Sunday, September 7, 2025
Rally Sunday
Pastor Lori Bonkoski
WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS
SILENT PRAYER
*OPENING HYMN #731 “Earth and All Stars!”
1. Earth and all stars! Loud rushing planets! Sing to the Lord a new song!
Hail, wind, and rain! Loud blowing snowstorm! Sing to the Lord a new song!
Refrain
God has done marvelous things. I too sing praises with a new song!
2. Trumpet and pipes! Loud clashing cymbals! Sing to the Lord a new song!
Harp, lute, and lyre! Loud humming cellos! Sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain
3. Engines and steel! Loud pounding hammers! Sing to the Lord a new song!
Limestone and beams! Loud building workers! Sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain
4. Classrooms and labs! Loud boiling test tubes! Sing to the Lord a new song!
Athlete and band! Loud cheering people! Sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain
5. Knowledge and truth! Loud sounding wisdom! Sing to the Lord a new song!
Daughter and son! Loud praying members! Sing to the Lord a new song! Refrain
*CALL TO WORSHIP
P: Calling all children of the Living God: The gospel is good news for every age
and every stage.
C: Let us worship together, the young and the old.
P: The good news is proclaimed in God’s words, and also with crayons, silly songs,
snacks and rest time.
C: Let us worship together, every generation.
P: We come together with different abilities and disabilities, learning in a rainbow
of ways and styles.
C: Let us worship together, with our family of faith.
P: All are welcome in the arms of Chris who proclaimed, “Let the children come!”
C: Let us worship together, united in our eternal hope.
*HYMN #860 “I’m So Glad Jesus Lifted Me”
1. I’m so glad Jesus lifted me. I’m so glad Jesus lifted me.
I’m so glad Jesus lifted me, singing glory, hallelujah! Jesus lifted me.
2. Satan had me bound, Jesus lifted me. Satan had me bound, Jesus lifted me.
Satan had me bound, Jesus lifted me, singing glory, hallelujah! Jesus lifted me.
3. When I was in trouble, Jesus lifted me. When I was in trouble, Jesus lifted me.
When I was in trouble, Jesus lifted me, singing glory, hallelujah! Jesus lifted me.
*PRAYER OF THE DAY
Direct us, O Lord God, in all our doings with your continual help, that in all our works,
begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy name; and finally, by your
mercy, bring us to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
FIRST READING: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
15 “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. 16 If you
obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by
loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments,
decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord
your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. 17 But if your
heart turns away and you do not hear but are led astray to bow down to other gods
and serve them, 18 I declare to you today that you shall certainly perish; you shall not
live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call
heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and
death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live,
20 loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him, for that means life
to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord
swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”
R: The Word of the Lord C: Thanks be to God
RESPONSIVE READING: Psalm 1
1 Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor lingered in
the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful!
2 Their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and they meditate on God’s teaching day and night.
3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with
leaves that do not wither; everything they do shall prosper.
4 It is not so with the wicked; they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes, nor the sinner
in the council of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked
shall be destroyed.
SECOND READING: Philemon 1-21
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To our beloved coworker Philemon, 2 to our sister Apphia, to our fellow soldier
Archippus, and to the church in your house: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always when I mention you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your
love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that the partnership
of your faith may become effective as you comprehend all the good that we share in
Christ. 7 I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because
the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.
8 For this reason, though I am more than bold enough in Christ to command you to
do the right thing, 9 yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul,
do this as an old man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. 10 I am appealing to
you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.
11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.
12 I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. 13 I wanted to keep him with me
so that he might minister to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel,
14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your good deed might
be voluntary and not something forced. 15 Perhaps this is the reason he was separated
from you for a while, so that you might have him back for the long term, 16 no longer as a
slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more
to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 So if you consider me your partner,
welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has wronged you in any way or owes
you anything, charge that to me. 19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay
it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, let me have
this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Confident of your
obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
R: The Word of the Lord C: Thanks be to God
BLESSING OF SCHOOL STAFF
Macy Ellingson Calvin Erickson
Heather Erickson Dawn Leenderts
Brianna Leuthold Samantha McGaffee
Sherry Paulsen Ann Sandager
Emily Sandager Missy Seachris
Jil Vaughn
BIBLE PRESENTATION – 2ND GRADERS
Joselyn Chapman
Sadia Rozeboom
Talia Seachris
BACKPACK PRESENTATION – 3 YEAR OLDS
Hayes Helgeson
Elodie Rozeboom
Cade Sandager
CHILDREN’S MOMENT – BLESSING OF BACKPACKS
CONGREGATION BLESSING TO CHILDREN
*HYMN OF THE DAY #595 “Jesus Loves Me!”
1. Jesus loves me! this I know, for the Bible tells me so;
little ones to him belong, they are weak, but he is strong.
Refrain
Yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me,
yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so.
2. Jesus loves me! he who died heaven’s gates to open wide;
he will wash away my sin, let his little child come in. Refrain
3. Jesus loves me! he will stay close beside me all the way;
when at last I come to die, he will take me home on high. Refrain
*CONFESSION 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, from there 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 life everlasting. Amen.
*PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
P: God of grace, C: receive our prayer.
*SHARING OF THE PEACE
The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: And also with you.
OFFERING
*OFFERING SONG #685 Take My Life, That I May Be”, vs 1, 4, 6
1. Take my life, that I may be consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
4. Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold;
take my intellect and use ev’ry pow’r as thou shall choose.
6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store;
take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for thee.
*OFFERING PRAYER
Lord of the harvest, we return to you a portion of what you have given to us. Turn us to
set our hope not on the uncertainty of riches, but on you, who richly provides for us.
Multiply what we have gathered to bless all who are suffering and in need,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
COMMUNION
BLESSING
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and forever. Amen.
POST COMMUNION PRAYER
O God, through this meal you have strengthened us and appointed us to be your
servants. Send us to do good and to share our possessions with all in need. We ask
this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
CLOSING PRAYER
Loving God, coat the year before us with miracles of your mercy and strength, and
help us appreciate most of all the bedrock miracle of your presence with us in every
single ordinary, sacred moment. Lead us this school year into life-giving rhythms of
grace and light, where our regular routines become the framework for worship and
blessing. Amen
BENEDICTION
Children, families, and all who love them, go out into the beautiful world that God has
made! Go and play! Go and learn! Go and love others! May you be filled with
lovingkindness for yourself and everyone around you. May the prayers of your faith
community keep you safe, healthy, and full of joy. Amen
SENDING SONG #661 “I Love to Tell the Story”
- I love to tell the story of unseen things above, of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus
And his love. I love to tell the story, because I know it’s true; it satisfies my
longings as nothing else would do.
Refrain
I love to tell the story; ’twill be my theme in glory to tell the old, old story of
Jesus and his love.
- I love to tell the story: how pleasant to repeat what seems, each time I tell it,
more wonderfully sweet! I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
the message of salvation from God’s own holy word.
Refrain
- I love to tell the story, for those who know it best seem hungering and thirsting to
hear it like the rest. And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song, I’ll
sing the old, old story that I have loved so long.
Refrain
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Do not lose heart.
Thanks be to God.
Prayer Concerns: Doug Boeve, Marvin Albers, Glenda Warner
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Music teacher needed for Sunday School. Please contact a member of the Board of Education if interested.
If you are interested in being a lay reader, or usher, please contact the church office.
Help Wanted: Need someone to help with power point on Sunday morning worship.If interested, please contact Dawn Leenderts. Will train! (507-962-3560)
Pray for our school staff Pray for our students
Stephanie Bass Mya Erickson Boyd Leuthold
Doug Boeve Abbie Harris Hailey Spykerboer
Macy Ellingson Tucker Holwell Joselyn Chapman
Calvin Erickson Jayden Kueter Sadia Rozeboom
Heather Erickson Abby Olson Talia Seachris
Dawn Leenderts Reagan Spath Emma DeJong
Brianna Leuthold Auston Olson Willow DeJong
Samantha McGaffee Norah Top Nash Ellingson
Sherry Paulsen Haven Kerkhove-Brandt Odin Kerkhove-
Ann Sandager EmmaLee Holwell Brandt
Emily Sandager Alli Schouwenburg Douglas Heintzman
Missy Seachris Karissa Kerkhove-Brandt Greyson Hoyme
Jil Vaughn Cash Wilsey Henzley Rozeboom
Molly Hoogendoorn Maddie Bass
Charlie Wilsey Beckham Ellingson
Boston Groff Henley Hanson
Jaquelyn Chapman Hayes Helgeson
Raylan Leuthold Merritt Hoogendoorn
Remington Seachris Ellie Rozeboom
Harper DeJong Cade Sandager
Briar Hoogendoorn
Isaiah Top