VIDEO: Sunday, June 29, 2025 - Complete Service

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AUDIO: Announcements, Readings & Sermon for Sunday, June 29, 2025

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Old Testament Reading -- 1 Kings 19:9b–21
Behold, the word of the Lord came to [Elijah], and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” 

So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him. 

Epistle Reading – Galatians 5:1, 13–25 
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. . . . 

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. 

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 

The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the ninth chapter
When the days drew near for [Jesus] to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. And 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, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” 

Bulletin: Sunday June 29, 2025 + This Week at Zion

THIS WEEK AT ZION
Please note: There are Bibles, Handmade Wooden Wall Crosses and Pocket New Testaments/Psalms on a table in the back of the Sanctuary. They are free to anyone who would like to have them for home use, or to give as gifts!

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Saturday June 28
12:00 p.m. - Prayer Luncheon (additional details)

Sunday June 29
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:15 a.m. — Voters Budget Meeting & Summer Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)

Monday June 30
No Events Scheduled

Tuesday July 1
No Events Scheduled

Wednesday July 2
2:00 p.m. - Midweek Worship with Communion
2:30 p.m. - Bible Study; Psalms (30 min.) - Each Bible Study starts with a recap from the previous lesson
3:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. - Open-Playground Fellowship time (additional details)
(Wednesday’s service will be streamed on our YouTube channel)

Thursday July 3
No Events Scheduled

Friday July 4
No Events Scheduled

Saturday July 5
No Events Scheduled

Sunday July 6
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:15 a.m. — Adult/Teen Bible Study & Summer Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)

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CLICK THE UPCOMING EVENTS GRAPHIC to go directly to our UPCOMING EVENTS page

Recovery Begins After St. Louis Tornado

Recovery Begins After St. Louis Tornado 
By Brianna Dehn, May 21, 2025 

On Friday, May 16, a storm system that included at least two tornadoes moved through the greater St. Louis area, causing a handful of deaths and dozens of injuries. An estimated 5,000 buildings were damaged, and thousands of St. Louis residents were left without power. 

One of the tornadoes touched down on the campus of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (CSL), in Clayton, Mo. According to the National Weather Service, it was an EF3 that gained strength, reaching maximum winds of more than 150 mph, as it continued through the north part of St. Louis where Bethlehem Lutheran Church is located. The tornado crossed the Mississippi River and entered Illinois before lifting near the campus of Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Ill. 

Earlier in the day, at 10 a.m. under sunny skies, the seminary had held its Theological Diploma Service. Following the service, students, families, guests and faculty mingled and took pictures outside the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus. Then the weather turned, and at around 2:45 p.m., the tornado hit the CSL campus, lasting only around 5–10 minutes. 

No one on the seminary property was hurt, but the campus sustained extensive damage. In that short amount of time, approximately 150 trees or large limbs fell, covering the campus in debris. Other notable damage included downed powerlines, tree limbs falling on faculty and student housing, and a stained-glass chapel window that broke due to a tree falling into it. As a result, CSL’s Friday evening commencement ceremony had to be postponed. 

Meanwhile, Bethlehem also sustained significant damage to the church building as well as to member homes and vehicles. In the days since the tornado, the congregation has been reaching out to the surrounding community, offering meals, child care, assistance with cleanup and the love of Christ. Food insecurity was already an issue in North St. Louis, but it is amplified in the wake of the tornado. Bethlehem, being one of the few buildings in the area with electricity, is giving away 250 meals three times a day to help those who are hungry. The congregation is also offering temporary shelter to those who need it. “The past few days, Bethlehem has really served as a light to our city,” said the Rev. Dr. Gerard Bolling, Bethlehem senior pastor. 

On Saturday morning, May 17, the Rev. Dr. Ross Johnson, director of Disaster Response for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), joined a group of volunteers from Lutheran Early Response Teams (LERT) to assist with cleaning up the CSL campus. ““This is a big project,” he said. “We are prioritizing areas. … We’re going to try and clean this up as soon as possible so life on campus … [and] the ministry on campus can continue.” Approximately 50 LERT volunteers came from five LCMS districts — Iowa East, Missouri, Southern Illinois, Northern Illinois and Central Illinois — on Saturday and Sunday. 

In addition, the volunteers included CSL students like Joshua Teggatz, a fourth-year seminarian. “We were supposed to graduate last night,” said Teggatz. But, he added, “We love [this seminary] and we want to give back what we’ve been given [by helping with the disaster response.]” Commencement was held Saturday night even as much of the seminary campus, including faculty housing, remained without power. 

Kris Schuldt, district disaster response coordinator for the LCMS Missouri District, has visited Bethlehem Lutheran, CSL and other areas impacted by the storm. Asked why he is involved in disaster response, he said it’s “because I have been truly blessed, and I feel like I want to give back. [LERT helps with natural disasters] all over the country. … It’s very rewarding.” 

“We are very grateful for the way people in the seminary community have been pitching in to clean up,” said the Rev. Dr. Thomas Egger, president of CSL. “Our seminary staff and now a number of volunteers from the Synod and from the community are on campus, and we are very grateful for their help.” 

The same storm system that impacted Missouri and Illinois also affected Kentucky and Indiana, and another storm system moved across the middle of the country on May 19, impacting more people. Meanwhile, multiple parts of the country continue recovering from severe weather events. 

As with any disaster, there are three ways you can help:

• Pray for those affected and for those who are offering assistance.

• Volunteer at lcms-lert.org.

• Financially support the response with your gifts. Visit lcms.org/disaster for more information. Readers in Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana and other zones of impact can also contact their respective districts for information about how to donate toward response efforts.

Editor’s Note: Zion’s own Charles Wallace has served at Bethlehem Lutheran, and his wife, Katrina, is currently working at the church. 

Voter’s Meeting - Sunday, June 29th

Next Voters Meeting will be Sunday, June 29, 2025, at 9:15 a.m. between services

Agenda topics: 
• Approval of the Fiscal Budget for July 2025 – June 2026 
• Plus key informational updates relevant to the congregation 

Your participation is important as we look ahead and approve next year's budget. 

VIDEO: Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - Complete Service

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Worship Service: 2:00 p.m. with communion
Bible Study: 2:30 p.m. - Book of Obadiah (30 min.)
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

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AUDIO: Readings & Sermon for Wednesday, June 25, 2025

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Worship Service: 2:00 p.m. with communion
Bible Study: 2:30 p.m. - Book of Obadiah (30 min.)
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

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2 Samuel 12:1-13 
And the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich 

man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” Then David's anger was greatly kindled  against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” 

Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 

John 21:1-25 
After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 

Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. 

When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” 

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” 

This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. 

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. 

The Sacrament of the Altar 
Who receives this Sacrament worthily?
Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” 

But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words “for you” require all hearts to believe.