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We Refresh Our Resistance

By Pr. Lisa Rygiel

June is Pride month, and Zions begins the observance with a Pride worship service at 10 a.m. on Sunday, June 7. Following that, we will have our First Sunday Potluck, ice cream social, and special Pride celebration. This event allows us to reflect upon how far we have come in difficult times while reminding ourselves that we need to keep moving toward the goal of true inclusion.

As presented in the newsletter, as a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) faith community, we are the living embodiment of hope for LGBTQIA+ full inclusion and equity. We are living in a time when our society is less affirming and inclusive of those who are most in need. As such, we are called to respond with intention, faith, and love.

When we work together for justice then both communities and their people are stronger. This Pride season, we step forward — as allies, collaborators, and co-conspirators in the Gospel — to boldly proclaim God’s inclusive love for all. The RIC Pride month theme invites us into a fuller, more faithful expression of resistance — one that is grounded not only in action, but also in spirit: 

  • Lament for the harm and injustice that persist
  • Foundation in the enduring truth of God’s expansive love
  • Joy that celebrates the beauty and gifts of LGBTQIA+ lives
  • Courage to continue showing up, speaking out, and building a more just church and world.

To fully embrace our journey as an RIC congregation, we are going off script (It will be okay, I promise!), and we will be following a liturgy prepared by our RIC partners.  Please join us for this special service and bring a friend. Perhaps you know of someone who needs a safe place where they can be loved and appreciated for being the unique person that they are. Even if they might not be comfortable attending worship, please invite them to the potluck and ice cream social. Let us be joyful together!

Pride Sunday, the 2nd Sunday After Pentecost, June 7

10 a.m. Sunday Worship

Announcements

  • Pridefest at Holy Trinity: On Saturday, June 6, all are invited to attend Pridefest at Holy Trinity Church located at 6322 S. Lakeview St., Littleton, Colorado. There will be live music, food trucks, crafts, a bounce house, and other activities. Entrance donation of canned goods or a cash donation to benefit St. Andrew’s Market Food Pantry is welcomed.
  • Fellowship: Join us after worship on Sunday for our First Sunday Potluck and Pride Sunday celebration, which includes an ice cream social. All are welcome.
  • Wednesday Book Club: Book Club sessions focusing upon What if Jesus was Serious – A Visual Guide to the Teachings of Jesus We Love to Ignore, are at 10:30 a.m. each Wednesday in the Fellowship Hall. The next session is Wednesday, June 3. You can join at any time, so if you haven’t been able to attend before now, why not consider doing so.
  • Time of Prayer and Coffee: We are invited to join our siblings in Christ from the Methodist church for a time of prayer and coffee at 10:30 a.m. each Thursday at Kangaroo Coffee -- in the Marketplace on Commercial Street.
  • 5-Loaves: Thank you to everyone who helped with 5-Loaves deliveries this month. We were able to serve 281 meals, which is 44 more than for the month of May 2025. Please save the date for our next 5-Loaves delivery, which will be Saturday, June 27.
  • Newsletter: The June newsletter was sent via email on May 31, print copies also are available in the Sanctuary and the Fellowship Hall.
  • Summer Supper Gatherings: At 5:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each summer month, we will gather in the Fellowship Hall for food and fun. The dates are June 10, July 8, Aug. 12, and Sept. 9. There is a sign-up sheet in the Fellowship Hall for food and activities. If you want to help provide food or to head up an activity, please let Julie Wersal or Jo Moss know. We still need some side dishes for June 10, such as chips or salad.
  • Annual Garage Sale: The annual Zion’s Garage Sale will be Saturday, Aug. 1. If you have items to donate, please let Julie Wersal know. We will begin accepting drop offs beginning July 24. Please be aware that while Zion’s can accept most items for the sale, we cannot accept electronic or computer items and we do not accept clothing and shoes either.
  • We’re Here for You: For pastoral care, call Zion’s at 719-846-7785 or send an email: zionsluth@gmail.com.

E-formation
Genesis 16: 1-16
Genesis 16 tells the story of Sarai, Abram, and Hagar at a moment when God’s promise of a child seems delayed. Sarai, still barren, gives her Egyptian servant Hagar to Abram so that a child might be born through her. When Hagar conceives, tension erupts. Learn more about Hagar and her story on Sunday.

Genesis 21:8-21
This reading continues the story of Hagar and the painful separation of Hagar and Ishmael after Isaac is weaned. Sarai, now renamed Sarah, demands that Abram, now known as Abraham, send Hagar and her son away. Hagar and Ishmael wander in the wilderness of Beersheba until their water runs out. Certain her son will die, Hagar places him under a bush and weeps at a distance. God hears the boy’s cry, and the angel of God calls to Hagar, reassuring her and opening her eyes to a well of water. The passage ends with Ishmael’s survival, growth, and God’s continued presence with him in the wilderness.

Psalm 97
Psalm 97 proclaims the sovereign reign of God, whose presence shakes creation and exposes the emptiness of idols. The psalm opens with a universal call for the earth to rejoice because the LORD reigns, surrounded by clouds, darkness, and fire—images that highlight both divine majesty and justice. Mountains melt, lightning flashes, and the heavens themselves testify to God’s righteousness. Idol‑worshipers are put to shame, while Zion rejoices in God’s supremacy.

Revelation: 3:5-6
Revelation 3:5–6 offers a promise and a summons to attentive faith. Jesus declares that those who “conquer”—that is, those who remain faithful—will be clothed in white, a symbol of purity and victory. Their names will never be erased from the Book of Life, and Christ Himself will confess their names before the Father and the angels. The passage ends with the familiar refrain to the churches: “Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying.”

Matthew 12:1-14
Matthew 12:1–14 presents two linked Sabbath controversies that reveal Jesus’ authority and the heart of God’s law. First, when the hungry disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath, the Pharisees accuse them of breaking the law. Jesus responds by citing David eating the consecrated bread and the priests’ Sabbath work, concluding with the prophetic claim that mercy outweighs sacrifice and that the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

The scene then shifts to a synagogue, where the Pharisees test Jesus by asking whether it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath. Jesus argues from everyday compassion—rescuing a sheep from a pit—and asserts that doing good is always lawful. He heals the man’s withered hand, prompting the Pharisees to begin plotting His death.

Zion's Lutheran Church
zionsluth@gmail.com
719-846-7785