The Congregation at Prayer

Our Congregation at Prayer

The Season of Pentecost

An Order of Meditation and Prayer (If you are a family meeting together, say the words in bold together.) Invocation In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. (At the sign of the cross ( ) each person may make the sign of the cross over the heart, remembering that he is baptized in the name of the Triune God.)

The Apostles’ Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Bible Learn-by-Heart: Luke 2:29-31 … my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. .

(Everyone says the verse together. Spend up to two minutes learning the verse by heart. Then the leader reads the Bible lesson.)

Bible Readings

Date The Gospel of Luke September 6 The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Monday Luke 14:1-14

Tuesday Luke 14:15-24

Wednesday Luke 14:25-34

Thursday Luke 15:1-10

Friday Luke 15:11-32

Saturday Luke 16:1-15 The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost See you in church! 8:00 or 10:30 September 13 New Bible study, Teen Group and Sunday School start today at 9:15

Weekly Prayer: O Lord, let Your merciful ears be open to the prayers of Your humble servants, and grant that what they ask may be according to Your gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are Yours, now and forever. Amen Petitions for Daily Prayer:  Sunday: Lord, let Your servants depart in peace. Be with those who face sudden and unexpected death, our brothers and sisters who are being martyred for the faith, and all those who face the end of life.  Monday: On this Labor Day, give laborers a fair share in the just reward of their labor. Bless employers and employees with a sense of duty for one another and pride in work well done.  Tuesday: You have sent preachers to us as watchmen to warn us of Your wrath and to proclaim Your word of forgiveness. Grant courage to all pastors to call us to repentance and joy as they preach Your forgiveness  Wednesday: Bless all who are learning Your Word, especially our catechumens. Bless parents and children, that the homes of our congregation may be growing in Christ.  Thursday: You send rain on the thankful and the unthankful. Provide daily bread to all people, especially to those who struggle to provide for themselves and their families. Give honest and faithful labor to the unemployed and the underemployed.  Friday: Jesus died on a Friday. Thank You for Your holy life and sacrificial death, Lord Jesus, that opens to us the way to life.  Saturday: Thank You for this week of grace now drawing to a close. Be with us throughout life, that we may live in Your grace and depart in Your peace.

The Evening Prayer In the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day. Forgive me all my sins, and graciously keep me this night. Into Your hands I commend my body and soul and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen Catechism for the Week The Apostles’ Creed – Article 3 As the head of the family should teach them in the simplest way to those in his household.

(We will spend two weeks on this Article.) I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, All the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the learn resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. What does this mean? I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing Gr. 1+ believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in Gr. 2+ the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps Gr. 3+ it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian Church He daily and fully forgives all sins Gr. 5+ to me and all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and Gr. 7+ give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true. All

Let’s talk about the Catechism: Who is the Holy Spirit?  First of all, notice He is a He, not an It. The Holy Spirit is a person, a real being.  He is the Third Person of the Trinity. Not less than the Father or the Son, not greater. Coequal, coeternal.  He is the One who calls people to faith. He called you to faith. How does the Holy Spirit call us to faith?  He only ever uses one tool – the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This one tool comes in two forms: o the Word of the Gospel – spoken or written o the Gospel Sacraments – Baptism and Communion  He never uses anything else to draw us to faith or keep us in the faith – only the holy Gospel