Grace Lutheran ChurchNorfolk, Nebraska

Ray S. Wilke, PastorChris Asbury, Associate Pastor

July 12, 2020 6 Sunday after Pentecostth

As We Gather: Plants in God’s good earth respond to the showers Hesends, producing plants for pasture and crops for harvest. In thepsalm, David says it is as if “the meadows clothe themselves withflocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and singtogether for joy.” It is all natural, and so is our producing fruit forGod as His Word works through us. That God works through ussinners is all grace; if we but hear the Word and let the Spirit give usunderstanding, a bountiful harvest will follow. Jesus likens it to seedsproducing yields of up to a hundredfold. But we are no mere plants,as Paul points out in the Epistle. Because we have been adopted byour heavenly Father, we are brothers and sisters of Christ, thechildren of God, calling out to Him, “Abba! Father!” Our growth infaith is indeed by the grace of God, and to Him belongs all the creditfor the bountiful harvest He reaps through us.

FROM THE RECORDS OF LAST SUNDAY

Attendance

Sunday 10:00 a.m.. . . . . . . . . . . 137

Wednesday 10:00 a.m.. . . . . . . . 17

Total Attendance. . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Offerings

Operating Fund. . . . . . . $11,927.16

Missions & Synod. . . . . . . . 150.00

Total towards Budget. . . 12,077.16

Needed to Meet Budget.. 11,096.00

Building Fund. . . . . . . . . . . 645.00

SERVING IN GOD’S HOUSE

Sunday

Organist: Emily Carlson

Elders: Kim McDaniel

Video Operator: Shawn Fuhrman

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Bible Verses for the Week

Sunday Isaiah 55:10-13; Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23Monday 1 Samuel 9:26 - 10:16; Acts 20:1-16Tuesday 1 Samuel 10:17-27; Acts 20:17-38Wednesday 1 Samuel 12:1-25; Acts 21:1-17Thursday 1 Samuel 15:10-31; Acts 21:18-40Friday 1 Samuel 16:1-23; Acts 22:1-16Saturday 1 Samuel 17:1-31; Acts 22:17-30

Prayer Requests for the People of Grace Lutheran9 Becky Rathke–under cancer treatment9 Dick Jostes9 Rory Laskowski, 2-year old daughter of John and April

Laskowski–in treatment program in Tennessee for her cancer9 Craig Drenkow–continuing treatments for acute lymphoblastic

leukemia

Missionary of the Week: Courtney Zalmanoff in the Dominican Republic

Celebrating Birthdays This WeekAgnes Gilman (12 ) Leigh Fuhrman (15 ) th th

Lexie Bussey (13 ) Stephanie Suckstorf (15 ) th th

Donna Kortje (13 ) Jazee Ames (16 ) th th

Kendyl Lampert (13 ) Marge Reikofski (16 ) th th

Shelby Timperley (13 ) Grace Suckstorf (16 ) th th

Heather Wingate (13 ) Adam Westerhold (16 ) th th

Jeanne Schieffer (14 ) Jeff Meyer (17 ) th th

Lisa Valencia (14 ) Greg Kellogg (18 ) th th

Adam Blunt (15 ) Connie Knull (18 ) th th

Celebrating Anniversaries This WeekBrad & Melissa Dinkel (13 )th

Christopher & Marie Waldrop (13 ) th

Troy & Bobbi Bowers (17th) Andrew & Linsey Keseman (18 ) th

July 12, 2020 6 Sunday after Pentecostth

5:30 p.m. Saturday and 10:00 a.m. Sunday

Opening Hymn: “O God of God, O Light of Light” LSB 810

InvocationP: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.

Confession and AbsolutionP: 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,

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C: and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. P: In the today’s Epistle, Paul reminds us that “the Spirit Himself

bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” Let ustherefore go to our gracious heavenly Father, confessing oursins. In the Old Testament Reading, God promises, “My word . . .shall not return to Me empty; it shall accomplish . . . and shallsucceed.”

C: But we do not trust You in all things. We have sinned inthought, word, and deed. Forgive us, heavenly Father.

P: Then God tells us, “You shall go out in joy and be led forth inpeace.”

C: But we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. Hear us,free us, and lead us in paths pleasing to You, heavenlyFather.

P: In the Gospel, our Lord explains that “the one who hears theword and understands it . . . bears fruit.” By the grace of God, webelieve and understand that Jesus, the Word of God in the flesh,succeeded in destroying death and rising victorious for us. ForHis sake, God forgives us and engages us to bear fruit for Him.As a called and ordained servant of Christ, I therefore forgiveyou all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and ofthe Holy Spirit. May the Word planted inside you produce agreat harvest for our gracious Lord.

C: Amen. Thanks be to God!

Kyrie P: O Lord, C: have mercy on us. P: O Christ, C: have mercy on us. P: O Lord, C: have mercy on us, and give us Your peace. Amen.

Hymn of Praise: “Fruitful Trees, the Spirit’s Sowing”LSB 691 v. 1 & 4

Salutation P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you.

Prayer of the Day P: Let us pray. Gracious God, who has given us this good earth in

which to live and who sends rain and sun to cause plants toproduce fruit and grain for harvest,

C: continue to send Your life-giving Word to us so that we resistthe cares of this world and return to You a harvest of newsons and daughters,

P: through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reignswith You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 55:10–13(God’s Word accomplishes His plans as surely as rain gives growth to plants.)

L: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.

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Psalm: Psalm 65:1-8; antiphon: v. 5 P: By awesome deeds You answer us with righteousness, O God of

our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of thefarthest seas. Praise is due to You, O God, in Zion, and to Youshall vows be performed.

C: O You who hear prayer, to You shall all flesh come. P: When iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our

transgressions. C: Blessed is the one You choose and bring near, to dwell in

Your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Yourhouse, the holiness of Your temple!

P: By awesome deeds You answer us with righteousness, O God ofour salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of thefarthest seas;

C: the one who by His strength established the mountains, beinggirded with might; who stills the roaring of the seas, theroaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples,

P: so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe atYour signs.

C: You make the going out of the morning and the evening toshout for joy.

Epistle: Romans 8:12–17(Because the Spirit leads us, we know we are children of God.)

P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.

Verse: Isaiah 40:8 P: Alleluia. The grass withers, the flower fades, C: but the word of our God will stand forever. Alleluia.

Holy Gospel: Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23(Whoever hears the Word and understands it will produce a great harvest for God

in spite of worldly opposition.)

P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the thirteenthchapter.

C: Glory to You, O Lord.

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ.

The Nicene CreedI believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven

and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God,

begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light ofLight, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of onesubstance with the Father, by whom all things were made; whofor us men and for our salvation came down from heaven andwas incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and wasmade man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose againaccording to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits atthe right hand of the Father. And He will come again with gloryto judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will haveno end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life,Who proceeds from the Father and the Son, Who with the Fatherand the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spoke bythe prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolicChurch, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,And I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of theworld to come. Amen.

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Sermon Hymn: “Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast” LSB 577

Sermon

The Collection Plates are placed at the entrance of the Church.

Offertory (LSB p. 159-160)

Prayer of the Church P: We use Psalm 65 as we pray for the Church around the world

and all people. David writes, “O You who hears prayer, to Youshall all flesh come.” Let us pray for those near and dear to us,[especially . . .], who call to God in their distress.

C: Heavenly Father, visit, relieve, restore, and console them inYour mercy, and use us to help meet their needs.

P: David writes, “When iniquities prevail against me, You atone forour transgressions.” Let us pray for all who are wrongly accusedor imprisoned by corrupt court systems.

C: Lord of the nations, give them justice, clear their names, andfree them; move governments to make reforms where theyare needed.

P: And let us pray for those who have acted rashly, destroyedrelationships, or run afoul of civil laws.

C: Lord Jesus, provide them opportunities and faithfulcounselors that they hear of Your mercy, repent, and repairtheir broken lives.

P: David writes, “We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Yourhouse, the holiness of Your temple.” Let us pray for the Churchhere and around the world.

C: O Holy Spirit, bless, protect, and guide Your people as theyproclaim the Gospel, and invite one and all to the joys ofYour mercy, forgiveness, and love.

P: David writes, “By awesome deeds You answer us withrighteousness.” Let us pray for all who make and administertheir nation’s laws and seek peace across borders, and for allwho serve their communities and nations by putting themselvesin harm’s way.

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C: Lord Jesus, raise up good and righteous people in positionsof power, and give protection and courage to those having tomake sudden decisions.

P: David writes, “You visit the earth and water it; You greatlyenrich it.” Let us pray for all who tend the soil, transport crops,and distribute food where it is needed.

C: Gracious God, send rain and sun to farms, protection topilots and drivers, and guidance for those who managemarkets; through their efforts grant that all the hungry befed.

P: David writes, “You crown the year with Your bounty.” Let uspray for those who are unemployed, those who lack adequateclothing or shelter, and all burdened with financial debt.

C: O Holy Spirit, open doors of opportunity so that they mayprovide for themselves and their families, rejoicing in allYour good gifts.

P: Into Your hands, heavenly Father, we commend ourselves andall for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy for the sake ofYour Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C: Amen.

The Lord’s PrayerC: 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 ourtrespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; andlead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. ForThine is the kingdom and the power and the glory foreverand ever. Amen.

Collect Hymn: “Splendor and Honor” LSB 950

Benediction: Romans 8:15–16 P: You have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we

cry, “Abba! Father!” C: The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are

children of God. P: Our heavenly Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and the

Holy Spirit bless you and keep you now and forever. C: Amen.

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Closing Hymn: “Before You, Lord, We Bow” LSB 966

5. And when in pow’r He comes, Oh, may our native land

From all its rending tombs Send forth a glorious band,A countless throng, With joy to singTo heav’n’s high King Salvation’s song!

______________________________________________________NOTES AND NEWS

Welcome We are happy to welcome each person to our worshiptoday. May a rich blessing be discovered by all. Please sign theWelcome Book in the pew.

Hospitalizations this week: Mitch Kohl, Marvin Pospisil, FaithRegional; let us keep our fellow members in our prayers

The Lutheran Hour: “Perfection Welcomes Failure” God’s perfectstandards are exceeded only by His perfect patience and forgiveness.(Matt 6:19-34). Hear the message Sunday on WJAG at 7:30 a.m. and12:30 p.m.

Stewardship Corner: As God’s stewards, we get our marching ordersfrom Genesis 1:26. “And let them have dominion over the fish of thesea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and overall the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” We were given a caretaker’s role. God wanted His people to bepeople of action. He wanted people to have purposeful lives thatwould give them opportunities to express their love for Him and forothers. He wanted His people to make decisions, have responsibility,plan, execute our plans, work, play and rest. To accomplish all this,God has given us the intellect and skills to carry out our tasks as Hisstewards.

Thanks for thinking of Dick! He enjoyed all the birthday cards–130in all! The cards and your prayers are a blessing for both of us.

Laura Jostes

The family of Kae Balfany would like to thank Pastor Wilke andPastor Asbury for the beautiful service, and to the Ladies Aid forproviding sandwiches and cake, Emily Carlson for the music, PhilZastrow for video taping, and all the expressions of prayer andsympathy sent our way. It was greatly appreciated.

Pastor Asbury and family are on vacation through July 27 .th

Hospitalized? Want a Pastor to visit? Please call the church or thepastors directly. Otherwise it is possible the hospital will not notifyus.

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Orphan Grain Train Christmas Gift Boxes: “Dear Precious Child,you are receiving this gift because you are loved. You are loved bythe person who prepared this box. More importantly, you are lovedby Jesus.” Last year we sent this note along with the 959 OrphanGrain Train Christmas boxes we packed. The children around theworld who received these boxes rarely receive any gifts. Some do notown anything other than the clothes on their back. Some do not knowthe Christmas story. Our goal again this year is to share another 1000gift boxes through Orphan Grain Train so more children can hear theChristmas story. You can help us fill these boxes using monetarygifts or donations of clothes and toys. Each box contains a t-shirt,socks, underwear, coloring book, stickers, crayons, ball, toothbrush,stuffed animal, and toy. The boxes are for children ages 2 to 12. Weare collecting new underwear, new socks, 24 count boxes of crayons,coloring books, pages of stickers, plastic and rubber balls, andtoothbrushes in individual packages. Used items to be donatedinclude t-shirts, stuffed animals, and toys including dolls, Barbies,blocks (Legos, Duplos, wooden), and children’s puzzles. Items andmonetary donations (marked “Grace Lutheran Christmas BoxProject”) can be sent to Grace Lutheran Church or Orphan GrainTrain, Norfolk, NE. We are collecting donations through July 31 . st

If you have any questions, contact Kelly Asbury at 402-371-3521.You can help these children know they are precious and that Jesus isthe greatest gift of all!

LHNE 2020 GRADUATION – On July 26th, LHNE will becelebrating our Seniors’ academic accomplishments and supportingthem in their bright future with Christ. The ceremony will begin at2PM. If you have questions about attendance and our COVID-19guidelines for the ceremony, please call the office at (402) 379-3040.

Prayer Works! We at Grace believe in the power of God to answerprayers. The Lord Himself encourages us to call upon Him. May wedo this on your behalf? Please fill out a yellow Prayer Request Cardand place it in our Prayer Request Box in the Narthex.

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