Welcome to St. Matthew s! VISITING TODAY? Welcome to worship! We are very glad you are here, and we pray that you enjoyed your visit here with us. I hope that you will be encouraged in trusting Jesus, better equipped to serve him, and more aware of his grace in your life everyday. Also, when we take the offering, we re not asking for your money, we re just glad you re here! Pastor Silas Schmitzer Theme of Today s Service: Christians Overcome Doubt with Faith Prayer Upon Entering Worship O Lord, at times the winds and waves of life seem like they re against me, and I struggle to believe your wonderful promises of never-ending love and mighty protection. Come to me as you did your disciples in their fear and give me your courage and strength. Teach me through your Word today to always put my trust in you even when my fears seem to have the upper hand. Bless me and everyone who is here worshiping today with a joyful and uplifting service. Pentecost Today s lessons show us believers who had faith in God and his abilities to save them, but yet doubted when his plans or purpose failed to match theirs. In each case, it is adversity that fights against faith and allows its unfortunate companion to rear its ugly head. And in each case, the true answer to doubt is not found in the great miracle that removes adversity, but in the still small voice of our Savior God whispering in his Word. Today we hear our Savior God ask us, Why did you doubt?, and we see that the Christian answers doubt with faith. S T. M ATTHEW S L UTHERAN C HURCH AND S CHOOL A UGUST 24 TH AND 27 TH 2017 Pastor Silas Schmitzer Office: (608) 457-2711 Home: (608) 457-2714 Cell: (608) 304-9265 Email: pastor.schmitzer@gmail.com Principal James Otto Office: (608) 457-2700 Email: jotto@stmatthews-wels.com Church Council President: Perry Kilmer Phone: (608) 797-0836 Please visit us at: www.stmatthews-wels.com At our website you ll find audio sermons, daily devotions, our church calendar, and more information about our church, our teachings and our Christian Day School.
Our Week in the Lord Sunday (8/27) 7:30 AM - Small Group Music Practice 9:00 AM - Worship (L.S.) Monday (8/28): 12:30 PM- 6:00 PM Blood Drive at St. Matthew s 6:00 PM - Sunday School Teacher s meeting Tuesday (8/29): 10:00 AM - Mom s Connection @ Stoddard Village Park Wednesday (8/30): 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM School Rummage Sale Begins Thursday (8/31): 8:00 AM- 6:00 PM School Rummage Sale 7:00 PM - NO Evening Worship Service Friday (9/1): 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM School Rummage Sale Saturday (9/2): 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM School Rummage Sale Sunday (9/3): 7:30 AM - Small Group Music Practice 9:00 AM - Worship
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost The Lord s Supper Whenever we receive the Lord s Supper, we want to remember three important truths from the Bible: 1. The bread and wine do not merely represent Jesus body and blood, but his body and blood are really present just as he said. (1 Corinthians 11:27) 2. In the Lord s Supper, Jesus gives each of us real forgiveness of all our sins, not just a representation of that forgiveness. (Matthew 26:28) 3. Taking the Lord s Supper with other Christians shows that we are united with each other in faith. (1 Corinthians 10:17) We know that not all Christians believe these truths about the Lord s Supper, so we ask that our visitors speak with our pastor about these matters before communing with us. If you are a guest with us this morning, we hope that you will give us the opportunity to establish fellowship with you so that we can celebrate the Lord s Supper with you very soon. Announcements Church Announcements Church Picnic St. Matthew's Outdoor Service and Church Picnic Potluck are Sunday September 10th at the Stoddard Village Park. Wondering what you can bring to the picnic? This year we'd like to try offering you a suggestion: If your last name begins with A-I -- please bring a salad. If your last name begins with J or K -- please bring a miscellaneous food item (rolls, cheese, pickles, chips etc.) If your last name begins with L - Sh -- please bring a hot dish (vegetable or meat) If your last name begins with Si - Z -- please bring a desert. Ladies Aid will provide the table settings, coffee and milk. Please consider these merely as suggestions. You're welcome to bring something else if you wish, and even if you don't have anything to bring, we certainly want you still to come and enjoy the picnic. We hope to see you there. No Thursday Services Coming up there will be several weeks without a Thursday evening worship service at St. Matthew's. Thursday, August 31st Pastor will be gone to preach for a wedding in California. Thursday, September 7th there will be no Thursday evening service because Sunday will be our Outdoor Service and Church Picnic at Stoddard Park. If you are unable to make our Sunday Service at St. Matthew's, many WELS churches in the LaCrosse area also offer weekday services for your convenience. Come join us Sundays if you re able. Thank you! St. Matthew s Lutheran School Announcements St. Matthew's School Rummage Sale This year's Labor Day weekend sale is August 30 to September 2 and takes place primarily in the gym. Keep bringing your items for sale! Drop them off Sundays after church, and stay to help organize if you can! Sign up for a slot to help on Mr. Otto's door. Thanks! Good Steward Grants Those school parents who received this year's grants have been emailed and notified of the amount. This year, volunteers earned $3885! Our school thanks these selfless individuals for this work. You can join this effort by volunteering hours in exchange for funds at the Good Steward Resale Shop in La Crosse. Check out their new 1930 Rose St. location! Family Mixer The first Friday of the school year, September 8, school families are invited to a mixer event and trivia competition starting at 6 PM! Teams of upper graders and parents will be formed once everyone arrives. Activities for younger students will be available in the fellowship hall area, too! Oh, and free popcorn! Yearbooks School yearbooks are still available for $10. Talk to Karen Schmitzer or Mr. Otto to purchase yours! Luther High School Announcements Employment Opportunity Luther High School has an opening to serve as an afternoon study hall supervisor. Contact Principal Paul Wichmann for more information and job application. Phone: 608-799-0283 Email: wichpaul@luther.k12.wi.us WELS Choral Festival This years WELS Choral Festival 50th Anniversary will be hosted by Luther High School. That means we are in search of families willing to host visiting students during the festival from Thursday November 9th-Sunday November 10th. If you are interested in being a host family, please contact Melanie Stuebs (608)498-2191. Thank you!!! Area Announcements Trip to Israel Just a reminder that there is still time to sign up to visit the Holy Land. Pastor Schultz from St. John s in Barre Mills is hosting a trip to Israel. April 10-19, 2018. If you are interested, would like a brochure or have questions please call him at 786-1742.
The Word FIRST LESSON Exodus 14:10-31 10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn t we say to you in Egypt, Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert! 13 Moses answered the people, Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. 15 Then the Lord said to Moses, Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 17 I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen. 19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 25 He jammed he wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, Let s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt. 26 Then the Lord said to Moses, Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen. 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. 29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant. NIV
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH M: Gracious God and Father, we praise you for the countless blessings, which we receive from your hand: the beauties of creation and the bounties of the earth, the joy of life and the pleasure of friendship, the good of work and the gift of rest, the privilege to share happiness and sorrow with one another. Above all we praise and thank you for your saving Word and for your Son s body and blood, which you give us to eat and to drink in the sacrament. Through these means of grace, you send the Holy Spirit into our hearts and unite us to Jesus and to the whole Christian Church on earth. C: Strengthen us through this heavenly food; increase our trust in Christ and our love for one another. M: Great God and Lord, without your continuing help we easily waver in our faith, lose courage, and grow careless in our watchfulness. The times and days are perilous. Give us strength to face the evils of each day with fresh confidence. Open our lips to speak of your grace, and move us to use the gifts that you give us to share your Word of salvation with all people. Protect and prosper the family, the school, the government, and all good institutions that you have established for the benefit of society. Remember in mercy those who are sick and suffering, and bring your healing to troubled homes and lives. C: Move us to pray for those in need and to help them with deeds of kindness. Special prayers and intercessions may follow. M: Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions. Silent prayer. M: Now, eternal God and Father, keep us in the saving faith and so enable us to overcome all things through our Lord Jesus Christ who taught us to pray... SECOND LESSON James 1:2-8,12 Trials and Temptations 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. 12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. NIV THE LORD S PRAYER 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.
GOSPEL Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus Walks on the Water 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. It s a ghost, they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: Take courage! It is I. Don t be afraid. 28 Lord, if it s you, Peter replied, tell me to come to you on the water. 29 Come, he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, Lord, save me! 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. You of little faith, he said, why did you doubt? 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, Truly you are the Son of God. NIV M: This is the Gospel of the Lord NICENE CREED We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. SERMON Matthew 14:22-33 Christians, Cling to the God who Saves OFFERING Moved by God s love in Christ, we offer him our first and best gifts, purely out of thanks to him. You are also encouraged to take this opportunity to sign and pass the friendship registers located in your pew.