The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost 9/28/25
THE SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
SEPTEMBER 28, 2025
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WELCOME TO ST. PAUL’S!
8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
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THE ENTRANCE RITE
PRELUDE Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive Setting: Wilbur Held
WELCOME
ENTRANCE HYMN Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive LSB 843
1 “Forgive our sins as we forgive,”
You taught us, Lord, to pray;
But You alone can grant us grace
To live the words we say.
2 How can Your pardon reach and bless
The unforgiving heart
That broods on wrongs and will not let
Old bitterness depart?
3 In blazing light Your cross reveals
The truth we dimly knew:
What trivial debts are owed to us,
How great our debt to You!
4 Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls
And bid resentment cease;
Then, bound to all in bonds of love,
Our lives will spread Your peace.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION LSB 167
In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.
Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have
sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what
we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not l
loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal
punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us,
renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to
the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
KYRIE LSB 168
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.
THIS IS THE FEAST LSB 171
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia.
Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be
people of God.
Power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and blessing and
glory are His.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia.
Sing with all the people of God, and join in the hymn of all creation:
Blessing and honor and glory and might be to God and the Lamb forever.
Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God, for the Lamb who was slain has
begun His reign.
Alleluia, alleluia.
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. O God, You are the strength of all who trust in You
and without Your aid we can do no good thing. Grant us the help of Your grace
that we may please You in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ, Your Son,
our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
forever. Amen.
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THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON (Be seated) Amos 6:1-7
“Woe to those who are at ease in Zion,
and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria,
the notable men of the first of the nations,
to whom the house of Israel comes!
Pass over to Calneh, and see,
and from there go to Hamath the great;
then go down to Gath of the Philistines.
Are you better than these kingdoms?
Or is their territory greater than your territory,
O you who put far away the day of disaster
and bring near the seat of violence?
“Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory
and stretch themselves out on their couches,
and eat lambs from the flock
and calves from the midst of the stall,
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp
and like David invent for themselves instruments of music,
who drink wine in bowls
and anoint themselves with the finest oils,
but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!
Therefore they shall now be the first of those who go into exile,
and the revelry of those who stretch themselves out shall pass away.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM 146 (Sung responsively)
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
Blessèd is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord!
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
SECOND LESSON 1 Timothy 6:6-19
Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
10:30 CHILDREN’S SERMON
ALLELUIA VERSE (Stand)
Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia.
GOSPEL Luke 16:19-31
The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 16th chapter.
Glory to You, O Lord.
[Jesus said:] “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON (Be seated)
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen. Dear friends in Christ:
Here in the United States, we are blessed to be able to work not just for survival but also for profit. We know that when we work hard and get the right breaks, we have a chance to both feed and shelter ourselves and have enough left over to enjoy a little leisure, indulge in some nice treats, and even pass something along to those we love.
There’s nothing wrong with profiting from our work. But there are wrong ways in which one can gain profits. And profits can lead one down some wrong paths.
This second concern is the subject of today’s scripture readings. In particular, the Gospel lesson just read gives a vivid example of a man who profited richly but went down the path of destruction.
We’ll explore this story and its meaning in a few moments. But first let’s examine the message of today’s second reading. In the closing verses of this letter to young Timothy, Paul speaks very frankly about the bad things which come to those who have too much love for money. Such love, he makes clear, is a great pitfall.
Just to be clear, Paul is not saying that being rich is a bad thing in itself. He shows this by acknowledging that some are wealthy and then teaching them how to live rightly with their wealth. In those directions, he says they are not to “be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” Furthermore, “they are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”
But before he says these things, Paul first gives a strong warning about wealth. He says: “but those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.”
Paul’s warning here is centered on a person’s desires and affections. And that’s because he knows how desirable profits can be. It is for this reason that profits so easily bring pitfalls. And as followers of Christ, we need to be aware of these and do our best to avoid them.
One pitfall of profits is that they tempt us to dismiss or ignore the needs of others. When we work hard and make a profit, we often assume that everyone else should be able to do this too. But that’s not the case. Some people work hard and get bad breaks. And some people aren’t able to work very hard or effectively. We are to have compassion on these people and share with them as we can.
This is the pitfall seen in today’s Gospel reading. Jesus tells of a rich man who walked by poor Lazarus every day and did nothing to help him. Lazarus was so poor and in such a bad condition that he couldn’t even keep the dogs from licking his undressed wounds. Yet the rich man never seemed to notice him.
Lazarus wasn’t demanding that the rich man share his wealth equally with him. He simply wanted to eat the scraps from the rich man’s table. But the rich man never stopped to help. He ignored the Biblical command which tells us to give alms to the poor – a command given very clearly in Leviticus 19, where farmers are told not to reap all their crops from the field but to leave some for the poor (19:9).
The rich man in the story fell into the pitfall of greed. Or maybe it was the pitfall of apathy. In today’s first reading, Amos the prophet gives his warning to those “who are at ease in Zion.” He further describes them as those who “feel secure.” Such feelings of ease and security can lead to a complacent heart – one which simply doesn’t care.
Either way, as the conclusion of Jesus’ story makes clear, this pitfall took the man down… way down. It took him all the way down into the depths of hell.
Profits can be a pitfall when they lead us away from our responsibilities to our neighbor. And this wrongful step then leads to another problem as well. As Paul says in verse ten of his letter to Timothy, “It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”
Ultimately, greed, stinginess, and an outsized desire for profits are spiritual problems. Jesus’ story in today’s Gospel reading makes this clear. The rich man loved his fine clothing and sumptuous feasts more than he loved God and God’s commands. And that spiritual misalignment sent him to hell.
This story does not teach us that people are saved by their works. It contains no reference to any kind of ledger keeping track of whether the man had done enough. What we see, instead, is a man who did nothing – one whose absence of good reflects an absence of faith.
God is the only one who can save a person from the final judgment. And that’s because we have all sinned and any sin disqualifies us from entering the new and holy creation to come.
Knowing this, we are to place our trust in both God’s commandments and God’s salvation. Both teachings are given for our good.
When the rich man in the story found himself in hell, he recognized Father Abraham and knew to call out to him. And this tells us that he had learned the faith but rejected it.
The man also knew that he had no right to ask for a reversal of his situation. And this is why he asks, instead, that Lazarus might dip his finger in cool water and come to him and cool his tongue. Ironically, this simple request is just like the one made by Lazarus, who only wanted to eat scraps from the rich man’s table.
Lazarus may have wanted to help the formerly rich man who was now suffering in hell, since he obviously had a faithful heart. But Father Abraham explained that he couldn’t do this, since there is a great gulf between the two places.
And this gulf parallels the one which exists between this life and the next. As such, it should remind us that when our life on earth ends, we will have run out of time to turn to God in repentance.
Today’s story by Jesus gives us a strong warning – a warning that is echoed by Paul to Timothy. The warning tells us that there are pitfalls in profits. Or to say it another way, both the possession of money and the love of money can lead to one’s demise.
Throughout today’s sermon I’ve been using the English words “profits” and “pitfalls” to explain this warning. And one reason for this is that in the original Greek of Paul’s letter, these concepts are given through two words that also begin with the letter “P,” or more properly, its Greek equivalent. These are the words πορισμός (v 6) and πειρασμός (v 9).
The “profit” word (πορισμός) is translated here as “gain.” The “pitfall” word (πειρασμός) literally means “temptation.” I share this with you because while the sermon thus far has emphasized how profits can be a tempting temptation or a dangerous pitfall, Paul actually uses this word in a different way.
Paul says: “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (v.6). Here Paul points to a different kind of profit – a gain which God gives to us without any pitfalls, and one that reflects his grace.
This is the teaching from today’s texts that I’d like us to focus upon for the rest of our sermon.
Contentment is one of the great virtues commended to us in the Christian faith. As Paul explains: “for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”
When a person is content, they no longer fret and worry. When one learns to live this way, they’ve mastered one of life’s greatest skills.
And God helps us with this. God, in fact, is the only one who can make it possible. God does this as he promises and assures us that he will provide what we truly need and that the suffering we face will only last so long.
Notice, however, that Paul also points to more than this. He says that “godliness with” contentment is great gain. In other words, when we pair Godly living with a contented heart, then we are truly living.
Living in this way is not easy. As such, we will often fail in our attempts.
But when we turn to God in repentance, he will forgive us for Jesus’ sake. We know this because Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins.
Our job, in the words of St. Paul, is to “fight the good fight of the faith.” We are to trust in God’s promise of care and protection and “take hold of the eternal life to which [we] are called.”
Part of this fighting, according to Paul, is to “make the good confession.” Paul notes how Timothy did this “in the presence of many witnesses,” and that Jesus did this too, “in his testimony before Pontius Pilate.”
Making this confession can bring painful consequences. When Jesus made his confession before Pilate, it cost him his life. And Paul, too, was eventually killed for his faith.
But those who make it are assured of ultimate victory. This victory is evidenced in the resurrection of Jesus, who rose from the dead on the third day. Because he lives, we will live also.
This is the victory which Jesus alludes to near the end of his story in today’s Gospel reading. There he explains that once the rich man realized that his own fate was set, he then expressed a concern about his family and asked Abraham to warn them lest they also go to hell. When Abraham explains that they have the words of the scripture to warn them, the man countered: “No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.”
The rich man knew that a re-appearance of someone who had died makes a strong case. And God knows this too, which is why he sent Jesus to live, die, and be resurrected among us. In Jesus, we see clearly how God wishes to save us and how he has made our salvation possible.
Those first hearers of Jesus’ story would soon learn of his death and resurrection as well. And upon learning this, they would then be confronted with the question of whether to believe it. The same is true for us today.
As the story concludes, Jesus makes it clear that not everyone will believe in the resurrection. And he ties this to one’s belief in the holy writings, saying: “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.”
With these words, Jesus urges us to trust the message of the scriptures and to see them as truthful and sufficient. The scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments bear witness to Jesus and his message of salvation, and we can be sure of their power and help.
But even more, these words urge us to center our faith in Jesus’ resurrection. For it is Christ’s victory over sin and death which assures us of ours, not our understanding.
When we know of Jesus’ victory and place our trust in him, we can rest peacefully and secure – a greater profit than any worldly riches. Jesus’ story illustrates this peace and security by giving the poor man the name “Lazarus,” which means “helped by God.” And he further illustrates it by saying that Lazarus, upon his death, was carried to “Abraham’s side,” which is more literally translated as “Abraham’s bosom.” The apostle John once told of reclining next to Jesus in the same way (John 21:20).
God gives us the greatest of all gains in knowing Jesus and his victory over sin and death. With this in mind, let us treasure this profit above all else.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY (Stand) Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart LSB 708
1 Lord, Thee I love with all my heart;
I pray Thee, ne’er from me depart,
With tender mercy cheer me.
Earth has no pleasure I would share.
Yea, heav’n itself were void and bare
If Thou, Lord, wert not near me.
And should my heart for sorrow break,
My trust in Thee can nothing shake.
Thou art the portion I have sought;
Thy precious blood my soul has bought.
Lord Jesus Christ, my God and Lord, my God and Lord,
Forsake me not! I trust Thy Word.
2 Yea, Lord, ’twas Thy rich bounty gave
My body, soul, and all I have
In this poor life of labor.
Lord, grant that I in ev’ry place
May glorify Thy lavish grace
And help and serve my neighbor.
Let no false doctrine me beguile;
Let Satan not my soul defile.
Give strength and patience unto me
To bear my cross and follow Thee.
Lord Jesus Christ, my God and Lord, my God and Lord,
In death Thy comfort still afford.
3 Lord, let at last Thine angels come,
To Abr’ham’s bosom bear me home,
That I may die unfearing;
And in its narrow chamber keep
My body safe in peaceful sleep
Until Thy reappearing.
And then from death awaken me,
That these mine eyes with joy may see,
O Son of God, Thy glorious face,
My Savior and my fount of grace.
Lord Jesus Christ, my prayer attend, my prayer attend,
And I will praise Thee without end.
APOSTLES’ CREED Hymnal, back cover
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And 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 sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence 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.
OFFERING
Offerings support the church’s mission work – both here and through our many partners. Offerings may be placed in the box at the sanctuary entrance or sent to the church through our website or the mail. Fellowship Cards help us welcome new people and track participation. Please fill one out and place it in the offering box following the service.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For a proper stewardship of God’s blessings, that God would preserve us from idleness and love of leisure and increase in us a desire to pursue contentment, righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the Church in its efforts to make the Lord’s Gospel known among the nations, that it may reach out boldly while making the good confession, and that many more workers would be raised up to labor in the harvest, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our households, that God would preserve us from idols and from sins of neglect; and that He would bless fathers and mothers as they teach their children to guard their hearts and rejoice in His gifts, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who hold authority over us, especially Donald, our president; Glenn, our governor; all legislative bodies; all judges and magistrates; and all who serve the public trust, that they may act with integrity and honor in the fulfillment of their duties and serve the causes of peace and justice for all, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those in need of God’s mercy, especially those with illness or injury, those struggling to earn or receive their daily bread, all those on our prayer list, and those we name in our hearts at this time… that they would be restored and delivered according to His good and gracious will; and that in the time of affliction that is given to them, their faith would be strengthened and they would cling to God’s promises and praise His name, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who commune at Christ’s Supper today, that repenting of our sins and trusting Christ’s full forgiveness, we may receive Him for the strengthening of our faith and for greater love to serve those in need, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Heavenly Father, we praise Your name for Your faithfulness to Abraham, Lazarus and to all the saints who have gone before us. Enliven us by Your Word and Sacraments, that convinced of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we may eagerly await the day of our resurrection for His sake; through Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
OFFERTORY LSB 176
What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits to me?
I will offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call on the name of the Lord.
I will take the cup of salvation and will call on the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of all His people,
in the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
PREFACE LSB 177
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them 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 right and salutary…evermore praising You and saying:
SANCTUS LSB 178
Holy, holy, holy Lord, Lord God of pow’r and might:
Heav’n and earth are full of Your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING LSB 178
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD LSB 179
PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
PAX DOMINI LSB 180
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
AGNUS DEI LSB 180
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant us peace.
THE COMMUNION (Be seated)
Those wishing to commune at the foot of the steps should come forward first. Those wishing to commune at the altar rail should come forward after these, front rows first, from both sides of the aisle. After receiving, all should return to their seats. A common dismissal will be given at the end.
DISTRIBUTION HYMNS Thy Body, Given for Me, O Savior LSB 619
1 Thy body, giv’n for me, O Savior,
Thy blood which Thou for me didst shed,
These are my life and strength forever,
By them my hungry soul is fed. Refrain
Refrain
Lord, may Thy body and Thy blood
Be for my soul the highest good!
2 With Thee, Lord, I am now united;
I live in Thee and Thou in me.
No sorrow fills my soul, delighted
It finds its only joy in Thee. Refrain
3 Who can condemn me now? For surely
The Lord is nigh, who justifies.
No hell I fear, and thus securely
With Jesus I to heaven rise. Refrain
4 Though death may threaten with disaster,
It cannot rob me of my cheer;
For He who is of death the master
With aid and comfort e’er is near. Refrain
5 My heart has now become Thy dwelling,
O blessèd, holy Trinity.
With angels I, Thy praises telling,
Shall live in joy eternally. Refrain
Wide Open Stand the Gates LSB 639
1 Wide open stand the gates adorned with pearl,
While round God’s golden throne
The choirs of saints in endless circles curl,
And joyous praise the Son!
They watch Him now descending
To visit waiting earth.
The Lord of Life unending
Brings dying hope new birth!
2 He speaks the Word the bread and wine to bless:
“This is My flesh and blood!”
He bids us eat and drink with thankfulness
This gift of holy food.
All human thought must falter—
Our God stoops low to heal,
Now present on the altar,
For us both host and meal!
3 The cherubim, their faces veiled from light,
While saints in wonder kneel,
Sing praise to Him whose face with glory bright
No earthly masks conceal.
This sacrament God gives us
Binds us in unity,
Joins earth with heav’n beyond us,
Time with eternity!
PRAYER (Stand)
BENEDICTION
SENDING HYMN Thee Will I Love, My Strength, My Tower LSB 694
1 Thee will I love, my strength, my tower;
Thee will I love, my hope, my joy.
Thee will I love with all my power,
With ardor time shall ne’er destroy.
Thee will I love, O Light divine,
So long as life is mine.
2 Thee will I love, my life, my Savior,
Who art my best and truest friend.
Thee will I love and praise forever,
For never shall Thy kindness end.
Thee will I love with all my heart—
Thou my Redeemer art!
3 I thank Thee, Jesus, Sun from heaven,
Whose radiance hath brought light to me;
I thank Thee, who hast richly given
All that could make me glad and free;
I thank Thee that my soul is healed
By what Thy lips revealed.
4 O keep me watchful, then, and humble;
Permit me nevermore to stray.
Uphold me when my feet would stumble,
And keep me on the narrow way.
Fill all my nature with Thy light,
O Radiance strong and bright!
5 Thee will I love, my crown of gladness;
Thee will I love, my God and Lord,
Amid the darkest depths of sadness,
And not for hope of high reward,
For Thine own sake, O Light divine,
So long as life is mine.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE Trumpet Finale John Stanley
FELLOWSHIP: Board of Education
FLOWERS: In Honor of Dick Holzheimer. By The Holzheimer Family
Those serving:
8:00 a.m.:
Greeter: Steve Berg
Comm. assist: Dave Oaks
Reader: Rich Kauzlarich
10:30 a.m.:
Greeter: Aaron Siebrass
Comm. assist: Holly Siebrass
Reader: Lynn Jacquez
Acolyte: Miriam Buuck
AV Assist: Hannes Buuck, Andreas Buuck
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2025 Concordia Publishing House
843 “Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive” Text: Rosamond E. Herklots, 1905–87, alt. Tune: A Supplement to the Kentucky Harmony, 1820, Harrisonburg Text: © Oxford University Press. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
708 Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart Text: Martin Schalling, 1532–1608; tr. Catherine Winkworth,1827–78, alt. Tune: Zwey Bücher . . . Tabulatur, 1577, Strassburg Text and tune: Public domain
619 Thy Body, Given for Me, O Savior Text: Friedrich Christian Heyder, 1677–1754; tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, abr. Tune: Emskirchner Choral-Buch, 1756, Leipzig Text: © 1941 Concordia
Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
639 Wide Open Stand the Gates Text: J. K. Wilhelm Loehe, 1808–72; tr. Herman G. Stuempfle, Jr.,
1923–2007 Tune: Christlich Neu-vermehrt . . . Gesangbuch, 1663, Erfurt Text: © 2002 GIA
Publications, Inc. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
694 Thee Will I Love, My Strength, My Tower Text: Johann Scheffler, 1624–77; tr. Catherine
Winkworth, 1827–78, alt. Tune: Harmonischer Lieder-Schatz, 1738, Frankfurt Text and tune: Public domain
