20th Sunday after Pentecost, KXRA Radio, October 11, 2026
*invites all to rise as you are able, in body or spirit
WE BECOME AWARE OF GOD’S PRESENCE
PRELUDE Brad Lambrecht
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS Pastor Jill
POURING OF THE BAPTISMAL WATER Rev. Dr. Jill Sanders
INTROIT Come Let Us Worship God
*CALL TO WORSHIP Bonnie Bina
Leader: Beloved people of God, come to the wedding feast of life.
All: God has married the world in love!
Leader: Leave your labors and burdens, and come.
All: We come as we are, well and unwell, wounded and whole.
Leader: There is no worthiness or unworthiness, only that you are invited.
All: We come hungry for grace and ready to celebrate.
*OPENING HYMN Gather Us In TFWS #2236 On screen & in bulletin
*UNISON PRAYER Bonnie
Loving God, you invite us all to your table of grace. There is no rank or privilege, only our hunger and your grace. Help us find our place among each other, rich and poor, confident and hesitant, those who own the place and those who feel out of place. Here we are all equally your family and your guests. You welcome us. We open our hearts to you. Feed us with your Word. Amen.
*ACT of PRAISE BLK 55, vs 5
PASSING OF THE PEACE
GOD SPEAKS TO US
THE ANTHEM Give it Away, Carol Murray,
READING FROM THE HEBREW BIBLE Exodus 32:1-14 Bonnie
32 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
2 Aaron said to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me.”
3 So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron.
4 Aaron took these from them, formed them in a mold, and cast an image of a calf, and they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”
5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it, and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a festival to the Lord.”
6 They rose early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being, and the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to revel.
7 The Lord said to Moses, “Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely;
8 they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ ”
9 The Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are.
10 Now let me alone so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, and of you I will make a great nation.”
11 But Moses implored God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that God brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people.
13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ”
14 And God changed their mind about the disaster that they planned to bring on God’s people.
MOMENT WITH THE YOUNGER CHURCH Pastor Jill
READINGS FROM THE GOSPEL Matthew 22: 1-14
22 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.
3 The king sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come.
4 Again the king sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’
5 But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business,
6 while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them.
7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
8 Then the king said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy.
9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’
10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad, so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe,
12 and the king said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And the man was speechless.
13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
HYMN OF PREPARATION Impartial, Compassionate God of All Lives On screen & in bulletin
SERMON “BUT, What if?” Rev. Dr. Jill Sanders
MUSIC FOR REFLECTION Brad Lambrecht
WE RESPOND TO GOD
SHARING JOYS AND CONCERNS
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE PRAYER OF OUR SAVIOR
INVITATION TO GIVE
*PRESENTATION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
OFFERTORY
*DOXOLOGY Old Hundredth, Matt Laney
Do justice, says the One we praise,
In loving kindness, spend your days,
Walk humbly with the living Christ:
The way, the truth, our endless life.
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
*SENDING HYMN The Summons TFWS # 2130
On screen & in bulletin
*BLESSING & SENDING FORTH
*CHORAL BENEDICTION Blk 809
POSTLUDE Brad Lambrecht
| *The Call to worship and Opening Prayer were written by the Rev. Steve Garnaas-Holmes (www.unfoldinglight.com). |
We welcome all who are joining us for worship virtually, on YouTube, https://tinyurl.com/firstcongalex or Cable Channel #181 (each weekday). Our service is broadcast on KXRA 1490 AM at 11 am the second Sunday of the month.
NEWS IN THE PEWS: SUNDAY October 11, 2026
Sunday, Oct 11th, KXRA Radio Sunday
9:15 Choir
10:00 Worship in person and online
11:00 Coffee Fellowship
11:30 Information session for Common Ground on the Border
4-6 Common table UCC
Monday October 12
10:00 “Caffeinated Christianity” @ Common Ground
6:00 Men’s Dartball team practice
Tuesday October 13
9:00 Friendly service
12-4 Elder network
Wednesday Oct 14
11:45 UCAN Domestic Violence Awareness/Prevention Luncheon
2:30 Connections
4-6 Labyrinth
4:45 choir
5:30 Youth/parent small group
6:00 Bible reading group
6:30 Youth Game night @ GUP
Thursday Oct 15
9:00 Walking group @ Big Ole
10:00 Morning Circle @ Bonnie Haaven’s
4-7 Arts Space
4:30 Holy Happy Hr
Next Sunday, Oct 18th, Stewardship kickoff
10:00 Worship in person and online,
11:00 Coffee Fellowship
KXRA Radio Sunday
Today’s Radio broadcast of our service is sponsored by Celesta Podolske and her family in memory of Harold.
Pastor Jill’s Office Hours
Pastor Jill is available throughout the week for pastoral care, conversation, or coffee! She is typically in the office on Tuesday mornings—and other times as well. It is always best to schedule a time if you want to talk. She can be reached directly at jill@firstcongregationaluccalex.com or (319) 361-0737. Shetypically takes Fridays off.
Information session Common Ground at the Border Conference
If you are interested in attending (or learning more about) the “Common Ground at the Border Conference” at the Good Shepherd UCC in Sahaurita, Arizona, January 14-16-2027, please plan to stay for a short informational meeting next Sunday, October 11, at 11:30 am in the Cambridge Room. The conference includes speakers, films, music and optional field trips. Registration for the event will open soon.
Intergenerational Common Table Game Night
Game night and Karaoke. Oct 11, 4-6 pm. Please bring snacks to share, drinks will be provided. Most importantly, show up for a fun night together. This is a great opportunity to build relationships across the generations. Did you know that Search Institute says that a positive relationship with one adult besides their parents makes a huge difference in a young person’s success in life?
Dartball team practice
In preparation for the upcoming season, the Men’s Dartball team will practice Monday at 6 pm in Fellowship Hall. Clayton will bring food for all to eat. All men who are interested in joining the dartball team are encouraged to come to this practice.
Friendly Service
Friendly Service Quilting Group will meet on Tuesday, October 13 at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. We will have coffee around 10:00 a.m. Everyone is welcome. You don’t have to sew to join us.
UCAN Domestic Abuse Awareness and Prevention Luncheon
Sign up for the UCAN Luncheon October 14 at 11:30 at Broadway Ballroom. Tickets are $25. We plan to get two tables as a church group. Please write checks out to UCAN. Sign up at the back of the sanctuary.
Come walk our Labyrinth: A path for Contemplative Prayer
The labyrinth is open on Wednesdays from 4-6. Anyone at church or the greater community is warmly invited to participate. The labyrinth is a path of prayer, a walking meditation, a crucible of change, a watering hole for the spirit, and a mirror of the soul. May it serve as one of these, and more, for you.
Choir Rehearsal
The choir rehearses on Wednesdays at 4:45 pm and at 9:15 on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. All are welcome.
Calvary Partnership
We will host the parents of Calvary’s Kid and Student Programming. 5:30 Wednesdays. If you have a child between newborn to 5th grade, you can meet with other parents while your child is attending a Wednesday evening program at Calvary.
Book of the Bible Reading Group
Join us Wednesday Oct 14 @ 6 pm in the Blue Room (Gathering Room A) as we discuss the Book of Esther. Pick your favorite translation of the Bible and read this short book and join in the discussion.
Youth Group Game Night
Please join other youth from United Methodist and Glenwood United Parish in a youth group game night at Glenwood United Parish at 6:30 on Oct 14.
Morning Circle
The Morning Circle group will meet at 10 am at Bonnie Haaven’s home on Oct 15. If you need her address, please contact the office.
Arts Space
This fall, artist Jax Rose will resume the arts space for teens on Thursday nights 4-7 in our Fellowship Hall. These classes are free to any student who attends, and every student receives one on one instruction. Students are highly encouraged to bring their sketchbook or any projects they might be working on. Hope to see you there!” This activity is sponsored by Lake Region Arts Council.
Church Swag
Take the opportunity this Sunday to order shirts, sweatshirts, aprons, and other items at the back of the sanctuary. A member of the Connections committee will be able to assist you in creating an order. Items available to try on.
Thrivent Community Action Grant
Are you a Thrivent member? Have you used your Thrivent Action Grant this year? If you are a member of Thrivent consider using your allotted grant money for the Spaghetti dinner or Christmas dinner. See Joy in the office for possible grant ideas for all three coming events.
Worship Volunteers Needed
We have sign ups at the back of the sanctuary for volunteers interested in ushering, greeting and providing coffee fellowship. You are free to sign up for as many as you wish at a time. If you are interested in tech, let someone at the tech desk know and we can train you on the job.
Harvest Table
If you have extra produce from your garden, please consider sharing your bounty. If you have need of veggies, herbs, flowers or other produce, consider making a free will donation to be used by the Missions committee as they determine needs.
Bountiful Basket
The Bountiful Basket continues collecting for the Alexandria College. (ATCC) Items needed will be posted on the basket but we encourage gift cards for gas, groceries and local restaurants, items for their food shelf and items appropriate for Bingo prizes.
Neighbors in Need
In October we are participating in the Neighbors in Need UCC offering. The Neighbors in Need offering supports ministries of justice and compassion, with one-third of the offering given to the Council for American Indian Ministries and the remaining two-thirds supporting UCC justice ministries. In 2025, the Neighbors in Need Offering supported 26 grant recipients across the UCC who were engaged in projects of direct service and advocacy. Learn more at www.ucc.org/nin
VIRTUAL GIVING OPTIONS: ONLINE AND TEXT
Check out our updated website: firstcongregationaluccalex.com.
Click on the word “Give” at the top of the screen. You can also text (844) 987-4483 to give to our general fund. Please contact the office if you need help setting up a giving account online using our provider, Churchtrac.
BIRTHDAY AND ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
Barb Grover 10/19
Jay Clark 10/20
Celesta Podolske 10/22
If we have missed your birthday or other important date, please let us know.
Upcoming Events or Community Events
Evening Prayer Services
All are welcome to join the First Lutheran Care for Creation Team for a time of music, scripture, and prayer. The purpose is to pray for the world, for peace, for all leaders, for creation, and for God’s presence in our lives. This prayer service is the 3rd Sunday of every month at 5:00 pm. October will return to the 3rd Sunday Oct 18.
Youth Group Events coming up
Starting in October there are multiple youth group events—please put the following dates on your calendar—see the Church Visitor for more details, Oct 28 6:30-8 Collaborative Youth Group at Alex UMC, Oct 31 Trunk or Treat.
Spaghetti & Meatball Supper
Our Annual Spaghetti and Meatball Supper is Nov 12 beginning at 4:30 -7 pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children 4-10 years old. Volunteers needed. Watch for a sign-up in the sanctuary. We are also in need of items for the bake sale.
ALZHEIMER & DEMENTIA CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP
Join us at the Public Works Dept. meeting room (526 Willow Dr) on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 3-4:30. Please contact the facilitator Stephanie Aasness at 320-766-1856, to learn more.
We are an inclusive community that welcomes extravagantly, seeks God and follows Jesus into the world.
We are also a member of the Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ and honor the dignity of each person created in God’s image. All are welcome here.
