16th Sunday after Pentecost

September 24, 2017
Holy Communion at 8:30 and 11am


Prayer of the Day
Almighty and eternal God, you show perpetual lovingkindness to us your servants. Because we cannot rely on our own abilities, grant us your merciful judgment, and train us to embody the generosity of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Scripture readings
Jonah 3:10-4:11
Psalm 145:1-8
Philippians 1:21-30
Matthew 20:1-16

Sermon 
"The View from the Back of the Line"
“That’s not fair!” Those may be the three words I hear most often in my house. Our children are obsessed with fairness. But in fairness to my children, I’m pretty obsessed with fairness, too. If I’ve worked longer or harder, I expect to receive more. And don’t get me started on line jumpers. Don’t they know where they belong? Our readings today upend our worldly conceptions of fairness, reminding us that God is more interested in dealing out love than meting out justice. After all, whoever we are, we all approach God with empty hands. God’s gifts are God’s to give. No matter who you are, the grace of it all is that God gives you the same as everyone else: the same blessing, the same grace, the same salvation through Christ alone.

In our prayers we remember the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lithuania.

Between services, at 9:45am

Children and youth

Sunday School students (grade 1–4) meet in the third-floor school commons for opening worship. Preschool and kindergarten students meet in the JK classroom on the lower level. Pre-Confirmation  and Confirmation students meet in their classrooms. 

Teen Talk meets in the Youth Room. Enjoy the new coffee bar and breakfast treats.

Adult Education

Living Faithfully: Slovakia Mission Trip Report, Slovakia Mission Team for 2017
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Seminar Room
Come to hear and see reflections of Grace members who traveled to Martin, Slovakia, for our third summer leading VBS. We worked with 200 Slovak children, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in games and music, lessons and craft projects, helping lead youth camp, performing hands-on building renovations, and teaching conversational English at the Center for Christian Education.

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.