The Service in PDF format is at: February 25, 2024 Service
Video of service is at: YouTube
Peace Lutheran Church
We welcome you in the name of the Lord Jesus. We are honored with your presence. If you do not have a church home, you are invited to join us regularly. Please introduce yourself to Pastor Jeremy Lucke or one of the Ushers as you leave today and sign the guest book in the entryway. We continue to observe the guidelines for health safety. If you have any questions, please see an usher. Everyone is welcome.
The ringing of the bell and the lighting of the Christ candle mark the beginning of our service and a time for quiet meditation, prayer and inward reflection as we begin our worship.
Children are welcome at our worship services. If you prefer, Peace Lutheran has a playroom equipped for children three years old and younger. The room is unstaffed and can be accessed in the fellowship hall where the service is also being live streamed for your convenience and enjoyment.
Holy Communion is celebrated every first and third Sunday and will follow the order of service in the bulletin. If you are a baptized Christian and share our faith in Jesus as Savior and have been instructed in the meaning and use of the Lord’s Supper, you are invited to partake. We have pre-wrapped communion wine or juice and wafers. We also have gluten-free wafers available. If you desire a gluten-free wafer, ask the server. May the body and blood of Jesus, present in the bread and wine, be a blessing to you.
There are times during the service when you will be asked to stand if you are able. Please feel free to remain seated if standing is difficult.
Offering. Peace Lutheran Church understands and teaches that Offerings are voluntary and to be from the heart. Whether we give or do not give does not determine our salvation. Whether we give much or little does not determine our standing before God. Sharing an Offering is an opportunity to quietly practice generosity with our neighbors.
Serving You
Pastor Pastor Jeremy Lucke
Music Director Colleen Schulze
Choir Director Diane Crocker
Supt. Of Sunday School Brandy Stokes & Karyn Stanley
Admin Assistant Daniel Dusek
Parish Nurse Kathy Durling
Webmaster Jim Holroyd
Audio-Visual Johnathon Holroyd, George Abele, Nicholas Abele, Merv Munster, Callie Santora, Caleb Santora, Joyce Long, Oscar Gutbrod, Sam Worth, Rick Durling, Jim Holroyd, Nora Stanley, Debbi Weiler, Daniel Dusek, Rick Durling
Praise Team Rick Durling, Patrick Kamins, Karyn Stanley, Nora Stanley, Diane Crocker, Kaia Lucke, Sarah Grassel, Caleb Santora
Today, February 25, 2024
Leader Pastor Terry Merrill
Musician Colleen Schulze
Reader Janette Payne
Flowers Diane Heitmeyer
THEME: Today we hear how God’s plan to rescue humanity from a life of hopelessness, despair, and desperation was revealed to Abraham, fulfilled only in Jesus, and continues through us. By His grace, we have been recreated in the image of God. As such we are called to be the light of Christ to those who are without God and still seeking peace, joy, and contentment in the empty promises of this broken and dying world.
RINGING OF THE BELL
After the ringing of the bell, we take a few moments in silence to prepare our hearts and minds for today’s worship.
Leader: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
A WORD ABOUT OUR WORSHIP TODAY
Leader: Our Lenten journey continues toward the cross.
People: It is a journey marked with suffering,
Leader: but suffering produces endurance.
People: Endurance produces character.
Leader: Character produces hope,
People: and hope in Christ does not put us to shame.
CONFESSING TO GOD
Leader: Our hope in Christ is strong and living, yet we have often taken for granted the profound reality of Christ’s death for us. We have ignored how weak and ungodly we have been. Still, our heavenly Father grants us access to His throne of grace, to ask for His forgiveness.
~~~~~ Silent Reflection ~~~~~
Leader: Heavenly Father,
People: we have not rejoiced in suffering but have given up easily. We have lacked integrity and acted shamefully. And we have even despaired of life itself. Have mercy upon us, and reconcile us back to You, so that we may rejoice once more, on account of Jesus. Amen.
Leader: At just the right time, while we were still weak and ungodly, Jesus Christ died for us and reconciled us to God. As a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen. We are forgiven and are at peace with God.
OPENING HYMN “This is the Day”
Les Garrett; Copyright 1976
This is the day, this is the day
that the Lord hath made,
that the Lord hath made.
I will rejoice,
I will rejoice and be glad in it,
and be glad in it,
.
This is the day that the Lord hath made,
we will rejoice and be glad in it,
This is the day,
this is the day that
the Lord hath made.
(Repeat all)
Leader: We pray.
People: Heavenly Father, it is Your glory always to have mercy. Bring back all who have strayed from Your ways; lead them again to embrace in faith the truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
HEARING FROM GOD’S WORD
Old Testament Reading: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
God renames Abram and Sarai.
17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.”
3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.
5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you.
7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.
15 And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.
16 I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God!
New Testament Reading: Ephesians 4:17-24, 5:8-9
We have the light of the Lord.
17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as unbelievers do, for they are hopelessly confused.
18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.
19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ.
21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,
22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.
23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. …
8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!
9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God!
Jesus challenges us to have on our mind the things of God.
27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”
29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.
31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul?
38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Leader: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, O Christ!
SERMON SONG: “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”
Text: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748. Tune: adapt. Edward Miller, 1731-1807
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride.
.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ, my Lord;
All the vain things that charm me most
I sacrifice them to His blood.
.
See, from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
SERMON
Pastor Terry Merrill
People: I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
And born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
And is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy Christian Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life everlasting. Amen.
OFFERING
We give our offerings as a sign of our lives offered to God.
Leader: In peace let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: For those who are ailing (names…) and those who grieve, that they may be strengthened in body and spirit, confident of the love of Christ, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: For those who work to bring peace, justice, health, and protection in this and every place, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: For those who bring offerings, those who do good works in this congregation, those who toil, those who sing, and all the peoples here present who await from the Lord great and abundant mercy, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: We pray this through Jesus, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
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
Leader: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give + you peace.
People: Amen.
CLOSING HYMN: “Jesus, Name Above All Names”
Patricia Cain; Copyright 1974, 1978 Scripture in Song. All rights reserved. Admin. By Maranatha! Music in the U.S.A
Jesus, name above all names,
Beautiful Savior, glorious Lord,
Emmanuel, God is With us,
Blessed Redeemer, living Word.
.
Jesus, loving shepherd
Vine of the branches, Son of God
Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor
Lord of the universe, Light of the World.
.
Jesus, Way of salvation,
King of Kings, Lord of Lords,
The way the truth, and the Life,
Mighty creator, my Savior and friend.
Leader: Go in peace! Serve the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!
Announcements
FLOWERS. The new flower chart for 2024 is up in the narthex on the bulletin board. Consider signing up and providing flowers for the altar. If you have any questions, see Carole Gutbrod.
Midweek Lenten Services. The midweek services continue this Wednesday. Soup supper will start at 5:00pm and the service will start at 6:00pm.
SOUP SUPPER SIGN UP. Thank you so very much to everyone who volunteered to bring soup, bread, and cookies to our Soup/Supper. Lists of who volunteered to bring items are posted on the bulletin board in the hallway leading to the Fellowship Hall and on the cupboards in the kitchen.
When you bring your items to church, please arrive at 4:45 p.m. as Soup/Supper starts at 5 p.m. with our church service at 6 p.m. Crockpots can go on the serving tables in the Fellowship Hall. Instructions on your responsibilities are posted on the bulletin board and the kitchen cupboards.
Everything is self-serve and self-cleanup which means everyone is responsible for taking their dishes to the kitchen. Please clean your area if you spill. If you have questions, please let Sally know. We are so grateful for your help and your generosity is well noted.
This week the following people will provide the meal:
- Soup: Joe & Janette Payne, Merv Munster, Diane Heitmeyer, Sharon Starr
- Bread & Butter: Elaine Schwartz & Kay Glathar
- Cookies: Ellen Holroyd
SEDER MEAL CELEBRATION AND SIGN-UP. Our celebration of the Seder Meal will be Thursday, March 28 at 6:00pm in the Fellowship Hall. This is not a meal rather a remembrance of the foods that the Jewish people used to remind them of their exodus from slavery from the Egyptian pharaohs. We encourage you to eat before you come. After the Seder, we will join Pastor in going to the Sanctuary for Holy Communion.
To provide adequate seating and food samples, please sign up on the sheet posted on the bulletin board located in the hall to the Fellowship room. Please take a reminder ticket if you like. We also need participants to provide items for the Seder meal. Please sign up for the items you can provide on the list posted on the bulletin board. All items are to be brought to the kitchen and labeled for the Seder service by March 21. Please let Peggy, Ellen or Janette know if you would like to help with the set-up, food preparations or clean-up for the Seder celebration; we will need you. Peggy Krueger, Ellen Holroyd, and Janette Payne.
Book Swap/Author Talk: Mark your calendar – Saturday, April 13 at 11:00 am- 12:30 pm. This is a free event for the ladies of Peace as well as any friends/community members or interested parties. See Diane for any questions.