+ THE SACRAMENT +

Preface

Minister: The Lord be with you.

Congregation:

Christian Worship 165

The minister will sing the italicized words. The congregation responds by singing the bolded lines.

Lift up your hearts.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give you thanks, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who brought the gift of salvation to all people by his death on the tree of the cross so that the devil, who overcame us by a tree, would in turn by a tree be overcome. Therefore, with all the saints on earth and hosts of heaven, we praise your holy name and join their glorious song:

Prayer Of Thanksgiving

Lord God, you are worthy to receive thanks and praise from all people. You created the world and all who live in it, and in your mercy you saved us. We give thanks to you for the grace of your Son, Jesus Christ.

Though in very nature God, he took the nature of a servant and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. He offered himself as a sacrifice for sin and redeemed us from its curse and penalty. He rescued us from the terrors of death and restored eternal life with you. He conquered our enemies and gained for us the kingdom of grace and glory.

Bless us as we receive your Son’s body and blood, and lead us to remember his suffering, death, and resurrection. Forgive our sins and fill us with the hope of new life in heaven. Hear our praise and receive our thanks as we worship you the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

As he speaks the Words of Institution, the minister both proclaims the words of Jesus to the congregation and sets apart the bread and wine for this special use. The sign of the cross reminds us of Christ’s death.

Words Of Institution

Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my (+) body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; this is my (+) blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

Amen.

O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD (Agnus Dei) Christian Worship 169

Please be seated

Distribution

The Bible teaches that the Lord’s Supper is a unique communion of Christ and the individual believer as well as a coming together of people who hold to the same beliefs. Because of these Scriptural truths, we practice Member Communion at Grace. Those who are confirmed members of Wisconsin Synod congregations (WELS) are invited to receive the Lord’s Supper with us.

If you are not a WELS member but have an interest in receiving Holy Communion, please speak with the pastor after church today or at another time. We are aware that there are a number of other teachings about Holy Communion, and we want it to be a blessing for you, so we would look forward to sharing with you what God says about this Sacrament.

PRAYER BEFORE COMMUNION (For private meditation)

Lord Jesus, you have invited me to come and receive your holy Sacrament. I believe that in the bread and wine you give me your true body and blood to eat and drink. Forgive my sins and nourish my faith through this precious meal. I long for the comfort that comes with your promises; I yearn for the assurance of your faithful love. Bless me now as I receive you by faith. Amen.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION (For private meditation)

Thank you, dear Savior, for nourishing my faith with the Sacrament of your body and blood. Lift my heart with your forgiveness, renew my confidence in your grace, empower my love for others, and lead me to long for the eternal banquet of heaven. Amen.

Psalm 106:1

Please stand

Spoken Responses

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his mercy endures forever.

1 Corinthians 11:26

Whenever we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Closing Prayer

O God the Father, source of all goodness, in your loving-kindness you sent your Son to share our humanity. We thank you that through him you have given us pardon and peace in this Sacrament. We also pray that you will not forsake us but will rule our hearts and minds by your Holy Spirit so that we willingly serve you day after day; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

The blessing of Aaron has been spoken over God’s people for over 3,500 years. The L said, “In this way they will put my name on [them], and I will bless them.” Numbers 6:27

Blessing

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and (+) give you peace.

Amen.

Please be seated

Friendship Register

We would like to have a record of both members and guests who are worshiping with us. Please sign the red Friendship Register book located along the center aisle in the hymnal rack.

Children’s Church

Children ages 1-8 will be dismissed from our worship service today during the hymn before the sermon to attend Children’s Church. Parents, following worship, please pick your child up from the gymnasium in the CLC building.

Sunday Morning Bible Study

We recently began a new study entitled “Pray, Praise, and Give Thanks” It is a study on selected Psalms like 1, 23, 46, etc. It will help us appreciate the Old Testament “hymnal” for its words of teaching, comfort, praise and thanksgiving. Now would be an excellent time to make this study a part of your Sunday routine! Class is held at 9:00 AM in the CLC gymnasium.

Devotional Books

Grace Moments and Meditations daily devotional books are on the desk in the entryway. A new Meditations book with devotions that began last Sunday is now available.

Annual Report

The 2022 Annual Report for Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of Southern Arizona is now available. The Annual Report details many of the ways God blessed our congregation during the year as well as the challenges he allowed us to face. It records how Grace members served God and each other and is a valuable resource for learning more about the congregation. Some printed copies of the report are available on the desk in the church entryway. You can also find it on our website at GraceLutheranSAZ.org/voters.

Divine Call Returned & Call Meeting

At our special voters’ meeting on Sunday, February 12, a divine call was extended to Rebecca Gervais to serve as a mission teacher at the Child Learning Center at our Sahuarita location. Rebecca has declined our call and will continue to serve at Cornerstone Early Learning Center in Hugo, MN. Our next Call Meeting will be on Sunday, March 26, at noon at Grace-Sahuarita. Lunch will be provided.

Announcements

Monday Evening Service

An evening worship service is held here at Grace-Sahuarita on Monday evenings at 6:00 PM, and they are scheduled to continue through the spring. This service provides another alternative for those who may not be able to worship on Sunday. Members who regularly worship at any Grace sites are welcome to make use of this weeknight service.

Midweek Lenten Services: Wednesday

Wednesday midweek Lenten services are being held at Grace-Benson, Grace-Sahuarita, and Grace -Tucson through March 29.

The theme of our midweek services is “His Final Steps.” This series ponders the significance of the people and places on Jesus’ final steps to the cross and, three days later, his first steps from the tomb. The sermons and service themes will rotate among the various sites on the Wednesdays in March, so worshipers who attend more than one site could hear a sermon repeated. Please see the schedule below for this Wednesday, March 8.

Grace-Benson 10 AM Lenten Worship “His Final Steps Led to Some Greeks”

Lunch to follow

Grace-Sahuarita 10 AM & 6 PM Lenten Worship “His Final Steps Led to His Enemies”

Grace-Tucson 10 AM & 7 PM Lenten Worship “His Final Steps Led to His Father’s House” 6 PM Light Supper

Women’s Bible Study Update

The Thursday Women’s Bible Study held at Grace-Tucson will be on a break until sometime after Easter. They plan to resume the Prepared to Answer book when classes begin again. Please watch for an announcement at that time about a start date.

Mexican Dinner: Friday

The annual all-site Mexican Dinner hosted by the Women of Grace is scheduled for THIS Friday, March 10, from 4:30 to 6:30 PM in the Grace-Tucson Fellowship Hall. The meal will include sour cream enchilada casserole, tacos, and refried beans. Grace members are asked to bring a cake for dessert. We hope you can join us for this much-loved Grace tradition!

Tucson Premiere of Stand in the Gap at Grace-Tucson: Saturday

You’re invited to a Movie Day at Grace in Tucson THIS Saturday, March 11. The day begins with a Courtyard Reception at 2:30 PM. The Movie starts at 3:00 PM, and a Q & A session with WELS member Steve Zambo, the film’s director and president of Salty Earth Productions, will follow the movie at about 5 PM. This is an all-site event for our congregation, and you are encouraged to invite others to join you for the afternoon! There will be a chance to purchase movies after the event and you’ll have the opportunity to support this ministry with a free will offering. See posters and invite cards at church for details on the movie.

Ladies’ Fellowship Group: March 16

The Ladies’ Fellowship Group will meet on Thursday, March 16. They will visit the Tucson Botanical Gardens, including the Lego display, from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The Botanical Gardens are located at 2150 N. Alvernon Way. The cost is $15 for adults and $13 for adults age 62 and over. Please RSVP to Lois Thornton at (520)323-8772 or vthornto2@gmail.com. Ladies from all Grace sites are welcome to join in the fun!

LWMS Spring Rally: March 25

The LWMS Spring Rally is scheduled for Saturday, March 25, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church (241 N. Harrison Rd., Tucson, AZ) from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Pastor John Holtz will be presenting on WELS World Mission work in Africa and the Native American Missions in Arizona. Pastor Simon Duoth will also present on “The Struggles of South Sudanese in the United States and Africa.” New for this rally - childcare will be available! If moms would like to take advantage of this, please fill out the online registration form at grandcanyonlwms.org or email Mary Watson at marywatson1989@gmail.com. Registration for the rally may be done online at grandcanyonlwms.org or by filling out the form available at church by March 18.

Redeemer Lutheran 3rd Annual Golf Tournament: March 25

Redeemer’s 3rd Annual Golf Tournament will be held at Quarry Pines Golf Club on Saturday, March 25. Check-in begins at 6:15 AM and tee time is 7:00 AM. Your registration fee includes a full morning of golf (cart included), lunch, and two drinks. Many raffle baskets will also be available to win! Proceeds from this event will help provide updated technology for the Redeemer classrooms. To register, please stop in the Grace Central Office for a registration form or call (520-623-6633) and it can be emailed to you. The registration deadline is March 17.

ALA GALA: April 1

Arizona Lutheran Academy (our WELS area Lutheran High School in Phoenix) is hosting its annual Gala on April 1. The goal is to support ALA students by raising funds for campus improvements. You are invited to attend! Learn more at ALAcoyotes.org/gala

Would you consider donating an item or service for the Gala and Auction? If you own a business, you may consider one of the sponsor packages, which include print and web advertising. More information can be found at ALAcoyotes.org/gala.

Save the Date: CLC Charity Golf Tournament April 24

Do you enjoy golf? Join us on Monday, April 24, for the 4th annual CLC Charity Golf Tournament! Beginning at 1:00 PM, golfers will participate in a 4-person scramble golf tournament at Desert Hills Private Golf Club in Green Valley. Our goal for this big event is to raise funds for the It Takes the Community Scholarship Fund to benefit our community families in need of child care. Go to www.ItTakestheCommunity.com to register for this event, either as a team ($400) or individual golfer ($125). If you know of any businesses that might be interested in sponsoring this event, please contact Connie Hiles at 763439-7577 or conniehiles@gmail.com.

Grace Child Learning Center and Fry’s

Our Child Learning Center (CLC) is enrolled in the Community Rewards Program at Fry’s. This program allows a percentage of your spending to be donated to the CLC. We would greatly appreciate it if you could create an account and link it to our organization. The link is: https:// www.frysfood.com/account/communityrewards and our organization code is CV025. We have already received over $40 in donations! If you have any questions, please contact the CLC office at (520)848-4630. Feel free to share this with friends who are not members of Grace too!

Grow in Grace Class

Would you like to learn more about our Savior, about the Bible that tells us about him, and about what Grace Lutheran Church believes and teaches? Our congregation offers a series of Bible-based lessons called Grow in Grace. Grow in Grace also serves as our membership class for those who may be interested in joining the church. If you would be interested in scheduling a Grow in Grace Class, please speak to Pastor Heiman, or register your interest at GraceLutheranSAZ.org/GIG.

ACSTO Donations for Grace Members

Thank you to the many members who have used the Arizona Tuition Tax Credit to support our students at Redeemer Lutheran School and Arizona Lutheran Academy! You may have heard recently about new opportunities for families and students through the state of Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program. While this program may be beneficial to many of our member families, you can still make use of tuition tax credits and support Lutheran education with money you would otherwise pay as taxes.

Many Grace families and students who attend our Lutheran schools would appreciate you making use of the tuition tax credits if possible. How it works: 1) You make a donation up to certain limits and up to your tax liability. This needs to be done before April 15, 2023 to count for your 2022 state taxes. 2) When you make the donation to ACSTO (Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization), please recommend “Grace Lutheran Southern AZ” members to support our students who still need assistance. 3) When you file your taxes, two extra forms will give you a dollar-for-dollar credit so you save off of your total tax bill. In other words, you can help our members without spending more of your money to do so.

You can find more information and even make a donation online through the ACSTO website, www.ACSTO.org. Remember that this option is available to all those who have state tax liability in Arizona. Grace member Jeff Weinstein (520-909-7649, JeffWeinstein@ACSTO.org) is also an employee of ACSTO. He is able to help answer questions you may have. Even if you have never made use of tuition tax credits before, we would be happy to help you figure it out!

Prayer Group

God invites us to pray to him about all sorts of things in our lives, and he promises to hear and to answer. Grace has a Prayer Group that is facilitated by Grace-Vail member, Laura Hodgson. If any Grace member would like to be a part of this group, please contact her at (520)780-1743 or PrayerGroup@GraceLutheranSAZ.org.

Anyone desiring a special prayer may also contact Laura to give her the details of the prayer request. She will relay the request to the members of the Prayer Group, who will then pray specifically about the request. May God continue to bless this group and cause more prayer to be brought to him through it.

WELS Online Resources

Check out wels.net for an abundance of online resources to deepen your connection to Christ and to your fellow believers! You can find devotional materials for personal study, family devotions, for teens, and for married couples. There are worship helps for each Sunday, articles from Forward in Christ, WELS Connection videos, podcasts (devotions, Bible readings, technology, and parenting), mission and ministry updates from across the country and around the globe, and much more! You can also pull up wels.net on your smart phone and then download the WELS web app.

This schedule is subject to change. Please watch your email for the most up-to-date information or call the Grace Central Office at (520)623-6633 if you have questions.

This Week at Grace Ÿ March 5 – March 12

OFF-SITE EVENT

Today Grace Booth at Tucson Festival of Books..... 9 AM 5:30 PM

Stay Up to Date

The fastest and easiest way to keep Grace members and friends informed about what is happening at our four sites is through our weekly email update. This email is sent every Friday and at other times when special announcements are necessary. If you have not been receiving this email, but would like to, please email the Grace Central Office at office@gracelutheransaz.org and request to be added to our email list.