EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST October 1, 2023
ORDER OF WORSHIP: LSB – Divine Service, Setting I, pgs. 151ff
HYMNS: 913 - 696 - (606 - 619 - 496) - 655
SERMON: By What Authority
TEXT: Matthew 21:23-27
A PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Let me not doubt, but trust in Thee,
Thy Word cannot be broken;
Thy call rings out, “Come unto Me!”
No falsehood hast Thou spoken.
Baptized into Thy precious name,
My faith cannot be put to shame,
And I shall never perish.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, #377, st. 7)
IN OUR PRAYERS THIS WEEK:
“Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your steadfast
love remember me, for the sake of Your goodness, O Lord!” (Psalm 25:7).
◦ Thanks be to God for daily bread for all people.
◦ For the peace of Jesus crucified and risen from the dead for the family and friends of Geneva Briggeman since her death last Sunday, September 24th.
◦ For the Lord’s continued blessing upon the work of the LWML as its workers continue to support the mission of Christ’s Church throughout the world.
◦ For the peace of Jesus upon His people who are unable regularly to be in His house, including: Myron Falk, Charles Fritzemeier, Mary Lou Hearn, Richard Huckriede, LuAnn Hullman, Elwood and Nola McGuire, Virginia McGuire, Ellen Parrish, JoAnn Pearce, Bonnie Seidel, Virginia Schneider, Edna Bell Studer, Sandy Voshell, and Jim and Ruth Wiltshire.
MAELEY ANN SCHMIDT is received into God’s kingdom of grace this morning through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Maeley was born August 20, 2023. Her parents are Brandon and Lindsay Schmidt. Her sisters are Ava Leigh and Ella Jane. Her baptismal sponsors are Allicia Kahmeyer and Chelsea Henry. We pray for the Lord’s protection upon this family and for growth in the Word, the grace, and the knowledge of Jesus the Savior.
OCTOBER IS Church Workers Appreciation month. We have many who serve and volunteer in various capacities at St. Paul. Thank you, good and faithful servants!
THIS MORNING IN THE DIVINE SERVICE we celebrate the Sacrament of the Altar in which the Lord gives to us the gifts 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.
2023 LWML SUNDAY - Noisy Mite Box Offering . . . The Lutheran Women in Mission of St. Paul thank you for continuing to generously support our "Noisy" (jingling of coins) offering which helps support over 30 missions around the world. Our motto is from Psalm 100:2, "Serve the Lord with Gladness! Come into his presence with singing!" Mite Offerings are based on the Biblical account of the widow's mite in Mark 12:41-44. The widow in the temple offered all she had, two coins, demonstrating her generosity and love to God.
Please join us and make a "joyful noise" to the Lord as you leave worship this morning placing Mite Offerings in the wooden LWML "cake." Note: St. Paul's Women in Mission will be serving cookies with gladness!
PRATT COUNTY FOOD BANK . . . The featured items to be donated for the month of October are cans of green beans and/or corn. If you want to make this donation here at the church, a box is located at the south entrance for these or other non-perishable food items. Thank you.
THE MIDWEEK SCHOOL will meet at the home of Shan and Shelley Hullman this week on Wednesday evening, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Families are welcome to join for a hayrack ride, supper, and a devotion from God’s Word.
STEWARDSHIP SENTENCES based on Matthew 21:26 – “But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd...” Foolish Pharisees! They fear men more than they fear God, and so they miss out on the great blessing of knowing Jesus and His love. All our sins are like this: we fear something more than we fear God. And how foolish that is! Just think of the blessings we miss out on whenever we place our fear or trust in something other than God. (lcms.org/stewardship)
HEAD USHER: Gary McGuire ALTAR COMMITTEE: Donna Briggeman
ELDERS: Lee Van Slyke, Derek Liggett, Shan Hullman Leigh Ann Hall Shelley Hullman Linda Hoeme
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 (88.1 FM)
MONDAY - 8:00 - 11:00 am - Secretary’s Office Hours
TUESDAY - 9 am-2 pm - Quilting for Orphan Grain Train
WEDNESDAY - 8:00 - 11:00 am - Secretary’s Office Hour
6:30 pm - Midweek
THURSDAY - 2:00pm - Ladies’ Aid
6:30 pm - Bible Study
7:30 pm - Men’s Club
FRIDAY - 8:00 - 11:00 am - Secretary’s Office Hours
SUNDAY - 9:00 am - Sunday School and Bible Class
10:00 am - Worship
THE LUTHERAN HOUR - “The Way Through the Maze” (Psalm 25:4-5). When life becomes a bewildering maze, Jesus is our way through and our way out. Guest speaker: Rev. Dr. Dean Nadasdy.
LADIES’ AID will meet Thursday, October 5 at 2:00. Elda Joyner will give devotions and Pastor Schotte will lead our topic.
MEN’S CLUB will meet Thursday, October 5 at 7:30 p.m.
LADIES, MAKE PLANS to attend the LWML Hutchinson Zone Fall Workshop to be held at St. Paul, Preston, on Saturday, October 21st. All ladies are invited. Please see posted flyers at both entrances. More details will be forthcoming.
ADULT CHOIR REHEARSALS at St. Paul will begin next week on Wednesday, October 11th. From then, they will be held on each Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm.
About the Cover: Our life as the children of God is a pure and beautiful gift. Christ has loved us by dying on the cross for our sins, putting our interests above His own. Because of Christ, we also are free to put the interests of others before our own. In turn, the Lord has placed the beautiful gifts of love and service into our hands so we can share them with our neighbors.
OLD TESTAMENT READING - Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32
EPISTLE - Philippians 2:1-4, 14-18
HOLY GOSPEL - Matthew 21:23-27