3rd Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 9:1-4
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 1:10-18
Gospel Reading: Matthew 4:12-25
Worship Service
January-25-2026
Pastor Klemme uses Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians to confront the persistent problem of division within the church, showing that factionalism, favoritism, and preference-driven conflict are not modern problems but symptoms of humanity’s fallen nature. He emphasizes that divisions distract the church from its true mission, which is making disciples through the proclamation of God’s Word and the right administration of the Sacraments. Pointing repeatedly to Christ, he stresses that believers do not choose Jesus, but are chosen by him through the Holy Spirit working in the means of grace, which alone unite the church in faith and love. The sermon calls Christians to repentance for self-centered attitudes, to humility modeled after Christ’s self-giving service, and to a renewed focus on unity in Christ so that the church may stand distinct from a divided world and faithfully bear lasting fruit.
Using Jesus’ call to be “fishers of people,” Curtis helps the children understand that following Jesus means sharing his love with others in everyday life. By talking about fishing and giving each child a fishing float as a reminder, he explains that witnessing to Christ often requires patience and faithfulness. The message centers on representing Jesus to family, friends, and classmates through loving actions, grounded in the good news that Jesus died for our sins and rose again. Because Christ is alive, Christians joyfully share that hope with the world around them.
2nd Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 49:1-7
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 1:1-9
Gospel Reading: John 1:29-42a
Worship Service
January-18-2026
In this Epiphany sermon, Pastor Eric Klemme proclaims that Epiphany is about God revealing, or making manifest, who Jesus truly is, the Lamb of God and the only Savior of the world. Centering on John the Baptist’s testimony, the sermon emphasizes that Jesus is first revealed by the Father through the Holy Spirit, then proclaimed to others through faithful witness. John’s declaration, “Behold, the Lamb of God,” leads disciples to leave John and follow Jesus, illustrating how true revelation always draws people to Christ. This same divine revelation produces Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ, a confession given not by human reasoning but by God alone, and upon which the Church is built. Through Word and Sacrament, Christ continues to be made manifest, nourishing believers, creating new life by grace, and sending the Church into the world to make Jesus known until he comes again.
In this Life Sunday children’s message, Family Life Minister Curtis teaches that life is a gift from God and that God’s love begins even before birth. Using stickers and rulers as reminders, he explains that God loved each child when they were infants and even while they were still in the womb. He connects this truth to John 3:16, emphasizing that Jesus came to save all sinners, including the very youngest, and that every child is precious and in need of a Savior. Through a visual description of an unborn child and a poem about “fingers and toes,” Curtis reinforces that every life is a child of God, known and loved by him. The message concludes by encouraging gratitude for the gift of life and prayerful trust in God’s saving love.
1st Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 42:1-9
Epistle Reading: Romans 6:1-11
Gospel Reading: Matthew 3:13-17
Worship Service
January-11-2026
On the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, Pastor Eric Klemme proclaims that Jesus’ baptism fulfills all righteousness by completing the Old Testament covenant and inaugurating the New Covenant in His blood. Tracing God’s promise from circumcision to baptism, the sermon emphasizes humanity’s total inability to save itself and God’s decisive action to redeem sinners through Christ alone. Circumcision pointed forward to the promised offspring who would crush Satan, while baptism now delivers the fulfilled promise through water and the Word, uniting believers to Christ’s death and resurrection. Klemme stresses that salvation, rebirth, and faith are entirely God’s work, not human choice or effort, insisting that God “runs the verbs.” Through baptism, God claims, marks, and saves His people, granting forgiveness, new life, and eternal hope. The sermon concludes with comfort and assurance that because Christ has finished the work of salvation, believers live as pilgrims in this world, confident in resurrection, peace, and Christ’s promised return.
In this children’s message for the season of Epiphany, Family Life Minister Curtis explains that Epiphany celebrates God revealing Himself through Jesus. Using show-and-tell objects, he connects the gifts of the wise men to Jesus’ threefold office as prophet, priest, and king. Gold points to Jesus as the King of Kings, frankincense represents Jesus as the prophet who speaks God’s Word, and myrrh reflects Jesus as the priest who brings the prayers of God’s people before the Father. Curtis emphasizes that these gifts were given because of who Jesus is and what He has come to do for our salvation. The message concludes by encouraging gratitude for God’s gifts and sharing that good news with others.
Transfiguration Sunday(Series C)
2 Mar 2025
7th Sunday in Epiphany (Series C)
23 Feb 2025
6th Sunday in Epiphany (Series C)
16 Feb 2025
5th Sunday in Epiphany (Series C)
9 Feb 2025
4th Sunday in Epiphany (Series C)
2 Feb 2025
3rd Sunday in Epiphany (Series C)
26 Jan 2025
2nd Sunday in Epiphany (Series C)
19 Jan 2025
1st Sunday in Epiphany (Series C)
12 Jan 2025
Transfiguration Sunday(Series C)
Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Epistle Reading: Hebrews 3:1-6
Gospel Reading: Luke 9:28-36
On the Mount of Transfiguration, the disciples were given a glimpse of Christ’s glory before His suffering and death. This moment mirrors the vision in Revelation 7, where believers are sealed in the blood of the Lamb and gathered from every nation before the throne of God. The transfiguration assures us that despite trials, persecutions, and the weight of sin, Christ is victorious over sin, death, and Satan. Pastor Klemme emphasized that Jesus, the second Adam, willingly bore our sin and fulfilled the law perfectly in our place. Through Him, we are forgiven, justified, and given the promise of eternal life. The vision of Christ glorified sustains us in our journey of faith, strengthens us in trials, and gives us assurance of the final victory that belongs to all believers.
7th Sunday in Epiphany (Series C)
Old Testament Reading: Genesis 45:3-15
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 15:21-26, 30-42
Gospel Reading: Luke 6:27-38
In Luke’s account of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls His disciples to live in a way completely opposed to sinful human nature: to love enemies, turn the other cheek, give generously without expecting return, and live in self-sacrificing love. Pastor Klemme highlighted that such a life is impossible by our own strength because we are by nature sinful and self-centered. Modern culture often denies original sin, teaching that people are naturally good, but Scripture shows otherwise. The Christian life—marked by love, sacrifice, and service—is only possible through God’s grace, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the means of grace (Word and Sacrament). In Christ we are forgiven, redeemed, and called to bear fruit as children of God. Though the world sees this way of life as foolishness, it is the power of God for salvation.
6th Sunday in Epiphany (Series C)
Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 17:5-8
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 15:1-20
Gospel Reading: Luke 6:17-26
Continuing the lectionary-guided walk through 1 Corinthians, Pastor Eric Klemme addresses the deep divisions and doctrinal confusion in the Corinthian church, culminating in the denial of the resurrection. Paul insists that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not optional but central to the Christian faith, for without it sin remains undefeated, death retains its power, and faith itself is meaningless. Human reason resists the resurrection, preferring what seems sensible, yet Scripture, eyewitness testimony, and the suffering of the apostles confirm its truth. Christ’s bodily resurrection declares that sin, death, and the devil have been conquered, giving believers a sure and certain hope that does not disappoint. Grounded in Word and Sacrament, Christians are called to keep their eyes fixed on Christ alone, resisting false teachers and trusting not in human wisdom or power, but in the risen Lord who guarantees forgiveness, life, and salvation.
5th Sunday in Epiphany (Series C)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 6:1-13
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 14:12b-20
Gospel Reading: Luke 5:1-11
Continuing the study of 1 Corinthians, Pastor Eric Klemme addresses divisions in the Corinthian church that arose from misusing spiritual gifts and placing conditions, such as tongues or a so-called baptism by fire, on Christian faith. Paul reminds the church that the Holy Spirit gives gifts as he wills, not to exalt individuals, but to build up the whole body of Christ, with love as the most excellent way. Salvation and faith are God’s work alone, received through Word and Sacrament, and believers are nourished through baptism, preaching, and the Lord’s Supper so they may be strengthened for their mission. Using personal illustration and biblical examples, the sermon emphasizes the danger of spiritual starvation, the necessity of remaining in Christ, and the call to mature faith that keeps its eyes fixed on Jesus, resists distraction, and lives out love in service to others for the glory of God.
4th Sunday in Epiphany (Series C)
Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 1:4-19
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 12:31b-13:13
Gospel Reading: Luke 4:31-44
Continuing the walk through 1 Corinthians 12 into chapter 13, Pastor Eric Klemme addresses the Corinthians’ deep divisions and misuse of spiritual gifts, especially tongues, to show that any attempt to limit God’s grace or turn gifts into markers of status replaces Gospel with law and fractures the body of Christ. Salvation is entirely God’s work, received passively by faith, with God alone “running the verbs,” and therefore Christian life and service flow not from self-righteous boasting but from God’s prior agape love in Christ. Paul’s “more excellent way” is love, which alone gives meaning to gifts, sacrifice, knowledge, and action, binds the church together, and guards against polarization, arrogance, and self-interest. Though believers struggle with sin and the pull of extremes, the Holy Spirit works through Word and Sacrament to keep Christ’s people united, forgiven, and walking, however imperfectly, in the demanding but life-giving way of love.
3rd Sunday in Epiphany (Series C)
Old Testament Reading: Acts 20:28-35
Epistle Reading: Titus 1:1-9
Gospel Reading: Luke 10:1-9
Preaching from 1 Corinthians, Pastor Eric Klemme reflected on the divisions in the Corinthian church and reminded us that the body of Christ is meant to be united, not torn apart by pride or preferences. Some in Corinth boasted about spiritual gifts, especially tongues, but Paul taught that all gifts are given by the Spirit to build up the church and must always point to Christ, not ourselves. Pastor Klemme emphasized that every member of the body matters—no part can say to another, “I don’t need you”—and that we are called to work together in humility and love. He warned against letting petty disagreements or selfishness cause division, urging us instead to fix our eyes on Jesus, who unites us through Word, Sacrament, and the Spirit’s work. Just as the Trinity is perfectly united, so too we are called to live in oneness as God’s people, confessing together that Jesus Christ is Lord.
2nd Sunday in Epiphany (Series C)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 12:1-11
Gospel Reading: John 2:1-11
Preaching from 1 Corinthians 12, Pastor Eric Klemme emphasized that every believer is uniquely gifted by the Holy Spirit, not for pride or personal recognition but to build up the body of Christ. He warned against both extremes—the lie that we have nothing to offer and the arrogance of thinking our gifts make us superior. Paul reminded the Corinthians that even the most dramatic gifts, like tongues, are secondary to proclaiming Christ clearly and serving one another in love. Pastor Klemme stressed that no one can come to faith by their own decision or strength; it is only by the Spirit working through Word and Sacrament that we are brought to confess Jesus as Lord. Though Christians struggle with doubt, temptation, and weakness, this very struggle shows the Spirit’s presence. In Christ, every sin is forgiven except the rejection of the Spirit, and through baptism and ongoing grace, God equips and sustains us to live as His people, united in faith and service.
1st Sunday in Epiphany (Series C)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7
Epistle Reading: Romans 6:1-11
Gospel Reading: Luke 3:15-22
Pastor Eric Klemme preached on Isaiah 43, reminding us of God’s intimate promise: “I have called you by name; you are mine.” Just as God chose Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by grace—not merit—He has also chosen us through Christ, marking us as His own in baptism. At Jesus’ baptism the Trinity is revealed, and in our baptism we are adopted as beloved children of God, assured that His presence will carry us through every trial. Unlike false gods who demand and condemn, the living God walks with us, protects us, and calls us to shine His light in the world. Nothing can separate us from His love in Christ, and the Church exists to declare His praises and reflect His grace.
Transfiguration Sunday(Series B)
Old Testament Reading: Exodus 34:29-35
Epistle Reading: 2Corinthians 3:12-18; 4:1-6
Gospel Reading: Mark 9:2-9
Rev Steve Simon preached on the Transfiguration of Jesus as the turning point between Epiphany and Lent, emphasizing that the disciples briefly saw Jesus as He truly is, the living God, not merely a good teacher. He explored how the Transfiguration reveals Christ’s divine glory, yet remained hidden until after the resurrection so that Jesus could suffer and die for the salvation of the world. The sermon connected this event to other biblical visions of God’s glory, modern near-death testimonies, and the promise that believers will one day experience God’s presence fully. Rev Simon reminded hearers that God is already present with them now, calls them down from the “mountain,” and invites them to follow Jesus to the cross and into the hope of resurrection.
5th Sunday in Epiphany (Series B)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 40:21-31
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 9:16-27
Gospel Reading: Mark 1:29-39
Rev Greg DeVore preached on Isaiah 40:28–31, reflecting on a vivid dream he experienced that felt more real than waking life and seemed to give him a glimpse of heaven filled with brilliant beauty, light, and the loving presence of God. He connected that experience with Scripture’s promise that those who wait on the Lord will be renewed and will one day share in Christ’s glory through the resurrection. Just as Israel waited for release from exile and trusted God’s promises, Christians wait in faith, acknowledging their powerlessness, trusting God’s Word, and expecting the fulfillment of salvation through Christ’s death, resurrection, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. This hope strengthens believers in present hardships, reminding them that suffering is temporary, glory is eternal, and one day God will bring His people home.
4th Sunday in Epiphany (Series B)
Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 8:1-13
Gospel Reading: Mark 1:21-28
Family Life Minister Curtis preached during Epiphany on the manifestation of God in Christ, focusing on Jesus’ threefold office as prophet, priest, and king. Using a Goal–Malady–Rescue framework, he explained that God’s goal is that all people know Him through Christ, who speaks God’s Word as prophet, mediates for us as priest through His atoning sacrifice, and governs and protects as king. The malady is our sinful nature, which leads us to invent false gods and ideologies, honoring many “lords” instead of the one true God. The rescue is that God Himself appeared in Christ, whose authority over Scripture, teaching, and demons reveals Him as true God and true man. Because Jesus is truly divine, He alone can reveal God, redeem sinners, and rightly receive worship. Epiphany therefore proclaims that in Jesus, God has made Himself known so that we may trust, listen, and live under His gracious rule.
3rd Sunday in Epiphany (Series B)
Old Testament Reading: Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 7:29-35
Gospel Reading: Mark 1:14-20
In this Epiphany sermon, Curtis explains that Epiphany means the appearing or manifestation of God, and that the season highlights how God comes near to His people in Christ. Connecting Jonah 3, 1 Corinthians 7, and Mark 1, he shows that God’s nearness brings urgency. Jesus proclaims, “The kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the Gospel,” while Paul says the appointed time has grown short, and Nineveh responds in repentance when God’s Word comes to them. Epiphany reminds us that in Christ, God has appeared, the old order of the world is passing away, and believers now live in a new relationship with God as His redeemed people. Because God is near to us in His Word and Sacraments, we are called to repent, trust in Christ, and walk as His people while there is still time.
2nd Sunday in Epiphany (Series B)
Old Testament Reading: 1Samuel 3:1-20
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 6:12-20
Gospel Reading: John 1:43-51
Rev Schemm reflects on the calling of Samuel and uses the story to remind us that God always knows exactly where we are, both physically and spiritually. Just as God called Samuel by name in the night, God is present in our own lives, even when our circumstances feel accidental or uncertain. Rev Schemm shares his own experiences to show how we often end up where we are through ordinary or even flawed choices, and sometimes through our sin. Yet God still seeks us out like the Good Shepherd who goes after the lost sheep. The heart of the sermon is assurance: God has not forgotten us, He places us where we are for His purposes, and He seeks and saves broken people. Because Christ came into the world to be our Savior, we can trust that our lives are not wasted or unseen, but held in God’s knowing care.
Epiphany(Series B)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6
Epistle Reading: Ephesians 3:1-12
Gospel Reading: Matthew 2:1-12
Rev Steve Simon proclaims the joy of Epiphany, the day celebrating the wise men who followed the great heavenly light to worship the Christ Child. He explores how Epiphany reveals the “mystery” Paul describes: that salvation in Jesus is for all people, Jew and Gentile alike. The wise men remind us that Jesus is truly God in the flesh, worthy of worship, and that His coming fulfills the ancient promise that God’s light would shine into the darkness for every nation. As the wise men brought their costly gifts to Jesus, Christ in turn gives us the greater gifts of forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. God calls us not to tuck this gift away, but to live daily in His love, sharing His compassion, mercy, and grace with others. True wisdom is seen in continuing to seek and worship Jesus, allowing His love to shape how we live.
Transfiguration Sunday(Series A)
19 Feb 2023
6th Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
12 Feb 2023
5th Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
5 Feb 2023
4th Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
29 Jan 2023
3rd Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
22 Jan 2023
2nd Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
15 Jan 2023
1st Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
8 Jan 2023
Transfiguration Sunday(Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Exodus 24:8-18
Epistle Reading: 2 Peter 1:16-21
Gospel Reading: Matthew 17:1-9
Pastor Ray leads the congregation through a series of biblical “mountaintop experiences,” beginning at Mount Sinai, moving to the Mount of Transfiguration, and culminating at Mount Calvary. At Sinai, God reveals His holiness in fire, thunder, and fear, showing that sinful people cannot stand before a righteous God apart from sacrifice and blood atonement. At the Mount of Transfiguration, God reveals Jesus as His beloved Son and the true mediator, with Moses and Elijah testifying that the Law and the Prophets point to Him. Finally, at Calvary, Jesus bears the full weight of sin and judgment, accomplishing salvation through His death and resurrection. The sermon emphasizes that believers are not left to merely imagine God’s presence, but are invited to encounter Christ here and now through His Word, Baptism, Absolution, and Holy Communion, which give a foretaste of the eternal feast to come.
6th Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 3:1-9
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:21-37
Pastor Ray reflects on how standards in society and even within the church have steadily been lowered, using his upbringing around early television to illustrate how moral lines once clearly drawn have blurred over time. Turning to Deuteronomy and Jesus’ teaching in the Gospel, he shows that God never lowered His standard; rather, people did. Jesus “raises the bar” by revealing that sin is not merely outward behavior but a matter of the heart, addressing anger, lust, divorce, dishonesty, and integrity. Confronted with God’s perfect demands, listeners are led to recognize their failure to meet the law’s requirements. The sermon then turns decisively to the Gospel: Christ fulfilled the law perfectly on our behalf and bore our sin at the cross, freeing us from condemnation. Forgiveness rests not on our obedience, but on Christ’s completed work, which sets believers free to live as salt and light in the world.
5th Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Romans 12:1-21
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 12:1-26
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:1-16
Pastor Ray uses the retirement of Tom Brady to illustrate that success in football, like life in the church, depends on every member doing their part. Drawing on 1 Corinthians 12, he teaches that the church is not a spectator sport but a living body in which every believer has a vital role and a God-given spiritual gift. These gifts, whether connected to natural talents or distinct spiritual abilities, are given not for personal recognition but to serve others and glorify God. Above all, God cares more about who we are in Christ than what we do for Him, reminding believers that they are first children of God by grace. Motivated by love, Christians are called to unwrap and use their gifts both within the church and in the world, trusting God to multiply their faithful service for the sake of His kingdom.
4th Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Micah 6:1-8
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 1:18-31
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:1-12
On Life Sunday, Pastor Ray proclaims both the seriousness of sin and the certainty of forgiveness, explicitly naming abortion as a sin fully covered by Christ’s grace and urging those burdened by guilt to live in God’s “sea of forgetfulness.” He frames the sermon around the contrast between being open minded and narrow minded, arguing that faithfulness to God’s revealed Word necessarily means being narrow where God has spoken clearly. Drawing on Revelation 2 and Christ’s warning to the church at Pergamum, Ray warns against theological compromise, moral drift, and silence in the face of evil, especially on issues of life, sexuality, and truth. While affirming the church’s calling to welcome sinners, he insists that the church must never excuse sin or dilute doctrine for cultural approval. The sermon calls the congregation to repentance, courage, and active witness, holding firmly to biblical truth while extending the full breadth of God’s grace through Christ, who alone is the way of salvation.
3rd Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 9:1-4
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 1:10-18
Gospel Reading: Matthew 4:12-25
Rev Farrukh Khan proclaims Christ as the world’s true and lasting hope and calls the church to actively share that hope with others. Grounded in the Christmas and Epiphany message, he traces God’s promise of salvation from Genesis through Isaiah to its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection reconcile the world to the Father and defeat death itself. Rev Khan emphasizes that times of disruption, suffering, and uncertainty often make hearts more receptive to the Gospel, just as they were at Christ’s birth. He urges believers not to remain silent but to go and tell the story of Jesus, to share their own testimony of what Christ has done in their lives, to report the works of Christ to a world searching for truth, and to use their God-given gifts to leave a faithful legacy for future generations. The sermon concludes with a call to courageous, Spirit-led witness, trusting Christ’s promise to be with His people as they carry the Gospel to their neighbors and to the ends of the earth.
2nd Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 49:1-7
Epistle Reading: 1Corinthians 1:1-9
Gospel Reading: John 1:29-42a
Pastor Ray centers the sermon on the call to discipleship through the simple but demanding pattern of “see, show, share,” drawing from John 1 and the calling of the first disciples. While sharing the Gospel is easy to say, he argues it is often difficult to practice, not because of lack of knowledge, but because it requires personal witness and surrender. Ray contrasts rote memorization of faith with living testimony, urging believers to be able to articulate what Jesus truly means to them. He emphasizes that faith is not about inviting Jesus into our lives, but about accepting Christ’s invitation into His life, a calling given in baptism that bestows a new identity as children of God. Following Jesus means abiding with Him daily, sharing Him naturally with others, and submitting one’s whole life to His mission. The sermon concludes with a call to immediate, wholehearted discipleship, trusting Christ’s promise of eternal life and confidently telling others that Jesus loves them.
1st Sunday in Epiphany (Series A)
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 42:1-9
Epistle Reading: Romans 6:1-11
Gospel Reading: Matthew 3:13-17
Pastor Ray frames Jesus’ baptism as a decisive turning point that reveals both Christ’s mission and our own, teaching that while Jesus did not need baptism for forgiveness, he submitted to it to fulfill all righteousness and to fully enter our human condition. Tracing Jesus’ life from infancy through adulthood, the sermon emphasizes baptism as the moment where Christ publicly begins his saving work, a work that continues in the lives of believers through their own baptisms. Pastor Ray stresses that baptism is not only about forgiveness of sins, but also about being chosen, equipped, and sent on mission, with God placing his Spirit upon us so that his kingdom might come through us. Drawing on Scripture, the Creed, and vivid metaphors, he explains that believers are buried and raised with Christ in baptism, freed by grace, and then called into good works prepared by God, living as light in the world so that Christ’s love may reach others through them.