First Lutheran Church - Lincoln, NE

09/08/2026

First member Connie Kisling shared this beautiful photo of sunflowers grown from seeds Pastor Erin shared from Seed Savers Exchange Heritage Farm in Decorah, Iowa, one of the stops on her sabbatical journey this summer.

Connie chose sunflowers because they are her daughter Becky’s favorite. Near the bottom left, you can also spot a glass bluebird beside the resting place of Becky’s beloved dog, Linus.

Did you plant one of the seed packets Pastor Erin shared earlier this summer? We would love to see what came up in your garden! 🌱🌻 Share a photo in the comments and show us what grew.

09/06/2026

Join us for worship this Sunday at 8:15 AM, in person or by livestream.

What do we do when relationships become strained, someone hurts us or conflict gets in the way?

In Matthew 18:15–20, Jesus offers a way forward—encouraging us to speak honestly, listen carefully and seek reconciliation rather than simply walking away from one another. It’s a message about the sometimes difficult work of living together in community, with grace at the center.

Come as you are. Bring what’s on your heart. There is a place for you here.

Download the worship bulletin athttps://flclincoln.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/9.6.26-Live-Stream-15th-Sunday-after-Pentecost.pdf.

09/06/2026

09/05/2026

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽.

𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 means supporting the well-being, dignity and rights of others, guided by our faith and a commitment to justice and compassion.

It begins with listening. 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺, 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲? What are we hearing from people whose voices may too often go unheard? And how might our faith call us to respond?

The photo here shows more than 𝟲𝟬 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗮𝗵 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝘆, joining people from across the community to listen, stand together and advocate around shared concerns.

At First Lutheran, advocating may also mean joining a Justice in Action Listening Session, supporting a Social Ministry activity, or taking part in a Faithful Conversation to explore what it means to live out our call to “work for justice and peace in all the world.”

Sometimes accompaniment means being present. Sometimes it means serving. And sometimes it means 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.

09/04/2026

This Sunday, we return to two worship services at First Lutheran!

Join us at 8:15 AM or 10:45 AM as we gather for worship, music, prayer and community.

Can’t join us in person? The 8:15 AM service will be livestreamed on Facebook so you can worship with us from wherever you are.

There’s a place for you here.

09/04/2026

𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲.

𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 means helping one another grow in faith so we are 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀. Sunday learning, Confirmation, Adult Forum, Bible studies, Faith to Go!, Gather & Gab and Women’s Circles are just a few ways we keep learning and growing together.

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 means 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 to extend our reach and work toward common goals for the good of our neighbors. That can look like the weekly BackPack Program, serving at Matt Talbot Kitchen, volunteering at the Lincoln Lutheran Food Pantry, helping with Gifts of Hope or joining a Community Connections & Collaborations project.

𝗙𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.

09/03/2026

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴.

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱. That begins in worship and at the communion table, but it also happens in everyday spaces — Wild Women of First, Seasoned Adults, Monday afternoon Coffee Talk, First Fitness class, Wednesday night Youth Group and more.

𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 goes a step further. It means 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 through ministries like Helping Hands, Transportation Ministry, Stephen Ministry, Quilters and Keeping God’s People in Stitches.

Sometimes 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 looks like a conversation. Sometimes it looks like a ride, a listening ear, a handmade quilt, a personal invitation, warm hello and smile or simply helping someone know: 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.

09/02/2026

Good News can be shared by anyone - you don’t have to be a pastor, theologian or even an adult to have something meaningful to say.

On Sunday, one of First Lutheran’s high school students, Kayla, stepped into the pulpit and shared a message of God’s love, mercy and forgiveness.

Her sermon was a beautiful reminder that every generation has a voice in the church and something meaningful to share about faith. We all have opportunities to proclaim Good News — through our words, our actions, the way we love others and, sometimes, even from the pulpit on a Sunday morning.

Take a few minutes to listen to Kayla’s message.

09/02/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿?

Through more than 18 months of Holy Listening — looking at First Lutheran’s history, listening to members, paying attention to our community and asking where God may be leading — the Vitality Initiative team discerned a clear thread running through the life of this congregation:

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆.

Accompaniment isn’t something new at First Lutheran. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗡𝗔. From our earliest days, this congregation has sought to walk alongside God’s beloved children — within our church, throughout our community and beyond.

To accompany means to 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 — doing with, not simply doing for. It begins with the belief that God is already present and at work in the lives of others.

Accompaniment means listening before assuming we have the answers. It means building relationships, recognizing the gifts each person brings and remaining open to what we can learn and receive from one another.

It is mutual and relational. We have something to offer, but so do the people we walk alongside. And when we truly share the journey, 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽.

Accompaniment is not about being the hero in someone else’s story. It is about being present, serving alongside one another and trusting God to be at work in the relationship.

The Vitality Initiative team also discerned five practices that help us live out this vocation at First Lutheran:

𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴.

𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀, 𝘄𝗲’𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 — and how they are already taking shape in the everyday life and ministry of First Lutheran.

09/01/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸?

God has a mission. God is already at work in the world — restoring, healing and making new. Our calling as the church is to 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸.

But how do we know where God may be leading?

We begin by listening.

𝗛𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 means listening to God through prayer, Scripture and spiritual practices. It means listening to ourselves and one another. And it means listening carefully to our neighbors and community.

Instead of beginning with questions like, “How can we get more people involved?” we can begin with different questions:

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁?
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀?
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗿𝘀?
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱?

This kind of listening shapes our 𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 — 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲. And it invites us to try, learn, reflect and sometimes change direction as we discover where God is leading.

We never really “arrive.” Ministry is an ongoing rhythm of 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Our journey of Holy Listening began with our Vitality Initiative team more than 18 months ago — and it continues today.

𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀, 𝘄𝗲’𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲: 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲.