Welcome to Sunday Worship at St. Stephen!
Please find the livestream here.
God bless you!
THE FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
The color green,
used for the vestments and paraments in the season after Pentecost, represents
growth and life in the Holy Spirit.
OLD TESTAMENT: The reading is taken from near the
end of the famous story of Jacob, Joseph, and Joseph’s brothers. After Jacob’s
death, the brothers who had sold Joseph into slavery become concerned that he
would now take revenge upon them for their deeds. Joseph reassures them,
stating that he is not in the place of God to judge. When we take vengeance
into our own hands, we put ourselves in the place of God, who is, in the final
analysis, the only trustworthy arbiter. Only the Holy Spirit can free us from
seeking the place of God and instead to strive for reconciliation with those
who have wronged us.
NEW TESTAMENT: Paul addresses different religious
practices in the community. Those in the Roman church who ate only vegetables
did so not for health reasons but so that they might be sure they kept kosher.
Paul did not feel that Christians should be bound by the dietary laws, but he
views this difference between him and others as something that shouldn’t
necessarily divide the church, as long as keeping kosher was not required (see
Galatians 1!) Likewise, those who observed the Jewish holy days and those who
did not could live together with their differences. It is not for us to judge
each other; the Lord will judge. We are called to discern which differences in
our day can be lived with and which should be addressed. It went without saying
for Paul that the church could not live with disagreement as to whether or not
Jesus Christ is Lord.
GOSPEL: Peter asks Jesus at what point he
no longer has to forgive someone; this shows that he really is not interested
in forgiveness, but in eventual judgment. Jesus responds with a parable to move
the disciples toward hearts of forgiveness. Those who truly believe that they
are debtors and that God has forgiven their debts will gladly and cheerfully
forgive others’ debts to them.
Preparation for Worship
Upon reaching your place,
you may wish to read Psalm 84 in silence:
1 How dear to me is
your dwelling, O | Lord of hosts!*
My soul has a desire and longing
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh rejoice in
the | living God.
2 The sparrow has
found her a house
and
the swallow a nest where she may | lay her young,*
by the side of your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King | and my God.
3 Happy are they who
dwell | in your house!*
They will always be | praising
you.
4 Happy are the
people whose strength | is in you,*
whose hearts are set on the |
pilgrims' way.
5 Those who go
through the desolate valley
will find it a | place of springs,*
for the early rains have covered
it with | pools of water.
6 They will climb
from | height to height,*
and the God of gods will reveal
him- | self in Zion.
7 Lord God of hosts, | hear my prayer;*
hearken, O | God of Jacob.
8 Behold our defend-
| er, O God;*
and look upon the face of | your
anointed.
9 For one day in
your courts
is better than a thousand in | my own
room,*
and to stand at the threshold of
the house of my God
than to dwell in the tents | of
the wicked.
10 For the Lord God is both | sun and shield;*
he will give | grace and glory;
11 no good thing will
the | Lord withhold*
from those who walk | with
integrity.
12 O | Lord of hosts,*
happy are they who put their |
trust in you!
You
may pray the following prayers:
Holy
Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God: hear our prayer and send your holy
angel from heaven to guard, protect, visit, and defend all those who assemble
together in this house; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Most
gracious God, incline your merciful ears to our prayers and enlighten our
hearts by the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may approach your Holy
Mysteries with believing hearts and love you with an everlasting love.
OPENING MUSIC Praise the Lord! O Heavens
I.
Philip Gehring
II.
Wayne Barlow
Please
meditate on the text of the hymn as it is played:
praise him, angels,
in the height;
sun and moon, rejoice
before him;
praise him, gleaming
stars and light.
Praise the Lord, for
he has spoken;
worlds his mighty
voice obeyed;
laws which never
shall be broken
for their guidance he
has made.
2 Praise the Lord, for
he is gracious;
never shall his
promise fail.
God has made his
saints victorious;
sin and death shall
not prevail.
Praise the God of our
salvation;
hosts on high, his
pow'r proclaim;
heav'n and earth, and
all creation,
laud and magnify his
name!
Text: Foundling Hospital Collection,
London, 1796
WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS
BRIEF ORDER FOR CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Stand
The sign of the cross may be made
by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
In the name of the Father, and of
the X Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Almighty God, to whom all hearts
are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the
thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may
perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
Amen
If we say we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God
who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
(1
John 1:8-9)
Silence for reflection and
self-examination.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we
are in bondage to sin
and cannot free ourselves.
We have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole
heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as
ourselves.
For the sake of your Son, Jesus
Christ, have mercy on us.
Forgive us, renew us, and lead us,
so that we may delight in your will
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your holy name. Amen
In the mercy of Almighty God,
Jesus Christ was given to die for you, and for his sake the Father forgives you
all your sins. To those who believe in Jesus Christ he gives the power to
become the children of God and bestows and them the Holy Spirit.
Amen
THE HOLY COMMUNION
APOSTOLIC GREETING
The grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the
communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
(2 Corinthians 13:13)
KYRIE
ELEISON
In peace, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above,
and for our salvation, let us pray to the
Lord. Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the whole world,
for the well-being of the Church of God,
and for the unity of all, let us pray to the
Lord. Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house,
and for all who offer here their worship and
praise,
let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
Help, save, comfort and defend us, gracious Lord. Amen
HYMN OF
PRAISE
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his
people on earth.
(Luke 2:14)
Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father:
We
worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you
for your glory.
Lord
Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb
of God:
You
take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
You
are seated at the right hand of the Father;
receive our
prayer.
For
you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
you
alone are the Most High,
Jesus
Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of
God the Father. Amen
PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Gracious Father, you are slow to anger and rich in
compassion.
Keep alive in us the memory of your mercy,
that our angers may be calmed and our
resentments dispelled.
May we
discover the forgiveness promised to those who forgive,
and become a people rich in mercy.
We ask
this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives
and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit;
one God,
now and forever.
Amen
CALL TO THE WORD
The LORD is full
of compassion and mercy,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
Let us
hear the Word of the Lord. Psalm 103:8
Sit
First READING Genesis
50:15-21
15Realizing
that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, “What if Joseph still bears
a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to
him?” 16So they approached Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this
instruction before he died, 17‘Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the
crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.’ Now therefore
please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph
wept when they spoke to him. 18Then his brothers also wept, fell
down before him, and said, “We are here as your slaves.” 19But
Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? 20Even
though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to
preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. 21So have no fear;
I myself will provide for you and your little ones.” In this way he reassured
them, speaking kindly to them.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM 103:1-13
The psalm is read responsively between the pastor and the people.
1 Bless the Lord, | O my soul,*
and all that is within me, bless
his | holy name.
2 Bless the Lord,
| O my soul,*
and
forget not | all his benefits.
3 He forgives | all your sins*
and heals all | your
infirmities;
4 he redeems your life | from the grave*
and
crowns you with mercy and | lovingkindness;
5 he satisfies you | with good
things,*
and your youth is renewed | like
an eagle's.
6 The Lord ex- |
ecutes righteousness*
and
judgment for all who | are oppressed.
7 He made his ways | known to
Moses*
and his works to the chil- |
dren of Israel.
8 The Lord is
full of compas- | sion and mercy,*
slow
to anger and | of great kindness.
9 He will not al- | ways accuse
us,*
nor will he keep his an- | ger
forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according | to our sins,*
nor
rewarded us according | to our wickedness.
11 For as the heavens are high |
above the earth,*
so is his mercy great upon |
those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is | from the west,*
so
far has he removed our | sins from us.
13 As a father cares | for his
children,*
so does the Lord care for | those who fear him.
SECOND READING
Romans 14: 1-12
1Welcome those
who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. 2Some
believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. 3Those
who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass
judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. 4Who are you
to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they
stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them
stand.
5Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge
all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. 6Those
who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat
in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain,
abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God.
7We do not live to ourselves,
and we do not die to ourselves. 8If we live, we live to the Lord,
and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die,
we are the Lord’s. 9For to this end Christ died and lived again, so
that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why
do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the
judgment seat of God. 11For it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.”
12So then, each of us will be accountable to God.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to
God.
Stand
VERSE
Alleluia. Whatever was written in former
days
was written for our instruction,
so that by steadfastness and by
encouragement of the scriptures
we might have hope. Alleluia.
Romans 15:4
Gospel Matthew 18:21-35
The
Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
21Peter came
and said to [Jesus], “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me,
how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 22Jesus said to
him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
23“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king
who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24When he began the
reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; 25and,
as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife
and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. 26So
the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I
will pay you everything.’ 27And out of pity for him, the lord of
that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28But that same
slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a
hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29Then
his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I
will pay you.’ 30But he refused; then he went and threw him into
prison until he would pay the debt. 31When his fellow slaves saw
what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to
their lord all that had taken place. 32Then his lord summoned him
and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you
pleaded with me.
33Should you
not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34And
in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire
debt. 35So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if
you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sit
SERMON
HYMN OF THE DAY Forgive Our Sins as We
Forgive
Please meditate on the text of the hymn as
it is played.
1 "Forgive
our sins as we forgive,"
you taught us, Lord, to pray;
but you alone can grant us grace
to live the words we say.
2 How can your pardon reach and bless
the unforgiving heart
that broods on wrongs and will not let
old bitterness depart?
3 In blazing light your cross reveals
the truth we dimly knew:
how trifling others' debts to us;
how great our debt to you!
4 Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls
and bid resentment cease;
then, by your mercy reconciled,
our lives will spread your peace.
Text: Rosamond E. Herklots, 1905-1987, alt.
Text © Oxford University Press 1969
Stand
CONFESSION
OF FAITH
The pastor and people confess the faith of the Church in
the words of the Apostles’ Creed.
I believe in God, the
Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of
the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy
Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and
the life everlasting. Amen
Made one by
the Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Father for the whole people of God in
Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.
A brief silence is kept.
Teach us to forgive others as we have been forgiven by
you. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Unite us in truth and love, that we may be full of
faith and good works. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Lead our Congress, our President, our judges, and all in authority in wisdom and righteousness. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Come to the aid of all who are displaced by fire and
flood, earthquake, lightning, and storm, illness and pandemic, and any kind of
disaster. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Be with those who have no
home, and help us to supply their needs so they may live and serve you. Lord,
in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We thank you for your mercies, and we pray them upon
all in need. Look with favor upon those we name, aloud and in silence:
The People may offer silent or
spoken intercessions and thanksgivings.
Lord,
in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We give thanks for the faithful departed, especially
those dear to us who rest in you, and we ask you to lead us in lives of
forgiveness until we take our place with all the forgiven. Lord, in your mercy,
hear
our prayer.
Into your hands, Father, we commend all for whom we
pray, trusting in your mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
PEACE
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And also
with you.
The people exchange a sign of peace
with the simple words, Peace be with you.
Sit
The Lord’s Table is prepared.
Stand
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
We do
not presume to come to your table, O Lord,
trusting
in our own righteousness,
but in
your manifold and great mercies.
We are not worthy to gather up the crumbs under your
table.
But you
are the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy.
Grant us, therefore, O gracious Lord,
so to eat the
flesh of your dear son, Jesus Christ,
and so to drink
his blood,
that we may
evermore dwell in him and he in us.
Amen
GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Great Thanksgiving begins with the Preface, leading
into the Sanctus:
The Lord be with you.
And also with
you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to
the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to
give him thanks and praise.
It is indeed
right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks
and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, through Christ our Lord:
On the holy cross, he offered
himself as a sacrifice for sinners, and by the power of his resurrection he
gives us his Holy Spirit that we may share in his life of forgiveness and
peace.
And so with the Church on earth and the hosts
of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy,
holy, holy LORD, God of power and might!
Heaven
and earth are full of your glory;
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
Hosanna in the highest! (Isaiah 6:3, Matthew 21:9)
The
pastor leads the people in praying the Eucharistic canon:
We praise and thank you, O
God,
for in your infinite goodness you have created us
to receive and rejoice in your love and mercy.
In the fullness of time and
according to your purposes
you sent your beloved Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ, born of Mary.
He came to proclaim the Kingdom;
He healed the sick and numbered Himself among sinners;
He poured Himself out in death,
giving His life as our ransom and our righteousness.
In the
night in which He was betrayed
our Lord Jesus took bread and
gave thanks,
broke it, and gave it to His
disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my Body,
given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of
me.
Again,
after supper, He took the cup, gave thanks,
and gave it for all to drink,
saying:
This cup is the new covenant in
my Blood,
shed for you and for all people
for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of
me.
Let us proclaim the mystery
of faith:
Christ
has died.
Christ
is risen.
Christ
will come again.
Holy Father,
as we remember our Lord's life and passion,
His resurrection and ascension,
we give you our thanks and bless your holy name.
Because your Son has made us
His fellow-servants,
a holy priesthood, a people set apart, we pray:
Send now His life-giving
Spirit
upon this Bread of Life and this Cup of Blessing,
that we and all who partake
of Christ's body and blood
may find our unity in Him
and our lives defined by His cross,
as we await His final coming as Lord of love.
Through
Him, with Him, in Him,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all
honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father,
now
and forever.
Amen
In the presence of Christ, we pray to his Father using the words he gave
us.
Christ is in our midst.
By the power of the
Spirit,
we pray to his
Father, saying:
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 (Matthew
6:9-15)
We adore Christ with the words of
the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God).
The LORD satisfies us with good things;
And our youth is renewed like an eagle’s.
(Psalm 103:5)
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
Grant us peace.
(John 1:29, see also Luke 17:13)
DISTRIBUTION
Admission to the Sacrament is by
invitation of the Lord, presented through the Church to those who are baptized.
They may receive the Lord’s Body and Blood who
are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
who commune in their home churches, and who believe that Jesus Christ,
crucified and risen, is truly present in, with, and under the forms of bread
and wine for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.
The
communicants will be invited forward one family unit at a time. Please do not
come forward until the pastor directs you to come forward, do not approach all
the way to the table until the pastor has retreated, and please do not remove your mask until you
have reached the table with the elements on it.
When the pastor says ‘The body of Christ,
given for you,’ eat the bread. When the pastor says, ‘The blood of Christ, shed
for you,’ drink the wine. Please take
the plate and the glass(es) and place them on the table that is indicated.
Please put your mask on before returning to your seat.
Please meditate
on the text of the hymn as it is played.
Praise the Lord, Rise Up Rejoicing
1 Praise
the Lord, rise up rejoicing,
worship,
thanks, devotion voicing:
glory
be to God on high!
Christ,
your cross and passion sharing,
by
this eucharist declaring
yours
the final victory.
2 Scattered
flock, one shepherd sharing,
lost
and lonely, one voice hearing,
ears
attentive to your word;
by
your blood new life receiving,
in
your body, firm believing,
we
are yours, and you the Lord.
3 Sins
forgiven, wrongs forgiving,
we
go forth alert and living
in
your Spirit, strong and free.
Partners
in your new creation,
seeking
peace in ev'ry nation,
may
we faithful foll'wers be.
Text:
Howard C. A. Gaunt, 1902-1983, alt.
Text
© Oxford University Press.
When all have
received, the congregation stands at the direction of the pastor.
The body and blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
Amen
Lord, now you let your servant
go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the
salvation
which you have prepared in the
sight of every people:
A light to reveal you to the
nations
and the glory of your people
Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to
the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is
now,
and will be forever. Amen Song
of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32)
Almighty Father, you gave your Son
both as a sacrifice for sin and a model of the godly life.
Enable us to
receive him always with thanksgiving,
and to conform our
lives to his;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen
BENEDICTION
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious
to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and X give you
peace.
Amen (Numbers 6:24-26)
DISMISSAL
Go
in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be
to God!
CLOSING MUSIC Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee
1 Joyful,
joyful we adore thee,
God
of glory, Lord of love!
Hearts
unfold like flow’rs before thee,
praising
thee, their sun above.
Melt
the clouds of sin and sadness,
drive
the gloom of doubt away.
Giver
of immortal gladness,
fill
us with the light of day.
2 All
thy works with joy surround thee,
earth
and heav’n reflect thy rays,
stars
and angels sing around thee,
center
of unbroken praise.
Field
and forest, vale and mountain,
flow’ry
meadow, flashing sea,
chanting
bird, and flowing fountain
call
us to rejoice in thee.
3 Thou
art giving and forgiving,
ever
blessing, ever blest,
wellspring
of the joy of living,
ocean-depth
of happy rest!
Thou
our Father, Christ our brother,
all
who live in love are thine;
teach
us how to love each other,
lift
us to the joy divine!
Text: Henry van Dyke, 1852-1933
Please maintain social distance and remain
masked while exiting the building. Please sanitize your hands before leaving
the building.
OUR STEWARDSHIP of GOD’S GIFTS
Last Weekend’s Attendance: 8 + 16 = 24
Offering: 9/6/2020
Towards
Budget: $ 1,840.00
Itemized Non Budget:
Food Bank: $
125.00
Building Fund: $ 50.00
Lutheran World Relief: $ 35.00
Flowers: $ 20.00
Portals of Prayer: $
20.00
Water Mission: $
20.00
Total: $ 2,110.00
The Altar
Flowers are given to the Glory of God by the Noel family in memory of Joseph Noel, Jr.
V IN YOUR PRAYERS
Linda Armento,
at home
Mary Jo Bondi, at home
Ruth Duessel, at
Concordia, Rebecca
Pastor Carl Hendrickson,
at home
Elsie Kemmler and Bill Roth at Concordia, South Hills
David Noel, at Kane Rehab, Scott Township
Geneva Schrag, at Consulate Health Care, Canonsburg
William Wetzel
at Concordia, Cabot
A FEW REMINDERS AS WE RESUME
PUBLIC WORSHIP SERVICES:
·
If
you wish to attend worship, you will need to pre-register every week
by either calling the office or sending an email.
·
Registration
ends Saturday at 12 noon.
·
Masks
are required to be worn while in the building.
·
Upon
entering and leaving the church, you must sanitize your hands or wash them with
soap and water.
·
Everyone
must sign in when entering the church. This way we can keep track of who was in
the church and when.
WORSHIP SERVICES are held every Saturday evening at 6:30 PM and Sunday morning
at 10:30 AM. Pastor Frontz also livestreams Compline (Prayer at the Close of
the Day) on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. and Vespers (Evening Prayer) on Wednesday at 7
p.m. These can be accessed on the church’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ststephenpittsburgh).
THE COUNCIL WILL MEET next Sunday evening at 7 PM. Please pray for the council.
PLEASE HELP! During the month of September, we will be
taking a special offering for Lutheran World Relief to bring aid to the people
of Beirut, Lebanon. Specific information
on this effort are included in the September Newsletter that was mailed to your
homes this past week. As you send in your offerings, please consider including
a gift for Lutheran World Relief’s efforts in Beirut. Thank you.
OPERATION SAFETY NET Also during the month of September, our church
will be taking an ingathering of gifts for ‘Operation Safety Net’, a local
ministry submitted to us by Joan Derrick, our Outreach Committee chair. Please see the poster in the narthex and the
September Newsletter for ideas on how you can help. Thank you.
ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THE SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER are available in the Narthex.
THE GARDEN needs
to be weeded again. Imagine that! If you have time, please stop
by the church and pull a few weeds. You need not do it all. You’ll feel good
and the garden will look nice!
KINDLY REMEMBER TO PAY FOR THE
FLOWERS you
ordered for the weekend Altar and for the special occasions. Altar flowers are $20/vase. Checks can be
made out to St. Stephen Lutheran Church
with a notation “flowers” and placed in the offering plate
DAILY
DEVOTIONS, including THE WORD IN SEASON, PORTALS OF PRAYER AND CHRIST IN OUR
HOME (July,
August, and September 2020) are available on the table in the Narthex. Take one
or more to share with family and friends. If you are able, a donation would be
welcomed to help defray the cost to the congregation for these resources. Thank
you!
2020 ‘DAILY TEXTS’ are available in the Narthex. A donation of
$10 per book would be appreciated
to help cover the cost of the books. Thank you.
PLEASE ALERT Pastor Frontz anytime you
are hospitalized by calling him on his cell: (570) 447-8758. Hospitals DO NOT contact the church.
ST STEPHEN COUNSELING CENTER: A
site of Pittsburgh Pastoral Institute/PPI). For marriage, family, teen and
individual counseling – for first appointment call PPI at 412-661-1239. St.
Stephen Center is
412-279-5452. Counseling opens doors to hope.
Counselor: Caroline Graham-McGuire.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
From
Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted
by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #20540.
New
Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of
America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Opening
Prayers: Collects in Contemporary Language,
copyright
1997 International Commission on English in the Liturgy. All rights reserved.
Eucharistic
Canon from A Little Book of Canons, copyright 1997 by Ron Ronneberg,
STS, used by permission
Cover
photo: Maurice Harron, Hands Across the Divide. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57560
Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org
