Podcasts about elca

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, Sept 28 2025• Exodus 2:23-3:15 (God's Name Is Revealed)• Narrative Lectionary: Year 4• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Vicar Sarah Freyermuth September 28, 2025 If you've ever thought “I wonder how Vicar Sarah writes her sermon,” then today is your lucky today, because I'm giving you a peek behind the curtain! (And if you've never wondered that, maybe for my sake just pretend that you have for a few moments.) Because I'm training to be a Lutheran pastor, one of the first questions I always ask myself is: what is the Law and the […] The post Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

• Pastor Jason's message for Wed., Sept. 24 2025• Luke 16:1-13 (Parable of the dishonest manager)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us for worship! 1stlu.org/worship

Gospel Reading: Luke 16:1-13. Today, we welcome Rev. Mark Lingle to guest preach.  Rev. Lingle is the Associate to the Bishop at the ELCA.

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, Sept 21 2025• Genesis 28:10-22 (Jacob's dream)• Narrative Lectionary: Year 4• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki September 21, 2025 Friends, today's parable is one of the strangest. Scholars have called it the most difficult, the most confusing, even the most frustrating of all Jesus' parables. And it doesn't help that our Bibles can't even agree on what to call it. The New International Version calls it “The Parable of the Shrewd Manager.” The New Revised Standard calls it “The Dishonest Manager.” Another translation says, “Faithfulness with Money.” So, […] The post Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

It is one thing to hear about Agape, God's unconditional love for us, and another thing entirely to practice Agape with our neighbors, especially those we disagree with. This week Pastor Stephanie encourages us to look at the foundation of our faith, where we find God's unconditional love for us. It is much easier to be a doer of Agape when we recognize that God's Agape is at the very core of our being.

• Pastor Karyn's message for Wed., Sept. 17 2025• Luke 15:1-10 (The parable of the lost sheep)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us for worship! 1stlu.org/worship

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, Sept 14 2025• Genesis 21:1-3; Genesis 22:1-14 (The binding of Isaac)• Narrative Lectionary: Year 4• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Carla Thompson Powell September 14, 2025 Listen to Rev. Carla’ sermon here! The post Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today, we had a special musical performance of Holy Thy Name by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan. Published Under License From Essential Music Publishing, LLC

Today, we had a special musical performance of Panis Angelicus with a solo by Cody Boyan at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan. Published Under License From Essential Music Publishing, LLC

We can appreciate the idea of the Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But how do we bear those fruits when so often it is easier to grow “a bad tree.” It takes practice! When we commit to engaging in Faith Practices we find that reward is the Fruit of the Spirit being shared with us and with our neighbors.

• Pastor Stanton's message for Wed., Sept. 10 2025• Luke 14:25-33 (The Cost of Discipleship)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us for worship! 1stlu.org/worship

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, Sept 7 2025• Genesis 1:1–2:4a (Creation and Sabbath)• Narrative Lectionary: Year 4• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Pastor Stephanie asks “What is Love?” as we kick off a new theme for 2025-26: “Agape: When Love is Greater” This year we will be exploring a particular kind of love: Agape, the Greek word for an unconditional love.

• Pastor Karyn's message for: Sun, Aug 31 2025• Luke 14:1, 7-14 and Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Vicar Sarah Freyermuth August 31, 2025 In our Gospel lesson today, Jesus names a lot of binaries: between sitting at the place of honor and sitting at the lowest place, between those who are honored and those who are disgraced, between those who will be exalted and those who will be humbled. But to go beyond simply naming these binaries, I want us to think about how the experience of the wedding banquet and the Sabbath […] The post Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Today, we had a special musical performance of Precious Jesus with a solo from Deb Borton at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan. Published Under License From Essential Music Publishing, LLC

As we wrap up our 2024-25 Theme: “Flourish” Pastor Chad encourages us to discover a critical part of truly flourishing in all parts of our life: HOPE!

Mark 15:33-39When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o'clock, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sebacthani!" Which means, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" When some bystanders heard it, they said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah." And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see if Elijah will come and take him down." Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain in the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now, when the centurion who stood facing him saw that in this way he had breathed his last he said, "Truly this man was God's son." When I was a kid, we had a giant pit of sand and dirt in our back yard – about the size of our fire pit, over there next to the labyrinth. We cleverly called it the "Sand Pile" and it was a cheap, tasteless, makeshift version of what more sophisticated people would call a sand box, and we used it for sand castles, mud pies, dirt-track races for Matchbox cars, and whatever else kids who play in the sand, do in the dirt. (I think the Sand Pile started out as some sort of home improvement project at the church parsonage where we lived, but never amounted to anything, so my brother and I, along with our friends next door, co-opted it as a great place for little kids to play.)What made the Sand Pile cooler than your average sandbox, though, was that it wasn't self-contained. There were no sides, no cover, and no barrier underneath. One day, our neighbor friend had the brilliant idea that we should dig and just keep digging until we couldn't dig anymore. We knew this was going to take some time and I think the four of us decided to make it a summer project. Sometime after we started, I remember my dad coming home from work and noticing that we were up to something more ambitious than usual. When he asked what we were doing, we told him our plans and my friend declared that we were going to dig "all the way to Kingdom Come." We weren't very sophisticated, but we were ambitious.And so we dug a little bit each day, for days. We found worms and bugs and rocks of all kinds. We hit water one day, which meant we were really getting somewhere, so that was cool. And then one of us had the realization that if we kept digging long enough, we'd dig our way right into Hell and we wondered if maybe that wasn't such a great idea. We did keep digging, but the expedition ended shortly after that, either because we were scared or skeptical or just plain tired of shoveling. But that was the first time I ever remember considering something like the question someone offered up for this morning:"Do we have to believe in Hell in order to believe in Heaven?”When I was older, in High School, and learned about World War II and the Holocaust, I wondered if that might be Hell: the injustice and horror of concentration camps; the gas chambers, the torture, the attempted genocide. Elie Wiesel, likely the most famous survivor of the Holocaust asked once, "How [do you] explain or even describe the agony, the terror, the prayers, the tears, the tenderness, the sadness of the scientifically prepared death of six million human beings? … Six million human beings sentenced to death by an evil dictatorship not because of their faith or their circumstances but because of their very being." It sounded – and sounds, still – like Hell to me, even if it wasn't someplace you could dig your way into.When I visited all kinds of jails and prisons in college, I wondered if the smell and the heat and the sounds and the danger and the circumstances that led and keep a person there might be Hell.When I worked as a hospital chaplain for a summer during seminary, I remember a guy who had been burned on over 80% of his body. That looked like Hell, and I wondered if Hell was the sickness, disease, and disasters that consume and kill men, women, and children every minute of every hour of every day in the world. When I traveled with my family and then with our high school kids a couple of summers ago to the Whitney Plantation, in Edgard, Louisiana, where enslaved human beings were used and abused and tortured and killed, like worthless animals, for generations – Hell seemed very nearby.Is Hell the war in Ukraine? Is it the famine, starvation, and destruction in Gaza? Is Hell a cancer diagnosis or is the rigors of chemotherapy or radiation – even if they work, but especially when they don't? Is Hell a broken or breaking marriage; the death of a child; any kind of unbearable physical pain or emotional suffering? Is it paralyzing fear; hopeless loneliness; utter despair?With all of my questions, I guess you can tell that I don't think about Hell in the same way I did when I was digging around in the dirt as a child. But, from what I can tell, too many people – preachers, theologians, artists, and politicians – haven't moved beyond the sandbox. We hear too often, in my opinion, detailed images of Hell. You know them as well as I do: pictures of fire, deep dark places, chains and shackles perhaps, weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, for sure, and the little guy in the red suit with a pointy tail and a pitch fork with the capacity to inflict pain and suffering on his victims for all of eternity.And these same people will tell you how to get there faster than any shovel can dig. Instructions usually include breaking the rules or not having enough of the right kind of faith or 'doing faith' differently than what's expected or accepted or, generally, behaving in ways that make God angry enough to send you ‘there' instead of calling you home to the right side of eternity.But I don't think any of this is what Hell is like or where it's at. Which is why I picked the readings I did for this morning. There are plenty of references in the Bible to Sheol and the Pit, to Hades and the Abyss. There's lots of talk about fire and punishment and the outer darkness – much of it from the very lips of Jesus himself.But nowadays, when I think of Hell, I think about the crucifixion and death of Jesus on that Good Friday afternoon. And it's not because of the abuse or the spitting or the whips or the thorns. It's not because of the darkness or the nails or the cross itself, even. It's because of the way all of these things added up to leave him hanging there alone, crying at the top of his voice, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" (Theologians call it Jesus' “cry of dereliction,” and it's why we say, as we do in our Apostles' Creed, that Jesus indeed “descended into Hell.”)It's at that moment when Hell becomes more real and more scary than any pitchfork or fire pit, if you ask me. It's at that moment when Jesus experiences what many of us have known – or what we fear – more than anything else: being utterly alone, utterly afraid, utterly out of control, cosmically lost, and entirely without hope or faith or comfort – even from God.It's at that moment when Jesus himself knows fully the hell of every concentration camp victim, every prisoner, every enslaved person, every frightened soldier, every starving stomach, every struggling addict, every dying patient, grieving spouse, scared child, broken heart, and sin-sick soul that ever was or ever will be. "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"So back to the question at hand. I was asked pointedly, if “we” believe in Hell, which seems to include the questioner, myself, and other leaders and pastors and theologians of the ELCA. I won't speak for others, because I can't – that's part of the beauty of what it means to be an ELCA-flavored Lutheran, in my opinion. But I will tell you that, I don't very much think about Hell anymore these days.If it does exist, it's not a concern of mine, because I believe it's been conquered and undone, dismissed and destroyed by the work of God's love in Jesus Christ – for me, and for you, and for all of creation. You can cite for me every Scripture and verse there is about Hades and Sheol, about the outer darkness and The Pit. But I believe there is a Hell the way I believe there are K Pop concerts, hot dog eating contests, and white pride parades. They may very well exist, but I don't – and won't – ever have to show my face there, thanks be to God.We can find plenty of pictures in the Bible and elsewhere to scare each other into believing that Hell is as likely an option as Heaven or that damnation is as likely as grace. And there are lots of pastors and churches who will fan that fire with gusto and glee, but that's not what the Gospel promises. To suggest that we can faithfully choose Heaven… To suggest that we can faith-LESS-ly opt for Hell… To suggest that we can reject God's willingness to love us all the way through Hell and back and remain in our sin and death, despite God's clear desire to win us back… is to suggest that God is powerless over evil, that God is powerless over death, that God is powerless over Sin, that God isn't all God is cracked up to be and that the very death and resurrection of Jesus was a cosmic waste of God's time. And I don't buy it.I don't buy it because when Jesus cried, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me,” he was quoting the first line of Psalm 22, which he knew well. So he must have known how Psalm 22 ends, just the same – with the hope of God's promised dominion, deliverance, power and provision. Verse 24 promises, “He did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.” By invoking Psalm 22, what if Jesus wasn't just announcing his despair and descent into Hell's separation? What if he was declaring his hope for the Heaven that was to come, just the same?My adventure in the Sand Pile as a kid that summer didn't end just because we were scared of what we might find. I think it ended because, even as kids, we realized our digging wasn't leading us anywhere but down – and that's exhausting. It didn't take us long to learn that there was more life and fun and good news in the other direction – and that's where we chose to spend our days.Which is why and how and what we believe about Hell matters for our lives in this world.When our faith is motivated more by fear than it is by hope, we're heading in the wrong direction. When it comes to our journey of faith, I hope we'll remember and share as often as we can that the Gospel is about life conquering death. The story of Jesus is about God conquering Satan. The promise of our faith is that Heaven conquers Hell – whether we like it, would choose it, or not. And the call of our faith is to live and to love our way into Heaven, not to run away from a Hell that isn't ours to fear any longer, thanks to the God we know in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen for the sake of the world.Amen

Today, we had a special musical performance of Kum Ba Ya by the Treble Maker Singers at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan. Published Under License From Essential Music Publishing, LLC

Bizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today. Angel Studios https://Angel.com/ToddJoin the Angel Guild today and stream Testament, a powerful new series featuring the retelling of the book of Acts. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddRegister today to Join the Renue Healthcare Webinar Thursday September 11th at 11:00 PST.   Visit https://joinstemcelltalks.com or call 602-428-4000.  Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeMeet the Republican AOC. // The Kennedy Center should not be The Trump Center. // Newest ELCA Lutheran Lie: The Bible Doesn't Address Sex.Episode Links:Democrat Rep. Greg Casar is complaining outside an ICE detention center in Texas because they denied him entry while calling to END deportations of illegals.How many times did he visit the victims of the Texas floods?? Or does he only spend his time visiting foreign criminals??I will end islam in Texas once & for all. America is a Christian nation. Help me get to Congress to destroy the muslim brotherhood & all the other terrorists, So help me God.ELCA pastor Lura Groen, who has previously PRAISED polyamory and one night stands, seeks to combat the notion that the bible has a sexual ethic binding for Christians.

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, Aug 17 2025• Luke 12:49-56 (There will be division)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

In today's gospel, we hear one of the most revolutionary hymns in all of Scripture, it's known as the Magnificat. But, too often Mary is domesticated —pictured as meek, mild, and obedient. However, the Mary we encounter in Luke is something far more radical. She is a teenager, unwed, dark-skinned, and living under the occupation of the Roman empire. By all accounts, she should be invisible. She should be powerless. And yet, she dares to sing... The post The Feast of Mary, Mother of Our Lord appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Angel Studios https://Angel.com/ToddJoin the Angel Guild today and stream Testament, a powerful new series featuring the retelling of the book of Acts. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today.  Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddLISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubePetulant Children or Statesmen and Public Servants? // BREAKING: Schools Discover Fish Need Water // A Sample of ELCA's Lutheran “Theology”Episode Links:Reporter: "Do you know what the chain of command is now?"Pamela Smith, D.C. Police Chief: "What does that mean?" This is who is in charge of the police in D.C…CNN POLL: Americans overwhelmingly prefer President Trump's approach to crime over Biden's.They're admitting now that walking in the woods doesn't cause forest fires.Here we go… Jeff Evely from Canada has been fined $28,872.50 by the Nova Scotia Regime for walking into the woods which violates the WEF/WHO/UN ‘Communist Climate Lockdowns'.Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass are sending bills to the Pacific Palisades fire victims to pay over $900 each for new fire hydrants that didn't even work, or have water to stop the fires that burned their homes down. Spencer Pratt “Here you go, real life. If you want to rebuild the Palisades to get your permits through, you have to spend $912.16 cents to buy new fire hydrants for Karen Bass”Fascinating insight from a school teacher on in school phone bans."How queer was Jesus? ...He was 30 years old, no wife, no job, hung out with 12 other dudes- that's pretty queer." Progressive impastor explains how Luke presents Jesus.  

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, Aug 10 2025• Luke 12:32-40 (Where your treasure is…)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Today, we had a special musical performance of How Can I Keep From Singing with Men of Faith with Addie Thompson on Flute at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan. Published Under License From Essential Music Publishing, LLC

Angel Studios https://Angel.com/ToddJoin the Angel Guild today and stream Testament, a powerful new series featuring the retelling of the book of Acts. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today.  Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddLISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeJasmine Crockett's Crew Begs to be Arrested // The Killer Satellite Attacking Canada! // The AI Debate over JesusEpisode links:Democrats get comfortable at rock bottom. The Wall Street Journal finds their popularity is at its lowest in history, and the Washington Post reviewed focus groups that give a LOT of reasons why - particularly when it comes to Democrats challenges with young menTexas State Rep. Linda Garcia (D) makes a video lip-syncing "We're going to hurt some people" after fleeing the state to avoid voting. Democrats AGAIN inciting violence.They know exactly what they're doing.Hakeem Jeffries: "Their One Big Ugly Bill, which is now law... It rips away healthcare for millions of Americans. Steals food from the mouths of children. All of this is being done... so they can reward their billionaire donors."“Starlink is cancelled in Ontario because Elon Musk was attacking our Country…” says Premier Doug Ford citing ZERO evidence to this claim.Google Gemini: What are the most commonly debated topics about Jesus Christ?Yesterday the ELCA introduced a motion to remove the phrase 'TO BE A COVENANT BETWEEN A MAN AND WOMAN' when describing marriage from their social statement: Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust

• Pastor Karyn's message for: Sun, Aug 3 2025• Luke 12:13-21 (The parable of the rich fool)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Listen to Vicar Sarah's sermon here! The post Ninth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

PROPHECY HOUR: THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE!  Pastor Dan and Linda Catlinwww.prophecyhour.comTHIS AND MORE!A minister identified as being part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, commonly described as one of the most liberal organizations claiming the description “Christian,” has publicly rebuked the Bible's call to share the Good News with others. In fact, this pastor promotes the idea that, “There are people who are perfectly happy in other faiths who don't need converting to ours.” *Lutheran pastor (ELCA) openly rejects the Great Commission, insists that there are “people who are perfectly happy in other faiths who don't need converting to ours.” WOW THIS AND MUCH MORE! TRUTH IS COIMING! LISTEN AND DOWN-LOAD HEREhttps://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/branch/episodes/2025-07-31T20_24_51-07_00RADIO AND NET ARCHIVEShttps://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/branch Mission Churchhttp://wichitahomeless.com/Donations and Contacthttps://prophecyhour.com/donations/  

PROPHECY HOUR: THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE!  Pastor Dan and Linda Catlinwww.prophecyhour.comTHIS AND MORE!A minister identified as being part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, commonly described as one of the most liberal organizations claiming the description “Christian,” has publicly rebuked the Bible's call to share the Good News with others. In fact, this pastor promotes the idea that, “There are people who are perfectly happy in other faiths who don't need converting to ours.” *Lutheran pastor (ELCA) openly rejects the Great Commission, insists that there are “people who are perfectly happy in other faiths who don't need converting to ours.” WOW THIS AND MUCH MORE! TRUTH IS COIMING! LISTEN, WATCH, AND DOWN-LOAD HEREhttps://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/branch/episodes/2025-07-31T20_29_26-07_00RADIO AND NET ARCHIVEShttps://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/branch Mission Churchhttp://wichitahomeless.com/Donations and Contacthttps://prophecyhour.com/donations/  

• Pastor Karyn's message for: Sun, July 27 2025• Luke 11:1-13 (The Lord's Prayer)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, July 20 2025• Luke 10:38-42 (Jesus Visits Martha and Mary)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Vicar Sarah Freyermuth July 20, 2025 When you look for God in the world, who are you looking for? Don't worry, since it's my first sermon here, I'm not going to actually make you shout out your answers – although watch out, I might make you do that in a future sermon! But really, I just want all of us to take a moment and think about this question: when you look for God in the […] The post The Feast of Mary Magdalene appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

• Pastor Karyn's message for: Sun, July 13 2025• Luke 10:25-37 (The parable of the good Samaritan)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki July 13, 2025 Today's gospel reading is my favorite story in the entire Bible. In it, we find a story within the story. First, we have the “expert of the law” in conversation with Jesus, and then, we have the parable of the Good Samaritan. Each in their own right offer us a lot to ponder and explore. Let's start with the parable. We heard of a man who was coming from […] The post Fifth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, July 6 2025• Luke 10:1-11,16-20 (Rejoice that your names are written in heaven)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki July 6, 2025 Today's readings focus on God's reign. They give us a glimpse into how God acts, and they invite us to respond to God's action. In Isaiah, we have an image of God comforting as a mother. In Luke's gospel, we are reminded of the importance of receiving hospitality and in turn, providing hospitality. Like the seventy-two who were sent had nothing to offer – no purse, no bag, no […] The post Fourth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

• Pastor Karyn's message for: Sun, June 29 2025• Luke 9:51-62 (Would-Be Followers of Jesus)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Tom Gehring June 29, 2025 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of all our hearts be acceptable to you O Lord, our source of power and our compassion. Amen. Well I feel like I should just come right out and say it: this gospel text that we just heard is flat out troubling to me. And, if Jesus' words and the actions of the disciples have you feeling a bit uneasy or […] The post Third Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Luke 9:51-62When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to prepare for his arrival, but they did not receive him because his face was set toward Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village.As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 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.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” And Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Jesus would have been a terrible pastor. And I am not the first pastor or preacher to say such a thing. Most pastors, yours included, work very hard to make things comfortable. When you come here, things are orderly and neat, (have you met pastor mark?). We do our best to explain what's going on, where things are, and how to get involved (if you want to). We hope the worship is satisfying, the music gratifying, and the preaching not a snore. We want people to know this is a place where you are cared for. So we make sure Christian education is appealing and diverse in it's offerings; there is plenty of opportunity for fellowship and meals together; and we do some service, but not too much. In all, we try to give people what they want, without too many demands — after all, it's not like we can compete with sports or packed family calendars.Jesus is the opposite. I imagine if Jesus were a pastor and greeted you at the door, he wouldn't say, “I'm so glad you've joined us,” but more like, “Are you sure you want to do this?” That's essentially what he says to the would-be disciples in Luke. Jesus is walking toward Jerusalem when someone says, “Wherever you go, I'll follow!” You can almost hear Jesus say, “You don't even know what you're saying. Creatures of earth and sky have homes — not me. Are you ready to be homeless?” We don't know how the young man responds. But I know how I would — and I'm guessing you do too.And so it is with the other two would-be disciples. Jesus tells one not to bury his father. What kind of lunatic says that? Especially in a culture where honoring one's parents was a sacred obligation. Surely Jesus can't be saying that following him is greater than the traditions of their culture? Surely he isn't telling us we can't attend funerals or grieve those we love.And is it really a big deal that the third person wants to say goodbye? That doesn't seem like an unreasonable request? I mean of course he would come rushing back to Jesus, right? A quick hug to mom, maybe one more meal, a good night's rest, and then he'll be ready. But Jesus says “you'll only make crooked furrows and that's no good in the Kingdom of God”. You see what I mean that Jesus wouldn't make a good pastor? Here are people throwing themselves at Jesus and his response is “are you sure? Because this is going to cost you.” It will cost you your comfort; it will cost you the traditions and obligations you hold so dearly, it will cost you whatever or whoever it was waiting for you back home. We don't want to hear that. I don't want to preach that! It would be easier to stand up and say we are doing so well. Instead of a discipleship at all cost, we much prefer discipleship at little to no cost. We want Jesus, myself included, to sound like a used car salesman, reaffirming that this life of faith can be ours with little to no money down! We want discipleship on demand — where we hit pause when something else comes up, and resume when time allows. After all isn't there grace?! And here among all places, isn't grace offered with no string attached? But when grace becomes an excuse to avoid commitment — when it asks nothing of us — it turns into what Bonhoeffer called “cheap grace. “Cheap grace is that grace which we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is preaching forgiveness without repentance; it is baptism without the disciple of community; it is the Lord's Supper without the confession of sin; it is absolution with out personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without the living, incarnate Jesus Christ”. Rather what Jesus offers to the would-be disciples and to us is a costly grace. It is costly because it will cost us comfort — but it is grace, because we follow Jesus.It is costly because it will upend our lives — but it is grace, because it offers life to the full, here and now.It is costly because we will lose relationships — but it is grace, because it leads us into deeper communion with others and with GodI want to be clear. Discipleship is not how much one goes to church. I don't think Jesus is saying discipleship means you must be homeless, or that you can't grieve a loved one, or doubt what you're doing. But I also don't want to chalk this up to hyperbole and say, “Nice try — at least there's grace.” Grace isn't an excuse; it's a catalyst. Discipleship will cost us. So what is the cost — for you, in your life, right now? And what might it cost us, together, as a community of faith?What comfort might this costly grace afflict?What obligations are you asked to let go of?What relationships need reordered?In Winston-Salem, I saw costly grace embodied. The Dwelling is a church made up of — and for — people who live on the margins. Folks who are homeless or have been. People wrestling with addiction. Just out of incarceration. Some from nearby low-income housing. A few who looked like you and me. When we got to the dwelling for worship, their sanctuary looked nothing like ours. Think more living room, less cathedral. It was packed with people who walked in from the street, bags and dogs in tow. People would yell, sometimes at no one, sometimes at someone, sometimes playful, sometimes not. We ate breakfast together. But the smell of the egg casserole was not enough to mask the scent of sweat and smoke that filled the space. Worship began once seconds were finished, around 11ish, but no one sets their watch by it. And if you think our second service is loud… People held conversations, left, came back in, moved about at their leisure. But they also clapped and danced, and yell affirmations during the sermon and prayers. Did I mention it too is an ELCA church?After worship, they gathered for another meal, waiting in a long line on the blacktop as the North Carolina sun beat down. With early 2000s pop blasting from a speaker, the servers danced with abandon as they dished up a thoroughly southern lunch for over 200 people. And that's what every Sunday is like. [return to screen].It is uncomfortable, especially for those of us who expect church to look, feel, smell, and sound more like this. It breaks many traditions of worship, programming, and education, especially for a Lutheran congregation. And it has cost them relationships. People won't worship there because they think it could be unsafe, or they can't tolerate the smell, or there's no Sunday School. Yet as I sat in worship — clearly the minority in all sorts of ways — I saw costly grace. It was messy and beautiful, hard and joy-filled. But that's discipleship.And at our best, I believe we embrace costly grace in faithful ways for our context. It sounds like raising hard questions and concerns about the dangers of Christian Nationalism. It looks like showing up at Pride with a booth and a message: that God's love is for all — especially those who've been told it's not. It means addressing the history and ongoing injustice caused by racism. It feels like giving a significant portion of our money away each and every year to people and places that need it. These things make us uncomfortable. They reorder our obligations. They challenge our traditions. And yes — they have cost us relationships. But isn't that what Jesus said discipleship would look like?Discipleship is costly, Jesus is very honest about that. But he asks nothing of us that he hasn't already done for us.Maybe that's why he would have been a terrible pastor — but the perfect Savior. And thank God for that. Amen.

Angel Studios https://Angel.com/ToddBecome a Premium Angel Studios Guild member to watch The King of Kings, stream all fan-curated shows and movies, and get 2 free tickets to every Angel Studios theatrical release. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bioptimizers https://Bioptimizers.com/toddEnter promo code TODD to get 10% off your order of Berberine Breakthrough today.Bizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today.  Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today.Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddLISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeBarack Obama's Truth-Machine Fetish // Trump Started WW … Oh, wait.  // Bee Dude's Sermon Vs. ELCA Pastor: Choose The Worst Heretic.Episode Links:Obama pines for a social media Ministry of Truth:I have no electricity. Nothing! Look how well lit my video is. That I'm uploading to my phone. And sharing — without Internet. Also, I'm practically starving and can barely maintain my obese figure on lentil soup and pita bread. What do you think the hostages ate for supper?NEW: Amazon worker asks how she is supposed to do her job after the United States bombed Iran. "I just want to know how I'm supposed to do my job when we bombed Iran, and we're just supposed to, like, go around about." "We're just supposed to get these boxes out without being worried. I just need somebody to explain to me how I'm supposed to not crash out."Lunatic Lindsey Graham is on the Senate floor still agitating for regime change in Iran by likening them to the n*zis bent on taking over the world. VP JD Vance discusses that President Trump has announced a ceasefire deal in the coming hours between Israel and Iran. Will both countries stop the fighting?CBS's Margaret Brennan Audibly Sighs as Rubio SCHOOLS Her on Iran Intel AssessmentCrazy dude dressed like a bee delivers a sermon in the form of a poemLutheran pastor (ELCA) openly rejects the Great Commission, insists that there are "people who are perfectly happy in other faiths who don't need converting to ours."

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, June 22 2025• Luke 8:26-39 (Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Dear siblings in Christ,dear friends, mentors, and companions on the journey. This is a bittersweet moment. My time as your diaconal resident is coming to an end. And as I've been thinking and praying about what I'd like to leave with you, I couldn't think of a better passage than today's text from Our Epistle Reading... The post Second Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

• Pastor Stanton's message for: Sun, June 8 2025• John 14:8-17 25-27 (The Promise of the Holy Spirit)• Revised Common Lectionary: Year C• From First Lutheran Church in Onalaska, WI• Support this ministry at 1stlu.org/give• Join us! 1stlu.org/worship

Today's reading from Acts is odd. We heard that the disciples were gathered, and flames began dancing on their heads. Then, they begin speaking in non-native languages so that they could communicate with every devout Jewish person who was “living” in Jerusalem. And, I want direct our attention to the Greek word translated here as “living.” It has a specific meaning. It means “to have settled or been planted in a new place.” That is, these Jewish people were not born in Jerusalem, they didn't speak the native language, and they probably looked, acted, and engaged in different ways... The post Pentecost Sunday appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Can your church pay the bills and follow God's call with integrity? In this episode, Loren talks with stewardship educator and sustainability strategist Grace Duddy Pomroy about how churches can embrace bold, faithful financial models without compromising their mission. Grace offers insights drawn from her national research and latest book on reimagining how churches fund ministry—from sliding-scale rentals to community-rooted partnerships. Topics Explored: Why your mission must come before your money The spiritual practices that sustain long-term financial change How to rethink rent, real costs, and what generosity really looks like Why churches need to grieve the past to make room for the future A six-part “rocket ship” model for launching sustainable ideas The myth of quick fixes—and the value of faithful experimentation   Grace Duddy Pomroy is the Director of the Stewardship Leaders Program at Luther Seminary. She's a lay, millennial stewardship leader, speaker, and financial educator based in Allyn, WA. She is the co-author of the stewardship book, Embracing Stewardship: How to Put Stewardship at the Heart of Your Congregation's Life, as well as author of the free 2013 ELCA stewardship resource, “Stewards of God's Love.” Her latest book, Funding Forward: A Pathway to More Sustainable Models for Ministry, was just released September 2024. Grace is also a consultant with Relèven, a charitable organization that lovingly preserves, restores, and repurposes under-utilized churches into community hubs and affordable housing.   Mentioned Resources:

Is your Jesus making your sons more radical—or more compassionate? In this scorching conversation, Frank Schaeffer sits down with Rev. Angela Denker to unpack her explosive new book Disciples of White Jesus: The Radicalization of American Boyhood. From Lutheran pulpits to CNN, Denker has tracked how faith, fear, and masculinity are being fused in dangerous ways. This episode exposes how American Christianity is grooming boys for culture war—and what real spiritual courage looks like instead._____LINKShttps://angeladenker.substack.comhttps://www.instagram.com/denkerangela/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmKIdMPvTt9uf3tlGBLFnxQhttps://www.lovechildrenplanet.com/events/it-has-to-be-read-red-state-christians-by-rev-angela-denker_____I have had the pleasure of talking to some of the leading authors, artists, activists, and change-makers of our time on this podcast, and I want to personally thank you for subscribing, listening, and sharing 100-plus episodes over 100,000 times.Please subscribe to this Podcast, In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer, on your favorite platform, and to my Substack, It Has to Be Said. Thanks! Every subscription helps create, build, sustain and put voice to this movement for truth. Subscribe to It Has to Be Said. Support the show_____In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer is a production of the George Bailey Morality in Public Life Fellowship. It is hosted by Frank Schaeffer, author of Fall In Love, Have Children, Stay Put, Save the Planet, Be Happy. Learn more at https://www.lovechildrenplanet.comFollow Frank on Substack, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and YouTube. https://frankschaeffer.substack.comhttps://www.facebook.com/frank.schaeffer.16https://twitter.com/Frank_Schaefferhttps://www.instagram.com/frank_schaeffer_arthttps://www.threads.net/@frank_schaeffer_arthttps://www.tiktok.com/@frank_schaefferhttps://www.youtube.com/c/FrankSchaefferYouTube In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer Podcast