THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST August 23, 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

O Lord—our Maker, Redeemer, and Comforter—we are assembled in your presence to hear your holy Word. We pray that you would open our hearts by your Holy Spirit, that through the preaching of your Word we may repent of our sins, believe in Jesus, and grow day by day in grace and holiness. Hear us for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

SERVICE OF THE WORD

Beginning on Page 38 in the Hymnal.

HYMN (#747s) “There Is a Redeemer”

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. Almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life, grant us to know your Son, Jesus, to be the way, the truth, and the life that we may boldly confess him to be the Christ and steadfastly walk in the way that leads to life eternal; 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 Exodus 34:5-9

⁵ The Lord came down in the cloud. He took his stand there with Moses and proclaimed the name of the Lord. ⁶ The Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed: “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and overflowing with mercy and truth, ⁷ maintaining mercy for thousands, forgiving guilt and rebellion and sin. He will by no means clear the guilty. He calls their children and their children’s children to account for the guilt of the fathers, even to the third and the fourth generation.” ⁸ Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshipped. ⁹ He said, “If I have now found favor in your sight, Lord, please let the Lord go along with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, pardon our guilt and our sin, and accept us as your possession.”            (EHV) 

M: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM OF THE DAY (Sung) Psalm 34 (page 80)

SECOND LESSON Romans 10:5-13

⁵ Indeed, Moses writes this about the righteousness that comes by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.” ⁶ But the righteousness that comes by faith speaks like this: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith that we are proclaiming. ⁹ Certainly, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and it is with the mouth that a person confesses, resulting in salvation. ¹¹ For Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹² So there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord is Lord of all, who gives generously to all who call on him. ¹³ Yes, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”          (EHV)

M: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

VERSE OF THE DAY

M: Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia. (John 6:68)

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 16:13-20

¹³ When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴ They said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” ¹⁵ He said to them, “But you, who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸ And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overpower it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” ²⁰ Then he commanded the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.             (EHV)

M: The Gospel of the Lord.

C: (Sung) Praise be to you, O Christ!

HYMN OF THE DAY (#752s) “In Christ Alone”

SERMON TEXT Matthew 16:13-20

SERMON THEME “Who Do You Say I Am?”, Jesus asks You.

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 (#382) “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less”

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH

M: O Lord, our God, you are wise and powerful, good and gracious.

Your mercies are new every morning. Each day you open your 

hand and provide for the needs of your children on earth.

C: We praise you for every grace and blessing.

M: Strengthen your Church in all the world. Let your comforting 

message of salvation in Christ Jesus be proclaimed to troubled 

souls everywhere.

C: Use our ministries and offerings to extend your healing and 

your hope.

M: We bring you our requests for the various structures of our 

society. Bless our national, state, and local governments.

C: Grant us civil servants who are worthy of honor and respect.

M: Grant prosperity to our businesses and industries. Give 

employers a sense of fairness toward their workers, and 

employees a feeling of joy and pride in their workmanship.

C: Help us find satisfaction in all work well done.

M: Invigorate the schools of our land. Give success to every effort 

that helps students read, think, and communicate in ways that 

will promote an informed and responsible citizenry. Arouse 

curious minds to discover the wonders of your created order.

C: Give us teachers and students who pursue excellence.

M: Strengthen the families of our country. Give fathers and mothers 

a renewed commitment to be good parents. Give children and 

young people the wisdom to regard their parents as your 

representatives.

C: Lead us to love one another as you have loved us.

M: Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions.

Silent prayer.

M: Gracious Father, we pray boldly as Jesus taught, with the 

confidence that you will hear and with the faith that you will 

respond for our welfare.

C: 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 (#403) “I Know My Faith Is Founded”

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST August 23, 2026

Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
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​THE SCHEDULE  

Next Sun., August 30: Greeters: Hoffmann Family

Shut-In Visitors for August: Dixon Family

OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS

LADIES FELLOWSHIP CARDS:   Immanuel’s Ladies Fellowship offers Christian-based greeting cards found in the display shelving at the end of the ramp. One of their suppliers is currently offering value prices for boxed cards. If anyone would like to place an order for a full box to be included with the Ladies Fellowship order, contact Julie Gutknecht. (Occasions available: Birthday, Sympathy, Anniversary, Wedding, Get Well, Thinking of You, Thanksgiving, Christmas.) ($6-box of 12 cards)

THANK YOU:  We have received a thank you letter from the Lutheran Military Support Group (LMSG) for our most recent Ammo Can donation of $133. It is posted on the west bulletin board.

MLC THANK YOU:  A thank you letter is posted on the west bulletin board from Martin Luther College for the recent gift (from the Endowment Fund allocation for charitable giving) of $2,000.

BUFFALO FOOD SHELF: The Buffalo Food Shelf sent a message of appreciation for our recent gift (from the Endowment Fund allocation for charitable giving) which is posted on the west bulletin board.

SUNDAY SCHOOL/CATECHISM/ADULT BIBLE STUDY will begin on Sept. 20. If you would like to teach or serve as a substitute teacher, please contact Pastor Oehlke or Julie Gutknecht. There will be a Sunday School teacher’s meeting at 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 3.

ATTENDANCE AT THE LORD’S HOUSE: 

Sunday, July 16 57

FOR THE LORD’S WORK:  Aug. 9: General Fund-$7,877.60 ($5,000 designated for parking lot), Salem-$2, Youth-$5. Aug. 16: General Fund-$8,725 ($500 designated for parking lot). Missions: Aug. 16-$70. (Missions YTD-$13,437).