At its heart, worship is about what we value most, what is worth our time and devotion.  Impatient and anxious people sometimes make very foolish choices.   In Exodus 32, when Moses is delayed on the mountain, the people are persuaded to create a false god to worship.  How can we maintain our trust in anxious times?

Worship this week:

SATURDAY EVENING at  5:00PM

• A modified traditional worship service, generally less than 45 minutes.  We gather the smaller chapel on the Front Street side of the building

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
8:30 AM — Traditional Worship

• We gather in the main sanctuary for liturgical Lutheran worship, accompanied by the pipe organ and featuring our excellent choir.

9:30 AM Sunday School Classes

• Classes for age 3 and up are held throughout the building, while there is time for coffee and conversation in the fellowship hall.

10:30 AM — Contemporary Worship

• Led by our Praise Team we share contemporary Christian music, God’s Word and prayer in the sanctuary.

Devotions for this week:

Israel and the Golden Calf                                         October 9, 2016

 SHARE:   What was a high point of your day? What was a low point?

READ: Read the following daily readings to deepen your understanding:

Sunday: Golden Calf, Exodus 32:1-14

Monday: God Calls Joshua, Joshua 1:1-11

Tuesday: Rahab Helps God’s People, Joshua 2:1-24, 6:1-27

Wednesday: Deborah Helps Barak, Judges 4:4-10

Thursday: Gideon Tests God, Judges 6:36-7:23

Friday: Samson and Delilah, Judges 16:1-31

Saturday: Ruth and Naomi, Ruth 1:1-22

TALK:  Consider some of these ideas:

“Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, …’” And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people. Exodus 32:13-14

• How did the people move from the wilderness to the Promised Land?
• How does a peaceful crowd become a rebellious riot? How can we lead groups of people to behave faithfully and peacefully?
• What kinds of things take God’s place in your life? How can you rid yourself of false idols and follow only God?
• In an absurd response to Moses’ delay, the Israelites are persuaded to melt down their jewelry and form a golden calf to worship. Hmmm…what might God think of that?

PRAY: Your patience, O God, is never ending and your wrath quick to subside. Teach us to cast aside all that is false and turn to you alone, for the sake of Jesus, Amen.

It must have seemed impossible, but after years of bondage, God gives the people instructions for the time of their departure, when God will act powerfully to liberate them. They only had to act in trust that the God who loved them could make a new future.  We, too, are called to come together as a community of faith, to tell again the power of God’s liberating love!

Worship this week with Holy Communion:

Saturday at 5:00 p.m. in the chapel

Sunday – 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship

      9:30  a.m. Sunday School

     10:30 a.m. Contemporary Worship

Devotions for this week:

Passover and Deliverance                                                           October 2, 2016

Share:  What was a high point of your day?  What was a low point?

Read:   Read the following daily readings to deepen your understanding of Sunday’s text.

Sunday: Passover and Deliverance, Exodus 12:1-13; 13:1-8

Monday: Pillars of Cloud and Fire, Exodus 13:17-22

Tuesday: Crossing the Red Sea, Exodus 14:1-31

Wednesday: Songs of Moses and Miriam, Exodus 15:1-21

Thursday: Manna and Quail, Exodus 16:1-36

Friday: Jethro Advises Moses Concerning Leadership, Exodus 18:1-27

Saturday: The Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:1-21

Talk:  Consider some of these ideas –

”You shall tell your child on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’”  — Exodus 13:8

• A secret command, a strange ritual, and an epic journey begins. Could Israel have even imagined the adventure which lay ahead, their tour guide none other than the Almighty God?
• Some of God’s grandest moments happen when the community comes together.
• What did God do for the people of Israel? Where was God faithful? Where were the people faithful?
• How can you, like Moses, help set people free today from bondage, addiction, poverty, abuse, and more?
• In what ways has God set you free? In what ways do you still feel bound?

Pray:  You have led your chosen people for generations, O God. Keep us mindful of your faithfulness and trusting in the next step you have in store for us. For the sake of Christ our Lord, Amen.

Bless: May God deliver you from bondage to sin and death. Amen.

Join us as we hear from Emily Tveite, Director & Campus Pastor at the Lutheran Campus Center in Madison.  Pastor Emily will share the sermon at worship and join us during the coffee hour to tell us more about the ministry that we share to the University community.

Worship this week: 

Saturday at 5:00 p.m. in the chapel

Sunday – 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship

9:30 a.m. Sunday School and Conversation with Pastor Tveite

10:30 a.m. Contemporary Worship

Devotions for this week:

God Works through Joseph                           September24-25, 2016

 SHARE:   What was a high point/low point of your day?

 READ: Read the following daily readings to deepen your understanding of Sunday’s text:

Sunday: Joseph’s Dream, Genesis 37:3-8, 17b-22, 26-34; 50:15-21

Monday: Egyptian Midwives Save Hebrew Babies, Exodus 1:1-22

Tuesday: Birth and Youth of Moses, Exodus 2:1-25

Wednesday: God Calls Moses, Exodus 3:1-15

Thursday: Plagues 1-3, Exodus 7:1-8:19

Friday: Plagues 4-6, Exodus 7:20-9:12

Saturday: Plagues 7-9, Exodus 9:13-10:29

How does God move from being the God of a single family to the God of an entire nation?

TALK:  Consider some of these ideas:

• Joseph is the golden child with a colorful coat, destined to be noticed wherever he may end up. Can he prevail in the face of jealousy, danger, and deception?
• Sometimes following God is difficult and dangerous. But God remains faithful to those who follow.
• In what ways is it unsafe to follow Jesus today? How do you respond to God’s call in light of the potential dangers?
• What gifts has God given you? How can you use your gifts for good?

PRAY: You have brought us through many trials, O Lord. Look with favor upon us yet, and keep on showing us how best to glorify your name. Amen.

BLESS:  May God remain faithful to you each and every day. Amen.

In the small hours of the morning, Abram wonders.   Things haven’t worked out like he imagined thus far.  Perhaps you know this feeling too?  While the answer is not simple, God’s promise is profound.  Step back and look at the grand sweep of things, and trust that God’s promise remains true.

Worship this week with Holy Communion:

Saturday at 5:00 p.m. in the chapel

Sunday – 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship

      9:30  a.m. Sunday School

                10:30 a.m. Contemporary Worship

Devotions for this week:

God’s Promise to Abraham                          September 17-18, 2016

SHARE:   What was a high point/low point of your day?

READ: Read the following daily readings to deepen your understanding of Sunday’s text:

Sunday: Abraham’s Descendants, Genesis 15:1-6

Monday: Abraham’s Sacrifice, Genesis 22:1-19

Tuesday: Isaac and Rebekah, Genesis 24:1-67

Wednesday: Jacob Steals Esau’s Blessing, Genesis 27:1-29

Thursday: Jacob Marries Leah, then Rachel, Genesis 29:9-30

Friday: Jacob Wrestles an Angel, Genesis 32:22-32

Saturday: The Rape of Dinah, Genesis 34:1-31

How do the people in these stories try to take matters into their own hands?

TALK:  Consider some of these ideas:

• After years of no discernible fulfillment to God’s promise of descendants, Abram is losing heart. What will it take to restore his faith?
• Where do you see people in your community trying to take matters into their own hands? Where do you see God acting on their behalf?
• What has God promised you? How might you live and behave this week knowing that those promises are upheld?
• Go outside at night. Watch the stars. Imagine that those stars represent the people God promised to bless through Abram. Which ones shine brightest? Why?

PRAY: O God, our faith can be shaky and temperamental. Show us your steadfastness and restore our hope in you. In Jesus’ holy name, Amen.

BLESS:  May God bless you as abundantly as God created stars. Amen.

As we begin Bible story God has created an abundant garden for God’s people, but rather than enjoying what is, they desire to be something they are not.  Not content to be creatures of a loving God, they seek to be ‘like God’, and cause separation and shame.   Yet God continues to love, forgive, and bless.

Worship this week:

Saturday at 5:00 p.m.  Modified traditional worship in the chapel

Sunday at 8:30 a.m. Traditional worship in the Sanctuary

9:30 a.m. Sunday School Registration in Fellowship Hall

10:30 a.m. Contemporary Worship in the Sanctuary

Creation and Fall                                        September 10-11, 2016

SHARE:   What was a high point/low point of your day?

READ: Read the following daily readings to deepen your understanding of Sunday’s text:

Sunday: Creation and Fall, Genesis 2:4b-7, 15-17; 3:1-8

Monday: Cain and Abel, Genesis 4:1-16

Tuesday: Noah, Genesis 6:11-22

Wednesday: The Tower of Babel, Genesis 11:1-9

Thursday: God Calls Abram, Genesis 12:1-9

Friday: Abram Lies to Pharaoh about Sarai, Genesis 12:10-13:1

Saturday: Abram and Lot Part Ways, Genesis 13:2-18

How do these early stories portray the relationship between God and God’s people?

TALK:  Consider some of these ideas:

The first humans on earth are living the good life. They have free access to everything they need; what more could they possibly want? Only the one thing they’ve been told they cannot have. Our shame makes us vulnerable and exposed. God’s love forgives and heals.

• How does being a caretaker of God’s creation shape how you live your life?
• What can you do to care for the planet and God’s people?
• What does it mean to you that God’s breath lives within you?

Observe the ways in which you experience shame. Observe too, ways in which God’s forgiveness offers you new opportunities for life.

PRAY: O Lord, you create all, you know all, you see all. Have mercy on our shortcomings and release us from our shame. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

BLESS:  May God bless you as abundantly as God created stars. Amen.