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God's Work Our Hands

by Pr. Lisa Rygiel

The article below appeared in the September 2025 issue of Living Lutheran. Please see the link below to post some of our God's Work Our Hands projects this year!

As we take Labor Day to pause and honor the dignity of work, we also reflect on 12 years of faithful service through “God’s Work. Our Hands.” —a day when congregations across the ELCA come together to serve their communities. Introduced in 2013 to celebrate the ELCA’s 25th anniversary, this annual day of service has become a tradition that reflects our shared commitment to justice, compassionate service and grace.

“When one congregation gathers to serve its neighbors, they are one church helping in their community,” said Elizabeth Eaton, ELCA presiding bishop. “But this is also the entire church. This is how we are church together responding to God’s call to love and serve.”

Since 2013 our hands have:

  • Cleaned parks, beaches and roadways.
  • Donated food to shelters and pantries.
  • Assembled backpacks and hygiene kits.
  • Repaired homes and community centers.
  • Written letters to military members and first responders.
  • Harvested produce for food pantries.
  • Sewn quilts and knitted blankets.
  • Prepared meals for volunteers.
  • Visited homebound members.
  • Performed random acts of kindness.

Next Sunday, Sept. 7, we invite you to join the ELCA in showing up for your neighbors.

September 7, 13th Sunday After Pentecost
God’s Work Our Hands Sunday
10 a.m. Worship at Roundup Park, Trinidad CO

Announcements

 

Reminder! Worship this Sunday, September 7, will be at Roundup Park adjacent to the Fairgrounds

  • God's Work Our Hands Worship: We will have our traditional outdoors GWOH worship at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 7, at Round Up Park (near the fairgrounds). A GWOH potluck picnic will immediately follow worship, so bring your favorite picnic food, wear your GWOH yellow shirt (if you need one, let Julie Wersal know), join the fellowship, and learn about ways that you can support the work of Zion’s through its many ministries.
  • God’s Work Our Hands (GWOH) Service Projects: This year members of Zion’s shared three service projects. We made period packs for unhoused women, helped our member Richard Stewart move to a new house, and built a wheelchair ramp at the home of Doris & Terry Blalock. We are grateful to everyone who helped with these projects, both through their actions and donations.
  • September Newsletter: The September edition of Zion’s Connections newsletter was sent via email on Monday, Sept. 1. If you did not receive one, please verify your email address with Jo Moss. Paper copies of the newsletter will be available at worship on Sunday, as well as in the Sanctuary and the Fellowship Hall.
  • Guest Pastor: The Rev. Dr. Becky McNeil will be our guest minister on Sunday, Sept. 14, while Pr. Lisa is on vacation.
  • Bible Study Resumes: Beginning at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25, (and repeated at 12:30 on Saturday, Sept. 27), Pastor Lisa will lead a new Bible Study entitled By What Authority: Rethinking Early Christian History. Offered in a combination video and study guide format (no books required), the sessions give participants a chance to see how the drama of the early church’s formation affects our lives of faith today.
  • Save the Date: Our annual Blessing of the Animals will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4, in the fenced lawn adjacent to the Fellowship Hall.

E-formation – 13th Sunday After Pentecost, September 7

In the gospel for this coming Sunday, Jesus calls us to “carry the cross.” Didn’t he carry the cross for us? Come to worship, to meditate on the word of God and to share in the bread and wine and so follow Jesus as his disciple.

Luke 14:25-33

The text presents the homiletical challenge of taking Jesus’ words seriously without taking them literally. The charge to hate everyone and even life itself stands next to the call to love one another (Luke 10:27), and despite this command to give up all our possessions, in the Acts of the Apostles, Luke lauds wealthy Christians for their support of the community. Here Luke’s repeated theme, that God forgives, is shown to have a cost. If there was no cost, if forgiveness is totally free, why did Jesus have to die? When we come forward for holy communion, we are indeed following Jesus and his cross.

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

This passage is set next to Luke’s call to radical discipleship because also Moses anticipates that faithfulness to the covenant will be difficult. We can choose blessings, or we can choose curses. According to the Deuteronomist, God cannot be expected to bless those who chose other commitments. As the community of faith, we are part of the blessing that God gives to one another.

Philemon 1-21

Reading Philemon makes clear that Christian ethics has always been debated: Paul is asking that Onesimus be treated now as a brother, not merely a slave; and yet the household codes tell slaves and masters to keep to their places. Thus, on many issues both sides of ethical disputes can find some support in the Bible. We hear Paul’s counsel for Christians to live in compassion to others and to enact the familial love given them in baptism. This is the only place in the three-year lectionary that appoints Philemon.

Zion's Lutheran Church

A Reconciling in Christ Community
zionsluth@gmail.com
719-846-7785