Faith Lutheran Church

06/20/2026

God Pause for Saturday, June 20, 2026
Amazing Grace (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 779)
1 Amazing grace! — how sweet the sound —
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

2 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed!

3 Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

4 The Lord has promised good to me;
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.

5 When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we'd first begun.

Text: John Newton; Music: W. Walker, Southern Harmony; Public Domain

Devotion
Have you seen the film Amazing Grace (2006)? It tells the true story of William Wilberforce, William Pitt, and John Newton and their efforts to end the slave trade in England. The film stirred me to speak more prophetically and to live with renewed courage and faith. John Newton, Wilberforce’s mentor, reminded him that God had placed him where he was “for such a time as this.” Newton also wrote “Amazing Grace,” a deeply personal hymn about how God’s grace saved him and drew him to Christ. The hymn’s power lies in its simplicity and depth. The opening stanza proclaims pure grace: we are lost and blind, yet God saves and restores—salvation is entirely God’s work. The next reflects both repentance and comfort, as grace awakens and heals. The later stanzas remind us that our hope rests not in circumstances but in God’s promises. Through danger and struggle, grace sustains us. This song is a moving confession of God’s grace and forgiveness, and that is why it continues to touch so many hearts.

Prayer
Gracious God, thank you for your amazing grace that finds and restores us. Stir in us true repentance, strengthen us to live faithfully in this time, and keep our hope grounded in your promises. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Pastor Young Chung '02 M.S.M, '16 M.Div.
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Lombard, IL

06/19/2026

Sunday, June 21, 2026, Holy Communion

Please join us this Sunday at Faith Lutheran Church at 10:00 AM for our Holy Communion worship service. All Baptized Christians are welcome at the Lord's Table.

We will broadcast the live service over Zoom. Those joining by Zoom might want to prepare their Communion materials in advance.

To join on Zoom:

Faith Lutheran is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Sunday Worship
Time: Jun 21, 2026 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84385771371?pwd=iSHz7Y5t7KVyycYdcfzOJpi4lHLPBd.1

Meeting chat link
https://us02web.zoom.us/launch/jc/84385771371

Meeting ID: 843 8577 1371
Passcode: 225090

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06/19/2026

June 19, 2026
Peace is rarely built in dramatic moments. More often, it's built in the quiet choices nobody sees. A prayer before the day begins. A grateful heart in an ordinary moment. A decision to trust instead of worry. A step of faith when the path isn't fully clear. Over time, those small moments become a beautiful life. Don't underestimate what God can do through simple, faithful steps repeated day after day. 🙏

Keep showing up. Keep trusting. Keep growing. Join our FREE Weekly Devotional for encouragement, reflection, and practical faith delivered straight to your inbox each week. Explore our FREE Worship Playlists designed to help you slow down, pray, worship, and reconnect with God throughout your day. Discover devotionals for anxiety, fear, grief, spiritual growth, and finding peace in every season of life. Plus many more resources through the link in our bio. 💜

Thank you for being part of the Mindful Christianity community. Together we're learning that little things really do become beautiful things.

06/19/2026

06/19/2026

God Pause for Friday, June 19, 2026
Matthew 10:29–33 (NRSV)
Read Matthew 10:29–33 on biblegateway.com

29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32"Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

Devotion
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father… So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Jesus reminds us that even the smallest and most easily overlooked are seen by God. If God cares for sparrows, then we too are not forgotten. We are known and loved completely. From this place of love, Jesus calls us to courage—to stand with him in a world of competing voices. Faith is not meant to stay hidden; it is meant to be lived. It is personal, but never private. When fear, ridicule, or shame tries to silence us, Jesus speaks a stronger truth: no one else defines your worth—only God does. So remember: you are seen, you are known, and you are held by Christ—and that gives courage to speak, stand, and live your faith as a child of God.

Prayer
Gracious God, when we feel small, help us remember that we are seen and known by you. Give us courage to stand firm in faith, even when we feel pressure or fear. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Pastor Young Chung '02 M.S.M, '16 M.Div.
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Lombard, IL

06/18/2026

Sometimes the most powerful sermon isn't preached from a stage. It's lived out on an ordinary day through an ordinary act of kindness. A listening ear. A helping hand. A warm meal. A word of encouragement. A moment of compassion for someone who feels forgotten. Jesus didn't simply tell people they were loved. He showed them. Again and again. ♥️

As followers of Christ, we're invited to do the same. The world doesn't need more perfect Christians. It needs more people willing to love, serve, forgive, and care for others the way Jesus did. You never know how far a small act of kindness might travel... or how deeply it may touch someone's heart. If you'd like a simple way to slow down and spend time with God each week, we'd love to invite you to join our free weekly devotional and experience our Guided Moments with God—peaceful reflections designed to help you reconnect with God's presence and grow in His love. Both are linked in our bio.

06/18/2026

Today we remember the nine faithful members of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, who were murdered during a Bible study in 2015.

Let us pray.
O God, we give thanks and praise to You for creating humankind in all its diversity, and ask Your forgiveness for acquiescing to fear, suspicion, intolerance and unjust treatment of others. We pray for the Spirit to help us as we work to end racism and racial inequity in the church and society. Amen.
Adapted from ELCA Prayer Ventures

06/18/2026

God Pause for Thursday, June 18, 2026
Matthew 10:24-28 (NRSV)
Read Matthew 10:24-28 on biblegateway.com

24"A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; 25it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! 26"So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Devotion
Fear is natural when we feel exposed or vulnerable. We often protect ourselves by hiding parts of our lives—our doubts, struggles, even our faith. But Jesus points to a deeper truth: “Nothing is covered up …that will not become known” (26). This is not a threat, but a promise. What is rooted in God will come to light. I was reminded of the Johari Window from a workshop on Emotional Intelligence and Human Relations. It describes a “hidden area” of what we keep to ourselves and an “open area” of what is shared and known. Jesus invites movement from hidden to open: “What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light.” In a culture that often keeps faith private, Jesus calls us to live openly and courageously. Because we are fully known and fully loved by God, we can live more honestly with God, ourselves, and one another—moving from hiddenness into light, not for shame, but for freedom.

Prayer
Gracious God, you know us completely and love us fully. Where we are afraid, give us courage. Where we hide, draw us into your light. Help us to live our faith openly and faithfully. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Pastor Young Chung '02 M.S.M, '16 M.Div.
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Lombard, IL

06/17/2026

Have you ever had someone unexpectedly come to mind? No reason. No explanation. Just a quiet thought that wouldn't go away. Maybe it wasn't random. Maybe it was an invitation. An invitation to pause. To pray. To care. To trust that God sees something you cannot. 🙏

One of the beautiful things about prayer is that we don't have to know the details. We don't have to understand the struggle. We simply place someone in God's hands and trust His love to reach where ours cannot. A simple prayer may seem small, but God often works through small things in extraordinary ways.

So the next time someone comes to mind, take a moment and whisper a prayer for them. You may never know the impact, but God does. If you'd like more encouragement throughout the week, we invite you to join our free weekly devotional and explore our worship playlists designed to help you spend more time in God's presence. And for those who support Mindful Christianity through crowd-funded giving, thank you. Your generosity helps us continue sharing faith, hope, and encouragement with millions of people around the world. Everything is linked in our bio. 💛