Sunday Worship
9:30 am
In-person and
Live-streamed on YouTube
Family of God Lutheran Church
YouTube Channel
To view the livestream:
- go to our YouTube channel
- click on "Live" on the horizontal menu, and select the video you wish to view. Typically the Sunday livestream will say "Upcoming" if you go to the channel prior to the start time.
Additionally, you can turn your YouTube notifications on in Settings so you will be alerted when Family of God goes live!
A Message From Pastor Paul
November 2025 Newsletter
My mother died on October 3, 2025. Math tells me she lived to almost 99 years. That is quite the long life. And yet it ends.
Mom joined Family of God, even though my parents had been longtime members of Mt. Olive Lutheran in Minneapolis. When they moved to Brooklyn Park, it just wasn’t possible to attend services that far away on a regular basis, so my father and mother joined our church.
Mom loved Family of God. So many people were so welcoming to her. They would see her and Dad walking up to the front door and greet them as they came in. Some talked to them after the service was over in their pew, so that it took awhile for them to get to the Cornerstone Room for doughnuts. Once there, it seemed she was always surrounded by people. Sometimes Mom would complain that she couldn’t remember names very well anymore. But she felt the love, acceptance, and care from our people. I am so grateful to all of you for welcoming her like that.
You might not know that she saw her life’s mission as supporting my father’s ministry and raising his family. This she did for 67 years and more. At her funeral service the family decided not to have any words of remembrance. Here is one you might find amusing:
Mom and her three children sat together in church as we grew up, and of course Mom couldn’t sit with Dad when he served churches, as he was leading the services. Her method of handling her three kids was to sit close up front so we could see what was going on. I remember when I was four or so, I asked her if I could sit even farther up front by myself. She said okay as long as I behaved myself. Which I did. I lay back on the pew and counted the lights in the ceiling but was quiet and she let me stay there. It was only one time as I remember, but I felt proud to be able to sit (and lie down) by myself.
When I came to Family of God and was being interviewed by the entire council, LaDonna Blackorbay asked me what I thought about having kids in church. I said I like to have them in the service if possible because over time they would learn what was acceptable and non-acceptable behavior. I also said I promise not to give anyone the evil look if their kids were making noise (except my own). LaDonna replied: “You’re Missouri Synod, aren’t you?” Everyone laughed because they knew that LaDonna, like me, was raised in that denomination.
I hope you find this amusing. This was the type of life mom committed to—supporting my father in his ministry even if it meant she had to sit in the pew with three kids without him. Mom was proud to be a pastor’s wife, even as Dad officially retired. In her eyes, he was always a pastor.
Thank you, Family of God, for your love and care for my mother, and thanks be to God for Marcia C. Burow.
A Message From Pastor Erin
November 2025 Newsletter
Greetings to everyone at Family of God —
You may have heard that we’ve been holding discussion sessions about something called “RIC.” If you haven’t had a chance to participate in any of the gatherings, I want to take this opportunity to share some important information about that with you.
What is RIC? RIC stands for Reconciling in Christ. This is a program that helps congregations fulfill their goals of being welcoming to people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, races, and ethnicities. The program has existed since 1983. A number of congregations in our synod (as well as the synod office itself) are now RIC. We are considering RIC for our congregation now, too.
Why does RIC focus on these groups? Unfortunately, over the years, people in certain groups have not experienced the same welcome that others have in the Christian church. Focusing on these groups seeks to address that hurt. If you remember the parable of the lost sheep, this story helps illustrate how some individuals have different needs that require additional care from the church. Some of our members have expressed that RIC would be a meaningful step in showing that care.
Why is this program helpful? Can’t we accomplish this on our own? It is true that the values expressed in the RIC program do align with our congregation. The program itself may help deepen that focus and give us tools to live that out. It can also make us aware of places where we can grow.
What would this program require of us? This is a customizable educational program that can be tailored to fit our needs. It can take two years, or seventeen years if that’s our preference. We learn together, discuss, and reflect on who we are and where we’d like to go. Upon completion, we would need to take steps like indicating our full welcome on our website and be open to calling future clergy to serve our church, regardless of their sexual orientation, race, etc.
Who runs the RIC program? ReconcilingWorks is a ministry that has been around since 1974. They advocate for the full welcome and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community and have incorporated antiracism into their ministry in the years since then. ReconcilingWorks receives no funding from the ELCA but works with both our denomination and the ELCIC (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada).
What does it cost? As it is so customizable, the program requires a “meaningful” annual contribution. There is no dollar amount set. That is for the congregation (or synod, or campus ministry, etc.) to discern.
Why do you need to actually know any of this? We will be voting on starting the program at our annual meeting in January! By the time you receive this, we will have already met twice to talk about it. We will be meeting again on 11/6 and 11/12 at 7PM at church. If you aren’t able to make those, please feel free to approach Pr. Paul or me if you’d like to learn more or discuss. You can also learn more by going to reconcilingworks.org. It’s important to us that everyone has as much knowledge on this as possible so we can make an informed choice at the annual meeting.
Our congregation is called Family of God. I am confident that we can have challenging conversations together, being both bold and loving at the same time. I look forward to what we can accomplish together as the body of Christ on earth. Blessings to you and your loved ones!
Pr. Erin Koster
The Lighted Globe:
The Lighted Globe at the back of the sanctuary is for the lighting of a votive candle by anyone wishing to express a particular prayer or hope in this symbolic way. Candles remain lit after all have gone, a visible sign of the prayers of our community of faith "for the whole people of God, and for all people according to their needs."
Holy Communion:
All baptized persons are welcome who believe Christ comes to us in the bread and the wine to bring forgiveness, life, and salvation. Children not yet communing come forward for a blessing. Children receive instruction and usually have First Communion in Fifth grade. We receive the sacrament standing. Grape juice is available.
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Worship with Holy Communion
(Current Season)
Regular Worship
(September - May)
Sundays - In Person and
Live-Streamed
9:30 am
Summer Worship
(June - August)
Sundays - In Person and
Live-Streamed
9:30 am
Interested in making your own communion bread just like we use at church for the coming services? Click the yellow button to view/download the recipe from Jane Nelson.
Children in Church
Children in Church: At Family of God, as Jesus did, we welcome children of all ages as integral members of the body of Christ, and we welcome the sounds and activity that accompany them! There are a number of spaces and activities designed for children to experience and participate in worship according to their needs (see reverse); we trust families to work out the best option(s) for them and their child(ren) on any given day. We also understand that it takes a village to raise a child. A few tips for engaging families with small children include:
- Greeting/learning the names of the young children who sit near you in worship.
- Offering to read or color with one child during worship, especially if another child in the family is especially fussy or upset.
- Helping preschoolers and elementary-aged kids to navigate the liturgy, locate the hymns, etc. (Children learn to worship by participating!)
- Inviting kids to serve alongside you in worship, as greeters, ushers, etc.
- Recognizing that certain conditions or disabilities don’t present physically, and some children (and adults) may make noises or act in ways that seem strange or upsetting, but are perfectly normal for their situation.
- Celebrating that God put the wiggle in children, and that children’s “mode of being” in worship is intrinsically more vocal and more physical than that of adults.
Busy Bags:
Located in the back of the sanctuary, these bags contains books, crayons, toys, figures, and other things to keep little hands busy and occupied. Children’s Bibles and Bible Story coloring sheets are also available, near the busy bags, and Scribble cards are located in the pew racks.
Family of God Sunday School:
See CYF/Sunday School pages. FOG students (3 years olds - 5th grade) worship with their families through the children’s sermon, then attend FOG Sunday School classes through the end of the service.
Nursery: If your little one simply needs a break, a nursery is staffed through every Sunday worship service for children from birth to 3 years of age.
*In order to comply with Family of God’s Child Policy, parents and guardians are asked to pick up their own children from both the nursery and FOG classrooms rather then, for example, allowing one parent to pick up children from two families. Thanks for understanding.