St. John’s Evangelical

Lutheran Church

Welcome to our visitors!

It is our hope and prayer that the message you hear today from God’s Word

will fill your heart with the peace that only God can offer and the joy we have in

knowing that Jesus Christ is our Savior from sin.

Large print service folders and children’s bulletins are available from an usher.

Worship Notes

Altar flowers are placed by Tom & Loris Gabel in celebration of their 56th

wedding anniversary and in thanks for blessings received.

We thank the following for serving as St. John’s 2016-17 Sunday School and

Teen Ministry teachers: Naomi Stein & Jenny Greggs (K3); Jessie & Lorna

Leyrer (K4); Brenda Jashinsky & Katie Gnat (K5); Kim Dvorachek (Grades 1-2);

Kurt Kostrzewa (Grades 3-4); Melissa Gregory & Katie Chavez (Grades 5-7);

Brian & Tracey Lampe (Grades 8-12)

We thank the following for serving as St. John’s 2016-17 Chinese teachers:

Mary Groth and Kurt Meingast.

Unity Sunday

September 11, 2016

Rooted and Growing: United in love for the lost.

Prelude

Opening Hymn From All that Dwell below the Skies (see pg. 14)

Please stand to sing the final stanza Christian Worship 250

M: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen.

CONFESSION OF SINS

M: Beloved in the Lord: let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins to God our Father,

asking him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.

C: Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed

you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is

good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry

for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a

sinner.

A quick scan of the gymnasium this morning reveals the many differences among the members of

St. John’s. Some are young; others are only young at heart. Some work in offices; others work in

factories. For many, English is their first and only language; others are more comfortable speaking

Mandarin. In spite of these differences and all the things that could separate and divide us, we stand

united. As Christians, we are united by a common faith and we share a common goal. And we gather

for worship on this special occasion to celebrate the unity that is ours through faith in Jesus Christ.

pg. 4

Kyrie

Lord Jesus, you raise us to new life. Refrain (stanza 1)

Lord Jesus, you forgive us our sins. Refrain (stanza 2)

Lord Jesus, you feed us with your body and blood. Refrain (stanza 3)

Refrain:

M: God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given his only Son to be the atoning

sacrifice for our sins. 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.

C: Amen.

PRAYER AND PRAISE

M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.

Kyrie: The Kyrie (translated from Greek as “Lord, have mercy/Christ, have mercy”) has been used

as a response by the Christian church since ancient times. We sing the Kyrie as a penitential plea for

forgiveness to the triune God. The congregation is invited to join in singing the refrains as marked.

pg. 5

The choir will introduce the refrain by singing it once, the congregation will immediately repeat the

refrain and sing the refrain again as indicated in bold.

Refrain:

Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father,

We worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Refrain

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God,

You take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.

You are seated at the right hand of the Father, receive our prayer. Refrain

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,

You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,

With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen. Refrain (sung twice)

Prayer of the Day

M: Let us pray:

Lord, we pray that your mercy and grace may always go before and follow after us that, loving

you with undivided hearts, we may be ready for every good and useful work; through your

Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now

and forever.

C: Amen.

Be seated

pg. 6

THE WORD

First Lesson Hosea 3:1-5

God will bring back his straying people.

The LORD said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and

is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the

sacred raisin cakes.”

So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. Then I told

her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and

I will live with you.”

For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones,

without ephod or idol. Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the LORD their God and David their

king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to his blessings in the last days.

Response to the Word We Sing the Mighty Power of God

Adult Choir arranged by Hal Hopson

We sing the mighty pow’r of God,

That made the mountains rise,

That spread the flowing seas abroad,

And built the lofty skies.

We sing the wisdom that ordained

The sun to rule the day;

The moon shines full at God’s command,

And all the stars obey.

We sing the goodness of the Lord,

That filled the earth with food,

God formed the creatures with a word,

And then pronounced them good.

Lord, how thy wonders are displayed,

Where’er we turn our eyes,

If we survey the ground we tread

Or gaze upon the skies.

pg. 7

There’s not a plant or flow’r below,

But makes thy glories known,

And clouds arise, and tempests blow,

By order from thy throne;

While all that borrows life from thee

Is ever in thy care;

And everywhere that we can be,

Thou, God, are present there.

Sing alleluia, praise the Lord!

Second Lesson 2 Corinthians 2:5-11

God offers forgiveness for the repentant sinner.

If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some

extent – not to put it too severely. The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him.

Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive

sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. The reason I wrote you was to see if you

would stand the test and be obedient in everything. If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what

I have forgiven – if there was anything to forgive – I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake,

in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

Response to the Word Come, Christians, Join to Sing

Adult & Children’s Choirs setting by John A. Behnke

Come, Christians, join to sing: alleluia! Amen!

Loud praise to Christ the King: alleluia! Amen!

Let all, with heart and voice, before the throne rejoice;

Praise is his gracious choice: alleluia! Amen!

Come, lift your hearts on high: alleluia! Amen!

Let praises fill the sky: alleluia! Amen!

He is our guide and friend; to us he’ll condescend;

His love shall never end: alleluia! Amen!

Praise yet the Lord again: alleluia! Amen!

Life shall not end the strain: alleluia! Amen!

On heaven’s blissful shore his goodness we’ll adore,

Singing forevermore: alleluia! Amen!

pg. 8

Please stand

Gospel Lesson Luke 15:1-10

Jesus seeks the lost.

Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and

the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.

Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And

when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and

neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same

way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous

persons who do not need to repent.

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the

house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors

together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is

rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

M: This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise be to you, O Christ.

Be seated

Response to the Word I Will Praise You, O Lord

Children’s Choir by Mark Patterson

I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart.

In ev’ry song I sing I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart.

In the things that I do, in the words that I say,

I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart.

I will serve you, O Lord, with all my heart.

In ev’rything I do now I will serve you, O Lord, with all my heart.

In the things that I do, in the words that I say,

I will serve you, O Lord, with all my heart.

pg. 9

Lord, I will sing of your goodness and grace.

Lord, I will tell of your glory.

Lord, I will love you and serve you more each day,

With all my heart, O Lord, I give you praise.

I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart.

In ev’ry song I sing I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart.

In the things that I do, in the words that I say,

I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart.

Hymn of the Day Jesus Sinners Does Receive (see pg. 15)

Christian Worship 304

Sermon Luke 15:1-10

That Which Unites Us

Please stand

Apostles’ Creed

C: 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.

Be seated

Offering

The members of St. John’s have joined together to do the Lord’s work in our community

and around the world, and our offerings are a joyful response of our faith. If you are a

visitor today, you are welcome but not obligated to give an offering.

pg. 10

Adult Handbell Choir How Great Thou Art

arranged by Michael Helman

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the works thy hand hath made,

I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior-God, to thee, “How great thou art! How great thou art!”

Then sings my soul, my Savior-God, to thee, “How great thou art! How great thou art!”

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears

All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; his hand the wonders wrought.

Installation of Sunday School and Chinese teachers

Please stand

Prayer of the Church

M: Our God in heaven, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we thank you for the precious Christian

fellowship we are now enjoying in your name.

C: We thank you for the privilege of worshiping you, the true and only God.

M: Heavenly Father, give us all a sincere longing to assemble in your name, to worship you, and

to be edified by the preaching and teaching of your Word.

C: We thank you for the privilege of hearing your Word by which we grow in faith toward a

better understanding of your love.

M: Lord Jesus Christ, help us to cling to you in true faith as our Savior and Lord.

C: We thank you for loving us and redeeming us from our sins with your own precious

blood.

M: Holy Spirit, open our hearts to the Word of truth spoken here today. Cause us to mature in our

faith and give us a deeper love for our God and for one another.

C: We thank you for giving us the grace to praise you continually with our whole lives. Give

us a desire only for those things which are righteous and good.

pg. 11

M: Lord God, grant us the gifts of patience, kindness, and gentleness that we may help family and

neighbor, that we may be forgiving, and that we may live in peace with all people.

C: We thank you for bringing us together to lift our voices in praise. Bless us as we glorify

you and comfort and strengthen one another.

M: God our Protector, on this September 11 anniversary we pray for our nation and its people.

Continue to bring peace and healing to all those affected by the events of 2001. Remind us that

in spite of the evil present in this sinful world, you are always in control. Still our souls, calm

our fears, and lift our hearts by your promises to never leave us or forsake us.

C: We thank you that one day, you will take us to heaven to live forever in peace and

perfection.

Special prayers and intercessions may follow

M: We thank you for this opportunity to gather around your Word as one Christian family. Let

your kingdom come to us and others, so that we and many more might join the assembly of

saints and angels to sing your praise forever.

C: Savior of all, hear our prayer and help us in our mission. Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

C: 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.

Be seated

Hymn How Firm a Foundation (see pg. 16)

Christian Worship Supplement 768

Please stand

pg. 12

M: God our Father, your Son Jesus prayed that his followers might be one. Make your Church one

with him as he is one with you, so that in unity and peace we may carry the message of your

love to the world, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy

Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

M: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with

gladness.

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the

dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for

doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom

be glory forever and ever.

C: Amen.

Be seated

Closing Hymn Christ Is Our Cornerstone (see pg. 18)

Christian Worship 528

Announcements

Postlude

Following the service, refreshments will be served in the commons area.

Readings for the Week of Pentecost 17

M Lamentations 3:22-33………………………………………. 2 Samuel 12:19-23

T Hebrews 12:4-11…….….………………………………….. James 1:2-12

W Job 2:1-10…………………………………………………… James 5:7-11

TH Ephesians 6:18-20………………………………………….. Mark 6:14-29

F Hebrews 10:35-39………………………………………….. Isaiah 49:14-21

S Luke 21:10-29………………………………………………. Revelation 2:8-11

pg. 13

Serving at Worship

Preacher Pastor Joel Leyrer

Presiding Minister Pastor Kyle Bitter

Lectors Pastor Eric Schroeder

Pastor Joshua Yu

Pianist Lynn Kozlowski

Adult Choir Director Dr. William Braun

Children’s Choir Director Mandy Treder

Handbell Choir Director Kristi Meyer

Head Ushers Mark Naumann, Matt Bahr and Jon Johnson

Acknowledgements (reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-709971, all rights reserved)

“From All that Dwell Below the Skies” Text and tune public domain.

Jesus, the Compassion of God (Kyrie and Gloria) © 1999 GIA Publications, Inc.

“We Sing the Mighty Power of God” Text public domain.

“Come, Christians, Join to Sing” Text © 2003 Morningstar Music Publications/Birnamwood

Publications.

“I Will Praise You, O Lord” Text © 2000 Choristers Guild.

“Jesus Sinners Does Receive” Text and tune public domain.

“How Great Thou Art” Text © 1949, 1953 The Stuart Hine Trust, administered by Hope

Publishing Company.

“This Is My Father’s World” Text public domain.

“How Firm a Foundation” Text and tune public domain.

“Christ Is Our Cornerstone” Text and tune public domain.

pg. 14

pg. 15

pg. 16

pg. 17

pg. 18

pg. 19

Sunday Bible Classes New Sunday Bible Classes and Sunday School begin next Sunday at 9:15 AM.

A staffed nursery is available during Bible class.

The Hard Sayings of Jesus

Taught by Pastor Jim Behringer (WELS Special Ministries)

in the Fellowship Hall

Jesus said some things that are hard to understand without pondering them. The hard sayings of Jesus

are statements that are also hard to forget – because they make us think. They give us hope when we’ve

forgotten all the bland religious clichés people tell us. Join Pastor Behringer of WELS Special

Ministries for a look at difficult words that Jesus taught. There is a book available from Northwestern

Publishing House and a supplemental course based on it for those who may be interested: Hard Sayings

of Jesus: Embracing His Words of Life.

Forgiveness and Addiction

Taught by Pastor Philip Merten (Wisconsin Lutheran Institutional Ministries)

in the School Lecture Room

Join us for a short, 3-week Bible study on how to achieve forgiveness throughout daily life and in times

of struggle, and understanding and examining addiction.

The Wonders of God – Bible Information Class

Taught by the Pastoral Staff

in the St. Matthew’s Room

This course provides a general overview of the Bible, touches upon every major Christine doctrine, and

supplies a solid understanding of what we confess and believe as a confessional Lutheran Church. Since

it provides the foundation for a deeper relationship with God, we encourage both members and non-

members to attend. Please note there will also be some week-night evening classes.