The Service in PDF format is at: September 3, 2023 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 September 3, 2023
Musician Colleen Schulze
Reader Karen Motlok
Flowers Merv & Patricia Munster
As We Gather…………… “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus’ disciples asked. Our Lord responded by welcoming a child into His midst. “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Children are highly valued by our gracious God because they are completely dependent. On their own, they have nothing, yet they need everything. This is true for all of us in our relationship with God! On our own, we have only our sinful, broken lives and are unable to please God and fulfill His commands. Yet, in Jesus, we possess everything we need! In Jesus, we are, like children, completely dependent. We have nothing to offer, yet everything we need is ours to receive from the gracious hands of our Savior.
Leader: In the name of the Father and of the XSon and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Leader: How great are Your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep!
People: It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
Leader: to declare Your steadfast love in the morning, and Your faithfulness by night,
People: to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre.
Leader: For You, O Lord, have made me glad by Your work; at the works of Your hands I sing for joy.
People: How great are Your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep!
Psalm 92:1-4
OPENING UP TO GOD AND ONE ANOTHER
Leader: Lord God, You promise grace and every blessing to all who come before You and repent of their sins. Hear us now as we, Your humble children, bring our prayers before You.
~~~~~ Silence for reflection ~~~~~
Leader: Most merciful Father,
People: we come before You and admit our sinfulness. In our thoughts, words, and actions, we have failed to do what Your Word demands. We have not honored You fully with our lives, nor have we loved one another as You have first loved us. In the name of our loving Savior Jesus, we ask for Your forgiveness. Because our Savior humbled himself for our sake upon the cross, enable us in true humility to receive the remission You promise to Your repentant children. Amen.
Leader: “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” God the Father has taken your sins and laid them upon our humble Savior Jesus. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, God does not count your sins against you. He has taken them away! He remembers them no more! He preserves and delivers you as His child forever! As a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
SONG OF PRAISE “Now is the Feast and Celebration”
People: (Refrain) Now the feast and celebration,
All of creation sings for joy,
For joy to the God of life and love and freedom;
Praise and glory forevermore!
Leader: Now is the feast of the Lamb once slain,
Whose blood has freed and united us
To be one great people of God.
(Refrain)
Leader: Power and riches, wisdom and might,
All honor and glory to Christ forever.
(Refrain)
Leader: For God has come to dwell with us,
To make us people of God;
To make all things new.
(Refrain)
Leader: Let us pray. O God, our gracious and loving Father, we are Your dependent children. Although we in no way deserve Your goodness, You freely offer Your grace to all who turn to You. Grant us faith to trust in Your Son, who humbled Himself for our salvation. 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.
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
5 All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation.
7 But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.
8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us.
10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.”
11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses.
12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel.
13 So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves
14 and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.
15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,
16 “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.”
17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.
18 So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?”
19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.”
20 So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.
22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God!
21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”
23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Leader: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, O Christ!
SERMON SONG “Great Is The Lord”
Words & Music by Michael W. Smith & Deborah D. Smith, Arr. by Henry Wiens,; © 1971 by William J. Gaither, The Fellowship Publications Edina, MN 55435
Chorus: Great is the Lord, He is holy and just,
By His power we trust In His love.
Great is the Lord, He is faithful and true,
By His mercy He proves He is love.
.
Great is the Lord, and worthy of glory,
Great is the Lord, and worthy of praise.
Great is the Lord, now lift up your voice,
Now lift up your voice: Great is the Lord,
Great is the Lord
Chorus
Great are you Lord, And worthy of glory
Great are you Lord, and worthy of praise.
Great are you Lord, I lift up my voice,
I lift up my voice: Great are you Lord!
Great are you Lord!
MESSAGE
Pastor Jeremy Lucke
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.
Leader: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Leader: For all the children of God, the Holy Christian Church, that we proclaim the salvation of Christ wherever we are and to whomever we meet, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Father, we depend on You as we live as Your children.
Leader: For the living out of our vocations, that no matter our station in life or what calling we have been given, that we faithfully represent our Savior with lives of humility and faith, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Father, we depend on You as we live as Your children.
Leader: For all children, that they grow daily in the wisdom of the Lord, and for all parents and those who work to care for children, that they be guided in their important service of love, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Father, we depend on You as we live as Your children.
Leader: For all public servants who selflessly serve others, both those who serve locally and those in positions throughout the world, that they would entrust their lives into the protecting care of their Maker, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Father, we depend on You as we live as Your children.
Leader: For all who suffer in heart, mind, and body, (especially……..), that they with patience and faith receive the healing care You offer, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Father, we depend on You as we live as Your children.
Leader: For these concerns and for every unspoken prayer that is on our hearts and minds, that our gracious God would hear and answer us, let us pray to the Lord.
People: Father, we depend on You for everything. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
OFFERING
We offer our thanksgiving for what God has first given us—our selves, our time, our possessions.
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Leader: Always and everywhere thanks and praise are due to you, holy Father, for the rich harvest you provide, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Like a grain of wheat that falls into the earth and dies, his life was given that new life might sprout and grow, and ripen for eternal gathering. And so, with those who bear your name on earth and those who praise your name on high, we sing your praise.
People: Amen.
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
COMMUNION SONG “How Great Thou Art”
Stuart Wesley Keene Hine; Copyright 1949 and 1953 Stuart Hine Trust CIO Stuart K. Hine Trust (Administration: USA All rights by Capitol CMG Publishing, except print rights for USA, North, Central and South America administered by Hope Publishing. All other non USA Americas rights by the Stuart Hine Trust. Rest of World – Integritymusic.com.)
O Lord my God
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds
Thy hands have made
I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
Thy pow’r thru’out
The universe displayed
Chorus: Then sings my soul
My Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
Then sings my soul
My Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
When through the woods
And forest glades I wander
And hear the birds
Sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down
From lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook
And feel the gentle breeze
Chorus
And when I think
That God His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die
I scarce can take it in
That on the cross
My burden gladly bearing
He bled and died
To take away my sin
Chorus
When Christ shall come
With shout of acclamation
And take me home
What joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration
And there proclaim
My God how great Thou art
Chorus
Leader: It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
People: to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
Leader: to declare Your steadfast love in the morning,
People: and Your faithfulness by night.
Leader: The Most High God now sends us out to praise His name and declare His love wherever we go!
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 SONG: “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”
Text: Edward Hodges | Henry Van Dyke | Ludwig van Beethoven; Public Domain
Joyful, joyful we adore thee,
God of glory, Lord of love!
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before thee,
Praising thee, their sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,
Drive the gloom of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day.
.
All thy works with joy surround thee,
Earth and heav’n reflect thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around thee,
Center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird, and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in thee.
.
Thou art giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Wellspring of the joy of living,
Ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our brother,
All who live in love are thine;
Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the joy divine!
Leader: Go in Peace. Serve the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Announcements
OPEN Fellowship Thursdays Begin. Starting on Thursday September 7 from 2:00-4:00pm, we will begin open fellowship time at Peace. The fellowship hall will be open during this time for coffee, games, and connection. Please come and use this opportunity to socialize and enjoy the company of other members of the congregation. Feel free to bring games or other activities you would like to share.
Rally Day. We have some great plans for the fall at Peace. Mark your calendars for Rally Day next Sunday September 10. Fellowship will consist of a BBQ with lots of fun and games for all. Choir starts. New Bible Studies for all ages begin as well.
Updating Pictures of the congregation. We are continuing to take photos of the congregation to update the pictures in the hallway between the narthex and fellowship hall. Carole and Trudy will be available to take pictures after service on September 10th and 17th. It’s surprising how many people use the pictures in the hallway to learn each other’s names, so please consider updating or adding your picture to our wall.
New church directory. We are starting to work on the new church directory. As we make plans, we are considering an online directory so that it can be maintained with up-to-date information. This would allow members to see the directory directly from their computer or phone. Additionally, individual members can update their own information and it would be completely up to them how much information they would like to include. We feel this service would provide a secure means of storing your information to a level commensurate with our current internal measures. Of course, a print version of the directory will also be available. If you have any questions or concerns, please let Daniel know.
New Bible Study. Starting on September 10, David Leding will lead an exploration into the Augsburg Confession using a small book, “The Lutheran Toolkit” and The Augsburg Confession as our guide. As Lutherans we are a confessional body of believers in the risen Lord Jesus Christ and one of our primary confessions is the Augsburg Confession. By digging deeper into this confession, we will together learn more about the roots of our church and the teachings that are the foundation of our Lutheran heritage.
Medicare Presentation. Ms. Becky Lippman will lead an information session at Peace Lutheran Church on Wednesday, September 13th at 2:00 pm. Many of our members have questions around choosing Medicare plans and the road through these decisions is a little tricky. Becky knows these rules and products very well and can help folks make informed decisions. Becky will be here to talk about the different options and answer your questions.
Holiday Bazaar Update. Did you mark your calendar?
The Holiday Bazaar will take place Saturday, November 4, 2023, from 9 am – 3 pm.
We need you! Please consider creating handcrafted items such as:
- Woodcrafts
- Windchimes
- Jewelry
- Knitted/crochet/quilted or sewn items
- Kitchen related items
- Items for babies or children
- Toys
- Pet items
- Birdhouses
- Garden related items
- Plants or plant pots
- Cards
- Household décor
- Christmas or Fall décor
- Fun gift items and stocking stuffers
- And more…
Your creativity is endless! Look for more ideas next week!
Getting the Choir back together. The Peace choir will start practice again on September 10th at 8:00am. If you like to sing, the choir would be glad to have you. Please see Colleen or Diane for more information.
