9-22-24 Grace-Tucson Worship Folder by gracelutheransaz

THE EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

G E L C T , A S 22, 2024

WORSHIP NOTES

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 THE NEED FOR FOLLOWERSHIP

“We need better leadership!” Have you ever said that? Perhaps you were frustrated with the direction being taken by some elected oﬃcial or by management at your workplace or by the coach of your favorite team. You were frustrated because you know that no matter how many resources an organization has, it will ﬂounder if leaders do not lead well: providing direction, training, motivation, coordination, encouragement, and even grace. Leadership is extremely important. And so, there are times we lament, “We need better leadership!”

Jesus Christ is the leader of our congregation, our home, our lives. And his leadership is perfect in every way. Therefore, when things are amiss in any of those arenas, what is needed is not better leadership, but better followership. In this series, we ask Christ to empower us with his Spirit so that we might better follow his lead. May we better reﬂect the beauty of his life, better make his priorities our own, and better serve our God and neighbor. Our worship during this series will follow this path:

September 1 Followers of Christ Obey His Law from the Heart

September 8 Followers of Christ See the True Purpose of His Power

September 15 Followers of Christ Are Armed for Battle

September 22 Followers of Christ Are Humble Servants

September 29 Followers of Christ Have Powerful Allies

October 6 Followers of Christ Know How to Love Their Families

October 13 Followers of Christ Maintain Proper Priorities

Octobers 20 Followers of Christ Make Selﬂess Sacriﬁces

+ ORDER OF WORSHIP +

WELCOME

OPENING HYMN Jesus, Your Boundless Love to Me Christian Worship 714 stanzas 1 and 2

PRESERVICE

Take My Life and Let It Be

Arr. Sandra Eithun

Jesus, Your Boundless Love to Me

Arr. Thomas E. Lock

Before You I Kneel Christian Worship 735

Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service

Arr. Kathy Parra

Please stand

INVOCATION

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

Congregation: Amen.

CONFESSION

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Let us confess our sins to the Lord.

Holy God, gracious Father, I am sinful by nature and have sinned against you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved others as I should. I deserve your punishment both now and forever. But Jesus, my Savior, paid for my sins with his innocent suﬀering and death. Trusting in him, I pray: God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Silence for meditation and reﬂection

Our gracious Father in heaven has been merciful to us. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life as the atoning sacriﬁce for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the (+) Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

1 John 1:8-9

“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.

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.

Luke 2:14

Christians praise God by proclaiming the great things he has done to accomplish our rescue from sin. “Glory to God in the Highest” has been a Christian song of worship since the fourth century.

GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST

This song continues on the next page.

Gloria

This song continues on the next page.

The pride of Aaron, the high priest, and Miriam, a prophetess, led them to badmouth humble Moses and belittle Moses’ wife, simply for being of another race.

This reading continues on the next page.

+ THE WORD +

PRAYER OF THE DAY

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Let us pray.

Mercifully grant, O God, that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts, for without your help we are unable to please you; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen. Please be seated FIRST READING Numbers 12:1-15

1Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman). 2They said, “Has the L really spoken only through Moses? Hasn't he also spoken through us?” The L heard this.

3(Now the man Moses was very humble, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

4Right then the L spoke suddenly to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “You three come out to the Tent of Meeting!”

The three of them came out. 5The L came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance to the tent. He called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. 6He said, “Now listen to my words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the L , will make myself known to him in a vision. In a dream I will speak with him. 7Not so, however, with my servant Moses. He is faithful in my whole household. 8With him I speak face-to-face, clearly, and not in riddles. He sees the form of the L . Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?” 9The L 's anger burned against them, and he left.

10The cloud went up from above the tent, and immediately Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. Aaron turned to Miriam and saw that she was leprous.

11Aaron said to Moses, “My lord, please do not hold this sin against us. We have acted foolishly. We have sinned. 12Please do not let her be like a stillborn infant that comes out of its mother's womb with its ﬂesh half-eaten away.”

13Moses cried out to the L , “God, please heal her, please!”

14The L said to Moses, “If her father had merely spit in her face, would she not be disgraced for seven days? Have her conﬁned outside of the camp for seven days, and after that she can be brought back in.”

15Miriam was conﬁned outside of the camp for seven days, and the people did not set out until Miriam was brought back in.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

HYMN—Before You I Kneel

Christian Worship 735

The vocalist will sing stanza 1. Please join in singing the remaining stanzas.

SECOND READING

James 3:13-18

13Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him by his good way of living show that he does things in wise humility. 14But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast and lie, contrary to the truth. 15This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but it is worldly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16In fact, where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and every bad practice. 17But the wisdom that comes from above is first pure, then also peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere. 18And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who practice peace.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

This hymn is sometimes titled “A Worker’s Prayer” and is a prayer for each task that we are given. In it we ask God to use us as humble servants that glorify him through all we do.

St. James teaches that ambitiously pursuing greatness is not just prideful but also demonic. True greatness in Jesus’ kingdom is acting toward others in ways that are humble.

We stand out of respect for the words of Christ, our King.

The Gospel Acclamation points toward the words of the Gospel.

Please stand

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Mark 9:35 ALL:

Vocalist: Anyone who wants to be ﬁrst must be the very last, and the servant of all.

Refrain (ALL)

The greatest in Jesus’ kingdom is the one humble enough to gladly serve a little child who could not possibly repay the favor.

GOSPEL

Mark 9:30-37

30They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know this, 31because he was teaching his disciples. He told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill him. But three days after he is killed, he will rise.”

32But they did not understand the statement and were afraid to ask him about it.

33They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” 34But they remained silent, because on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35Jesus sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wants to be ﬁrst, he will be the last of all and the servant of all.”

36Then he took a little child and placed him in their midst. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me, welcomes not just me but also him who sent me.”

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise be to you, O Christ.

Please be seated

HYMN OF THE DAY Lord of Glory, You Have Bought Us Christian Worship 767

SERMON

Mark 9:30-37 Be First by Serving

Please stand

CONFESSION OF FAITH

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suﬀered under Pontius Pilate, was cruciﬁed, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Please be seated

Apostles’ Creed

The Apostles’ Creed developed in the Early Christian Church as a personal confession of faith. It is so named because it confesses the faith taught by the Apostles of Jesus.

Brief intercessory prayers may be added in a ﬁtting place.

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.

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!

HYMN Lord, Help Us Walk Your Servant Way

Christian Worship 737

OFFERTORY:

O Praise the Lord, for He Is Good Christian Worship Psalter #106C

“O praise the Lord, for he is good; give thanks and bless his name; his lovingkindness changes not, from age to age the same. What tongue can tell his mighty deeds, his wondrous works and ways? O who can show his glory forth, or utter all his praise?”

Text: Psalter, 1912, alt. Public domain.

Please stand

CLOSING PRAYER

Almighty God, we thank you for teaching us the things you want us to believe and do. Help us by your Holy Spirit to keep your Word in pure hearts that we may be strengthened in faith, guided in holiness, and comforted in life and in death, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

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.

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.

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. 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

THOSE ASSISTING IN WORSHIP THIS MORNING

TODAY

Altar Flowers

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 October 6, 13, & 20. 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 Beth and David Williams for hosting this morning. Upcoming available dates are October 27 and all the Sundays in November. Please sign up on the sheet in the Fellowship Hall.

Sunday Morning Bible Study

Join us for our Sunday morning Bible Study! “Timely Topics” give us a chance to discuss the church and politics, intelligent design, global warming, and more from a biblical perspective. Today we are beginning the topic of gender identity. 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.

Homebound Volunteer Meeting: Today

We have a great opportunity for you to serve your fellow Grace members! People are needed to call, write, email, or personally visit our Grace homebound members. Please come to hear about this ministry this morning following the late service in the Fellowship Hall. These homebound members very much appreciate having a connection to fellow members!

TCM Game Night: Tonight

Tonight WELS Tucson Campus Ministry will host a game night! College students and college-age non-students are invited to join in the fun at 7:00 PM in the Student Center, which is located in the lower level of the church here at Grace-Tucson. Take a brain break and join us! Bible study will return on September 29. The topic will be Prepared to Answer: “There’s No Such Thing As Truth.”

Deadline is TODAY for Pictorial History of the Wisconsin Synod

In 2025 the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) will celebrate 175 years of God’s grace! “Christ Through Us” is a limited edition hardcover book exploring the complete history of WELS from 1850 to 2025 in seven fascinating chapters and approximately 260 pages. Step back in time with captivating historical photographs. See how God has richly blessed WELS gospel ministry at home and abroad over 175 years! Read inspiring stories of WELS families throughout the past and up to the present. To guarantee availability and save 20% off the cover price, this book can be ordered through TODAY for $25. Please see the order form on the table in the Fellowship Hall or contact the Grace Central Office at (520)623-6633 or office@gracelutheransaz.org. Payment may be made by cash or check (payable to Grace Lutheran Church) and given to Pastor Kassulke or the Grace Central Office.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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, September 24, will be volleyball. Come for some friendly competition and bring a friend!

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 early 1900s, including a federation and then merger with the synods of Minnesota and Michigan. Even if you haven’t attended this class before, this is an excellent time to join. 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? What does the Bible say? What do historical accounts tell us about them? 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!

Evangelism Workshop: September 29

We are holding an Evangelism Workshop here at Grace-Tucson next Sunday, September 29, beginning at noon. Lunch will be provided. We look forward to encouraging each other as we prepare to reach out to our friends and neighbors and welcome guests to church.

Spanferkelfest Canvassing: October 12

On Saturday, October 12, we are dropping off Spanferkelfest invitations to homes in the neighborhoods around Grace-Tucson. Do you have an hour or two to come help us? Please let Pastor Koehler know by signing the sheet in the Fellowship Hall. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall at 9:00 AM and should be finished by noon. For additional information, please contact Pastor at (520)623-6633 or revrgk3@gracelutheransaz.org.

Spanferkelfest: October 19

Grace members from all sites are invited to our annual Spanferkelfest Outreach Event being held on Saturday, October 19, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Grace-Tucson. Come and enjoy some delicious roasted pork, side dishes & desserts, activities for kids, music, and great fellowship! This Friendship Evangelism event is a great opportunity to invite your unchurched friends and/or neighbors for an evening of fun. There are invitations for you to use at each of the church doors and in the Fellowship Hall.

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.

& 10:00a

in Grace Class (office conference room) 9:00a

(High School Group) Bible Study: Romans 9:00a

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 Handbell Practice............................................................5:30p

Worship Choir Practice...................................................6:45p

Sunday, September 29 Worship Services 7:45a & 10:00a

Bible Hour......................................................8:45a

Bible Study: Timely Topics 9:00a

in Grace Class (office conference room) 9:00a

(High School Group) Bible Study: Romans 9:00a Fellowship following worship ...................................................

Evangelism Workshop 12:00p TCM Bible Study 7:00p ONLINE

Adult Bible Study (Tucson) 9:00a Worship Services (Sahuarita & Tucson).......................10:00a

Sunday, September 29

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. This Week at Grace September 22 - September 29

Adult Bible Study: Baptism............................................. 9:00a Worship Service 10:00a Fellowship following worship Site Ministry Team Meeting 12:00p Wednesday Adult Bible Study: 1 Corinthians 6:30p

Sunday, September 29

Adult Bible Study: Baptism............................................. 9:00a Worship Service........................................................... 10:00a Fellowship following worship

SAHUARITA

Adult Bible Study: Large Catechism 9:00a Children’s Sunday School 9:00a Worship Service 10:00a

Adult Open Gym Volleyball 7:00p Wednesday Adult Bible Study: Hard Sayings of Jesus 10:00a Sunday, September 29

Adult Bible Study: Large Catechism 9:00a Children’s Sunday School.............................................. 9:00a Worship Service 10:00a Fellowship following worship

Adult Bible Study (Tucson) 9:00a Worship Services (Sahuarita & Tucson).......................10:00a BENSON

Worship Service 7:30a Adult Bible Study: Hebrews 8:45a Fellowship following worship

Adult Bible Study: Song of Songs 10:00a Sunday, September 29

Worship Service............................................................. 7:30a Adult Bible Study: Ephesians 8:45a Fellowship following worship

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. wels.net