The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity – September 17, 2023
The Seventeenth Sunday of the Pentecost Season
Oh, For A Faith That Will Not Shrink!
The story is told about the first time that actress Helen Hayes decided to cook a Thanksgiving dinner for her family. Before serving it, she announced to her husband and son, “Now, I know that this is the first turkey I’ve ever cooked. If it isn’t any good, I don’t want anybody to say a word. We’ll just get up from the table, without comment, and go to a restaurant to eat.” Then she returned to the kitchen.
When she came back out to the dining room bearing the turkey, she found her husband and son seated at the table with their hats and coats on. Obviously they didn’t have much faith in her ability to cook a turkey!
Often we’re like that with God, aren’t we? We have problems, or find ourselves in difficult – or at least uncertain – situations, and so we pray to God for help. But then we sit back and expect either nothing, or the worst to happen. Too frequently we don’t have the faith in our LORD that we should. And because of that, we suffer in all kinds of ways…..when we never really had to. Our faith would have held us up, and God would have vindicated that faith…..if only we had trusted more in Him to bless us here on earth – as we trust that He will bless us with eternal life in heaven, through Christ Jesus.
God the Holy Spirit enabling us, as we give our attention to His Word today, may our faith be strengthened not only in the everlasting life in heaven that awaits us for Jesus’ sake, but also in our LORD’s ability and willingness to guard and guide us through the varied circumstances of life.
Through our Old Testament Lesson and Sermon Text for today we’ll continue our examination of the story of Joseph, but we’ll do so with a bit of a “twist.” Our focus today won’t be on Joseph, but on his father Jacob. In particular, we’ll consider the faith in the LORD that Jacob demonstrated by his willingness to leave (at Joseph’s invitation and encouragement) the Promised Land of Canaan for the safety (and food) of a life in Egypt during a horrific famine. However, before Jacob would leave the land of promise – even with his survival instincts urging him to go to Egypt – Jacob, in faith, sought the LORD’s guidance and blessing.
This morning’s Gospel Lesson is the account of Jesus’ miraculously healing – from a distance – the servant of the Roman Centurion of Capernaum. While this miracle displays Christ’s divine power (and so that fact should hardly be an “afterthought”), our attention this morning will be drawn particularly to the amazing faith of that Centurion and the various characteristics of his faith in Jesus. We’ll see a man who cared about others, who knew by faith the true God, and who humbly approached Jesus with his prayer request. His faith (which Jesus commended as “great,” enabled him to be confident both in our Savior’s ability and willingness to hear his prayer, and in our Lord’s power to restore his dying servant to good health.
Finally, faith is also at the center of our Children’s Lesson for today, where we’ll talk about the difference between living life “by fact/sight” and living “by faith/trust.” We’ll use the illustration of the “blind faith” of a blind person who trusts totally in his seeing eye dog’s ability to reliably lead and protect him.
The portions of God’s Word used in this worship flyer have been taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version Copyright 2019, The Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission Music and lyrics, as needed, are used with permission via OneLicense.net #A712831
Pre-Service Prayer Lord God, merciful Father, I thank You that You have safely brought me to this hour of worship. Through Your Holy Spirit open my heart to the wondrous truths of Your salvation which I will hear this morning. Through the same Spirit grant new strength to my faith and greater confidence in You to my soul. Bless the preaching and teaching of Your Word both in our congregation and throughout Your Church on earth. Give power and conviction to Your ministers here and everywhere, that their testimony to Your holiness, sovereignty, and grace may be clear and true to Your revealed Word. Grant me the grace to bring all my sin-burdens before Your altar and leave them there at Your feet. Keep me from mere formalism in my worship, from praying with my lips while my heart is far from You, and from failing to personalize Your words of rebuke, instruction and comfort that I will soon be hearing. Receive my offerings — humble though they are — for the extension of Your kingdom. And, after this service closes, enable me to live according to Your Word and for Your glory throughout this week. All this I ask, in the name and for the sake of Your Son, my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Pre-service prayer Pre-worship music
Let Us Praise The Lord
The Greeting and Introduction to Worship
The Invocation
Pastor We begin this service in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Psalm for Today selected verses of
Psalms 122, 32, and 138
P: I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
C: I will praise You, O God, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing Your praise.
P: If You, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O LORD, who could stand?
C: But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P: When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
C: For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; + my strength was sapped like in the heat of summer.
P: Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD” — and You forgave the guilt of my sin.
C: Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You while You may be found.
P: I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.
C: Do not be like the horse or the mule, + which have no understanding
P: But must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.
C: Many are the woes of the wicked, + but the LORD’S unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him.
P: O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love, and with Him is full redemption.
C: He Himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.
P: The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
C: Your love, O LORD, endures forever.
The Congregation will then be seated for
The Opening Hymn Hymn 478
“With the Lord Begin Your Task”
1 With the Lord begin your task; Jesus will direct it.
For His aid and counsel ask; Jesus will perfect it.
Ev’ry morn with Jesus rise, And when day is ended,
In His name then close your eyes; Be to Him commended.
2 Let each day begin with prayer, Praise, and adoration.
On the Lord cast ev’ry care; He is your salvation.
Morning, evening, and at night Jesus will be near you,
Save you from the tempter’s might, With His presence cheer you.
3 With your Savior at your side, Foes need not alarm you;
In His promises confide, And no ill can harm you.
All your trust and hope repose In the mighty Master,
Who in wisdom truly knows How to stem disaster.
4 If your task be thus begun With the Savior’s blessing,
Safely then your course will run, Toward the promise pressing.
Good will follow ev’rywhere While you here must wander;
You at last the joy will share In the mansions yonder.
5 Thus, Lord Jesus, ev’ry task Be to You commended;
May Your will be done, I ask, Until life is ended.
Jesus, in Your name begun Be the day’s endeavor;
Grant that it may well be done To Your praise forever.
After which the Congregation will rise
The Confessional Order of Service
Pastor O LORD, Open my lips.
Congregation –
(Sung) And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
Pastor Hasten, O God, to deliver me.
Congregation – (sung) Hasten to help me, O LORD.
Pastor “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.”
Congregation – (Sung)
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son And to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.
World without end. Amen.
We Make Confession Of Our Sins To God
Pastor I now ask you before God, who searches your heart, do you confess that you have sinned against God and deserve His wrath and punishment? Then declare so by saying, “I do confess.
Congregation – “I do confess.”
Pastor – Truly you should confess, for the Holy Scriptures say, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
Second, do you, with all your heart, repent of all your sins, committed in thought, word, and deed? Then declare so by saying, “I do repent.”
Congregation – “I do repent.”
Pastor – Truly, you should repent, as other penitent sinners have done: King David, who prayed for a contrite heart; Peter, who wept bitterly; the sinful woman, the prodigal son, and others.
Third, do you sincerely believe that God, by grace, for Jesus’ sake, will forgive you all your sins? Then declare so by saying, “I do believe.”
Congregation – “I do believe.”
Pastor – Truly you should so believe, for the Holy Scriptures say, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Fourth, do you promise that with the help of the Holy Ghost, you will, from this time forward, reform your sinful life? Then declare it by saying, “I do promise.”
Congregation – “I do promise.”
Pastor – Truly, you should so promise, for Christ, the Lord says: “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Finally, do you believe that through me, a called servant of God, you will receive from God the forgiveness of all your sins? Then declare it by saying, “I do believe.
Congregation – “I do believe.”
Pastor – Upon this, your confession, I, because of my office as a called and ordained servant of God’s Word, announce the grace of God to all of you. And, in the place, and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Peace be with you. Amen.
After which the Congregation will be seated
We Listen to the Word of God
The First Lesson Genesis 46:1 – 47:12
Israel traveled with all that he had until he came to Beersheba, where he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 God called to Israel in a vision at night, “Jacob, Jacob!”
Jacob said, “I am here.”
3 He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. 4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will certainly bring you back again. And Joseph’s hand will close your eyes.”
5 Jacob set out from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel transported Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. 6 They took their livestock and their property that they had acquired in the land of Canaan and came into Egypt—Jacob, and all his offspring with him, 7 his sons and his grandsons, his daughters and his granddaughters. So he brought all his offspring with him into Egypt.
8 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt, that is, Jacob and his sons:
Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn. 9 The sons of Reuben were Hanoch,
Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
10 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and
Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.
11 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
12 The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah, but Er
and Onan had died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez were
Hezron and Hamul.
13 The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron.
14 The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahle’el.
15 Those are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan
Aram, along with his daughter Dinah. The total number of souls of
his sons and his daughters was thirty-three.
16 The sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi,
and Areli.
17 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah
their sister. The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel.
18 Those are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah, his
daughter, and Zilpah bore these to Jacob, a total of sixteen souls.
19 The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife, were Joseph and Benjamin.
20 Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt.
Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, gave birth to them.
21 The sons of Benjamin were Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Na’aman,
Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22 These are the sons of
Rachel, who were born to Jacob. The total was fourteen souls.
23 The son of Dan was Hushim.
24 The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
25 These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel,
his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob. The total was seven souls.
26 The total number of souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, who were his direct descendants, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, was sixty-six. 27 The sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls.
The total number of the souls in the house of Jacob who came into Egypt was seventy.
28 Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to lead the way to Goshen. And so they arrived in the land of Goshen. 29 Joseph prepared his chariot and went to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He approached him, hugged him, and wept on his shoulder for a long time. 30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen you face-to-face and you are still alive.”
31 Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s family, “I will go up and speak with Pharaoh. I will tell him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 These men are shepherds. They make their living taking care of livestock, and they have brought with them their flocks and their herds, and all that they have.’ 33 This is what you should say when Pharaoh summons you and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 You shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers.’ Ask for the right to live in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is repulsive to the Egyptians.”
47 Then Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and my brothers have come from the land of Canaan with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own, and now they are in the land of Goshen.” 2 He took five of his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.
3 Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?”
They answered Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and our fathers.” 4 They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to reside as aliens in the land, for your servants have no pasture for their flocks, because the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”
5 Pharaoh responded to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 6 The land of Egypt is open to you. Arrange for your father and your brothers to dwell in the best of the land. Let them settle in the land of Goshen. If you know any capable men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock.”
7 Joseph brought Jacob his father and presented him to Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many are the days and the years of your life?”
9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days and the years of my wandering are one hundred thirty years. The days and the years of my life have been few and full of trouble, and they have not been as many as the days and the years of the lives of my fathers during the days of their wandering.” 10 Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.
11 Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them property in the land of Egypt, in the best part of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all of his father’s household with food, based on the number in their families.
The Gospel Lesson Luke 7:1-10
After Jesus had finished saying all these things to the people who were listening, he went into Capernaum. 2 A centurion’s servant, who was valuable to him, was sick and about to die. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy of having you do this for him, 5 because he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.”
6 Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell Jesus, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, because I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I am also a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another one, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
9 When Jesus heard these things, he was amazed at him. He turned to the crowd that was following him and said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.” 10 And when the men who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.
The Apostles ‘ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit; Born of the virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven; And is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; From there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; The Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.
Following which the Congregation may be seated for
The Children’s Lesson Isaiah 42:16 and II Corinthians 5:7
I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.
We live by faith, not by sight.
BLIND FAITH
The Sermon Hymn Hymn 405 “Oh, For A Faith That Will Not Shrink”
1 Oh, for a faith that will not shrink Though pressed by many a foe,
That will not tremble on the brink Of poverty or woe,
2 That will not murmur nor complain Beneath the chast’ning rod,
But in the hour of grief or pain Can lean upon its God,
3 A faith that shines more bright and clear When tempests rage without,
That, when in danger, knows no fear, In darkness feels no doubt,
4 That bears unmoved the world’s dread frown Nor heeds its scornful smile,
That sin’s wild ocean cannot drown Nor Satan’s arts beguile,
5 A faith that keeps the narrow way Till life’s last spark is fled
And with a pure and heav’nly ray Lights up the dying bed.
6 Lord, give us such a faith as this, And then, whate’er may come,
We’ll taste e’en now the hallowed bliss Of an eternal home.
The Greeting
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Today’s Sermon Text Genesis 46:1-47:12
this morning’s Old Testament Lesson
Jacob Walks By Faith in the LORD
after the Sermon, the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
The Post-Sermon Blessing
May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father, Who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. Amen.
We Offer Our Gifts to the Lord
Our Offerings of Love to our Lord
Offerings will be received this morning through offering plates passed among those who have gathered here for worship.
However, for those viewing this service online, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can mail a check (no cash) to the church address: (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) You can also donate on our website: www.gracelutherannwa.com
the Congregation will rise as the offerings are brought to the altar
Today’s Prayers
Included in our prayers this morning is a prayer of thanksgiving and continued intercession for our brother, Tom Otto, who continues to recover from surgery that he underwent three weeks ago.
and also
A Prayer of Thanksgiving on behalf of our brother, Roger Kattestad,
who is recovering from a surgical procedure this past Wednesday.
C: Our Father, Who art in heaven + Hallowed be Thy name. + Thy Kingdom come. + Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. + Give us this day our daily bread. + And forgive us our trespasses + as we forgive those who trespass against us. + And lead us not into temptation. + But deliver us from evil. + For Thine is the kingdom + And the power + And the glory + Forever and ever. Amen.
We Celebrate the Lord’s Supper
Pastor – The Lord be with you.
Congregation (Sung) And also with you
Pastor – Lift up your hearts.
Congregation (Sung) We lift them up to the Lord.
Pastor – Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
Congregation (Sung) It is good and right so to do.
Consecration of the Elements
Pastor – The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Congregation – (Sung) Amen.
The Exhortation Regarding the Lord’s Supper
(Please read the following if you have not spoken with our Pastor about taking communion. Thank you.)
At Grace Lutheran Church, on the basis of what the Bible teaches, we practice what is known as “Close Communion.” That means we are able to offer the Lord’s Supper this morning only to those individuals who – after completing a thorough study with us of the doctrines contained God’s Word – have already publicly committed themselves to be members of our fellowship because of their agreement with those teachings. In so doing we are endeavoring to express our comprehensive commitment (and unity which we – as a Christian congregation – share with each other as members of this fellowship) to all the teachings of the Scriptures. and to our striving to put them fully and faithfully into practice in our ministry.
That “comprehensive commitment” requirement (which our Lord expects of all His children and so of every church – please see Romans 16:17-18; 2 John 10-11; I John 4:1-3; John 8:31-32; Matthew 28:19-20 …among other portions of Scripture that express this) allows us only to offer the Lord’s Supper to those persons who are already committed, confirmed, communicant members of Grace Lutheran congregation, or who have become members of one of the congregations of our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
We do this, not to offend anyone, but because the Scriptures teach that only those who are “one,” that is, in complete doctrinal agreement, united in a comprehensive public confession of faith, are to commune together at the same altar (see I Corinthians 10:17 and I Corinthians 1:10).
Through membership in a particular congregation or church body (for us, that
church body is the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod), each person makes a public statement that he/she is in full agreement with the teachings and practices of that body. Because not every congregation, church body or Lutheran Synod teaches and practices the same things, we at Grace and in the WELS want to be honest in our recognition of the doctrinal/teaching differences that, here on earth, separate us from other church bodies.
To our Guests this morning….. We want you to know that we sincerely appreciate your presence among us today, and we do rejoice that we share faith in Christ with you. Please understand that by asking you to refrain from communing with us this morning we are NOT judging your faith in Christ. What we are doing is expressing – as a congregation – our complete unity of faith in Christ, as well as our joint commitment to all the teachings (doctrines) of God’s Word. Consequently, we hope that you will do us the courtesy of kindly respecting our Biblical practice of close communion practice by refraining from taking the Lord’s Supper with us today.
It is our hope that our Scripture-based practice of “Close Communion” will encourage anyone among us this morning who is not presently in full doctrinal fellowship with us to seriously examine the teachings and practices of his/her church in order to determine if those teachings and practices are really in full agreement with God’s Word. In fact, we pray that all of our guests – and many others – will one day share with us in this “close” fellowship which we enjoy at Grace Lutheran and in the WELS, by your studying God’s Word with us , by joining us in this joint, comprehensive commitment to His Biblical teachings that our Lord wants us to have with each other, and by committing yourself to membership in our church family.
A brochure further explaining the Biblical basis for this Close Communion practice is available on the entryway tract/brochure rack. We encourage you to carefully examine it – especially the Biblical references within it – and also to speak with our Pastor after the service (or, at your convenience) so that you might better understand and appreciate our Biblically-based “Close Communion” practice.
Thank you for your understanding, your patience, and for your presence here among us this morning. May God bless you, as you are a blessing to us !
Distribution Hymns Hymn 304 “Jesus Sinners Does Receive”
1 Jesus sinners does receive; Oh, may all this saying ponder
Who in sin’s delusions live And from God and heaven wander.
Here is hope for all who grieve– Jesus sinners does receive.
2 We deserve but grief and shame, Yet his words, rich grace revealing,
Pardon, peace, and life proclaim; Here their ills have perfect healing
Who with humble hearts believe– Jesus sinners does receive.
3 Sheep that from the fold did stray Are not by the Lord forsaken;
Weary souls who lost their way Are by Christ, the shepherd, taken
In his arms that they may live– Jesus sinners does receive.
4 Come, O sinners, one and all, Come, accept his invitation.
Come, obey his gracious call; Come and take his free salvation!
Firmly in these words believe– Jesus sinners does receive.
5 I, a sinner, come to you With a penitent confession.
Savior, show me mercy, too; Grant for all my sins remission.
Let these words my soul relieve– Jesus sinners does receive.
6 Oh, how blest is it to know, Were as scarlet my transgression,
It shall be as white as snow By your blood and bitter passion,
For these words I do believe– Jesus sinners does receive.
7 Jesus sinners does receive. Even I have been forgiven.
And when I this earth must leave, I shall find an open heaven.
Dying, still to him I cleave– Jesus sinners does receive.
Hymn 313 Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Savior”
1 Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior, Turned away God’s wrath forever;
By his bitter grief and woe He saved us from the evil foe.
2 As his pledge of love undying, He, this precious food supplying,
Gives his body with the bread And with the wine the blood he shed.
3 Jesus here himself is sharing; Take heed how you are preparing,
For if you do not believe, Judgment instead you shall receive.
4 Useless would be Jesus’ passion If salvation you could fashion.
Do not come if you suppose You need not him who died and rose.
5 Christ says, “Come, all you that labor, And receive my grace and favor;
Those who feel no pain or ill Need no physician’s help or skill.”
6 Then hold fast with faith unshaken That this food is to be taken
By the souls who are distressed, By hearts that long for peace and rest.
7 Praise the Father, who from heaven Unto us such food has given
And, to mend what we have done, Gave into death his only Son.
8 If your heart this truth professes And your mouth your sin confesses,
Surely you will be his guest And at his banquet ever blest.
We Leave With The Lord’s Blessing
The Closing Prayer
The Benediction
The LORD bless you and keep you.
The LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The LORD look with favor upon you, and give you His peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn Hymn 323 “Almighty Father, Bless The Word”
1 Almighty Father, bless the word Which through your grace we now have heard.
Oh, may the precious seed take root, Spring up, and bear abundant fruit.
2 We praise you for the means of grace As homeward now our steps we trace.
Grant, Lord, that we who worshiped here May all at last in heav’n appear.
Silent Prayer
Announcements
Post-service music