PRESERVICE MUSIC
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
P: Blessed be the holy Trinity,☩ one God, whose steadfast love endures forever.
C: Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence is kept for reflection.
P: Merciful God,
C: we confess that we have not followed your path but have chosen our own way. Instead of putting others before ourselves, we long to take the best seats at the table. When met by those in need, we have too often passed by on the other side. Set us again on the path of life.
Save us from ourselves and free us to love our neighbors. Amen.
P: Hear the good news! God does not deal with us according to our sins
but delights in granting pardon and mercy. In the name of ☩ Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. You are free to love as God loves.
C: Amen.
GATHERING HYMN: 812 Faith of Our Fathers
GREETING
P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C: And also with you.
PRAYER OF THE DAY (Read in unison)
O God, judge eternal, you love justice and hate oppression, and you call us to share your zeal for truth. Give us courage to take our stand with all victims of bloodshed and greed, and, following your servants and prophets, to look to the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
READINGS
Jeremiah 23:23-29
23Am I a God near by, says the Lord, and not a God far off? 24Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord. 25I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, “I have dreamed, I have dreamed!” 26How long? Will the hearts of the prophets ever turn back—those who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart? 27They plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, just as their ancestors forgot my name for Baal. 28Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let the one who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? says the Lord. 29Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?
Psalm 82
1God stands to charge the divine council assembled, giving judgment in the midst of the gods: 2“How long will you judge unjustly, and show favor to the wicked? 3Save the weak and the orphan; defend the humble and needy; 4rescue the weak and the poor; deliver them from the power of the wicked. 5They do not know, neither do they understand; they wander about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6Now I say to you, ‘You are gods, and all of you children of the Most High; 7nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.’ ” 8Arise, O God, and rule the earth, for you shall take all nations for your own.
Hebrews 11:29--12:2
29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. 31By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace. 32And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 36Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented—38of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. 39Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect. 12:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
Holy Gospel: Luke 12:49-56
P: The Holy Gospel according to Luke.
C: Glory to you O Lord.
[Jesus said:] 49“I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! 51Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” 54He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain’; and so it happens. 55And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. 56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”
P: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.
CHILDREN’S SERMON
SERMON
HYMN OF THE DAY: 789 Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us
STATEMENT OF FAITH: THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended to the dead; on the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come 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 life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
P: Merciful God,
C: receive our prayer.
PEACE
Please share a sign of peace with those around in whatever way you are most comfortable.
P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: And also with you.
OFFERING
We join Christians all over the world in worshipping God through our giving of financial resources. For members and friends, the mission and ministry of this congregation is completely dependent upon your generous giving. Our offering is a significant act of worship, and we now worship God through our giving. If you have brought your offering with you today, please place it in the basket in the back as you leave. You may send your giving to the church office or give through the link on our website. Thank you for supporting our ministry.
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
P: The God of peace, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you, comfort you, and show you the path of life this day and always.
C: Amen.
SENDING HYMN: 805 Lead on, O King Eternal!
BENEDICTION
P: Go in peace. Love your neighbor.
C: Thanks be to God.
Ruth Circle will meet on the first Thursday in September, September 1 at 10:00 am in the library upstairs at Grace. The Circle will be studying the book of Revelation. All are welcome. Bring your Bible.
As our Sunday School evolves, we are finding that we are in need of additional volunteers to help with program. These volunteers could help lead lessons, fill in for teachers when they are gone, help with preparing for lessons and lesson planning, etc. Please let Kelly Green know if you can help in any way.
THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH. Thursday: 1 pm Regular Food Pantry Distribution at Grace; Friday and Saturday Garage Sale; Sunday, August 21: 8:30 am Communion Worship at Fountain; 10:15 am Communion Worship at Grace
WE PRAY FOR: Andy Helmann, Lola Frye, Holly and Harry Hinzpeter, Calvin Nelson, Kandy Hagen, Mariam Burdick, Kathy Haske, Suzanne Soltvedt, Lola St. Clair, John Thompson, Clarence Johnson, Carol Leopold, Alan Leopold, Pete Nelson, Pat Nelson, Donnie Benson, Barney Johnson, Bob Brod, Sue Ann Preuss, Barb Nofsinger, Sharon Halverson, Kathy Christensen, Jeanne Nastali, Dorothy Klipstein, Ethel Mae Baldwin
Looking ahead: Sunday School will resume on September 11 with a Rally Day. Open to all children; those under 3 may come with a parent.
+ Together In Mission +
Parish Office: 226 Erickson Street, Elroy WI 53929 Parish E-mail: fgtlpadmin@centurytel.net Phone: (608)462-5398 Sunday Organist: Heather Vlasak Sunday Pianist: Bev Rood
Parish Secretary: Kris Stauffacher; Grace Custodian: Dave Clark
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