Sixth Sunday after Pentecost July 5, 2015 JULY 5, 2015

ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH OF PRAIRIE HILL

6605 Old Independence Rd Brenham, TX 77833

www.stjohnprairiehill.org phone: 836-8666

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost 2 July 5, 2015

A Letter from Kyle

Greetings St. John Lutheran Church of Prairie Hill,

My name is Kyle Merkle and I’m very excited at the prospect of joining all of you in min-istry very soon! I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself so that you know a little bit more about me.

I am 29 years old and originally from Detroit, Michigan. My parents still live in Michigan and my sister lives in southern California. I attended Western Michigan University and majored in Religion and History. After college I worked at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Portage, Michigan as the interim youth director. While there, I heard through a friend about an opportunity to teach English abroad, which took me to South Korea. Serving as an English teacher for a year in South Korea was a blessing. Concluding my year in Korea, I backpacked around Asia—the complete emersion in a foreign culture opened my heart to God’s beautiful creation.

After returning from abroad, although confident in my direction, I took one more year to harness my skills of leadership and service. I accepted a position as Program Manager at Best Buddies Nevada, located in Las Vegas. Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing opportunities for one-to-one friendships, employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Wrapping up my year with Best Buddies and the experience I gained there, I launched into seminary. In September 2011, I began my first year at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley. Highlights during my three years at seminary include working with the worship planning committee on campus and volunteering in the local commu-nity at the Berkeley Food Pantry. While at PLTS I had the opportunity to experience dif-ferent congregational contexts, from working in a large suburban congregation to a very small urban church in San Francisco. I also completed my year long, pastoral internship at Evergreen Lutheran Church in the small mountain town of Evergreen, CO. All of these experiences, with God’s guidance and support, have led me to you.

On a personal note, I am set to marry my fiancé, Briana Watts on August 16, 2015. Bri is also a pastor and is in the process of being called to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Bren-ham. In my free time, I enjoy football, hockey, running, hiking, and water sports. Bri and I are excited to explore Brenham and we look forward to adopting a puppy!

I am excited to meet you all in person. Please pray for me as I pray for you!

God’s Grace & Peace, Pastor Kyle

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GATHERING AROUND THE WORD

*CONFESSION

*GATHERING HYMN Gather Us In ( 1, 2) #532

*HYMN OF PRAISE (8:00AM) “This is the Feast” p. 149-150 *HYMN OF PRAISE (10:05AM) Praise to the Lord, the Almighty(1, 4) #858

*PRAYER OF THE DAY

PROCLAIMING THE WORD

CHILDRENS MESSAGE

READING EZEKIEL 2:1-5 Pew Bible, p. 728(OT)

RESPONSIVE READING PSALM 123 READING 2 CORINTHIANS 12:2-10 Pew Bible, p. 163 (NT)

*GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Alleluia. Lord, to Whom Shall We Go? P. 151

*GOSPEL MARK 6:1-13 Pew Bible, p. 35 (NT)

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost July 5, 2015

“A Place to Call Home”

1To you I lift up my eyes, to you enthroned in the heavens. 2As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to you, O LORD our God, until you show us your mercy. 3Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy, for we have had more than enough of contempt, 4too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, and of the derision of the proud.

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SERMON Pastor Jim Abbott Silence for reflection

HYMN OF THE DAY There’s a Wilderness in God’s Mercy (alt. tune) #588

*APOSTLES CREED (8:00AM) p. 105

*NICENE CREED (10:05AM) p. 104

*PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

Each petition of the prayers ends with the following response: Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

SHARING OUR GIFTS

*THE PEACE

OFFERING HYMN We Praise You, O God # 870

*OFFERTORY Take My Life That I May Be (v 1, 2) #685

*OFFERTORY PRAYER

RECEIVING GOD’S SACRAMENT (8:00AM)

* SANCTUS p. 153

*WORDS OF INSTITUTION

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION is distributed by bread and wine in individual glasses or a common cup. Individual glasses of white grape juice are also available for those unable to consume wine.

All baptized Christians are invited to join us at the table for the Sacrament of Holy Communion, in which we confess that we receive the Body and Blood of our Lord in, with, and under the elements of bread and wine.

We take up an offering, acknowledging that all that we have

is a gift from God. The offering supports

the ministries of St. John here at Prairie Hill

and around the world.

We ask that you also fill out a worship attendance card

and place it in the offering plate so that we can stay in touch with you

You may use the back of the card to share any prayer concerns

with the pastor.

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*THE LORDS PRAYER p. 154

LAMB OF GOD P.154

COMMUNION HYMN Meditation Music

*POST COMMUNION BLESSING

*POST COMMUNION PRAYER

GIVING THANKS FOR GOD’S WORD (10:05AM)

*THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM *THE LORDS PRAYER

BEING SENT TO PROCLAIM (8:00AM & 10:05AM)

*BENEDICTION

*SENDING HYMN O Beautiful for Spacious Skies #767

*DISMISSAL

Portions of the liturgy From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2014 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #27157.

Connect with us on Facebook: facebook.com/prairie.hill

Pastor Jim Abbott Cell 251-4992

pastorabbott@earthlink.net

Pastor Virgil Pecht sick leave

The votes are in and have been counted from our Special Congregational Meeting last Sunday. Our congregation has chosen to extend a call to Kyle Merkle to become our next pastor. To learn more about Kyle please see his letter on page 2. If Kyle accepts our call he will begin in September! In the meantime, let us thank Pastor Abbott for all his hard work and dedication to his role as our interim pastor for the last year! We will miss you!

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost 6 July 5, 2015

Worship Assistants

Interim Pastor The Rev. Jim Abbott Visitation Pastor The Rev. Virgil Pecht Accompanist Linda Pieper Council Members Steve Skrla, Connie Rohde Altar Preparations Donna Bentke, Deanna Giese Ushers Vernon Wagner, Chad Westerfeld Willie & Karen Rosenbaum

Ushers needed at 10:05 Screen Janice Fairlie, Barnay Glaesmann

8am 10:05am

Acolyte Wesley Neuendorff Bethany Janner Layreader Glenda Stegent John Haarmeyer

Altar Flowers are given to the Glory of God in memory of Henry Otto Herrmann by his grandchildren.

Monday ............... 6:00PM Executive Committee Tuesday ............... 6:30PM Rachel Thursday ............ 2:00PM Ladies Aid ................................ 6-8:00PM Ladies Communication Class ................................ Office Closed Friday ................... Office Closed

Saturday ............. 7:30AM Men’s Breakfast Sunday ................. 8:00AM Service of the Word ................................ 10:05AM Holy Communion

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PRAYER LIST

Our Church Family:

Mavis Smith Linda Bryan Herbert Klatte Janice Cordova Sydney Wagner Kervin Finke Clarence Moehlmann Shirley Moehlmann Lora Quebe Elwood Oevermann Fay Kokemor Ella Ruemke Pearlie Becker Ruby Kettler Willie Rosenbaum Anna Finke John Spreen LaNell Seeker Howard & Harriet Grebe

Those celebrating baptismal anniversaries: Christine Bentke, Cameron Rosenbaum, Adolphine Oevermann, Carl Dahmann, Braden Tosta, and Elsie Herrmann.

Friends and Family: Evelyn Klausmeyer Dalton Walla Avery Schell Jeff Hohlt Lincoln Foley Trish Borgstedt LaVerne Krumrey Viola Warmke Flora Luna Larry Glenz Rebecca Schroeder Chris Yoakum Charles Schulte Nicole Burks Dan Reynolds Anna Buck Amanda Sebastian Sue Maass Nello Strickland Jeff Schwartz Darla Callendor Mike Lampe Gary Sonnenburg Linda Oppermann Reagan Jackson Laura Jones Cheyenne Meschwitz Susan Ebel Cheyenne Marie Deanna Williams Lillian Antkowiak Barbara Saunders Melvin Neuendorff Bethany Clemons Mike McIntyre Krystal Countermann Lennie Kwiatkowski Peyton Flowers Debbie Heidemann Barbara Bockhorn Cindy Maldonado Esther Preuss Albin & Brenda Flisowski Mildred Flisowski Shirley Paetz Benjamin Lake Tim Wellmann Beulah Fordham Robert Preuss Jeff W. Janner Jaylene

Military: Cody Snell Cody Paul Wesley Paul Hunter Ferguson Names on the prayer list more than 60 days may be removed. Please notify the church office if a prayer concern is on-going.

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost 8 July 5, 2015

The Women of St. John are hosting a Patriotic Picnic Party for all members, their guests, and Sunday School. Lawn games, family picnics, and an outdoor

movie are planned with more details to come. Join us at 4:00PM Sunday,

July 26th

On July 19th, the Sunday School will have a pool party at Gun & Rod from 4-7. They will provide sloppy joes and the lifeguard. Families that want to come are asked to bring $3 per family member for swimming. We also ask that each family bring either chips or a dessert to complete our meal together. There will be a sign up sheet in the back of church for this event. Please sign your family up so that we can properly plan sloppy joes and our lifeguard needs.