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
Lord Jesus, who you are is most important piece of information I can know. Yet I can doubt who you say you are and fail to grow in that knowledge through studying your Word. Help me see the seriousness of knowing the answer to the question “Who is Jesus?” and help me learn so that I can confess you as well as Peter did when you asked him. Continue to build your church on my faithful confession of who you are. In your name—and all that it means—I pray. Amen.
OPENING HYMN Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me | 389
INVOCATION
CONFESSION
LORD, HAVE MERCY
ABSOLUTION
Prayer and Praise
GLORY BE TO GOD
PRAYER OF THE DAY
FIRST LESSON Exodus 34:5-9
HYMN This Is the Threefold Truth | 406
SECOND LESSON Romans 10:5-13
VERSE OF THE DAY 1 Timothy 1:10b
GOSPEL Mathew 16:13–20
APOSTLES’ CREED
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
HYMN OF THE DAY Built on the Rock | 529
SERMON Mathew 16:13–20 We Confess Christ
CREATE IN ME
OFFERING
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN The Church’s One Foundation | 538
PRAYER
BLESSING
CLOSING HYMN My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less | 382
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
COME CELEBRATE HARRIET’S 60 YEARS AS ORGANIST!
Harriet Langrehr has been blessing worship services at St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church with her gift playing the organ and piano for 60 years! We will have a fellowship hour in her honor in the newly remodeled church basement between services today. Join us as we celebrate and thank Harriet for her faithful work for our congregation.
WELCOME SUE RIEDIGER
We are overjoyed to welcome Mrs. Susan Riediger to our school faculty! If you would like to help welcome Mrs. Riediger and her family, we have placed a box for cards in the narthex. We will have the box up through the end of August.
FIRST SUNDAY WITH NEW HYMNAL COMING UP
We will be officially transitioning to our synod’s new Christian Worship hymnal on Sunday, September 3. A reminder that this transition will take some time until all are comfortable—and that’s ok. Unfamiliar or difficult music will be introduced in various ways, and worshipers will be encouraged to join in singing as they are comfortable. We will be using each setting (liturgy) for four weeks in a row to develop familiarity, and we will only introduce Setting 1 and Setting 3 at first. Once comfortable, we can introduce Setting 2 (a more unique setting) in the future. If you would like to purchase a new hymnal for at-home use, please message or email Pastor Groth. We pray the Lord bless our transition to this new hymnal and continue to bless our worship in Jesus’ name!
CLASSROOM GIVING TREE
Located in the church entryway is a “Giving Tree” that has some wish list items our St. Paul’s teachers have requested for their classroom. If you’re willing and would like to contribute to the classrooms, feel free to pick an item from the tree, purchase, and then bring the item back to the donation bin. Our students and teachers appreciate all of your support!
SUNDAY SCHOOL AND BIBLE STUDY RETURNING SOON
Our Sunday morning Bible study and Sunday School will start back up the week after Labor Day on Sunday, September 10. Our first midweek studies will be September 12 and 13.
PUBLIC SCHOOL PRE-CONFIRMATION
If you have a child in the public school in grade 5 or 6, we will be having pre-confirmation studies on Wednesdays at 3:30 pm starting on September 13 (same time as confirmation class). The class will be led by Mr. Mark Larson. Please notify Pastor Groth at pastor@stpaulsbangor.com of your interest in enrolling your child.
MIDWEEK STUDY – THE BOOK OF REVELATION
Our first midweek Bible study this fall will be on one of the most interesting books of Scripture: Revelation. Chapter by chapter the author cuts a pathway through each vision and prophecy of Revelation until he reaches the clearing where we behold a new heaven and a new earth. The 12 Lessons include: The Purpose, Outline and Interpretation of the Book; The Letters to the Seven Churches; God’s Rule of the World; The Seven Seals; God’s Judgment of the World; The Church Secure and Glorified; The Devil and His Helpers Appear; The Seven Bowls of Wrath; The Downfall of the Devil’s Allies; The Millennium; The New Heaven and the New Earth; and Review. Join me as we dive into the imagery and meaning of Christ our Savior in the book of Revelation.
BIBLE BASICS CLASS
Our next Bible Basics class (also called Bible Information Class or the new member class) will be on Mondays at 6:00 pm starting Monday, October 2. If interested in attending, please contact Pastor Groth at pastor@stpaulsbangor.com.
SCRIP
St. Paul’s gets money when you purchase gift cards through the Scrip program. The gift cards can be used for things you already purchase all the time from common stores (Hansen’s, Walmart, Home Depot, etc.). The percentage of your purchases that St. Paul’s receives varies depending on the store.
If you would like to purchase gift cards through Scrip, use the order forms found in the church lobby or at the school. Return the order form to the Scrip box at church by the 15th of each month. The cards will come in the mail and be distributed to you.
Or, if you’re tech savvy, you can simply use the RaiseRight app and do everything from your phone. Your gift cards then are automatically added to the app and you can use the barcode that shows on your phone to make your purchases. Our school’s enrollment code for the app can be found on a piece of paper next to the Scrip box at church or in the school office.
You can designate a specific family or the credit will go to the general fee assistance fund. Families will then be able to use the credit that was built up over the year (July 1 – June 30) and can choose to apply that credit towards next school year’s tuition.
Thank you for considering helping out our ministry using Scrip!
CALENDAR
TODAY 8:00 am Worship
9:00 am Fellowship Hour to Honor Harriet Langrehr
10:00 am Worship
MONDAY 7:00 pm Worship (Last Monday Worship of the Year)
THURSDAY 2:00 pm Ladies Aid Meeting
NEXT SUNDAY First Sunday with New Hymnal
8:00 am Worship with Communion
10:00 am Worship with Communion