REFRESHMENTS are served after the 8:00am Service only.     

TODAY’S HOSTESS:  MaryAnn Hansen.  NEXT WEEK: Linda Sheffield.      

>>>>FROM THE MISSION BOARD:  Last call for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes! We’re extending our deadline for shoebox collection by a week to November 7^th as we close in on our goal of sending 150 gospel opportunities out to the world. This is your final chance for this year to contribute to this wonderful mission. Thank you to all who have supported our churches efforts this year and please stay tuned for upcoming information about our OCC regional collection!

Thank you, Denise & Dave Yoreo, Deb Eddy, Travis Poudin, Christine Pericolosi

HANDS OF GRACE is receiving 40 turkeys from the Connecticut Food Bank for our clients.  The following items are needed to complete a Thanksgiving dinner package for each family.  Please leave items in the bins in the narthex.  Thank you! Leslie Denton

40 boxes of stuffing mix

52 cans/jars of 10/12 oz. turkey gravy.  

NEXT LADIES’ BIBLE STUDY meets November 9^th, 1:00 to 2:30pm.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:  Ladies Aid Christmas Fair is Saturday, December 4^th, 9am – 2pm.   Please think of what you can do to support the Fair.  Thank you. 

ALTAR GUILD is looking for help in all areas and all services. Are you willing to be a backup, just in case the hand full of people or so, who serve can’t do it? You have what is needed! 1) Love of the Lord. 2) A willingness to learn. Please contact Cynthia Boyle at church.

Your St. Paul’s Fellowship Board will be Hosting a SPECIAL UPPER FELLOWSHIP ROOM COFFEE HOUR following both services on November 14th!  Our theme is “Grateful Hearts of Thanksgiving Unto the Lord!”  Please stop by to enjoy coffee, special treats and precious “Thanksgiving” Fellowship!  

WE WOULD LIKE to thank all our brothers and sisters in Christ for all the cards, notes, phone calls,visits, prayers and support during John’s illness and his death.  Blessings, Donna Burdick and Family

REFRESHMENTS are served after the 8:00am Service only.     

TODAY’S HOSTESS:  Wendy Wegner.  NEXT WEEK: MaryAnn Hansen.      

FROM THE MISSION BOARD:  Please continue to pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child!  We will be using the donations contributed by our church family to shop for items this week to fill shoeboxes at our packing event next Saturday.  However, please continue to pack shoeboxes and pray for the children receiving them as our collection date of October 31^st is rapidly approaching!  If you are in need of an OCC shoebox to fill, they are available on the table in the upper fellowship room.  With everyone’s help we are sure that we will meet our goal of 150 shoeboxes that will create 150 gospel opportunities throughout the world!

Thank you, Denise & Dave Yoreo, Deb Eddy, Travis Poudin, Christine Pericolosi

HANDS OF GRACE is receiving 40 turkeys from the Connecticut Food Bank for our clients.  The following items are needed to complete a Thanksgiving dinner package for each family.  Please leave items in the bins in the narthex.  Thank you! Leslie Denton

20 (15oz.) cans of solid pumpkin

40 pie crusts

25 cans of evaporated milk

NEXT LADIES’ BIBLE STUDY meets November 9^th, 1:00 to 2:30pm.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:  Ladies Aid Christmas Fair is Saturday, December 4^th, 9am – 2pm.   Please think of what you can do to support the Fair.  Thank you. 

ALTAR GUILD is looking for help in all areas and all services. Are you willing to be a backup, just in case the hand full of people or so, who serve can’t do it? You have what is needed! 1)Love of the Lord. 2) A willingness to learn. Please contact Cynthia Boyle at 860-733-5680.

SONS OF THUNDER cans and plastic collection is next Sunday.  

DAUGHTERS OF FAITH meet Sunday at 2:00pm. 

FROM THE MISSION BOARD:  Please continue to pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child!  We will be using the donations contributed by our church family to shop for items this week to fill shoeboxes at our packing event next Saturday.  However, please continue to pack shoeboxes and pray for the children receiving them as our collection date of October 31^st is rapidly approaching!  If you are in need of an OCC shoebox to fill, they are available on the table in the upper fellowship room.  With everyone’s help we are sure that we will meet our goal of 150 shoeboxes that will create 150 gospel opportunities throughout the world!

Thank you, Denise & Dave Yoreo, Deb Eddy, Travis Poudin, Christine Pericolosi

NEXT LADIES’ BIBLE STUDY will meet November 8^th, 1:00 to 2:30pm.

DAUGHTERS OF FAITH will meet Sunday, October 24^th at 2:00pm.

PASTOR AND ALLISON want to shout out a great big THANK YOU to everyone for their love shown to us last Sunday.  The cards and gifts are a true blessing.  I am so humbled and blessed to be serving the Lord at the best congregation in the LCMS!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:  Ladies Aid Christmas Fair is Saturday, December 4^th, 9am – 2pm.   Please think of what you can do to support the Fair….donations of baked goods, knitted and handmade goods (mittens, hats, blankets, scarves, baby sweaters, aprons, placemats, etc…), cookies, and ornaments would be appreciated.   Thank you. 

HANDS OF GRACE is receiving 40 turkeys from the Connecticut Food Bank for our clients.  The following items are needed to complete a Thanksgiving dinner package for each family.  Please leave items in the bins in the narthex.  Thank you! Leslie Denton

20 (15oz.) cans of solid pumpkin

40 pie crusts

25 cans of evaporated milk

REFRESHMENTS are served after the 8:00am Service only.      TODAY’S HOST:  Bev Schott. 

ST. PAUL’S will be having a gathering on the third Friday of each month to have fellowship. It will be held in the lower fellowship room and start at 7:00pm.  This fellowship time is open to everyone. If you want a snack, bring some to share. If you want to bring a friend, please do. Bring your guitar or other instrument and we may sing a song or two. Bring a game to play. Bring a deck of cards. Just come and enjoy being together with no big agenda.  We will meet for the first event on October 15th. At this that we will have a small celebration of the tenth anniversary of Hands of Grace! Yes, as of September 25, 2021 this ministry has been reaching out with the love of the Lord for 10 years!  So come and relax and have some fun!  

Pastor

PASTOR AND ALLISON want to shout out a great big THANK YOU to everyone for their love shown to us last Sunday.  The cards and gifts are a true blessing.  I am so humbled and blessed to be serving the Lord at the best congregation in the LCMS!

Pastor

FROM THE MISSION BOARD:  Now’s the time to PACK Shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox items! We will be collecting filled boxes throughout October.   Monetary donations need to be in by next Sunday,  October 17th.  Please make checks out to St Paul’s and mark for Shoeboxes/Missions.  You can pick up the OCC Shoeboxes and information in the upper fellowship room.  We encourage you to pack a special box for a special child. Pray for that child as you pack!

 Needed items for St Paul’s packed boxes:

Pencil sharpeners

Pens                                                                        

Scissors

Colored pencils

Notebooks

Small backpacks                                                        

Water bottles

Sippee cups 

Wash clothes

Toothbrushes 

Brushes and combs

Our goal this year is 150!  Last year we packed 142. 

Thank you,  Denise & Dave Yoreo, Deb Eddy, Travis Poudin, Christine Pericolosi

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:  Ladies Aid Christmas Fair is Saturday, December 4th, 9am – 2pm.   Please think of what you can do to support the Fair…donations of baked goods, knitted and handmade goods (mittens, hats, blankets, scarves, baby sweaters, aprons, placemats, etc…), cookies, and ornaments would be appreciated.   Thank you.

LADIES’ BIBLE STUDY  will meet Tuesday, October 12^th, 1:00pm – 2:00pm.

DAUGHTERS OF FAITH will meet Sunday, October 24^th at 2:00pm.HANDS OF GRACE is in need of juice boxes for backpacks and 64oz

REFRESHMENTS are served after the 8:00am Service only.

TODAY’S HOSTESS: Mary Vincent.  NEXT WEEK:  Carol Boldt.      

HANDS OF GRACE is requesting 4oz. fruit cups for our school backpack program. All flavors would be appreciated: applesauce, peaches, pears, mixed fruit, etc.  Please see the sample backpack in the narthex.  Thank you.

DAUGHTERS OF FAITH will be having their first meeting on Sunday, September 26th from 2:00 – 3:30pm. This year we will be studying “Twelve Extraordinary Women of the Bible,” by John McArthur. Our first meeting will be a time of fellowship, prayer and goodies to eat. Your friends are always welcome to join us. Please contact Judy Byrne for more information.

LADIES’ BIBLE STUDY begins Tuesday, September 14^th, from 1:00 – 2:30pm, at St. Paul’s.  We will be studying Twelve Extraordinary Women of the Bible instead of The Beauty of Simple Life.  This study will give you an up-close and personal view of twelve women of God. Friends are welcome too.  Any questions or comments please contact Judy Byrne.  

FROM THE MISSION BOARD:  Now’s the time to start shopping for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox items!  The back to school items are on sale and summer clothing, sneakers, sandals and flip flops are on the clearance racks (Walmart had summer dresses shorts and shirts from $1-3!).  If you buy items in bulk we can use them in the boxes that the church will pack. Last year the church packing did 75 boxes!

We have pencils and erasers.

Needed items are:

Pencil bags

Pencil sharpeners

Pens                                                                                  

Scissors

Colored pencils

Notebooks

Small backpacks

Water bottles

We’d love to get the school items bundled a head of time.  Always be on watch for the WOW item. You may find a good sale (For example, stuffed animals, balls, soccer balls & pump.  If you buy items, you can leave them in the second Pastor’s office until we get our display box set up in September.  Shoebox collection will be in October.  Stay tuned for more updates!

Thank you,  Denise & Dave Yoreo, Deb Eddy, Travis Poudin, Christine Pericolosi

“Martin Luther is Missing!”  Join us at the 10:30am Service TODAY, as we welcome our Sunday School students back and ask them to help solve the mystery.

MITE BOXES:  thank you to all who turned in their Mite Boxes!  $155.10 was sent to the New England District LWML last week. 

REFRESHMENTS are served after the 8:00am Service only.

TODAY’S HOSTESS: Pam Erling.  NEXT WEEK:  Mary Vincent.      

HANDS OF GRACE is requesting 4oz. fruit cups for our school backpack program. All flavors would be appreciated: applesauce, peaches, pears, mixed fruit, etc.  Please see the sample backpack in the narthex.  Thank you.

FROM THE MISSION BOARD:  Now’s the time to start shopping for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox items!  The back to school items are on sale and summer clothing, sneakers, sandals and flip flops are on the clearance racks (Walmart had summer dresses shorts and shirts from $1-3!).  If you buy items in bulk we can use them in the boxes that the church will pack. Last year the church packing did 75 boxes!

We have pencils and erasers.

Needed items are:

Pencil bags

Pencil sharpeners

Pens                                                                                  

Scissors

Colored pencils

Notebooks

Small backpacks

Water bottles

We’d love to get the school items bundled a head of time.  Always be on watch for the WOW item. You may find a good sale (For example, stuffed animals, balls, soccer balls & pump.  If you buy items, you can leave them in the second Pastor’s office until we get our display box set up in September.  Shoebox collection will be in October.  Stay tuned for more updates!

Thank you,  Denise & Dave Yoreo, Deb Eddy, Travis Poudin, Christine Pericolosi

LADIES’ BIBLE STUDY begins Tuesday, September 14th from 1:00 – 2:30pm, at St. Paul’s.  Any questions or comments please contact Judy Byrne.  

PLEASE CHECK your church mailbox.

DAUGHTERS OF FAITH will be having their first meeting on Sunday, September 26th from 2:00 – 3:30pm. This year we will be studying “Twelve Extraordinary Women of the Bible,” by John McArthur. Our first meeting will be a time of fellowship, prayer and goodies to eat. Your friends are always welcome to join us. Please contact Judy Byrne to let her know that you will be coming.

“Martin Luther is Missing!”  Join us at the 10:30am Service on Rally Day, Sunday, September 12^th, as we welcome our Sunday School students back and ask them to help solve the mystery.

LADIES AID will hold a bake sale next Sunday, September 12^th, between services rain or shine! 

COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!  Coffee and tea provided.  Please bring milk/cream and snacks.  Prepackaged snacks are fine.   Sign-up sheet is on the table in the kitchen.  Thank you.

LADIES’ BIBLE STUDY begins Tuesday, September 14th from 1:00 – 2:30pm, at St. Paul’s.  Any questions or comments please contact Judy Byrne.  

PLEASE CHECK your church mailbox.

PASTOR Dan Schmelzer, Director of Capstone Ministries and his wife, Patty will be visiting us TODAY.   Pastor Schmelzer will be preaching at both services and Patty will give a presentation about the Capstone Mission in Kenya between services in the lower fellowship room.  The Mission Board will host a hot dog barbecue and ice cream dessert at 12Noon.  Please join us for this special day!  

UPDATE FROM THE BOLDT FAMILY….our prayers, once again, have been answered!  Transplant surgery for Helene and Greg Boldt went well and both are in recovery. 

HANDS OF GRACE is requesting 4oz. fruit cups for our school backpack program. All flavors would be appreciated: applesauce, peaches, pears, mixed fruit, etc…  Please see the sample backpack in the narthex.  Thank you.

FROM THE MISSION BOARD:  Now’s the time to start shopping for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox items!  The back to school items are on sale and summer clothing, sneakers, sandals and flip flops are on the clearance racks (Walmart had summer dresses shorts and shirts from $1-3!).  If you buy items in bulk we can use them in the boxes that the church will pack. Last year the church packing did 75 boxes!

We have pencils and erasers.

Needed items are:

Pencil bags

Pencil sharpeners

Pens                                                                                  

Scissors

Colored pencils

Notebooks

Small backpacks

Water bottles

We’d love to get the school items bundled a head of time.  Always be on watch for the WOW item. You may find a good sale (For example, stuffed animals, balls, soccer balls & pump.  If you buy items, you can leave them in the second Pastor’s office until we get our display box set up in September.  Shoebox collection will be in October.  Stay tuned for more updates!

Thank you,

Denise & Dave Yoreo, Deb Eddy, Travis Poudin, Christine Pericolosi

REMINDER:  Sunday school starts on September 12^th.  For more information see Emily Jury. 

Confession and Absolution

707 Oh, That the Lord Would Guide My Ways                                         LSB 707

P   In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C   Amen.

P   Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.

P   Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C   who made heaven and earth.

P   I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C   and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

P   O almighty God, merciful Father,

C   I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

P   Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C   Amen.

Introit                                                                    Ps. 51:7, 10–12; antiphon: Ps. 51:2

Wash me thoroughly from my in- | iquity,*

and cleanse me | from my sin!

Purge me with hyssop, and I | shall be clean;*

wash me, and I shall be whit- | er than snow.

Create in me a clean heart, | O God,*

and renew a right spirit with- | in me.

Cast me not away from your | presence,*

and take not your Holy Spirit | from me.

Restore to me the joy of your sal- | vation,*

and uphold me with a willing | spirit.

Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*

and to the Holy | Spirit;

as it was in the be- | ginning,*

is now, and will be forever. | Amen.

Kyrie                                                                                                  LSB 186

Gloria in Excelsis                                                                                 LSB 187

Salutation and Collect of the Day                                                                   

P   The Lord be with you.

C   And with thy spirit.

P   Let us pray.

O God, the source of all that is just and good, nourish in us every virtue and bring to completion every good intent that we may grow in grace and bring forth the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C   Amen.

Sit

Old Testament Reading                                                      Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9

¹“And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

²You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you…

⁶Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ ⁷For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?

⁸And what great nation is there, that has statutes and just decrees so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?

⁹“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children…

A   This is the Word of the Lord.

C   Thanks be to God.

Epistle                                                                                    Ephesians 6:10–20

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹²For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ¹⁷and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, ¹⁹and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

A   This is the Word of the Lord.

C   Thanks be to God.

Stand

Alleluia and Verse

Holy Gospel                                                                                  Mark 7:14–23

P   The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the seventh chapter.

C   Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

¹⁴And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: ¹⁵There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” ¹⁷And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. ¹⁸And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) ²⁰And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. ²¹For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, ²²coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. ²³All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

P   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C   Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

Apostles’ Creed                                                                                            

C   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 T everlasting. Amen.

Sit

566 By Grace I’m Saved                                                               LSB 566 sts. 1–4

Sermon – Pastor Dan Schmelzer, Capstone Ministries

Prayer of the Church

Lord’s Prayer                                                                                       LSB 196

C   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.

Offertory                                                                                            LSB 192

Closing Collect

A   Let us pray.

O Gracious Father, You led Your holy apostles to ordain ministers for the proclamation of Your Word and the faithful administration of the Sacraments of Christ. Grant to this congregation the guidance of the Holy Spirit to choose a suitable pastor according to Your will for the blessing of Your Church in this place; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C   Amen.

Salutation and Benedicamus

P   The Lord be with you.

C   And with thy spirit.

A   Bless we the Lord.

C   Thanks be to God.

Benediction                                                                                        LSB 202

P   The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.

C   Amen.

829 Christ the Eternal Lord                                                                  LSB 829

REFRESHMENTS are served after the 8:00am Service only.

TODAY’S HOSTESS: Judy Byrne.  NEXT WEEK: Linda Bald.      

COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!  Coffee and tea provided.  Please bring milk/cream and snacks.  Prepackaged snacks are fine.   Sign-up sheet is on the table in the kitchen.  Thank you.

LADIES’ BIBLE STUDY begins Tuesday, September 14th from 1:00 – 2:30pm, at St. Paul’s.  Any questions or comments please call or text Judy Byrne at 860-693-1402. 

PLEASE CHECK your church mailbox.

SAVE THE DATE!! Pastor Dan Schmelzer, Director of Capstone Ministries and his wife, Patty will be visiting us next Sunday, August 29^th.   Pastor Schmelzer will be preaching at both services and Patty will give a presentation about the Capstone Mission in Kenya between services in the lower fellowship room.  The Mission Board will host a hot dog barbecue and ice cream dessert at 12Noon.  Please join us for this special day!  

FROM THE MISSION BOARD:  Now’s the time to start shopping for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox items!  The back to school items are on sale and summer clothing, sneakers, sandals and flip flops are on the clearance racks (Walmart had summer dresses shorts and shirts from $1-3!).  If you buy items in bulk we can use them in the boxes that the church will pack. Last year the church packing did 75 boxes!

We have pencils and erasers.

Needed items are:

Pencil bags

Pencil sharpeners

Pens                                                                                  

Scissors

Colored pencils

Notebooks

Small backpacks

Water bottles

We’d love to get the school items bundled a head of time.  Always be on watch for the WOW item. You may find a good sale (For example, stuffed animals, balls, soccer balls & pump.  If you buy items, you can leave them in the second Pastor’s office until we get our display box set up in September.  Shoebox collection will be in October.  Stay tuned for more updates!

Thank you,

Denise & Dave Yoreo, Deb Eddy, Travis Poudin, Christine Pericolosi

REMINDER:  Sunday school starts on September 12^th.  For more information see Emily Jury. 

SONS OF THUNDER will be collecting clean empty cans and plastic bottles between services next Sunday. 

Confession and Absolution

580 The Gospel Shows the Father’s Grace                                              LSB 580

P  In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C  Amen.

P  Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.

P  Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C  who made heaven and earth.

P  I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C  and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

P  O almighty God, merciful Father,

C  I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

P  Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C  Amen.

Introit                                                                    Ps. 26:1–2, 6–7; antiphon: Ps. 26:8

O Lord, I love the habitation | of your house*

and the place where your | glory dwells.

Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my in- | tegrity,*

and I have trusted in the Lord without | wavering.

Prove me, O Lord, and | try me;*

test my heart | and my mind.

I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, | O Lord,*

proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your | wondrous deeds.

Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*

and to the Holy | Spirit;

as it was in the be- | ginning,*

is now, and will be forever. | Amen.

Kyrie                                                                                                  LSB 186

Gloria in Excelsis                                                                                 LSB 187

Salutation and Collect of the Day

P  The Lord be with you.

C  And with thy spirit.

P  Let us pray.

Almighty and merciful God, defend Your Church from all false teaching and error that Your faithful people may confess You to be the only true God and rejoice in Your good gifts of life and salvation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C  Amen.

Sit

Old Testament Reading                                                               Isaiah 29:11–19

¹¹And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” ¹²And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot read.”

¹³And the Lord said:

“Because this people draw near with their mouth

and honor me with their lips,

while their hearts are far from me,

and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,

¹⁴therefore, behold, I will again

do wonderful things with this people,

with wonder upon wonder;

and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,

and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.”

¹⁵Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel,

whose deeds are in the dark,

and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?”

¹⁶You turn things upside down!

Shall the potter be regarded as the clay,

that the thing made should say of its maker,

“He did not make me”;

or the thing formed say of him who formed it,

“He has no understanding”?

¹⁷Is it not yet a very little while

until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field,

and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?

¹⁸In that day the deaf shall hear

the words of a book,

and out of their gloom and darkness

the eyes of the blind shall see.

¹⁹The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,

and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.

A  This is the Word of the Lord.

C  Thanks be to God.

Epistle                                                                                    Ephesians 5:22–33

²²Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. ²⁴Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

²⁵Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, ²⁶that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. ²⁸In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰because we are members of his body. ³¹“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” ³²This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. ³³However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

A  This is the Word of the Lord.

C  Thanks be to God.

Stand

Alleluia and Verse

Holy Gospel                                                                                    Mark 7:1–13

P  The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the seventh chapter.

C  Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

¹ When the Pharisees gathered to [Jesus], with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem,

²they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. ³(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders, ⁴and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) ⁵And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” ⁶And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

“‘This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me;

⁷in vain do they worship me,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

⁸You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

⁹And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! ¹⁰For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ ¹¹But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban’ (that is, given to God)— ¹²then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, ¹³thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

P  This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C  Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

Apostles’ Creed                                                                                            

C  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 T everlasting. Amen.

Sit

865 Lord, Help Us Ever to Retain                                                          LSB 865

Sermon

Offertory                                                                                            LSB 192

Prayer of the Church

Lord’s Prayer

                                                                                                          LSB 196

     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.

Thanksgiving                                                                                       LSB 200

A  O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good,

C  and His mercy endureth forever.

A  Let us pray.

Almighty God, grant to Your Church Your Holy Spirit and the wisdom that comes down from above, that Your Word may not be bound but have free course and be preached to the joy and edifying of Christ’s holy people, that in steadfast faith we may serve You and, in the confession of Your name, abide unto the end; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C  Amen.

Salutation and Benedicamus

P  The Lord be with you.

C  And with thy spirit.

A  Bless we the Lord.

C  Thanks be to God.

Benediction                                                                                        LSB 202

P  The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.

C  Amen.

790 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty                                                     LSB 790