WELCOME TO WORSHIP
In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we welcome you to St. Paul’s. We especially welcome our guests who have joined us today. We pray that your soul will be strengthened by the good news of God’s forgiveness through Jesus.
PRAYER IN PREPARATION FOR TODAY’S WORSHIP
Judge of all, you have made very clear in your Word how I will be judged when I die and on the Last Day. Forgive me for the times I think I can earn a “not guilty” verdict by my own works. Show me my sinfulness today so I am reminded that I could not possibly enter heaven by my own merit. Most of all, show me my Savior today and build my trust in his perfect life and the “not guilty” verdict given to me through faith. Help me cherish him as the only way I will enter the glories of eternal life with you. In him I pray. Amen.
OPENING HYMN 623 O Bless the Lord, My Soul
INVOCATION
CONFESSION
DECLARATION OF GRACE
LORD, HAVE MERCY
GLORY BE TO GOD ON HIGH
The Word
SALUTATION
PRAYER OF THE DAY
FIRST READING Isaiah 66:18–24
PSALM OF THE DAY Psalm 42A
SECOND READING Hebrews 12:18–24
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Luke 13:29
GOSPEL Luke 13:22–30
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
HYMN OF THE DAY 573 Jesus, Your Blood and Righteousness
SERMON Hebrews 12:18–24 Sinai or Zion?
APOSTLES’ CREED
OFFERING
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
HYMN 561 Before the Throne of God Above
PRAYER
LORD’S PRAYER
BLESSING
CLOSING HYMN 563 My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
LAST MONDAY WORSHIP OF THE YEAR
St. Paul’s will have its last Monday worship service on August 25th. Monday worship will be back next summer (after Memorial Day).
SUNDAY SCHOOL & BIBLE STUDIES ARE BACK SEPT. 7TH
On Sunday, September 7th, we will once again have Sunday School and Bible studies in between services. Sunday School begins at 9:10 am and Bible study begins at 9:15 am (or whenever pastor stops blabbing upstairs). Midweek study on Tuesday at 7:00 pm and Wednesday at 9:00 am (same study) will return that week on Sept. 9th and 10th. God be praised for his powerful, eternal Word!
STEWARDSHIP LEGACY – TIME
“Stewardship” is the lifelong management of the earthly and spiritual resources God has given in the lives of his people and for his gospel ministry. They are represented by the five areas of time, talent, treasure, truth, and temple. “Legacy” reminds us of the Church’s responsibility to teach everything Christ commanded to the next generation. Are we viewing ourselves as stewards of God’s gifts? Are we actively living a life of stewardship?
We will have a special worship series throughout the month of September called Stewardship Legacy: A Time for Everything. Stewardship includes a quickly-depleting resource called “time.” So much competes for it. Taking the time to manage the time we have left has huge implications on how we individually and as a church use it for Christ and each other. “A Time for Everything” is a stewardship series to draw attention to the precious time we have left in our lives.
Corresponding with our worship series will be our midweek studies throughout September. The focus of our worship on Sunday will be the further focus of our midweek study that week. Our worship and midweek lessons will look at: A Time to PRIORITIZE, A Time for PERSPECTIVE, A Time to PLAN, and A Time to PAUSE. The Lord bless your growth in his Word and in your godly use of such a precious commodity.
SCHOOL DONATION BOARD
Located in the church entryway is a “Donation Board” that has some wish list items our St. Paul’s teachers have requested for their classrooms. If you’re willing and would like to contribute to the classrooms, feel free to pick an item from the board, purchase, and then bring the item back to the donation bin. Our students and teachers appreciate all of your support!
WELCOME BOX FOR NEW TEACHER & STAFF
St. Paul’s is blessed to have new staff members joining this year! To help us welcome them, PACE has set up a card box in the back of the narthex. Please help us welcome:
– Tara Blount (new 3K/4K teacher)
– Julie Arndt (church & school secretary)
– Lisa Hammes (surround care staff member)
MOVING HELP
Our teacher, Ms. Cortez, will be moving into a new duplex on Saturday, September 6th, at 10:00 am. If you are able to help her load up and unload, it would be greatly appreciated. If you have a truck that could be used for moving the items, that would be appreciated as well. Please call or text Ms. Cortez for details and with questions: 608-214-9975.
COULEE REGION JESUS CARES MINISTRY
Join the Jesus Cares group for adapted worship services, Bible study, fellowship and fun! Jesus Cares is a ministry that provides Bible instruction and Christian friendship to people of all ages who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are kicking off the 2025-26 school year with our Welcome Back to Jesus Cares meal and fellowship on Monday, September 8th at 4:30pm. On Monday, September 15th we will begin our regularly scheduled adapted worship services and Bible classes. All Jesus Cares activities are held on Mondays from 4:30pm-5:45pm at First Lutheran Church, 400 West Ave S., in La Crosse. We are always welcoming new students, families, and volunteers! Please join us on September 8th or stop by on another Monday night to see what our group is all about. Feel free to contact us for more details by emailing couleeregionjesuscares@gmail.com or text/call Lisa Loersch at (920) 944-8759 or Kris Schwartz at (608) 797-5194 for more information and a 2025-26 school year schedule.
IMMEASURABLY MORE WOMEN’S RETREAT
Longing for more? Find purpose and fullness in Christ. Join other faith-filled women and explore the storehouses of the King—where there’s always immeasurably more. The retreat is Saturday, September 6, 2025, from 9:00am to 3:30pm, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Onalaska. Doors open at 8:00 for registration and light breakfast followed by worship, speakers, lunch and breakout sessions.
CAMP CROIX MEN’S RETREAT
The 17th Annual Men’s Retreat, organized by men from Twin Cities (MN) area WELS churches, will take place at Camp Croix on September 19-21, 2025. This year’s theme is “Awaiting the Fullness of Time: The Not-So-Silent Years Between the Testaments.” The time between the testaments is ripe with apocalyptic fever, with many, many wild scenarios of the end of the world, from a 96 ft tall Enoch to a flying Elijah to The War Scroll of Qumran—an actual battle plan for the final war between the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness. This presentation will be led by Martin Luther College Prof. Keith Wessel. Sign up now, while there’s still room, at mensretreat.org! Questions regarding Camp Croix? Call Keith at 218-341-2119. Questions regarding the retreat? Call Clay at 651-231-3237.
MEN OF HIS WORD CONFERENCE
Join other Christian men for the tenth annual Men of His Word Conference at the Mayo Civic Center in downtown Rochester, MN, on Saturday, October 25th. This year’s theme is Forge Ahead In Faith. Check out conference details at www.menofhisword.org (Click on “Rochester”). The registration fee is $75 for adults and $40 for youth – These rates increase to $90 and $50 respectively after October 10th.
REFORMATION/WELS 175TH ANNIVERSARY SERVICE
Luther High School is excited to announce that a special service at Luther High School on Sunday, November 2nd, at 2:00 pm. That service will celebrate both the Lutheran Reformation and the 175th anniversary of the Wisconsin Synod. Pastor Paul Koelpin will be preaching, the Luther High School Concert Choir will be singing. There will also be an adult choir, and children from Association elementary schools will be singing as well. The service will be held in the Chapel Auditorium.
PRAYERS
This week we keep in our prayers: Brian Berg, Gary and Christa Lemke, Clarice Koltermann, Marcie Richmond, Herb Miller, John Langrehr, Ron Meyer, and Dan Chandler.
THANK YOU
Micah Gray would like to thank the congregation for its continued support and participation in the Congregational Partner Grant Program with Martin Luther College. It is a wonderful blessing to have such encouragement for ministry, and for life. May the LORD continue to bless all the members of St. Paul’s.
CALENDAR
TODAY 8:00 am Worship
10:00 am Worship
MONDAY 7:00 pm Worship
THURSDAY 2:00 pm Ladies Aid Meeting
6:00 pm Bible Information Class
NEXT SUNDAY 8:00 am Worship
10:00 am Worship