Mount Zion Lutheran Church

05/31/2026

A message from Pastor Phil.
Holy Trinity 2023 Genesis 1:1-2:4a Psalm 8 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 Matthew 28:16-20 Year A
Prayer of the Day: Almighty Creator and ever-living God, we worship Your glory, eternal Three-In-One, and we praise Your power, majestic One -in-Three. Keep us steadfast in this faith, defend us in all adversity, and bring us at last into Your presence, where You live in endless joy and love, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
This is the only Sunday in the whole Church year devoted to a doctrine. Our First Reading tells the story of Creation (Genesis 1:1-2:4a). Our Holy Gospel concludes with The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). That is a lot of ground to cover.
The Trinity is difficult to explain. St. Patrick experienced that. He was attempting to explain the Trinity to an Irish chieftain, whose patience was growing thin. Members of the tribe did not like this outsider making their chieftain look foolish. Aware of his precarious situation, St. Patrick glanced down. He noticed a three-leaf clover. He plucked it, held it up, and said, "Just as the three leaves of this clover form one plant, the three Persons of the Trinity form one God."
This tension also runs through the story of Creation. We don't notice it because we focus on one verse: "God saw that it was good." But when we listen carefully we notice tension. Darkness and water were already there. Darkness and water are ageless. God created light and separated light from darkness: "God called the light Day; the darkness [God] called Night." Then God gathered the waters into Seas and separated Seas from dry land. On the seventh day God rested. God hallowed that day. And, of course, God placed a certain tree in the Garden of Eden and told Adam, whom God had placed there to till the garden and keep it (Genesis 2:15), "You may freely eat of every tree in the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die" (2:16-17). We know what happened.
Tension between darkness and light, between dry land and water, and between people has always been a part of Creation. The Trinity is an example of tension, beauty and mystery. We worship the glory of the eternal Three-In-One. We praise the power of the majestic One-In-Three. What does that look like in our lives, in our Church, and in our world?
Looking around, we see lots of diversity. All of us are different. God created creatures of all kinds to populate the world. God blessed Noah and his sons and told them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth" (Genesis 9:1). That is guaranteed to continue and expand diversity. Our children, even children born of the same parents, are different. Church buildings are different. Everything changes over time. We can also create, explore and discover. We worship God Who brings unity amid diversity.
The Trinity is different, mysterious, and surprising. It helps to look at this from outside, from other perspectives. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry of The Episcopal Church is fond of "Loving, Liberating and Life-Giving God." The New Zealand Prayer Book describes the Trinity as "Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver."
Members of the Trinity are distinct. We may relate to one more than to others. If we see magnificent scenery, here or on vacation, we may relate to the Creator Who brought all things into being. We may relate to Jesus, Who walked, cried, laughed, got angry and dusty, and hungry. We may relate to the Spirit, our guide, teacher, comforter and companion. The primary role of the Spirit is our paraclete, Whom we call beside us to plead our case before God. The Holy Spirit is our lawyer.
In our Holy Gospel, Jesus commissions His disciples to make more disciples: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Matthew 28: 16-20). Jesus knows that each nation has its own history, culture, language(s), and traditions. Making disciples of all nations will create new relationships, tension, misunderstanding. People may feel uncomfortable. Creating and sustaining unity amid diversity is not easy.
In our Second Reading, the Apostle Paul urges the Corinthians, "Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you." (2 Corinthians 13:11-13). That is a lovely image. But the Corinthian church was far different. That church was diverse with a capital "D." Corinth was a seaport town. Members ranged from wealthy businessmen and ship owners (the "strong") to crewmen, the poor and slaves (the "weak"). They did not mix in daily life. They saw no need to mix in worship. Apparently Holy Communion was part of a meal: "One is hungry and another is drunk" (1 Corinthians 11:21). Going into detail would keep us here until Christmas. In brief, we can reconstruct events in 2 Corinthians. At the beginning of a conflict, Paul was certain of the congregation's affection (2:14-7:4). He visited and was rebuffed. He returned to Ephesus and wrote a "painful letter" (Chs. 10-13). He sent Titus to reconcile the rebel church. Unable to wait for Titus to return, Paul went to meet him. Titus told him that the church had repented (7:5-9). Paul wrote an enthusiastic letter of reconciliation (1:1-2:14, 7:5-16).
God gave us freedom and that can cause conflict. To achieve harmony and unity, we need to be open-minded. We need to listen. We need to love. The Trinity helps us grow. And Jesus is there to help us "to the close of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
Thanks be to God. Amen
Go in peace. Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God

05/30/2026

Sunday morning worship service at 9AM, at Mount Zion. Sunday morning worship service at 10:30AM, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Nuremberg PA. Please worship with us!

05/24/2026

A message from Pastor Phil.
Day of Pentecost 2023 Acts 2:1-21 Psalm 104:24-34 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 John 20:19-23 Year A
Prayer of the Day: O God, on this day You open the hearts of Your faithful people by sending Your Holy Spirit. Direct us by the light of that Spirit, that we may have right judgment in all things and rejoice at all times in Your peace, through Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
Our First Reading and our Holy Gospel tell two different stories about the Day of Pentecost. Our First Reading portrays a big public event (Acts 2:1-12). Jews and Gentile "God-fearers" have come to Jerusalem for a harvest festival. Fifty days earlier, during the Feast of Passover, a sheaf of barley had been offered as well as a Passover Lamb. Now the barley was ripe. The harvest had begun. God willing, it would conclude with the wheat harvest fifty days later. A bountiful harvest put bread on the table - literally. Psalm 104 declares that all look to God to give them their food in due season (v. 27). All need food to survive. God provides that food. No one expected an outpouring of the Spirit. Nothing like that had ever happened. It takes everyone by surprise. Some stand in amazement. Others who do not get the Spirit are probably a bit jealous. They mock those who do get the Spirit: "They are filled with new wine. They are drunk" (Acts 2:13). Peter explains what is happening. He quotes Scripture. But he gives those quotes new meanings. Old and new are mixed together.
In our Holy Gospel, Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to His disciples in private (John 20:13-23). That bothers some people. Many attempts have been made to bring these two different stories together. But I think the Apostle John and his congregation have something else in mind - something personal.
To understand that, we need to consider three components of our Holy Gospel. The first we know. The second we can easily understand. The third is hidden. But that third component is the key. FIRST, the Apostle John lived long after Jesus' ministry, death, resurrection and ascension - for one and perhaps for two generations. Throughout his Gospel he goes out of his way to make Jesus real to those who have not seen Him. Following our Holy Gospel is the story of Doubting Thomas: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe" (20:29-31). SECOND, the Apostle John was exiled on the island of Patmos, where he wrote The Revelation, the last book of the Bible, to "the seven churches that are in Asia [Minor]," on the Aegean Sea east of Italy and Greece (1:4, 9-11). There is evidence of a large church in Ephesus. The Second and Third Letters of John refer to town churches or house churches farther inland that the author intends to visit. Some are doing "wicked work" to lead the faithful astray. These lands are more than 600 miles northwest of Jerusalem by air. On foot, by sea, or on roads, the distance exceeds 1,100 miles. Traditions in these three letters and in the Gospel of John grew independently of those in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. THIRD, these traditions are built upon the Jewish corporate concept of faith. Faith unites them with Jews in all times and places.
This is vividly portrayed in the final scenes of the movie Schindler's List. One thousand one hundred Jews whom Schindler has saved from the Holocaust present him with a ring. It bears an inscription in Hebrew from the Talmud: "Whoever Saves One Life Saves The World Entire." Overwhelmed, he says, "I didn't do enough. I could have saved more." Itzhak Stern, portrayed by Ben Kingsley, replies, "There will be generations because of what you did."
The Apostle John portrays the giving of the Holy Spirit not as a big public event but as a gift of Jesus that had taken place in John's congregation. Jesus breathed on His disciples. That links the Holy Spirit with the presence of Jesus. It also comprises three meanings of the Hebrew word ruach: "spirit," " breath," "wind." The context tells us what ruach means. When one moves to the front, the other two are only a step away.
For the Apostle John, this gift marks a new beginning - a beginning of personal relationships with Jesus and with other believers. The Holy Spirit creates and sustains love of God and love of neighbors (Mark 12:30-31). We can even see traces of a liturgy - the way we worship today. Believers gather on the first day of the week - the Lord's Day. A blessing is given: "Peace be with you." The Holy Spirit descends. Forgiveness is pronounced. Christ Himself is present. With Thomas, we confess, "Our Lord and our God" (John 20:28). Old becomes new. New becomes old. Believers grow.
Our worship, our sacraments, our prayers are much smaller than that outpouring of the Holy Spirit long ago. We can think of our worship today as a little Pentecost. Worship is our little Pentecost. We gather. We are forgiven. We hear the Word. We baptize. And the Holy Spirit comes to us, to forgive us, to unite us, to send us. Now it is time to sing and to prepare for Jesus' coming. We shall hear His words and share His meal: "This bread is My body, given for you. . . . This cup is the new covenant in My blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin." This is our Day of Pentecost.
Thanks be to God. Amen
Go in peace. Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God

05/17/2026

A message from Pastor Phil.
Sixth Sunday of Easter Acts 17:22-31 Psalm 66:8-20 1 Peter 3:13-22 John 14:15-21 Year A
Prayer of the Day: Almighty and everlasting God, You hold together all things in heaven and on earth. In Your great mercy receive the prayers of all Your children, and give to all the world the Spirit of Your truth and peace, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
Today we hear an inspiring example of tact. In our First Reading, the Apostle Paul notices many shrines, including one inscribed, "to an unknown god." Instead of criticizing their idolatry, he compliments them: "Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way." He knows Athenians are always ready to hear something new, so he delivers. Citing that shrine "to an unknown god," he says, "What you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you." He quotes Epicurean and Stoic philosophers familiar to his audience. Some scoff. Others become believers (Acts 17:22-31). Our Holy Gospel picks up that ball and runs with it. In the Upper Room, Jesus assures His disciples, "I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you." Jesus comes by sending the Holy Spirit, our Advocate, our guide, our teacher, Who abides with us and in us (John 14:15-21). We know that. But we need to deal with two crucial components beneath the surface.
FIRST, the Apostle John lived long after Jesus' ministry, death, resurrection and ascension - for one and perhaps for two generations. Throughout his Gospel he goes out of his way to make Jesus real to those who have not seen Him. SECOND, the Apostle John does not focus on the past. His Gospel focuses on the present and what God intends for the future. We can lose sight of that.
In the Upper Room, Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will come and help in many and various ways. The Holy Spirit is a paraclete, someone called beside us to plead our case (John 14:15-21). The Holy Spirit is primarily a lawyer, as surprising as that sounds. Lawyers represent clients in courts, before government agencies, and in private legal matters. They communicate with their clients, colleagues, judges, and others. They conduct research and analysis of legal problems. They interpret laws, rulings, and regulations for individuals and for businesses. Lawyers help draw up legal documents such as wills. Lawyers play vital roles in the preservation of society. And the Holy Spirit involves all of us in creating and sustaining the Church - "Church" with a capital "C" - places where Christians gather all over the world. That isn't easy. In a lawyer-client relationship, the Holy Spirit guides us, comforts us, and helps us remember what Jesus said and how that applies to the present day - and to the future. No two congregations are alike. No two Christians are alike. The Holy Spirit binds us together and leads us into the future, individually and together. That is not our own doing. It is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-10).
We see and hear that most clearly in Baptism. In the very beginning, parents and godparents promise to bring their children to worship; to teach them the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments; to place in their hands the Holy Scriptures; and to provide for their instruction in the Christian faith, that, in communion with the Church, they may lead godly lives until the day of Jesus Christ.
We have heard that before. We shall hear it again. Yet we may fall into a trap without realizing it. We hear these promises as commands, something we have to do. That reduces Biblical promises to New Year's Eve Resolutions with the same rate of success. Today we need to call the Holy Spirit beside us. The Holy Spirit creates and sustains faith. Faith is a divine work in us. Faith changes us and makes us born anew of God (John 1:12-13). Faith kills the sinful Adam and Eve within us and transforms us in heart and spirit and mind and powers. Oh, this is a living, busy, active, mighty relationship, this faith. Faith does good works constantly. Faith, like Spring, brings new life. Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that believers would stake their lives on faith a thousand times. This knowledge of and confidence in God’s grace makes us glad and bold and happy in dealing with God and with all creatures. The Holy Spirit, without compulsion, makes us ready and glad to do good to everyone, to serve everyone, to suffer everything, out of love and praise to God Who has shown us this grace.
In conclusion, turn to Psalm 66 in our Celebrate insert. Look at the final two verses. Read them. Take them to heart: "but in truth God has heard me and has attended to the sound of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not rejected my prayer, nor withheld unfailing love from me" (vv.19-20).
Thanks be to God. Amen
Go in peace. Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God

05/14/2026

Ascension Day worship service at the Old White Church in Ringtown. Fellowship luncheon provided by Saint John Lutheran Church in Ringtown.

05/12/2026