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10th Sunday after Pentecost

Kurt Christenson

Sunday, August 17, 2025

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TENTH SUNDAY AFTER

PENTECOST

August 17, 2025

10:00 a.m.

PRELUDE Shine on Me David Yantis arr. by Dean McIntyre

“Oh candle whose Light never fades, Shine on Me!”

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 How Firm a Foundation organ intro by David Cherwien

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

Let us pray: O God, judge eternal, you love justice and hate oppression, and you call us to share your zeal for truth. Give us courage to take our stand with all victims of bloodshed and greed, and, following your servants and prophets, to look to the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 23:23-29

Because Jeremiah preaches the unpopular message of God’s judgment, he suffers rejection. Today’s reading distinguishes between the true prophet, like Jeremiah, who speaks God’s word, and the false prophet who misleads the people through dreams. One is like wheat; the other like worthless straw.

23 Am I a God near by, says the Lord, and not a God far off? 24 Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord. 25 I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, “I have dreamed! I have dreamed!” 26 How long? Will the hearts of the prophets ever turn back—those who prophesy lies and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart? 27 They plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, just as their ancestors forgot my name for Baal. 28 Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let the one who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? says the Lord. 29 Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

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

PSALM 82 the first time through the congregation repeats refrain after the Cantor

God stands in the Divine assembly, and gives judgment in the midst of the gods. quote how long will you judge unjustly and favor the cause of the wicked? refrain

Do justice for the week and the orphan, defend The afflicted and the needy. rescue the weak and the poor semicolon set them free from the hand of the wicked.” refrain

Unperceiving, they grope in the darkness and the order of the world is shaken.

I have said: "you are god's, and all of you, children of the most high, refrain

and yet you shall die like mortals, and you shall fall like an Earthly ruler. arise, oh god,

judge the earth, for you rule all the nations. refrain

text: Psalm 82:1-8; Michel Guimont, GIA Pub. Inc. 1994

SECOND READING: Hebrews 11:29—12:2

The author of Hebrews presents us with rich stories of faith. In a long list of biblical heroes, we find examples of trust in God that enabled them to face the trials of life faithfully. In addition to this “cloud of witnesses,” we have Jesus, the perfect model of faithful endurance.

29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace.

32 And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned to death; they were sawn in two; they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and in caves and holes in the ground.

39 Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect.

12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

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

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

My sheep | hear my voice.* I know them, and they | follow me. John 10:27

GOSPEL READING: Luke 12:49-56 Glory to you, O God

Jesus delivers harsh words about the purifying and potentially divisive effects of obedience to God’s call. The way of the cross often leads followers to encounter hostility and rejection, even from those they love.

Jesus said: 49 “I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already ablaze! 50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! 51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52 From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided:

father against son

and son against father,

mother against daughter

and daughter against mother,

mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law

and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

54 He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain,’ and so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”

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

SERMON Pastor Kurt Christenson

HYMN OF THE DAY By Gracious Powers

EXCHANGE OF PEACE

The Peace of Christ be with you always.

And also with you.

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

Sung before and after the prayers

Response to each petition: God of grace, hear our prayer.

APOSTLE’S CREED We share together in our ancient story of faith

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 QR code to the right or text the word "GIVE" to 866-870-5222

Music Complete Love David Yantis

“Our lives on the road of Faith; with Christ by our side we wait on God who in Glory shone from above gives to us complete Love”

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 Come as a Child David Yantis

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 God When Human Bonds are Broken

BLESSING & DISMISSAL Aaronic Blessing Numbers 6:23-27

Go in peace. Live by the Spirit.

Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE How Firm a Foundation FIDELITY arr. James Kasen This tune FOUNDATION or PROTECTION to “How Firm a Foundation” that we sang today is widely used and is often the first one associated with the hymn. It was published in "A Compilation of Genuine Church Music" in 1832. This alternate particular tune for the postlude is attributed to J. Ellis in 1889 and is called FIDELITY and used widely in the Mormon Church.

The Rev. Kurt R. Christenson, Pastor

Bill Engel, Music Director & Organ

Earl Vaults, Tenor Saxophone

Peleiah Baesa, Violin

Paul Engel, Cantor

Wane Gutterud, Lector

Mary Ann Horton, Assisting Minister

David Pohl, Deacon Randy Sensmeier,

Joyce Sensmeier, Paul Engel, Billie Thompson, Elizabeth Connolly, Singers

Brian Jensen, Rebecca Kjonegaard, Melodie Baker, Kyle Leslie, Sound, Video, & Computer

Ruth Clayton, Melinda Person, Kersten Sutter, Ushers

Paula Gutterud, 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: Anti-Racism Workshop

We will be meeting next Sunday at 11:30 in the lobby to continue our anti-racism discussion using the book So You Want to Talk About Race? by Ijeoma Oluo. We will discuss Chapters 9-11. Everyone is welcome to attend and participate!

Next Sunday after worship: Amnesty International

Join us after worship for a forum presented by the San Diego Amnesty International chapter coordinators Cathy Pfister and Devinder Hans. They will share information about their social justice activism efforts in San Diego and suggest ways FLC may want to get involved by partnering with them. Please join us if you would like to learn ways we can help.

September 5: Art Show Reception & Staged Reading at FLC

To accompany the Season of Creation in September, we will be hosting an art installation called "Coastal Approach" by renowned artist and actor Bruce Turk. We will kickoff the show with an opening reception and performance by Bruce Turk & Katie MacNichol, who have regularly graced the stage at the Old Globe theater, North Coast Rep., and Off Broadway shows.

Refreshments will be provided, and a donation of $15 is suggested. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Surfrider Foundation, whose mission is the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches, for all people, through a powerful activist network.

ThursDIY Efforts

We’ve been making real progress with our DIY helpers. The parking lot to patio steps have been painted with safety stripes; missing and broken ceiling tiles have been replaced, storage closets have been cleaned and arranged, pictures have been rehung in the library, irrigation pipes have been repaired, a Pride float built, a bathroom fan was repaired, floors cleaned, and soon we’ll be tackling some painting, back room and chair repair. These folks are making a real difference. Many thanks for their efforts and an invitation to join them. Speak directly with Pastor if you are interested or have any questions. This is not overly heavy work and tools and know-how are provided. Next ThursDIY is August 21.

August 21: Book Group

This month’s selection takes us into the heart of Northern Ireland and a real-life whodunit. Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe investigates the mystery of a missing mother-of-ten. Combining the skills of an investigative reporter with the story telling power of a suspense novelist, the author "sweeps us into the heart of one of the world’s bitterest conflicts and, with unusual compassion, walks us back out again along the road to reconciliation.” Please join us for fellowship, and for discussion of this gripping story on Thursday August 21, 4:00PM in the church library. Martha Radatz and Erin Pfaff will host.

Tapestry Retreat September 19-21

Tapestry is a ministry of the Pacifica Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), dedicated to inspiring and educating LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies. Through our retreat weekends, we foster community and deepen our understanding of Christ from a Queer perspective. Participants leave these retreats empowered to serve as beacons of faith, providing support and connection to those seeking a safe space to express their spirituality.

Volunteer Appreciation Celebration: November 9

Please join us for our 3rd Annual Volunteer Appreciation Celebration on November 9 after worship! We will take some time to honor our beloved volunteers and award one special volunteer with the FLC Volunteer Award! If you would like to nominate someone for the Volunteer Award, please email Erin with your nominee and a brief recommendation.

Bible Study

Over the remaining weeks of 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.

TACO Bites

“Bike the Bay the TACO Way” will take place on October 18. You can support TACO by riding the 30-mile coastal route or donating to someone who will be! TACO will be looking for volunteers to help with clerical, onsite, and supply tasks. More information is available on the TACO website. Contact Pastor Kurt if you can help.
Identity Document Day: Thanks to our friends at Think Dignity, TACO helps people get passports, birth certificates, social security card replacements and a fresh California ID at no cost once a month.
New website: Have you checked the TACO website recently? Lane has been doing some wonderful updates and adding new content. Make sure to check it out! (tacosd.org)

Check our website and Heartbeat e-news for more!

RIC August newsletter

New Blog Posts and sermon notes
Web links to event information and registration
Sponsor sanctuary flowers for an upcoming Sunday

If you would like to receive our weekly announcements please email the church office at administrator@firstlutheransd.org

This week at FLC

Monday	12:00 AA in the lobby 4:00 TACO meal and clinics
Tuesday	6:30 FLC Council in the library
Wednesday	10:00 TACO Starbucks and snacks; Clothing closet
Thursday	9:30 Chinese Church bible study 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 AA in the lobby
Sunday	9:00 Bible Study 10:00 Worship 11:30 Amnesty International Forum 3:00 Chinese Bible Church Worship

First Lutheran Church

the heart of Christ in the heart of the City
a congregation of the Pacifica Synod/Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
proclaiming Christ’s name in downtown San Diego since 1888
feeding God’s blessed hungry ones since 1975

Welcome!

First Lutheran Church of San Diego is a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. Since 1989 we've been explicitly and vibrantly welcoming people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, races, and ethnic backgrounds. Being so, enriches and greatly strengthens our faith community.

Our Strategic Ministry Priorities