The Second Sunday in Lent
which is also known by the traditional name “Reminiscere Sunday”
February 28, 2021
Living By Faith…No Matter What We Might Face
Each day every one of us relies on “faith” in one form or fashion. For instance, imagine you’re being seen by a doctor whose name you can’t pronounce. He gives you a prescription you can’t read. You take it to a pharmacist you’ve never seen. He gives you medication you don’t understand — and yet, you take it, with the faith that it will improve your physical health. That’s just one example of how we each day we live by faith. The fact is, we can’t get through a single day without living by “faith.” When you flip a light switch you’re putting your faith in the electrical wiring behind that switch. When you start your car, you’re placing a measure of faith in the battery, electrical components and motor of your vehicle. When you mail a letter, you have faith that the Postal Service will get that letter where you intend it to go….and on time.
Of course, sometimes our faith ends up being misplaced. Certain people or things in which we put our faith can — and have — let us down. That’s because faith, ultimately, is only as good as the OBJECT of that faith.
The same is true with “Spiritual Faith.“ Buddhists have faith in the teachings of the Buddha. Muslims put their trust in Allah and the prophet Mohammed. Hindus – well, they put their faith in a variety of gods (millions, actually.) These, and most other religious people — even far too many Christians – have mistakenly put their faith in their ability to “keep the rules” … to be “good enough” to satisfy whatever their concept of “god” might be — to reach their Nirvana/heaven — or to build up some type of good “Karma” for themselves. That means, to a very great extent, they’ve all put their faith in themselves….and that is a very foolish thing to do. After all, no sinner (and we all are sinners) can ever be good enough to be the perfect person that the true (and only) God demands every human must be…..if any of us are ever going to earn heaven based on our goodness. How woefully, damnably deceived those poor souls are!
Incidentally, even when people claim to have no religion at all (including those so-called “atheists”), they actually still end up living by faith, since every human invariably puts his/her faith in something. For example, faith might be placed in some notion of the boundless “potential” of humanity. Or, it might be put in the supremacy of science or human reason. Their faith might even be placed in some vague concept such as our “oneness with nature/the universe.” Atheists put their “faith” in the belief that there is no god. Regardless of what these people trust in, everyone lives by some form of faith. Yet every faith but one (the Christian faith) will get a person absolutely, eternally nowhere, except a one-way ticked to hell!
By God’s grace alone, He has chosen to bring each one of us to faith in Him Who is the only true, God – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We didn’t choose to believe. In fact, without His support we can’t believe at all. That’s why the LORD had to place His Spirit in us. The holy Spirit empowers us to believe in Him both for our eternal salvation (as we trust in Christ’s life, death and resurrection for our forgiveness and guarantee of heaven) and in connection with everything else that we encounter in this life – from life’s successes to its failures….and whatever else in between. Knowing, through faith, that our eternal future in heaven is secure – for Jesus’ sake, by that same faith we can confidently trust that our LORD will support and sustain us throughout our earthly lives, no matter what we might face in life.
Our Scripture Readings for Today
Hebrews 11, our Epistle Lesson for this morning, is often referred to as “The Great Chapter of Faith.” Through it the Lord gives us a host of Biblical examples of what faith is, starting with its opening statement: “Faith is being sure about what we hope for, being convinced about things we do not see.” The famous theologian and Christian writer A.W. Tozer had an interesting explanation for this verse. He wrote: “Faith is seeing the invisible, but not the nonexistent.” Some people think faith is believing in something that is not actually there; they couldn’t be more wrong! Biblical faith believes the true God when He tells us there is a reality which we cannot see….His reality. Faith also keeps our eyes on our Lord Who controls our lives’ circumstances — rather than focusing our attention (and apprehension) on the circumstances themselves. As you listen to this reading this morning, please ponder – and, with the help of God, resolve to develop in your life – the depth of dedication to your God which enabled these believing men and women to offer Him their faithful and faith-filled service as they, gratefully, made great sacrifices for the God of their faith and salvation….and He is our God as well.
Our Children’s Lesson for today (II Corinthians 5:7) succinctly says: “We walk by faith, not by sight.” That sounds simplistic, and it is! Faith humbly goes beyond what we see, feel, and think….and instead totally trusts in everything that our God says, does and promises us.
Today’s Gospel Lesson is the account of Jesus’ raising from the dead the daughter of man named Jairus. For our purposes this morning, please pay attention to the exemplary faith that this father had. He had a huge “obstacle” before him….namely, that his daughter clearly was dead. Yet he approached Christ, in faith asking the “impossible” – that Jesus might return her to life. And his faith was rewarded with a resurrected daughter.
Finally, our Old Testament Reading and Sermon Text for today is the amazing story of Joshua and the God-toppled walls of Jericho. Can you imagine the kind of faith it took not only for Joshua, but for the people of Israel, to march around a fortified city for seven days, trusting that on the seventh day the Lord would miraculously bring down the city’s walls and let them overcome its occupants…..all because – according to His command – they blew their ram’s horns at the right time? How ridiculous……and yet it worked, because God promised that it would. Faith is taking God at His word, regardless of the obstacles one faces, whether that obstacle is an illness, a family or financial problem, some other “ordinary” challenge….or even a fortified city.
Background Information about Lent and “Reminiscere” Sunday
Across better than 16 centuries, the Christian Church has used the 40 day/roughly six week period of Lent as a time during which its members are to contemplate, in an even more subdued than usual fashion, the spiritual significance of our Savior’s sufferings for our salvation. The “tone” of Lent has traditionally been a very penitential one focusing on the seriousness and significance of our sins, our need to personally repent of those sins, and the undeserved mercy of God in Christ through which He has forgiven us all our sins. However, these “solemn” 40 days of Lent (which begin with Ash Wednesday and continue through “Holy Saturday”) technically do not include the six Sundays in Lent. The worship services on those Sundays – as is the case for us this morning – are used as minor “respites” from the heavy repentance-emphasis of the 40 day Lenten season. (It’s also why they are referred to as “the Sundays DURING Lent,” rather than the Sundays “OF” Lent.) While there remains a “penitential” character associated even with the Sundays in Lent, we nevertheless want to gratefully focus our hearts and minds on selected portions of Scripture that point out to us the victories which our Savior has won for us over sin, death, sickness, difficulties, sorrow and the Devil himself. Those victories which Christ has won (and continues to win for us) should move us gratefully, yet also with a spirit of determination, to put our faith in Him for all our needs of body and soul….confident that Jesus will never, ever let us down.
Incidentally, the Sundays during Lent have been identified for many centuries by Latin names which have been taken from the first words (in Latin) of the Psalms traditionally appointed to be read in worship on those days. This Second Sunday in Lent, then, is known as “Reminiscere Sunday,” taken from verse 6 of Psalm 25 (“Reminiscere” means “Remember” — you’ll find that it has been underlined in today’s reading).
Pre-Service Prayer – In the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. I thank You my Heavenly Father,
through Jesus Christ, Your Son, for keeping me through the night from all harm and danger. Keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. Into Your hands I commit my body and soul and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the Devil may have no power over me. Amen.
Scripture quotations in this worship flyer, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the EVANGELICAL HERITAGE VERSION of the Bible. Copyright 2019
by the Warburg Project. All rights reserved.
Prayer upon entering the sanctuary Pre-service Music
Let Us Praise The Lord
The Welcoming and Invitation to Worship
following which, at the invitation of the Pastor, the Congregation will rise for the invocation
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 Psalm 25, selected verses
P: Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and Your mercy, for they are from eternity.
C: Do not Remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways. +
According to Your mercy remember me, + because of Your goodness, O LORD.
P: To You, O LORD, I will lift up my soul; in You I have trusted O my God.
C: All who hope in You will ever be put to shame.
P: Make known to me Your ways, O LORD. Teach me Your paths.
C: Make me walk in Your truth and teach me, + because You are the God Who saves me. + In You I hope all day long.
P: Good and upright is the Lord. Therefore He instructs sinners in the right way.
C: He directs the humble to what is just + and He teaches the humble His way.
P: For the sake of Your name, O LORD, You forgive my guilt, although it is great.
C: Turn toward me and be gracious to me, + because I am lonely and afflicted.
P: The distress of my heart increases. Bring me out of my anguish.
C: See my affliction and my trouble, + and take away all my sins.
P: Guard my life and rescue me. Do not let me be put to shame, for I have taken refuge in You.
C: May integrity and uprightness protect me; + because I wait for You.
After which the Congregation may be seated for
The Opening Hymn “God Is Here Among His People”
sung to the melody of “‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus” cwh, 2001
God is here among His people! As we join in praise and prayer,
May we find in fuller measure, Jesus’ grace which we all share.
Here, though in the world abiding, as God’s children set apart,
We rejoice to join together, one in faith, in love, in heart.
Here the Means of Grace remind us of our life-long need for grace.
Here are altar, font, and pulpit; here Christ’s cross has central place.
Here in faithful Bible preaching, here in silence and in songs,
Here the Spirit, edifying, heart-felt joy in us prolongs.
Here our children find in Baptism entry to the Shepherd’s fold;
Here, in Sacramental Union, Christ sustains us, young and old.
Here the servants of the Servant, seek in worship to explore
What it means in daily living, to believe and to adore.
Lord of all, the Church and Kingdom, in an age of change and doubt,
Keep us faithful to all Scripture; Help us work Your purpose out.
Here, in bringing praise and off’rings, all we have to give, receive;
We who cannot live without You, We adore You! We believe!” Amen.
After which the Congregation will rise
Hear Us and Forgive Us, Lord
Pastor – “We have come together to worship the Triune God.”
Congregation – “He is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
P: – “Jesus said, ‘Wherever two or three come together in My name, there am I with them.”
C: – “The LORD Almighty is with us. The God of Jacob is our Refuge.”
P: – “But who may come into His presence? And who may call on Him for help?”
C: – “He whose walk is blameless + and who does what is righteous.”
P: – “Who speaks the truth from his heart, and who has no slander on his tongue.”
C: – “Who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow man.”
P: – “Who keeps His oath even when it hurts.”
C: – “Who honors those who fear the Lord.”
We Make Confession Of Our Sins To God
Pastor Brothers and sisters in Christ: the Word of God urges us to confess to our Lord all our sins of thought, word, and action. This is something that ought to be daily part of our spiritual lives,
and should come forth from every heart that is humble and penitent. But we should especially do this when we meet together in His house to thank God for all that He has done for us, to praise Him, and to hear His life-giving Word. Therefore, come with me now, to our Heavenly Father’s throne of grace, and let us confess our sins together.
Congregation Miserable person that I am, + I confess and lament to You, O most holy God, + that I am a weak and sinful creature, + guilty of every sin, of unbelief, and of blasphemy. + I also
confess that Your Word has not brought forth good fruit in me. + I hear it, but do not receive it earnestly. + I do not show works of love toward my neighbor. + I am full of anger, hate, and envy. + I am impatient, greedy, and bent on every evil. + Therefore my heart and conscience are heavy. + Lord, I ask You, free me from my sins, + strengthen my faith, + and comfort my weak conscience by Your divine Word, + that I may obtain Your promised grace.
We Receive and Celebrate God’s Absolution
Pastor Having humbly and sincerely confessed your sins before Almighty God, now be strengthened in your faith, mindful that our Lord is not willing that anyone should perish eternally, but that
everyone should come to repentance, turning from their evil ways and receiving from Him everlasting life. God has commanded that His forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed to all who are penitent. Therefore, rest assured that your sins have been fully covered by the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ your Savior. May the peace of God rest upon all of you. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Now, in the peace of God’s forgiveness, let us together praise our gracious and glorious Lord!
Our Response To God’s Forgiveness “Our Heav’nly Father, Gracious Lord”
To the tune of “Almighty Father, Strong to Save;” Lyrics by cwh
Our Heav’nly Father, gracious Lord, Who by the power of Your Word
Created and sustains each thing, and all that live. Your praise we sing….
Our Father, Who in mercy still, Guides everything by Your sure will.
We praise You, Christ, God’s only Son, by Whom salvation has been won.
For us You lived, and for us died, that we might all be justified,
Raised from the dead, on high to reign. We know that You will come again.
We worship, You, O Spirit sent, active in Word and Sacrament.
You bind the Church, below, above, in faith in Christ’s redeeming love.
Sustain this faith, our whole lives through, and day by day our hearts renew! Amen.
The Prayer for this 2nd Sunday in Lent
O Lord God, + You know that we have no strength + to withstand the assaults against our souls + that come from Satan, this wicked world, and our own sinful flesh. + Therefore we pray that You would graciously use Your mighty power + to safeguard us outwardly + from every adversity that could physically harm us + and to protect us inwardly from all doubt + as well as from every obstacle, + and everyone that could harm our faith + and jeopardize our eternal inheritance in heaven. + Please build up our souls this morning and every day + as we meditate upon Your Holy Word + that we might be enabled to resist temptation, + and to persevere through every trial, + in order to serve You faithfully + and to bring honor and glory to Your Holy Name. + All this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, + Your Son, our Lord, + Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, + one God, now and forever. + Amen.
After which the Congregation may be seated
Feed Us, Lord
The Old Testament Lesson Joshua 6:1-21
Jericho was shut up tight because of the Israelites. There was no one going out and no one coming in.
2 So the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho and its king into your hands even though they are strong warriors. 3 You shall march around the city with all the fighting men. Circle the city one time. Do this for six days. 4 Seven priests shall carry seven special ram’s horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times with the priests blowing the ram’s horns. 5 When there is a long blast on the special ram’s horn of jubilee, when you hear the sound of the ram’s horn, all the people shall shout with a loud war cry. Then the wall of the city will collapse on itself, and the people will go up into the city, one man after another.”
6 So Joshua son of Nun called for the priests and said to them, “Lift up the Ark of the Covenant, and seven priests shall carry seven special ram’s horns in front of the Ark of the Lord.” 7 Then he said to the people, “Move out. March around the city. The armed contingent shall march in front of the Ark of the Lord.”
8 When Joshua had given orders to the people, the seven priests with the seven special ram’s horns moved forward in front of the Lord, blowing the ram’s horns continuously, with the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord following them. 9 The armed contingent was marching ahead of the priests, who were blowing the ram’s horns, and the rear guard was following the ark. The priests kept blowing the ram’s horns as they went. 10 But to the people Joshua had given the order, “Do not shout and do not let your voice be heard. Do not let a word go out of your mouth until the day I say to you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout!” 11 So he had the Ark of the Lord go around the city, sending it out to circle the city one time. Then they came back to the camp and spent the night there.
12 Then Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests lifted up the Ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests with the seven special ram’s horns moved forward in front of the Ark of the Lord, blowing the ram’s horns continuously. The armed contingent was marching in front of them, and the rear guard was following behind the Ark of the Lord. The priests kept blowing the ram’s horns as they went. 14 They marched around the city one time on the second day, and then they returned to the camp. They did this for six days.
15 Then on the seventh day they got up early, at daybreak, and they marched around the city seven times, following the directions they had been given. It was only on the seventh day that they marched around the city seven times. 16 Then on the seventh time, the priests blew the ram’s horns, and Joshua said to the people, “Shout, because the Lord has given you the city! 17 The city will be devoted to destruction. The city and everything in it will be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute will live—she along with all who are with her in the house—because she hid the agents whom we sent. 18 But you must keep away from the things devoted to destruction, or you will make yourselves subject to destruction by taking some of the devoted things, and you will make the camp of Israel subject to destruction and bring disaster upon it. 19 But all the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord. They must go into the treasury of the Lord.”
20 So the people shouted, and the priests blew the ram’s horns. When the people heard the sound of the ram’s horns, they shouted with a loud war cry. Then the wall collapsed on itself, and the people went up into the city, one man after another. So they captured the city. 21 Then they applied the decree of destruction by the edge of the sword to everything that was in the city—both men and women, young and old, and also the oxen, sheep, and donkeys.
The Epistle Lesson Hebrews 11:1-40
Faith is being sure about what we hope for, being convinced about things we do not see. 2 For by this faith the ancients were commended in Scripture.
3 By faith we know that the universe was created by God’s word, so that what is seen did not come from visible things.
4 By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice to God than Cain did. By faith he was commended in Scripture as righteous; God testified favorably about his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was taken up, so that he would not experience death, and he was not found because God took him away. In fact, before he was taken away, he was commended in Scripture as one who “pleased God.” 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God. Indeed, it is necessary for the one who approaches God to believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.
7 By faith Noah, when he was warned about things that had not been seen before, built an ark, in reverent fear, in order to save his family. By it he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that is by faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go to a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance, and he left without knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he lived as a stranger in the Promised Land, as if it did not belong to him, dwelling in tents along with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose Architect and Builder is God.
11 By faith Abraham also received the ability to conceive children, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was past the normal age, because he considered Him faithful Who made the promise. 12 And so from one man, and he as good as dead, descendants were born as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand along the seashore.
13 One by one, all of these died in faith, without having received the things that were promised, but they saw and welcomed them from a distance. They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 Indeed, people who say things like that make it clear that they are looking for a land of their own. 15 And if they were remembering the land they had come from, they would have had an opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better land—a heavenly one. For that reason, God is not ashamed to be called their God, because He prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac. This man, who received the promises, was ready to offer his only son, 18 about whom it was said, “Through Isaac your offspring will be traced.” 19 He reasoned that God also had the ability to raise him from the dead, and in a figurative sense, Abraham did receive him back from the dead.
20 By faith Isaac also blessed Jacob and Esau about things that were going to happen.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, as he neared the end of his life, mentioned the Exodus of the sons of Israel and gave instructions about his bones.
23 By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after he was born, because they saw he was a special child, and they were not afraid of the king’s order.
24 By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter when he grew up. 25 He chose to be mistreated with God’s people rather than enjoy sin for a little while. 26 He considered disgrace for the sake of Christ as greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s wrath, because he persevered as one who sees him who is invisible.
28 By faith he celebrated the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not strike them down.
29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea, as if going through on dry ground. When the Egyptians tried it, they were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after the people marched around them for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with the unbelievers, because she welcomed the spies in peace.
32 And what more should I say? There would not be enough time for me to continue to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. 33 By faith they conquered kingdoms, carried out justice, obtained things that were promised, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edges of the sword, were made powerful after being weak, became mighty in battle, and caused foreign armies to flee. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. And others who were tortured did not accept their release, so that they may take part in a better resurrection. 36 Still others experienced mocking and lashes, in addition to chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were tempted;[g] they were killed with the sword; they went around in sheepskins and goatskins, needy, afflicted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them as they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.
39 All of these were commended in Scripture by faith, yet they did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had planned something better for us, namely, that they would not reach the goal apart from us.
after which the Congregation will rise out of respect for
the words of our Savior as we give our attention to
The Gospel Lesson Matthew 9:18-31
18 As He was saying these things to them, there was a ruler who came, bowed down to Him, and said, “My daughter has just died. But come, place Your hand on her, and she will live.”
19 Jesus got up and followed him, as did His disciples. 20 Just then, a woman who had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years came up from behind and touched the fringe of His garment. 21 For she had been saying to herself, “If I just touch His garment, I will be healed.”
22 When Jesus turned around and saw her, he said, “Take heart, daughter! Your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that moment.
23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, 24 He said to them, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but is sleeping.”
But they laughed at Him.
25 When the crowd was sent out of the house, Jesus went in, took the girl by the hand, and she was raised. 26 News of this went out through the entire region.
27 As Jesus left that place, two blind men followed Him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
They told him, “Yes, Lord.”
29 Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done for you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus warned them emphatically, “See to it that no one learns about this.” 31 But they went out and spread the word about Him throughout that entire region.
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 Ghost; Born of the virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven; And sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.
After which the Congregation will be seated for
The Children’s Lesson II Corinthians 5:7
7We walk by faith, not by sight.
“Seeing” is Not “Believing” ––
“Not Seeing,” yet Trusting Anyway….THAT’S Believing!
The Hymn of the Day Hymn 405 “O 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.
after which the Congregation will rise for
The Pre-Sermon Salutation
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, our Lord! May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.
The Sermon Text based on Joshua 6:1-21
today’s Old Testament Lesson
Faith in the God Who Overcomes All Obstacles
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, now 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
Because we aren’t able to pass an offering plate today during today’s worship
service those in attendance may leave their offerings in the offering plates
by the exit door at the close of our service today.
For those watching today’s service, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to the church address (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) You can go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com) and use the giving option there.
At the Pastor’s invitation, the Congregation will rise for
We Bring Our Prayers to the Lord
The Prayers for this Day –
In our Prayers this morning we include:
A Prayer of Intercession for Mary Fisher (wife of Pastor Wayne Fisher)
Mary remains in the ICU at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, recovering
from a brain aneurysm and resulting hemmoragic stroke.
Also
A Prayer of Intercession for the family of Bill and Mary Book.
Their son, Nathan, suddenly passed away Friday evening.
and
A Prayer of Thanksgiving for these couples celebrating wedding anniversaries:
Karen and Kent Swogger (whose anniversary is this Tuesday; and
Jennifer and Robbie Hahn (whose anniversary is this Thursday)
The Lord’s Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come Thy will be done
Prayer 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 Leave With The Lord’s Blessing
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 326 “May the Grace of Christ the Savior”
May the grace of Christ our Savior So may we abide in union
And the Father’s boundless love With each other and the Lord
With the Holy Spirit’s favor Gathered here in blest Communion
Rest upon us from above. By the power of His Word.
Now with all the saints in heaven
Thanks and praise to You we sing,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
Three in One, our Triune King! Amen.
Silent Prayer
Announcements & Post-service Music