Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

August 5th & 6th, 2017

11th and Georgia Avenue -- Norfolk, Nebraska 68701

Saturday Worship ........................................................................ 6:30 PM

Sunday Worship ........................................................................... 9:00 AM

Holy Communion on 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month

Sunday Bible Class ...................................................... 8:00 & 10:15 AM

Radio Service (94.7 FM) Sunday ............................................. 9:00 AM

T.V. Services – Cable Channel 12:

(English) Wednesday ...........................................9:00 AM

(Spanish) Thursday ............................................. 2:00 PM

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Welcome to Worship at St. Paul’s! It is our privilege to have you here with us today! We are especially delighted to

welcome all our guests who are with us. May the Holy Spirit bless your worship and

fill your heart with peace, joy, and faith in your Savior Jesus Christ. Please introduce

yourself, sign our guest book in the entryway, and worship with us again soon!

Restroom and nursery facilities (with a video link) are located across from the

west (drive-up) entrance.

If you have any questions about our congregation's ministries or facilities, please

do not hesitate to ask one of our Elders. If you are looking for a church home or

have questions about what we believe and teach, please speak to our Pastors.

Theme of the Day: Life Consists of What We Have in Christ

Holy Communion will be celebrated in our service today for the blessings of

forgiveness of sins and strengthening of faith, which we receive in Jesus’ true body

and blood miraculously joined to the bread and wine.

God’s Word tells us that Communion is an expression of complete unity of faith

and confession with our God and with our fellow communicants. As such, our

congregation and synod follow the historic Christian practice of Close Communion,

celebrating the Lord’s Supper only with those who have declared their agreement

with us in doctrine and practice. We respectfully ask our visitors to wait to commune

with us until we have studied God’s Word together, so that we may all receive the

Lord’s Supper on that basis (as our Lord intends) and so be fully blessed through it.

Those visitors who are in fellowship with our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran

Synod are asked to speak to our Pastors or one of our Elders before the service if you

wish to commune. All those communing are asked to announce their intentions to

commune on the Lord’s Supper registry in the church entryway.

Materials for worship and communion preparations can be found on pages 10-11

and 156 in the front part of the hymnal. The Lord bless our celebration of his Supper!

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The Common Service Christian Worship, p. 15

The Opening Hymn: #239, v. 1-2, Glory Be to God the Father

The Invocation1

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

The Confession of Sins

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

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

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

disobeyed you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have done what is evil

and failed to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now

and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior

Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Lord, Have Mercy

1 We begin our service today with the “invocation” (from the Latin for “call upon”), trusting God’s

promise that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

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

the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by

his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer and Praise

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

Glory Be to God2

2 This ancient song of the church gets its name from its first few words in Latin: “Gloria in Excelsis

Deo! Glory to God in the highest!” First sung by the angel choir on the night Jesus was born (Luke

2:14), Martin Luther once said, “This ancient song did not grow, nor was it made, but it came from

heaven.” This song has been used in Christian churches for 1500 years.

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The Prayer of the Day3

C: O gracious God, You reveal Your power and love best by Your mercy and the

forgiveness of our sins. Lead us to remember this as we also thank You for

the many physical blessings we receive in this life, until we join in Your

heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and

reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

3 The Prayer of the Day is the first “Proper” in the service. Propers are the service elements (such as

the Scripture Lessons, the Psalm of the Day, and the Verse of the Day) which change from week to

week according to theme, time and place, and circumstance. This allows for diversity, variety, and

preference in worship. “Ordinaries” are the service elements that are mostly unchanging from week

to week, such as the Creed and Liturgical songs. These connect with the historic and transcendent

aspects of Christian worship.

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The Word of God4

The First Lesson: Ecclesiastes 1:1-2, 12-14, 2:18-26

King Solomon, who had everything that a person could want, still said, “Meaningless,

meaningless. Everything is meaningless.” We’re reminded that all earthly things will

not last. The only thing that lasts is God’s grace, and that we have through faith!

1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: 2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.

“Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” 12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I devoted myself to study and

to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

2:18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.

24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

4 The twin peaks of the worship service are when God comes to his people in Word and in Sacrament.

In this section, the First Lesson usually comes from the Old Testament and is often fulfilled in the

Gospel Lesson. The Second Lesson usually comes from the Epistles – the New Testament letters of

Christian teaching and encouragement – and stresses Christian faith and Christian living. The Gospel

Lesson presents the words and works of Jesus Christ, our Savior and King. We listen intently and

stand together in reverence, confident that truly “this is the Word of the Lord!”

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The Psalm of the Day: Psalm 1125 The Congregation will speak the verses responsively with the Pastor.

M: 1 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,

C: who finds great delight in his commands.

M: 2 His children will be mighty in the land;

C: the generation of the upright will be blessed.

M: 3 Wealth and riches are in his house,

C: and his righteousness endures forever.

M: 4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,

C: for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.

M: 5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,

C: who conducts his affairs with justice.

M: 6 Surely he will never be shaken;

C: a righteous man will be remembered forever.

M: 7 He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

C: 8 His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph

on his foes.

M: 9 He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever;

C: his horn will be lifted high in honor.

M: 10 The wicked man will see and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and waste away;

C: the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

ALL: We give glory to our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God’s glory

has been the same from the beginning, as it is now, and will be for eternity!

Amen.

5 Psalms has long been treasured as “the hymnbook of the Old Testament.” Here we recite psalm

verses along with other believers throughout the last 3,000 years.

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The Second Lesson: Colossians 3:1-11

Paul reminds Christians to not get caught up and distracted by what this world has to

offer. Just like Solomon said 1,000 years earlier, as far as eternity is concerned, these

earthly things are meaningless.

1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4

When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual

immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

The Verse of the Day: Philippians 4:12-136 The Congregation will speak the Verse responsively with the Pastor.

M: Alleluia! 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,

C: Whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do

everything through him who gives me strength. Alleluia!

6 In anticipation of hearing the good news about Jesus, we sing, “Alleluia!” (Hebrew for “Praise the

LORD!”) and a significant Scripture verse that highlights the importance of hearing the gospel

message.

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The Nicene Creed7

C: 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.

The Hymn of the Day: #469, Take My Life and Let It Be

The Sermon: Luke 12:13-21

Forewarned Is Forearmed

I. Beware of treasures.

II. Be aware of the Treasure!

7 Public Confession is faith’s response to God’s saving Word, in unity with other Christians around the

world and across time. This statement of belief, called “Nicene” because most of its groundwork was

laid at a church council in Nicaea in 325 AD, was composed to defend the Bible’s teachings that both

Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are true God, equal to the Father in one eternal, undivided Trinity.

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13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

21 “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”

Create in Me8

8 Employing the words of King David in Psalm 51:10-12, this short canticle prays for a clean heart

and renewed spirit in response to God’s gift of saving grace as shared in the Lessons and sermon.

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The Offering

The members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church give their offerings

to show their love and thanks to God for doing so much for

them, as well as to support the Lord's work in this community

and around the world. If you would like to contribute, please

feel free to do so.

The Prayer of the Church

- For Don Lau, who is celebrating his 80th birthday.

- For those dealing with health problems or working through personal difficulties.

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.

The Sacrament of Holy Communion

Preface

M: The Lord be with you.

M: Lift up your hearts.

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M: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.

M: It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give you

thanks, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, through Jesus Christ,

our Lord, who promised that wherever two or three come together in his name,

there he is with them to shepherd his flock till he comes again in glory.

Therefore, with all the saints on earth and hosts of heaven, we praise your holy

name and join their glorious song:

Holy, Holy, Holy9

9 “Sanctus” is a Latin word that means “Holy.” Like Isaiah (Isaiah 6:3) and the Palm Sunday

worshipers (Matthew 21:9), we are in the presence of the living God and witness his glory as Jesus

comes to give us his very body and blood for our forgiveness. Used possibly as early as the second

century, this canticle was in wide use among Christians in worship by the fourteenth century.

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Jesus’ Words Instituting His Holy Supper 10

M: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had

given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is

my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all

of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you for the

forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

O Christ, Lamb of God

10 As he speaks the Words of Institution, the minister both proclaims the words of Christ to the

congregation and sets apart the bread and wine for the Lord’s use. The sign of the cross reminds us

of Jesus’ sacrificial death for our sake.

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The Distribution

Thanksgiving

Song of Simeon11

M: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

M: We give thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us with this holy supper.

We pray that through it you will strengthen our faith in you and increase our love

for one another. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and

reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

11 The “Nunc Dimittis” is based on the Song of Simeon in Luke 2:29-32. Having beheld our Savior

through his Means of Grace – his Gospel in Word and Sacrament – we depart in peace, assured of his

salvation.

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The Lord’s Blessing

M: The Lord bless you and keep you.

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

The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.

The Closing Hymn: #239, v. 3-4, Glory Be to God the Father

Scripture is taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NIV. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible

Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Serving the Lord

Worship Leader: Pastor Paul Hirsch

Organist: Mrs. Diane Herbolsheimer

Radio Broadcaster(s): Walt Tinius & Tammy Mancini

Television Broadcast Technician: Darol Dusseau

On Duty This Week: On Duty Next Week:

Elder: Joel Wiedeman John Kouba

Greeters:

Saturday 6:30 p.m. Sunday 9:00 a.m.

Carol Wachter

Glynn & Sue Grebe & Lee

Leonard Janovec & Bev Kortje

Randy & Traci Anderson

Jayce & Riley

Ushers: Mike Mullen & Gary Bretschneider Randy Anderson & Leon Sweigard

Technology: Zach Sweigard Joe & Yajaira Myers

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Our Week with Christ

Sun., 8/6 - 8:00 AM Adult Bible Study (Jesus Is Better)

- 9:00 AM Worship Service with Holy Communion

- 10:00 AM Coffee / 10:15 AM Adult Bible Study (Ministry and the Divine Call)

- 9:30 AM Farwell Service for Pastor Tyler Peil at St. John’s, Stanton

- 11:30-1:30 PM Meal to Follow

- 10:00 AM Installation Service for JoAnna Smith at Trinity, Hoskins

Mon. - 7:30 PM Worship Service at Immanuel Lutheran, Hadar (in school)

Wed. - 9:00 AM Worship Service Broadcast on Local Cable 12

- 10:00 AM Bible Class (Schliewe)

Thurs. - 2:00 PM Spanish Worship Service Broadcast on Local Cable 12

Sat. - 8:00 AM Men’s Leadership Get-Together

- 6:30 PM Worship Service

Organist: Mrs. Karen Pufahl

Sun., 8/13 - 8:00 AM Adult Bible Study (Jesus Is Better)

- 9:00 AM Worship Service

- 10:00 AM Coffee / NO Adult Bible Study

- NOON Jerie Hansen’s Auction (in school gymnasium)

==============================================================================

Pastor Mark Reichert (Office: 402-371-1654, Cell: 402-302-4348) mark.d.reichert@gmail.com

Pastor Paul Hirsch (Office: 402-371-1233, Cell: 402-649-9268) pahirschki@gmail.com

Mike Paulsen, Principal (Office: 402-371-1233, Cell: 262-490-4772) mikepaulsen@stpls.com

Jeanette Leuthold, Secretary (Office: 402-371-1233) stpls.office@gmail.com

St. Paul’s Web Site: www.stpls.com Synod Web Site: www.wels.net

==============================================================================

Church Cleaning Teams: Week of Aug. 6 – Team 4 (Traci Anderson, Pat Jamison, Leonard Janovec,

John & Jan Schlomer, Debbie Webb, Marlin & JoAnn Winter)

Weeks of Aug. 13 & Aug. 20 – Team 5 (Gary & Sue Bretschneider, Joan Ellenberger, Shannon

Spreeman, Walt & Marian Tinius)

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Worshipping the Lord Last Week’s Attendance: Saturday 6:30 PM – 76; Sunday 9:00 AM – 118; Total = 194

8:00 AM Bible Class – 4; 10:15 PM Bible Class – 47; Wed. Bible Class – 19 Worship Visitors: 15

Announcements

1) Installation at Trinity, Hoskins

JoAnna Smith will be Installed at Trinity in Hoskins this Sunday, August 6th at 10:00

AM with a meal following the worship service.

2) Pastor Peil Farewell

Pastor Peil from St. John’s, Stanton has accepted a call to serve at Prince of Peace, Salt

Lake City, UT. This is his last weekend in Stanton. You’re invited to a farewell meal

that will be held at St. John’s, Stanton this Sunday, August 6th from 11:30-1:30 PM.

3) After-Church Bible Study

With Pastor Peil headed west and Pastor Reichert serving the vacancy in Stanton, our

after-church Bible study schedule is going to get a shake-up. Pastor Reichert will

finish his mini-series on Ministry and the Divine Call soon, and Pastor Hirsch will take

over again the last Sunday of August. If you’d like some input on what we study next,

please come downstairs after church this Sunday. Thanks for your patience and sorry

for the fast notice!

4) Cookies For Bloodmobile

St. Paul’s is scheduled to bring six dozen cookies or bars each Tuesday in August for

the Red Cross Bloodmobile. A sign-up sheet is on the shelf at the Communication

Center. The cookies can be taken to the school kitchen before 11:00 AM or to the

American Legion, 105 E. Norfolk Ave. after 11:00 AM each Tuesday.

Growing through the Word, going with the Word... Together by grace alone.

Sunday School at 10:15 AM (during school year)

Adult Bible Studies Sundays at 8:00 & 10:15 AM

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5) Thank You!

A huge thank you to all those who helped with the rummage sale. Thanks also for the

donations of food & miscellaneous items. The total amount raised was $3,095.25.

6) Fourth Annual WELS Schools Golf Extravaganza

Save the Date: Sunday, August 27th, at 1:00 PM at Fairplay Golf Course, Norfolk. Help

support the ministry of our schools by playing golf, sponsoring a hole, donating prizes,

or volunteering to help! Cost to play is $65 per person, which includes 18 holes, cart,

supper, & prizes. Forms can be picked up at the Communication Center in the church

entryway.

7) ATTENTION! The First Day of School Has Been Changed!

Dear St. Paul’s Parents, as some of you may know, there is going to be a Solar Eclipse

on Monday, August 21st. This also happens to be our scheduled first day of school. Due

to the large amount of interest in viewing the eclipse, the first day of school has been

pushed back a day until Tuesday, August 22nd. We will still have a half-day on

Tuesday. NELHS is going to be hosting an event on it’s campus during the eclipse and

all are invited to attend! If you would like more information about the eclipse or have

any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Thanks! – Michael Paulsen

NELHS

Opening School Year Service

The opening service for the

2017-2018 school year will take

place in the NELHS gymnasium

on Sunday, August 13th at 4:00

PM. Please join us as we begin

another year for our school!