Mark 4:26-34 – The Power and Potential of the Gospel

Mark 4:26-34 – The Power and Potential of the Gospel

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 
King of all the earth, your kingdom knows no bounds and advances with the greatest might. Rid me of a worldly focus today that thinks of only worldly might, influence, and wealth. Remind me of the heavenly truth that your gospel is advancing in human hearts still to this day, including in my own. Help me rely all the more on the power present in your Word. In the grace of Jesus I pray. Amen. 

OPENING HYMN 644 Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast 
INVOCATION 
CONFESSION 
ABSOLUTION 
LORD, HAVE MERCY 
GLORY BE TO GOD 
The Word 
SALUTATION 
PRAYER OF THE DAY 
FIRST READING Ezekiel 17:22–24 
SECOND READING Colossians 1:3–8 
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION 2 Peter 3:18 
GOSPEL Mark 4:26–34 
HYMN OF THE DAY 859 Your Kingdom, O God, Is My Glorious Treasure
SERMON Mark 4:26–34 The Power and Potential of the Gospel 
NICENE CREED 
OFFERING 
RECEPTION OF NEW MEMBERS (10:00 am) 
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH 
The Sacrament 
PREFACE 
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY 
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING 
LORD’S PRAYER 
WORDS OF INSTITUTION 
LAMB OF GOD 
DISTRIBUTION 
DISTRIBUTION HYMN 981 In This Place Your Word Is Planted 
DISTRIBUTION HYMN 878 Christ Alone the World’s Redeemer
DISTRIBUTION HYMN 595 Fruitful Trees, the Spirit’s Sowing 
THANKSGIVING 
BLESSING 
CLOSING HYMN 925 On What Has Now Been Sown 

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS 

WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS! 

At the 10:00 am service this morning, we will be publicly welcoming into membership Jessica Mlsna, Camden Mlsna, Ben Strand, and Jordan Strand. Joining them to publicly confess their faith in Christ is Kennedy Krueger, who has completed instruction in the truths of the Bible as highlighted in the catechism. God be praised for these brothers and sisters in Christ! 

JULY VOTERS’ MEETING 

Our next quarterly voters’ meeting will be Sunday, July 14, at 11:15 am in the church basement. Note: In order to satisfy continuing school Accreditation requirements, there is a proposed amendment to the Bylaws which inserts the redline language into the current Bylaw concerning the Education Committee. Because this is a change to our Bylaws, it must be voted on by the voters in the July meeting and appear in the bulletin twice before the vote. If there are any questions on this, please feel free to call Congregational President Dan Arndt or Education Committee Chairman Dale Arndt. 

LOGGERS NIGHT 

Luther High is hosting a WELS Night fundraiser with the La Crosse Loggers on Saturday, June 22. Gates open at 5:30 pm and game time is 6:35 pm. Tickets are $12 (with $6 going back to Luther) or $18 (with $9 going back to Luther and includes a Loggers hat). Tickets can be purchased online with promo code: WELS. See the poster on the bulletin board in the lobby for more info. 

ST. PAUL’S LIBRARY WISH LIST 

We have new beautiful cabinets installed in the basement. The plan for the upper cabinets is to develop a bigger church library for members to utilize. A library wish list has been compiled of books and series that would provide a great blessing to the congregation as we seek to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord, his work in the world, the history of salvation and church history, how to interact with people of other religions and evaluate the teachings of other Christian denominations, and more. If you would like to donate money toward the purchase of new books for our library, you can find copies of the wish list printed in the narthex. You can submit gifts via the offering plate with “library” in the memo line, and if you’d like a specific book or series purchased then please send a note to Pastor Groth. 

WOMEN’S MINISTRY RETREAT 

We hope you will join us on Saturday, August 3, for Finding Rest—an event created for women to enjoy fellowship with new and existing friends and to learn how to lean on our Lord and Savior when we are weary and burdened. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest”. Yet we need reminders. Find reminders through the presentations and time for reflection as we learn some real-life ways to find rest in Jesus. Four speakers are lined up to encourage us through God’s Word that day: Rebeckah Ellinghuysen, Gwen Schroeder, and Time of Grace authors Amber Albee Swenson and Jennifer Londgren. To find more information on the schedule, to read more about our speakers and their topics, or to register, please check out stpaulsonalaska.org (look for “women’s retreat” in the tabs on the top of the page). 

CALENDAR 

TODAY 8:00 am Worship with Communion 

9:00 am Fellowship Hour 

10:00 am Worship with Communion 

MONDAY 7:00 pm Worship with Communion 

THURSDAY 6:00 pm Bible Information Class 

NEXT SUNDAY 8:00 am Worship 

9:00 am Fellowship Hour 

10:00 am Worship