The 16th Sunday of after Trinity
the 18th Sunday of the
Pentecost Season
Bible Characters & their Stories for Today
Mary and Martha, and having the proper priorities…
The Story of Mary and Martha comes from Chapter 10 of the Gospel of Luke (although they are also mentioned in John 11 and 12). Mary and Martha were sisters who lived in the village of Bethany (just north of Jerusalem). As followers of Jesus, they opened their home to Him as He traveled with His disciples. They also had a brother, Lazarus, who lived with them, and who was a dear friend of Jesus (John 11). On one occasion when Jesus visited them, Martha hurried around the house to prepare a meal for Jesus and His disciples, while Mary simply sat at Jesus’ feet of Jesus, listening to Him as He taught her and the others in the room.
As Scripture shows us in today’s Sermon Text (Luke 10:38-42), these two sisters had very different focuses. It wasn’t that Martha didn’t believe in Jesus or was unwilling to learn from Him. She had a strong faith in Him as the promised Messiah, as she showed in John 11:25-27. But while Mary soaked in every word of Jesus (He was serving her soul), Martha felt compelled to first clean and cook for Jesus (she intended to serve Him first). Given the stress of her efforts to serve Jesus, it probably didn’t take long for Martha to become frustrated with her “unhelpful” sister. Instead of speaking to
Mary directly (see Matthew 18:15), she opted to involve Jesus, saying “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” It must have been quite a shock when Jesus replied, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Rather than support Martha, Jesus urged her to re-arrange her priorities to be more like her sister, Mary.
The Practical Message of Mary and Martha
If Jesus was standing in front of you right now, would your first thought be to make everything perfect for Him, or to stop whatever you were doing to sit down at His feet and learn from Him? That’s a good question for all of us to consider not only this morning, but every day. What do you focus your mind’s and heart’s attention on? What we give our mind’s attention to, almost always receives our heart’s affection as well, doesn’t it? Mary cherished the opportunity she had to spend time with Jesus. She gave her undivided attention to Him and what He was teaching. When Martha complained to Jesus, He gently reminded her of what her focus should have been on – not preparing her house for Him, but building up her faith-relationship with Him. Without a doubt Martha displayed a wonderful spirit of hospitality that we would do well to follow. She warmly welcomed Jesus and his disciples in to her home. But, in the course of doing that, she became lost in the physical distractions….which often capture our attention and energies too….and was in danger of missing out on the Spiritual benefits of His company that Christ wanted her to enjoy first and foremost.
What’s stealing your attention away from Jesus today? Is there even a bit of bitterness in to your head and heart toward someone here….as was the case with Martha and her poor attitude toward her sister? You might answer, “Look, I’m here in church to worship the Lord, to hear His Word, to receive His Sacrament and to fellowship with my fellow Christians. That shows where my heart and mind are!” And I wouldn’t argue with you at all. In fact, God bless you for being here this morning.
But is it possible that Your priority is to serve Jesus this day, moreso than to be served by Him….to do your duty to the Lord according to the Third Commandment? Have you ever “timed” the church service, becoming frustrated if it doesn’t go “fast enough”? Do you ever look around the room during worship to see what others are doing, instead of focusing on singing the hymns and liturgy, or following the Scripture lessons and message? Do you rush in and rush out of church…instead of participating in fellowship with your fellow Christians (Hebrews 10:23-25)? Do you daydream instead of worshiping….or maybe become distracted by your phone? …….Sadly, sometimes (and even one time is too often), we act more like Martha in this story than we act like Mary. When the “Martha within us” gets the better of us, we need to repent – not get frustrated and upset. It’s time to stop rushing and worrying and being distracted like Martha and instead to take a seat like Mary at Jesus’ feet. And not just on Sundays here in church that we should be doing that. You and I can set aside time each day to come before the Lord in prayer and to read His Word. And, when we do, let’s not to do it in a rushed “Now-I’ve-got-to-squeeze-this-into-my-busy-day-too” attitude. In hearts motivated by the Gospel, time spent with our Savior is never a burden, but a blessing that’s at the top of our priority list each day. In His Word, Jesus offers us what we need each day not only to “get by,” but to grow Spiritually. He offers us peace in the middle of our problems and worries. And His grace is sufficient for us. His promises of sins forgiven and eternal life in heaven through faith in Him reassure us of His love for us. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you,” said Jesus in Matthew 6:33 (today’s Children’s Lesson). He’s telling us that, for the Christian, the Spiritual should always supercede the material/physical. Faith first and foremost. Everything else afterward. If each of us prioritizes our days that way, life will always go better. Jesus says so.
Why Is Mary and Martha’s Story Relevant Today?
With the exception of Jesus’ mother Mary, Lazarus’ sisters Mary and Martha are probably the female characters in the Bible that are the most familiar – and relatable – to us. In our Gospel Lesson, we see that they witnessed one of Jesus’ most spectacular miracles (the resurrection from the dead of their brother, Lazarus, see John 11:43-44). That day Martha showed her strong faith in Christ (John 11:25), while in today’s lesson it’s Mary who displays her devotion to Jesus. In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus makes important points about Mary and Martha’s priorities that are just as relevant for each and every one of us today. Very simply, Jesus says, put your faith first; and everything else can follow that.
Incidentally, Mary and Martha lived in a society that didn’t emphasize teaching women or giving them much opportunity to be successful outside the home. Education for women, if it was provided at all, was offered through family members – brothers teaching sisters things they’d learned from school, fathers passing on religious instruction to their children. Consequently, the idea of a woman sitting at a rabbi’s feet to hear his teaching would have seemed bizarre, perhaps even blasphemous. The fact that Mary dared to do that shows she had a hunger for God’s Word and she wasn’t willing to hide it. The “proper” thing (socially speaking) would have been for her to join Martha in serving their guests, while perhaps getting bits and pieces of Jesus’ teaching as they moved through the room, or maybe from asking Lazarus the next morning to sum up what Jesus said. Instead, a determined and dedicated Mary sat at Jesus’ feet to hear the truth directly from Him. She wouldn’t be deterred. Mary focused all her attention – and her heart – on her Savior’s Word. Shouldn’t we do that too?
In a later story (John 12:1-11), Mary’s anointing Jesus’ feet serves as yet another example of her open devotion to Him. There, too, she didn’t care what others thought. (What a refreshing example for us as we share and show our faith before others today!) The perfume she used was described as expensive. Jesus was worth her best offering! Anointing someone was a deeply personal matter; Jesus was her personal Savior and Friend….just as He is ours. Clearly, Mary cared more about expressing her devotion to her Savior-God, even if her actions seemed excessive and offended public opinion.
Why Did Jesus Rebuke Martha?
First of all, let’s recognize that in this story Mary is not “the hero” and Martha is not “the villain.” That’s not the point at all. Martha’s actions in and of themselves showed she had the Spiritual gifts of hospitality and willing service (Romans 12:6-8). These qualities are God-pleasing and God-honoring (see 1 Peter 4:9–10). So any problem with Martha’s actions wasn’t that she was doing things that God doesn’t value. The problem was something else. As we noted earlier, Martha was distracted by the many household/hospitality matters which kept her from listening to Jesus. Perhaps Jesus had initially invited her to sit at His feet too, and maybe she did – except she kept going off to focus on the meal instead. This certainly would fit Jesus’ point about Martha being careful and troubled about many things, not realizing which thing is the right and most necessary one to focus on: His Word.
Suffice it to say, Martha’s actions spoke loudly, saying that what was more important to her in that moment was serving Jesus…..as opposed to what Mary was doing: listening to our Savior’s Words of instruction for the strengthening of her faith. Jesus nailed down the point for her (and for us): the most important thing for anyone of His followers is to learn from Him through His Word so that we can grow in our faith (Romans 10:17)….from which faithful service to Him will naturally follow. ‘
As Solomon said under divine inspiration nearly 30 centuries ago: There is a time and a place for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). For Martha and Mary (and Jesus’ disciples in the room then), the most important thing was to listen and learn from Him. That remains true for all of us today too!
A Word Of Welcome To Our Guests ….Thank you for choosing to worship with us this morning at Grace Lutheran Church. Whether as a guest today, or a member of this congregation, we are grateful for your presence and your Christian encouragement. We hope the time you spend here will be enjoyable and edifying for your faith. Because we want to serve you in the best way we can, please speak with our ushers, elders, or pastor if there is anything we can do to help you worship better today. After our worship service, please join us in our gymnasium/fellowship hall for some coffee, refreshments, and good conversation. If you are able, we’d also be honored to have you remain after today’s fellowship time in order to further study the Scriptures with us in our Bible Class or Sunday School. Finally, we hope that you will come back soon to again praise the Lord with us. May God bless you and your worship of Him today.
Pre-Service Prayer – Heavenly Father, You showed Your grace by bringing me to faith in Christ through the work of Your Holy Spirit, and then by giving me the blessing of being called Your child. Though what I offer You today is so small, compared to all You have done for me, please accept my humble offerings of praise and thanksgiving, as well as my gifts. Also, Lord, help me gladly hear and take to heart the Good News of salvation from sin for me and all people through faith in Your Son, my Savior. Renew and invigorate me with Your Holy Spirit today and every day, that I might live a grateful and confident life of faith and love to Your glory, and that I might share, by all possible means, at every opportunity, the same Good News of salvation through Christ which has filled my life with peace and purpose. Amen.
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
Prayer upon entering the sanctuary Pre-service Music
We Praise Our God
The Introduction and Invitation 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 Opening Hymn Hymn 234 “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”
After which the Congregation will rise
Bless Us With Your Presence, Lord
The Salutation
P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you
C: And also with you.
The Confession of Sins
Pastor God, our Heavenly Father, invites us to come into His presence and to worship Him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us acknowledge our sinfulness and ask Him to forgive us.
Congregation Holy and merciful Father, + I confess that I am by nature sinful + and that I have disobeyed You in my thoughts, words, and actions; + I have done what is evil + and failed to do what is good. + For this I deserve Your punishment, + both now and in eternity. + But I am truly sorry for my sins, + and trusting in my Savior, Jesus Christ, + I pray: + God have mercy on me, a sinner.
Pastor God our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given His only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore, as a called servant of God and by His authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Congregation Amen.
Lord Have Mercy
P: For all that we need in life, and for the wisdom to use all Your gifts with gratitude and joy, hear our prayer, O Lord.
C: (sung) Lord have mercy.
P: For the steadfast assurance that nothing can separate us from Your love and for the courage to stand firm against the assaults of Satan and every evil, hear our prayer, O Christ:
C: (sung) Christ have mercy.
P: For the well-being of Your holy Church in all the world and for those who offer here their worship and praise, hear our prayer, O Lord
C: (sung) Lord have mercy.
P: Merciful God, Maker and Preserver of life, uphold us by Your power, and keep us in Your tender care:
C: (sung) Amen.
P: The works of the Lord are great and glorious; His name is worthy of praise.
(Sung) O Lord, our Lord, How glorious is Your name in all the earth.
Almighty God, merciful Father, Your crown our life with Your love.
You take away our sin; You comfort our spirit;
You make us pure and holy in Your sight.
You did not spare Your only Son, but gave Him up for us all.
O Lord, our Lord, How glorious is Your name in all the earth.
O Son of God, eternal Word of the Father,
You came to live with us; You made Your Father known;
You washed us from our sins in Your own blood.
You are the King of glory; You are the Lord!
O Lord, our Lord, How glorious is Your name in all the earth.
after which the Congregation may be seated as
We Hear God’s Word
The First Lesson Isaiah 55:6-11
6 Seek the Lord while He may be found! Call on Him while He is near!
7 Let the wicked man abandon his way. Let an evil man abandon his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and He will show him mercy. Let Him turn to our God, because He will abundantly pardon.
8 Certainly My plans are not your plans, and your ways are not My ways, declares the Lord. 9 Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My plans are higher than your plans. 10 Just as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and do not return there unless they first water the earth, make it give birth, and cause it to sprout, So that it gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 in the same way My word that goes out from My mouth will not return to Me empty. Rather, it will accomplish whatever I please, and it will succeed in the purpose for which I sent it.
The Epistle Lesson 2 Timothy 3:14-17
14 As for you, continue in the things you have learned and about which you have become convinced. You know from whom you learned them 15 and that from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, well equipped for every good work.
The Gospel Lesson John 11:1-7, 17-44
Now a certain man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 This Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, was the same Mary who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair. 3 So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, saying, “Lord, the one you love is sick!” 4 When Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness is not going to result in death, but it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed in the place where he was two more days. 7 Then afterwards he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”
…..17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19 Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, while Mary was sitting in the house.
21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the Last Day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even if he dies. 26 And whoever lives and believes in me will never perish. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
28 After she said this, Martha went back to call her sister Mary. She whispered, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet gone into the village, but was still where Martha met him. 31 The Jews who were with Mary in the house consoling her saw that she got up quickly and left. So they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and troubled. 34 He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
38 Jesus was deeply moved again as he came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. Martha, the dead man’s sister, told him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, because it has been four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 After he said this, he shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The man who had died came out with his feet and his hands bound with strips of linen and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus told them, “Loose him and let him go.”
Afterward the Congregation will rise for
The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light. Very God of Very God. Begotten, not made. Being of one substance with the Father, By whom all things were made; Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary And was made man; And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried; And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures; And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father; And he shall come again with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose Kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets. And I believe one holy Christian and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, And I look for the resurrection of the dead, And the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Children’s Lesson Matthew 6:33
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Put Your Faith First….then everything else
The Sermon Hymn Hymn 290 “One Thing’s Needful”
After which the Congregation will REMAIN seated for
The Pre-Sermon Greeting
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge
of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sermon Text Luke 10:38-42
38 As they went on their way, Jesus came into a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who was sitting at the Lord’s feet and was listening to his word. 40 But Martha was distracted with all her serving. She came over and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.”
41 The Lord answered and told her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but one thing is needed. In fact, Mary has chosen that better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Do You Have The “One Thing Needful”?
Pastor May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that You may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Offertory – based on Psalm 51:10-12
(Sung)
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Your presence.
And take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation.
And uphold me with Your free Spirit. Amen.
We Offer Our Gifts to the Lord
We offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) Those in the chapel can place their offerings in the offering plates
2) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to Grace Lutheran Church (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
3) Or, go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com) and use the giving option there.
The Confirmation of Benjamin Quinlan
A Special Vocal Selection “In Christ Alone”
v 1 & 3 by Danielle Ashley
v 2 & 4 by congregation
In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all; Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone Who took on flesh Fullness of God in helpless Babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
After which Ben Quinlan will come forward
Opening Remarks Ben’s Confirmation verse: Matthew 6:33
The Rite of Confirmation
Pastor: Do you this day, in the presence of God and of this Christian congregation, confirm the solemn covenant which at your Baptism you made with the Triune God? Then answer “I do.”
Confirmand: I do.
Pastor: Do you, then, renounce the devil, and all his works, and all his ways? Then answer, “I do.”
Confirmand: I do.
Pastor: Do you believe in God the Father?
Confirmand: Yes, I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
Pastor: Do you believe in God the Son?
Confirmand: Yes, I believe 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 at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
Pastor: Do you believe in God the Holy Ghost?
Confirmand: Yes, 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.
Pastor: Do you desire to become a communicant member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and of this congregation? Then answer, “I do.”
Confirmand: I do.
Pastor: Do you hold all the canonical books of the Bible to be the verbally inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God, and the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, drawn from the Bible, as you have learned to know it from Luther’s Small Catechism, to be the true and correct one? Then answer, “I do.”
Confirmand: I do.
Pastor: Do you also, as a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, intend to continue steadfast in the confession of this Church, and suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it? Then answer, “I do so intend, with the help of God.”
Confirmand: I do so intend, with the help of God.
Pastor: And finally, do you intend faithfully to conform all your life to the rule of the divine Word, to be diligent in the use of the Means of Grace, to walk according to the Gospel of Christ, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to the Triune God, even unto death? Then answer, “I do so intend, by the grace of God.”
Confirmand: I do so intend, by the grace of God.
The Reception into Communicant Membership
After Ben returns to his seat, the Congregation will rise
We Bring our Prayers Before Our Lord
Our Prayer for Benjamin Quinlan
Today’s General Prayer and Special Prayers
In our prayers this morning we include:
A Prayer of Intercession for Bill Krizsan, who is in Mercy Hospital, recovering from surgery this past Thursday.
In addition, we offer
A Prayer of Thanksgiving for Ken and Lisa Pudas, who will celebrate their wedding anniversary this coming Friday.
The Lord’s Prayer
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 unto the Lord, our God.
Congregation (Sung) It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
Pastor – It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lived among us as a human being and revealed His glory as Your only Son, full of grace and truth. Therefore with angels and archangel, and all the company of heaven, we praise Your holy name and join their glorious song:
(Sung)
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of heavenly hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He, Blessed is He, Blessed is He
Who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.
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.)
TO OUR GUESTS AND FRIENDS
We ask that only “Confirmed, Communicant” members of this congregation, or of one of our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod congregations come forward to receive the Lord’s Supper at this time.
We believe, according to Scripture, that only those who are “one,” that is, in complete doctrinal agreement, united in a common public confession of faith, are to commune together at the same altar (see I Corinthians 10:17 and I Corinthians 1:10).
To be “in communion” means to share and to hold in common. By eating and drinking at our Lord’s Table, we are not only sharing in, with, and under the bread and wine, Jesus’ very body and blood…we are also publicly declaring that we hold in common a specific confession of faith. In other words, as a result of having comprehensively studied the Scriptures together all of our communicants have agreed to accept and proclaim the same Biblical doctrines and practices.
Through membership in a particular 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 church body or Lutheran Synod teaches and practices the same things, we in the WELS want to be honest in our recognition of the doctrinal differences that, here on earth, separate us from other church bodies. Please bear in mind that we are not, in any way, judging the legitimacy of your Christian faith. Still, we ask that if you have not (upon study of the Word with us) declared yourself to be in full doctrinal agreement with us, you would respectfully not join us in the Lord’s Supper this morning.
It is our prayer that our Scripture-based practice of “Close Communion” will encourage anyone among us today who is not presently in full 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.
And if you are guest among us today, we want you to know that it is our earnest desire that you might become familiar with the Biblical doctrines our congregation confesses, in order that you might one day join with us at the Lord’s altar in this public expression of full unity of doctrine and practice. Until then, please know that we are most grateful for your participation as a fellow Christian in this worship service, and that we appreciate your understanding and respect of our Communion practice.
The Distribution Hymns Hymn 309
“Draw Near And Take The Body of the Lord”
Hymn 315 “Here O My Lord I See You Face to Face”
Following the distribution, the Pastor will invite the Congregation ro rise as
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 upon you with favor upon, and grant you His peace. men.
The Closing Hymn Hymn 330 “Now thr Hour of Worship O’er”
Silent Prayer, Announcements
Post-Service Music
Announcements
Last Week At Grace: Sunday in church: 68 Online views : 13
Bible Class: 21 Online views: 3 Tuesday Bible Class: 14
Wednesday Bible Studies: 4 men; 5 women
Budget: $3538 Online: $110.71 School Fund: $1 Capital Imv: $1
This Week’s Anniversary and Birthdays
9/20 – Finley Lemmon; 9/22 – Mary Book; 9/22 – Vic Walker;
9/24 – Ken & Lisa Pudas; 9/25 – Emily Mansch;
Serving Us Next Sunday (9/26) Elders: Steve Stone, Rick Tragasz
Altar Guild: Mary Karloski
Ushers: Taylor Ashley, John Johnson, John Wambold
This Coming Week at Grace Lutheran Church
Today Choir Rehearsal, 8:40 a.m.
Morning Worship with the Lord’s Supper, 9:30 a.m.
Fellowship, 10:45 a.m. Bible Class/SS, 11:05 a.m.
Tuesday Morning Bible Class, 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday Midweek Evening Bible Class, 6-7 p.m.
Saturday Outreach Calling/Visitation, 11 a.m.
Sunday Pre-Service Hymn singing, 9:25 a.m. Worship, 9:30 a.m. Fellowship, 10:40 a.m. Voters’ Meeting, 10:45 a.m. Sunday School, 11 a.m.
This Week’s Bible Classes ……..In our Sunday Bible Class we’re studying First Corinthians. Today we’re finishing chapter 5 (“the Challenge of Church Discipline”) and starting chapter 6 (“Lawsuits and Liberty”).
Tuesday morning, from 10:30-11:30, we’ll study 2 Kings 8-9. We’ll examine a favor Elisha did to help the Shunamite woman, plus brief accounts of the deaths of the king of Syria and two kings of Judah, and the beginning of Jehu’s reign, and his elimination of Ahab’s family. If you can’t join us in person, please watch our class online at YouTube.com, under “Grace Lutheran Church & Academy.” This Wednesday (9/22) from 6 to 7 p.m., we’ll offer a Bible class for men, and one for women. You can participate in person, online, or over-the-phone. Our men are studying various Psalms, while our women will be studying the Lord’s Prayer.
CHOIR HAS RESUMED…… Last Sunday we had the first choir rehearsal we’ve had in over 18 months. We need all the voices we can gather….including yours. Many in our church family have sung in choirs before, whether here at Grace or elsewhere. We could use your help, so won’t you please blend your voice with ours to glorify God here at Grace and edify others too. Rehearsal will be from 8:40-9:10, and will be held afterward on the first and second Sundays of the month. For more information, talk to Debbie Huebner.
Fellowship Volunteers Needed Would you be willing to volunteer to prepare after-worship coffee, drinks, and light snacks? A sign-up poster is on the fellowship hall bulletin board. We need more volunteers for the rest of this year (Oct-Dec). A reimbursement of $25 per week for expenses is available to help defray costs. (It comes through our “donation jar.”)
Women’s Retreat October 1-2 This year’s Women’s Retreat will be held on Friday (Oct 1; 6-9 p.m.) and Saturday (Oct 2; starting at 9 a.m.). The cost is only $30 for the entire weekend and covers all of your expenses – except any books you purchase from the Northwestern Publishing House. Scholarships are available for anyone for whom cost is a concern. (For more information about scholarships, please contact Debbie Huebner at arkansashuebner@juno.com.)
Our theme this year focuses on Forgiveness – God’s forgiveness to us and how we can (and should) extend that forgiveness to others. In this world of turmoil and fear, let’s all get together for some good Christian fellowship and mutual support. Masks are not required, but you are welcome to wear one if you wish.
We hope many of you are planning to attend, and to bring friends with you. For information on retreat registration, please speak with Harriet Johnson, or Debbie Huebner.
Congregational/Voters’ Meeting NEXT SUNDAY – This coming Sunday, September 26, we will be holding a congregational/voters’ meeting after our worship service concludes. In additional to the “ministry” and financial reports that are a regular part of our meetings, the Church Council will be presenting its recommendations for setting up and operating our Grace Lutheran Church Endowment Fund. God has graciously provided sufficient donations/resources for us to formally set up this fund. Now, we need the final approval of our voters to invest those funds through our Synod’s endowment/investment agency.