First Lutheran Church, Cumberland, WI

First Lutheran Church, Cumberland, WI First Lutheran is a community of believers called to celebrate and share the loving power of Jesus Christ

09/06/2026

Sunday Worship 9/6/26

Pastor Tim's Morning Devotion If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become...
09/03/2026

Pastor Tim's Morning Devotion
If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. 1 Corinthians 3:18

I have done enough foolish things in my life. But these things have not brought me closer to God. Usually more the opposite, in fact.

So what is Paul saying here in this letter to the Corinthians about needing to become fools in order to become wise? Well, the wisdom he is talking about is growing in divine wisdom and becoming closer to God. And coming before God and seeking to learn first involves humility. It means realizing that before God, our human intellect and wisdom are very limited. We come before God and know that God’s ways are so far beyond our ways and we truly open ourselves up to learn and grow.

But the second thing too is realizing that the “wisdom of the age” as Paul calls it also has its limits. What he is talking about here is the human wisdom of our times. That often does not align with the true, divine wisdom. Human wisdom can often be self-seeking or harmful to others. Especially in the situation that Paul was speaking to at the church in Corinth it involved rivalries and competing leaders in the church. There the people were fighting with each other instead of building up the community of faith. They were relating to each other in very “human” ways instead of treating each other with Christian love and care.

To become like “fools,” is to turn away from our all too human ways of living and relating to others and to instead seek to live according to God’s wisdom for us.

Prayer: God of wisdom, help us to grow wise in you and your ways. For we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

It should be a beautiful night for our last outdoor service of the year! Join us at 6pm under the pavilion.We look forw...
09/02/2026

It should be a beautiful night for our last outdoor service of the year! Join us at 6pm under the pavilion.

We look forward to special music tonight from Doug Stevens!

It is also our annual "Blessing of the Animals" service. You are invited to bring your furry friend along tonight for a blessing and a treat.

See you at 6pm!

Pastor Tim's Morning Devotion12Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Romans 12:12 Sometimes it ...
09/02/2026

Pastor Tim's Morning Devotion
12Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Romans 12:12

Sometimes it is helpful to keep the big picture in mind. The other day I did the run for our local festival, the Rutabaga fest. You run around the lake for the run, and you wouldn’t think that a course that goes around the lake would be hilly, but this one kind of is. The run is also a little unusual in that it doesn’t start in the same place that it ends. Where it starts is up a hill a little bit at the high school. And it ends at the festival grounds downtown.

So throughout the different hills you know that overall you are going just a little bit more downhill than uphill…Even though that can be hard to keep in mind when you are trying to run uphill.

There are times in life when we feel like we are running uphill. And it can feel like it goes on that way for a long time. And at times it can feel that there are more hills going up than down. But those climbs do come to an end, and then we are able to go more smoothly and easily in what feels like a downhill. There are these “peaks and valleys” in life. That is true for all of us.

This verse here from the book of Romans talks about seeing the big picture. It talks about being “patient in suffering,” and “persevering in prayer.” And it talks about rejoicing in the hope that we have in Christ. It is a way for us to look at our life as children of God. Yes, there will be times of struggle. And certainly, there will be times of joy. But in all things we persevere in prayer and we look forward to the eternal hope that we have in Christ.

Prayer: Loving God, may we “rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering and persevere in prayer.” For we pray through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Pastor Tim's Morning DevotionI know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circ...
09/01/2026

Pastor Tim's Morning Devotion
I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:12-13

The last part of this passage, Philippians 4:13, was my confirmation verse: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” You will also see this verse often with athletes written somewhere on their uniform or something during games. I remember I had it written under the brim of my hat when I played baseball in high school. The verse is a reminder of how we can find strength outside of ourselves when we turn to Christ.

But it is interesting too to see the context of this verse. The book of Philippians is one of the Apostle Paul’s letters. Paul dedicated his life to sharing the Good News about Jesus. He traveled tirelessly and often endured great hardship for the sake of the Gospel. In fact, most Bible scholars think that Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians from prison. And here in this passage he talks about enduring both times of plenty and of want. There are times when he was well provided for – and times when he seemingly had nothing. But at all times, he had Christ. And because he had Christ, he had all that he needed to do what he was called to do:

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Prayer: Loving God, help us to remember that when we have your Son, Jesus Christ, we have all that we need. For we pray in his name, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Pastor Tim's Morning DevotionFor I resolved to know nothing while I was with youexcept Jesus Christ, and him crucified. ...
08/31/2026

Pastor Tim's Morning Devotion
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2

A few years ago, in church circles there was kind of this mantra. I imagine it started with a book or an article someone wrote, but the saying was, “you have to keep the main thing, the main thing.” This saying isn’t unique among churches, of course. It is applicable for any organization. You have to keep your main mission right at the heart of what you do. There are always so many other things that can distract you and keep you busy. But if you are going to focus on what you are really about, then “you have to keep the main thing the main thing.”

And for Christian Churches, the main thing is Jesus Christ and him crucified. That is at the heart of what we do and who we are together. There are a lot of different things that we do, but they are focused around God’s great love in Jesus Christ, who offered himself for us on the cross.

And that is true of us as individual followers of Jesus as well. Jesus and his cross are at the heart of our identity as believers. On the cross we have been redeemed. We have been forgiven and given new life. And in the cross we also find our way of Christian life, giving of ourself for others.

As churches and believers we can get focused on a lot of different things. And many of them are good things. But it all starts and revolves around this main thing: Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Prayer: Merciful God, may we always stay focused on your Son, and his life-giving sacrifice for us on the cross. For we pray in his name, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

08/30/2026

Sunday Worship 8/30/26

With all the August activities that have passed and all the fall activities to come, the September Newsletter is so full...
08/27/2026

With all the August activities that have passed and all the fall activities to come, the September Newsletter is so full! It will go to the post office this afternoon, but you can look at it right now on our website at the link below.

https://www.firstlutherancumberland.com/Newsletter

Pastor Tim's Morning DevotionMy people shall be satisfied with my bounty, says the LORD. Jeremiah 31:14 Last night we h...
08/27/2026

Pastor Tim's Morning Devotion
My people shall be satisfied with my bounty, says the LORD. Jeremiah 31:14

Last night we had our big community meal. It is our annual Corn Feed that we have during our town’s festival. After the meal, we have an outdoor worship service with a band from a nearby church, whose pastor is a good friend of mine. He plays in the band and we always have fun doing a dialogue sermon together at the service.

We were blessed in so many ways last night… we were blessed with so many great volunteers with the meal. We were blessed with delicious food and maybe our biggest crowd yet to come and eat. We were blessed with a wonderful night weather-wise for our outdoor service. And we were blessed with a great turnout at the service too and with a wonderful worship service and music. It was a time when God’s abundance and God’s blessings seemed so clear.

The verse above talks about God’s people being satisfied with his bounty. There are many times when we focus on what is missing or lacking for us or some difficulty or struggle that we have. And it is very good to have those special reminders of God’s bounty – and God’s providing for us. Because they help us to remember and to give thanks for all of the ways that God provides and gives us what we need each day.

Prayer: Abundant God, you give to us every good thing. Help us to recognize your bounty to us and to be thankful and generous with all that has been given to us. For we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Pastor Tim's Morning Devotion‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where t...
08/26/2026

Pastor Tim's Morning Devotion
‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

I was probably not the only one listening to Dolly Parton music this morning. She was an American icon who passed away yesterday at the age of 80.

One of the songs I was listening to is called “Poor Folks Town.” It is an autobiographical song that she wrote about growing up in rural Tennessee. And the whole point of the song is that even though the people there were poor, they were rich in so many other ways. They were rich in love and relationships, and they were rich in faith, going to their “simple little church nearby.”

The song is simple and to the point in a way that a lot of music isn’t anymore. But it says something very important about what true treasure is in this life – and also in the life to come. It is about relationships. It is about our relationship with God – and it is about our relationships with one another. That is where we build the solid foundation of life. That is where we find true and lasting joy. And the more modern research into “happiness” and well-being seems to say that those people back in rural Tennessee decades maybe had it right all along. The most important thing is our relationships and the love that we share.

Prayer: Gracious God, help us to find true riches in our relationship with you and in our loving relationships with one another. For we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Address

1180 8th Avenue, PO Box 546
Cumberland, WI
54829

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 3pm
Tuesday 8am - 3pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 3pm
Sunday 8am - 12pm

Telephone

+17158224416

Website

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