BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN CHURCH
Sunday, August 31, 2025
Pastor Lori Bonkoski
Music: Glenda McGaffee
Lay Reader: Peggy Goettsch
WELCOME/ANNOUCEMENTS
SILENT PRAYER
*Please stand if you are able
*GATHERING HYMN “Come and Go with Me to My Father’s House”
- Come and go with me to my Father’s house, to my Father’s house, to my
Father’s house. Come and go with me to my Father’s house, where there’s
joy, joy, joy! - It’s not very far to my Father’s house, to my Father’s house, to my Father’s
house. It’s not very far to my Father’s house where there’s joy, joy, joy! - Jesus is the way to my Father’s house, to my Father’s house, to my Father’s
house. Jesus is the way to my Father’s house, where there’s joy, joy, joy! - Jesus is the light in my Father’s house, in my Father’s house, in my Father’s
house. Jesus is the light in my Father’s house, where there’s joy, joy, joy! - All is peace and love in my Father’s house, in my Father’s house, in my Father’s
house. All is peace and love in my Father’s house, where there’s joy, joy, joy! - We will dance and sing in my Father’s house, in my Father’s house, in my
Father’s house. We will dance and sing in my Father’s house, where there’s
joy, joy, joy! - We will praise the Lord in my Father’s house, in my Father’s house, in my
Father’s house. We will praise the Lord in my Father’s house, where there’s
joy, joy, joy!
*GREETING:
P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C: And also with you.
*DIALOGUE
P: Rejoice in the Lord always. Say it again: Rejoice! Let gentleness be evident to all, for the Lord is near.
C: Let us not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present our requests to God.
P: Rejoice in the Lord always. Say it again: Rejoice!
C: Let gentleness be evident to all, for the Lord is near.
*SCRIPTURE SONG #512 “Lord Let my Heart be Good Soil”
Lord, let my heart be good soil, open to the seed of your word. Lord, let my heart be good soil, where love can grow and peace is understood.
When my heart is hard, break the stone away. When my heart is cold, warm it with the day. When my heart is lost, lead me on your way. Lord, let my heart, Lord, let my heart, Lord, let my heart be good soil.
*PRAYER OF THE DAY
O God, you resist those who are proud and give grace to those who are humble. Give us the humility of your Son, that we may embody the generosity of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
CHILDREN’S MOMENT
FIRST READING: Proverbs 25:6-7a
6 Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, 7a for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
R: The Word of the Lord C: Thanks be to God
SECOND READING: Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
1 Let mutual affection continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them, those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. 4 Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he himself has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” 6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?”
7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 15 Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
R: The Word of the Lord C: Thanks be to God
*GOSPEL ACCLAMATION:
Alleluia! Lord and Savior: open now your saving word. Let it burn like fire within us; speak until our hearts are stirred. Alleluia! Lord, we sing for the good news that you bring.
*GOSPEL READING: Luke 14:1, 7-14
1 On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely.
7 When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host, 9 and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
12 He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers and sisters or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 And you will be blessed because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
P: This is, the Gospel of the Lord C: Thanks be to God
MESSAGE: Pastor Lori
*HYMN OF THE DAY “781 “Children of the Heavenly Father”
- Children of the heav’nly Father safely in his bosom gather;
nestling bird nor star in heaven such a refuge e’er was given. - God his own doth tend and nourish, in his holy courts they flourish.
From all evil things he spares them, in his mighty arms he bears them. - Neither life nor death shall ever from the Lord his children sever;
unto them his grace he showeth, and their sorrows all he knoweth. - Though he giveth or he taketh, God his children ne’er forsaketh;
his the loving purpose solely to preserve them pure and holy.
SERVICE OF BAPTISM – Makai Daniel Bass
In baptism our gracious heavenly Father frees us from sin and death by joining us to the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are born children of a fallen humanity; by water and the Holy Spirit we are reborn children of God and made members of the church, the body of Christ. Living with Christ and in the communion of saints, we grow in faith, love, and obedience to the will of God.
Who presents this precious child for Holy Baptism?
PARENTS: I present Makai Daniel Bass for baptism.
Called by the Holy Spirit, trusting in the grace and love of God, do you desire to have your child baptized into Christ? I do.
As you bring your son to receive the gift of baptism, you are entrusted with responsibilities:
to live with him among God’s faithful people,
bring him to the word of God and the holy supper,
teach him the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments,
place in his hands the holy scriptures,
and nurture him in faith and prayer,
so that Makai may learn to trust God,
proclaim Christ through word and deed,
care for others and the world God made,
and work for justice and peace.
Do you promise to help Makai grow in Christian faith and life? I do.
Sponsors, do you promise to nurture Makai in the Christian faith as you are empowered by God’s Spirit, and to help him live in the covenant of baptism and in communion with the church? I do.
People of God, do you promise to support Makai and pray for him in his new life in Christ? We do.
Do you renounce the devil and all forces that defy God?
I renounce them.
Do you renounce the powers of this world that rebel against God?
I renounce them.
Do you renounce the ways of sin that draw you from God?
I renounce them.
I ask the congregation to stand and profess your faith in Christ Jesus, reject sin, and confess the faith of the church.
Do you believe in God the Father?
I believe in God the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
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 again to judge the living and the dead.
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
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.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and by your Word you created the world, calling forth life in which you took delight. Through the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family, and through the sea you led your people of Israel from slavery and into freedom. At the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit. By the baptism of Jesus’ death and resurrection you set us free from the power of sin and death and raise us up to live in you.
Pour out your Holy Spirit, the power of your living Word, that those who are washed in the waters of baptism may be given new life. To you be given honor and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
The congregation may be seated.
Makai Daniel Bass, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. You belong to Christ; in whom you have been baptized. Alleluia.
Let us pray.
We give you thanks, O God, that through water and the holy Spirit you give your daughters and sons new birth, cleanse them from sin, and raise them to eternal life.
Sustain Makai with the gift of your Holy Spirit: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in your presence, both now and forever. Amen
Makai, child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever. Amen
Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Let us welcome the newly baptized.
We welcome you into the body of Christ and into the mission we share: join us in giving thanks and praise to God and bearing God’s creative and redeeming word to all the world.*PEACE
P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: And also with you.
OFFERING
*OFFERING RECEIVED #884 “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heav’nly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen
*OFFERING PRAYER
P: Let us pray. God, our Creator,
C: you open wide your hand and satisfy the desire of every living creature. With these gifts we bless you for your tender nurture and care. Help us to delight in your will and walk in your ways, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
*PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
P: Hear us, O God, C: your mercy is great.
*LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
*BENEDICTION
P: The church is surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. May you find strength and courage in their presence.
C: Amen
P: The word that goes out from God does not return empty. May the word bear fruit, accomplishing its purpose in you.
C: Amen
P: May your minds be set on things above, where Christ is seated, at God’s right hand.
C: Amen
P Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.
C: Amen
*SENDING HYMN #543 “Go, My Children, with My Blessing”
- “Go, my children, with my blessing, never alone. Waking, sleeping, I am with you,
you are my own. In my love’s baptismal river I have made you mine forever. Go,
my children, with my blessing, you are my own.” - “Go, my children, sins forgiven, at peace and pure. Here you learned how much I
love you, what I can cure. Here you heard my dear Son’s story, here you touched
him, saw his glory. Go, my children, sins forgiven, at peace and pure.” - “Go, my children, fed and nourished, closer to me. Grow in love and love by
serving, joyful and free. Here my Spirit’s power filled you, here my tender comfort
stilled you. Go, my children, fed and nourished, joyful and free.”
*DISMISSAL
P: Go in peace. Live by the Spirit. C: Thanks be to God.
Prayer Concerns: Doug Boeve, Marvin Albers, Glenda Warner, Elmer and Gratia Biteler (Missy Seachris’ grandparents).
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rally Sunday next Sunday, remember your backpacks! A special blessing for teachers and school staff. 2nd graders will be presented with Bibles. After worship, there will be a meal hosted by the Board of Deacons.
Summer reading bingo cards must be turned in today! Prizes awarded on Rally Sunday.
We have a new website: bethlehem-lutheran.com
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)
Recycling Please use the bins for bulletins and water bottles. Let’s help our planet by
recycling!