Due to technical problems, we do NOT have an audible version of this service. You can whach and listen to it on YouTube by checking the following link. July 23, 2023 Service
The following is a copy of the Bulletin for your reference.
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 and 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. Offerings may be placed in the plates by the doors as we exit the sanctuary.
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
Today July 23, 2023
Musician Colleen Schulze
Reader Margaret Philpott
Flowers Ruth Dally
Children’s Message Pastor J.
AS WE GATHER…………. Welcome to our second outdoor summer worship! All of today’s worship is found in our bulletin today. We’ll be reminded in our time together that God’s plans are far beyond our understanding. Jesus’ followers could not figure out why He lets His spiritual enemy have so much power in the lives of people. Sometimes we wonder why God allows evil to grow outside and even inside the Church. We may not find a clear answer to our questions, but we do discover that God has a plan and purpose in everything. The good wheat is protected in God’s barn, and we patiently wait for the harvest when by grace the “righteous will shine like the sun.” in our Father’s kingdom.
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
OPENING HYMN “As the Deer”
Words & Music by Martin Nystrom; © 1984 Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing
As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after Thee.
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship Thee.
Chorus: You alone are my strength my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield.
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship Thee.
You’re my friend and You are my brother
Even though You are a King.
I love You more than any other
So much more than anything.
Chorus
I want You more than gold or silver
Only You can satisfy.
You alone are the real joygiver
And the apple of my eye.
Chorus
OPENING WORDS Psalm 42
Leader: In the name of the Father, and of the Son +, and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Leader: As a deer pants for flowing streams,
People: so pants my soul for you, O God.
Leader: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
People: When shall I come and appear before God?
Leader: My tears have been my food day and night,
People: while they say to me continually, “Where is your God?”
Leader: These things I remember, as I pour out my soul,
People: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God
Leader: As a deer pants for flowing streams,
People: so pants my soul for you, O God.
OPENING UP TO GOD AND ONE ANOTHER
Leader: If say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
People: But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
~~~~~ Silent Reflection ~~~~~
Leader: Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
People: We confess, gracious God, that we groan not only because of sin in the world, but our failure to trust You for all that we need. We have not waited patiently; we have demanded reasons from You; we have sought to excuse ourselves. Yet You have given us the Spirit, who intercedes for us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us to hope not in ourselves but in the resurrection of Your Son, Jesus, our Lord.
Leader: The promises of God are sure; one day creation will be set free from corruption. Your sins were taken to Christ’s cross, where you were redeemed as God’s beloved children. 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.
HYMN OF CONFIDENCE “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.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Leader: Let us Pray.
Leader: Heavenly Father, who has ordered all things for our good,
People: grant us faithfulness and patience as we endure the evil around us, until we rejoice at Christ’s coming at the end of time;
Leader: through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
Old Testament Lesson Isaiah 44:6-8
No one compares to God.
6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.
7 Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.
8 Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.”
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God!
Epistle Romans 8:18-27
The Holy Spirit intercedes as we wait for the end of this troubled world.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God!
Gospel Lesson Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43
The parable of the wheat and weeds.
24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,
25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.
27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’
28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”
36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”
37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,
42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Leader: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, O Christ.
Children’s Message
SERMON HYMN “God of Grace and God of Glory”
Text: Harry E. Fosdick, 1878-1969, © Tune: John Hughes, 1873-1932; ©1978 Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis and Board of Publication, Lutheran Church in America, Philadelphia.
God of grace and God of glory,
On your people pour your pow’r;
Crown your ancient Church’s Story;
Bring its bud to glorious flow’r.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
For the facing of this hour,
For the facing of this hour.
.
Lo! The hosts of evil round us
Scorn the Christ, assail his ways!
From the fears that long have bound us
Free our hears to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
For the living of these days,
For the living of these days.
.
Cure your children’s warring madness;
Bend our pride to your control;
Shame our wanton, selfish gladness,
Rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
Lest we miss your kingdom’s goal,
Lest we miss your kingdom’s goal.
.
Save us from weak resignation
To the evils we deplore;
Let the gift of your salvation
Be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
Serving you whom we adore,
Serving you whom we adore.
SERMON
Pastor Jeremy Lucke
APOSTLES’ CREED
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 was 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.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
Leader: Our Lord Jesus invites to ask, and we shall receive; to seek, and we will find; and to knock, and the door will be opened. So we bring prayer for the Church, the world, and ourselves before almighty God, trusting in the promise of our Lord.
Leader: For the Church, that rooted and built up in Christ and established in faith, we abound in thanksgiving by offering our lives as instruments of serving the lost and the least of this world:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: For this nation in which we live, in thanksgiving for the abundance of life and freedom that we enjoy; for the president and Congress, for our governor and local elected officials, that all work for the common good, and serve not themselves, but chiefly those who are cast down; that this nation so divided along political lines would repent of our hatred of those who differ from us and, based on our one common humanity, discuss our differences with reason and kindness:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: For those in need in our community—the sick, those facing surgery, those with terminal illness—that they receive mercy and healing according to God’s will, that they find peace in the love of Jesus, and that their hearts may be opened to receive the love of Christ. For those harmed by natural or man-made disasters, that they experience renewal through those who donate and do relief work.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: For this congregation, that, having been buried with Christ in Baptism and raised with Him to new life, we find ways to connect with people in our community in order to share the amazing treasure of the love of Christ:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Leader: In faith we entrust our prayers to You, heavenly Father. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.
People: Amen.
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
BENEDICTION
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: “The Trees of the Field”
Stuart Dauermann; Arr. by Henry Wiens; © 1975, Lillenas Publishing Co.
You shall go out with joy
and be led forth with peace.
The mountains and the hills
will break forth before you;
There’ll be shouts of joy,
and all of the trees of the field
will clap, will clap their hands.
.
Chorus: And all the trees of the field
will clap their hands {clap, clap},
The trees of the field
will clap their hands {clap, clap}.
The trees of the field
will clap their hands {clap, clap},
while you go out with joy.
.
You shall go out with joy
and be led forth with peace.
The mountains and the hills
will break forth before you;
There’ll be shouts of joy,
and all of the trees of the field
Will clap, will clap their hands.
Chorus
Dismissal
Leader: Go in Peace. Serve the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!
POSTLUDE
Announcements
Updating Pictures of the congregation. We will start taking pictures of the congregation to update the picture wall between the Narthex and Fellowship Hall and the church directory. Trudy will be the taking pictures.
ADULT SUMMER SUNDAY SCHOOL. We continue study for the summer on Jesus’ parables. Next Sunday, July 30, we will be discussing The Wise & Foolish Young Women, Matthew 25:1-13. All are welcome! We begin at 9:00 am in the fellowship hall.
PEACE SUNDAY SCHOOL AND WORSHIP TIMES. Last fall our church changed its Sunday schedule to choir practice at 8, Sunday School at 9, and Worship at 10. It’s now time to hear feedback from the congregation as we are making plans for this coming fall. If you have thoughts, questions and/or concerns you can direct them to our Vice-President, Todd Muhly. His email is [email protected]. Thank you for your consideration.
OPEN FELLOWSHIP TIME. Peace is looking into having an open fellowship time in the fellowship hall during the week. The thought would be to open the fellowship hall for connection, games, and activities on Thursdays from 2 pm to 4 pm each week. This is certainly in the brainstorming phase, but we would like to hear from you. Would you participate? Is there anyone who would like to be responsible for opening and closing the fellowship hall down each time? Let Pastor or Daniel know your thoughts!
