Order of Worship: Sunday, July 12, 9:30 a.m.

THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

 

The color green, used for the vestments and paraments in the season after Pentecost, represents growth and life in the Holy Spirit.

 

OLD TESTAMENT: This reading is set in the time before the Babylonian exiles have returned to the land of Judah. It is written to encourage the people to set forth from Babylon to Judah and Jerusalem. In a world full of uncertainty, the prophet Isaiah speaks with the voice of God, promising that the words of God are not spoken in vain. Instead, the words of God bring forth a harvest, not a bitter harvest, but a harvest of righteousness. Those who hear and obey God’s Word shall be blessed with the fruits of peace and joy. The land itself will be made fruitful as well.

 

NEW TESTAMENT: In this complex argument, Paul states that through sending Christ in the flesh, God has condemned sin in the flesh, while giving the Spirit to those who believe in Christ and set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To Paul, there is a difference between those who, while still afflicted by sin in the flesh, are striving with their true selves to act as God’s children, and those who simply abandon themselves to sinful ways. Daily sorrow for the sin in their lives and repentance are the marks of the baptized Christian. To those who confess their sins, God grants forgiveness and strength.

 

GOSPEL: The first parable in Matthew is a ‘parable about the parables.’ Jesus ‘broadcasts’ the parables in the true way – telling them to everyone. Those who ‘have ears,’ who are tuned in to his message, can understand them, but those who are ‘tuned out’ do not understand. But what if we cannot understand, though we would like to? Are we then shut out? No, then we are in the position of the disciples, who ask Jesus to explain what they mean. We come closer to Jesus and we ask for the meaning to be opened to us as we study the Scriptures and how they have been interpreted through the many years of the Church.

Preparation for Worship

Upon reaching your place, you may wish to read Psalm 84 in silence:

 

¹ How dear to me is your dwelling, O | Lord of hosts!*

               My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the Lord;

               my heart and my flesh rejoice in the | living God.

² The sparrow has found her a house

and the swallow a nest where she may | lay her young,*

               by the side of your altars, O Lord of hosts,

my King | and my God.

³ Happy are they who dwell | in your house!*

               They will always be | praising you.

⁴ Happy are the people whose strength | is in you,*

               whose hearts are set on the | pilgrims' way.

⁵ Those who go through the desolate valley

will find it a | place of springs,*

               for the early rains have covered it with | pools of water.

⁶ They will climb from | height to height,*

               and the God of gods will reveal him- | self in Zion.

⁷ Lord God of hosts, | hear my prayer;*

               hearken, O | God of Jacob.

⁸ Behold our defend- | er, O God;*

               and look upon the face of | your anointed.

⁹ For one day in your courts

is better than a thousand in | my own room,*

               and to stand at the threshold of the house of my God

               than to dwell in the tents | of the wicked.

¹⁰ For the Lord God is both | sun and shield;*

               he will give | grace and glory;

¹¹ no good thing will the | Lord withhold*

               from those who walk | with integrity.

¹² O | Lord of hosts,*

               happy are they who put their | trust in you!

 

You may pray the following prayers:

 

Holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God: hear our prayer and send your holy angel from heaven to guard, protect, visit, and defend all those who assemble together in this house; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Most gracious God, incline your merciful ears to our prayers and enlighten our hearts by the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may approach your Holy Mysteries with believing hearts and love you with an everlasting love.

 

OPENING MUSIC                       Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty – Paul Manz

                   

Please meditate on the text of the hymn as it is played:

 

1      Open now thy gates of beauty,

        Zion, let me enter there,

        where my soul in joyful duty

        waits for God who answers prayer.

        Oh, how blessed is this place,

        filled with solace, light, and grace!

 

2     Gracious God, I come before thee;

        come thou also unto me;

        where we find thee and adore thee,

        there a heav'n on earth must be.

        To my heart, oh, enter thou,

        let it be thy temple now!

 

3      Here thy praise is gladly chanted,

        here thy seed is duly sown;

        let my soul, where it is planted,

        bring forth precious sheaves alone,

        so that all I hear may be

        fruitful unto life in me.

 

4     Thou my faith increase and quicken,

        let me keep thy gift divine;

        howsoe'er temptations thicken,

        may thy word still o'er me shine

        as my guiding star through life,

        as my comfort in all strife.

 

5     Speak, O God, and I will hear thee,

        let thy will be done indeed;

        may I undisturbed draw near thee

        while thou dost thy people feed.

        Here of life the fountain flows;

        here is balm for all our woes.

 

Text: Benjamin Schmolck, 1672-1737; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827-1878, alt.

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

BRIEF ORDER FOR CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

 

Stand

The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

 

In the name of the Father, and of the X Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen

 

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

 

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(1 John 1:8-9)

Silence for reflection and self-examination.

 

Most merciful God,

we confess that we are in bondage to sin

and cannot free ourselves.

We have sinned against you

in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done

and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart;

we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.

Forgive us, renew us, and lead us,

so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways,

to the glory of your holy name. Amen

 

Almighty God, in his mercy, has given his Son to die for us and, for his sake, forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the X Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen

 

THE HOLY COMMUNION

 

APOSTOLIC GREETING

 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,

and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

  And also with you.

(2 Corinthians 13:13)

KYRIE ELEISON

 

In peace, let us pray to the Lord.                                             Lord, have mercy.

For the peace from above,

and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.                      Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the whole world,

for the well-being of the Church of God,

and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.                   Lord, have mercy.

 

For this holy house,

and for all who offer here their worship and praise,

let us pray to the Lord.                                                              Lord, have mercy.

Help, save, comfort and defend us, gracious Lord.                      Amen

 

HYMN OF PRAISE

 

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.         

(Luke 2:14)

Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father:

               We worship you, we give you thanks,

we praise you for your glory.

               Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,

Lord God, Lamb of God:

               You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.

               You are seated at the right hand of the Father;

receive our prayer.

               For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,

               you alone are the Most High,

               Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father. Amen

 

 

 

 

PRAYER OF THE DAY

 

The Lord be with you.

  And also with you.

 

God of the heavens, God of the earth,

all creation awaits your gift of new life.  

  Prepare our hearts to receive the word of your Son,

  that his gospel may grow within us

  and yield a harvest that is a hundredfold.

We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

  Amen

CALL TO THE WORD

God’s Word shall accomplish that which he purposes,

and succeed in the thing for which he sent it.

  Let us hear the Word of the Lord.                                          Isaiah 55:11                                                      

Sit

First READING                                                              Isaiah 55:10-13

 

¹⁰For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
  and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
 making it bring forth and sprout,
  giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
 ¹¹so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
  it shall not return to me empty,
 but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
  and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
 ¹²For you shall go out in joy,
  and be led back in peace;
 the mountains and the hills before you
  shall burst into song,
  and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

 ¹³Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
  instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
 and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial,
  for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

 

The Word of the Lord.                                                          Thanks be to God.

HYMN                                                             Almighty God, Your Word is Cast

 

The hymn-tune is played once.

Then each stanza is read responsively, with a musical interlude between each stanza.

 

1              Almighty God, your word is cast

               like seed into the ground;

                 now let the dew of heaven descend

                 and righteous fruits abound.

 

2             Let not the sly satanic foe

               this holy seed remove,

                 but give it root in every heart

                 to bring forth fruits of love.

 

3             Let not the world’s deceitful cares

               the rising plant destroy,

                 but let it yield a hundredfold

                 the fruits of peace and joy.

 

4             So when the precious seed is sown,

               your quickening grace bestow,

                 that all whose souls the truth receive

                 its saving power may know.

 

Text: John Cawood, 1775-1852, alt.

 

SECOND READING                                                         Romans 8:1-11

              

¹There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ²For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. ³For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ⁶To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, ⁸and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
  ⁹But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. ¹⁰But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

 

The Word of the Lord.                                               

  Thanks be to God.

 

Stand 

VERSE                 

Alleluia. The word is very near you;

  it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. Alleluia.

                                                      Deuteronomy 30:14

 

Gospel                                                                 Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

 

The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew.

  Glory to you, O Lord.

 

¹That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. ²Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. ³And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. ⁴And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. ⁵Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. ⁶But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. ⁷Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. ⁸Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ⁹Let anyone with ears listen!”
  ¹⁸“Hear then the parable of the sower. ¹⁹When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. ²⁰As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.

²²As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. ²³But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

 

The Gospel of the Lord.

  Praise to you, O Christ.

 

Sit

SERMON                                        

 

HYMN OF THE DAY                                     Your Word, O Lord, Is Gentle Dew

 

Please meditate on the text of the hymn as it is played.

 

1              Your word, O Lord, is gentle dew

               to suff’ring hearts that want it;

               oh, shed your heav’nly balm anew,

               to all your garden grant it;

               refreshed by you, may ev’ry tree

               bud forth and blossom gaily

               and fruit and seed bring daily.

 

2             Your word is like a flaming sword,

               a sharp and mighty arrow,

               a wedge that cleaves the rock; that word

               can pierce through heart and marrow.

               Oh, send it forth o’er all the earth,

               to purge unrighteous leaven

               and cleanse all hearts for heaven.

 

3             Your word, a wondrous star, supplies

               true guidance when we need it;

               it points to Christ and so makes wise

               all simple hearts that heed it;

               let not its light e’er sink in night,

               but keep it brightly burning,

               and fill our deepest yearning.

 

Text: Carl B. Garve, 1763-1841; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878, alt.

Stand

CONFESSION OF FAITH

The pastor and people confess the faith of the Church in the words of the Apostles’ Creed.

 

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

               creator of heaven and earth.

 

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

               He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit

                              and born of the virgin Mary.

               He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

                              was crucified, died, and was buried.

               He descended into hell.

               On the third day he rose again.

               He ascended into heaven,

                              and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

               He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

 

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

               the holy catholic Church,

               the communion of saints,

               the forgiveness of sins,

               the resurrection of the body,

               and the life everlasting. Amen

 

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH

 

Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.

 

A brief silence is kept.

                   

Father in heaven, sow your Word in your Church, and remove every hindrance to its growth, so that those who hear the Word may bear fruit for the kingdom. Lord, in your mercy,

  hear our prayer.

 

Set the minds of our faith family on the Spirit, that we may know life and peace. Lord, in your mercy, 

  hear our prayer.

 

Give your grace to our bishop, Dan, and all pastors in Christ, that they may sow the Word of your blessing. Lord, in your mercy,

  hear our prayer.

 

Give bread and all things needful for life to the people of the world, that with the needs of their bodies satisfied, they may seek you in peace and freedom. Lord, in your mercy,

  hear our prayer.

 

Grant wisdom to those who hold office, strength to the members of our armed forces, and order and peace to the world, for the sake of those who are oppressed in body, mind, and spirit. Lord, in your mercy,

  hear our prayer.

 

Give courage and faith to all those who suffer for the sake of conscience, especially those in whom the Spirit dwells and bears witness to Christ, that their example may yield a hundredfold; Lord, in your mercy,

  hear our prayer.

 

Give us discernment, endurance and peace in this time of pandemic and strife, that in faith in you and love toward others we may be witnesses of your power to save and heal. Lord, in your mercy,

  hear our prayer.

 

Come to the aid of those who are sick, those who live alone, those whose livelihood is threatened, those whose days are filled with anxiety and fear, and those whom we name before you . . .

 

The people may offer silent or spoken intercessions and thanksgivings.

 

Lord, in your mercy,

  hear our prayer.

 

In thanksgiving for those who have heard the Word and brought forth the fruit of the Spirit, that with them we may be gathered and enjoy the harvest of righteousness; Lord, in your mercy,

  hear our prayer.

 

Into your hands, Father, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your steadfast love; for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

  Amen

 

 

PEACE

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

  And also with you.

 

The people exchange a sign of peace with the simple words, Peace be with you.

 

Sit

The Lord’s Table is prepared.

 

Stand

PRAYER OF PREPARATION

 

Lord, come to us and cleanse us,

come to us and heal us,

come to us and strengthen us,

  and grant that, having received you,

  we may never be separated from you,

  but continue yours forever.

 

GREAT THANKSGIVING

The Great Thanksgiving begins with the Preface, leading into the Sanctus:

 

The Lord be with you.                                 

  And also with you.                      

Lift up your hearts.                                      

  We lift them to the Lord.                        

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.                                             

  It is right to give him thanks and praise.

 

  It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and all places

offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, through Christ our Lord.

 By sending him in the likeness of our sinful flesh you condemned sin; and by raising him from the dead, you promised that our mortal bodies will be given life through the Spirit who dwells in us.

  And so with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

 

Holy, holy, holy LORD, God of power and might!

Heaven and earth are full of your glory;

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!

Hosanna in the highest!                                  (Isaiah 6:3, Matthew 21:9)

 

The pastor leads the people in praying the Eucharistic canon:

 

 You are indeed holy, almighty and merciful God;

you are most holy, and great is the majesty of your glory.

You so loved the world that you gave your only Son,

that whoever believes in him

may not perish but have eternal life.

Having come into the world, he fulfilled for us your holy will

               and accomplished our salvation.           

 

In the night in which he was betrayed,

               our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;

               broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:

               Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.

Do this for the remembrance of me.

 

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,

               and gave it for all to drink, saying:

               This cup is the new covenant in my blood,

               shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.

Do this for the remembrance of me.

 

Remembering, therefore, his salutary command,

               his life-giving Passion and death,

               his glorious resurrection and ascension,

and his promise to come again,

               we give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,

               not as we ought, but as we are able;

and we implore you mercifully

to accept our praise and thanksgiving,

and, with your Word and Holy Spirit,

to bless us, your servants,

and these your own gifts of bread and wine;

that we and all who share

in the body and blood of your Son

may be filled with heavenly peace and joy,

and, receiving the forgiveness of sin,

may be sanctified in soul and body,

and have our portion with all your saints.

 

All honor and glory are yours, O God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

               in your holy Church, now and forever.  Amen

 

In the presence of Christ, we pray to his Father using the words he gave us.

 

Christ is in our midst.

               By the power of the Spirit,

               we pray to his Father, saying:

 

 

Our Father, who art in heaven,

               hallowed be thy name,

               thy kingdom come,

               thy will be done,

                              on earth as it is in heaven.

               Give us this day our daily bread;

               and forgive us our trespasses,

                              as we forgive those who trespass against us;

               and lead us not into temptation,

                              but deliver us from evil.

               For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,

                              forever and ever. Amen                            (Matthew 6:9-15)

 

We adore Christ with the words of the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God).

 

Those whom you choose will be satisfied by the beauty of your house,

by the holiness of your temple.                            

  Thanks be to God.                                                                           Psalm 65:4

 

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;

  have mercy on us.                                                      

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;             

  have mercy on us.                                       

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;             

  Grant us peace.

(John 1:29, see also Luke 17:13)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DISTRIBUTION

 

Admission to the Sacrament is by invitation of the Lord, presented through the Church to those who are baptized.

 

They may receive the Lord’s Body and Blood who are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, who commune in their home churches, and who believe that Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, is truly present in, with, and under the forms of bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.

 

The communicants will be invited forward one family unit at a time. Please do not come forward until the pastor directs you to come forward, and please do not remove your mask until you have reached the table with the elements on it.

 

 When the pastor says ‘The body of Christ, given for you,’ eat the bread. When the pastor says, ‘The blood of Christ, shed for you,’ drink the wine.  Please take the plate and the glass(es) and place them on the table that is indicated. Please put your mask on before returning to your seat.

 

Please meditate on the text of the hymn as it is played.

Thee We Adore, O Hidden Savior

 

1              Thee we adore, O hidden Savior, thee,

               who in thy sacrament art pleased to be;

               both flesh and spirit in thy presence fail,

               yet here thy presence we devoutly hail.

 

2             O blest memorial of our dying Lord,

               who living bread to us shall here afford:

               oh, may our souls forever feed on thee,

               and thou, O Christ, forever precious be.

 

3             Fountain of goodness, Jesus, Lord and God:

               cleanse us, unclean, with thy most cleansing blood;

               increase our faith and love, that we may know

               the hope and peace which from thy presence flow.

 

4             O Christ, whom now beneath a veil we see:

               may what we thirst for soon our portion be,

               to gaze on thee unveiled, and see thy face,

               the vision of thy glory, and thy grace. Amen

 

Text: Thomas Aquinas, 1227-1274; tr. James R. Woodford, 1820-1885

When all have received, the congregation stands at the direction of the pastor.

 

The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.   

  Amen

 

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;

your word has been fulfilled.

My own eyes have seen the salvation

which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

A light to reveal you to the nations

and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. Amen                                       Song of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32)

 

O Christ, Lamb of God pure and holy,

O Wisdom, Word, and Power of God,

  Grant that we may more perfectly partake of you

  in the days which know no ending in your kingdom;

for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

  Amen

 

Sit

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE FAITH FAMILY

 

Stand

CLOSING PRAYER and BENEDICTION

 

O Lord, you have called us to be your witnesses.

Cleanse us from all unbelief and sloth

and fill us with hope and zeal,

  that we may do your work, and bear your cross,

  and bide your time, and see your glory.

 

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look upon you with favor and X give you peace.

  Amen                

 

DISMISSAL

Go in peace. Serve the Lord.

  Thanks be to God!

 

CLOSING MUSIC                                       Sent Forth By God’s Blessing

 

1                  Sent forth by God’s blessing, our true faith confessing,

the people of God from his dwelling take leave.

The Supper is ended; Oh, now be extended

the fruits of this service in all who believe.

The seed of his teaching, receptive souls reaching,

shall blossom in action for God and for all.

His grace did invite us, his love shall unite us

to work for God’s kingdom and answer his call.

 

2                 With praise and thanksgiving to God ever living

the tasks of our everyday life we will face.

Our faith ever sharing, in love ever-caring,

Embracing his children of each tribe and race.

With your feast you feed us, with your light now lead us,

Unite us as one in this life that we share.

Then may all the living, with praise and thanksgiving

give honor to Christ and his name that we bear.

 

Text: Omar Westendorf, b. 1916, alt.

 

Please maintain social distance and remain masked while exiting the building. Please sanitize your hands before leaving the building.

 

 

OUR STEWARDSHIP of GOD’S GIFTS

                                             

Last Weekend’s Attendance:     7  + 14 = 21

                                                                   

Offering: 7/5/2020

               Towards Budget:                                $           3,554.00

Itemized Non Budget:

                    Water Mission:                          $       20.00

                    Flowers:                                       $        20.00

                 

                                             Total:                         $             3,594.00

 

The Altar Flowers are given to the Glory of God by Divya Bejjam in honor of Aryan’s birthday.

 

V IN YOUR PRAYERS 

Linda Armento, at home

Ruth Duessel, at Concordia, Rebecca

Pastor Carl Hendrickson, at home

Elsie Kemmler and Bill Roth at Concordia, South Hills

David Noel, at Kane Rehab, Scott Township

Geneva Schrag, at Consulate Health Care, Canonsburg

William Wetzel at Concordia, Cabot

 

A FEW REMINDERS AS WE RESUME PUBLIC WORSHIP SERVICES:

·        If you wish to attend worship, you will need to pre-register every week by either calling the office or sending an email.

·        Registration ends Saturday at 12 noon.

·        Masks are required to be worn while in the building.

·        Upon entering and leaving the church, you must sanitize your hands or wash them with soap and water.

·        Everyone must sign in when entering the church. This way we can keep track of who was in the church and when.

 

WORSHIP SERVICES will be held every Saturday evening at 6:30 PM and Sunday morning at 9:30 AM. Pastor Frontz will also livestream Compline (Prayer at the Close of the Day) on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. and Vespers (Evening Prayer) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. These can be accessed on the church’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ststephenpittsburgh).

 

KINDLY REMEMBER TO PAY FOR THE FLOWERS you ordered for the weekend Altar and for the special occasions.  Altar flowers are $20/vase. Checks can be made out to St. Stephen Lutheran Church with a notation “flowers” and placed in the offering plate

 

DAILY DEVOTIONS, including THE WORD IN SEASON, PORTALS OF PRAYER AND CHRIST IN OUR HOME (July, August, and September 2020) are available on the table in the Narthex. Take one or more to share with family and friends. If you are able, a donation would be welcomed to help defray the cost to the congregation for these resources. Thank you!

 

2020 ‘DAILY TEXTS’ are available in the Narthex. A donation of

$10 per book would be appreciated to help cover the cost of the books. Thank you.

 

PLEASE ALERT Pastor Frontz anytime you are hospitalized by calling him on his cell: (570) 447-8758.  Hospitals DO NOT contact the church.

 

THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE NALC NEWSLETTER is available in the Narthex.

 

ST STEPHEN COUNSELING CENTER  A site of Pittsburgh Pastoral Institute/PPI)  For marriage, family, teen and individual counseling – for first appointment call PPI at 412-661-1239. St. Stephen Center is

412-279-5452. Counseling opens doors to hope. Counselor: Caroline Graham-McGuire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.

Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #20540.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

Tissot, James Jacques Joseph, 1836-1902. Sower, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=55004 [retrieved July 6, 2020]. Original source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brooklyn_Museum_-_The_Sower_(Le_semeur)_-_James_Tissot_-_overall.jpg.