THE THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
G E L C T , A A 18, 2024
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
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 order of worship we will follow 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. LARGE PRINT worship folders are available at the entrances for those who desire them.
Today we are using elements from the Christian Worship (2021) hymnal. You will find these blue worship books in the hymnal racks in each pew. You will be asked to open the hymnal to participate in parts of the service today. A vocalist will aid in our singing and will be recorded for our audio disks and video live-streaming.
There is no cost to park in our parking lot during Sunday morning worship services. If you receive a citation by mistake, please let our office staff know so it can be cleared.
OUR WORSHIP SERIES—I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE
“From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66). What happened?! Jesus had recently fed many thousands of people. Everywhere he went, he was mobbed by a multitude looking for the hope and healing Jesus provided. In the first part of Jesus’ ministry, he was extremely popular. That changed so quickly. At this time many followers walked away from Christ. What had Jesus done that was so bad? He said, “I am the bread of life.” That statement seems, at worst, to be cryptic. It doesn’t seem offensive. But as the crowd grasped what Jesus was claiming, they decided they no longer wanted anything to do with him.
Bread is a staple food, something people eat every day (especially in Jesus’ day). Scripture will sometimes refer to bread and water as all one needs to sustain physical life. In this worship series we will examine what Jesus is teaching when he calls himself “the Bread of Life.” We will discuss why people would abandon Jesus for making that claim. And we will wrestle with whether we would ever do the same.
OUR THEME FOR TODAY—THE BREAD THAT GIVES WISDOM AND LIFE
There are many different theories about the healthiest way to eat. There’s the old food pyramid, built on a foundation of whole grains. There’s the Mediterranean diet, the Atkins diet, the Paleo diet, and many others. We can debate which is best, but what is undebatable is that whatever your diet, you are going to die. Perhaps a vegetarian diet is indeed easier on your heart. Still, your heart is going to stop eventually. But in his Bread of Life discourse, Jesus offers food that enables us to live forever.
There are foods you might never have tasted without someone working hard to convince you to try them. Likewise, this spiritual food that Jesus describes is something no one finds appealing at first, but distasteful. And so today Jesus explains that we need God to work within us, so that we have the wisdom to see that this food gives life and the faith to find this bread most delicious.
+ ORDER OF WORSHIP + WELCOME
OPENING HYMN In This Place Your Word Is Planted Christian Worship 981
PRESERVICE
Christ the Eternal Lord arr. Michael D.
Speak, O Lord Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, arr. Zach Unke
Please stand
INVOCATION
Minister: In the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit.
Congregation: Amen.
As our service begins, the minister speaks the words spoken at our baptisms and makes the sign of the cross, marking us anew as redeemed children of God.
Costello
Text: Delores Dufner, b. 1939 © 2011 GIA Publications, Inc. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 710199. Tune: Christian F. Witt, 1660–1716. Public domain.
Psalm 32:1-2
CONFESSION
Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed are they whose sin the Lord does not count against them.
Let us confess our sins to the Lord.
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
James 5:16
Christ gave the authority to forgive the sins of penitent sinners to his church:
“Whenever you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven.”
John 20:23
Mark 10:47
Kyrie is the Greek word for Lord. The expression “Lord, have mercy” is one of the oldest worship responses in the Christian Church.
Almighty and merciful Father, we have strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed what we have devised and desired in our hearts. We have offended you and sinned against your holy law. We have done those things that we should not have done, and we have not done those things that we should have done. Have mercy on us, Lord! Spare us, forgive us, and restore us, according to your promises in Christ Jesus.
Silence for meditation and reflection
God, our merciful Father, has forgiven all our sins. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Redeemer and Savior. Jesus paid the penalty for our guilt by his death on the cross and freed us from death by his resurrection from the grave. We have peace with God now and forever.
Amen.
LORD, HAVE MERCY
In peace let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Amen.
Kyrie
+ THE WORD +
PRAYER
OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Let us pray.
Gracious Father, your blessed Son came down from heaven to be the true bread that gives life to the world. Grant that Christ, the bread of life, may live in us and we in him, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Please be seated
This hymn stanza uses picture language from our readings for today to describe Christ, the bread of life.
Text: Steven P. Mueller, b. 1964 © 2001 Steven P. Mueller. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 710199. Tune: Columbian Harmony, Cincinatti, 1825, ed. William Moore. Public domain.
In this poetic reading, spiritual wisdom is personified as a kind of woman. Lady Wisdom invites us to dine on the spiritual food that empowers us to truly live.
FIRST READING
1 Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has already set her table.
3 She has sent out her servant girls. She calls from the highest point in the city,
4 “Whoever is naïve, let him turn in here.” To someone who lacks sense she says,
5 “Come, eat my food, and drink the wine that I have mixed.
6 Abandon your naïve ways and live. Travel the road to understanding.”
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
This hymn uses words from our Gospel account for today.
HYMN—I Am the Bread of Life Christian Worship 544
Vocalist: “I am the bread of life; they who come to me shall not hunger, and who believes in me shall not thirst. No one can come to me unless the Father draws them. And I will raise them up, and I will raise them up, and I will raise them up on the last day.”
ALL:
SECOND
READING
1 Corinthians 2:6-16
6Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature, but it is not a wisdom of this world or of the rulers of this world, who are being reduced to nothing. 7Instead we speak God’s wisdom that has been hidden in mystery before the ages, God foreordained that this wisdom would result in our glory. 8None of the rulers of this world knew it. (If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.) 9But as it is written:
What no eye has seen and no ear has heard and no human mind has conceived that is what God has prepared for those who love him.
10But God revealed it to us through his Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11Indeed, who among men knows a man’s thoughts except the man’s spirit within him? So also, no one else knows God’s thoughts except God’s Spirit.
12What we received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we might know the blessings freely given to us by God. 13We also speak about these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual truths with spiritual words. 14However, an unspiritual person does not accept the truths taught by God’s Spirit, because they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually evaluated. 15But the spiritual person evaluates all things, and he himself is evaluated by no one. 16Indeed, “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who will instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
St. Paul explains that we need a wisdom that only the Spirit can give, a wisdom that understands that in Christ we have the bread of life.
Isaiah 64:4
Suzanne Toolan, RSM, b.
Gospel Acclamation points toward the words of the Gospel.
Refrain (ALL):
Vocalist: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.
Refrain (ALL)
Jesus declares that anyone wise enough to eat the bread of life will live forever.
35“I am the Bread of Life,” Jesus told them. “The one who comes to me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But I said to you that you have also seen me, and you do not believe. 37Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never cast out. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do my will, but the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me, but raise them up on the Last Day. 40For this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life. And I will raise him up on the Last Day.”
41So the Jews started grumbling about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42They asked, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? So how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
43Jesus answered them, “Stop grumbling among yourselves. 44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the Last Day. 45It is written in the Prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46I am not saying that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God. He is the one who has seen the Father.
47Amen, Amen, I tell you: The one who believes in me has eternal life.
48“I am the Bread of Life. 49Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat it and not die. 51I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise be to you, O Christ.
HYMN OF THE DAY Speak, O Lord
Christian Worship 633
SERMON
John 6:35-53
Believe In the Bread of Life
Please stand
CONFESSION OF FAITH
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.
Please be seated (The 10:00 service will continue on page 10 with the Prayer of the Church.)
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.
Nicene Creed
Cylyce Wilson has transferred her membership from St. Paul Lutheran Church in Appleton, Wisconsin. Ben Chapman is being received by Profession of Faith. We welcome them to the Christian family at Grace!
Ephesians 4:12-13
+ RECEPTION OF NEW MEMBERS +
The new members approach the altar. The pastor addresses them: Friends in Christ,
After discussions about the simple teachings of the Bible and our Lutheran church, you have requested to become members of this congregation. You have come to worship today to confess your unity with us and to take your place as a part of this faith community. I now ask you:
Do you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If so, answer: I do. I do.
Do you believe that the teachings of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and this congregation are faithful to the Word of God? If so, answer: I do. I do.
Do you desire to remain faithful to the teachings of Christ, be diligent in the use of God’s Word and sacraments, and lead a godly life as the Lord gives you strength? If so, answer: I do, and I ask God to help me.
I do, and I ask God to help me.
Is it your desire to join us in worship and mission and support this work with your prayers and gifts? If so, answer: It is, and I ask God to help me. It is, and I ask God to help me.
With sincere joy we welcome you as members of Grace Lutheran Church.
The pastor greets each new member by name.
The pastor speaks to the congregation: Brothers and sisters,
As we welcome Cylyce and Ben to our Christian family, I encourage you in the name of Jesus to keep them in your minds, hold them in your hearts, and pray for them again and again. Show them the face of friendship and offer them a hand of support. Encourage them with your “works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
PRAYER
Gracious Father, we thank you for leading Cylyce and Ben to desire to become members of our congregation and for giving them joy to confess their faith to us. Guide us with your wisdom as we worship and work together. Mold our minds and
hearts in a single Christlike will so that we may be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The peace of Christ be with us all. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Eternal Lord, give us peace as we ponder the good news that you forgive our sins in Christ. Lead us to see clearly the path you have laid out for us.
Work in us so that we believe and live the Word we have heard today.
Provide courage and compassion to all who preach and teach your Word. Fill them with a love like yours as they proclaim your grace to us and all people.
Move us to love all ministers of the Word wherever they serve.
Guard and guide the families of our congregation. Lead husbands and wives to love each other with commitment, respect, and patience. Help parents to grasp the eternal value of keeping their children close to Jesus all their lives. Grant joy to those who are single, and make them a blessing to others.
Protect us from the temptations that surround us; give us pure hearts and minds.
Provide wisdom and insight to those who make laws and set policies. Give us respect for those who protect us from crime. Lead us to value the rights of our fellow citizens and to defend those who cannot defend themselves.
Bless our land with peace and prosperity so that the gospel may be proclaimed to all.
Give us passion to share the story of your love with our family and friends. Overcome unbelief, and open the hearts of people everywhere to believe the good news that Jesus has forgiven their sins and opened the gates of heaven.
Fill us with joy over every sinner who repents and comes to trust in you.
Extend your healing power to those who are sick and suffering in body or mind. Give patience and compassion to all who care for the sick and dying.
Lift the eyes of the distressed to your love in Christ.
Brief intercessory prayers may be added in a fitting place.
OFFERTORY:
O Lamb of God, Once Lifted High arr. Rebecca Kramer
Hear us, Lord, as we pray in silence.
Silent
prayer
Gracious God, you govern and direct all things and you love all people. Hear our prayers, spoken and silent, and answer them in your wisdom and grace.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
OFFERING
Members of Grace respond to their Savior’s love with offerings that are given joyfully, generously, regularly, and in a way that is proportionate to how the Lord has blessed them. Their cheerful gifts support the mission and ministry of our congregation. If you are a guest today, please know that we do not expect you to contribute to our congregation’s work. However, if you would like to give an offering to the Lord in response to his love to you, we are happy to receive it and put it to work in God’s kingdom. If you prefer, use your smart phone to give online by scanning this QR code:
Please fill out the Friendship Register located in the red folder at the end of the row and pass it along. Thank you!
Please stand
The Preface to the Sacrament is one of the oldest parts of the Christian liturgy, dating back to the first century. As we prepare to receive Holy Communion, we are united with the Body of Christ, in an unbroken bond with Christians through the millennia.
PREFACE
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
+ THE SACRAMENT +
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
Blessed are you, Lord God, eternal King and gracious Father. In love you made us the crown of your creation. In mercy you planned our salvation. In grace you sent your Son to redeem us from sin.
We remember and give you thanks that your eternal Son, Jesus Christ, became flesh and made his dwelling among us, that he willingly placed himself under law to redeem those under law, that he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death on a cross, that he has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Bless us as we receive your Son’s body and blood in this Sacrament. Forgive our sins, increase our faith, strengthen our fellowship, and deepen our longing for the day when Christ will welcome us to his eternal feast. Praise and thanks and honor and glory be to you, O God our Father, and to your Son and to the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
The Prophet Isaiah was given a vision of heaven, where seraphim praised God. In the Sanctus we welcome Jesus with our hosannas and praise.
Text: Michael D. Schultz © 2021 Northwestern Publishing House. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 710199. Tune: Welsh. Public domain.
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.
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.
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.
John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” We sing the Agnus Dei confident that Jesus has borne our sins and freely gives us forgiveness and peace in the Sacrament.
O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD
Agnus Dei
Michael D.
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 16.
Please stand
+ THANKSGIVING +
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
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.
COMMUNION MUSIC: I Come, O Savior, To Thy Table arr. Jacob B. Weber
Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord arr. Robert J. Powell
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
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CLOSING HYMN Christ the Eternal Lord Christian Worship
POSTLUDE MUSIC:
All Who Hunger arr. Anne Krentz Organ
These words are printed for your quiet meditation:
All who hunger, sing together; Jesus Christ is living bread. Come from loneliness and longing. Here, in peace, we have been fed. Blest are those who from this table live their days in gratitude. Taste and see the grace eternal. Taste and see that God is good .
Text: Sylvia G. Dunstan © 1991 GIA Publications, Inc. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 710199.
THOSE ASSISTING IN WORSHIP THIS MORNING
Preacher Pastor Nathan Kassulke
Worship Leader................................................................................. Pastor Ron Koehler
Accompanist Kathy Parra
Vocalist ........................................................................................................Teri Guenther
Greeter Cora Stuhr (10:00 AM)
Ushers ..................................................................... Rusty King, Vic Thornton (7:45 AM)
Jon Dongoske, Dylan Guenther, Justin Harris, Rick Street (10:00 AM)
Communion Prep .........................................................Sally Littau, Cynthia Breitkreitz
Sound and Recording Techs Jeremy Snavely, Danny Koehler, Sam Kassulke
Banner Committee ...................... Nadine Rentschler, Jeanette O’Donald, Sandy Weir
Acknowledgements:
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 this morning were given by Mary Muljadi in thanks to God for her pastors and their families.
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 include September 1, 15, 22, & 29. 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 10:00 AM service this morning, you are invited to join us in the courtyard and Fellowship Hall for drinks and snacks. We thank Jenn & DJ Miller and family for hosting today. Upcoming available dates include September 22 & 29. Please sign up on the sheet in the Fellowship Hall.
Sunday Morning Bible Study
Join us for our Sunday morning Bible study! “Timely Topics” will give us a chance to discuss the church and politics, intelligent design, global warming, and more from a biblical perspective. We are currently discussing our Communion practice and reaching the lost. If you have not made Sunday morning Bible study a part of your routine, this would be a great time to start! We meet at 9:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall.
Spanish Worship Service & Meal: Today
Mission to the Children is providing a Spanish worship service at here at Grace-Tucson this afternoon at 4:00 PM with a meal to follow in the Fellowship Hall. If you are interested in worshiping with Mexican refugees or in Spanish, please join us!
Open Gym: Tuesday at Grace-Sahuarita
Do you enjoy playing basketball and/or volleyball? Test your skills during our adults only, open gym on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at our Child Learning Center gymnasium in Sahuarita! We will be alternating between basketball and volleyball. This Tuesday, August 20 will be basketball. Come for some friendly competition and bring a friend!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Divine Call Received
Pastor Kassulke was informed on August 11 that St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Saginaw, Michigan voted to extend to him a Divine Call to serve as an associate pastor. This means that he now holds two calls, one to Grace and one to St. Paul’s. He is working to make a decision whether to accept the new Call and move his ministry to Michigan or to decline the Call and continue serving here. He will strive to make that decision with prayer and careful consideration where his particular gifts for ministry fit best.
Pastor Kassulke welcomes any input that the friends and members of Grace might wish to share with him. You can reach him by email at RevNPK@GraceLutheranSAZ.org or (520)260-4453. He also appreciates prayers offered on behalf of him and his family during this deliberation as well as for both congregations.
Church History Bible Study: Wednesday
Join us on Wednesdays for our study of Church History. We are studying the development of the Wisconsin Synod in the 1890s and early 1900s. We study together in the Grace-Tucson Fellowship Hall at 10:00 AM and repeat the same material at 7:00 PM. Join us for whichever time fits your schedule best!
Women’s Bible Study: Thursday
What do we know about the 12 men Jesus chose to follow him and then sent out to share the gospel after his ascension into heaven? Get to know “The 12” as you never have before, and learn valuable lessons about your life of following Jesus. Pastor Koehler leads this study on Thursday mornings at 9:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall. Make plans to join him, and invite a friend to join you!
WELS Tucson Campus Ministry Kickoff Party: August 25
College students and non-students who are college-age are invited to a beginning of the school year Kickoff Party. Come to hear about the Sunday night Bible studies and other upcoming events, get signed up for parking in the Grace lot, and get a 24/7 access code to the Student Center and there will be food! We begin at 6:00 PM on Sunday, August 25, in the Student Center, located in the lower level of the church here at Grace-Tucson. The stairs below the TCM sign on the parking lot side of the church will take you there. If you have any questions, contact our campus pastor, Pastor Koehler: revrgk3@gracelutheransaz.org or (520) 404-2620. For more information download the TCM app in the App Store or Play Store (search for WELS Tucson Campus Ministry).
Service Opportunity: English Classes
We have a nice team of people assembled to help people in our community learn English, but we could still use a little help. If you are interested in teaching beginners, being a substitute teacher, or helping to care for the children of the students, please contact the program coordinator, Ron Silver, at (520)221-1216 or ronaldsilver3@gmail.com. Classes will be held in the Fellowship Hall from 6:30 to 8:00 PM on Tuesday evenings beginning on September 10. This is a unique way to show the love of Christ to those in our community!
Choir and Handbells: September 12
Have you ever been interested in ringing a handbell? Do you enjoy singing? Please consider joining us on Thursday evenings in the church sanctuary beginning September 12! Handbells will rehearse from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Worship Choir will rehearse from 6:45 to 8:00 PM. No experience is needed! Our directors and experienced members are eager to help and teach you what you need to know! Both of these groups welcome members who are 12-years-old or older. If you are unsure about participating, please come to the first rehearsal and give it a try! There is no commitment to continue. If you have any questions, please contact our worship coordinator, Beth Kassulke (music@gracelutheransaz.org).
TUCSON
Today
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 August 18 - August 25
Worship Services with communion................. 7:45a & 10:00a Children’s Bible Hour 8:45a
Adult Bible Study: Timely Topics 9:00a Fellowship following worship Mission to the Children Spanish Service & Meal............4:00p
Tuesday Weekly Pastors’ Meeting 9:00a
Wednesday
Midweek Bible Study: Church History 10:00a & 7:00p Grow in Grace Class (office conference room) 6:30p
Thursday Women’s Bible Study: 12 Apostles 9:00a
Sunday, August 25
Worship Services 7:45a & 10:00a Children’s Bible Hour......................................................8:45a Adult Bible Study: Timely Topics 9:00a Fellowship following worship TCM Kickoff Party 6:00p
BENSON
Worship Service with communion ..................................7:30a Adult Bible Study: Ephesians Fellowship following worship Wednesday Adult Bible Study: Song of Songs.................................10:00a Sunday, August 25 Worship Service 7:30a Adult Bible Study: Ephesians..........................................8:45a Fellowship following worship
Stay Up to Date
Adult Bible Study: Baptism............................................. 9:00a Worship Service with communion 10:00a Fellowship following worship
Adult Bible Study: Hebrews............................................
August 25 Adult Bible Study: Baptism 9:00a Worship Service........................................................... 10:00a
following worship
August 25 Adult Bible Study: Large Catechism 9:00a
Sunday School 9:00a Worship Service 10:00a Fellowship following worship...................................................
ONLINE
Adult Bible Study (Tucson) 9:00a Worship Services (Sahuarita & Tucson) 10:00a
Sunday, August 25
Adult Bible Study (Tucson) 9:00a
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.
One Church. Four Locations.
Proclaiming the love of Jesus in Southern Arizona since 1911.
Grace-Tucson and Central Office
830 N. 1st Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (520)623-6633 office@gracelutheransaz.org
Pastor Ronald G. Koehler III revrgk3@gracelutheransaz.org
Pastor Nathan P. Kassulke revnpk@gracelutheransaz.org
Administrative Assistant—Debbie Koehler assistant@gracelutheransaz.org
Worship Coordinator—Beth Kassulke music@gracelutheransaz.org
Grace-Benson and Grace-Vail
Benson
451 W. Duane St., Benson, AZ 85602
Vail
Worshipping at Esmond Station Elementary 9400 S. Atterbury Wash Way, Tucson, AZ 85747
Pastor Seth A. Scheuerlein revsas@gracelutheransaz.org
Office at Civano
10501 E. Seven Generations Way, Tucson, AZ 85747 (520)848-4631
Prayer Group—Laura Hodgson prayergroup@gracelutheransaz.org
Grace-Sahuarita
75 W. Sahuarita Rd, Sahuarita, AZ 85629 (520)578-3538
Pastor Ryan A. Heiman revrah@gracelutheransaz.org
Vicar Noah Nordlie vicnpn@gracelutheransaz.org
Child Learning Center (520) 848-4630 receptionist@gracelutheransaz.org GraceLutheranSahuaritaCLC.com
Director Laura Heiman director@gracelutheransaz.org
Assistant Director Jen Rickling jrickling@gracelutheransaz.org
Child Learning Center Mission Teachers
Maddie Nordlie, Toddlers mnordlie@gracelutheransaz.org
Vicki Smith, 3-Year Olds vsmith@gracelutheransaz.org
Theresa Pratt, Preschool tpratt@gracelutheransaz.org
Chris Leathers, Toddler/After School Care cleathers@gracelutheransaz.org
Bible-Based Counselor—Cinda Drescher Office Assistant—Cora Stuhr cinda@gracelutheransaz.org office@gracelutheransaz.org (520)581-4714
Grace Lutheran Church is a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), a group of nearly 400,000 men, women, and children in nearly 1,300 congregations across the United States and Canada united by a common faith in Christ's saving love. We are committed to a common calling encouraging each other in our faith and sharing God's gift of a Savior with the rest of the world.