+ THE SACRAMENT +

Preface

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Gluten-free communion wafers and grape juice are available for those who for health or medical reason require it. Please see page 14 for additional details.

COMMUNION MUSIC: Lamb of God

Twila Paris, Valerie A. Floeter

Come as You Are Ben Glover, David Crowder, Matt Maher, Victor Labenske

Psalm 106:1

Spoken Responses

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

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.

Blessing

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

Amen.

Please be seated

Holy Communion

We provide gluten-free communion wafers for those with wheat allergy, gluten-sensitivity, or celiac disease. These wafers are stored and handled separately to avoid cross-contamination. They are “bread” as Scripture requires and are consecrated along with the rest of the bread. For those requiring gluten-free wafers, please take one from the stand located at the front rail as you approach for communion. Simply hold it so that the pastor can see it at the time of distribution. Grape juice is available for those who for health or medical reason require it instead of wine. Please speak with a pastor about providing grape juice for you on future Sundays. Today we are distributing Holy Communion in “tables.” The ushers will direct members forward by the side aisles. Groups of about ten will be guided toward the center aisle and will line up to receive the elements together. After each table communes, the pastor will offer a blessing and dismiss the group to return by the center aisle.

To aid in your personal preparation for Holy Communion, a list of Christian Questions can be found on pages 295-296 in the hymnal. These were prepared by Martin Luther for those intending to receive the Sacrament.

Altar Flowers

The flowers beautifying our altar today have been given by Stanley Mead in memory of his parents, Emmy & Leighton Mead.

If you would like to provide flowers for the altar, please call (520-623-6633) or email (office@gracelutheransaz.org) the Grace Central Office to reserve a Sunday. Upcoming available Sundays are August 13, 20, and 27. The cost for the 2 bouquets is $32.50. After the 10:00 AM service you may take the flowers home or leave them to be dropped off to one of our homebound members if a visit is being made.

Fellowship

Following the service this morning, you are invited to join us in the courtyard and Fellowship Hall for drinks and snacks. We thank the Miller family for hosting this week. Upcoming available dates to host are August 20 & 27. Please sign up on the sheet in the Fellowship Hall.

Those Assisting in Worship This Morning

Minister Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Communion Assistant DJ Miller (10:00 AM)

Accompanist ....................................................................................................................Kathy Parra

Vocalist Naomi Kassulke

Greeters Paul & Kay Kassulke (10:00 AM)

Ushers..........................................................................................Rusty King, Vic Thornton (7:45 AM) Jon Dongoske, Dylan Guenther, Justin Harris, Rick Street (10:00 AM)

Communion Prep...................................................................................Erika Hanson, Kay Kassulke

Sound and Recording Techs ............................................................ Danny Koehler, Sam Kassulke

Banner Committee............................................ Nadine Rentschler, Jeanette O’Donald, Sandy Weir

Pastor Patoka is preaching at Grace-Benson and Grace-Vail this morning. Pastor Koehler is preaching at Holy Cross Lutheran Church this morning.

Sunday Morning Bible Study

Grow In Grace is the name of our Bible Information Class, an overview of what the Bible teaches that we use as a course for adults who may be interested in membership at Grace. The young people in our Confirmation Classes learn the same material in a slightly different way. Is it time for a review? Do you have questions that you have been waiting to ask? Join us on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall as we consider portions of our Grow In Grace Class and look at why we teach what we do. We are currently studying the Ten Commandments.

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.

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 Bilingual Bible Study at Grace-Tucson

While our English classes take a break for the summer, Pastor Patoka is teaching a bilingual Bible study in the Grace-Tucson Fellowship Hall on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. If you know of any Spanish-speaking people who would be interested, contact Pastor Patoka at RevTLP@GraceLutheranSAZ.org or (520)623-6633.

Parking Lot Sealing

The parking lot here 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. You may have noticed the difference as you arrived today! Because of the scheduled project, Bible Studies on Wednesday, July 26 and Thursday, July 27 were canceled. Those cancelations will be left in place to avoid any additional confusion .

Announcements

Church History Bible Study: Wednesday

Our Wednesday Church History Bible Study meets regularly at 10:00 AM and repeats the same material at 7:00 PM. 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

“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 at either door to church and in the Fellowship Hall.

Funeral Service Planning Opportunity: July 23

Have you ever considered what comfort from God’s Word you want family and friends to hear when the Lord calls you home to heaven? What if you could suggest some readings or hymns for your funeral service? Are you interested in planning some things now so that it will be easier on your family and the pastor when that time comes? No matter your age, you are invited to meet with Pastor Koehler for a Funeral Service Planning session. The July 23 class is full but if you have an interest in this information, please contact Pastor directly (RevRGK3@GraceLutheranSAZ.org) or call the church office (520.623.6633).

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 next 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.

New Teacher Welcome: July 23

Next Sunday, July 23, two new teachers at our Grace-Sahuarita Child Learning Center (CLC) will be joining us for worship here at Grace-Tucson. Theresa Pratt and Christine (Chris) Leathers have arrived and are settling in here in southern Arizona. While they will be serving specifically in Sahuarita, these teachers are called by our entire congregation and are taking the opportunity to get acquainted with our other sites and meeting members and friends who regularly worship there. Grace’s Care Committee for Called Workers (CCCW) will host our fellowship time next Sunday as we welcome these teachers. The CCCW is directed by Grace’s Vice President, Jeff Weinstein. The other committee members are Deb and Jim Bakken and Kay and Paul Kassulke. The CCCW is tasked with meeting regularly with the called workers at Grace to help make sure that their needs and the needs of their families are being met, to offer support and encouragement, and to help make leaders aware of any issues that arise.

Theresa and Christine will be officially installed into their teaching positions on Sunday, August 13 during the 10:00 AM worship service 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 one of our pastors or turned in to the Grace Central Office. Please make any donations by Sunday, August 6.

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 can be found in the west end of the Fellowship Hall 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.

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.