THE SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Welcome to Grace!

Our mission at Grace is to teach the inspired and inerrant Word of God, to proclaim that Jesus Christ is the crucified and risen Savior of the world, and to nurture believers for lives of Christian service.

Check out the GRACE WEBSITE at GraceLutheranSAZ.org

Worship Notes

We are very pleased that you have joined us for worship today! We pray that this time will be a blessing for you as God comes to you with his Word and promises, and as you offer him your thanks and praise.

The worship service is printed in this worship folder for you to follow along and participate. You’ll notice that the service is a dialogue between God and us, his people. The pastor speaks to God along with the congregation and also speaks the Word of God to the people. Those wishing to leave an offering can do so at the exit today or give online at www.GraceLutheranSAZ.org/give. (You can also scan the QR code to the right to access the online giving page.)

Today we are using elements from the Christian Worship hymnal. If you would like to worship from a hymnal today, you will find these blue worship books in the hymnal racks in each row; however, you do not need to use a hymnal if you so choose, as everything needed for worship is printed in this worship folder.

Our Worship Series Define Christian

Ask ten different people to define the word Christian and you may get ten different answers. One might say, “A Christian is someone who believes in Jesus.” Okay. But the demons believe that Jesus exists and is the Son of God. So is that definition adequate? Another person might have a more negative view. He says, “A Christian is someone who believes he is better than others.” Is that completely false? And if you aren’t humble, does that mean you aren’t Christian?

In this worship series Christ himself defines the term Christian and describes what Christians do. We will be struck by how often we do not do all those things. There likely are times when people could look at our behavior and assume we were unbelievers. Yet throughout this series Jesus will demonstrate that ultimately a Christian is one who runs to Christ for forgiveness precisely because he has failed to live like what he is a Christian. As we receive the mercy of Christ, it moves us to strive with all our being to better fit Christ’s beautiful definition, doing all the things Jesus says that Christians do. Our worship series will follow this path:

The Christian Loves God above All

The Christian Finds Rest in Jesus

The Christian Is Planted by the Word

The Christian Lives as Wheat among Weeds

The Christian Seeks Spiritual Wealth

The Christian Trusts God to Provide

The Christian Answers Doubt with Faith

OPENING HYMN In This Place Your Word Is Planted Christian Worship 981

This hymn was not included in the pew edition of the hymnal. Rather, it was made available in the supplementary materials released in connection with the hymnal.

Please stand

Invocation

Minister: In the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit.

Congregation: Amen.

Psalm 122:1

Spoken Responses

I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

Psalm 84:1

Psalm 84:4

Psalm 145:18

How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Psalm 119:33

Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end.

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Romans 10:17

Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Prayer

Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness, come to my relief.

Spare us, Lord, from the lies of the devil and the attacks of our conscience. Comfort and save us in your patient compassion. Have mercy on us, Jesus.

Guide us, Lord, to the wisdom of your Word and the power of your promises. Take away our confusion and doubt. Have mercy on us, Jesus.

Hear us, Lord, when we come to you in prayer. Make us confident to take you at your word and to follow you in faith.

Have mercy on us, Jesus.

Empower us, Lord, to walk in your ways and live in your truth. Fill us with your love, that we may love you and one another. Have mercy on us, Jesus.

Lord, we confess our sins to you and plead for your mercy. We acknowledge that sin runs too deep in our nature for us ever to rid ourselves of it, but we thank you that Jesus has done what we could not do, washing us clean of every stain. We plead that your Spirit would give us the strength to live a new life; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

God’s Word always works a seed that produces the fruit that God earnestly desires.

Prayer Of The Day

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Let us pray.

Blessed Lord, since you have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

6 Seek the L while he may be found! Call on him while he is near!

7 Let the wicked man abandon his way. Let an evil man abandon his thoughts. Let him turn to the L , and he will show him mercy. Let him turn to our God, because he will abundantly pardon.

8 Certainly my plans are not your plans, and your ways are not my ways, declares the L .

9 Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my plans are higher than your plans.

10 Just as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and do not return there unless they first water the earth, make it give birth, and cause it to sprout, so that it gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

11 in the same way my word that goes out from my mouth will not return to me empty. Rather, it will accomplish whatever I please, and it will succeed in the purpose for which I sent it.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Text: tr. Arthur P. Voss, 1899

We sow the seed of God’s Word, but only God can make that seed grow.

SECOND

5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are ministers through whom you believed, and each served as the Lord gave him his role. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but it is God who causes the growth. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters are united, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For God is the one whom we serve as coworkers, and you are God’s field, God’s building.

10 In keeping with the grace of God given to me, as a wise master builder, I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. But let each person be careful how he builds on it. 11 In fact, no one can lay any other foundation than the one that has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Please stand

The Gospel Acclamation points toward the words of the Gospel.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Isaiah 55:11

Alleluia. My word that goes out from my mouth will not return to me empty. Rather, it will accomplish whatever I please, and it will succeed in the purpose for which I sent it. Alleluia.

GOSPEL

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

1 That same day Jesus left the house and was sitting by the sea. 2 A large crowd gathered around him. So he stepped into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 He told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen, a sower went out to sow. 4 As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. Immediately the seed sprang up, because the soil was not deep. 6 But when the sun rose, the seed was scorched. Because it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked it. 8 But some seed fell on good ground and produced grain: some one hundred times, some sixty, and some thirty times more than was sown. 9 Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.

18

“So listen carefully to the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the seed that was sown along the path. 20 The seed that was sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he is not deeply rooted and does not endure. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22 The seed that was sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worry of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it produces no fruit. 23 But the seed that was sown on the good ground is the one who continues to hear and understand the word. Indeed he continues to produce fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times more than was sown.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise be to you, O Christ.

Please be seated

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE & GREETING

While the children are coming forward please greet your neighbor and fill out the Friendship Register located in the red folder in your row and pass it along. Thank you!

LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

HYMN OF THE DAY Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast Christian Worship 644

Matthew 6 and Luke 11 record how Jesus taught his disciples to pray. We use his example prayer as part of our public worship, trusting that he will hear and answer our prayers. During the singing of this hymn, children ages 1-8 are excused to attend Children’s Church in the CLC Building. Parents can pick-up their children there following the service.

The Nicene Creed was first developed in 325 at the First Council of Nicea. It was written to reaffirm the Biblical teaching of the divinity of Jesus, God’s Son. Like the Apostles’ and Athanasian Creeds, the Nicene Creed is a confession of what the Bible teaches.

Christian

Soil Produces Fruits of Faith

Brief intercessory prayers may be added in a fitting place.

CONFESSION OF FAITH Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayer Of The Church

Almighty God and Father, we thank you for all your mercies, especially for the gift of your Son, through whom you have revealed your gracious will. We praise you for the Holy Spirit and his working through the means of grace.

Plant your Word in our hearts, and cause it to produce fruit in our lives.

Strengthen and defend your Church, that by your Word and sacraments faith may grow and love toward all may increase.

Support all who spread the light of your truth throughout the world.

Keep our children in the grace of their baptisms. Enable their parents to train them in lives of faith.

Raise up Christians to serve you in the ministry of the Word and in all godly walks of life.

Preserve our nation in justice and honor. Guide and bless all who make, administer, and judge our laws.

Give them wisdom that they may promote justice and hinder evil.

Let your blessing rest on planting and harvest, commerce and industry, medicine and science, the arts and culture. Protect all who travel, and care for those whose work is difficult or dangerous.

Be with all who devote themselves to any useful task.

Comfort all who are in sorrow or need, sickness or adversity. Remember those who suffer persecution for the faith. Have mercy on those for whom death draws near.

Grant them your love, and take them into your tender care.

Hear us, Lord, as we pray in silence.

Silent prayer

We remember with thanksgiving those who have loved and served you, who now rest from their labors. Console those who are mourning or living with sadness. Keep us in the true faith, and bring us at last to the joys of heaven.

Grant us these things, Father, for the sake of Jesus, who died and rose again.

Amen. Please stand

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give him thanks and praise. 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 promised that wherever two or three come together in his name, there he is with them to shepherd his flock until he comes again in glory. Therefore, with all the saints on earth and hosts of heaven, we praise your holy name and join their glorious song:

Prayer Of Thanksgiving

We give thanks to you, O God, through your dear Son, Jesus Christ, whom you sent to be our Savior, our Redeemer, and the messenger of your grace. Through him you made all things; in him you are well pleased. He is the incarnate Word, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. To fulfill your promises, he stretched out his hands on the cross and released from eternal death all who believe in you.

As we remember Jesus’ death and resurrection, we thank you that you have gathered us together to receive your Son’s body and blood. Send us your Spirit, unite us as one, and strengthen our faith so that we may praise you in your Son, Jesus Christ. Through him, we glorify and honor you, O God our Father, with the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

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

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.

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.

Please stand

+ THANKSGIVING +

Psalm 106:1

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

We give you thanks, O Lord, for the foretaste of the heavenly banquet you have given us in this Sacrament. Through this gift you have fed our faith, nourished our hope, and strengthened our love. By your Spirit, help us to live as your holy people until that day when you will receive us as your guests at the wedding supper of the Lamb, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The almighty and merciful Lord the Father, the (+) Son, and the Holy Spirit bless us and keep us.

Amen.

Please be seated

CLOSING HYMN On What Has Now Been Sown

Christian Worship 925

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

Amazing Grace, A Mighty Fortress, and On Eagles Wings might be a few of your favorite hymns, but do you know who wrote them, why they were written, or what section of Scripture they were based on? Our Sunday morning Bible Study series discovers the answers to those questions and more as we learn about our favorite hymns and how they open up the Scriptures for our learning. Now would be an excellent time to make Sunday morning Bible study a part of your routine! Class is held at 9:00 AM in the CLC gymnasium.

Divine Calls Returned

Pastor Kassulke, after prayerful consideration and deliberation, has declined the call to serve at Salem Lutheran Church in Owosso, Michigan.

Pastor Heiman, after prayerful consideration and deliberation, has declined the call to serve at Zion Lutheran Church in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

They will both continue to serve in their roles as pastors here at Grace in Southern Arizona. They would like to thank all those who shared their thoughts with them during the deliberation and who prayed for them and their families. They are also grateful that this time of deliberation allowed for many beneficial conversations about the gospel ministry we all share. Please continue to pray for our congregation and the many ways we proclaim forgiveness and salvation in Jesus to our communities!

New Teacher Welcome and Installation

Our two new teachers for the Child Learning Center (CLC) Theresa Pratt and Christine (Chris) Leathers have arrived and are settling in here in southern Arizona. While they will be serving specifically here in Sahuarita, these teachers are called by our entire congregation and will be taking the opportunity to visit our other sites on Sundays over the next few weeks.

Theresa and Christine will be officially installed into their teaching positions on Sunday, August 13 during the 10:00 AM worship service here at Grace-Sahuarita. A lunch will be provided after worship. In connection with the installation, we would like to present these teachers with gift card baskets. You are invited to donate gift cards to be included. Gift cards may be given to Pastor Heiman or turned in to the CLC Reception Desk. Please make any donations by Sunday, August 6.

Lifeliners F3: Today

The Lifeliners (our high school youth group) are getting together this summer on select Sunday evenings for Food, Faith, & Fun (F3) in the Grace-Tucson Student Center! Our next Lifeliners F3 will be today from 6:00 to 8:30 PM. We’ll enjoy a taco/ nacho bar, Bible study on Proverbs 17 (Gossip), and fun games. RSVPs are appreciated and can be sent to Pastor Patoka.

Midweek Bible Study: Wednesday

The Bible Project: The 66 books of the Bible are a collection of history, poetry, prophecy and insights into the eternal history of God and his people. The focus of the entire Bible is God’s plan of salvation. However because of the sheer volume of the Bible, many people get bogged down trying to read it and understand it. This Bible Project is a study that quickly summarizes each book and gives the student a quick overview of the Bible. Please join us on Wednesdays at 10:00 AM in the Church Entryway.

Church History Bible Study: Wednesday at Grace-Tucson

Our Wednesday Church History Bible Study meets regularly at 10:00 AM and repeats the same material at 7:00 PM in the Grace-Tucson Fellowship Hall. Members and friends of Grace are welcome to attend at whichever time works best. We are wrapping up our discussion of the Church during the American Revolution this coming Wednesday, July 19. We will be taking a break for four weeks after that and resuming classes on Wednesday, August 23. This would be a great time to jump in if you have not been a part of the class before! !

Women’s Bible Study: Thursday at Grace-Tucson

“There are things I’ll never be able to forgive.” “With so many interpretations and denominations, who can say who is right?” “I’ll let my kids decide for themselves.” “Whatever happened to tolerance?” “Religion is a crutch for the weak.” We hear these kinds of things and may even wonder about them ourselves. These and more are addressed in Pastor Mark Paustian’s book, “Prepared to Answer.” The book is provided at no cost for everyone in the class, and each question is handled in just a handful of pages, so it is easy to jump into the study at any time, even if you can’t make it each week. Invite a friend and join Pastor Koehler for this study which is helpful for us and for those we have discussions with about such things. This class meets on Thursdays at 9:00 AM in the Grace-Tucson Fellowship Hall.

Ladies’ Fellowship Group: Thursday

The Ladies’ Fellowship Group will meet at Grace-Tucson this Thursday, July 20, at 11:00 AM in the Grace-Tucson Fellowship Hall for a tea luncheon. Please bring a cup & saucer, your favorite tea packets, and a salad to share. Desserts will be provided. 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!

Summer Fun Night—Pictionary: Friday

Grace members and friends are invited to our next Summer Fun Night this Friday, July 21. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall at Grace-Tucson and enjoy some Pictionary competition! Snacks and drinks will be provided. We hope you can join us for this fun game for all ages! Invite friends to join you using the postcards on the desk in the entryway.

Announcements

TCM Event—Showing & Discussion of “A Single Life to Live”: July 23

What does the Bible have to say about living the single life? Whether marriage is a part of your future or not, God has directions and promises for living as a single person now. All interested young adults are invited to join us as WELS Tucson Campus Ministry views a presentation by Hannah Schermerhorn, author of “A Single Life to Live.” We’ll discuss how the single life is worth living and worth living well. Join us Sunday, July 23, at 7:00 PM in the Grace-Tucson Student Center. Snacks will be provided. Contact Campus Pastor Tim (540-623-1149) with questions.

Vail School Supply Drive

Our members who regularly worship at Grace-Vail are organizing a school supply drive for the teachers and students at Esmond Station School, our worship location in Vail. This is a great way to show our support and generosity! Here are some of the many items needed: dry erase markers & erasers, highlighters, #2 pencils, Sharpie markers (thin or regular tip), disinfecting wipes, boxes of tissues, band aids, Ziploc bags in all sizes, and paper of all types - wide-ruled loose leaf, multi-colored construction, printer/copy, and graph. A complete list of requested items can be found here: https://app.teacherlists.com/schools/131747-esmond -station-school. If you would like to donate any of these items, a donation box will be available in the church entryway through July 30.

Summer Fun Night—Back to School: August 4

Join us for some fun at our Back to School Trivia Night on Friday, August 4. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall at Grace-Tucson for some friendly competition and test your knowledge in various games of trivia. Snacks and drinks will be provided. Members from ALL sites are encouraged to attend! This evening concludes our “Summer Fun Nights” series of events that were held throughout the summer. We hope you have enjoyed these events as much as we loved organizing them!

Lifeliner Salt River Tubing: August 5

Grace’s high school group, the Lifeliners, is going tubing on the Salt River on Saturday, August 5. This all-day outing includes transportation, rental fees, snacks, and dinner. This outing is free for Grace’s members and $20 per invited high school aged guest. RSVPs are required by Sunday, July 23 and can be texted to Pastor Patoka at (540)623-1149. Any questions can be directed to him.

Parking Lot Sealing at Grace-Tucson

The parking lot at Grace-Tucson was scheduled to undergo regular maintenance of crack filling and seal coating near the end of July. Due to several factors, that timeline was moved up, and on very short notice the work began this past Thursday. Thank you to all who were inconvenienced by this surprise for your patience and understanding. The good news is that this work has been completed, and that will help maintain our parking lot in good working condition for future years. Because of the scheduled project, Bible Studies at Grace-Tucson on Wednesday, July 26 and Thursday, July 27 were canceled. Those cancelations will be left in place to avoid any additional confusion .

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 July 16 - July 23

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.