October 8, 2023

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

  Telephone: 231-299-1022   

October 8, 2023 Pentecost 19 Our God wants real repentance that leads to true obedience. 

May the LORD’s full and free forgiveness produce joy & peace. 

WELCOME 

HYMN 304 (1-5) – please stand for last stanza 

COMMON SERVICE - page 15 

PRAYER OF THE DAY:  

Mercifully grant, O God, that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our  hearts, for without your help we are unable to please you; through Jesus Christ, your  Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and  forever. 

(Sing) Amen. 

FIRST LESSON: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32  

Ezekiel brings a strong warning for Christians who grow lax in their faith or dismissive of their sin. Repent  and live! 

1“The word of the LORD came to me: 2“What do you people mean by quoting this  proverb about the land of Israel: ‘The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are  set on edge’? 3“As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer  quote this proverb in Israel. 4For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the  child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die…. 25 “Yet  you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it  not your ways that are unjust? 26 If a righteous person turns from their righteousness  and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will  die. 27 But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed  and does what is just and right, they will save their life. 28 Because they consider all the  offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; 

they will not die. 29 Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my  ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 30 “Therefore, you  Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the  Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your  downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new  heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in  the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! 

PSALM 25, page 74 

We lift up our souls and trust in the LORD God. 

SECOND LESSON: Philippians 2:1-11 

Paul quotes a hymn of humiliation and exultation as a model to shape our attitudes. 

1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any  comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and  compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love,  being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain  conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own  interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5In your relationships with  one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 

7rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in  human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by  becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to  the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name  of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and  every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

VERSE OF THE DAY: 

Alleluia. At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that  Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Alleluia.  

(Sing) Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 

Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32 

True obedience, however, in not merely saying what God wants to hear, but doing what God wants done. 

28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and  said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard. 29 ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he  changed his mind and went. 30 Then the father went to the other son and said the same  thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did what his  father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the  tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of  you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not 

believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw  this, you did not repent and believe him. 

HYMN 306 

SERMON: Galatians 2:11-16 

Spiritual Insincerity or Honesty 

APOSTLES’ CREED - page 19 

PRAYERS & LORD’S PRAYER 

HYMN 458 

PRAYER - page 25 

HYMN 394 

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REFRESHMENTS 

THANKOFFERING BASKET BY DOOR 

The members of St Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this  area and around the world. Our guests may but are not expected to  participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  

Guests, please sign our Guest Book in the entryway. 

VOTERS’ MEETING next Sunday after worship. 

SERVING YOU TODAY:  

• Pastor John Eich – Circuit Pastor from Good Shepherd, Alma 

• Organist: Nancy Skory

Service of the Word © 1993 Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved. 

All Scripture readings are from the NIV 2011. Used by permission.

October 1, 2023

                             St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

  Telephone: 231-299-1022                            

 October 1, 2023                                                                   Pentecost 18 

Our God is inconceivably gracious.

May the LORD, the gracious God, bless your worship.

WELCOME

HYMN 339 – please stand for last stanza

SERVICE OF WORD & SACRAMENT - page 26

PRAYER OF THE DAY: 

Lord God, you call us to work in your kingdom and leave no one standing idle. Help us to order our lives by your wisdom and to serve you in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 

(Sing) Amen. 

FIRST LESSON: Isaiah 55:6-9

God’s plan to forgive and save sinners by grace soars above all that we could conceive or imagine.

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

PSALM 27 - page 75

The LORD is my light and my salvation. I will not fear.

SECOND LESSON: Philippians 1:18-27

Paul’s confident words remind us that because of God’s inconceivable grace, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.  20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me. 27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel.

VERSE OF THE DAY: 

Alleluia. My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Alleluia. 

(Sing) Alleluia.....page 30

Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16

This parable carries both warning and promise for us—a warning that all comparisons based on merit or work do not belong in God’s kingdom; a promise that our relationship with God is based solely on grace which he lavishes in abundance.

1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.3 About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went. He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ 7 ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’ 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ 9 The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the land-owner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous? 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

HYMN 338

SERMON: Isaiah 55:6-9    Something Worth Seeking

NICENE’ CREED - page 31

PRAYERS & LORD’S PRAYER

COMMUNION LITURGY - pages 33-35

COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION 

St. Paul’s practice the Biblical teaching of Close Communion.  Members of St. Paul’s and other WELS congregations are invited to receive the Lord’s body and blood together with the bread and wine.

THANK THE LORD & PRAYER - pages 36

BLESSING pages 37

(sung) Amen. Amen. Amen.

HYMN 316

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REFRESHMENTS

THANKOFFERING BASKET BY DOOR

The members of St Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area and around the world. Our guests may but are not expected to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry. 

Guests, please sign our Guest Book in the entryway.

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING will take place after worship today.  If you have anything you would like the Council to discuss please talk to Harold Rhodea, Russ Wrzesinski, or Jerry Wright.

SERVING YOU TODAY: 

• Pastor Dennis Himm

• Organist Nancy Skory

Service of the Word © 1993 Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved.

All Scripture readings are from the NIV 2011. Used by permission.

September 17, 2023

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

 Telephone: 231-299-1022

 September 17, 2023                                 Pentecost 16 

The Church fulfills her role as her brother’s keeper.

May the LORD, the God of love and mercy, bless your worship.

WELCOME

HYMN 521 – please stand for last stanza

COMMON SERVICE - page 15

PRAYER OF THE DAY: 

Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church; and because it cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern it always by your goodness; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 

  (Sing) Amen. 

FIRST LESSON: Ezekiel 33:7-11 

We are a watchman for our brother. If we fail to do the job God has assigned us, God will hold us accountable.

7 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 9 But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved. 10 “Son of man, say to the Israelites, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?”’ 11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’

PSALM 51a, page 86

May David’s sincere prayer of confession also be ours.

SECOND LESSON: Galatians 2:11–16

Being your brother’s keeper will lead at times to uncomfortable situations or even confrontations.

11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. 14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? 15 “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in[a] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

VERSE OF THE DAY: 

Alleluia. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Alleluia. 

(Sing) Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 

Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20

“Matthew 18” has become shorthand for Christian church discipline. The motivation is always love with the goal being repentance.

15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

HYMN 405 

SERMON: Galatians 2:11-16

THE CHURCH THAT GOD BUILDS

– is willing to say the hard things

Sermon written by Circuit Pastor John Eich

APOSTLES’ CREED - page 19

PRAYERS & LORD’S PRAYER

HYMN 303 

PRAYER - page 25

HYMN 493

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REFRESHMENTS

THANKOFFERING BASKET BY DOOR

The members of St Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area and around the world. Our guests may but are not expected to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry. 

Guests, please sign our Guest Book in the entryway.

SUNDAY SCHOOL has resumed for the school year. Please encourage parents and invite children to take advantage of this great opportunity.  It is held before worship at 9 am – the same time as Adult Bible Class

SERVING YOU TODAY: 

• Adult Bible Class: Danny Wrzesinski 

• Sunday School: Jesse Keson

• Worship Leader: Russ Wrzesinski 

• Organist: Nancy Skory

• Sermon written by Circuit Pastor John Eich – 

read by Danny Wrzesinski

Service of the Word © 1993 Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved.

All Scripture readings are from the NIV 2011. Used by permission.

September 3, 2023

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

 Telephone: 231-299-1022

September 3, 2023                                                                           Pentecost 14 

The Church will stand forever.

May the LORD, “I AM who I AM, bless your worship.

WELCOME

HYMN 238 – please stand for last stanza

SERVICE OF WORD & SACRAMENT - page 26

PRAYER OF THE DAY: 

Almighty and everlasting God, give us an increase of faith, hope, and love; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 

(Sing) Amen. 

FIRST LESSON: Exodus 6:2-8

The LORD identifies himself as “I AM who I AM.” meaning that he is the living God who will preserve his Church forever.

2 God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself fully known to them.

4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreign-ers 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. 6 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’”

PSALM 31 - page 77

The LORD is our refuge and fortress. 

SECOND LESSON: Romans 11:33-36

Paul records a great doxology fit for our Redeemer God.

33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” 36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY: 

Alleluia. Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Alleluia. 

(Sing) Alleluia.....page 30

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20

Who do people say the Son of Man is? That question is as applicable today as it was in Matthew’s Gospel. 

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

HYMN 76

SERMON: Matthew 15:21-28  

Who Is Jesus?

NICENE’ CREED - page 31

PRAYERS & LORD’S PRAYER

COMMUNION LITURGY - pages 33-35

COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION 

THANK THE LORD & PRAYER - pages 36

BLESSING pages 37

(sung) Amen. Amen. Amen.

HYMN 528

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REFRESHMENTS

THANKOFFERING BASKET BY DOOR

The members of St Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area and around the world. Our guests may but are not expected to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry. 

Guests, please sign our Guest Book in the entryway.

NO SERVICE AT ST. PAUL’S

NEXT SUNDAY

• NEXT SUNDAY we will travel to Our Savior Ev. Lutheran Church in Hart to join them for their Mission Festival.  Worship is at 10:30 am with a potluck to follow.  Please bring a dish to pass.   All are welcome!

Our Savior Ev. Lutheran Church

2087 N Water Rd
Hart, MI 49420

SERVING YOU TODAY: 

• Pastor Em. Dennis Himm

• Organist Nancy Skory

Service of the Word © 1993 Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved.

All Scripture readings are from the NIV 2011. Used by permission.

St Paul’s  Evangelical Lutheran Church 

 313 4th Street

Manistee, MI 49660 

website: StPaulsManistee.com 

 facebook.com/SPLCManistee 

 phone: 231-299-1022 

September 3, 2023 Pentecost 14 The Church will stand forever. 

May the LORD, “I AM who I AM, bless your worship. 

WELCOME 

HYMN 238 – please stand for last stanza 

SERVICE OF WORD & SACRAMENT - page 26 

PRAYER OF THE DAY:  

Almighty and everlasting God, give us an increase of faith, hope, and love; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us  love what you command; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,  now and forever. 

(Sing) Amen. 

FIRST LESSON: Exodus 6:2-8 

The LORD identifies himself as “I AM who I AM.” meaning that he is the living God who will preserve his Church forever. 

2 God also said to Moses, “I am the LORD.3I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my  name the LORD I did not make myself fully known to them.4I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of  Canaan, where they resided as foreign-ers 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are  enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. 6“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from  under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and  with mighty acts of judgment. 7I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am  the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.’” 

PSALM 31 - page 77 

The LORD is our refuge and fortress.  

SECOND LESSON: Romans 11:33-36 

Paul records a great doxology fit for our Redeemer God. 

33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond  tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”35 “Who has ever given to God, that  God should repay them?” 36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. 

VERSE OF THE DAY: 

Alleluia. Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Alleluia.  (Sing) Alleluia.....page 30 

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20 

Who do people say the Son of Man is? That question is as applicable today as it was in Matthew’s Gospel.  

13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what  about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in  heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome  it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you  loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. 

HYMN 76 

SERMON: Matthew 15:21-28  

Who Is Jesus? 

NICENE’ CREED - page 31 

PRAYERS & LORD’S PRAYER

COMMUNION LITURGY - pages 33-35 

COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION 

THANK THE LORD & PRAYER - pages 36 

BLESSING pages 37 

(sung) Amen. Amen. Amen. 

HYMN 528 

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REFRESHMENTS 

THANKOFFERING BASKET BY DOOR 

The members of St Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area and around the world. Our guests may but are  not expected to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  

Guests, please sign our Guest Book in the entryway. 

NO SERVICE AT ST. PAUL’SNEXT SUNDAY 

➢ NEXT SUNDAY we will travel to Our Savior Ev. Lutheran Church in Hart to join them for their Mission  Festival. Worship is at 10:30 am with a potluck to follow. Please bring a dish to pass. All are welcome! 

Our Savior Ev. Lutheran Church 

2087 N Water Rd 

Hart, MI 49420 

SERVING YOU TODAY:  

➢ Pastor Em. Dennis Himm 

➢ Organist Nancy Skory

Service of the Word © 1993 Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved. 

All Scripture readings are from the NIV 2011. Used by permission

August 20, 2023

Leading worship and Bible study today is Tim Redfield. He is one of three pastors serving St Luke's Watertown WI.

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

 Telephone: 231-299-1022

Pentecost 12 -  Sustaining Faith

August 21, 2023

Prayer Before Worship - Lord, You have given me the wonderful gift of faith in Jesus Christ, my Savior.  So many things wear on it.  Please continue to work in my heart through Word & Sacrament so that my faith in You doesn’t ever waver or falter.  I am calling on You to keep Your promises about this to me.  

Hymn 433  

Common Service,  front of hymnal,  page 15

Prayer: Almighty & everlasting God,/ You are always more ready to hear than we to pray,/ & to give more than we either desire or deserve.  Pour upon us the abundance of Your mercy,/ forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid,/ & giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask,/ except through the merits & mediation of Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, / who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit,/ one God, now & forever.  (Sing) Amen.  

Old Testament Lesson: I Kings 19:9-18

The gentle whisper of the Gospel,(not wind, earthquake or fire) creates & maintains faith in the Savior God.  In spite of appearances Elijah was not the only believer, whose faith the Lord had maintained, left in Israel. 

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Psalm 73, front of hymnal, page 94

  We may lean on the Lord for security.

Epistle: Romans 9:1-5

Paul grieved over the descendants of Abraham who had lost their faith in the Savior God even though they had been so richly blessed by the Lord.  God forbid that we despise the richer blessings of the New Testament.  I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

Verse: Alleluia. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what    we do not see (Hebr 11:1) Alleluia!  (Sing) Alleluia....... front of hymnal, pg 18

Gospel: Matt 14:22-33

   The disciples are terrified by Jesus’ walking on the water.  Jesus’ words restore & even embolden their faith.  Jesus’ almighty power is there to rescue us when  our faith shrinks amidst life’s fears, doubts & distractions.  

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance[a] from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.  25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.  27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”  28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”    29 “Come,” he said.    Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”  31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”  32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Apostles' Creed, pg 19

Hymn 439

Sermon

(sing) Create in me........pg 20

Thankoffering

The members of  St Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  However, we do ask that everyone to sign the guest register.  

Prayer of the church, pg 121

Special prayers

Lord's Prayer, pg 20

Hymn 415

Continue pg 25

Hymn 451

August 13, 2023

Leading our worship and Bible study is Josh Krieger.  He is one of three pastors serving St Paul's, Livonia, MI. 

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

 Telephone: 231-299-1022

Pentecost 11 – Jesus is the Source

August 13, 2023

Prayer Before Worship -  LORD Jesus direct me away from all the other sources of "truth."   Keep me close to You the TRUTH. Amen.

Hymn  339 (OT Lesson)

Morning Praise, front of hymnal page 45

Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 55:1-5

The Messiah is commissioned to call the nations into the mercies promised to David.  The Gospel invitation is pure grace.  We can’t pay for anything that satisfies our souls.  The new covenant says: “Come, buy without money.  Listen that your soul may live.” Jesus is the Source of grace. 

1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread,  and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,  and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. 4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,  a leader and commander of the peoples. 5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.” 

Psalm 42-43, front of hymnal, page 82

We confidently await restoration of full fellowship with God after turmoil.

 Epistle: 1 Timothy 4:4,5

If God is the Source, then what He delivers is good. 

4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. 

Hymn 769

Gospel: Matthew 14:13-21

After the disciples assess their meager resources, the Lord of creation gives thanks & produces more than enough to satisfy the crowd. 

13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”  16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”  17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. 

Hymn  353 (Gospel)

Sermon 

Hymn  395 (replaces pages 48-49)

Thankoffering 

The members of  St Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  However, we do ask that everyone to sign the guest register.  

Continue page 50

Lord’s Prayer

Prayer: O God,/ You reveal Your mighty power chiefly in showing mercy & kindness.  Grant us the full measure of Your grace/ that we may obtain Your promises & become partakers of Your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit,/ one God, how & forever.  

Special Prayers

Continue Prayer of Grace, page 50 front of hymnal

Hymn 565:1 (“Bread” from the source)

All our guests are welcome to worship Jesus the Savior with us again Kindly sign our guest register.  Graciously receive the greetings & introductions of our church family.

July 23, 2023

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

Telephone: 231-299-1022

Pastor Joshua Free is leading worship and Bible Study today. He is one of the pastors serving St Paul's Livonia MI. 

July 23, 2023 Pentecost 8 – Word/Seed/Fruit

Prayer Before Worship - 

Lord, the seeds I planted in April & May are now producing beans, lettuce, etc.  Lord, the seed You planted in my heart is also producing fruit. That makes me able to cope with life much better.

Hymn 544

Service of the Word, front of hymnal page 38

Prayer: God of all power & might,/ You are the giver of all that is good.  Help us love You with all our heart.  Strengthen us in true faith.  Provide us with all we need.  Keep us safe in your care/  through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,/ who lives & reigns with  You & the Holy Spirit,/ one God, now & forever. (Sing) Amen.

Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 55:10-11

 Just as rain & snow water the earth so it brings forth bread for today & seed for next season, so God’s Word always brings the results He desires. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 

Psalm 65, front of hymnal, page 89

God has shown His goodness to all by producing bountiful harvests.

Epistle Acts 18:1-11                                                                              

Paul planted the seed of the Word in Corinth.   He switched fields. He went to the Gentiles.   God promised fruit. 

1 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.  5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.  6 But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”  7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.  9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God. 

Verse: Alleluia! The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.   Alleluia!

 (Sing)  Alleluia!......pg 40

Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

God plants His Word in our hearts.  It produces saving faith & fruits of faith.  Any failure lies in an unreceptive heart.

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”  18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Hymn  568

Sermon 

Apostles’ Creed, front of hymnal, page 41

Thankoffering & Guest Register

The members of St Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  However, we do ask that our visitors sign the guest register.

Prayer of the church, front of hymnal, page 42  

Special Prayers

Lord’s Prayer, page 43

Hymn 255     

Continue page 43, front of hymnal    

Hymn  324

All our guests are welcome to worship Jesus the Savior with us again.  Kindly sign our guest register.  Graciously receive the greetings & introductions of our church family.

July 16, 2023

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

 Telephone: 231-299-1022

July 16, 2023 - Pentecost 7 - Rest

Leading our service today is Pastor Dennis Himm

Prayer Before Worship - Lord, sometimes it feels really good to just lie down and take a nap.  Thank You for giving me the wonderful good feeling of being able to just lie down in Your arms to take a spiritual nap.  Resting on Your Words & Promises makes everything else in life a little easier.

Hymn 336(Gospel) 

Common Service, front of hymnal, page 15

Prayer: God of all power & might,/ You are the giver of all that is good.  Help us love You with all our heart.  Strengthen us in true faith.  Provide us with all we need.  Keep us safe in your care/  through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,/ who lives & reigns with  You & the Holy Spirit,/ one God, now & forever. (Sing) Amen. Old Testament 

Lesson:  Joshua 23:1-11

God gave His people rest. They were to maintain it by trusting, obeying, serving and holding fast to the LORD. 

1 After a long time had passed and the LORD had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then old and well advanced in years, 2 summoned all Israel—their elders, leaders, judges and officials—and said to them: “I am old and well advanced in years. 3 You 

yourselves have seen everything the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the LORD your God who fought for you. 4 Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Great Sea[a] in the west. 5 The LORD your God himself will drive them out of your way. He will push them out before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the LORD your God promised you.   6 “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. 7 Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. 8 But you are to hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have until now.  9 “The LORD has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. 10 One of you routs a thousand, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as he promised. 11 So be very careful to love the LORD your God. 

Psalm 145, front of hymnal, pg 119

The LORD's mercy toward us is the basis for our rest.

Epistle: Hebrews 4:1-11

The ultimate rest is waiting for us with the LORD in eternity. 

1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.] 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,    “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”   And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his work.”] 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”  6 It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. 7 Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

Verse: Happy are they who hear the Word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.  Alleluia. (Sing) Alleluia! x3 page 18

Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30

The wise & learned have no insight into the kingdom of Jesus.  Jesus calls to Himself those who are weary & burdened by their sin.  Jesus  is the rest which their souls need.

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.    27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.    28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

Hymn 256 (vs three talks about “burden” - reflects Gospel)

Sermon: Matthew 11:25-30    (Retired Pastor Himm) 

The Father Has Given All Power to the Son

  1.  A truth hidden to many

  2.  A truth enjoyed by us

(Sing)  Create in me…. page 20, front of hymnal

Thankoffering & Guest Register

The members of St. Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  However, we do ask that  guests sign the guest  register

Prayer of the church, front of hymnal, page 127

Special prayers

Lord’s Prayer, front of hymnal, page 20 

Hymn 372 

Continue, page 25

Hymn 329

All our guests are welcome to worship Jesus the Savior with us again.  Graciously receive the greetings & introductions of our church family. 

July 9, 2023

Leading us in worship Bible study today is Brian Schmidt.  He is one of two pastors serving Trinity, Caledonia WI. 

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

 Telephone: 231-299-1022

July 9, 2023 - Pentecost 6 – Loss and Strife

Prayer before worship: Lord, thank you for letting us lean on You for salvation and everything else.

Hymn  233

Morning Praise, front of hymnal page 45

Old Testament Lesson: Exodus 32:15-29

Moses insisted that the true God and His truth cannot be compromised.  This caused conflict and ultimately loss of life.   15 Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. 16 The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.  17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.”  18 Moses replied: “It is not the sound of victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear.”  19 When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. 20 And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.  21 He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”  22 “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. 23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ 24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”  25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.  27 Then he said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.” 

Psalm 89, front of hymnal, page 98

  The Lord is faithful in His love. 

Epistle: 1 John 2:15-17

While we live on this earth, there is an ongoing internal strife.  Do we focus on what we do and have or on the LORD?  

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 

Verse: “If anyone wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mark 8:34b)

Gospel: Matthew 10:34-42

This doesn’t sound good.  Following Jesus brings hostility.   We know, however, that our eternity is secure because of Jesus

34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— 36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’    37 “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.    40 “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.” 

Hymn  453 

Sermon  Text - Old Testament Lesson  Ex 32:15-29. 

Theme : "You have been set apart to the Lord today"

Hymn  422 (replacs Te Deum)

Thankoffering & Guest Register

The members of St. Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  However, we do ask that guests sign the guest register.  

Continue page 50, front of hymnal

Lord’s Prayer 

Prayer: O God, / You have prepared joys beyond understanding for those who love You.  Pour into our hearts such love for You/ that, loving You above all things,/ we may obtain Your promises,/ which exceed all that we can desire; through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, ,/ one God, now & forever.

Special Prayers

Continue page 50, front of hymnal

Hymn 331

All our guests are welcome to worship Jesus the Savior with us again Graciously receive the greetings & introductions of our church family. 

July 2, 2023

Leading our service today is Pastor Dennis Himm, recently retired from Gloria Dei, in Grand Blanc, MI and now residing in Manistee. Welcome Pastor Himm and wife Kay !

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

 Telephone: 231-299-1022

July 2, 2023 - Pentecost 5 - Persecution/Temptation

Prayer Before Worship - Lord, it’s nice to be part of Your family. Thanks for adopting me.  Sometimes other people try to make me miserable because I am Yours.  Help me remember being Yours is a wonderful blessing.

Hymn 472 (refers to sources of temptation/persecution)

Service of Word and Sacrament , front of hymnal, page 26

Prayer: Lord, our God,/ govern the nations on earth/ & direct the affairs of this world/ so that we may worship You in peace & joy; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,/ who lives & reigns with  You & the Holy Spirit,/ one God, now & forever.  (sing) Amen.

Old Testament Lesson: Jeremiah 20:7-13

Jeremiah proclaimed God’s judgment vs. sin. He wanted to quit preaching to avoid persecution, but he could not hold back.  He turned to the Lord for help, confidently committing his cause to the Lord who rescues from oppressors.

 7 O LORD, you deceived me, and I was deceived;    you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. 8 Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long.  9 But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. 10 I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side!   Report him! Let’s report him!”  All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.”  11 But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior;  so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten. 12 O LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.  13 Sing to the LORD! Give praise to the LORD! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked.

Hymn 419:1-3

Epistle: Romans 5:12-15

All of us descended from Adam die as Adam did because we inherited Adam’s sin.  Jesus the second Adam restored holiness and life to all.

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— 13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

Hymn 419: 4-6

Gospel: Matthew 10:24-33

We can expect the world to treat us no better than it treated our Master.  What a comfort to know that God gives loving attention to the smallest details of our lives.  Therefore, we are bold in proclaiming His Gospel.

24 “A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household! 26 “So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

Hymn 770  

Sermon: Gospel

Theme:  "Bold to Speak the Truth" (Retired Pastor Himm)

Nicene Creed, front of hymnal, page 31 

Thankoffering 

The members of St. Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  However, we do ask that everyone sign the guest register.  

Prayer of the church, pg 32

Special Prayers

Lord’s Prayer, page 32

Continue page 33

Distribution of Lord’s Supper to the members of St. Paul's & other  WELS or   ELS congregations who by their membership have indicated they are qualified to examine themselves (1 Cor 11:27-29) & to express oneness in faith (1 Cor 10:17). If you are a guest today & haven’t yet had the chance to express your agreement with us & would like to receive the Lord’s Supper together with us in the future, please speak with the worship leader after worship.  We would be delighted to help you come to appreciate a “close” relationship with your Lord, with us and with our congregation                       

Hymn 447 during distribution

(refers to sources of temptation/persecution)

Continue page 36                                 

Hymn 419, verse 7

All our guests are welcome to worship Jesus the Savior with us again. Kindly sign our friendship register.  Graciously receive the greetings & introductions of our church family

June 25, 2023

Leading us in worship and Bible study today is Brad Krause. He serves at Fox Valley Lutheran High School in Appleton, WI.

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

 Telephone: 231-299-1022

June 25, 2023 - Pentecost 4 Theme: The Father’s Love

Prayer Before Worship - Heavenly Father, thank You for freely giving me forgiveness, righteousness &  eternal life.  Help me to freely give those same gifts to the people in my life.

Hymn 576 ( Verses 1,5,6 = Gospel; verses 2 & 3 = Epistle) 

Service of Word, front of hymnal, page 38 

Prayer: O God,/ Protector of all the faithful,/ You alone make strong; You alone make holy.  Show us Your mercy/ & forgive our sins day by day.  Guide us through our earthly lives/ that we do not lose the things You have prepared for us in heaven;  through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,/ who lives & reigns with  You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. (Sing) Amen. 

Old Testament Lesson: Exodus 19:2-8

In love God rescued Israel from Egypt, carried them on eagles’ wings to Himself & set them apart for the purpose of bringing the Savior into the world.  God’s love motivates us to say: “We will do everything the Lord has said.” 

2 After they set out from Rephidim and came to the Wilderness of Sinai, they camped in the wilderness. Israel camped there in front of the mountain. 3 Moses went up to 

God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, “This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you will carefully listen to my voice and keep my covenant, then you will be my special treasure out of all the nations, although the entire earth is mine. 6 You will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.” 7 Moses went and summoned the elders of the people, and he set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 8 All the people answered together, “Everything that the Lord has said, we will do.” Moses brought back the people’s words to the Lord. 

Psalm 100, front of hymnal, page 104

In love God created us and called us to be His sheep.  So we praise Him.

Epistle: Romans 5:6-11

God in love reconciles to Himself the “powerless, ungodly, sinners, His enemies”(us).  He will also take us to enjoy eternity with Him.

6 For at the appointed time, while we were still helpless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 It is rare indeed that someone will die for a righteous person. Perhaps someone might actually go so far as to die for a person who has been good to him. 8 But God shows his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Therefore, since we have now been justified by his blood, it is even more certain that we will be saved from God’s wrath through him. 

10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God 

by the death of his Son, it is even more certain that, since we have been reconciled, we will be saved by his life. 11 And not only is this so, but we also go on rejoicing confidently in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received this reconciliation.

Verse: Alleluia!  May Your priests be clothed with righteousness; may Your saints sing for joy. Alleluia.  (Sing) Alleluia.....p 40 

Gospel: Matthew 9:35-10:8

Jesus out of love for the crowds told His disciples to pray for workers.     Then He sent them out as the workers. 

35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were troubled and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers into his harvest.”10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to himself and gave them authority to drive out unclean spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, “Do not go among the Gentiles, and do not enter any 

town of the Samaritans. 6 Go instead to the lost sheep of the 

house of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’ 8 Heal the sick. Raise the dead. Cleanse lepers. Drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

Hymn 578 (reflects the Gospel)

Sermon 

Apostles' Creed, front of hymnal, page 41

Thankoffering 

The members of St. Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  However, we do ask that  everyone sign the  guest register.  

Prayer of the Church, front of hymnal, page 42  

Special Prayers, Lord's Prayer

Hymn 573 (vs 1 reflects the Gospel)

Continue page 43 front of hymnal                 

Hymn 559 (Gospel)

June 18, 2023

Leading us in worship and Bible study today is Adam Zimpelmann. He is one of two pastors serving Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Fond du Lac, WI.

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

 Telephone: 231-299-1022

June 18, 2023- Pentecost 3 - God's Choice

Prayer Before Worship - Lord, thank You for showing me Your mercy by teaching me that I am a sinner and that You are my Savior.  Help me to show the same mercy to others by bringing them the Law and the Gospel 

Hymn 380 

Common Service, front of hymnal, page 15

Prayer: O God, the strength of all who trust in You,/ mercifully hear  our prayers.  Be gracious to us in our weakness/ & give us strength to keep Your commandments in all we say & do;/ through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,/ who lives & reigns with  You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. (Sing) Amen.

Old Testament Lesson: Exodus 3:1-15

The LORD chose Moses to play a pivotal role in carrying out God's plan to have the Savior come from Abraham's descendants.  

 Now Moses was shepherding the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, a priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 The Angel of the Lord appeared to him in blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire, but the bush was not burning up. 3 So he said, “I will go over and look at this amazing sight—to find out why the bush is not burning up.” 4 When the Lord saw that Moses had gone over to take a look, God called to him from the middle of the bush and said, “Moses! Moses!” Moses said, “I am here.” 5 The Lord said, “Do not come any closer. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He then said, “I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. 7 The Lord said, “I have certainly seen the misery of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cry for help because of their slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. 8 So I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 Now indeed, the Israelites’ cry for help has come to me. Yes, I have seen how the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 Come now, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 So he said, “I will certainly be with you. This will be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will serve God on this mountain.” 13 But Moses said to God, “If I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what should I say to them?” 14 So God replied to Moses, “I am who I am.”[b] He also said, “You will say this to the Israelites: I am has sent me to you.” 15 God also told Moses, “Say this to the Israelites: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered from generation to generation.’

Psalm 119c,  front of hymnal, page 111 

 Those who rejoice in the Lord’s salvation find His Word to be welcome refreshment.  It gives life, fellowship, insight, protection, & guidance.

Epistle: Romans 4:18-25

God chose Abraham as the one from whom the Savior would come. God's promise: Abram would have a son.  Done.  God’s promise: In Christ people are credited with righteousness.  Done.  God’s promise: Jesus will rise from the dead. Done.  Our message to others: God’s promises are as good as done for them too.

Hoping beyond what he could expect, (Abraham) he believed that he would become the father of many nations, just as he was told: “This is how many your descendants will be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith, even though he considered his own body as good as dead (because he was about one hundred years old), and even though he considered Sarah’s womb to be dead. 20 He did not waver in unbelief with respect to God’s promise, but he grew strong in faith, giving glory to God 21 and being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 Now the statement “it was credited to him” was not written for him alone, 24 but also for us to whom it would be credited, namely, to us who believe in the one who raised our Lord Jesus from the dead. 25 He was handed over to death because of our trespasses and was raised to life because of our justification.

Apostles' Creed, pg 19

Hymn 304

Sermon Gospel: Matthew 9:9-13

Jesus chose Matthew to follow Him

{9:9}  As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. {10} While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. {11} When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" {12} On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. {13} But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

(Sing) Create in me.... pg 20

Thankoffering The members of St. Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  However, we do ask that  everyone sign the guest register

Prayer of the church, front of hymnal, page 127          

Special Prayer, Lord's Prayer pg 20

Hymn 460

Continue  front of hymnal, page 25                 

Hymn 552:1, 18, 3

June 11, 2023

Leading us in worship and Bible study today is Joel Krieger. He is one of three pastors serving St Marcus Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, WI.

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

 Telephone: 231-299-1022

June 11, 2023 Pentecost 2 - Righteousness from God

Prayer Before Worship - Lord, I want to be right with You.  Please forgive me for my failures to achieve that on my own.  Thank You for declaring me to be right with You because of Jesus.  Thank You for leading me here today to have my relationship with You strengthened through Word & Sacrament.  Without that happening on a regular basis I know I would drift away from You and lose my status of being right with You.  

Hymn 382 (Gospel)

Morning Praise, front of hymnal page 45

Hymn 334 replaces the “Oh Come Let us Sing....pg 46

Old Testament Lesson: Deuteronomy 11:18 - 21, 26-28

God commands us to make His Word the guiding principle in our lives. It is the  best inheritance we can give to our children because it is essential for spiritual  well being.  We can avoid God’s anger & enjoy God’s blessings by keeping His commands.  Only in Jesus can we be viewed by God as people who keep His commands. 

18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. 26 See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse— 27 the blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today; 28 the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.

Psalm 78, front of hymnal, page 95 

God’s Word tells His commands & His salvation.

Epistle: Romans 3:21-25, 27, 28

All break God’s Law & are condemned. God provides righteousness, takes away sin because of Jesus, &declares s just.  We are free to live for Him & with Him.  We are freed from the need to boast.

21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. 27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

Hymn 753

Gospel: Mark 10:27-37

 Humans could make themselves righteous before God if we could keep God's commandments.  Problem:  We can't.  Solution: God can declare us to be righteous before Him by applying the righteousness which Jesus lived as our Substitute. With God this is possible. 

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Hymn  416   

Sermon: Gospel 

Hymn  386  (replaces pgs 48-49)

Thankoffering 

The members of St. Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  

Continue pg 50:  Lord, have mercy.....Lord's Prayer

Prayer of the day: O God,/ You rule over all things in wisdom & kindness.  Take    away everything that may be harmful/ & give us whatever is good; through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,/ who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever.  

Special prayers

Prayer of Thanksgiving: 65 years of marriage

Pastor Phil and Sue Kuckhahn

Congregational song:

1 O perfect Love, all human thought transcending,
lowly we kneel in prayer before thy throne,
that theirs may be the love which knows no ending,
whom thou in sacred vow dost join in one. 

2 O perfect Life, be thou their full assurance
of tender charity and steadfast faith,
of patient hope and quiet, brave endurance,
with childlike trust that fears no pain or death. 

3 Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow;
grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife;
grant them the vision of the glorious morrow
that will reveal eternal love and life. 

Continue Prayer for grace, page 50 bottom and page 51

Hymn 319

All our guests are welcome to worship Jesus the Savior with us again Kindly sign our guest register.  Graciously receive the greetings & introductions of our church family. 

June 4, 2023

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

Telephone: 231-299-1022

June 4, 2023 – Trinity Sunday 

Prayer Before Worship – Please read Hymn 192

Hymn 191

Service of Word and Sacrament, front of hymnal, page 26

Prayer: Almighty God & Father,/ dwelling in majesty & mystery,/ filling & renewing all creation by Your eternal Spirit,/ & manifesting Your saving grace through our Lord Jesus Christ:/ in mercy cleanse our hearts & lips/ that, free from doubt & fear,/ we may ever worship 

You,/ one true immortal God, with Your Son & the Holy Spirit,/ living & reigning, now & forever. (sing) Amen.

Old Testament Lesson: Genesis 1:1 - 2:3 

The Triune God says: “Let us make man in our image.”  The Father,                 the Word (John 1:3) and the Spirit act to accomplish the creation.

      1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.  3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good,and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.  6 And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” 7 So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.  9 And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.  14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.  20 And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.  24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”  27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”  29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. 1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.  2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Hymn 724

Epistle: 2 Corinthians 13:11-14

Fellowship with others is only possible because of fellowship with our gracious, loving Triune God.  

  11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.  12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All God’s people here send their greetings.  14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 

Psalm 150, front of hymnal, page 122

We praise our Triune God for creating and saving us

Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20

Jesus gives His command to us about bringing the Holy Trinity into the lives of people.

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Hymn 194

Sermon Text: Epistle: 2 Corinthians 13:11-14

Sermon Theme: Our Triune God Who Gives Us Gifts

               1.  Grace   2.  Love   3.  Fellowship

Athanasian Creed, front of hymnal, page 132

Thankoffering The members of St. Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.

Prayer of the church, page 32

Continue page 33

Distribution of Lord’s Supper to the members of St. Paul's & other  WELS or   ELS congregations who by their membership have indicated they are qualified to examine themselves (1 Cor 11:27-29) & to express oneness in faith ( 1 Cor 10:17). If you are a guest today & haven’t yet had the chance to express your agreement with us & would like to receive the Lord’s Supper together with us in the future, please speak with te worship leader after worship.  We would be delighted to help you come to appreciate a “close” relationship with your Lord, with us and with our congregation.  

Hymn 195 during distribution

Continue on page 36, front of hymnal

Hymn 193

May 28, 2023

Leading our worship and Bible study today is Joel Pankow.  He is one of two pastors serving at Trinity, Bay City MI.   Welcome TO MANISTEE Pastor Pankow and family !

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

Telephone: 231-299-1022

Pentecost – Festival of the Holy Spirit

May 28, 2023 

Prayer Before Worship - Please read Hymn 177

Hymn 183            

Service of the Word, front of hymnal page 38

Prayer Hymn 184

Old Testament Lesson: Joel 2:28,29

Joel foretells the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which will show itself in  visions & dreams, but especially in the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus.

28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

Hymn 747 

Epistle: Acts 2:1-21

The outpouring of the promised Holy Spirit.

1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of

fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, God says,  I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Hymn 190

Gospel: John 16:5-11

Jesus promises the Holy Spirit who will give consolation and empowerment. He will also judge unbelief which rejects the Son. 

But now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

Hymn 176

Sermon 

Confession of Faith

         Explanation of the 3rd article of the Apostles’ Creed

               (from Luther’s Small Catechism)

I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing/ believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him.  But the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel,/ enlightened me with His gifts/ sanctified & kept me in the true faith.  In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens & sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth,/ & keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.  In this Christian church He daily & fully forgives all sins to me & all believers.  On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead.  And He will give eternal life to me & all believers in Christ.  This is most certainly true.   

Thankoffering 

The members of St. Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  

Prayer of church, pg 42

Special Prayers

Lord’s Prayer

Hymn 181 

Continue page 43

Hymn 185

All our guests are welcome to worship Jesus the Savior with us again.   Graciously receive the greetings & introductions of our church family. 

May 21, 2023

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

Telephone: 231-299-1022

May 21, 2023 Easter 7 - The Lord’s Care Sustains

Prayer Before Worship:   Lord, I get sad when I think You are not here any longer as You were once for 33 years.  Help me to get over that by talking to You & by listening to You talk to me through the Bible.

Hymn 558

Common Service , front of hymnal page 15

Prayer: Almighty God,/ Your Son our Savior was taken up in glory/ &   intercedes for us at Your right hand.  Through Your living & abiding Word,/ give us hearts to know Him/ & faith to follow where He has gone; who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever.      (Sing) Amen.

Old Testament Lesson: 1 Samuel 1:21-28

The Lord’s presence sustained Hannah while she was childless.   She responded to the LORD’s blessing by dedicating Samuel to the LORD.  

 21 When the man Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow, 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the LORD, and he will live there always.”  23 “Do what seems best to you,” Elkanah her husband told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the LORD make good his word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.  24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. 25 When they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. 27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there. 

Psalm 8, front of hymnal, page 67 

       We praise the Lord’s majesty and His grace to us.  

Epistle - I Peter 4:12-17, 5:6-11

We who are connected with Christ and His resurrection through Baptism look on our sufferings with eyes of faith, and trust in the eternal goodness of God.  That sustains is in difficult times. 

 12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 5: 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.  10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. 

Verse: Alleluia! Alleluia!  Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia.  I will not leave your as orphans; I will come to you.  Alleluia. (Sing) Alleluia!.....pg 18 front of hymnal

Gospel: John 17:1-11  

Jesus prepared His disciples and us for His ascension with words like these.  Because of Him, God the Son, we are members of the same family of which He is a member.  This knowledge sustains us.        

1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:  “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. 6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one.

Apostles' Creed, pg 19

Hymn 174

Sermon Text: 1Pet 5:6-11

Sermon Theme: NOW THAT JESUS ISN’T HERE

            1  Resist the Devil

            2  Cast Your Anxiety on the Lord

            3 Trust God’s Promises

Prayer: LORD JESUS, help me resist the devil, cast my anxiety on You, and trust in Your promises.

(Sing) Create in me......pg 20

Thankoffering The members of St. Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  

Prayer of the church, front of hymnal, page 126 

Special Prayers

Lord’s Prayer, page 20

 Hymn 172

Continue page 25, front of hymnal

Hymn  359

May 14, 2023

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

 Telephone: 231-299-1022

May 14,  2023  Easter 6 - Giving Answers

Prayer Before Worship - Lord Jesus, thank You for giving me answers, especially about my life with You now & forever.  Help me to take my responsibility seriously to give answers to people who ask me questions about You.

Hymn 146    

Morning Praise, front of hymnal, page 45

Lesson: Acts 17:22-31

Paul shows that giving answers may take on creative, thought provoking forms.  He informs the Greeks about a God, unknown to them who made the world & calls all to repentance & faith in the One whom He raised from the dead. 

 22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.   24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” 

Hymn 751:3

Epistle: 1 Peter 3:15-22                                                                            Peter encourages us to be ready to confess the hope we have in Christ Jesus even amidst hardship & persecution. In doing so we show we have  been connected to Christ & His resurrection.                                          

  15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which also, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Hymn 148

Sermon Text: Gospel: John 14:15-21

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to His us.  He also promised not to leave us alone & to return to us.  He encourages us to lovingly obey His commands.

15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

Sermon Theme:  Why do we obey Jesus’ commands

                          1. We realize who Jesus is     

(John 10:30) “I and the Father are one,”

 the crowds (31) “picked up stones to stone him........(33) for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”  

 (John 6:66) many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.”  

(John 14:5) “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

“I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, is my LORD.”   

                           2. We get help from the Holy Spirit  

“not despise preaching and His Word but regard it as holy and gladly hear and learn it”

“Use My Word.”

                            3. We love Jesus

"Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality.” (Eph 5:3)

Prayer: LORD JESUS, thank You for Your promise:/ “You will do what I command.”  Through Your Word please keep reminding us who You are,/ and sending the Holy Spirit so we keep loving You and doing what You command.

Hymn 158

Thankoffering & Guest Register

The members of St. Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  However, we do ask that everyone take sign the guest register

Continue page 50

Prayer: Father of lights, every good & perfect gift comes from You./  Inspire us to think those things that are true/ & long for those things that are good,/ that we may always make our petitions according to Your gracious will; through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,/ who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. 

Continue pg 50 bottom                                 Hymn 153 

May 7, 2023

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

 Telephone: 231-299-1022

May 7,  2023  Easter 5 -  Built on a Rock

Prayer Before Worship: Lord, thank You for being the Way, the Truth, the Life and the Living Stone for me.  

Hymn 585 

Word and Sacrament, front of hymnal page 26

Prayer: O God,/ You form the minds of Your faithful people into a single will.  Make us love what You command/ & desire what You promise,/ that among the many changes of this world,/ our hearts may ever yearn for the lasting joys of heaven; through Your Son,  Jesus Christ our Lord,/ who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit,/ one God, now & forever.  (sing)Amen.

Lesson: Acts 17:1-12

In Thessalonica some received the Word with joy, others with anger.  The Bereans compared Paul’s message with the Word.  In doing so they found Christ to be the Rock on which to build their faith.  

When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women. 5 But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. 10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

Hymn 247:5

Gospel: John 14:1-12                                                                          

Knowing and trusting Jesus, we have every spiritual blessing and have seen the Father. 

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”  5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”  6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”  9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Hymn 379

Sermon Text: Epistle: 1 Peter 2:4-10

Christ, the Living Stone,” builds up His people like living stones into a spiritual house.  In mercy He makes us into a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,” that we may declare His praises now & forever.

  4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:    “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,  “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, 8 and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.  9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 

Theme: We are priests

               1  We are a spiritual house built on a rock

Prayer: Lord, thank You for loving me so much,/ even though I don’t deserve it,/ that I haven’t stumbled and fallen over You,/ but You have made me a stone in Your spiritual house,/ built on a Rock.  

               2   We offer spiritual sacrifices     

Nicene Creed, page 31

Thankoffering & Guest Register

The members of St Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  However, we do ask that our guests sign our guest register.  

Prayer of the church, front of hymnal, page 32 

Special Prayers; Lord’s Prayer, page 32; Continue  pg 33

Distribution of Lord’s Supper to the members of  St Paul's & other  WELS or   ELS congregations who by their membership have indicated they are qualified to examine themselves (1 Cor 11:27-29) & to express oneness in faith ( 1 Cor 10:17). If you are a guest today & haven’t yet had the chance to express your agreement with us & would like to receive the Lord’s Supper together with us in the future, please speak with the usher.  We would be delighted to help you come to appreciate a “close” relationship with your Lord,  with us and with our congregation.

Hymn 432 during distribution

Continue page 36                                  Hymn 333

April 30, 2023

St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th St, Manistee, MI 49660-2901

website: stpaulsmanistee.com

facebook.com/SPLCManistee

 Telephone: 231-299-1022

April 30, 2023 Easter 4 –  Good Shepherd Sunday

Prayer Before Worship -  Lord, thank You for making me Your sheep, nurturing me, nourishing me and guiding me.

Hymn 374            

Service of Word, front of hymnal page 38

Prayer: O Lord Jesus Christ,/ You are the Good Shepherd who laid down Your life for the sheep.  Lead us now to the still waters of Your life-giving Word/ that we may abide in Your Father’s house        forevermore; for you live & reign with Him & the Holy Spirit, one  God, now & forever.  (Sing) Amen.  

 Old Testament Lesson: 1 Samuel 17:34-37

David describes what a shepherd is supposed to do   

 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”  Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you. 

Psalm 23, front of hymnal, page 72 

Gospel: John 10:1-10                                                                           Jesus is recognized by the sheep, and leads us to pasture

1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Hymn 442

Sermon Text: 1 Peter 2:19-25

19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

 Theme: The Way of the Good Shepherd is for you

1. For your salvation

Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”  

2. For our Imitation

Prayer:.  LORD JESUS, please keep me walking on the way of the Good Shepherd.

Apostles’ Creed, front of hymnal, page 41

Thankoffering 

The members of St. Paul's have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this area & around the world.  Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our church’s ministry.  

Prayer of the church, front of hymnal, page 42 

Special Prayers

Lord’s Prayer, page 43

Hymn 432 

Continue page 43

Hymn 436

All our guests are welcome to worship Jesus the Savior with us again Kindly sign our friendship register.  Graciously receive the greetings & introductions of our church family.