleasures for- | evermore. / R

SECOND READING: Galatians 5:1, 13-25

For Paul, the freedom Christ gives is not permission to do whatever we want. It is the invitation to be what we could not be otherwise. The power and guidance of Christ’s Holy Spirit produce a different kind of life, one marked by the fruit of this Holy Spirit.

1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. 14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

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

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Lord, to whom | shall we go?* You have the words of e- | ternal life. (John 6:68)

GOSPEL READING: Luke 9:51-62 Glory to you, O God

Jesus is unwavering in his commitment to his mission in Jerusalem and will not be swayed by pettiness. In a series of striking cases in point, he calls his disciples to a similar single-mindedness.

51 When the days drew near for [Jesus] to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; 53 but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 Then they went on to another village.

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

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

SERMON Pastor Kurt Christenson

HYMN OF THE DAY Making Their Way Down Through The Ages

EXCHANGE OF PEACE

The Peace of Christ be with you always.

And also with you.

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Lord Listen to Your Children Praying

We sing before and after the first and last petitions of prayer.

During the prayers when the Assisting Minister asks “and for what else do the people of God pray?” you are invited to pray aloud for whatever the Holy Spirit has laid on your heart. Please do not be concerned about waiting to speak until after another soul has finished their petition. Just say your prayer over the top, underneath or alongside the others. We will hear a marvelous mix of voices which God makes into a symphony of prayer.

*after each petition:

God of grace, hear our prayer.

APOSTLE’S CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

OFFERING

Give online using the button at the top right.

Music Canticle on Verbum supernum setting Charles Callahan Verbum Supernum (The Word of God Descending from above) was written by St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

OFFERING PRAYER

Let us pray…Creator God, in your wisdom you bring forth all that is good and the harvest is plentiful. Strengthen us at your table with these gifts of the earth and our labor, that we may work for the good of all; through Jesus Christ, our Savior. 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, through our Savior Jesus Christ;

who on this day overcame death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. 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

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.

Gracious God, you gathered us to your table and we drank deeply of your grace.

Send us out by your Spirit to love our neighbors as ourselves and proclaim your love in Jesus’ name. Amen.

SENDING SONG In Christ There Is No East or West

BLESSING & DISMISSAL Aaronic Blessing Numbers 6:23-27

Go in peace. Live by the Spirit.

Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE In Humility, Our Saviour Hyfrydol arr. James Kasen

“Fill our hearts with sweet forgiving; | Teach us tolerance and love.

Let our prayers find access to thee | In thy holy courts above.” -Mabel Jones Gabbott, 1910–2004

To the Glory of God

The Rev. Kurt R. Christenson, Pastor

Bill Engel, Music Director

Earl Vaults, Tenor Saxophone

Michael Ruy, Guitar

Jan Neuhaus, Cantor

Martha Radatz, Lector

Richard Phillips, 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

Peter Myrda and Lorena Lara, 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

Keeping it out Front…Our Strategic Ministry At Work

First Lutheran Church Congregational Priorities:

Connecting with each other
Fostering leadership
Attending to our Virtual Community
Incorporating Children, Youth, & Families into the Life of the Congregation.
Justice focus of Anti-Racism, Diversity and Racial Justice

TODAY after worship: Anti-Racism Forum

Our book study continues today with Chapter 7 of So You Want to Talk About Race? by Ijeoma Oluo. Please join us if you have read the chapter. Mark your calendar for the remaining forum dates: August 3: Chapters 8-9, August 17: Chapters 10-12, August 31: Chapters 13-15, September 14 (tentative): Chapters 16-17.

Pride Parade shuttle sign-up: DEADLINE IS TODAY!

The parade will take place on Saturday, July 19, followed by a Pride-themed worship on July 20. Float construction will be the weekend of July 12-13 at Ascension Lutheran. More information and T-shirt link can be found in the Heartbeat. Please sign up in the lobby today if you plan to shuttle from the FLC parking lot. We cannot guarantee shuttles for anyone who signs up late.

Next ThursDIY: July 3

Our next ThursDIY will be July 3. Hope to see you there from 8am-noon. Please let Pastor Kurt know if you will attend.

Administrator Vacation July 2-17

Erin will be on vacation from July 2-17. If you have an emergency, please contact Pastor Kurt. Erin will be checking email periodically, and communications will be limited until her return. Please check with someone who has a facility key if you need to access the building during normal office hours.

Construction Update

Thanks to everyone who helped us “Magnify Christ’s Light,” we have a newly cleaned and painted exterior! Special thanks to Bill Engel who worked with the architect during the planning phase and supervised the painters.

New Bible Study

Over the next 10 weeks through August the Sunday morning Bible Study will be taking a long look at the books of Galatians and Colossians. These two relatively short letters written by St. Paul invite us to consider what it means to live as disciples of Jesus. Galatians in particular was a favorite of Martin Luther’s. In its verses he found comfort, inspiration and the knowledge that he wasn’t saved so much by how good he was but by how good God Is! Galatians has been referred to as the “Magna Carta” of Christian Freedom.

July Book Group News

Our July selection has been heralded by New York Times Reader’s Choice as “the best book of the century”. Chanel Miller's breathtaking memoir Know My Name allows readers to know the author not just as Emily Doe, but as Chanel Miller: the writer, the artist, the survivor, the fighter. Her story of resilience in the face of trauma promises to forever challenge the way we think about sexual assault. It illuminates a culture biased to protect perpetrators, indicting a criminal justice system designed to fail the most vulnerable, and, ultimately, shining with the courage required to move through suffering and live a full and beautiful life. Miller is a gifted storyteller and her story is funny, heartbreaking, and inspiring. We will meet on Thursday July 17, 4:00PM in the church library for discussion and fellowship. Joann Masters and Christine Young will host. Please join us. New members are always welcome!

TACO Bites

July food drive: TACO’s food pantry is running extremely low and they could use some donations to refresh it. These are items used by clients who have kitchens but need help affording groceries. Please bring pantry-stable items during the month of July and place them in the bin in the lobby.

This week at FLC

Monday	12:00 AA in the lobby 4:00 TACO meal and clinics
Wednesday	10:00 TACO Starbucks and snacks; Clothing closet
Thursday	12:00 Al Anon in the library
Friday	9:00 TACO meal 12:00 AA in the lobby
Saturday	12:00 TACO First Saturday Giveaway 6:30 NEW AA in the lobby
Sunday	9:00 Bible Study 10:00 Worship 3:00 Chinese Bible Church Worship