The 17th Sunday of after Trinity
the 19th Sunday of the
Pentecost Season
Bible Characters & their Stories for Today
Barnabas….. The
Ultimate Encourager
“He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith” (Acts 11:24). That’s how the Bible described Barnabas. But there was much more to Barnabas than that. Wherever he went, souls were added to Christ’s kingdom. His real name was Joseph, but the apostles gave him the name Barnabas (Acts 4:36), which – in Hebrew – means “Son of Encouragement.” In Acts 14:14 Barnabas is even referred to as an “Apostle” along with Paul. Of course, he wasn’t part of the Twelve, but he was one of the early Church’s most prominent and exemplary member-leaders. This morning as we continue our service/sermon series on Bible characters and their lessons for us, we’ll give our attention to the ministry of Barnabas and the encouragement it can provide all of us.
Barnabas first appears in Jerusalem following Pentecost. He was a Jewish “Hellenist” (a Jew who lived outside Palestine, among the Gentiles/Hellenes). His family belonged to the tribe of Levi, and lived on the island of Cyprus. Perhaps Barnabas’ conversion to Christianity occurred when Peter preached on Pentecost. If so, he was among the 3000 which the Holy Spirit brought to faith in Christ that day (Acts 2:41).
He likely remained in Jerusalem afterward and, following Stephen’s martyrdom, he was involved in spreading the Gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. In fact, Barnabas was the most important and active of the early Christian church’s ambassadors to both the Jews and Gentiles.
Envy and jealousy did not dominate his relationship with others – especially his mission-associate, the Apostle Paul. His character showed itself in the love he exuded for the Gospel and for souls, as well as the trust that was given him by his fellow believers. Barnabas was also generous, selling all his land and turning the entire proceeds over to the apostles for distribution to those in material need (Acts 4:32-30).
In addition, Barnabas’ character is exemplary in that he was the first to offer Christian friendship and support to Saul after his conversion outside Damascus (Acts 9). And let’s remember that he befriended Saul at a time when the early church lived in terror of Saul as its chief persecutor (Acts 9:30-31). Even most of the Apostles could hardly believe his conversion and, out of fear, avoided him. Nevertheless, Barnabas showed him kindness and introduced Saul to some of them, personally serving as his sponsor!
Taking Saul under his wing and ministering to him, Barnabas became his first Christian friend. Without Barnabas’ support, Saul/Paul might never have developed into the Apostle and Christian leader he eventually became. No doubt Paul was always grateful for the large and loving heart of his good friend Barnabas! Together those two men would serve Christ….first by being leaders and teachers in the growing congregation in Antioch (Acts 11; Barnabas served there alone at first; then sought out Saul/Paul to assist him in the Gospel ministry there.). Later on they would be sent out from Antioch as a mission team on what we now call Paul’s first missionary journey, which started congregations throughout Asia Minor….modern-day Turkey (Acts 14-15).
Eventually, Paul would eclipse his partner in fame and force of personality. However, in the book of Acts when the two men are spoken of, Barnabas’ name is always recorded first. Even so, once Paul became the more prominent of the two, Barnabas quietly settled into a secondary, supporting role and eventually drops out of the story altogether.
Before starting a second mission trip, a conflict arose between them (Acts 15:36-41; Galatians 2:11-13) over bringing along John Mark, Barnabas’ nephew. The young man had been part of their first mission trip, but he had left the team part-way through that endeavor. Naturally, given his encouraging personality, Barnabas wanted to bring John Mark along with them, regardless of the latter’s prior short-comings. Paul, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with the young man who had earlier quit the team. This difference between friends led to a split of their ministry partnership. Barnabas took John Mark and went to Cyprus (Acts 15:39) to preach the Gospel. Paul opted to bring along Silas as his primary partner on both his second and third missionary journeys. It’s at this point that Barnabas is eased-out of the early church’s story.
The last reference we have in Scripture to Barnabas was one Paul would make a few years later, in I Corinthians 9:6. By then, he and Paul had resumed their friendship and were comfortable with each other as co-laborers for Christ. Incidentally, Barnabas’ encouraging influence bore fruit not only in Paul’s ministry as well as in the lives of so many un-named Christians in the church’s earliest days. He also had a notable effect on John Mark. Years later, when Paul was in prison, facing death, he asked Timothy to bring Mark with him, because the latter was useful to Paul in his ministry (2 Timothy 4:12). Mark, by tradition, would also assist Peter in the closing years of his ministry and would become the inspired author of the second New Testament Gospel. The “Encourager” had done his work well once again.
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As we consider the story of Barnabas today, his love for Christ, Who saved his soul (and our souls, too) moved him to be generous, took him into the public ministry, and enabled him to be an extraordinary example and encourager for the Church. God put him into the lives of many people, but especially Paul’s life, as a mentor and brother in the faith. In fact, without Barnabas’ selfless support and encouragement, one has to wonder if we would even know the story of Paul today.
His love for Christ, his Savior, compelled Barnabas to serve tirelessly, to give generously, to be impressively humble, and to be an exemplary encourager in the faith to many people from Paul to John Mark.
You love and believe in Christ as your Savior too. You know what He has done to save you from your sins and for eternal life in heaven. And – as Barnabas did – you know that what He has done for you Jesus has done for others too. So, as we conclude….who can you serve with the Gospel, like Barnabas the missionary did, so that that person(s) can be saved through faith in Christ? And, like Barnabas, which believers can you encourage and build up in the Christian faith today? (We’ll talk about this more in today’s Children’s Lesson, based on Hebrews 10). After all, that’s a big part of why we’re believers, and why we’re here today.
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 O Lord God, Almighty Creator, from Whom every good and perfect gift comes, You have bountifully blessed me throughout my life. You have preserved me in Your Word. You have provided for my bodily needs. You have protected me from spiritual harm and have kept me in the true Christian faith. You have presented me with many opportunities to serve You and others. For your abundant goodness to me, I humbly praise and thank You. I implore You to continue to bless me with Your abiding presence, Your Fatherly protection, and Your guidance in all areas of my life. I submit myself to Your gracious will, with the confidence that You will use me, as Your humble servant, in whatever ways will serve to further Your glory and Your kingdom. As others have encouraged me in my faith, help me to be an encourager to others. Bless and enrich my faith as I hear Your Word today, and receive my heart-felt praises and generous offerings, for the sake of Jesus Christ, Your Son, my Savior and Lord. It is in His name that 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
Prayer upon entering the sanctuary Pre-service Music
Pre-service hymn singing, beginning at 9:25 a.m.
We Praise Our God
Service Introduction and Invitation to Worship
after which, at the Pastor’s invitation, the Congregation will 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.
after which the Congregation will be seated for
The Opening Hymn Hymn 256″How Great Thou Art”
Following the hymn, 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 O God our Father, + since You have set forth the way of life for us in Your Beloved Son, + we confess with
shame + our slowness to learn of Him, + our failure to always follow Him, + our reluctance at times to bear the cross for Him. + Forgive us the poverty of our worship, + our frequent neglect of fellowship + and of the Means of Grace, + our hesitating and inconsistent witness for Christ, + our evasion of our responsibilities in Your service, + our imperfect stewardship of Your gifts. + Forgive us also, + that so little of Your love has reached others through us, + that we have often been thoughtless in our judgments, + hasty in our condemnation, + grudging in forgiving others the way You have forgiven us, + and unwilling to serve our neighbors as we ought. + Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; + according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. + Wash away all my iniquity + and cleanse me from my sin. +
The Song of Penitence “Create in Me”
sung to the melody of “Abide With Me”
Create in me, O God, a spotless heart.
Renew in me a spirit that is right
And from Your presence Never make me part
Or take Your Holy Spirit from my sight.
Restore to me Salvation’s joy, O Lord.
Give me a willing Spirit Keep me true
Then I will teach transgressors in Your Word
And many sinners will turn back to You.
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 His ministers to declare His forgiveness of sins to all who are penitent. Therefore, in the place of, and according to the command of our dear Savior, Jesus Christ, 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.
Now, in the peace of God’s forgiveness, let us together praise our gracious and glorious Lord!
Our Response To God’s Forgiveness “The Gloria in Excelsis”
to the tune of “My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less”
All glory be to God on high we praise, we thank, we glorify
And worship You Who gives earth peace
Whose love and favor never cease
Lord God, our King on heaven’s throne,
Our Father THE Almighty One!
O Lord, the Sole-Begotten One,
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son.
O Lamb of God You take away the sin of all
Now hear us pray
You rule at God’s right hand this day
Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.
You only are the Holy One.
O’er all things You are Lord alone.
Lord Jesus Christ we glorify You
Only as the Lord, Most High
Who, with the Spirit, e’er shall be
One in the Father’s majesty.
After which the Congregation will be seated
We Hear God’s Word
The First Lesson Acts 4 and Acts 9
32 The whole group of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they held everything in common. 33 The apostles continued to testify about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ with great power, and abundant grace was on all of them. 34 There was not a needy person among them. For from time to time those who were owners of lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds received from what was sold, 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet. It was distributed to each one according to what anyone needed.
36 Joseph, who was called Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated “son of encouragement”), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him. He brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Acts 9:26 When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him because they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He described to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
28 Saul stayed with them, coming and going freely in Jerusalem and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He kept on talking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they were looking for a way to kill him. 30 When the brothers learned about this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace as it was strengthened. It grew in numbers as it lived in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
The Children’s Lesson Hebrews 10:24-25
24 Let us also consider carefully how to spur each other on to love and good works. 25 Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have the habit of doing. Rather, let us encourage each other, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
You Can Be “an Encourager” Too
Our Children’s Musical Selection “He Is The Way”
by Otis Skillings
God sent His Son to be our Savior; God sent His Son to be our Savior.
God sent His Son to be our Savior.
He is the Way; He is the Truth; He is the Life.
‘Twas Jesus Christ Who came to save the world;
‘Twas Jesus Christ Who came to save the world;
‘Twas Jesus Christ Who came to save the world;
He is the Way; He is the Truth; He is the Life.
He gave His life that we might be set free;
He gave His life that we might be set free;
He gave His life that we might be set free;
He is the Way; He is the Truth; He is the Life.
He is the Way; He is the Truth; He is the Life.
The Second Lesson Acts 11
9 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that took place at the time of Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene who came to Antioch and also began to speak to the Greeks, preaching the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a large number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22 A report about this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to go on to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw God’s grace, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts. 24 He was a good man who was full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a large number of people were added to the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 When he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year they met with the church and taught a large number of people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.
The Apostles’ Creed melody of “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”
I believe in God the Father, Maker of the heav’ns and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, our Savior,
God’s own Son, of human birth.
Virgin born, the Lord incarnate,
Whom the Spirit did conceive,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Our salvation to achieve.
Crucified, was dead and buried, Down to hell in victory;
From the dead He rose the third day;
Up to heav’n triumphantly.
There at God’s right hand He’s ruling,
By His will the world is led.
He will come to judge the nations,
Both the living and the dead.
I believe in God the Spirit, In His Church, His chosen band.
They are joined in close communion,
Holy in His sight they stand.
I believe in sins\forgiven; That the dead will rise again;
I believe in life eternal. Amen! Amen! A – – men!
The Third Lesson Acts 13 and Acts 15
Now in the church at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas; Simeon, who was called Niger; Lucius of Cyrene; Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch; and Saul. 2 While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, after they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them off.
4 So they were sent out by the Holy Spirit and went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their assistant.
6 When they had traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came across a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The proconsul summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God.
8 Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit and looking straight at him, 10 said, “You are full of every kind of deceit and fraud, you son of the Devil, you enemy of all righteousness! Will you never stop twisting the straight paths of the Lord? 11 Now look! The hand of the Lord is against you. You will be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the sun.”
Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he went around looking for someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the proconsul saw what happened, he believed. He was amazed at the teaching of the Lord.
Acts 15:36 After a time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers in every town where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, who is called Mark, along with them. 38 But Paul did not think it was a good idea to take him along, since he had deserted them in Pamphylia and did not continue to travel with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and set out, after being entrusted to the grace of the Lord by the brothers. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
The Sermon Hymn Hymn 491 “O Master of the Loving Heart”
The Greeting
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge
of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Sermon Text today’s Scripture lessons
The Ultimate Encourager
following the sermon the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
The Post-Sermon Blessing
May the God of peace, Who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, now equip you with everything good for doing His will! Amen.
We Offer Our Gifts and Prayers to the Lord
Our Offerings of Love to our 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 Prayers for this Day –
P: Lord God, on account of your rich mercy poured out on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, hear our prayers. Continue to look graciously on us and Your whole Christian Church on earth.
C: We rejoice in the freedom from condemnation and in the redemption that is ours through Christ. On account of Jesus’ saving work we are Your treasured possession. We thank You for all those persons in our past which You used to proclaim to us the Gospel of the crucified and risen Savior, and which caused faith to arise in our hearts.
P: As the Gospel continues to be proclaimed throughout the world, we pray that the leaders of its many nations would make the kind of decisions, O Lord, that reflect Your love for the whole human race. Guide and protect our nation’s citizens from all harm – physical and spiritual. Also cause all the governments of the world to work for the well-being of all people. We especially pray that You would move the world’s leaders to give the Gospel free course in their lands, so that it might find fertile ground in the hearts of all who hear it.
C: We also pray for our own congregation, that in our Christian lives we might consistently walk – not according to the flesh, but – according to the Spirit, caring for one another, and showing generosity toward all those whose needs are evident. But enable us also to look outside these walls where we worship, to the many other treasured souls all around us for which Christ also went to cross, and lead us to do all within the means that You have given us to proclaim Jesus’ love to them.
P: Through Holy Baptism and the ministry of Your Word we became – and have remained – members of Your family of faith. As we reflect upon this great blessing, move us to joyfully raise our hearts and hands in grateful and faithful service to You – the God of our salvation.
C: Bless all who worship and serve You through this family of faith. Let Your Word touch the lives of everyone here as we meditate upon the mysteries of Your great love for us in Christ Jesus. Help us also to remember our responsibility to work together with the other congregations of our Synod, in order to see to it that the Gospel is proclaimed throughout our country and around the world. Also, watch over our Synod’s missionaries and lay workers who have gone out into the world on our behalf with the Gospel of Jesus.
P: Lord, we know that the devil will do his upmost to ruin our lives on this earth and our hope for going to heaven. When Your children are damaged by the struggles of this life and challenged by difficult decisions, continue to strengthen and sustain them with the blessed assurance that they are Your treasured possession, and that You are always working for their earthly and eternal good. In particular this morning, we pray for:
A Prayer of Intercession on behalf of the following:
Bill Krizsan, who remains in Mercy Hospital
recovering from surgery.
In addition, we pray for our those brothers and sisters within our church and extended family who are facing health and personal problems ranging from cancer to diabetes, from vision disorders to fibro- and polymyalgia, from respiratory distress to heart disease, from Parkinson’s Disease and depression to various physical injuries and their complications…… and other ailments and afflictions, as well as loneliness, marital and family problems, employment and financial difficulties, and more.
We are so small, so frail, so powerless to manage life’s challenges and even life’s ordinary situations. Lord, please help all those we know and care about who are in need – granting them Your gifts of healing and health, support and success….and the continuing assurance that You are fully aware of their personal and spiritual needs, and that You have the ability and commitment to meet them….. indeed, that You have a perfect plan for the lives of every one of us (whether or not we understand and appreciate it), and that You will never take us into any circumstances in which You will not work things out, in the end, for our best personal and spiritual interests, and particularly for Your glory and honor.
P: Hear us also, LORD, as we take a few moments to silently offer You our personal petitions and praises.
Time for Silent Prayer
P: Finally, Lord God, accept our thanks for the tremendous privilege of being called Your children, and of being able to come to You now and at any time in prayer. Help us to grow intellectually, emotionally, spiritually through Your Word, so that we may be faithful servants for You in our homes, and communities, in our congregations, and as members of Your Church on earth. Mercifully hear our prayer, and bless us one and all, for the sake and in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, Who lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God, forever and ever. And in Whose name we also offer our 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 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 upon you with favor upon, and grant you His peace. men.
The Closing Hymn Hymn 322 “On What Has Now Been Sown”
Silent Prayer
Announcements
Post-Service Music
+ + + Thank You + + +
For being a part of our worshiping assembly this morning.
We invite you to join those around you for some good conversation and fellowship at the conclusion of today’s announcements. We also invite you to join us for coffee, juice, and other refreshments in our gymnasium/fellowship hall.
Finally, we encourage you to remain afterwards with us for further growth in God’s Word through our Bible Classes and Sunday School Classes. May the comfort of God’s love and His forgiveness through Jesus Christ be with you throughout this day and this week
Announcements
Last Week At Grace: Sunday in church: 74 Online views : 15
Bible Class: 24 Online views: 5 Tuesday Bible Class: 12
Wednesday Bible Studies: 4 men; 4 women
Budget: $2203 Online: $419.88 Scholarship Fund: $250 Cap Imv: $10
This Week’s Anniversary and Birthdays 9/26 – Olivia Laine;
9/27 – Lesa Roe; 9/28 – Autumn Benedict; 9/28 – Kaitlyn King;
9/30 – Roger Wilkins; 10/1 Tristan Green; 10/1 John Johnson
Serving Us Next Sunday (9/26) Elders: Vic Walker, John Johnson
Altar Guild: Tina Wambold, Harriet Johnson
Ushers: Chris Roberts, Fred Cusanelli, Kent Mayer
This Coming Week at Grace Lutheran Church
Today Pre-service Hymn singing, 9:25a.m. Worship, 9:30 a.m.
Fellowship, 10:40 a.m. Voter’s Meeting, after worship
Sunday School, 11 a.m.
Tuesday Morning Bible Class, 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday Midweek Evening Bible Class, 6-7 p.m.
Friday Women’s Retreat, evening session (6-9 p.m)
Saturday Women’s Retreat, 9-3 p.m.
Sunday Worship with the Lord’s Supper, 9:30 a.m.
Fellowship, 10:45 a.m. Bible Class/Sunday School, 11 a.m.
Youth Confirmation, 12:15 to 1:30 p.m.
Women’s Retreat This year’s Women’s Retreat is fast approaching. It will take place THIS FRIDAY (Oct 1; 6-9 p.m.) AND SATURDAY (Oct 2; starting at 9 a.m.). It only costs $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.) The theme deals with Forgiveness – both God’s forgiveness to us and how we can (and should) extend that forgiveness to others. 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.
This Week’s Bible Classes ……..We won’t have a Bible class th is morning, due to our Voters’ meeting, but that doesn’t mean you can’t study God’s Word with us this week. (And our Sunday Bible Class will return next Sunday, when we’ll study I Corinthians 6 (“Lawsuits and Liberty”).
You can join us Tuesday morning, from 10:30-11:30, when we’ll study 2 Kings 9, examining the assassination of the king of Syria and the king of Judah, as well as 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…… and 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. Our next rehearsal will be Sunday, October 10th.
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.”)
Congregational/Voters’ Meeting TODAY – This morning we’re going to be holding a congregational/voters’ meeting shortly after our worship service concludes. It will be held here in our chapel. 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.