Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
August 31, 2025
Prelude
Welcome in the name of our Lord Jesus. Cry room and restroom facilities are available. Please ask an usher for the location. Please fill out the connection card in your bulletin and place it in the offering plate during the offering. If your connection card contains a prayer request, the Pastor will come down the aisle and collect it prior to the prayers. Pencils are located by the hymnals at the ends of the pews.
Entrance Hymn: 584 – Faith and Truth and Life Bestowing
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
C Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis LSB 204
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
C Amen.
Sit
Old Testament Reading Proverbs 25:2–10
2It is the glory of God to conceal things,
but the glory of kings is to search things out.
3As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
so the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4Take away the dross from the silver,
and the smith has material for a vessel;
5take away the wicked from the presence of the king,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.
6Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
or stand in the place of the great,
7for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
What your eyes have seen
8do not hastily bring into court,
for what will you do in the end,
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
9Argue your case with your neighbor himself,
and do not reveal another’s secret,
10lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,
and your ill repute have no end.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle Hebrews 13:1–17
1Let brotherly love continue. 2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”
7Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 10We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
17Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
Alleluia and Verse LSB 205
Holy Gospel Luke 14:1–14
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the fourteenth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
1One Sabbath, when [Jesus] went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully.
2And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. 3And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” 4But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. 5And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” 6And they could not reply to these things.
7Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
12He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Nicene Creed LSB 206
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
Sit
Dedication of Quilts
The congregation may wish to place hands on the quilts as they are blessed.
P Since the Lord has taught us in His holy Word that everything is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer, it is fitting that we bless and sanctify these quilts.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
O God, You have directed us to bring offerings for Your glory. We implore You to bless these quilts. Grant that they may reflect our love for You, benefit Your Church, and bring joy to those who use them; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
P The Lord Almighty, the Father, the T Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless these quilts and those who use them.
C Amen.
Hymn of the Day: 842 – Son of God, Eternal Savior
Sermon Pastor DeSanto
Gathering of Prayers: The Pastor will come down the aisle and collect any prayer requests.
Offering The offering plate will be passed down the rows. Both offerings and the connection cards may be placed in the plate.
Offertory: 738 – Lord of All Hopefulness
Stand
Prayer of the Church
Sharing of the Peace
Following the prayers, the people may greet one another in the name of the Lord, saying, “Peace be with you,” as a sign of reconciliation and of the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Matt. 5:22–24; Eph. 4:1–3).
Stand
Service of the Sacrament
Preface LSB 208
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus LSB 208
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
In Your righteous judgment You condemned the sin of Adam and Eve, who ate the forbidden fruit, and You justly barred them and all their children from the tree of life. Yet, in Your great mercy, You promised salvation by a second Adam, Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and made His cross a life-giving tree for all who trust in Him.
We give You thanks for the redemption You have prepared for us through Jesus Christ. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may faithfully eat and drink of the fruits of His cross and receive the blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation that come to us in His body and blood.
Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:
Lord's Prayer LSB 209
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 Words of Our Lord LSB 209
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Pax Domini LSB 209
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Agnus Dei LSB 210
Sit
Distribution
The pastor and those who assist him distribute the body and blood of Christ to those who come to receive, saying:
Take, eat; this is the true body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, given into death for your sins.
Amen.
Take, drink; this is the true blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, shed for the forgiveness of your sins.
Amen.
Membership in St. Matthew congregation is not required for partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Those who commune with us are those who are one with us in faith. We believe that the Lord’s body and blood are present in Communion together with the bread and the wine. We also believe God gives us forgiveness of sins through this means of grace and strengthens us for Christian living according to his will. Those who profess our belief, who have been baptized, who have been instructed in the meaning of this Sacrament, and who are able to examine themselves spiritually before partaking of this divine blessing are invited to join us in receiving Holy Communion.
Hymns during Communion:
623 – Lord Jesus Christ, We Humbly Pray
628 – Your Table I Approach
Stand
In dismissing the communicants, the following is said:
P The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and preserve you in body and soul to life everlasting. Depart T in peace.
C Amen.
Nunc Dimittis LSB 211
Post-Communion Collect LSB 212
A Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Benedicamus and Benediction LSB 212
A Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
P 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 T give you peace.
C Amen.
Sit
Announcements
Stand
Recessional Hymn: 850 – God of Grace and God of Glory
WORSHIP NOTES: In our prayers we remember our shut-ins: Donna Johnston, Rosa O’Bannon, and Don Burnett.
Most of our shut-ins have expressed an openness to receive phone calls from members if you would like to do so.
We also pray for all who are ill or have any needs.
READINGS FOR NEXT WEEK
September 7, 2025
Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Epistle Reading: Philemon 1-21
Gospel Reading: Luke 14:25-35
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CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK |
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DATE |
EVENT |
TIME |
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Today |
Bible Class Worship Service Pot Luck |
9:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 11:00 |
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Next Sunday |
Bible Class Worship Service |
9:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. |
FOR THOSE NEWER TO THE CHURCH: Thank you for being with us today! Please consider filling out the Connection Card in your bulletin, which can be placed in the offering plate during the offering or simply given to an usher or to the pastor. There is also information about the church on the table in the narthex.
REDEDICATION OF REFURBISHED SANCTUARY AND FELLOWSHIP HALL - Next Sunday, September 7, we will rededicate our newly updated sanctuary and fellowship hall. We praise and thank God for all who contributed to the effort of remodeling, either financially or with their labor. A reception will follow the rededication service.
BUILDING FUND St. Matthew is continuing the Building Fund Campaign to support the remodeling of our Church Building. Your support of this initiative is appreciated as we continue to modernize our facility. All contributions should be marked for Building Fund.
LAWN FUND The table with sale items is for the Lawn Fund. If you bring any items, please have sale price on the item.
POTLUCK Today is the fifth Sunday of the month. Join us for our usual 5th Sunday Potluck in the Fellowship Hall.
GIRL SCOUTS will meet at the church each other Friday from 5:30 to 7:15 pm. Please contact Cheryl Boatner if you know of someone that is interested.
CONTAINERS for medicine bottles, eyeglasses, and Mardi Gras beads are on the table in the first hall pass the foyer. These items will be donated to charity.
REFRESHMENTS Each Sunday we need one person to provide refreshments. There is a sign-up table in the narthex. The person providing refreshments should also help make sure that the fellowship hall is cleaned up afterwards.
NEWSLETTER If you have an article you would like to contribute to next month’s newsletter, please email it to the office at m1919@bellsouth.net, or drop it off in the office, by the last Sunday of the month.
SERVING US TODAY ASSISTING WITH COMMUNION: Tim D; READER: Larry H; USHERS: Sue H & Ray H; ALTAR: Paula C; ORGAN: Cynthia C and Lennox M