The Reverend Owen Griffiths, Pastor
Faith Lutheran Church
Heading 1
4150 Woodhaven Road
Philadelphia, PA 19154
(215)-637-4210
flcphiladelphia@verizon.net
Welcome
Thank you for visiting Faith Lutheran Church online!
We are a small, family-friendly church in NE Philadelphia.
Whoever you are and wherever you are on life's journey--married or single, old or young, black or white, native-born or immigrant, gay or straight, bisexual or transgender, parent or childless, rich or poor--you are always welcome here at Faith Lutheran.
Help us out: If you missed your weekly offering, or if you just want to support the ministry of Faith or the ELCA, you can make an online donation by clicking the "GIVE!" button on the menu bar.
Our Mission
Our mission is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people through worship, education, service to our community and world, fellowship, caring, and prayer.
We would love to have you join us!
Baptisms & Weddings
Call the Pastor at (215)-637-4210
for information on how to schedule baptisms and weddings; he will be glad to work with you.
SUNDAY WORSHIP
You can enjoy VIRTUAL worship on Facebook Live every Sunday.
Go to Faith Lutheran on Facebook!
Just click the underlined link!
Worship Schedule
Sunday Worship
10 AM
Children's Time
during worship
every Sunday
Faith and Fellowship
Thursday Nights at 7pm
Bell Choir rehearses Tuesdays, 6PM
News
Welcome Sunday
Faith’s annual Welcome Sunday will be this Sunday, September 13, 2026. This is the Sunday when we celebrate getting back together again for those who have been away on summer holidays. Our Sunday School children will serenade us with some favorite songs and Faith’s Mighty Bell Choir will perform. We will also have a pot-luck luncheon right after church.
Trash Bag Bingo is Coming!
What’s a church without a little bingo? Faith will host a night of fun and mystery on September 29 starting at 6:30 PM. We’ll be playing Trash Bag Bingo. That means terrific bingo prizes will be hidden in trash bags. All the bags contain really great stuff, but you won’t know what you won until you open the bag. Players can trade and swap their bags at the end of the night. There will be refreshments, too, so plan on coming out, raise a little money for the church, and have a great time.
Last Sunday of the Month Offering
Our Last Sunday Offering for September will once again go to Lutheran World Relief. Rev. Lisa Kipp, LWR Director of Congregational Engagement, recently sent us the following message:
“I imagine you’ve seen the terrifying videos of the disaster in Nepal. We don’t yet know the extent of the lives lost, or how many homes and farms were destroyed by this massive landslide and flood. We do know that for thousands of people, this terrible moment is only the beginning of their hardship. Our incredible team in Nepal is already on the move, joining with partners to help those who lost everything. But congregations like yours are essential to getting these efforts off the ground. Your support will help provide emergency aid — including food, water and essential supplies — to families affected by this disaster. As always, our response will evolve with the need.”
Power Interfaith
Power Interfaith is an organization of faith who organize at the grass roots level to ensure systems are in place to sustain working families and people on the margins of society. Faith will be hosting a Power Town Hall on Tuesday, October 6th at 6:30 PM. The purpose is to hear the concerns of people in our neighborhood about housing and energy costs and to discuss ways our city government can help. Please plan on coming out.
Fall Festival
The Fall Festival has been scheduled for Sunday, October 11, 2026. If you are— or if you know—a crafter or artisan, please contact Emma Sykes. We will also be looking for baked goods to sell at our bake table. This was a huge event last year, and we hope it will be even bigger this year.
Feast of Justice Satellite Planned
Pastor Trish of Feast of Justice informs us that an ELCA Domestic Hunger Grant is being considered to enable Faith to become a satellite food distribution center. We should know more by December. If we receive the grant, we will be able to create a food cupboard in part of the Lower Auditorium. This will be staffed by volunteers from Faith, our friends of the Beree SDA church, and volunteers from the neighborhood.
Faith's Veggie Garden
Faith’s veggie garden is already being harvested. We have cucumbers, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, and our tomatoes are just now getting ripe. Special thanks to Mark Sykes, our farmer extraordinaire, and harvesters Annemarie Goffredo and Wayne Radlach. Our garden helps feed the folks who rely on help from Feast of Justice.
Kids' Time
Just a reminder Faith has a Kids' Time every Sunday during the 10 o'clock worship. Miss Grace and Miss Emma tell stories to the tiny tots who may not be able to sit comfortably through our liturgy. The kids also do crafts and get a special message from Pastor.
Commemoratives this Week:
Sunday, September 13 – St. John Chrysostom (d. 407) Bishop and moral preacher.
Monday, September 14 – Holy Cross Day St. Helena, mother of Constantine is said to have discovered the site of the crucifixion and erected a church on this location in 335 AD.
Wednesday, September 16 – St. Cyprian (d. 258) Cyprian was a martyr, bishop and humanitarian in Carthage in North Africa.
Thursday, September 17 – St. Hildegard of Bingen (d. 1179) Hildegard was an abbess, poet, hymnwriter, mystic, and moral champion.
Friday, September 18 – Dag Hammarskjold (d. 1961) Hammerskjold was a devout Lutheran who served as Secretary General of the United Nations. He died in a plane crash on his way to negotiate a cease-fire in Zambia.
WELCOME! VIRTUAL WORSHIP NEWS:
If you can't make it to church on Sunday morning, we're bringing church to you. We are livestreaming Sunday morning worship at 10 AM on the Faith Luther Facebook page. You can also read the texts of Pastor's sermons by clicking on the "Pastor's Blog" tab on the toolbar. Please remember, too that you can make online donations by clicking on the "GIVE!" button above.
You can also check out videos from our national church body, the ELCA, our Synod, or our congregation below. We usually start our livestream about 10 minutes BEFORE the worship begins, so you can fast forward through the video to hear this week's announcements and experience the previous Sunday's service.
Sunday, September 13, 2026
Pentecost 16
Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35
21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. 23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him, 25 and, as he could not pay, the lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions and payment to be made. 26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. 31 When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. 35 So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
First Lesson: Genesis 50:15-21
15 Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, “What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?” 16 So they approached[a] Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this instruction before he died, 17 ‘Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.’ Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 Then his brothers also wept,[b] fell down before him, and said, “We are here as your slaves.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? 20 Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. 21 So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.” In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.
Second Lesson: Romans 14:1-12
14 Welcome those who are weak in faith but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. 2 Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. 3 Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat, for God has welcomed them. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on slaves of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
5 Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. 6 Those who observe the day, observe it for the Lord. Also those who eat, eat for the Lord, since they give thanks to God, while those who abstain, abstain for the Lord and give thanks to God.
7 For we do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.”
12 So then, each one of us will be held accountable.
Psalm 103: 1-13
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live[a]
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord works vindication
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far he removes our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion for his children,
so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.