The Seventh Sunday after Trinity
also known as the Ninth Sunday of the Pentecost Season
July 31, 2022
The Purposes and Uses of God’s Law
For us as Christians, particularly as Lutheran Christians, there can be no doubt about the central, all-important
position of the Gospel in the Scriptures, in our Christian preaching and teaching, and in our believing. Apart from the Gospel – namely, what Christ did to secure our salvation as our perfect Substitute in righteousness, through His suffering God’s wrath against all our sin, and as our Vicarious Conqueror of sin, death and Satan – there is no salvation for anyone, anywhere, at any time. That is so basic (and essential) that no true Christian should ever suggest that there is any other way of salvation.
However, we know that God has also given us His holy and unchanging Law in the Scriptures, most notably in the Ten Commandments. But, if we truly are saved by God’s grace, through faith in Christ – and if God the Holy Spirit even works that faith in our hearts (which He miraculously and graciously does) — then where does the Law fit into the life of Christian? More specifically, what is the relationship of the Law to the Christian?
That question has been answered in a variety of ways over the years by various persons. But not everyone “gets it right.” And unless it is answered correctly, then the Gospel cannot be properly understood and employed….and where the Gospel is not correctly taught and believed, there is no salvation. That’s why only when Law and Gospel are correctly used and properly distinguished in our teaching and preaching is the Word of God being faithfully used in its God-intended manner….and only then can saving faith be generated and sustained.
Some have addressed the matter of the Christian and his/her relationship to the Law by placing us – for all practical purposes – under the Law as the primary means for securing our salvation. This is legalism. In legalism the Law is improperly called upon to accomplish what only the Gospel is able to do. In fact, legalism often turns the Gospel into a law (you MUST believe). In a legalistic Christianity, people still learn that Jesus died for them, but they’re subsequently told, “this [obedience] is what you must also do” to be sure of God’s forgiveness and your salvation. Of course, no one can be obedient enough to save him/herself.
There’s an opposing viewpoint to legalism that we also need to mention because it’s yet another “abuse” of the proper understanding and use of God’s Law. This opposite extreme is something called antinomianism (which means “opposed to/against the Law). Antinomianism – like legalism – is very “popular” in many so-called Christian churches and proclaimed from many church pulpits in our day and age. There are actually two different types of antinomianism. The more extreme form rejects the Law of God completely – maintaining that there is no place at all for the Law in anyone’s life (believer or unbeliever) “since we have all been fully forgiven in Christ.” According to this view people should never be confronted with their sins; they should only be told that God loves them. The “lesser” type of antinomianism doesn’t go quite that far. It recognizes the need for using the Law to bring unrepentant sinners to repentance, but maintains that the converted Christian no longer needs the Law as a guide for godly living, since it (supposedly) has no value in directing the Christian in his/her life of faith and good works.
Martin Luther celebrated God’s grace and emphasized it in His writing, hymns, teaching and preaching. He had grown up and served as a priest in a legalistic, salvation-by-works-oriented church (the Holy Roman Catholic Church). However, when Luther – through His study of the Scriptures – discovered the beauty and simplicity of the Gospel, he knew beyond any doubt that the weight of his sins had been removed from his shoulders by Christ, his Savior. Luther despised legalism – as every faithful Christian should. But he also rejected antinomianism — because it is totally unScriptural too.
Luther understood that while the Law cannot work salvation for anyone (Romans 3:20a; Galatians 3:10), it has the critical purposes in the message and ministry of the Church, as well as in the spiritual lives of all of God’s people. In our Scripture lessons, as well as in today’s Sermon, we’ll consider those essential purposes (or “uses”) of God’s Law in the life of the Church and in our lives of faith.
The first purpose of the Law is that of a “mirror.” On the one hand, the Law of God reflects and mirrors the perfect righteousness of God. The Law tells us much about Who our God is. The Law also – and for us, especially – illuminates our human sinfulness in all its damnable ugliness (Romans 3:20 [our First Lesson]; Romans 7:7; Daniel 9:10,11; Psalm 38:4). The 5th century “church father,” Augustine of Hippo, wrote: “The Law orders that we, after attempting to do what is ordered, and so feeling our weakness under the Law, may learn to implore the help of grace.” In other words, the Law serves to highlight our sinfulness and the curse of eternal damnation that we deserve in hell for those sins. Then, as we might despair of saving ourselves, it forces us – in faith – to turn to Christ alone for deliverance from sin and assurance of our eternal salvation.
The second purpose of the Law is that of a “curb,” or restraint of evil. No matter what some might think, the Law – in and of itself – cannot change human hearts. It can, however — by threats and force of punishment – control evil to a certain extent and protect society from unrestrained wickedness (I Timothy 1:9,10 – [our Second Lesson]). The Law in this second “use” as a “curb,” employs a limited measure of justice against those who do evil – until God’s final judgment is effected on the Last Day.
The third “use” or purpose for the Law is as a “Guide” – in order to reveal what is good and pleasing to God (Micah 6:8; Psalm 119:9; Romans 12:1,2; Galatians 5:13-25 [Our Third Lesson]). While the Law in its first two uses can have a productive effect on unbelievers as well as Christians, the Law in its third use can effect and guide only believers. As people who love our LORD because He loved us first, blesses us abundantly in so many ways, and has especially given us the gifts of faith in Him and eternal salvation in Christ…..we want to love God back in tangible ways. The Law in its third use shows how to live gratefully and faithfully for the God Who has saved us. In fact, rather than viewing the Law as a burden which “has to be followed – or else,” the Christian delights in following God’s Law as a means of both thanking God and worshiping Him. Jesus said it succinctly in what will serve as today’s Gospel Lesson and Children’s Lesson, John 14:15: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” This is the highest function of the Law, to serve as an instrument for the people of God to give Him honor and glory.
By studying and meditating on the Law of God, we – in effect – attend “the School of Righteousness.” We learn what pleases God and what offends Him. The Law shows us the hideousness of our sinfulness. As our Sermon text from Galatians 3 will show us, through the law we can recognize not only our spiritual unworthiness and inadequacy before God, but also our utter dependance on Christ’s righteousness (Who perfectly fulfilled the Law for us, as our Substitute in righteousness) and His death in our place which provides us with the promise of our salvation. The Moral Law (the Ten Commandments) that God reveals in Scripture will always be binding on and valuable for the believer. Our redemption in Christ is from the “curse” of the Law (Romans 6:14; Galatians 3:1-15) – not from our responsibility to obey God’s Law. Nevertheless, we have been justified, not because of our obedience to the Law, but for Jesus’ sake and through His obedience on our behalf, so that we might believe in God, love Him and live here in righteousness and gratitude before Him according to His commandments, until – by His grace – we live with Him perfectly and eternally in heaven.
Prayer Upon Entering Church Dear Father in heaven, let me rejoice with my fellow Christians gathered here this morning as we worship You in Your house. Reassure me of Your love and forgiveness for me as I confess my sins to You today. Receive my praises and prayers, humble and imperfect though they be. Renew my faith and Christian through your Word. And then, return me to my appointed calling in this world, invigorated, equipped, and eager to serve You with all that I am and have, until the day when you call me to that heavenly home which you have promised and prepared for me and all believers, through Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. In His name I pray. 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
Silent Prayer
Pre-service music
We Worship the Lord
The Greeting and Invitation to Worship
after which the Congregation will please rise for
The Invocation
Pastor We begin this service in the name of the Father
Congregation Who gave us our lives through His almighty power.
P: And of the Son
C: Who redeemed our lives with His precious blood.
P: And of the Holy Spirit
C: Who gave us eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus.
P: Amen.
Today’s Opening Scriptural Dialog
P: Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22)
C: Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.
(Psalm 119:105)
P: Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and prove what His will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:12)
C: Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)
P: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment, and the second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself.. (Matthew 22:39)
C: For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, and therefore all died. And those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him Who died for them and rose again. (II Corinthians 5:14-15)
P: Jesus said: “A new command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you,, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:34-35)
C: Thanks be to God, Who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ. (II Corinthians 2:14-15a)
P: Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a lift of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1)
C: Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (I Corinthians 9:15)
The Opening Hymn “God Is Here Among His People”
sung to the melody of “‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus”
cwh 1999
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 as
We Make Confession Of Our Sins To God
Pastor We have come together in the presence of God, our Heavenly Father, who created us to love and serve Him as His dear children. But We have disobeyed Him through our thoughts, words, and actions, and deserve
only His wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us now turn to Him, acknowledging our sinfulness and seeking His forgiveness for all our sins. In the words of Jeremiah, we confess:
Congregation Although our sins testify against us, O LORD, do something for the sake of Your name. For our backsliding is great; we have sinned against You.
Pastor In the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, we acknowledge how thoroughly sin fills our lives, even our very being:
Congregation From within, out of our hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy slander, arrogance, and folly. All these evils come from inside and make us ‘unclean.’
Pastor Along with the Apostle John, we recognize:
Congregation If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Pastor And in the words of David, before the Lord we plead:
Congregation I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only have I sinned and
done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You
judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Pastor Jesus says to His people: “If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven.” Our Savior’s perfect life and sacrificial death have paid for the guilt and penalty of our sins, and for the sins of the whole world. Do you believe this?
Congregation Yes, I believe this.
Pastor Then be assured that you are a dear child of God and an heir of everlasting life. And carrying out my office as a called servant of Christ, and according to His command and authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May the peace of God rest upon all of you. Amen.
Congregation “We Praise You O God, Our Redeemer, Creator”
We praise You O God, our Redeemer Creator
In grateful devotion our tribute we bring:
We lay it before You, we kneel and adore You;
We bless Your holy name; glad praises we sing.
We worship You God of our Fathers, we bless You.
Through life’s storm and tempest, our Guide You have been;
When perils o’er take us, escape You will make us,
And with Your help, O Lord, our battles we win.
With voices united, our praises we offer;
To You, Great Jehovah, glad anthems we raise.
Your strong arm will guide us, Our God is beside us.
To You, our Great Redeemer, fore’er be praise! Amen.
The Prayer for Today
O Precious Savior, Lord Jesus Christ, + You in Whom the Fullness of the eternal God dwells in bodily form, + We thank and praise You for Your amazing, steadfast love for sinners like us! + Though we deserve rejection – not reconciliation with Your Father, + You chose to become one of us – human in every way. + You chose to live sinlessly under Your own divine Law – and then You credited us with Your righteousness, + so that we are freed from the Law’s demands and curse, + and regarded as sinless….for Your sake! + Then, through a sacrificial love we cannot comprehend, + You took sole responsibility for all our sins. + You endured for us Your Father’s rejection of our transgressions. + You died the death of hell that we deserve. + And now, because of Your sinless life and sacrificial death + we are fully forgiven and heirs of heaven – through faith in You, our Savior. + Grow our faith in You, through Your Holy Spirit, as we meditate on Your Word this morning, + that we might love You more completely + and serve You more faithfully + carrying out Your commands, all the days of our lives. + We ask this in Your name, dear Savior, + For, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, + You reign as the One, True, and Only God, + for ever and ever. + Amen.
Following this the Congregation will be seated for
We Hear God’s Word
The Sequence Hymn Hymn 286
The Law Commands and Makes Us Know verse 1
1 The law commands and makes us know What duties to our God we owe,
But ’tis the gospel must reveal Where lies our strength to do his will.
The First Lesson Romans 3:9-28
9 What then? Are we any better off? No, not at all! In fact, we have already made the charge that all (both Jews and Greeks) are under sin. 10 Just as it is written: There is no one who is righteous, not even one. 11 There is no one who understands. There is no one who searches for God. 12 They all turned away; together they became useless. There is no one who does what is good; there is not even one. 13 Their throat is an open grave. They kept deceiving with their tongues. The poison of asps is on their lips. 14 Their mouth is filled with cursing and bitterness. 15 Their feet are quick to shed blood. 16 They leave a trail of destruction and suffering wherever they go. 17 The way of peace they did not know. 18 There is no fear of God in front of their eyes.
19 Now we know that whatever the law says is addressed to those who are under the law, so that every mouth will be silenced and the whole world will be subject to God’s judgment. 20 For this reason, no one will be declared righteous in his sight by works of the law, for through the law we become aware of sin.
21 But now, completely apart from the law, a righteousness from God has been made known. The Law and the Prophets testify to it. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all and over all who believe. In fact, there is no difference, 23 because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God publicly displayed as the atonement seat through faith in his blood. God did this to demonstrate his justice, since, in his divine restraint, he had left the sins that were committed earlier unpunished. 26 He did this to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so that he would be both just and the one who justifies the person who has faith in Jesus.
27 What happens to boasting then? It has been eliminated. By what principle—by the principle of works? No, but by the principle of faith. 28 For we conclude that a person is justified by faith without the works of the law.
The Sequence Hymn Hymn 286 The Law Commands and Makes Us Know, verse 2
2 The law uncovers guilt and sin And shows how vile our hearts have been;
The gospel only can express Forgiving love and cleansing grace.
The Second Lesson I Timothy 1:8-17
8 Now, we know that the law is good as long as one uses it correctly— 9 keeping in mind that the law is not laid down for a righteous person, but for lawless and rebellious people, for godless people and sinners, for unholy and worldly people, for those who kill their fathers and those who kill their mothers, for murderers, 10 for sexually immoral people, for homosexuals, for kidnappers,[a] for liars, for perjurers, and for whatever else is opposed to sound teaching— 11 in keeping with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I was entrusted.
12 I give thanks to the one who empowered me, namely, Christ Jesus our Lord, that he treated me as trustworthy, appointing me into his ministry. 13 He did this even though formerly I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. But I was shown mercy, because I acted ignorantly in unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord overflowed on me along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and worthy of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” of whom I am the worst. 16 But I was shown mercy for this reason: that in me, the worst sinner, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his unlimited patience as an example for those who are going to believe in him, resulting in eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, to the immortal, invisible, only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Sequence Hymn Hymn 286 The Law Commands and Makes Us Know verse 3
3 What curses does the law pronounce Against the one who fails but once!
But in the gospel Christ appears, Pard’ning the guilt of num’rous years.
The Third Lesson Galatians 5:13-25
13 After all, brothers, you were called to freedom. Only do not use your freedom as a starting point for your sinful flesh. Rather, serve one another through love. 14 In fact, the whole law is summed up in this one statement: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
16 What I am saying is this: Walk by the spirit, and you will not carry out what the sinful flesh desires. 17 For the sinful flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit, and the spirit what is contrary to the sinful flesh. In fact, these two continually oppose one another, so that you do not continue to do these things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the control of the law.
19 Now the works of the sinful flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, complete lack of restraint, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, discord, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things similar to these. I warn you, just as I also warned you before, that those who continue to do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the spirit, let us also walk in step with it.
The Sequence Hymn Hymn 286 The Law Commands and Makes Us Know verse 4
4 My soul, no more attempt to draw Your life and comfort from the law.
Flee to the hope the gospel gives; The one who trusts the promise lives.
The Gospel Lesson John 14:15-25
15 “If you love me, hold on to my commands. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see him or know him. You know him because he stays with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will see me no longer, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 The one who has my commands and holds on to them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I too will love him and show myself to him.”
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, what has happened that you are going to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will hold on to my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 The one who does not love me does not hold on to my words. The word that you are hearing is not mine, but it is from the Father who sent me.
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 John 14:15
15 “If you love Me, hold on to My commands.
The Place of God’s Commands in our Lives and our Hearts
Sermon Hymn Hymn 287 “The Law of God is Good and Wise”
1 The law of God is good and wise; It sets his will before our eyes,
Shows us the way of righteousness, But dooms to death when we transgress.
2 The law is good, but since the fall Its holiness condemns us all;
It dooms us for our sins to die And has no pow’r to justify.
3 Its light of holiness imparts The knowledge of our sinful hearts
That we may see our lost estate And seek relief before too late.
4 To Jesus we for refuge flee, Who from the curse has set us free,
And humbly worship at his throne, Saved by his grace through faith alone.
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! Amen.
The Sermon Text Galatians 3:19-25
19 Then what about the law? It was added for the purpose of revealing transgressions, until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. It was transmitted through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not needed for one party, but God is one.
21 Then is the law against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given that could give life, certainly righteousness would have been derived from the law. 22 But Scripture imprisoned all things under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ would be given to those who believe. 23 But before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. 24 So the law was our chaperone until Christ, so that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a chaperone.
The Purposes of God’s Law
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 donate on our website: www.gracelutherannwa.com
after the offerings are brought forward, the Congregation will rise for
The Prayers for this Day
A Prayer of Intercession for Bill Krizsan, who has cancer of the bladder;
and A Prayer of Thanksgiving for Kay & Frank Giardino
whose wedding anniversary is today
concluding with….
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 Leave With The Lord’s Blessing
The Benediction
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
The Closing Hymn Hymn 327 God Be With You Til We Meet Again
1 God be with you till we meet again, By his counsels guide, uphold you,
With his sheep securely fold you– God be with you till we meet again.
Refrain:
Till we meet, Till we meet, Till we meet at Jesus’ feet.
Till we meet, Till we meet– God be with you till we meet again.
2 God be with you till we meet again, ‘Neath his wings protecting hide you,
Daily manna still provide you– God be with you till we meet again. [Refrain]
Silent Prayer
Announcements
Post-service music
Announcements
Last Week at Grace Worship Attendance: 73 Online views: 35
Sunday Bible Class: 21 (Online views 12) Tuesday Bible Study: 10
Budgetary Offerings: $ 3185 Online: $110 Benevolence: $20 Memorial for Dan Beck: $1000
Birthdays and Anniversary this week
Frank & Kay Giardino – July 31 MiKaela Lemmon – July 31
Keith Ihms – August 02 Mike Outlaw – August 04
This Coming Week at Grace Lutheran Church
Today Morning Worship, 9:30 a.m. Fellowship: 10:40 a.m.
Congregational Meeting, after worship
Church Picnic/Cookout/Potluck, after the voters’ meeting
Tuesday Bible Class, 10:30-11:30 am
Sunday Morning Worship with the Lord’s Supper, 9:30 a.m.
Fellowship, 10:45 am Sunday School/Bible Class 11 a.m.
Serving Us Next Sunday (8-06) Ushers: Chris Roberts, Fred Cusanelli
Elders: Vic Walker, Tim Pfortmiller Altar Guild: Tina Wambold, Harriet Johnson
TODAY – Voters’ Meeting AND Potluck/Cookout/Indoor Picnic
Please join us after today’s voters’ meeting for a pot-luck meal with a cook-out flavor. Whether you brought a dish to pass, or not, we’ll have plenty of food and drinks. We’re providing the meats (hot dogs, burgers, and bratwurst), chips and potato salad, sodas and water, plus ice cream sandwiches and bars. There’ll be beans and veggies and plenty of other foods and desserts too.
BEFORE the meal, we’ll be holding our voters’ meeting during which we’ll discuss and vote on a budget for the current fiscal year that the Church Council is proposing. The meeting will be up in the church. Afterward, we’ll meet for dinner down in the gym. We hope you’ll come.