Audio: Announcements, Readings & Sermon for Sunday, June 7, 2026
This audio-only file includes all the readings from scripture, along with the sermon — and when available, the announcements, adult choir, men’s choir, and/or bell choir. Also posted along with the audio file is the text for all the scripture readings, and a link to the current bulletin, and our YouTube channel if you prefer to watch the LIVE Stream.
View the bulletin for Sunday, June 7, 2026
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins
Old Testament Reading -- Hosea 5:15—6:6
I will return again to my place,
until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face,
and in their distress earnestly seek me.
“Come, let us return to the Lord;
for he has torn us, that he may heal us;
he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.
After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will raise us up,
that we may live before him.
Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;
his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
as the spring rains that water the earth.”
What shall I do with you, O Ephraim?
What shall I do with you, O Judah?
Your love is like a morning cloud,
like the dew that goes early away.
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets;
I have slain them by the words of my mouth,
and my judgment goes forth as the light.
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
Epistle Reading -- Romans 4:13–25
The promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the ninth chapter
As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Bell Choir -- Crown Him with Many Crowns (8:00 a.m.)
Bulletin: Sunday, June 7 2026 + This Week at Zion
Download/view the latest bulletin. It’s filled with our hymns, the order of service, all the readings from scripture, prayer requests for family & friends, service participants, communion statement, about our worship, the schedule of events for this coming weeks, along with announcements, news updates, happenings, and more!
View the bulletin for Sunday, June 7, 2026
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins
THIS WEEK AT ZION
Saturday, June 6
2:00 p.m. - Grimenstein/Winterhalter Wedding
Sunday, June 7
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service
9:15 a.m. — Adult/Teen Bible Study & Children’s Summer Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)
Monday, June 8
7:00 p.m. - Board of Education Meeting
Tuesday, June 9
No Events Scheduled
Wednesday, June 10
2:00 p.m. - Mid-Week Worship Service
2:30 p.m. - Bible Study, The Book of Galatians
(The 2:00 p.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)
Thursday, June 11
7:00 p.m. - Council Meeting
Friday, June 12
No Events Scheduled
Saturday, June 13
3:00 p.m. - Lawn Bocce with the Men’s Fellowship Group (additional details)
Sunday, June 14
FOOD BANK SUNDAY
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service
9:15 a.m. — Adult/Teen Bible Study & Children’s Summer Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)
CLICK THE UPCOMING EVENTS GRAPHIC to go directly to our UPCOMING EVENTS page
Sunday School News
End of another Great SS Year
Our 2025-2026 Sunday School year concluded with a party on May 31, complete with some treats, some fun, some bible stories, and a goody bag full of fun things. Thank you children . . . Thank you parents . . .And Thank You teachers and subs for making this all happen!
Summer Sunday School
Our Summer Sunday School program starts June 7, and will run through August 30. This year's program is "3 in 1: Discovering Our Triune God" from Concordia. The summer program is geared mainly for the PreK-K and grades 1-3 children, but older children are welcome to attend and help with the younger children, or they are encouraged to attend the Pastor's adult Bible study. Classes start at 9:15 am in the Preschool room 205.
Mark your Calendars!
The new 2026-2027 year begins on Rally Day -- Sept 13!
End of another Great SS Year
Our 2025-2026 Sunday School year concluded with a party on May 31, complete with some treats, some fun, some bible stories, and a goody bag full of fun things. Thank you children . . . Thank you parents . . .And Thank You teachers and subs for making this all happen!
Summer Sunday School
Our Summer Sunday School program starts June 7, and will run through August 30. This year's program is "3 in 1: Discovering Our Triune God" from Concordia. The summer program is geared mainly for the PreK-K and grades 1-3 children, but older children are welcome to attend and help with the younger children, or they are encouraged to attend the Pastor's adult Bible study. Classes start at 9:15 am in the Preschool room 205.
Mark your Calendars!
The new 2026-2027 year begins on Rally Day -- Sept 13!
Finnish Lutherans convicted of ‘Hate Speech’
In 2023, the Rev. Dr. Juhana Pohjola, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF) — a partner church of the LCMS — and Dr. Päivi Räsänen, a medical doctor and member of the Finnish Parliament, spoke to the LCMS convention about their years-long experience of being prosecuted in the Finnish courts for confessing what the Bible teaches about creation. That prosecution stemmed from a 2019 social media post by Räsänen in which she shared a passage from Romans to question another Lutheran church body’s support of a “Pride” event.
Click the link below to read the complete story …
In 2023, the Rev. Dr. Juhana Pohjola, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF) — a partner church of the LCMS — and Dr. Päivi Räsänen, a medical doctor and member of the Finnish Parliament, spoke to the LCMS convention about their years-long experience of being prosecuted in the Finnish courts for confessing what the Bible teaches about creation. That prosecution stemmed from a 2019 social media post by Räsänen in which she shared a passage from Romans to question another Lutheran church body’s support of a “Pride” event.
The prosecution — and persecution — continued as a 2004 church pamphlet written by Räsänen and edited by Pohjola came under scrutiny for containing “hate speech.” The pamphlet, Male and Female He Created Them, was originally published in Finnish by Lutheran Heritage Foundation (they have since published it in both English and Spanish as well) and upholds a biblical view of marriage and sexuality. Although Räsänen and Pohjola were cleared of wrongdoing by a Helsinki district court in 2022, appeals by the Finnish government have kept them returning to court since then — first to the Helsinki Court of Appeal, where they were again acquitted, and, last year, to the Supreme Court of Finland.
Now, as the LCMS prepares for another convention, the nightmare has still not ended for Räsänen and Pohjola. In a 3–2 decision announced on March 26, the Finnish Supreme Court has found the two guilty of “inciting hatred” with the pamphlet. (The court acquitted Räsänen for the 2019 tweet and did not rule on a previous acquittal, which was not appealed, related to a radio appearance that Räsänen gave in 2019.) Both have been ordered to pay fines equivalent to 20 days of wages (amounting to thousands of dollars), as well as legal costs. Luther Foundation Finland, an organization that supports the ELMDF and that worked with Lutheran Heritage Foundation in the printing and publishing of the pamphlet in Finland, has also been fined 5,000 euros (1 euro = 1.15 U.S. dollars). In addition, the court has ordered that the pamphlet as written be permanently removed from public access.
In a press conference following the Supreme Court decision, Räsänen said she is considering appealing the ruling to the European Court of Human Rights. “It is not about my free speech alone but that of every person in Finland,” she said. “This case is not the end of the matter; it is part of a broader and ongoing discussion about the future of fundamental freedoms in Finland and across Europe.”
Food Banks Sunday: June 14th
Bridgeville Area Food Bank
The May collection for the Bridgeville Area Food Bank is Sunday, June 14th. The “items of the month” are paper products, although any non-perishable food items are gladly accepted. Items may be placed in the wicker bin in the narthex near the coat rack.
During the May 16th distribution, the BAFB assisted 103 local families which included 33 children, 74 adults and 79 of the elderly. Your generosity makes this possible … thank you!
Bridgeville Area Food Bank
The May collection for the Bridgeville Area Food Bank is Sunday, June 14th. The “items of the month” are paper products, although any non-perishable food items are gladly accepted. Items may be placed in the wicker bin in the narthex near the coat rack.
During the May 16th distribution, the BAFB assisted 103 local families which included 33 children, 74 adults and 79 of the elderly. Your generosity makes this possible … thank you!
Q&A with the Rev. Dr. Christian Tiews
Q&A with the Rev. Dr. Christian Tiews
Tiews is an LCMS missionary to Germany, where he works primarily with Persian refugees.
The Rev. Dr. Christian Tiews was 40 years old when he first truly heard the Gospel during a service connected to his daughter’s Lutheran day care in Tomball, Texas. He and his wife, Gudula (Lula), joined the church, and eventually he studied to become an LCMS pastor. After serving two congregations in Oklahoma, Christian and Lula embarked on a new phase as LCMS missionaries to Germany. It was a welcome return, since they both grew up there. Now, Lula serves as communications specialist for the LCMS Eurasia region, and Christian works with hundreds of Persian refugees who are interested in Christianity — he has personally baptized 50 of them — and teaches online courses for future pastors through Luther Academy, based in Riga, Latvia.
What led you to become a missionary?
A: I was thinking about retirement and possibly returning to Germany. I contacted the Office of International Mission and said I’d be interested in missionary work. Eleven months later, I touched down in Frankfurt, Germany. For the first six months, I served in Kaiserslautern [at an English-speaking congregation]. For the last four years, I’ve been in Hamburg. The wonderful thing about working with the Persians is that they are converts, just like I was.
Click the link below to read the complete story …
Q&A with the Rev. Dr. Christian Tiews
Tiews is an LCMS missionary to Germany, where he works primarily with Persian refugees.
The Rev. Dr. Christian Tiews was 40 years old when he first truly heard the Gospel during a service connected to his daughter’s Lutheran day care in Tomball, Texas. He and his wife, Gudula (Lula), joined the church, and eventually he studied to become an LCMS pastor. After serving two congregations in Oklahoma, Christian and Lula embarked on a new phase as LCMS missionaries to Germany. It was a welcome return, since they both grew up there. Now, Lula serves as communications specialist for the LCMS Eurasia region, and Christian works with hundreds of Persian refugees who are interested in Christianity — he has personally baptized 50 of them — and teaches online courses for future pastors through Luther Academy, based in Riga, Latvia.
What led you to become a missionary?
A: I was thinking about retirement and possibly returning to Germany. I contacted the Office of International Mission and said I’d be interested in missionary work. Eleven months later, I touched down in Frankfurt, Germany. For the first six months, I served in Kaiserslautern [at an English-speaking congregation]. For the last four years, I’ve been in Hamburg. The wonderful thing about working with the Persians is that they are converts, just like I was.
What are some of the challenges of this ministry?
A: The Persians face many challenges. For most of them, the journey from Iran or Afghanistan to Germany is extremely traumatic, physically and mentally. Some have walked to Germany. Others have been thrown into jail for months at a time. Once here, they have to go through the extremely tedious process of being granted asylum. Then there’s the mental stress of possibly being deported. When they convert, they often are the victims of hostility from other Muslims.
But the good news, obviously, is the Good News — when they hear the Gospel and the assurance of salvation in Christ for the first time. Before, they were hounded by Islam or by the mental anguish of the law, as well as by the Mullah regime. So despite everything, in Germany they have found a peace that they’ve never experienced before.
Do you worry that some might use Christianity to gain asylum?
A: Out of 55 Muslim countries, only people from two — Iran and Afghanistan — are very open to the Gospel. … Matthew 28 says to baptize and teach. These people are being taught. They receive the Holy Spirit in Baptism. Some people are faster than others. My wife and I went to the Lutheran church [in Texas years ago] because it had the best day care. The pastor could have said, “You’re not taking this seriously. Please go somewhere else.” But he didn’t. He preached. He taught. And one evening, I did hear the Gospel. Tons of people go to church, from a human point of view, for the “wrong” reason. … The Holy Spirit does what He will do. That conversation takes place between that person and the Holy Spirit.
There is a refugee studying to become a Lutheran pastor, right?
A: Yes. Amir has been a Christian for 12 years. Even in Iran, he was teaching Christianity to fellow Iranians on the internet. I asked him, “Would you be interested in becoming a pastor to do this officially and properly?” He signed up at Luther Academy at the next opportunity. His wife is a professional translator, and she recently translated the Augsburg Confession into Farsi. We also have three more Iranians applying to Luther Academy for this fall.
What is your hope for this work?
A: I pray that this work, like a pebble tossed into a pond, will continue to have an impact on more and more people. But in a larger context, that Iran would open up. Maybe as many as a third of the population already believes in Jesus, but they need to be taught and baptized. I would love to be part of that bigger process by helping raise up future pastors.
Reprinted from Lutherans Engage the World, available at engage.lcms.org
