SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST July 12, 2026
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
Wisconsin Synod
Pastor Rev. Christopher Oehlke Pastor’s Phone: 1-262-909-7827
Organist Karen Davis, Mindy Kane, Church Telephone 763-682-4573
Lorraine Roush Email pastor@myimmanuel.org
WELCOME, VISITORS: We are glad you could be with us and we welcome you back any time. Please sign our “Welcome” card found in the pew holders or sign the guest book in the narthex/entry.
Prayer Before Worship
Heavenly Father, I have come to worship you. Draw near to me in your gracious Word, and assure me of your loving kindness. Curb my wandering thoughts, that with undivided attention I may hear your voice and sing your praise. Amen.
SERVICE OF THE WORD
Beginning on Page 38 in the Hymnal.
HYMN (#735s) “Speak, O Lord”
M: The grace of our Lord (+) Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
C: And also with you.
CONFESSION OF SINS
M: We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children. But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy.
C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth.
In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away
my guilt.
M: God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own dear child. May God give you strength to live according to his will.
C: Amen.
PRAYER AND PRAISE
M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.
C: (Sung) Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed are they who take refuge in him.
Your Word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
Your faithfulness continues forever.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed are they who take refuge in him.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
M: Let us pray: Blessed Lord, since you have caused all the Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (Sung) Amen.
THE WORD
FIRST LESSON Isaiah 55:6-11
6 Seek the Lord while he may be found! Call on him while he is near! 7 Let the wicked man abandon his way. Let an evil man abandon his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will show him mercy. Let him turn to our God, because he will abundantly pardon. 8 Certainly my plans are not your plans, and your ways are not my ways, declares the Lord. 9 Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my plans are higher than your plans. 10 Just as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and do not return there unless they first water the earth, make it give birth, and cause it to sprout, so that it gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 in the same way my word that goes out from my mouth will not return to me empty. Rather, it will accomplish whatever I please, and it will succeed in the purpose for which I sent it. (EHV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
PSALM OF THE DAY (Sung) Psalm 65 (page 89)
SECOND LESSON 1 Corinthians 3:5-11
5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are ministers through whom you believed, and each served as the Lord gave him his role. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but it is God who causes the growth. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters are united, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For God is the one whom we serve as coworkers, and you are God’s field, God’s building. 10 In keeping with the grace of God given to me, as a wise master builder, I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. But let each person be careful how he builds on it. 11 In fact, no one can lay any other foundation than the one that has been laid, which is Jesus Christ. (EHV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
VERSE OF THE DAY
M: Alleluia. My word will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Alleluia. (Isaiah 55:11)
C: (Sung) Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
These words are written that we may believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
GOSPEL Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
13 That same day Jesus left the house and was sitting by the sea. 2 A large crowd gathered around him. So he stepped into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 He told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen, a sower went out to sow. 4 As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. Immediately the seed sprang up, because the soil was not deep. 6 But when the sun rose, the seed was scorched. Because it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked it. 8 But some seed fell on good ground and produced grain: some one hundred times, some sixty, and some thirty times more than was sown. 9 Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
18 “So listen carefully to the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the seed that was sown along the path. 20 The seed that was sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he is not deeply rooted and does not endure. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22 The seed that was sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worry of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it produces no fruit. 23 But the seed that was sown on the good ground is the one who continues to hear and understand the word. Indeed he continues to produce fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times more than was sown.” (EHV)
M: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: (Sung) Praise be to you, O Christ!
HYMN OF THE DAY “In This Place Your Word is Planted”
1. In this place your Word is planted;
on our path the seed is sown.
To the Church your Word is spoken;
in our hearts a light has shown.
2. Let your planting not be wasted,
wilted soon in stony field.
Let our worldly cares not choke it,
robbing you of rightful yield.
3. Help us treasure holy wisdom,
savor ev’ry word you give.
Help us cherish Jesus’ gospel,
bread by which your people live.
4. Blest are they who, truth receiving,
Know its value more than gold.
Blest are they who, persevering,
bear good fruit a hundredfold.
SERMON TEXT Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
SERMON THEME “The Seed of Life”
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.
THANKSGIVING
OFFERING – Please leave offering in the plate as you depart.
HYMN (#324) “Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast”
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
O Lord, light of the world and saving strength of your people, we thank you for the gift of your Word. Implant it in the hearts of your people, so that, set free from the power of Satan and the fear of death, we may live to serve and honor you.
Pour out your spirit on us, that we may grow richly in divine knowledge and spiritual understanding. Bless the proclamation of your word everywhere, so that hearts may be turned from the darkness of spiritual ignorance, falsehood, and despair to the light of knowledge,truth, and life. Be with our missionaries in our own and distant lands. Protect them, encourage them, and crown their labors with success.
Let your word shine in our homes, that parents and children may dwell together in love and serve one another in kindness and humility. Watch over the sick, the sorrowing, the anxious, and the weary. Preserve those who are in any danger of body or soul. Supply us by the grace of Jesus with the Spirit’s power, that we may ever be comforted by your truth and sustained by your love.
For those and all the other things you know we need, we confidently ask in the name of him who gave himself for us that we might live through him, Jesus our Lord. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
C: 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.
M: Almighty God, we thank you for teaching us the things you want us to believe and do. Help us by your Holy Spirit to keep your word in pure hearts that we may be strengthened in faith, guided in holiness, and comforted in life and in death, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (Sung) Amen.
M: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and (+) give you peace.
C: (Sung) Amen. Amen. Amen.
HYMN (#322) “On What Has Now Been Sown”
SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST July 12, 2026
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
THE SCHEDULE
Thurs., July 16 6 p.m., Fishers Youth Group (at Julie G’s)
Next Sun., July 19: Greeters: Benzer Family
Shut-In Visitors for July: Vernetta & Jenni Weese
OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS
RESCHEDULED—SUMMER PICNIC: The date for this year’s picnic has been changed to Sunday, Aug. 9. We hope you can still come and participate in the outdoor service and events. We’re still in need of volunteers. Contact Pastor or Julie G.
Proceeds to benefit the parking lot plans.
(A) Luncheon—being catered with potluck sides and/or desserts,
(B) Silent Auction—check out what’s on display in the basement already—more items being accepted-check with Julie G.
(C) Bean Bag Competition—registration sheet on narthex island.
(D) Bingo.
GUEST LECTOR: This morning Jacob Kleist is serving as our lector. He is a student at Martin Luther College (MLC), our synod’s ministerial training college in New Ulm. He will be beginning his second year this fall.
FISHERS: For anyone available Thursday, July 16, Fishers will be at Julie G’s. (Agenda still up in the air—you can help Julie decide?)
ATTENDANCE AT THE LORD’S HOUSE:
Sunday, July 5 47
FOR THE LORD’S WORK: June 28: General Fund-$1,093, West $10, Salem-$12, Fishers-$10, MLC-$10. July 5: General Fund-$2,619.60, Salem-$12, West-$10. Missions: June 28: $400; July 5: $45 (Missions YTD-$11,522).
