Holy Communion at 8:30 and 11am


Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, you sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and light of your church. Open our hearts to the riches of your grace, that we may be ready to receive you wherever you appear, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Scripture readings
Genesis 15:1-6
Psalm 33:12-22
Hebrews 11:1-3, Hebrews 11:8-16
Luke 12:32-40

Sermon

"The Sheep-Stealing Savior"
Luke 12:32-40
Do not fear, little flock, for the Son of Man comes like a thief at an unexpected hour; that’s today’s gospel, boiled down to a single sentence. It’s difficult to understand how God’s Son breaking into our house unannounced is a cause for fearlessness, but God is nothing if not surprising. The good news is that God insists on giving us the kingdom. To do so, however, God needs to break into our homes, where we live locked behind our fears and our piled-high possessions. This is why the gospel feels like bad news at first; Jesus demands that we let go of all of our non-life-giving stuff. We need to hear this word of law before we can feel the gospel for what it is: unadulterated good news - straight, no chaser. Yeah, we have to let go of everything. But we never needed it anyway! So, little flock, have no fear. Jesus is coming for you, and he’s everything you need.

Hymns

In our prayers we remember Concordia University Chicago.

Education hour at 9:45am

Sunday School,  Pre-Confirmation, and  Confirmation classes resume in the fall. Teen Talk meets throughout the summer  in the Youth Room.

The Sunday morning Bible study group meets in the conference room. 

"Faithful Parenting" with Pastor Lauren Wegner
So many approaches to parenting exist--and plenty of judgment, too! Parents of children of all ages are invited to a group discussion on parenthood and the Christian life. How are we called to raise and teach our children in light of our faith? What lessons on parenting does Scripture provide for us? From toddler to teenager and every other age, our children are one of the greatest gifts from God to us and to the world. Join us as we share together our hopes, joys, and challenges of faithful parenting.

In the Seminar Room. This is the first of two sessions. Childcare will be available. 

The Grace Church Library is open and staffed on Sundays from 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Look for books related to Adult Ed topics as well as many other subjects. The library is also open for self-service during the week.