SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER May 16, 2021
ORDER OF WORSHIP: LSB — Divine Service, Setting III, pgs. 184ff
HYMNS: 829 - 539 - (492 - 629) - 643
SERMON: “That They May Be One”
TEXT: John 17:11b-19
A PRAYER FOR TODAY:
And Thou, O Holy Spirit,
My comforter and guide,
Grant that in Jesus’ merit
I always may confide,
Him to the end confessing
Whom I have known by faith.
Give me Thy constant blessing
And grant a Christian death.
(LSB #689, st. 3)
IN OUR PRAYERS THIS WEEK:
“The Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish” (Psalm 1:6).
▪ Thanksgiving that the heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers for Jesus’ sake.
▪ For those who are graduating, including Eva Schwertfeger (Fairfield High School), McKenzie Gerber (Pratt High School), Stephen Van Slyke (Pratt Community College), that the Lord will prepare them for the work He has for them in days and years ahead.
▪ For faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ for the teachers and students at our synod’s seminaries so that His church will continue to be served in the truth and purity of His holy Word.
▪ For the Holy Spirit to sanctify our lives in Jesus Christ so that in our daily work we will, according to God’s commandments, love our neighbors who are in need of the service and work we are given to do.
▪ For healing and help from the Lord for Marilyn Herren who will receive medical care, Linda Bishop, and our families, friends, and neighbors who suffer illness, injury, or affliction.
PLANS ARE UNDERWAY FOR VBS. . . The theme for this year is GOD’S WONDER LAB: Jesus Does the Impossible. It is based on the Bible verse of Psalm 98:1: “He has done marvelous things!” We are always looking for volunteers to help. Dates are possibly being planned for later in August around church picnic time. Please give us your thoughts.
THIS MORNING IN THE DIVINE SERVICE we celebrate the Sacrament of the Altar in which the Lord gives the gifts to us of His body and blood for our forgiveness, life, and salvation. With deep love for God’s Word and respect for the fellowship of faith in confessing His Word, we practice closed communion.
As the Scriptures teach, we receive in this Sacrament both the bread and wine and the true body and blood of Jesus Christ given and shed on His cross (1 Cor. 10:16; 11:27). We are also instructed: “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Cor. 11:28).
Visitors to our congregation today who desire to receive the Lord’s Supper should speak with the pastor before the service. To those joining in Holy Communion from a congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, and having visited with the pastor, please fill out an attendance card that we may inform your congregation of your communion with us.
DONOR BOX is a website that allows organizations to receive donations electronically. St. Paul has an account set up at Donor Box for those desiring to give a donation electronically. Please go to
http://www.donationbox.org/st-paul-lutheran-church-preston and there you will find a webpage with a picture of the church and a form to enter donor’s information and donation amount. There is also the same link to click on the opening page of the website
www.stpaulpreston.org. It is possible to set up a one-time donation or donations weekly, monthly or quarterly. The donor is asked to include the fee for electronic giving located on the form in their donation amount. Please contact a Finance Board member with questions or concerns.
PRATT FOOD BANK... Contributions of nonperishable food items can be made at our church using the box in the south entrance. Monetary donations may also be made by mail to: Pratt County Food Bank, 111 W. 4th St., Pratt, KS 67124.
A LIFE QUOTE FOR TODAY . . . “Christ Jesus has risen from the dead, my friend, and everything is different. It changes everything: the whole course of human events, the whole meaning of history, the whole present, and the whole future. Christ has risen, and that changes everything.” (Rev. Dr. Oswald Hoffman, The Lutheran Hour – A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life, lutheransforlife.org)
MEN OF ST. PAUL. . . Plan to gather at the Lunchroom Café in Iuka on Thursday, June 3rd, at 7:00 am for a Men’s Breakfast. Come and enjoy Christian friendship and fellowship as we eat together and begin the day with a brief devotion from God’s Word.
HEAD USHER: Gary McGuire ALTAR COMMITTEE: Carol Gordon
USHERS: Chris Gordon, McKenzie Gerber Mylee Gerber
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH EQUIPS, ENABLES, AND ENCOURAGES ITS MEMBERS TO GROW IN FAITH AND SHARE CHRIST’S LOVE WITH ALL PEOPLE.
TODAY - 8:00 am – The Lutheran Hour, KGNO (Dodge City, 1370 AM)
8:00 am – The Lutheran Hour, KCVW (Wichita, Hutch., 94.3 FM)
8:25 am – The Lutheran Hour, KMMM (Pratt, 1290 AM)
8:30 am – The Lutheran Hour, KWBW (Hutchinson, 1450 AM)
10:00 am – St. Paul Radio Broadcast, KMMM (Pratt, 1290 AM)
6:00 pm – The Lutheran Hour, KREJ (88.1FM)
MONDAY - 8:00 - 11:00 am – Secretary’s office hours
TUESDAY - 9 am - 2 pm - Ladies Quilt Group
5:00 - 6:30 pm – Bread of Life Community Kitchen open – Pratt
WEDNESDAY - 8:00 - 11:00 am – Secretary’s office hours
THURSDAY - 6:30 pm - Ladies Bible Study
6:30 pm - Men’s Bible Study
FRIDAY - 8:00 - 11:00 am - Secretary’s office hours
9:00 am - Sunday School and Bible Class
10:00 am - Divine Service with Holy Communion
- Handbell Practice
THE LUTHERAN HOUR – "Gain a Heart of Wisdom” (Psalm 90:12) Fear, love, and trust in the Lord is the way to Wisdom in person, and we meet God’s eternal wisdom in Jesus, the Messiah.
STEWARDSHIP SENTENCES based on 1 John 5:12 . . . “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Jesus is the foundation, the bedrock, the beginning, and the end. To have Him is to have it all. In Him we have life. We are called to live in Him, to live this new life He has given us, and to grow up into His image. This is a struggle in this sinful world! But His grace is sufficient as He refreshes us through Word and Sacrament.
EXPERT GUESTS, EXPANSIVE TOPICS, EXTOLLING CHRIST. . . Issues, Etc. Is a radio talk show and podcast produced by Lutheran Public Radio and hosted by LCMS Pastor Todd Wilken. You can listen to expert guests discuss: The Church’s Response to Transgenderism, Infant Baptism, Natural Law, The Bodily Resurrection of Christ, Western Civilization, Revisionist History, and more. You can listen on-demand at issuesetc.org, the LPR mobile app, and your favorite podcast provider.
About the Cover: Jesus prays to the Father for His disciples. Just as He kept and guarded the Eleven, so He intercedes for us too. We are in His hands. The nail marks in those prayerful hands reveal where sin-cleansing blood was poured out for us. Our intercessor, Jesus, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, continues to intercede for us this day. This gives us confidence because His prayers are always heard by our Father in heaven.
FIRST READING - Acts 1:12-26
EPISTLE - I John 5:9-15
HOLY GOSPEL - John 17:11b-19