9-4-22 Grace-Tucson Worship Folder by gracelutheransaz

G E L C T , A S 4, 2022 THE THIRTEENTH 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

We Want Peace, but God’s Word Divides

OUR WORSHIP SERIES—HARD TRUTH

The hard truth we will hear today is this: following Jesus will force us to let go of things we love and embrace things we would naturally loathe. However, we should not only consider what we might give us for Jesus. We should also consider what blessings we get through him! Whatever is lost as we follow Christ pales in comparison to what we gain. Please join us each week as we look at these hard truth teachings of Jesus. Worship Notes

The First Will Be Last; the Last Will Be First The Humble Will Be Exalted; the Exalted Will Be Humbled Put Down What You Love; Pick Up What You Loathe The Found Are Left; the Lost Are Found Serve God with Money; You Can’t Serve God and Money What Seems to Help in Life Fails in Death; What Seems to Fail in Life Helps in Death

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 new Christian Worship 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. We hope this will help our members and friends become better acquainted with these new books. A vocalist will aid in our singing and will be recorded for our audio disks and video live streaming.

When the truth is hard to hear, the ﬁrst temptation is to deny it. We cannot do that with Jesus’ teaching, for he never lies. When the truth is hard to hear, the second temptation is to simply ignore it. To do that with Jesus is to court eternal death. Thus, Jesus’ words contain an urgent warning: Listen! Take to heart what Jesus says! For his Word, though it contains hard truth, gives eternal life.

“Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem” (Luke 13:22). Jesus knows that when he gets to Jerusalem, he is going to die. If you expect Jesus to use these ﬁnal teaching opportunities to share happy thoughts, you don’t know him well. With a sense of extreme urgency, Jesus shares truths we need to hear, even if we do not want to hear them. As Jesus teaches hard truth, he challenges conventional wisdom. He reverses the normal and natural order of things. This should not surprise us, considering this Teacher’s life and work are the opposite of what one would expect.

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

2 + ORDER OF WORSHIP +

WELCOME Please stand INVOCATION

Congregation: Amen. HYMN RESPONSE—Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus Christian Worship 704

PRESERVICE MUSIC: Take My Life and Let It Be arr. Victor Labenske Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken arr. Zach Unke Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus arr. Kathy Parra The words of the invocation remind us that the God we meet and worship here is the true and triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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. HYMN RESPONSE Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus Christian Worship 704 Psalm 32:1 2

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” James 5:16 This hymn stanza continues on the next page.

Blessed are they whose sin the Lord does not count against them.

Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

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.

CONFESSION OF SINS

Let us confess our sins to the Lord.

Silence for meditation and reﬂection

LORD, HAVE MERCY Kyrie

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.

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.

Mark 10:47 Kyrie is the Greek word for Lord. expressionThe“Lord, have mercy” is one of the oldest ChristianresponsesworshipintheChurch.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

5 HYMN RESPONSE—Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus Christian Worship 704

The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray.

O merciful Lord, you did not spare your only Son but delivered him up for us all. Grant us courage and strength to take up the cross and follow him, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

6 HYMN RESPONSE—Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus Christian Worship 704

Text: Sigmund G. domain.

tr. J. Adam Rimbach, 1871 1941, alt.;

von Birken, 1626 1681. Tune: Georg

Please be seated

Boltze, 18th cent.. Text and tune: Public

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon, our dear friend and coworker,

7 I have received great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.

PSALM OF THE DAY Blessed Are They Christian Worship 1

+ THE

But if your heart turns away, and you do not listen, and you are lured away, and you bow down to other gods and serve them, 18 then I declare to you today that you will most certainly perish. You will not live a long life on the land that you are about to enter and possess by crossing over the Jordan.

I call the heavens and the earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, a blessing and a curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live 20 by loving the L your God, by listening to his voice, and by clinging to him, because that means life for you, and you will live a long life on your land that the L swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

For that reason, even though I have plenty of boldness in Christ to order you to do what is proper, 9 I am appealing to you, instead, on the basis of love, just as I, Paul, am an old man and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 10 I am appealing to you on behalf of my child Onesimus. I became his father while I was in chains. 11 There was a time when he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. 12 I have sent him (who is my very heart) back to you. Welcome him. 13 I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might serve me in your place while I am in

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

The case of the escaped slave, Onesimus, returning to his owner, Philemon, is a perfect example of the cost involved in following Jesus. Paul encourages Philemon to free Onesimus and embrace him as brother.a This continuesreadingonthenextpage. WORD

Please open your hymnal to join in singing thistoday.psalm

FIRST READING Deuteronomy 30:15 20

7 Through Moses, the Lord sets two paths before Israel: one leading to life, the other to death.

The vocalist will sing the ﬁrst refrain and the ﬁrst block of verses. Please join in singing the remainder of the psalm.

15 See now, today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and disaster. 16 This is what I am commanding you today: Love the L your God, walk in his ways, and keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances. Then you will live and increase in number, and the L your God will bless you in the land that you are going to possess.

SECOND READING Philemon 1, 7 21

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Please stand

The vocalist will sing the ﬁrst refrain and the verse. Please join in singing the refrain after the verse.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION John 6:68

Vocalist: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Refrain (ALL)

chains for the gospel. 14 But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that your kindness would not be the result of compulsion, but of willingness. 15 Perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a while: so that you would have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave, but as more than a slave, as a dear brother. He certainly is dear to me, but he is even more of a dear brother to you, both in the ﬂesh and in the Lord.

17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 And if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, Paul, have written this with my own hand: I will repay it not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20 Yes, brother, I am asking for a favor from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Conﬁdent of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

HYMN DAY Jesus, My Cross Taken Christian Worship 694

Please be seated

Carry Your Very Own Cross Please stand

SERMON Luke 14:25-35

Jesus teaches us that truly following him will come at a cost: the need to carry a cross, the need to give up everything. Countcost.the GOSPEL Luke 14:25-35 25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus. He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, if he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, everyone who sees it will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build, but was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, as he goes out to confront another king in war, will not first sit down and consider if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if he is not able, he sends out a delegation and asks for terms of peace while his opponent is still far away. 33 So then, any one of you who does not say farewell to all his own possessions cannot be my disciple. 34 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its flavor, how will it become salty again? 35 It is not fit for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. The one who has ears to hear, let him hear.” The Gospel of the Lord. Praise be to you, O Christ.

OF THE

Have

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.

Heavenly Father, you loved the world and gave your Son to free us from sin and death by his obedient death on the cross. We confess that without your love we are lost. Lord of the Church, we thank you for the treasure of the gospel. By your Spirit, keep our eyes ﬁxed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

Strengthen our determination to do what pleases you, no matter what the danger or the cost.

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.

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

For our sake he was cruciﬁed under Pontius Pilate. He suﬀered death and was buried.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

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.

Brief inprayersintercessorymaybeaddedaﬁttingplace.

CONFESSION OF FAITH Nicene Creed

Help us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Keep us faithful even to the point of death, that we may receive the crown of life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen. OFFERING

Grant them peace, O Lord, and in your mercy, be their guardian and friend, their comfort and hope.

Watch over those who care for others: pastors and counselors; physicians and nurses; social workers and caring friends; all who feed the hungry, comfort the hurting, and stand beside the dying.

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!

Guard and guide those who carry a cross in the name of Christ and face ridicule and persecution for the sake of the kingdom: missionaries and chaplains, young people who stand up for what is right in the face of pressure to do what is wrong, and all who pay a high price for their faith and values as Christians. By your Spirit, O Lord, grant them patience and endurance.

Strengthen them in their work, O Lord, and do not let them become weary in doing good. Hear us as we pray in silence.

Keep in your care those who carry heavy burdens in life: the sick and the chronically ill, the depressed and the lonely, those torn by conﬂict in personal relationships, and those victimized by war and injustice. Comfort all who face the terrors of life with a heavy heart.

OFFERTORY: Near the Cross arr. John Carter The words printed below are for your silent meditation: Jesus, keep me near the cross, there a precious fountain; free to all, a healing stream, ﬂows from Calvary's mountain.

Silent prayer

In the cross, in the cross be my glory ever, till my ransomed soul shall ﬁnd rest beyond the river.

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: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY Sanctus

Please stand

PREFACE

12 + THE SACRAMENT +

Please join in singing the response below following a brief introduction.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

13 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 answerprayers.our

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

Amen. LORD’S PRAYER

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Please join in singing the response below following a brief introduction.

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.

Please be seated DISTRIBUTION

O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD Agnus Dei

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)

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 communionfree wafers and grape juice are available for those who for health or medical reason require it. Please see page 16 for additional details.

COMMUNION MUSIC: We Walk by Faith arr. Valerie Floeter with Lord Jesus Christ, You Have Prepared and Oh, That the Lord Would Guide My Ways

CLOSING PRAYER

Please stand SPOKEN RESPONSES

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.

CLOSINGANNOUNCEMENTSHYMN

POSTLUDE MUSIC: Beneath the Cross Keith & Kristyn Getty The words printed below are for your silent meditation: Beneath the cross of Jesus, the path before the crown, we follow in his footsteps where promised hope is found. How great the joy before us to be his perfect bride. Beneath the cross of Jesus we will gladly live our lives.

Psalm 106:1 1 Corinthians 11:26 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

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. Please be seated

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.

Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me Christian Worship 831

+ THANKSGIVING +

Greeters

Sound and

TODAY Holy Communion

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Vocalist......................................................................................................................

The flowers beautifying our altar today have been given by Jenn and DJ Miller in celebration of their son Zach’s 13th birthday! 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. The next available dates are October 2, 9, and 16. 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, you are invited to join us in the courtyard for drinks and snacks. We thank Beth and David Williams for hosting this week. The next available dates are October 9, 16, and 23 . Please sign up on the sheet in the Fellowship Hall.

Communion Prep Karen Grorud, Elaine Goldie, Barb Tobiasson Committee Nadine Rentschler, Jeanette O’Donald, Sandy Weir

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.

Altar Flowers

Pastor Ron Koehler Kathy Parra Naomi Kassulke Jeanette O’Donald, Nadine Rentschler (10:00 AM) Recording Techs Jeremy Snavely, Danny Koehler, Sam Kassulke

Accompanist

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.

Those Assisting in Worship This Morning Preacher Pastor Nathan Kassulke Service Leader .....................................................................................................

Banner

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. The prayers below may be used before and after receiving communion.

Devotional Books

TODAY

Tucson Campus Ministry will not meet for Bible study tonight but will resume next Sunday, September 11, at 7:00 PM in the Student Center located in the basement here at Grace Tucson. Their study topic will be “Trials & Temptations” based on James 1:2 18. All college students and college-age adults are welcome to attend.

Children’s Bible Hour: TODAY

Grace Moments and Meditations daily devotional books are at either door to church and in the Fellowship Hall. A new Meditations book with devotions that began last Sunday is available.

Tucson Campus Ministry

Everyone Outreach: Register TODAY

Our congregation is participating in an exciting new program called “Everyone Outreach.” The program will help us build a culture of outreach so that every ministry and every member is encouraged and equipped to reach the lost in our community. “Everyone Outreach” kicks off with an interactive workshop on Saturday, September 17, (8:00 AM to 12:00 PM) and Sunday, September 18, (12:30 PM to 4:30 PM) here at Grace-Tucson. This "Everyone Outreach" workshop is produced by our WELS Commission on Evangelism and will be led by facilitator, Pastor Jonathan Klein. Childcare, lunches, and snacks will be provided, allowing as many members as possible to attend. TODAY is the LAST DAY to register for the workshop at http://www.gracelutheransaz.org/ rsvp. If you do not have internet access, please speak to Debbie Koehler in the courtyard TODAY and she will get you registered.

“God just wants me to be happy.” “God helps those who help themselves.” These and other popular, positive, catchy statements might sound good, but do they really fit with what the Bible says? We recently started a brand new Bible Study topic, “10 Lies About God.” This study will help us respond to false teachings about God and to defend what the Bible teaches. Now would be an excellent time to make this study a part of your Sunday routine! Please join us at 9:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall.

Questions? Contact Tucson Outreach Coordinator, Holly Vaden, (208)922-9884. We encourage every member of our congregation to attend the workshop!

Sunday Morning Bible Study

All children, ages 3 8th grade, are invited to attend Children’s Bible Hour on Sunday mornings. The children will begin all together in the main area of our Education Building at 8:45 AM for music and an opening devotion and from there will be divided into age based classrooms. Parents can meet their children after class at their classrooms or in the courtyard. If you have any questions about Children’s Bible Hour, please contact Pastor Patoka.

Church History Bible Study: Wednesday

Mission to the Children School Supplies

Our study of “Prepared to Answer,” a book by Pastor Mark Paustian, a professor at Martin Luther College, tackles common questions and viewpoints that come from non Christians and even Christians on subjects like: “Do you really believe in miracles?” “But I’m pro choice.” “There are no moral absolutes.” “There are things I’ll never be able to forgive.” “With so many interpretations and denominations, who can say who is right?”

English Classes Meeting: Tuesday

ANNOUNCEMENTS

“Why doesn’t he answer my prayers?” 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. The book is provided at no cost to you and is yours to keep. Invite a friend and Join Pastor Koehler for what should be a very helpful study 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.

Grace Tucson’s English Classes will begin again on Tuesday, September 13, and could use your help! Show Christ’s love to those learning and improving their English skills by teaching classes (training provided), playing with children, partnering in conversation, or serving snacks. An informational meeting will be held this Tuesday, September 6 at 6:30 PM in the Grace-Tucson Fellowship Hall. Classes are held in that same location on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. If you are interested in learning more or serving, contact Pastor Patoka at (520)623-6633 or RevTLP@GraceLutheranSAZ.org.

The Grace Central Office will be closed tomorrow, September 5, in observance of Labor Day. If you have an urgent need, please email one of the pastors directly or leave a voicemail on the office phone at (520)623-6633 and your message will be received. Regular office hours will resume at 9:00 AM on Tuesday morning.

Women’s Bible Study: Thursday

Our Church History Bible Study meets on Wednesdays at 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM in the Grace Tucson Fellowship Hall. We hope you will join us as we continue discussing the Church during the Enlightenment (approximately 1650 1800 A.D.).

Grace Central Office Closed: Monday

Mission to the Children is once again collecting school supplies for the children and teachers in northern Sonora, Mexico. Items needed include: pencils, colored pencils, crayons, scissors, glue sticks, Elmer’s glue (small bottles), rulers, backpacks and college-ruled notebooks. VISA gift cards are also greatly appreciated! If you would like to contribute, please bring your items to the Grace Central Office by THIS Wednesday or leave them in the marked box on the table in the west of the Fellowship Hall.

LWMS Fall Retreat: Register by September 17

Have you ever been interested in ringing a handbell? Do you enjoy singing? Do you wish you could sing more easily? Are you looking for a way to serve God within our congregation? Would you like to meet people at church while enjoying a fun activity?

Choir and Handbells: Thursday

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ladies’ Fellowship Group: September 15

The Ladies’ Fellowship Group will be meeting on Thursday, September 15, at 10:15 AM in the Grace Tucson Fellowship Hall. They will be discussing the book, “The Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel. Please read or listen to the audio version of this book before we meet. Please bring drinks and a snack. Ladies from ALL sites are welcome to join in the fun! Please contact Lois Thornton at (520)323-8772 if you have any questions.

Lifeliner Escape Room: September 11

If you answered yes to any of these questions, please consider joining us on Thursday evenings beginning September 8! Handbells will rehearse from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Worship Choir will rehearse from 6:45 to 8:00 PM. Both groups meet in the church sanctuary. 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 12years 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).

Grace's Lifeliners, our high school youth group, is going to attempt to escape from “Warden’s Ruse” at the escape room Will You Escape? next Sunday, September 11, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. High school students interested in going, should contact Pastor Patoka by September 8.

Ladies, mark your calendars for the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society Fall Retreat at Camp Shadow Pines in Heber, AZ. This retreat is for both of Arizona’s circuits and is hosted by the Grand Canyon West Circuit. All ladies are invited to attend this three day event beginning on Friday evening, October 7, and concluding with a Sunday worship service on October 9. Additional information and registration forms can be found on the bulletin board in the east end of the Fellowship Hall. You may also register at grandcanyonlwms.org or gcwlwms.org. Please complete your registration by September 17.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Foodie Club at Esmond Station Teachers at Esmond Station School (the location where our Vail members worship), have started an after school “Foodie Club” for the students to teach them about different cultural meals. We would like to help out and sponsor this group! Recipes from different cultures and gift cards to any grocery store are needed. Recipes can be emailed to Laura Hodgson (irish_mom@live.com) or dropped off in the church office. Gift cards can also be dropped off in the church office. If you have any questions, please contact her at the above email address or call her at (520)780-1743.

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

WELS Youth Night—Tucson: October 1 Gather with your fellow high school students in the greater Tucson area. Learn and grow together as Christians. Have fun and be encouraged in your faith! WELS Youth Night Tucson will meet at Grace Tucson on Saturday, October 1, from 6:00 to 8:30 PM. Experience an inspiring evening of games, music, God’s Word, small group discussion, and fun as we consider “How to Use the Power of God.” Register today at GraceLutheranSAZ.org/YouthNight or by scanning this QR code.

Spanferkelfest: Save the Date!

ALL Grace members from all sites are invited to attend the 2nd Annual Spanferkelfest Outreach Event being held on Saturday, October 22, from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Grace-Tucson. This is a great opportunity to invite your unchurched friends and/or neighbors for an afternoon of fun. This year’s pig roast will be done on a spit with additional side dishes provided. There will be activities for kids including a bounce house, music, raffles, and more! Watch for more details as we get closer to the date. For anyone interested in helping out with this event (there are a variety of ways in which you can serve), please contact one of the following committee members: Jenn Miller (520)909 2115, Holly Vaden (208)922-9884, Dave Farley (520)345-3038, Rick Street (520)909-2126.

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

Grow in Grace Class

It is now easier than ever to support Grace members attending WELS schools in Arizona! If you owe taxes to the state of Arizona, you can, up to certain limits, donate to a school tuition organization and receive a dollar-for-dollar credit on your state income taxes. This program has been in place for many years already, but our partner, the Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization (ACSTO), has made it even easier by allowing you to designate "Grace Lutheran Southern AZ Church Members." All money they receive designated in this way (other than a percentage for expenses) will be used to award scholarships to our students who are attending Redeemer Lutheran School or Arizona Lutheran Academy. Using this designation will help us track how well we are making use of the resources available to us and will help make sure that our students are all receiving the help that they need. You may not be thinking about taxes right now, but if you have never used this program before, this would be a great time to learn more. Ask for help, check out the ACSTO website (ACSTO.org), or even consider having part of your paycheck withheld to make use of the tax credit. Jeff Weinstein, a member of Grace, is ACSTO's representative for WELS schools. You can reach him at 520 909 7649 or jweinstein@acsto.org with your questions.

ANNOUNCEMENTS 21 Prayer Group God invites us to pray to him about all sorts of things in our lives, and he promises to hear and to answer. Grace has a Prayer Group that is facilitated by Grace Vail member, Laura Hodgson. If any Grace member would like to be a part of this group, please contact her at (520)780 1743 or PrayerGroup@GraceLutheranSAZ.org.Anyonedesiringaspecialprayer may also contact Laura to give her the details of the prayer request. She will relay the request to the members of the Prayer Group, who will then pray specifically about the request. May God continue to bless this group and cause more prayer to be brought to him through it.

Children’s Bible Hour 8:45a Adult Bible Study: 10 Lies About God 9:00a

Children’s Sunday School 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.

This Week at Grace September 4 – September 11

NO TCM Bible Study

Adult Bible Study (Tucson) 9:00a

Adult Bible Study: Book of Revelation 9:00a

Children’s Sunday School 9:00a Worship Service with communion 10:00a

Monday Labor Day Child Learning Center Closed Wednesday Midweek Bible Study 10:00a

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Lifeliners (High School) Bible Study 9:00a

Stay Up to Date

Wednesday Midweek Bible Study: Church History 10:00a & 7:00p

Worship Services with communion .................7:45a & 10:00a

TodayONLINE

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Monday—Labor Day Grace Central Office Closed Tuesday Weekly Pastors’ Meeting 9:00a English Classes

The Precious Position of a Woman of God Grow in Grace Class 3:00p & 5:00p Next Sunday, September 11 Adult Bible Study: Book of Revelation 9:00a Children’s Sunday School 9:00a Worship Service 10:00a TodayVAIL

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TodayBENSON Worship Service with communion 7:30a Bible Study following worship: 1 Corinthians ..........................

Thursday Women’s Bible Study: Prepared to Answer 9:00a Handbell Rehearsal 5:30p Worship Choir 6:45p Next Sunday, September 11

Adult Bible Study: Male & Female He Created Them 9:00a Worship Service with communion 10:00a Fellowship following worship Thursday Midweek Bible Study: 10 Lies About God 6:30p Next Sunday, September 11

Orientation/Information Night 6:30p

Adult Bible Study: Male & Female He Created Them 9:00a Worship Service 10:00a Fellowship following worship

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. 22

Worship Services (Tucson and Sahuarita) 10:00a

Worship Services 7:45a & 10:00a

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Children’s Sunday School 9:00a

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TodayTUCSON

Children’s Bible Hour 8:45a Adult Bible Study: 10 Lies About God 9:00a Lifeliners (High School) Bible Study 9:00a Lifeliners Escape Room Outing 1:00p TCM Bible Study: Trials & Temptations 7:00p

TodaySAHUARITA

Worship Services (Tucson and Sahuarita) 10:00a

Wednesday Midweek Bible Study: The Large Catechism 10:00a Next Sunday, September 11 Worship Service 7:30a NO Bible Study following worship

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Next Sunday, September 11 Adult Bible Study (Tucson) 9:00a

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. For more information about our synod and what we believe visit: www.wels.net Bible-Based Counselor—Cinda Drescher (520)405cinda@gracelutheransaz.org -3286 Administrative Assistant—Debbie Koehler assistant@gracelutheransaz.org Worship Coordinator—Beth Kassulke music@gracelutheransaz.org Office Assistant—Cora Stuhr office@gracelutheransaz.org Grace-Benson 451 W. Duane St., Benson, AZ 85602 Grace-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 Child Learning Center (520) 848OfficeOfficewww.GraceLutheranSahuaritaCLC.comreceptionist@gracelutheransaz.org4630ManagerJennaDietrichAssistantShirleyZanotti Director Laura Heiman director@gracelutheransaz.org Grace-Tucson and Central Office 830 N. 1st Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (520)623 office@gracelutheransaz.org6633 Pastor Ronald G. Koehler III revrgk3@gracelutheransaz.org Pastor Nathan P. Kassulke revnpk@gracelutheransaz.org Pastor Timothy L. Patoka (Campus Ministry) revtlp@gracelutheransaz.org One Church. Four Sites. Proclaiming the love of Jesus in Southern Arizona since 1911.